Town of North Hampton Election takes Place Tuesday, March 14

NORTH HAMPTON, NH–The Town election of officials and warrant articles takes place this Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at North Hampton School. The polls will be open from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m.

Residents will have the opportunity to elect officers and weigh in on the Town budget. Below is a summary of the items on the ballot. For the full details, please see the sample ballot on the Town site.

Article One: Election of Officers

To choose the following officers for the coming year:

One Select Board Member for three-year term:

Rick Stanton

Joseph Bernardo

Kathleen M. Kilgore

One Town Treasurer for one-year term:

Barbara Kearney Dewing

One Library Trustee for three-year term:

Jacqueline Brandt

Seavie Rideout

Two Budget Committee Members for three-year terms each:

Frank Ferraro

Laurel Pohl

One Trustee of the Cemeteries for three-year term:

Joseph Bernardo

George Chauncey

Two Planning Board Members for three-year terms each:

Timothy Harned

Nancy Monaghan

One Water Commissioner for three-year term:

Richard Bettcher

Two Zoning Board Members for three-year terms each:

Joseph Bernardo

David Buchanan

One Trustee of the Trust Funds for three-year term:

Margaret Brown

Article 2: Amendment to Zoning Ordinance

Adoption of Amendment Number 1 to the Zoning Ordinance by the Planning Board to amend definitions to bring the language of the Town Zoning Ordinance into compliance with state Bill and RSA.

Article Three: Amendment to Zoning Ordinance

Adoption of Amendment Number 2 to the Zoning Ordinance by the Planning Board to amend Section 506 Signs and Billboards.

Article Four: Amendment to Zoning Ordinance

Adoption of Amendment Number 3 to the Zoning Ordinance by the Planning Board to amend Section 507 Home Occupation and Section 302 Definitions – Home Occupation.

Article Five: Amendment to Zoning Ordinance

Adoption of Amendment Number 4 to the Zoning Ordinance by the Planning Board to amend Section 302 Definitions and Section 405 Permitted Use, Special Exceptions, and Prohibited Uses for All Districts.

Article Six: Amendment to Zoning Ordinance

Adoption of Amendment Number 5 to the Zoning Ordinance by the Planning Board to amend Article V General Regulations and Section 302 Definitions – Essential Services. The intent of the proposed amendment is to add a new section for the purpose of establishing permitting regulation for the installation of solar panels and solar arrays within all zoning districts of the Town of North Hampton.

Article Seven: Amendment to Zoning Ordinance

Adoption of Amendment Number 6 to the Zoning Ordinance by the Planning Board to amend Section 302 Definitions. Definitions added for Dark Sky Standard, Grade Plane, and Height.

Article Eight: Amendment to Zoning Ordinance

Adoption of Amendment Number 7 to the Zoning Ordinance by the Planning Board to amend Section 409 Wetland Conservation Areas. Intent to add a 25 foot vegetative buffer zone distance within the 100 foot buffer zone setback requirement from Tidal Lands, Wetlands, and Isolated Non-Bordering Wetlands beginning at the outermost boundary of a wet area, clarify the permitted and prohibited uses within various portions of the Wetland Conservation District, and clarify the conditional use permit process for construction and other activities in the Wetland Conservation District.

Article Nine: Town Safety Complex (By Citizens Petition)

Town to appropriate $6,250,000 for the design and construction of a new Municipal Safety Complex to house both Police and Fire/Rescue Departments. Sum will be raised through bond or note issuance. Raise by taxation $296,340 for the first year’s payment on said bond. The tax impact to residents for this project will be $0.30/$1,000 of property valuation. The total cost of this project with interest over 30 year cycle is $8,890,220.

Passage of this special warrant article shall override the 10% limitation of RSA 32:18 on a bond article due to the non-recommendation of the Budget Committee.

3/5ths Ballot Vote required.

Article Ten: FY 2018 Operating Budget

Operating Budget of $6,982,118. If defeated, default budget is $7,130,470.

Article Eleven: Lease Purchase of a Police Cruiser

$42,600 for the purpose of three-year lease/purchase agreement for a police cruiser for the Police Department. Raise $14,200 through taxes for the first year’s payment on the lease.

Article Twelve: Lease Purchase of a Police Cruiser

$42,600 for the purpose of three-year lease/purchase agreement for a police cruiser for the Police Department. Raise $14,200 through taxes for the first year’s payment on the lease.

Article Thirteen: Purchase of SCBA Units for the Fire Department from Taxation

Raise through taxation the sum of $54,760 for the purchase of Self-contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) units for the Fire Department to replace existing units as part of a replacement schedule of equipment. The life expectancy of the SCBA units is approximately 10 years. This is a special warrant article.

Article Fourteen: Purchase of SCBA Units for the Fire Department from Unassigned Fund Balance

Raise $50,000 from unassigned fund balance (surplus) for the purchase of Self-contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) units for the Fire Department to replace existing units as part of a replacement schedule of equipment. The life expectancy of the SCBA units is approximately 10 years. This article does not affect the tax rate. This is a special warrant article.

Article Fifteen: Road Resurfacing

Raise $250,000 for the purpose of resurfacing and reconstructing approximately 2.5 miles of road by withdrawing $30,000 from the previously established Municipal Transportation Improvement Capital Reserve Fund created for this purpose, and raising through taxation $220,000.

Article Sixteen: Replace 6-Wheel DPW Dump Truck

Vote to enter into a seven-year lease/purchase agreement in the amount of $200,000 for the purpose of leasing and equipping a 6-Wheel dump truck for the Department of Public Works; and to raise and appropriate through taxation the sum of $28,600 for the first year’s payment on lease.

Article Seventeen: Resurfacing Dearborn Park Parking Lot

Raise through taxation $25,000 for the purpose of repair, reconstruction and resurfacing of the Dearborn Parking Lot.

Article Eighteen: Repairs to North Hampton Public Library

Raise through taxation $75,000 for the purpose of replacing the light fixtures, removing and replacing old insulation and replacing ceiling tiles in the North Hampton Public Library.

Article Nineteen: Update of 2008 MRI Report on Public Safety Staffing and Equipment Levels

Raise through taxation $20,000 for the purpose of commissioning an update to the 2008 MRI Study on Public Safety Staffing and Equipment Levels to help determine adequate staffing and staffing options and equipment levels in the Police and Fire Departments.

ArticleTwenty: Contribution to the Health Benefits Stabilization Capital Reserve Fund

Raise through taxation the sum of $30,000 for deposit into the Health Benefits Stabilization Control Capital Reserve Fund for the purpose of stabilizing health benefit cost increases for employees.

ArticleTwenty-one: Contribution to the Earned Time Settlement Capital Reserve Fund

Raise through taxation $30,000 for deposit into the Earned Time Settlement Capital Reserve Fund. The purpose of this fund is to limit the Town’s unfunded accrued leave liability. The total estimated liability for unfunded accrued leave is $273,246 and the balance in the Fund, as of December 31, 2016, is $69,725. The Select Board is the agent to expend from the said Fund.

ArticleTwenty-two: Contribution to the Town Building Maintenance Capital Reserve Fund

Raise through taxation the sum of $100,000 for deposit in the Town Building Maintenance Capital Reserve Fund. The purpose of this fund is to perform improvement projects and regular maintenance at the various Town-owned buildings.

Article Twenty-three: Contribution to the Town Revaluation Capital Reserve Fund

Raise through taxation $25,000 for deposit in the Town Revaluation Capital Reserve Fund (Capital Reserve Fund No. 17). The purpose of this fund is to set aside sufficient funds to comply with the State of New Hampshire’s requirement to perform a complete property revaluation every five (5) years.

Article Twenty-four: Creation of the Town Anniversaries Expendable Trust Fund

To see if the Town will vote to establish a Town Anniversaries Expendable Trust Fund pursuant to RSA 31:19-a, for the purpose of paying for the observation of major anniversaries of the Town’s founding. Raise through taxation the sum of One Dollar.

Article Twenty-five: Creation of School Resource Officer Position

Raise through taxation $0 for salary and benefits of an additional patrol officer for the North Hampton Police Department. Future salary and benefits for this position will be included in the operating budget for subsequent years.

Article Twenty-six: North Hampton Forever Balance Sheet Deficit

Raise and appropriate the sum of $31,703 from unassigned fund balance (surplus) to eliminate the accumulated North Hampton Forever Capital Project Fund deficit. This article does not impact the tax rate.

Article Twenty-seven: Amendment to Authorizing Legislation: Accrued Benefits Liability Expendable Trust Fund

Vote to appoint the Select Board as agents to expend from the Accrued Benefits Liability Expendable Trust Fund. This Fund was created in 2000 to fund the costs of accrued employee vacation and sick leave that is payable the time of employee separation or retirement. This article does not impact the tax rate.

Article Twenty-eight: Amendment to Authorizing Legislation: Municipal Transportation Improvements Capital Reserve Fund

To see if the Town will vote to appoint the Select Board as agents to expend from the Municipal Transportation Improvements Capital Reserve Fund. This Fund was created in 2012 for the purpose of setting aside the additional Five Dollar fee collected on motor vehicle registrations to help fund road and transportation improvements in the Town. This article does not impact the tax rate.

Article Twenty-nine: Amendment to Authorizing Legislation: Road Reclamation Capital Reserve Fund

To see if the Town will vote to appoint the Select Board as agents to expend from the Road Reclamation Capital Reserve Fund. This Fund was created in 1997 for the purpose of reclaiming roads in the Town. This article does not impact the tax rate.

Article Thirty (By Citizens Petition): Contribution to the Library Building Capital Reserve Fund

Upon petition by at least 25 registered voters, to see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate through taxation the sum of $75,000 to be placed in the Library Capital Reserve Fund established in March 2006, for the planning and construction of a library addition or new building.

Article Thirty-one (By Citizens Petition): Purchase of a Recreation Van

Upon petition by at least 25 registered voters, Vote to raise and appropriate through taxation the sum of $55,000 for the purchase of a recreation passenger van. Without limitation, the van will be used primarily for transportation incident to Programs for Active Senior Adults (“PASA”).

Article Thirty-two (By Citizens Petition): Adoption of Town Manager Plan Pursuant to RSA Chapter 37

Upon petition by at least 25 registered voters, favor study of the Town Manager plan as provided in Chapter 37 of the Revised Statutes Annotated.

Article Thirty-three (By Citizens Petition): To Control Development of Conservation Land

Upon petition by at least 25 registered voters, vote that any development of or changes to any conservation land owned or controlled by North Hampton or otherwise designated by North Hampton as conservation land be subject to the all of the listed provisions (7).

Article Thirty-four (By Citizens Petition): To Restore the Morris Lamprey Conservation Easement

Upon petition by at least 25 registered voters, vote that any development of or changes to any conservation land owned or controlled by North Hampton or otherwise designated by North Hampton as conservation land be subject to all of the provisions listed.

Article Thirty-five (By Citizens Petition): To Make the Conservation Commission an Elected Rather than Appointed Body

Upon petition by at least 25 registered voters, vote that the members of the Conservation Commission be elected by the public rather than appointed by the Select Board.

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