The Chichester Food Pantry would like to thank Grace Poirier and the guests
at her 7th birthday party for their donations to the food pantry.
Please patronize your local sugar houses on Maple Weekend, March 27 and 28.
Many of them are having Open House that weekend with maple products
available for sale.
Happy Belated Birthday to Matthew Morey
(March 20) and Sharon Wescomb (March 22). Somehow this month has run away
from me.
Happy Birthday on March 26 to Sean Menard and Keith
Davison, Sr.
The Chichester Cub Scouts of Pack 85 would like
to express a big thank you to all the Chichester residents who supported our
pack by purchasing lunch and snacks at the March 13th Annual Town Meeting.
An extra big thanks goes out to the Chichester Country Store for donating
the delicious homemade donuts that were enjoyed by all! The Cubs enjoyed
providing lunch to our local community.
Out Of Your Attic Thrift Shop News
Submitted By Carol Hendee
Through your generosity, we have in stock soccer and baseball cleats for
children and a few adult sizes. For the adventurous, we have roller blades!
We also have some nice spring type flags- Winnie the Pooh, Easter
themes and just pretty spring flowers.
Some have asked we continue
listing what the accomplishments were for 2009. There were 60 Warm up kits
plus food and treats for the homeless; 1 case of socks for the homeless; 525
layette bags; 585 backpacks; 100 birthday kits; 50 packages of baby diapers;
155 boxes of food; 15 Easter baskets.
We appreciate every donation to
make this giving possible.
We are located in the Blueberry Plaza, Rte. 28
North.
Our hours are Tues., Wed., Thurs., 8-4 and Sat., 10-4. Or call
435-9339 and we can tell you if we have the item you are looking for.
Chichester Grange
Chichester Grange met on March 17 upstairs in the
Grange Hall. Plans were made for the Youth Night fund raising supper on
April 7. The Chichester Road Agent has offered some wood chips for spreading
on Memorial Park.
Members were reminded that the bus tour to Washington,
D.C., for the 50th anniversary of the National Grange Building on June 26 is
now taking reservations.
Wildlife sightings included Canada geese,
mallard ducks, crows, a chipmunk, and a very wet red fox.
The brief St.
Patrick’s Day program included a scrambled word game, a discussion of St.
Patrick’s life and accomplishments, and a pig balancing game. Refreshments
following the meeting were served by Hannah West.
The next meeting will
be Youth Night on April 7 with a supper at 6 p.m. and the business meeting
and program to follow.
Chichester Town Meeting
Submitted By Hannah West
Chichester’s Town
Meeting was called to order by Moderator Doug Hall at 10:05 a.m. on March
13. Seated up front were Town Clerk Evelyn Pike; Selectmen Stephen MacCleery,
Jeffrey Jordan, and Richard DeBold; Town Administrator Nancy Tanner;
Selectman-elect Michael Paveglio; Road Agent Jim Plunkett; Acting Fire Chief
Allan Quimby and Chief of Police Patrick Clark. Donna Chagnon led the Pledge
of Allegiance to the flag.
Moderator Doug Hall administered the oath of
office to the candidates with opposition in the election. Those who ran
unopposed will be sworn in at a later time.
Richard Moore gave a brief
report of the Capital Improvements Committee. Due to the economy the
committee drastically slashed the amount to be spent per year on capital
improvements, resulting in many projects being put off for a year or longer.
Barbara Frangione reported for the Space Needs Committee.
Selectman
Richard DeBold gave a power point presentation on the budget, which has been
held to a flat level for the coming year. The Moderator then opened the
budget for discussion. With two versions of the budget printed in the Town
Report and a printed addendum necessary as well, the citizens could have
used an extra arm or two when following the budget line by line.
Fortunately, a copy of the budget was projected onto a screen for all to
follow.
The Police Chief answered many questions about coverage by
part-time and full-time officers. There was discussion of whether the Fire
Department should be more regionalized so that towns could pool their
equipment. Bruce Dyke spoke of the Suncook Regional Association, a group
attended by representatives of seven towns in the area, which was formed to
discuss issues of cooperation among towns. A motion to pay the Building
Inspector with fees only failed to pass.
The Moderator declared a lunch
break at noon before the budget article was finished. Cub Scout Pack 85 sold
lunch items as a fundraiser. After lunch the budget discussion moved
forward, and Article 6 passed at 12:40 p.m.
The meeting then moved on to
discuss the rest of the warrant. It was voted to purchase a pick-up truck
for the Highway Department and to make some improvements to Lane Road.
Canterbury Road will not be repaired this year. It was felt that the
town-owned portions of the road were in better condition than the
state-owned section and construction should wait until the whole road could
be repaired.
The Fire Truck Capital Reserve Fund excited much debate. An
amendment to reduce the amount failed. The final vote on the article was so
close that it had to be counted twice, and Moderator Hall finally called for
a division of the house. All votes were negative and no money will be set
aside this year. The Town Mapping Capital Reserve Fund was discontinued, as
maps can now be done by computer instead of by hand.
It was voted to
replace the 1984 Chevrolet forestry vehicle, not the 1977 Dodge mentioned in
the warrant.
The Heritage Commission was re-established with different
membership requirements, and a fund of one dollar was established to support
the Heritage Commission. An Agricultural Commission was also established.
Property tax exemptions for solar energy systems were voted favorably, and
Lane Road was designated as a scenic road.
The article about voting on an
amendment to the NH Constitution that would define “marriage” was decided by
secret ballot. It was defeated by a vote of 51 to 59.
The final
appropriation for the coming year was $1,782,987, which includes both budget
and warrant articles.