Selectboard Meeting Agenda – 7/17/25

SELECTBOARD 07/17/2025 Leave a comment

TOWN OF WALPOLE

SELECTBOARD MEETING AGENDA 

July 17, 2025

Starting at 6:30 PM in the Town Hall

SELECTBOARD MEETING

CROSSWALK AT STATE LINE GROCERY

HOOPER TRUSTEES MEETING

HOOPER TRUSTEES PUBLIC BUSINESS

  • Hooper Renovation Update
  • Hooper Maintenance Trust Probate Update
  • Hooper Trust Quarterly Fund Update
  • Hooper Renovation Invoices
  • June 2025 Reimbursement to the Town of Walpole from the Hooper Education Fund
  • June 2025 Reimbursement to the Town of Walpole from the Hooper Maintenance Fund

HOOPER TRUSTEES MINUTES

  • Hooper Trustees Meeting – June 26, 2025
  • Hooper Non-Public Session – June 26, 2025
  • Correction for Hooper Trustees Meeting Minutes of June 19, 2025

HOOPER TRUSTEES NON-PUBLIC BUSINESS: RSA 91-A:3 II

SELECTBOARD MEETING – continued

PAYROLL

  • Payroll Register totaling $38,851.14 dated 7/18/2025 and the 941 Payroll Tax Transfer of $7,378.37

SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES

  • Selectboard Meeting – July 10, 2025
  • Selectboard Non-Public Session – July 10, 2025

COMMITTEE REPORTS

  • North Walpole Village Commissioners Meeting – June 10, 2025
  • Conservation Commission Meeting – July 7, 2025
  • Planning Board Meeting – July 8, 2025

REFUNDS

  • Map and Lot# 012-049-000

OLD BUSINESS

Pending Further Actions: Parking Policy, Generators, Old North Main and High Streets Bridges/Culverts, School and Union Street Drainage, Reservoir Dam and Central Air System for the Town Hall

  • Emergency Medical Situation Procedure
  • Cease and Desist Letter

NEW BUSINESS

  • Closed Landfill Mowing Proposal
  • Smoke Testing for Sewer Line Leak
  • Deputy Town Clerk Resignation Letter
  • August 21st In-person Staff Meeting

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**

August 2025 Clarion Closing Date – 7/22/25

Uncategorized 07/16/2025 1 Comment

From Ray Boas:

Hope you had fun during OLD HOME DAYS – it took me about two weeks to recover from helping with the Walpole Players’ production of OUR TOWN. But, time again, and I have now started work on the AUGUST issue of the CLARION. Inputs for your articles are due TUESDAY, JULY 22, 5 pm (Walpole time). The files will go to the printer the following morning. Make sure to visit the CLARION website for contact information, and article and advertising submission details.

Your early submissions help as I start developing the layout well before the closing date. If you have some “news” send it along. I also like to have on-hand material of interest that is not time-sensitive to fill space to round out a pleasing issue. So, if you would “like to be in print” and have something to write and share (images as well), send along for possible inclusion space permitting. Please do remember, it is the advertisers in each issue that make this community publication possible, so please support and thank them.

If you have any questions, or interest in placing an advertisement, reaching over 1,900 Walpole, North Walpole and Drewsville addresses, I welcome your inquiries, so please do get in touch with me. Advertising information and contact information is on the CLARION website.

Thank you, RAY BOAS, Publisher

Conservation Commission Meeting Minutes – 7/7/25

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Town of Walpole, New Hampshire

Conservation Commission

July 7, 2025

(Note: These are unapproved Minutes. Corrections will be found in the Minutes of the August 4, 2025 Conservation Commission meeting.)

Members Present: Nicole Adams, Wendy Grossman, France Menk, John Peska (Cochair & Presiding), Lewis Shelley

Alternates Present: Hale Morrell

Members Absent: Paul Happ, Peter Palmiotto (Cochair), Carolyn Vose (Selectboard), Tom Beaudry

Call to Order: John called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm in the Gazebo on the Common. 

Seating of Alternates: There was a quorum of members, so no alternates were seated.

Review and Approval of Minutes

Wendy moved to accept the June 2, 2025 minutes as written. Nicole seconded and all voted in favor. The motion carried. 

Public Business

Financial Report:

  • Conservation $282,690.37
  • Forestry $52,747.05

Correspondence:  We received Hale’s appointment letter – she is now officially an Alternate.  Thanks, Hale, for joining the Conservation Commission.  We also received the Conservation Commission Newsletter.

New Business

NH Association of Conservation Commissions: Lesley Johnson would like to talk to the Walpole Conservation Commission at the August meeting.  The NHACC is developing a strategic plan, and they would like to see what the local Conservation Commissions would like them to do for us.  

Route 12 Rest Areas:  France moved to accept the quote from Connecticut Valley Yard Works for mowing at the rest areas. Lew seconded. With all in favor, the motion carried.

Several things that need to be done at the rest area will be rescheduled to fall.  There was so much rain this spring and early summer that the work couldn’t be done as previously planned.

Old Business

Old Home Days Summary: Both the Conservation Commission and Trail Committee tables were busy the whole time.  People seemed to be picking up the materials that were available.  Only 20 raffle tickets were entered for the snowshoes, but the winner was thrilled to get them. There are some tree survey results.  It was suggested that Conservation have a float at the next Old Home Days. Thank you to all who helped with the tables and events.

Forest for the Birds: Chris Liazos did not get any takers for a bird walk before the Old Home Days parade, but he did have some very engaging conversations.

Gateway Management (Invasive Control): The invasive control work will be started after June30th and completed by the end of September.  There was a discussion of warning signs that will be posted when the invasives are treated to warn people to stay away for 24 hours. 

Trail Committee 

Updates: Tom Murray created the new trail at the Gateway.  It is the first new trail created by the Trail Committee.  Thank you, Tom.  There was a small attendance at the Trail Committee events Sunday morning of Old Home Days at the Gateway.

Rail Trail Brush Hog: The permit was received June 19th and the brush hogging was done late the following week.  All sticks need to be removed from the trail before brush hogging.  They were very accommodating, and they did a great job.  The Malnati bridge is no longer adequate for a tractor. The Hooper Hill Hoppers are awaiting information and materials from the Bureau of Trails so they can replace the bridge.

The new draft memorandum of understanding has been received from the State.  It will replace the annual Special Use Permit for brush hogging and other projects.  In addition to the memorandum of understanding, an annual work plan will need to be submitted.

Other Business

Dam Updates: A lot of attention is currently being devoted to the changes in the planned dam repairs.

Hooper Institute Board Update:  Greta Drager, the new Executive Director, started last week.  George Gowdy, the new Educator, will start in August. Renovations are paused for the camps, then the contractors will be back and finish the work.  There was a question about Invasives Control at Hooper – a copy of the paperwork is needed

Adjournment:  France moved to adjourn the meeting.  Nicole seconded.  John declared the meeting adjourned at 7:50 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Sue Bauer, Recording Secretary

Planning Board Meeting Minutes – 7/8/25

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Walpole Planning Board Minutes

 July 8, 2025

Town Hall

7 pm

Roll Call: Board Members: Present; Chair Jeff Miller, Vice-Chair Dennis Marcom, Clerk Jason Perron, Jeff Harrington, Joanna Andros, Trevor MacLachlan, Select Board Representative Steve Dalessio. Alternates: Travis Adams and Bill Carmody.

Call to Order: Mr. Miller called the meeting to order at 7 pm.

Minutes: Review of June 2025 minutes. Ms. Andros made a typo correction on page 1, second to last paragraph. Mr. Marcom moved to accept minutes as corrected. Mr. Perron seconded the motion and the motion passed.

New Business:

Bevin Mitchell, signage at 32 Wentworth Road, Residential A district.

Bevin Mitchel made a request for signage for her B&B on Wentworth Road. Mrs. Mitchell said Matt Saxton was making the sign but it was not yet finished. She presented a picture of the shape of the sign. It is a 3-foot-by-2 foot free-standing sign and will be double-sided. It will be placed 10 feet from the road in the first of three driveways. She choose a shape similar to one that might have been used in the 1700s because that is the time period of when the section of her home she is using for the B&B was built. It will be on a post about 4 or 5 feet high.

Since the sign and placement conform to the Residential District Zoning Ordinance, there were no questions. Mr. Perron made a motion to approve the sign. Mr. Harrington seconded the motion and the motion carried.

Lot Line Adjustment: Robin Sanctuary. Property on 5 Hooper and 00 Old Keene Road, Town Map 8, Lot 8-2 in the rural/agricultural district. 

Ms. Sanctuary requested a public hearing on this matter. She wants to annex 1 acre from Lot No. 2 and 2 acres from Lot No. 3  to the lot abutting her property to the south, 27 Hooper Road. Mr. Perron made a motion to hold a public hearing for the lot line adjustment in August. The motion was seconded by Mr. Harrington and the motion carried.

DADUs: Mr. Tom Aldrich was at the meeting to discuss DADUs or Detached Accessory Dwelling Units.

DADUs are defined as “a residential living unit that is with the same single-family lot and provides independent living facilities for one or more persons, including provisions to sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation on the same parcel of land as the principal unit it accompanies.” 

Adjournment

Mr. Perron made a motion to adjourn. Mr. Marcom seconded the motion and the motion carried. The time was 7:45 pm.

These minutes are unapproved and will be reviewed at the August meeting for corrections. 

Respectfully submitted,

Marilou Blaine

Reminder: Teddy Bear Parade – 7/19/25

EVENTS 07/15/2025 Leave a comment
Join us for the annual teddy bear parade. July 19 at 10:00 am at Distant Hill Nature Trail. Bring your favorite stuffed animal and a wagon or stroller if you have one. We will provide some wagons, decorations, bubbles, and kazoos.

Selectboard Meeting Minutes – 7/2/25

SELECTBOARD 07/11/2025 Leave a comment

Town of Walpole, New Hampshire

Meeting of the Selectboard

July 2, 2025

Selectboard Present: Steven Dalessio, Chair; Carolyn Vose and Cheryl Mayberry

Staff Present: Sarah Downing, Manager of Administration, and Sue Bauer, Recording Secretary

Guests Present: Tom Aldrich and Chris Snow

CALL TO ORDER: Mr. Dalessio called the Selectboard meeting to order at 6:30 PM in the Walpole Town Hall.

The following item was moved to the top of the agenda because guests wished to ask questions.

Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit: Christopher Snow and Tom Aldrich had questions and concerns about a proposed Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit or DADU that may be built by their neighbor.  There are concerns about the zoning ordinances concerning DADU’s.  Mr. Snow and Mr. Aldrich wonder if the small dwellings will cause surrounding properties to decline in value and what can the owners do about it?  They reported that about 1.5 – 2 acres have recently been logged but no permit was posted.  Mrs. Downing will check into that open item.  Mr. Snow stated that it was expected that there would only be six homes in the development. The Selectboard commented that to control the number of homes, there would need to be in a covenant in the each of the deeds.  Mr. Dalessio stated that the wording in the Town’s DADU ordinance was from the State’s wording from a couple of years ago.  However, it is not yet clear what NH is going to do now to address the lack of affordable housing, and that will impact the Town’s zoning ordinances in the future.  The Selectboard counts on Walpole residents to let the Town know if something of concern is happening in their neighborhood.

Mr. Aldrich and Mr. Snow left the meeting.

Payroll

Ms. Mayberry moved to approve the Payroll Register totaling $39,020.60 dated 7/3/2025 and the 941 Payroll Tax Transfer of $7,487.24. Ms. Vose seconded.  With Ms. Mayberry, Ms. Vose, and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the motion was approved. 

Selectboard Meeting Minutes

Selectboard Meeting – June 26, 2025: Ms. Mayberry moved to approve the Minutes of the Selectboard meeting of June 26,2025. Ms. Vose seconded.  With Ms. Mayberry, Ms. Vose, and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the motion was approved.

Non-Public Selectboard Meeting – June 26, 2025: Ms. Mayberry moved to approve the Minutes of the Non-Public Selectboard meeting of June 26, 2025.  The minutes will remain sealed. Ms. Vose seconded.  With Ms. Mayberry, Ms. Vose, and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the minutes were approved.

Timber Yield Taxes Assessed and Warrant

Op # 24-461-05, Map and Lot # 004-027-000: Ms. Mayberry moved to approve the timber yield taxes assessed and warrant for $368.33.  Ms. Vose seconded.  With Ms. Mayberry, Ms. Vose, and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the warrant and yield taxes assessed were approved.

Timber Intents

Map and Lot # 014-005-000: Ms. Mayberry moved to approve the Timber Intent for Map and Lot # 14-005-000. Ms. Vose seconded.  With Ms. Mayberry, Ms. Vose, and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the motion was approved.

Old Business

Certificate of Adoption for the Hazard Mitigation Plan: FEMA has approved the plan which is ready to be finalized.  Ms. Mayberry moved the Hazard Mitigation Plan be adopted as printed, the Certificate of Adoption be signed, and the Plan be filed with the Town Clerk.  Ms. Vose seconded.  With Ms. Mayberry, Ms. Vose, and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the Plan was accepted, and the Certificate signed, and it will be filed with the Town Clerk.

Recycling Solar System Update: Mr. Hoy reported that the company that made the new inverter found wiring issues that were corrected and the new inverter installed.  The system was generating power again as of Friday, June 27th. 

Reservoir Dam Update: Mr. Dalessio reported that there are new fees related to dams, and changes to the Reservoir Dam repair plan.  The dam was reclassified from low risk to high risk, which means the planned repairs need to change.

Central Air System for Town Hall: Mr. Dalessio reported that there is a guesstimate of $75,000 to install a mini-split-based cooling system for the office spaces, hallway and restrooms. However, the actual quote is being calculated.  A cost of approximately $17,000 was given for just the Selectboard Office and kitchen before the Town Clerk’s Office central air unit failed.  E.E. Houghton Co. must come before the Selectboard with detailed figures before further planning can be done.

New Business

Horse Thieves Dinner: By consensus, the Selectboard meeting of September 18th will be moved to Wednesday, September 17th. This meeting date change will allow Selectboard members to attend the yearly dinner event.

NON-PUBLIC BUSINESS RSA 91-A:3 II (b)(c)(e)

Ms. Vose moved to enter into Non-Public Session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3 II (b)(c)(e) at 7:27 PM.  Ms. Mayberry seconded.  With Ms. Vose, Ms. Mayberry and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the motion was approved.

The meeting was reconvened at 8:11 PM.

Ms. Vose moved that the Non-Public Session Minutes be sealed. Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  With Ms. Vose, Ms. Mayberry and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the motion was approved.

ADJOURNMENT: Mr. Dalessio declared the meeting adjourned at 8:11 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Sue Bauer, Recording Secretary

(Note: These are unapproved Minutes. Corrections will be found in the Minutes of the July 10, 2025 Selectboard meeting.)

Selectboard Meeting Agenda – 7/10/25 at 6 pm

SELECTBOARD 07/10/2025 Leave a comment

TOWN OF WALPOLE

SELECTBOARD MEETING AGENDA 

July 10, 2025

Starting at 6:00 PM in the Town Hall

SELECTBOARD MEETING

NON-PUBLIC BUSINESS: RSA 91-A:3 II (b) (c) (e)

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE

  • Accounts Payable Check Register in the total amount of $259,360.96 for checks issued 7/15/2025

PAYROLL

  • Payroll Register totaling $40,324.97 dated 7/11/2025 and the 941 Payroll Tax Transfer of $7,706.71

SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES

  • Selectboard Meeting – July 2, 2025
  • Selectboard Non-Public Session – July 2, 2025

REFUNDS

  • Map and Lot# 005-065-000

BUILDING PERMITS

  • 2025-18, Map and Lot# 012-013-3U2

OLD BUSINESS

Pending Further Actions: Parking Policy, Generators, Old North Main and High Streets Bridges/Culverts, School and Union Street Drainage, Reservoir Dam and Central Air System of Town Hall

NEW BUSINESS

  • CPCNH Rate Update
  • Emergency Medical Situation Procedure

‘Mushroom Art’ for Kids at Distant Hill – 7/12/25

EVENTS 07/07/2025 Leave a comment

From Michael Nerrie:

There is a free ‘Mushroom Art’ event for kids happening this Saturday, July 12, from 10 to 11:30 am at the pavilion at Distant Hill Nature Trail. 

Melany Kahn, author of the wonderful children’s book, ‘Mason Goes Mushrooming’, will be reading her book to the kids, followed by an interactive Q&A session and hands-on mushroom art projects.

She will have a selection of wild and cultivated mushrooms available for the kiddos to learn to identify. They will be able to touch, smell, and observe the mushrooms up close, then use them as still-life models for their own illustrations and artwork with watercolors.

There will also be a clay art session where the children can shape and paint their own clay mushroom to take home.

Click this link to Register Now

Conservation Commission Meeting Tonight – 7/7/25

CONSERVATION COMMISSION 07/07/2025 Leave a comment

From France Menk:

Walpole Conservation Commission Meeting. Everyone is welcome. 7 July @ 7 PM. Walpole Town Hall.

Summer Art Program for Kids – Starts 7/8/25

Uncategorized 07/07/2025 Leave a comment

From Marilyn Wilking. Marilyn says, “We still have room for more young folks to sign up for a six week summer art program that starts this Tuesday, July 8th!”

SUMMER ART FOR KIDS 

Free program

Tuesdays July 8th – August 12th 

9 – 11 am 

For ages 6 – 11 yrs

Emphasis on nurturing imagination, building community and encouraging creativity 

Held at St. John’s Parish Hall (“the stone church”) supported by donations and the Richard Schmid Fine Art Foundation 

Register at artinfo@stjohnswalpole.org as space is limited to 20 

• Plan to arrive before 9 AM to complete registration, get name tag, and meet volunteers. 

• We may/will get messy so old clothes that can handle permanent art materials (paint etc.) are advised. We have some smocks and old t-shirts but kids may prefer to bring their own (old large shirt from a parent).

• Our teachers are trained in art (BFA degrees) and have experience working with children. They will also talk briefly about art history while children have a small snack. They will be assisted by adult volunteers. 

• If you can help with providing snack, that would be greatly appreciated. See handout with suggested snacks and signup sheet. 

• We will want to know who is picking up your child from each session. 

• If your child will not be attending, please let me know by phone or text. 

Questions / Concerns: 

Marilyn Wilking 713-410-7372

(Chief volunteer and cup washer)