Table Of Content

ANNUAL REPORT &00 ^ TOWN OF SUNAPEE NEW HAMPSHIRE Inc. April 4, 1781 For The Year Endin: December 2004 31, William H. Chalmers May 25, 1923 - Sept. 18, 2004 This year's Town Report is dedicated to the memory of former Selectman, Bill Chalmers. Billfirst came to Sunapee as a summer visitor when he was only afew weeks old and returned everyyear after that, except during WWII, when he was on active duty in the U.S. Army. In 1970, he made Sunapee his permanent residence and, following retirement, became active in serving the town he loved so much. Bill served as Selectman from 1997 to 2003. He was a member of the Zoning Board ofAdjustmentfrom 1991 to 2003 and served as its Vice-Chairman in 1994 and Chairman in 1995 and 1996. He was a member ofthe Upper Valley Chapter ofSCORE (Service Corps ofRetired Executives)from 1992 to 2001 and served as its Chapter Chair,from 1995 to 1996. Bill loved Lake Sunapee and was very concerned about milfoil and other threats to the Lake. From 1997 to 2002, he was Sunapee 's designated representative to the Lake Sunapee Protective Association 's Board ofDirectors. In his public and private lives, Bill was a concerned and caring individual. He was very proud of Sunapee and believed strongly in serving honestly, listening to both sides ofan issue, and making decisions without bias. Our compliments and thanks to Nancy Peck Capozzoli for the pictures & on the front cover and pages 53 59 TABLE OF CONTENTS Auditor's Report 29 Balance Sheets - Unaudited 2004 31 Budget Advisory Committee Report 24 Cemetery Report 96 Comparative Statement- Expenditures 18 Revenues 21 Conservation Commission Report 52 Crowther Chapel Report 54 Debt Maturity 35 Exemptions 46 Facilities Information - Decals & Tickets 82 Fire Department Report 55 & Forest Fire Warden State Forest Ranger Report 57 Health Officer Report 61 Highway Report 61 Hydro Reports 63 Information Booth Report 64 Kearsarge Area Council on Aging Report 65 Lake Sunapee Visiting Nurses Association Report 83 Library Reports - Librarian's 47 Library Treasurer's 49 New London Hospital Report 69 Planning Board Report 70 Planning/Zoning Permits Report 72 Police Department Report 73 Recreation Report 75 Schedule ofProperty 43 School Report SI Selectmen's Report 10 State Representatives Reports - Raymond Burton 66 Richard C. Leone ,...67 Summary ofthe 2004 Town Meeting 40 Summary ofInventory 42 Sunapee Gardener's Report 59 Tax Rate Computation 41 Town Buildings Committee Report 51 Town Clerk/Tax Collector's Report -Narrative 36 Financial 37 Town Manager's Report 7 Town Officers 2 Transfer Station Report 81 Treasurer's Report 33 Trustees ofthe Trust Funds- Narrative 25 Financial 26 Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission Report 78 - Vital Statistics Births 91 Deaths 95 Marriages 93 Warrant for 2005 Town Meeting 11 Water and Sewer Reports - Superintendent's 85 CCR 86 Welfare Report 89 Zoning Board ofAdjustment Report 71 TOWN OFFICERS MODERATOR Harry Gale, Jr. Term Expires 2006 SELECTMEN William Roach, Chairman Term Expires 2006 Emma M. Smith, Vice Chairman Term Expires 2007 Frederick Gallup Term Expires 2007 Richard Leone Term Expires 2005 Stephen W. White Term Expires 2005 TOWN MANAGER Donna M. Nashawaty TOWN CLERK/TAX COLLECTOR Betty H. Ramspott Term Expires 2006 DEPUTY TOWN CLERK/TAX COLLECTOR Melissa Heino BALLOT CLERKS John V. Chesson Democrat Justine Cutting Republican Robert Haselton, Jr. Republican Sally J. Putonen Democrat BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE Charles Balyeat Term Expires 2007 John Mapley Term Expires 2005 Arthur Muller Term Expires 2005 William Price Term Expires 2006 Greg Shugart Term Expires 2006 ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE Richard C. Haines Term Expires 2007 Douglas Munro Term Expires 2005 T. Parssinen Term Expires 2006 CEMETERY COMMISSIONERS Robert M. Haselton, Jr. Term Expires 2005 Jeffrey S. Trow Term Expires 2006 COFFIN PARK COMMITTEE Represented by Town Office Employees CONSERVATION COMMISSION Van Webb, Chairman Term Expires 2005 Bruce Burdett Term Expires 2006 Andrew Clifford Term Expires 2007 Lela Emery Term Expires 2005 Timothy Fleury Term Expires 2006 Robert Hill Term Expires 2007 Roger Whitaker Term Expires 2007 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR Howard G. Sargent FIRE DEPARTMENT ENGINEERS Daniel R. Ruggles, Chief Term Expires 2008 Dana Ramspott Term Expires 2006 Howard Sargent Term Expires 2007 David Williams Term Expires 2005 FOREST FIRE WARDEN Daniel R. Ruggles Term Expires 2008 FOREST FIRE DEPUTY WARDENS Duane Abbott Term Expires 2005 Dana Ramspott Term Expires 2005 Howard Sargent Term Expires 2005 Mark Scott Term Expires 2005 HEALTH OFFICER Michael Dashner, Deputy Term Expires 2006 HIGHWAY SAFETY COMMITTEE Anthony Bergeron Road Agent J. David P. Cahill Police Chief Frederick C. Gallup Selectman Stephen Gray Highway Engineer Daniel R. Ruggles Fire Chief JOINT LOSS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Donna Nashawaty Term Expires 2005 Duane Abbott Term Expires 2005 Scott Campbell Term Expires 2005 Neill Cobb Term Expires 2005 LIBRARIAN Patricia D. Hand LIBRARY TRUSTEES Peter Urbach, Chairperson Term Expires 2006 Allan Davis Term Expires 2005 Joanna Drummond Term Expires 2006 Barbara Hollander Term Expires 2007 John Mapley Term Expires 2005 Paul Pratt Term Expires 2007 Sarah Southard Term Expires 2005 NH/VT SOLID WASTE PROJECT Thomas J. Alexander Representative Donna M. Nashawaty Alternate PLANNING BOARD Margaret Chalmers, Chairman Term Expires 2005 Allan Davis, Alternate Term Expires 2005 Clifford Field, Alternate Term Expires 2006 Barbara Hollander Term Expires 2005 Bruce Jennings Term Expires 2007 Donna Nashawaty, Ex-officio for Selectmen's Alternate Term Expires 2005 Robert Reisberg Term Expires 2006 Emma M. Smith, Ex-officio for Selectmen Term Expires 2007 Derek B. Tatlock Term Expires 2006 John B. Wheeler, Alternate Term Expires 2007 POLICE CHIEF David Cah P. ill RECREATION DIRECTOR Scott Blewitt RECREATION COMMITTEE Deb McGrath, Chairman Term Expires 2006 Stephen Anglin Term Expires 2006 Janet Cain Term Expires 2007 Patricia Halpin Term Expires 2005 Charles Weinstein Term Expires 2006 Christine Williams Term Expires 2006 RIVERWALK COMMITTEE Joyce Hill Term Expires 2005 Everett Pollard Term Expires 2005 Richard H. Webb Term Expires 2005 Guy Alexander Term Expires 2005 ROAD AGENT Anthony Bergeron J. SUPERVISORS OF CHECKLIST Jenny Dodd Term Expires 2006 Faith W. Reney Term Expires 2008 Kathy Weinstein Term Expires 20 1 TOWN BUILDING COMMITTEE Larry Brudnicki Term Expires 2006 Barbara Hollander Term Expires 2007 Richard Mastin Term Expires 2005 Emma M. Smith Term Expires 2007 Bill Wightman Term Expires 2006 TOWN PLANNER Michael Marquise TREASURER Francis C. Gallup Term Expires 2005 TRUSTEES OF TRUST FUNDS James A. Southard, Chairman Term Expires 2007 Sheila Henry Term Expires 2005 J. William Scharff Term Expires 2006 UPPER VALLEY LAKE SUNAPEE REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION DIRECTORS Donna M. Nashawaty Term Expires 2007 Stephen W. White Term Expires 2005 WATER & SEWER DEPARTMENT SUPERINTENDENT David R. Brennan WATER & SEWER COMMISSIONERS Charles F. Smith, Chairman Term Expires 2007 M. Doug Mason, Vice Chairman Term Expires 2006 Stuart H. Caswell Term Expires 2005 Henry Cunningham Term Expires 2007 Robert Henry Term Expires 2007 Tracy Nangeroni Term Expires 2005 Aaron Simpson Term Expires 2006 WELFARE DIRECTOR Community Alliance ~ Greg Vigue ZONING ADMINISTRATOR Roger Landry ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT Peter White, Chairman Term Expires 2006 Richard Guyer, Alternate Term Expires 2007 Emmons "Skip" Jenkins, Jr. Term Expires 2005 James P. Lyons Term Expires 2007 Robert E. Mastin, Jr. Term Expires 2006 Peter Urbach Term Expires 2007 Don Weatherson, Alternate Term Expires 2005 TOWN MANAGER'S REPORT 2004 would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and provide you I with some history ofthe issues that have presented themselves over the past year. Ifyou are not aware, John Wheeler retired in April of2004 and we wish him luck with his future activities. A search committee was formed, when John announced his retirement and much to my excitement, I am here. My name is Donna Nashawaty and as some background, was most recently the City I Manager of Franklin, N.H. from February, 2000 to February, 2003 and Finance Director there, from October, 1997 through January, 2000. Prior to Franklin, I worked in various Towns for Municipal Resources Inc., a contract management firm where was employed as Town Administrator and Finance Director, I servicing multiple communities in the State of N.H. Prior to my municipal experience, I was employed in banking, ending up in systems analysis as project manager, involved with making various computer systems compatible, as banks were bought up and combined. I hope to bring all of my experience and enthusiasm to enhance Sunapee's endeavors. One of my first observations was the number and versatility of the volunteer's that the Town of Sunapee has working on various projects. have I noticed that working with the varied groups, I really felt like we flew along in the process, because ofthe enthusiasm that the many groups ofcollaborators have. I have noted some of them in the following excerpts, but many more deserve the gratitude ofthe town, as they often go unknown, not wanting any fanfare. Personnel issues are always in the forefront of the administration of the Town and changes always emerge. Dean Barton, a long time employee of the Highway Department retired in 2004 and another long time employee, Eileen Stiles, the Deputy Town Clerk/Tax Collector retired in June, Melissa Heino has been sworn in as the new Deputy Town Clerk/Tax Collector. Our Library Director Pat Hand has announced that she will be retiring in June 2005 and we wish her well. Frank Gallup, our Treasurer, has decided not to run this year, after We 19 years ofcontinuous service to the town. are going to miss him. In 2004, the Board of Selectmen reached agreement, to lease the beach MV side of the Town Docks, to the owners of the Mt. Kearsarge. During the contract review process, the board reached an impasse, determining if the rental of the town dock to the Kearsarge met the public benefit criteria and decided to ask the voters of the town, and you will see a non-binding article asking for direction on the warrant. Northcape Design has continued to spearhead the construction of a new information booth and the town has received generous, additional donations to complete this project. We expect it to be fully operational, prior to Memorial Day, for the summer season. Regrettably, Theresa Hamilton, who has spent much time manning the booth, has informed me that she will not be working this summer and Gloria Achilles and Marilyn Morse will be splitting the duties. The Hydroelectric Plant has reached the end of the beneficial contract with PSNH, who was purchasing all the electricity we generated at $.09 per kWh. We will continue to operate, as we have formed an agreement with PSNH, whereby we will be cooperatively using them to wheel our power over their lines, We keeping a revenue stream flowing, although selling on the open market. it are continuing to investigate other options. As you are aware, the warrant article for the new Safety Services Building failed in 2004 and one of my first duties was to become involved with the ongoing project. Both the Building Committee and the Safety Services Committee have worked very hard to determine the needs ofthe departments and balance that with the finances of the community. believe that the building I being presented in this years warrant, meets those needs. The financing of the building has gotten creative, since a note instead of a bond, will be utilized eliminating the need for bond attorneys, and bond anticipation note, expenses to fund the construction portion of the project. The interest rate of 3.97% is very competitive and matched with the reduced footprint and increased unfinished areas ofthe building, makes the project more practical. During the year, the Tax Maps were accepted by the Selectmen and much work was involved in changing all ofthe files over using the new map and lot numbers, including the tax collector's computer system and the assessing system. Much of this was manual work and very detail orientated. Many thanks to the staff; Joan, Lynne, Karen, Betty and Melissa for the support in making this happen. In addition, the Revaluation Contract was negotiated and signed with Vision Appraisal Technology, Inc., as an eighteen month process, for $186,000. Our capital reserve for revaluation, will pay for a portion of the revaluation, however we have a warrant article for $76,000, to complete the job. All of the data collection will be done by April of 2005 and then the analysis for the valuation will occur. The data collectors are working their wav around town. 8