France Menk Photo Workshops – 10/4/25
Have you ever spent time viewing something you believed would make a beautiful photo only to find, after you had taken it, that it was not what you had envisioned? Even though you ended up with a photograph, the feelings and impressions you had while taking it were not represented in that image?
In my workshops, you will discover how your camera lens differs from your eye’s, and how you can find the language you, yourself, own to translate those differences.
You will gain a deeper understanding of what ‘seeing’ tells us; a deeper comprehension of your own visions, and knowledge of how to represent them.
PS No age brackets. If you are old enough to know how to use a camera,
you are old enough to join.
iam@france-menk.com for answers to your questions.
“History of Family Reunions” at the Walpole Historical Society – 9/27/25
From Tricia Houstoun:
A SPECIAL EVENT EVERY SATURDAY
On September 27 at 12:30 pm you are invited to join Tricia Houstoun at the Museum as she explores the history of family reunions. Tricia notes that family reunions often involve shared family recipes and invites you to bring beloved family dish to Saturday’s gathering. We’ll have refreshments!
Reminder to pick up your list of clues for the Walpole Historical Hunt and find the treasures in the Museum. You have until October 18 to find them all!
The Walpole Historical Society will be open every Saturday through October 18, from noon to 3 pm and will feature a special presentation each Saturday at 12:30 pm.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Selectboard Meeting Agenda – 9/25/25
TOWN OF WALPOLE
SELECTBOARD MEETING AGENDA
September 25, 2025
Starting at 6:30 PM in the Town Hall
SELECTBOARD MEETING
PHONE SYSTEM PRESENTATION
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
- Accounts Payable Check Register in the total amount of $903,625.97 for checks issued 9/29/2025
PAYROLL
- Payroll Register totaling $34,394.18 dated 9/26/2025 and the 941 Payroll Tax Transfer of $6,732.92
SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES
- Selectboard Meeting – September 17, 2025
- Selectboard Non-Public Session – September 17, 2025
COMMITTEE REPORTS
- Trail Committee Meeting Minutes – September 10, 2025
- Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting Minutes – September 17, 2025
- Supervisors of the Checklist Meeting Minutes – September 23, 2025
TIMBER TAX WARRANT
- Op# 25-461-01, Map and Lot# 011-012-000
REFUNDS
- Map and Lot# 030-065-000
TIMBER INTENT
- Map 6, Lots 19,20,21
BUILDING PERMITS
- 2025-29, Map and Lot# 001-015-008
- 2025-30, Map and Lot# 003-007-001
- 2025-31, Map and Lot# 001-008-000
- 2025-32, Map and Lot# 009-003-000
- 2025-33, Map and Lot# 021-013-000
OLD BUSINESS
Pending Further Actions: Parking Policy, Generators, Old North Main and High Streets Bridges/Culverts, School and Union Street Drainage
- Reservoir Dam Update
- Town Hall Folding Chairs Color Choice
- New Police Station “Coming Soon” Sign
NEW BUSINESS
- Cemetery Deed
- Recreation Revolving Fund Request
- Written Statement for Two Old Roads
- PFA Health Insurance Proposal
NON-PUBLIC BUSINESS: RSA 91-A:3 II (a) (b)
Zoning Board Meeting Minutes – 9/17/25
Zoning Board of Adjustment
September 17, 2025
Town Hall
7 pm
These minutes are unapproved and will be reviewed at the October meeting for corrections.
Roll Call: Board Present: Chair Tom Murray, Vice-Chair Pauline Barnes, Shane O’Keefe, William Sommer. Alternate: Don Sellarole. Absent Dave Edkins, Myra Mansouri.
Call to Order: Mr. Murray called the meeting to order at 7pm. Mr. Murray asked alternate Don Sellarole to fill in for the absent board member. He agreed. Mr. Edkins came in at 7:15 pm.
Review minutes of August 2025: Mr. O’Keefe pointed out that the August minutes didn’t have any approval. The secretary looked back at the August minutes and found that Mr. O’Keefe made a motion to approve the July minutes as amended. Mr. Edkins seconded the motion and the motion carried.
Regarding the August minutes, besides Mr. O’Keefe’s correction Ms. Barnes pointed out three typos. Mr. O’Keefe made a motion to approve the minutes as amended. Mr. Sommer seconded the motion and the motion carried.
New Business:
Kristen Burke, 68 Cold River Road, Tax Map 26. Lot 24, Rural/Ag. Add a 19-foot-by-foot-14 deck to the back of the house. The ordinance says he must put the deck 65 feet from the middle of the road which is in the front of the house. She said it was 55 feet.
Kristen Burke came to the meeting. She said she went to the Town Offices for a building permit to add a deck to her house on Cold River Road. She was told to contact the Administrative Zoning Coordinator, Ernie Vose. He suggested going to the town web site for an application. She had filled out an application for an Appeal From an Administrative Decision. That application is for an appeal of a decision already made and was not the correct form.
Ms. Barnes asked about the age of the house. Ms. Burke said it was built in the 1940s. This meant it was a nonconforming. There was a long discussion about Article X in the Walpole Zoning Ordinances document about nonconforming uses. There were five suggestions about possibilities of things to do. As an example item “D” says “A nonconforming use may be expanded or enlarged or changed to another nonconforming use after the Board of Adjustment determines, after a public hearing, that the proposed expansion, enlargement or change will not materially increase the hazard or nuisance value of the nonconformity.”
After several minutes of discussion on nonconforming uses, it was decided to follow the Administrative Zoning Coordinator’s advice. In an email Mr. Vose wrote:
“The problem is that the deck will be on the back of the house and doesn’t change the set back from the street.
“As long as the deck isn’t too close to the rear boundary line
“”I think that a (building) permit should be granted.”
Ms. Burke has about three acres of property behind the house.
It was suggested that Ms. Burke go to a Select Board meeting next week and explain the situation and ask them for a building permit.
Discussion of MG Building/Abingdon Spares property on South Street.
There was some talk about this property at the September Planning Board meeting and Mr. Murray said he has heard some some talk about possible buyers. Mr. Murray wanted to remind the Board that this property received a variance that had three conditions and that the conditions go with the property. The conditions were:
1. That only the mail order business be conducted at the above location.
2. Only the existing building be utilized.
3. All business operations be conducted within the interior of the building.
Owners were Doris and Gerard Gougen. They obtained a variance from the Board of Adjustments on March 1980 to conduct a motor car parts mail order business from their premises. The property is located in Residential B district. The use was “Pick and Pack,” a mail order for auto parts. The original use of the building was a chicken coop. The minutes of that meeting say that before zoning the land was categorized as commercial.
Adjournment
Mr. O’Keefe made a motion to adjourn. Mr. Edkins seconded the motion and the motion carried. The time was 8:50 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Marilou Blaine
Book Discussion at the Library – 9/24/25
From Julie Rios at the Walpole Town Library:
“The Development of a Village” at the Walpole Historical Society – 9/20/25
From Tricia Houstoun:
A SPECIAL EVENT EVERY SATURDAY
On September 20 at 12:30 pm you are invited to join Ray Boas at the Museum, as he explains the out-of-the-ordinary process that created the village we now experience.
Unlike other similar 19th century New Hampshire villages, Walpole did not initially develop around its Common. In fact, Walpole’s Common, as now laid out, came to be in 1815 – 63 years after the Town’s founding.
Prior to the Town House opening on the Common in 1825, Walpole’s “commercial area” developed two blocks to the east. Before that development, the village center was proposed, and existed in three other different areas. In his presentation, Ray Boas will explore those other locations, and also relate other Walpole 19th century population centers that no longer stand out.
The Walpole Historical Society will be open every Saturday through October 18, from noon to 3 pm and will feature a special presentation each Saturday at 12:30 pm.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Rail Trail Reopened
From Wendy Grossman:
The New Hampshire Bureau of Trails has completed its bridge repairs on the northern portion of the Cheshire Rail Trail in Walpole. The trail, which had been closed in this area during repairs, has been reopened.
The bridge near Malnati Farm now has a completely new, bicycle-friendly deck. At the bridge nearest to the Boat Launch, some of the gaps between deck planks have been filled to make the bridge surface more level. The repairs at both bridges should improve the safety and enjoyment of Walpole’s rail trail for users, especially bicyclists.
Many thanks to the New Hampshire Bureau of Trails.
Wendy Grossman
Chair, Walpole Trail Committee
Selectboard Meeting Agenda – 9/17/25
TOWN OF WALPOLE
SELECTBOARD MEETING AGENDA
September 17, 2025
Starting at 6:30 PM in the Town Hall
SELECTBOARD MEETING
NON-PUBLIC BUSINESS: RSA 91-A:3 II (a) (b) (c)
PAYROLL
- Payroll Register totaling $36,321.18 dated 9/19/2025 and the 941 Payroll Tax Transfer of $7,006.96
SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES
- Selectboard Meeting – September 11, 2025
- Selectboard Non-Public Session – September 11, 2025
COMMITTEE REPORTS
- Conservation Commission Meeting Minutes – September 8, 2025
- Library Trustee Meeting Minutes – September 9, 2025
- Planning Board Meeting Minutes – September 9, 2025
OLD BUSINESS
Pending Further Actions: Parking Policy, Generators, Old North Main and High Streets Bridges/Culverts, School and Union Street Drainage
- Trail Maintenance Agreement
NEW BUSINESS
- Junkyard Permit
- Building Permit Question
- Recreation Department Updates
- Phone System for Town Hall
- Town Hall Folding Chairs
- 10 Year Transportation Plan Meeting
- SWRPC Fall Meeting
HOOPER TRUSTEES MEETING
HOOPER TRUSTEES MINUTES
- Hooper Trustees Meeting – September 3, 2025
- Non-Public Session – September 3, 2025
HOOPER TRUSTEES PUBLIC BUSINESS
- Banking Letter
- August 2025 Reimbursement to the Town of Walpole from the Hooper Education Fund
- May through August 2025 Reimbursement to the Town of Walpole from the Hooper Maintenance Fund
- Hooper Institute Renovation Invoices for August 2025
- Hooper Institute Grand Reopening Event
- Hooper Institute Wasp Issue
HOOPER TRUSTEES NON-PUBLIC BUSINESS: RSA 91-A:3 II (b)
**Any recording, audio or visual, and/or other devices must be declared at the beginning of the meeting**
Zoning Board Meeting Agenda – 9/17/25
Zoning Board of Adjustment Agenda
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Town Hall
7 pm
Roll Call: Appointment of an alternate if needed.
Minutes: Review minutes of August 2025.
Call to Order:
New Business:
Discussion of MG Building/Abingdon Spares property on South Street.
The Walpolean 
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