2009 TOWN MEETING WARRANT TOWN OF BRISTOL GRAFTON COUNTY STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
To the Inhabitants of the Town of Bristol in the County of Grafton and the State of New Hampshire qualified to vote in Town affairs. You are hereby notified to meet at the Old Town Hall on Summer Street in said Bristol on Tuesday, the 10th day of March, next, at 8:00 o’clock in the morning at which time the polls shall be opened for balloting on Articles 1 through 8, and shall close not earlier than 7:00 o’clock in the evening; and you are further hereby notified to meet at the Auditorium at Newfound High School in said Bristol on Saturday, the 14th day of March, next, at 9:00 o’clock in the morning at which time action will be taken upon the remaining articles in this warrant.
Article 1 To choose by written ballot all necessary Town Officers 1 Selectman for a 3 year term 1 Trustee of the Trust Funds for a 3 year term 1 Supervisor of the Checklist for a 3 year term 4 Budget Committee members for 3 year terms 3 Library Trustees for 3 year terms
Article 2 (By petition, and by official ballot) To see if the Town will vote to decrease the current 5 member Board of Selectmen to 3 members. The following question will appear on the official ballot: “Are you in favor of decreasing the Board of Selectmen to 3 members.”
Article 3 To see if the Town will adopt Zoning Amendment #1 (signs in Historic District) as proposed by the Planning Board. A copy of the complete amendment is on file for review at the town office. The following question will appear on the official ballot:
"Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 1 as proposed by the Planning Board for the town zoning ordinance as follows: Amendment No. 1, if adopted, will allow signs in the Historic District which are determined by the Land Use Officer to meet standards established by the Historic District Commission to be permitted without the need for a Certificate of Approval from the Commission."
Article 4 To see if the Town will adopt Zoning Amendment #2 (removing references to Historic District 'buffer') as proposed by the Planning Board. A copy of the complete amendment is on file for review at the town office. The following question will appear on the official ballot: "Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 2 as proposed by the Planning Board for the town zoning ordinance as follows: Amendment No. 2, if adopted, will remove reference to a “buffer zone” in the description of the Historic District overlay map, making it clear that the properties abutting those in the National Register of Historic Places are in fact included in the Historic District."
Article 5 To see if the Town will adopt Zoning Amendment #3 (revision of sign regulations) as proposed by the Planning Board. A copy of the complete amendment is on file for review at the town office. The following question will appear on the official ballot: "Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 3 as proposed by the Planning Board for the town zoning ordinance as follows: Amendment No. 3, if adopted, will make a number of revisions to the current sign regulations. The changes clarify some existing regulations and make some additions, deletions and modifications recommended by the Planning Board."
Article 6 To see if the Town will adopt Zoning Amendment #4 (fences along public ways) as proposed by the Planning Board. A copy of the complete amendment is on file for review at the town office. The following question will appear on the official ballot: "Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 4 as proposed by the Planning Board for the town zoning ordinance as follows: Amendment No. 4, if adopted, will require that fences within a triangle extending 20 feet from a highway intersection be no more than three (3) feet tall. It will also require that the smooth side of fences constructed along a public way face the public way."
Article 7 To see if the Town will adopt Zoning Amendment #5 (small wind energy systems) as proposed by the Planning Board. A copy of the complete amendment is on file for review at the town office. The following question will appear on the official ballot: "Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 5 as proposed by the Planning Board for the town zoning ordinance as follows: Amendment No. 5, if adopted, will, in conjunction with state law (RSA 674:62-66), regulate small wind energy systems. Such systems will be allowed only in the rural district and be subject to regulations on setbacks, height, sound level, shadow flicker, etc. The Land Use Officer will review applications after notification of abutters and an opportunity for comments from the public have taken place and issue a building permit if appropriate. The ordinance will also provide for the removal of abandoned systems."
Article 8 To see if the Town will adopt Zoning Amendment #6 (consistency with state fire code) as proposed by the Planning Board. A copy of the complete amendment is on file for review at the town office. The following question will appear on the official ballot: "Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 6 as proposed by the planning board for the town zoning ordinance as follows: Amendment No. 6, if adopted, will eliminate the requirement for a masonry fire wall between units in a building with two or more side-by-side units. Current fire codes do not contain this requirement, allowing for other means to be used to isolate side-by-side units. The amendment will also require that all new buildings or buildings undergoing a change in use meet all requirements of the current state fire codes."
Article 9 To see if the Town will adopt the provisions of RSA 72:38-b, the exemption for the Deaf or Severely Hearing Impaired Person and exempt $30,000 from the assessed value of residential real estate for property tax purposes. To qualify, the applicant must have been a New Hampshire resident for at least 5 consecutive years and own and occupy the real estate individually or jointly as their principle place of abode, or if the real estate is owned by a spouse, they must have been married for at least 5 years. In addition, the taxpayer must have a net income of not more than $25,000, or if married, a combined income of not more than $45,000 and own assets not in excess of $40,000 excluding the value of the person’s residence and the land upon which it is located up to the greater of 2 acres.
Article 10 To see if the Town will vote to discontinue Towne Road per RSA 231:45 as a Class V Town highway and reclassify the road as a Class VI highway subject to gates and bars. (Towne Road is located south of Route 104 opposite the sports fields at Newfound High School, and runs in a north-south direction. A favorable vote on this article will end the Town’s responsibilities for any maintenance on this highway, including summer and winter maintenance. The public will continue to have the right of access on the highway as a Class VI road).
Article 11 To see if the Town will vote to discontinue Remick Road per RSA 231:45 as a Class V Town highway and reclassify the road as a Class VI highway subject to gates and bars. (Remick Road is located off Peaked Hill Road, and leads into the Remick Farm in a northwesterly direction). A favorable vote on this article will end the Town’s responsibilities for any maintenance on this highway, including summer and winter maintenance. The public will continue to have the right of access on the highway as a Class VI road).
Article 12 To see if the Town will vote to discontinue Locke Road per RSA 231:45 as a Class V Town highway and reclassify the road as a Class VI highway subject to gates and bars. (Locke Road is the first left off Old Stage Road as you come off Peaked Hill Road, and runs in a northwesterly direction). A favorable vote on this article will end the Town’s responsibilities for any maintenance on this highway, including summer and winter maintenance. The public will continue to have the right of access on the highway as a Class VI road.
Article 13 To see if the Town will vote to discontinue Benz Road beyond the Jenness Hill Road intersection per RSA 231:45 as a Class V Town highway and reclassify the road as a Class VI highway subject to gates and bars. (Benz Road is located off River Road, intersects with Jenness Hill Road, and runs is a northwesterly direction. A favorable vote on this article will end the Town’s responsibilities for any maintenance on this highway, including summer and winter maintenance. The public will continue to have the right of access on the highway as a Class VI road).
Article 14 To see if the Town will vote to appropriate $25,000. for improvements at Kelley Park, including construction of a pavilion shelter, purchase of new playground equipment, and other items, and to pay for said improvements by withdrawing funds from interest available in the following trust funds:
Trust Fund Year Fund Withdrawal Created Amount
Kelly Park Fund 1903 $18,500. Bennett Fund 1968 6,000. LK Tilton Fund 1980 500. Total $25,000.
Article 15 To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the Budget Committee recommended sum of $682,500. to construct the Borough Road Bridge project. Of this amount, the sum of $546,000. is to be received from a NH Department of Transportation State Aid Bridge Program grant, with the remaining sum of $72,500. to be raised by taxation and $64,000. to be raised from Fund Balance. These amounts represent one half of the entire cost of the project, with the other half to be raised by the Town of Hill. (Note: the Town will receive $64,000. in reimbursement from the State for design costs to date.) Pursuant to RSA 32:7, VI, this will be a nonlapsing, nontransferable appropriation and will not lapse until the earlier of 2014 or when the project is complete.
Article 16 To see if the Town will vote to establish a Minot-Sleeper Library Reserve Fund under the provisions of RSA 35:1, said funds to be used for the designing and/or construction of improvements and expansion of the Library, and to raise and appropriate $25,000 to be placed into said fund. Furthermore, to name the Board of Selectmen as agents to expend the fund.
Article 17 To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to enter into a two year lease agreement for $90,000 for the purpose of lease/purchasing a one ton truck for the Public Works (Highway) Department, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $45,000 for the first year’s payment for that purpose. This lease agreement contains a non-appropriation clause.
Article 18 To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $ 4,629,254 (Four million, six hundred twenty nine thousand, two hundred fifty four dollars) for general municipal operations, with $163,512 of this cost to be appropriated from Fund Balance.
Article 19 To see if the town will vote to require that the numeric tally of votes by the Budget Committee and the Board of Selectmen relative to recommending the operating budget and all warrant articles be printed on the warrant next to the affected articles.
Article 20 (By Petition) To see if the Town will vote to require all purchases, including services and repairs in excess of $2,000 (two thousand dollars) to utilize the bidding process.
Article 21 (By Petition) To see if the Town will vote to withdraw from the sewerage to the lake project and cease all funding for the project. The cost of the project is now well over 35 million dollars. Even with Federal Aid, Bristol would pay 20% or 7 million dollars.
Article 22 (By Petition) To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the same funds for the 2009 Operating Budget as the actual amount spent in 2008, The amount to be $4,784,218 This would be a so-called level funded budget.
Article 23 (By Petition) To see if the Town will vote to require any Town Official or Department Head be a resident of the Newfound Area.
Article 24 To transact any other business which may legally come before this meeting.
Given under our hands and seal this 26th day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand and nine.
A true copy of the Warrant – Attest:
BRISTOL Richard Alpers, Chair BOARD OF Paul Fraser, Vice - Chair
SELECTMEN Joe Denning
Bruce Van Derven
Donald Milbrand |