BETHEL — Toward the end of Hanover Town Meeting on Oct. 24, Select Board Member Jim Barker said three big topics had been discussed: the town’s roads, the town house and solid waste. Barker suggested people get together and approach the select board about creating committees for each.

Twenty-seven voters were assembled in Theatre 3 at The Gem on Cross Street in Bethel.

Barker sat at the front of the theater with Selectboard Chair Brenda Gross, and Board Member Frank Morrison. Town Clerk Kelly Harrington and Deputy Clerk Ellie Andrews sat on either side of the board’s table. Moderator Scott Cole was at the podium.

“It would be my pleasure to nominate the distinguished and accomplished, Frank Morrison.” said former Selectman Ed Kennett in the audience. Voters agreed, choosing Morrison for the open and unopposed selectboard seat. At the close of the meeting, Morrison received a Volunteer of the Year plaque with gratitude for 35 years of service to the town.

Solid waste 

Solid waste disposal for $43,000 was approved by a majority in article 25. A resident questioned the substantial increases that were proposed in a new tri-town agreement by Newry and Bethel officials. “… We haven’t had a lot of representation at those meetings. Is there something more we can do?…

“I read the [proposed] agreement and it says it would be a three-way, even split. Those percentages are totally disparate… That’s a significant increase for our town to take on compared to the Town of Bethel. I would like to see representation on that tri-town board on a regular basis to make sure that we’re not having to eat a big piece of the pie.”

Kennett said he had been one of the representatives for Hanover. “There were times when they went a year without meeting … The committee didn’t amount to much. Bethel did what they wanted to do regardless of what we recommended… We are pretty much at their mercy… They have control … Newry said ‘we’re getting a heck of a deal’ and Bethel didn’t care. … That’s the history previous to this last year for the three or four years before that.”

“Nobody is designated at the moment,” Barker said, responding to a resident’s question as to who is on the committee currently.

Resident Bruce Powell said they need to hold their ground at the tri-town meeting. People in Bethel and Newry are reasonable and the percentages they are using are fair. “If we were to try to do this [create a transfer station] on our own … it would be a very, very difficult thing. Hanover is in a great position with this arrangement if we can participate and be active in that role.”

Road work

The select board recommended  $45,000 for roads and bridges. For winter and summer maintenance, said Gross.

A resident asked when the roads were going to be improved.

“What we’ve done is set aside $25,ooo for major improvements [in article 33] … We’re trying to keep the mil rate as low as possible,” said Morrison.

Doubling everybody’s taxes would bring in $75,000 of money available, said Barker. The current mil rate is 14.7%. They discussed adding a quarter mil increase.

When it comes to paving the roads I’d like to see a plan, said a resident. Kennett asked about getting a municipal bond to pay for the road paving. There are a tremendous number of grants out there relative to road repair in rural communities said a resident.

Morrison said “a study is very important. You have to have a plan”.

A motion to amend article 33 passed. It designates up to $15,000 (out of the $25,000) be used for a professional engineering report for the roads.

Town house

The $450 needed for town house maintenance is to, “to keep the lights on,” said Harrington who suggested a committee form to research the viability of keeping the building.

“Needs a new roof, probably doesn’t have any insulation, needs windows. Would it be feasible to keep that building? I don’t know.” said Gross.

“Have we looked into getting a grant and raise money so we would have a meeting place in town? Rather than just let it rot?” said a resident.

“[To] people that have moved in– that [building] doesn’t mean anything to them … we’ve thought about it… We figured that maybe the town roads are more important than a town meeting place,” said Gross.

“I sense some adversarial tone. I’m very appreciative to everyone sitting on that side of the table … As a community we need to not be willing to criticize… All be respectful of one another,” said a resident.

Other business

Other affirmative votes included continuing the existing method of collecting taxes, transferring various monies like excise tax,  in order to reduce the 2023 tax levy.

Gathered townspeople also voted to raise $44, 493 for salaries, employees payroll and payroll taxes. The additional $3,ooo was to raise the salaries of Harrington and Andrews to $20 per hour explained Gross.

Funding workman’s compensation insurance ($2,200) was passed along with another $4,290 for public liability, property and casualty insurance.

Other monies that will be funded are for: appraising and mapping, $6,750; Municipal memberships, $2,782; for code enforcement officer, $4,300 ($3,000 in wages, plus mileage); election clerks, $1,000 (March caucus; June election and the big one in November, said Harrington); office expenses, $6,450; credit card fees, $1,500.; utilities, $3,500; legal and audit, $5,000.

Voters funded fire protection for Hanover from the Town of Rumford for $15,000.

Town services were approved for $3,350 and street lights for $4,000.

They raised $100. for general services and $3,350 for health and welfare contributions. The Gardner Roberts Library beside town office received $1,000, the highest contribution out of several.

Other approved monies were for animal control, $550; ambulance services, $13,000; recreation, $800; and cemetery maintenance $4,200.

County taxes were approved for $49,633

Finally, article 35 authorized the town’s municipal officers not to exceed 4/12ths of the approved budget between July 1, 2024 and town meeting in October 2024.

“To me it makes sense to have the meeting after, when we know when our budget is. We’ve always had it in October.” said Gross responding to why they have town meeting in October versus the Spring.

“Do you have a budgeting meeting?” a resident asked.

“It occurred in September … It was five hours [long],” said Gross.

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