Annual report of the Town of Goffstown, New Hampshire

140 Pages·1997·4.8 MB·English

by  Goffstown (N.H. : Town)

Special thanks to allthose who assisted withthe production ofthisAnnual
Report. The input of the Selectmen, Town Administrator, Department
Heads, SchoolDistrict andTown Committeeswas invaluable inpublishing
this report. The photography and proofreading of Donna Bergeron was
most appreciated. Thanks to those who submitted their reports electroni-
cally - it saved a great deal ofkeyboarding and proofreading time.
Sue Desruisseaux
Editor
ABOUT THE COVER
"The Changing Faces ofGoffstown"include Henry Bridge,
Public Library, Upper Elementary, and the new Science
Center at St. Anselm College.
CoverPhotoofScienceCenterbyBruceTaylor,St.AnselmCollege
PrintedbyYankeePrintGroup,Manchester,NH
Dedication
This 1996 Goffstown Town Report is dedicated to
Richard E. Fletcher
RichardFletcherjoinedthe Goffstown Fire Department as avol-
unteerfirefighterinNovember 1958afterservingintheUnitedStates
Air Force. After seventeen years as volunteer firefighter and Cap-
tain, he was appointed Fire Chiefin September 1975. After twenty
one years offulltime fire fighting service, he retired as Fire Chiefon
January 31, 1997.
The citizens ofGoffstown thank him for his thirty eight years of
dedicatedserviceinprotectingthelivesandpropertyofGoffstownians.
He has improvedthe qualityoffire servicebyupgradingfire appara-
tus, andcontinuallyrecruiting andmaintaining ahighly skilled and
trainedfire fightingforce. He oversaw the creation ofthe Goffstown
EmergencyMedicalAssociation (GEMSA) andthe beginningofam-
bulance service to the residents ofGoffstown.
Thank you ChiefFletcher for your dedication and service.
Memoriam
In
George T. Aimo E. Bruce Bynum
1904-1996 1928-1996
Town Clerk & Tax Collector Selectman 1980 - 1983
1973-1981 Historic District Commission
1985 - 1988
Conservation Commission
Charter Commission 1990
1970-1978
TownGovernmentReview 1989
PHOTOCOURTESYOFTHEUNIONLEADER
Herbert S. Slattum John E. Webster
1923-1996 1903-1996
Commissioner of Goffstown Businessman
Goffstown Water Precinct and Supporter ofthe
1988 - 1990 and 1995 - 1996 Goffstown Call Firefighters.
Master Plan Update Committee
1986 - 1987
Table of Contents
Dedication 1 Sewer Commission Report 72-73
In Memoriam 2 Goffstown Village
Table ofContents 3 Water Precinct Report 74-77
Information About Our Town 4-6 Grasmere Village
People Serving Goffstown 7-10 Water Precinct Report 78
Vital Statistics
TOWN Marriages 79-82
Selectmen's Report 11-12 Births 83-89
Goffstown Tax Rate 12 Deaths 90-92
Minutes ofTown Meeting Interments 92-93
March 14, 1996 13-27
SCHOOL
Election Results 28
Trustees ofTrust Funds 29-30 School Board Report 94
Assessor's Report 31 School District Meeting
Treasurer's Report 31 Minutes 95-103
Tax Collector's Report 30-33 Election Results 103
Auditor's Management Letter .. 34-35 Superintendent's Report 104-105
Selectmen's Response Principal's Reports
to Auditor's Letter 36 Bartlett School 105
Building Department 37-38 Maple Ave. School 106
Planning Department 39 Mountain View Middle 107-108
Planning Board 40-41 Goffstown High School 108-109
Economic Develop. Council 42-43 Cooperative School District
Capital Improvement Study Committee 110
Program 44 School Enrollment Ill
Master Plan Update Committee 45 Auditor's Management
...
Conservation Committee 46-47 Letters 112-118
Zoning Board ofAdjustment 47 School Board's Response to
Historic District Commission ... 48-49 Auditor's Letter 119-120
Proclamations 49
WARRANTS &
So. N.H. Planning Commission 50
Parks & Recreation 51-53 PROPOSED BUDGETS
Solid Waste Commission 54 Town Warrant A1-A6
Public Works Department 55-56 Town Budget A7
Police Department 57-61 Town Proposed Budget A8-A9
GEMSA 62 Town Revenue Other Than
Fire Department 63-65 Property Taxes A10
Forest Fire Warden & Ranger 66 School District Warrant A12-A13
Public Library 67-69 School District
General Assistance 70 Proposed Budget A14
Cable TV CommunityAccess 71 School District Revenues A15
Information About Our Town
D
uring King Phillip's War in 1734 Goffstown and West Manches-
terwere designated as Narragansett No. 4, and used as shelter for officers
and soldiers. The Town of Goffstown, incorporated 1761, is named for
Colonel John Goffe, an early settler, soldier, and civic leader. Goffstown
was originally a farming community. As the town was settled during the
1760's, the timber that was cleared was used in building ships. The wood
was drawn by oxen to the village of Piscataquog and from there it was
floated by raft to Newburyport, Massachusetts. The oxen route became
known as Mast Road, now the main road through Goffstown.
Goffstown is located at 43N and 71, 36'W in Hillsborough County
nine mileswestofManchesteronNHRoute 114; northofBedfordonRoute
114; eastofNew BostononRoute 13; southofWeare onRoute 114. Itis 16
miles to Concord, state capital ofNew Hampshire.
The Town has a population of approximately 15,500 (Planning De-
partment and U.S. Census) and occupies approximately 36.9 square miles.
Town Hall elevation is 306 feet above sea level, and the top of Mt.
Uncanoonuc is 1321 feet above sea level.
GOVERNMENT: Goffstown is governed by a Board of five Select-
men. Legislative policy, including passage ofthe Town Budget, is deter-
mined by the annual Town Meeting. The Town provides a full array of
governmental services, library and recreational services. Town elections
were the second Tuesday ofMarch, followed by the Annual TownMeeting,
and the Annual Goffstown School District Meeting. At the 1996 Annual
4
Meeting the residentspassed RSA40:13 changingthe traditionaltown and
school meetings to ballot determination meetings followed by an official
ballot on the second Tuesday ofApril.
The TownHallislocated at 16 Main Street. Townoffice hours are 8:30
amto4:30pmonMonday, Tuesday, andFriday;8:30amtonoononWednes-
day; and 8:30 am to 6:00 pm on Thursday.
TOWN CLERK: Voter registration is with the Supervisors of the
Checklist or Town Clerk. To register to vote, one must be 18 years ofage,
a U.S. citizen and resident ofGoffstown. New voter registrations for local
elections are accepted 10 days prior to elections. Voter registrations for
State and National elections are accepted at the polls on election day. Ab-
sentee ballots are available to qualified voters for Town and State prima-
ries and general elections.
Doglicenses, whichexpire onApril 30ofeachyear, are available atthe
Town Clerk's office. A dog mustbe licensed at three months ofage; rabies
certificate required. Fees are $6.50 for neutered animals; $9.00 if unal-
tered. Apenalty of$1.00 per monthis assessed as ofJune 1 for unlicensed
dogs.
Automobile registration is initiated at the office of the Town Clerk.
Registrationisdue andrenewableinthebirthmonthoftheresidentowner.
Reregistration decals are available from the Town Clerk for an additional
fee of $2.50. A mail-in auto reregistration program began in November
1995.
Decals to use the Transfer Station are available from the Town Clerk.
PROPERTY TAXES: Goffstown collects property taxes semi-annu-
ally; paymentsare due atthe Tax Collector's Office July 1 andDecember 1.
Property is assessed as ofApril 1. The tax rate for 1996 was $27.20 per
thousand dollars ofassessed valuation.
ZONING: A Town Zoning Ordinance controls land uses in Commer-
cial, Industrial, Residential Small Business Office District (RSBOD), Resi-
dential, Agricultural, Flood Plain and Conservancy Open Space Zones.
POLICE: The Goffstown Police Department is located on Route 114
across from the State Prison for Women and adjacent to the Hillsborough
County Nursing Home.
PUBLIC WORKS: The Public Works Department is located at the
west end ofDepot Street in Goffstown Village. Curbside solid waste and
recycling pickups are once a week. The Transfer Station for solid wastes
andrecyclablesislocated at 404Elm Street, andisopentothe publicTues-
day through Saturday from 7:30 am to 3:00 pm.
LIBRARY: The Goffstown Public Library is located on Route 114,
between High Street and Elm Street and is open from 10 am to 8 pm on
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday; 10 am to 6 pm on Thursday; 10 am to
5pm onFriday; and 10 amto 3pm onSaturday. Duringthe wintermonths
ofJanuary, February, March and April, the Library is open Sundays from
noon to 2 pm, with volunteers performing staffing duties. The Library
operates an Outreach Center in Pinardville at the Goffstown Square. The
Outreach Center is openWednesdays from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm; Thursdays
and Fridays from 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm; Saturdays from 9:00 am to noon.
PARKS & RECREATIONDEPT.: The ParksandRecreationDepart-
ment, with an office on Mast Road provides two supervised playgrounds
with excellent programs, two public swimming pools, seven public tennis
courts, athletic fields, a running track, and an outdoor ice skating area,
with supervised year-round programs for youth and adults.
SCHOOL DISTRICT: The Goffstown School District is governed by
an elected nine-member School Board; its budget is determined by the
Annual School District Meeting. School Department offices are located in
the White Building at the end ofSchool Street in Goffstown Village. The
Superintendent of Schools serves the school districts of Goffstown,
Dunbarton and New Boston. In Goffstown, the public schools consist of
two elementary schools, grades 1 - 3, Maple Avenue School in the Village
and Bartlett School in Pinardville; one middle school, grades 4 - 8, Moun-
tainViewMiddle School, 41LaurenLaneinGrasmere; andonehighschool,
grades 9 - 12, GoffstownAreaHigh School, 27Wallace RoadintheVillage,
which accepts Dunbarton and New Boston tuition students.
MONTHLY MEETINGS
Board ofSelectmen meetings are every Monday, except on holidays.
The first Monday of the month is a day meeting which usually begins at
9:00 am and the evening meetings begin at 6:00 pm. Meeting dates and
agendas are posted at the Town Hall, Library, Grasmere General Store,
and Pinardville Fire Station.
School Board meetings are held the first and third Monday at 7:00
pm, exceptonholidays, usuallyatthe SAUOfficebuildingonSchoolStreet,
butmaybe atone ofthe district's schools. Board and sub-committee meet-
ings andhearings are posted atTownHall, BartlettSchool, Grasmere Gen-
eral Store, and the SAU Office building.
Zoning Board ofAdjustment meetings are at 7:00 pm on the first
Tuesday at Town Hall, with additional meetings as needed. Sewer Com-
mission meetings are 6:30 pm on the second Tuesday atTown Hall. His-
toric District Commission meets the first Wednesday at 7:30 pm gen-
erally at the Grange Hallin Grasmere and sometimes atTownHall. Con-
servation Commission meets the first Wednesday at 7:00 pm at Town
Hall. Economic Development Council meets the second Tuesday at
4:00 pm at Town Hall. Library Trustees meet the third Wednesday at
7:00 pm at the Public Library. Parks and Recreation Commission
meets the third Wednesday at 7:00 pm at the Parks and Recreation Office
Building on So. Mast Road. Planning Board meetings are at 7:00 pm on
the second and fourth Thursdays at Town Hall. Budget Committee and
Capital Improvement Program Committee meet at Town Hall as ac-
tivity requires and other schedules permit. Goffstown Cable Televi-
sion Community Access Committee meets every second Tuesday at
7:00 pm in the GTV40 Studio at Goffstown Area High School. Master
Plan Update Committee meets the first and third Thursday at 7:00 pm
at Town Hall.
People Serving Goffstown
Governor Janet Bartels, Library Director
Stephen Merrill Sue Desruisseaux,
Support Services/Welfare
United States Senators
Administrator
Judd Gregg Andre Garron, Planning &
Robert C. Smith
Economic Development
Representatives in Congress Coordinator
William H. Zeliff Ron Mace, Assessor
Edmond Neveu,
Executive Councilor Building Inspector, Zoning &
Bernard A. Streeter, Jr.
Health Official
State Senator Cheryl S. Renaud, Tax Collector
Richard Danais Kerry P. Steckowych, Prosecutor
Raymond Cloutier,
Representatives to
Town Counselor
General Court
Lawrence A. Emerton, Sr. ADA Compliance Committee
Bruce F. Hunter Jack Fletcher, Chairman
Karen K. McRae Robert Francoeur
Peter Showerman Jean Mayberry
Robert L. Wheeler John Scruton/Sue Desruisseaux
Vacant - School Board Rep.
Board of Selectmen
Vacant - Secretary
Henry C. Boyle, Chair 1998
John S. Davis, Vice Chair 1997 Budget Committee
Philip A. DAvanza 1999 Peter Georgantas, Chair 1998
Barbara J. Griffin 1998 Jon Barton 1999
Robert L. Wheeler 1997 Robert Draper 1999
David Enos 1997
Town Moderator
Katherine R. Fallon 1999
Rodney L. Stark 1998 Peter Henk 1999
Town Clerk Thomas Kiander 1998
Marlene Gamans 1999 Preston Lawrance, Jr. 1998
Town Treasurer Susan Phillips 1997
Janet Soderquist 1997
Jean Mayberry 1999
Bill Tucker 1998
Administrative Officers John Turner 1997
John Scruton, Timothy Hanson,
Town Administrator School Board Rep.
Gini Barss, Finance Director John S. Davis, Alt. Sel. Rep.
Stephen R. Monier, Police Chief Karl MacGibbon,
Richard Fletcher, Fire Chiefand Grasmere VillagePrecinctRep.
Forest Fire Warden Robert L. Wheeler, Sel. Rep.
Donald Hambidge, Director of Herbert S. Slattum
Public Works Goffstown Village Precinct
David L. French, Recreation Dir. Rep.
Building Board ofAppeals EconomicDevelopment Council
Arthur Rose, Sr. Chair 1999 (formerly Industrial Council)
Norman Chauvette 1999 Greg Landroche, Chair 1997
Daniel Dugrenier 1999 Michael Massey,
Darron Pierson 1998 Vice-Chair 1997
David White 1997 Marie Boyle, Sec. 1997
Paul Lebrun, Alternate 1999 Stephen R. Crean 1997
Cable TV Community Access Henry Grady 1997
Committee Lynn Marie Hummel 1997
James Pingree, Chair 1998 William Jabjiniak 1997
David Chabot 1997 Arthur Rose, Sr. 1997
Donald Gagnon 1999 John S. Davis, Sel. Rep.
Richard Gamache 1999 Robert Wheeler, Sel. Rep.
Tamblyn Fuller Gosling 1998 Barbara J. Griffin, Alt. Sel. Rep.
Doug Gove 1997 Andre Garron,
Howard Sobolov, Treas. 1997 Town Administrator's Rep.
Susan Desruisseaux, Gov't. Adv. Gossett McRae,
RogerRichard, PEG Coordinator Planning Board Chair
Les Rosenthal, Educ. Advisor Goffstown Village Precinct
Cemetery Trustees Allen D. Gamans, Chair 2000
Timothy Kenney, Chair 1998 Henry L. Burnham 1997
Michael Massey, Vice-Chr. 1999 Henry C. Boyle 1998
Paul Welch 1997 Raymond Taber
C.I.P. Committee Vacant
Frederick R. Plett, Chair Grasmere Village Precinct
John Davis, Sel. Rep. Arthur Rose, Jr., Chair 1997
Paula Baker, Community Rep. William Swanson 1999
Suzanne Tremblay, Theodore Rohr 1998
School Board Rep.
Jon Barton, Budget Comm. Rep. Highway Safety Committee
&
Pat Tucker, Community Rep. (formerly Signs Lights
Comm.)
Gini Barss, Advisor
Andre Garron, Advisor Philip A. DAvanza, Sel. Rep.
Andre Garron, Planning &
Conservation Commission
Economic Dev. Coordinator
Jane Raymond, Chair 1999 DPW
Donald Hambidge, Dir.
CollisAdams 1999
Stephen R. Monier, PoliceChief
Vivian T. Blondeau, Sec. 1998 GerardNadeau, CommunityRep.
David Burl 1998
Karen McRae 1997 Historic District Commission
Evelyn Miller 1999 Sally Healy, Chair 1997
Susan Tucker 1997 Brenda Henk 1997
Charles Freiburger, Alt. 1999 Marie Boyle 1998
Kevin Naughton, Alt. 1999 Doug Gove 1998
Susan T. Swenson, Alt. 1998 Eleanor Porritt 1997
Jean Walker, Alt. 1999 Robert Gagnon, Alternate 1998
Henry C. Boyle, Sel. Rep. 1997 Barbara Mace, Alt., Sec. 1998
8