Table Of Content

I G^Ffo/ EWmiAfsm^ WOi m Hall /OWA/ 13S pp Tneds — m 1 ffiL^'.'-'ei iftsK^^ s>^"^-^'^< .^N^ Cover in honor of The Ladies Benevolent Society ANNUAL REPORT of the OFFICERS of the TOWN OF GRAFTON NEW HAMPSHIRE 1997 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Boston Library Consortium IVIember Libraries http://www.archive.org/details/annualreportofto1997graf Dedication Anna (Nan) Huntley This year's town report is dedicated to Anna (Nan) Huntley. Nan and Bill first came to Grafton because relatives lived here and they both fell in love with the town. They purchased their home on Razor Hill in December of 1945 and moved here full-time when Bill retired in July of 1977. Nan has belonged to many Grafton organizations both before she moved here full-time, attending meetings when she would be in town, and attending full-time once she took residence here. She has belonged to the Ladies Benevolent Society, The Center Meeting House Guild with the Congregational Church, the Grafton Ladies Fire Auxiliary, the Grafton Crafters, since its inception in 1978 and the Cadagren Knitters. Old Home Day suppers were cooked by Nan for many years and previous to cooking the meals she would be the hostess and sell tickets at the door. Nan has been instrumental in coordinating the yearly quilt preparation and stitching the quilts right along with the other women in LBS. Nan has a wonderful gift of welcoming people to Grafton and making each person feel special. Nan was part of the group that initiated the Grafton Women's Brunch and continues to spearhead the group. Nan and Bill have been married for 55 years and most of those years have been here in Grafton. Thank you. Nan, for all you have done for Grafton and its people. You are a very special person! INDEX Auditor's Certificate 19 Budget for Fiscal Year '97 11 Cemetery Report 47 Cemetery Trustee's Financial Report 46 Comparative Statement of Appropriations 15 Dedication 2 Detailed Statement of Payments 25 Financial Report 16 Fire Department 44 Fire Dept Women's Auxiliary Report 45 Fire Warden's Report 43 Grafton County Commissioner's Report 51 Grafton County Senior Citizens Council 53 Grafton Historical Society Report 5 : Librarian's Report 39 Library Trustee's Report 4 New Hampshire Municipal Association Report 56 Planning Board Report 41 Police Department Report 4 7 Police Statistical Report 48 Recreation Committee Report 5 Recreation Committee Financial Report 2 Recycling Center Report 4 9 Revised Estimated Revenues 13 Road Agent's Report 4 7 Selectmen's Report 38 Statement of Appropriations & Taxes Assessed for 1997 14 Summary of 1997 Warrant Articles 5 Summary of Tax Sale/Lien Accts for '97 24 Summary Inventory of Valuation 13 Tax Collector's Report 23 Tax Rate 24 Town Officers 4 Town Clerk's Report 19 Treasurer's Report 2 Trustees of Trust Funds Report & Summary 41 Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Reg Planning Comm 5 Visiting Nurse Alliance of VT & NH 54 Vital Statistics 57 Warrant for 1998 7 TOWN OFFICERS SELECTMEN Bonnie J. Haubrich '98 Scott Burrington '99 Dorothy Campbell '00 MODERATOR TOWN CLERK TREASURER Thomas Warner'98 Maureen O'Reilly '98 June Burrington '98 TAX COLLECTOR ROAD AGENT Donna Dugan '99 Robert Bassett '00 BUDGET COMMITTEE Catherine Mulholland '98 Gretchen Over '99 Lorraine Clough '00 Richard Williams (appointed) POLICE Chief Sergeant Deputy Merle Kenyon '99 Stephen Colburn '98 Norman Daigneauti '98 TRUSTEES OF THE TRUST FUNDS Elaine Sawyer'98 Judith Gleason '99 Eleanor Kelley '00 LIBRARY TRUSTEES Deborah Hazelton '98 Judith Gleason '99 Maureen O'Reilly '00 SUPERVISORS OF THE CHECKLIST Pearl Tuttle '98 Anna Huntley '00 Betty Stiles '02 CEMETERY TRUSTEES Geraldine Bassett '98 John Babiarz '99 Glenn Sliker'OO PLANNING BOARD Anson Smith '98 Gretchen Over '99 Francis Lombard! '00 Richard Williams 'DO RECREATION COMMITTEE Louise Gallup '98 Lorraine Clough '98 Cynthia Senecal '99 Rosalie Batjiarz '00 Catherine Mulholland '00 AUDITORS Cynthia Senecal '98 Rosalie Babiarz '99 FIRE WARDEN FIRE CHIEF HEALTH OFFICER Paul Gove Michael Gauthier (1/2 yr) John Knott Peter Baker (1/2 yr) TOWN HALL AMBULANCE SELECTMEN'S SUPERINTENDENT CAPTAIN CLERK Louise Gallup Michael Gauthier (1/2 yr) Betty Stiles Kathleen Crawford (1/2 yr) SUMMARY OF 1997 WARRANT ARTICLES 1. All officers duly elected. 2. Voted on operating budget of $568,758. after hearing report of Budget Committee. 3. Voted to add to the following Capital Reserve Funds: New Fire Truck $15,000. Highway Equipment 10,000. Property Reappraisal 10,000. Solid Waste 5,000. 4. Defeated article to appropriate $25,000. to supplement cost of paving Slab City Road. 5. Voted to raise $30,000, the first of three installments, which is the Town's share ofreplacing Sargent Hill bridge. Total estimated cost to be $450,000. 6. Defeated article to purchase a new highway pick-up for $23,417. 7. Defeated article to purchase a copier. 8. Voted to add $3,000. to unexpended balance of$3,270. from last year to replace library roof. 9. Voted to add $462. to unexpended balance of $545. to restore old town records. 10. Voted to clarify the organizational structure ofthe Fire Department as follows: 1. The Fire Chief and elected officers to be nominated by the members subject to confirmation by the Selectmen. They shall serve an annual term starting in January. 2. Members shall be elected by membership with approval of Chief. 3. Finances and property to be handled pursuant to RSA 154:l-a. 11. Defeated petitioned article to clarify the organizational structure ofthe Fire Department as follows: 1. Fire Chief, Captain, 1st Lieutenant and 2nd Lieutenant to be elected by members. All other officers to be appointed by Fire Chief. All officers to serve an annual term beginningin January. 2. Members to be elected by membership with approval of Fire Chief 3. Finances and property to be handled pursuant to RSA 154:l-a. 12. Voted to retain Fire Department. By petition. 13. Voted to clarify the organizational structure ofthe Ambulance Squad as follows: 1. Captain and elected officials shall be nominated by members and subject to confirmation by the Selectmen. They shall serve an annual term starting in January. 2. Members shall be elected by the membership v^dth approval ofthe Captain. 3. Finances and property to be handled pursuant to RSA 154:l-a. 14. Voted to modify the elderly exemptions from property taxes based on assessed value for qualified taxpayers to be as follows: 65 up to 75 years of age, $10,000.; 75 up to 80 years of age, $15,000;. 80 years or older, $20,000. Person must be a resident of NH for at least five years, own