8th Grade Thanksgiving Basket Raffle

Support the Walpole Elementary School 8th Grade and enter for a chance to win a Thanksgiving Basket with everything you need to create a Thanksgiving feast!

Walpole students will be selling tickets at the Post Office, Recycling Center & Shaws on Saturday November 16th.  Tickets are also available at Diamond Pizza now through November 22nd.  Students will also be selling tickets at the Walpole Farmers Market on Saturday November 23rd after which the winner will be drawn. 

Tickets are $10 each. 100% of sales will directly support the 8th Grade Class graduation and end of year activities. 

If you would like to buy tickets but can’t make it to a sales location, reach out to an 8th grade student or email Moriah Bascom at mbascom@sau60.org

Walpole General Election Results – 2024

Planning Board Agenda – 11/12/24 – Updated

Walpole Planning Board Agenda

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

7 pm

Town Hall

Roll Call: Appointment of alternates if needed.

Call to order:

Minutes: Review minutes of the October 2024 meeting and October Joint Meeting minutes.

Old Business:

Public Hearing No. 1. Elm and Pleasant LLC propose a Lot Line Adjustment for property at the corner of Pleasant and Elm Streets, Town Map 20, Lot 32 and Town Map 22, Lot 3 in the Residential B District. After the boundary line adjustment the lot with the apartment will be 1.3 acres and the field will be 18 acres, a change of 7 acres. Road frontage on Pleasant Street is 236.93 feet. Although not marked on the plat, road frontage on Main Street for Lot 2 is more than on Pleasant Street. 

Public Hearing No. 2. John McKee Pratt Revocable Trust proposes a subdivision on Reservoir Road, rural/ag district, Tax Map 11, Lot No. 1 will now be 26.07 acres with 268.75 feet of road frontage. It is currently a horse farm. The adjacent area to this lot is an Agricultural Easement for the benefit of Lot 1. This lot is 2.20 acres. The second lot, Tax Map 11, Lot No. 1-2, will be 15.44 acres with 200 feet of road frontage.

Public Hearing No. 3. The Planning Board has drafted a zoning amendment to be placed on the town warrant that excludes formula businesses in the commercial district, Section 6, of Downtown Walpole Village, Article VI. Formula businesses include retail sales and restaurants that regulate by contractual or other arrangements certain standardized features that may include uniforms, logos, interior or exterior design, array of services or merchandise, menus, ingredients and food preparation.

New Business:

Subdivision for Dunkin property at 418 Main Street. Four lots. Request for public hearing.

Chad E. Branon, Commercial Development on property next to Dollar General.

Fieldstone

Walpole Foundation:  Plans for the new school.

Workshop:  Tuesday, Joint meeting November 26 at 7 pm.

Next meeting: December 10, 2024.

Scouting for Food Drive – Final Update

An final update on the Scouting for Food Drive from Deb Pawelczyk:

On Saturday, November 2, 2024, from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, Cub Scout Pack 299 and Boy Scout Troop 299 held their Scouting for Food Drive. We collected for the annual Scouting for Food Drive a total of 375 pieces of people food and pet food. We also collected $1,788.00 at the following locations: Walpole Post Office, Walpole Recycling Center, Tractor Supply and Shaw’s. Thank you to everyone who donated on this day.

This Saturday, November 9, 2024, from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, we collected 650 non-perishable food items and pet food. We collected $2252.00 in monetary donations for the Fall Mountain Food Shelf. The food items have already been delivered to the Food Shelf. The monetary donations we will present to Mary Lou Huffling on Saturday, November 23rd, while we help make Thanksgiving boxes for those in need. The total for this drive came to 1025 pieces of people and pet food and $4040.00 in monetary donations. 

       Thank you to everyone who helped support this great drive.

       Walpole Cub Scout Pack 299 and Walpole Boy Scout Troop 299

Rail Trail Work Event – 11/23/24

FALL RAIL TRAIL MAINTENANCE EVENT

Saturday, 11/23/24, 9 am – 12 pm

Volunteer trail workers wanted! 

The Walpole Trail Committee is holding a fall trail work event on the Cheshire Rail Trail at 9 am on Saturday, November 23.  Our focus will be on preventive maintenance for the drainage ditches and culverts that were restored during the 2023 rail trail improvement project.  We need volunteers for digging, raking and similar tasks to ensure that water flows smoothly through the drainage system and the trail remains dry.

We can also use volunteers to cut back vegetation along certain parts of the rail trail.  If you want to do this type of work, please say so when you sign up.

Please sign up for this rail trail work event no later than November 20 so that we can allocate the available volunteer workers to priority projects.  We will send out details about where to meet, what tools to bring and what projects will be tackled shortly before the November 23 event.

Let’s keep the rail trail in good shape so Walpole residents and visitors can continue to enjoy it. Please join us at the Walpole Trail Committee’s Fall Rail Trail Maintenance Event on Saturday, November 23!

To sign up or to get more information, please send an email to Wendy Grossman at walpoletrailhelpers@gmail.com.  Advance sign-up is required.

Caregiver Support Group – 11/12/24

Caregiver Support Group meets at the Walpole Library on the second Tuesday of each month from 2:00 – 3:30. This group is facilitated by Judy Epstein and is open to anyone caring for a friend or relative.

The next meeting will be on November 12th.

Reminder: Great Decisions Meets Tonight

“Great Decisions”

“Pandemic Preparedness”

Please Note: Yes, the library is closed for Veterans Day but it will be opened this evening for the “Great Decisions” public forum.

“Great Decisions” will meet this evening at 6:00 p.m. in the Walpole Town Library. Our topic for discussion is Pandemic Preparedness. The risk of a global epidemic has not diminished since the Covid-19 pandemic, so what have we learned and what can be done to ensure the international response is equitable and immediate?

The relevant reading from the Foreign Policy Association is “Pandemic Preparedness: Ending the Deadly Cycle of Panic and Neglect,” by Carolyn Reynolds. For a copy of this article and/or the meeting’s Zoom link, please contact Library Director Jane Malmberg at jmalmberg@walpoletownlibrary.org

Walpole Holiday Fairs

Walpole Holiday Fairs, November 23 from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Walpole Common: Thanksgiving Farmers Market with 30+ local vendors. Congregational Church: Mistletoe Mart with baked goods, candy, crafts, and more. Lunch 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM. St. John's Church: Holiday fair with cookies by the pound, sweet & savory goods, wreaths, and more. The Gathering Place: Sending Sunshine with cards by local artists from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Postage provided.

Holiday Fair Pre-Ordering Available

HOLIDAY FAIR TIME IS APPROACHING!

St. John’s Episcopal Church is once again offering certain items by pre-ordering.

The fair on Saturday, November 23, will feature many other items.

If you are interested in purchasing the following:

  • apple, mixed berry, pumpkin or shoo-fly pies
  • plum pudding
  • chocolate caramel tarts
  • potato rolls

place your order at orders@stjohnswalpole.org or phone 603-828-7885. Please note that quantities are limited so place your order now. Thank you.

Selectboard Meeting Minutes – 10/31/24

TOWN OF WALPOLE, NEW HAMPSHIRE

MEETING OF THE SELECTBOARD

OCTOBER 31, 2024

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

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

Guests Present:  Wes Vickers

Call to Order:  Mr. Dalessio called the Selectboard meeting to order at 6:31 PM in the Walpole Town Hall.

Boulders at Primary School: Wes Vickers stated the boulders are in place next to the access road down to Primary School.  There will be a gate for the Fire Department and EMS vehicles when they need access to the field.  The school’s fence on the other side of the field, next to the Recreation area, is falling.  Mr. Vickers said it needs to be removed, and boulders put along that area. The Selectboard told Mr. Vickers that the fence is owned by the school.  The Selectboard was agreeable to the fence being removed and boulders added.

Mr. Vickers left the meeting.

PAYROLL

Ms. Vose moved to approve the Payroll Register totaling $32,214.11 dated 11/1/2024 and the 941 Payroll Tax Transfer of $6,513.72.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio. With Ms. Vose, Mr. Dalessio, and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved. 

SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES

Selectboard Meeting – October 24, 2024Ms. Vose moved to approve the Minutes of the Selectboard meeting of October 24, 2024. Seconded by Mr. Dalessio. With Ms. Vose, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the minutes were approved.

Non-Public Selectboard Meeting – October 24, 2024 Ms. Vose moved to approve the Minutes of the Non-Public Selectboard meeting of October 24, 2024.  The minutes will remain sealed.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Ms. Vose, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the minutes were approved and are sealed.

Public Hearing – October 24, 2024 Ms. Vose moved to approve the Minutes of the Public Hearing of October 24, 2024. Seconded by Mr. Dalessio. With Ms. Vose, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the minutes were approved.

WATER AND SEWER WARRANTS

Walpole Water Fees: Ms. Vose moved to approve the warrant for Walpole Water Fees for $53,814.27.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Ms. Vose, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the warrant was approved.

Walpole Sewer Fees:  Ms. Vose moved to approve the warrant for Walpole Sewer Fees totaling $80,000.05.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Ms. Vose, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the warrant was approved.

North Walpole Sewer Fees:  Ms. Vose moved to approve the warrant for North Walpole Sewer Fees for $60,848.58.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Ms. Vose, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the warrant was approved.

OLD BUSINESS

Pending Further Action: Parking Policy, Generators, Old North Main and High Street Bridges/Culverts, and Houghton Brook Bridge

Reservoir Dam Update: Mr. Dalessio reported that Fuss and O’Neill have agreed to provide regular updates about the Reservoir Dam project as required by DES.  These meetings will help the project move forward.

ARPA Funding Grants: Mark Houghton will have all the figures by mid-November for generators and pumps for the three sewer pump stations so that contracts can be prepared and the ARPA Grant funds encumbered.  There is an issue at the North Walpole sewer pump station because it is not clear that the Town owns the land under and around the pump station.  The generator may have to go on the roof.  Steve Grenier will be gathering the necessary information.

High Street Dog Bite: Police Chief Sanctuary will be requested to attend a Selectboard Meeting so that the Board can learn more about what it means when someone files a dog complaint or wishes to press charges.  Also, The Selectboard wished to know what can be done if no one reports incidents because of fear of retaliation.

NEW BUSINESS

Cemetery Deed:  Mr. Dalessio moved we accept the deed for Lot D-531.  Seconded by Ms. Vose.  With Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Vose and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion passed, and the deed was signed. 

Savings Bank of Walpole Proclamation: The Savings Bank of Walpole will celebrate its 150th anniversary on July 2, 2025.  There will be proclamation, and SBW will coordinate with the Board.

State Driveway Permit Received: Mrs. Downing will put a copy in the file and will send a copy to the Planning Board for the land being subdivided off Upper Walpole Road/Rt. 123.

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

Ms. Vose moved to enter into Non-Public Session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3 II (a) (c) at 6:59 PM.  Mr. Dalessio seconded. With Ms. Vose, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved.

The meeting was reconvened at 7:56 PM.

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

TAX RATE: Mrs. Downing reminded the Board that the Town still does not have a tax rate.  Ms. Mayberry noted that Fall Mountain Regional School District has an extension to November 1st to file their DOE documents.  However, The Town is also waiting for completion of the financial audit and the associated reports.  The issue is that there is a $1.8 million payment due to the Cheshire County in mid-December. The payment must be made on the due date.  Mr. Dalessio commented that without property tax income, this could be an issue. The Town may need to take a tax anticipatory note or TAN.

Adjournment:  Ms. Mayberry declared the meeting adjourned at 8:06 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Sue Bauer, Recording Secretary

(Note:  These are unapproved Minutes. Corrections will be found in the Minutes of the November 6, 2024 Selectboard meeting.)