A little push.

This past Spring, community members came to the Town Council asking for the Council and the School Board to work together to find a solution for our school facilities. Now it's August and so far this hasn't happened. 

To be clear, it is my understanding that the Council chair and the School Board chair have had some meetings. But there has been no involvement from the Council at-large, no discussions with the Council, no public input from other council members and no updates from the chair during Council meetings. So to characterize any plans as a collaboration between the Council and the SB is simply incorrect. I respect Mr. Levy's opinion, but he is just one of seven and has neither asked for nor received any guidance from the Council as a whole.

 

I apologize and take my share of responsibility for this. When I initially heard that the Council chair and the School Board chair were meeting several weeks ago, I did ask for an update in one of our meetings but was provided with little information. And there has been nothing since. Being new to the Council, I chose not to push too much at the time.

Clearly it's time to push.

Rainy day update.

I know it's been quiet here lately. The transition from the end of the school year to the beginning of summer has proven to be an exceptionally busy time. It's a flurry of end-of-year activities, followed by the race to make sure plans are all set for the summer and then the almost manic need to make sure each ray of sunlight goes un-wasted. For some reason it always takes me by surprise.

But now that we're mid-way through July, I feel like I can breathe and get caught up on a few things. And having a rainy day to force me inside is helping.

So, I'm going to take this opportunity to give you a little update on things happening in town. This isn't an exhaustive list, just the items that have caught my attention recently.

1. Development in Newmarket continues. By now, everyone is aware that the project by the golf course is well underway. But did you know that they've also broken ground on the Chinburg development behind the library, which as far as I know is still planned to be a nano-brewery and space for a restaurant (rumored to possibly be the new home of Panzanella's).  The Planning Board also just approved the Riverdale garage project, which is slated to become a high end market and Aroma Joe's drive-thru. The Planning Board has also been reviewing an application for a 10-home subdivision off of Bald Hill Rd. Not surprisingly, this is also a Chinburg project. 

2. There was a meeting last week to present the plans for pedestrian crossings in downtown. Maybe you remember the plans for the skybridge near the Newmarket Mills entrance? Well, that was scrapped quite a while ago, but pedestrian safety remains a concern. Studies have been done, sight lines measured and now there are plans for increased signage, improved walkways and even an additional crosswalk close to Riverworks. The full engineering report is available on the town website. 

3. The Dam. Remember last summer when the draw down of the river was done and people in the community were outraged? Well, the report is ready to view on the town website and I am adding a link here. In addition, the Town Council will be discussing the formation of another Dam Committee, with a resolution in the first reading tonight and I'm anticipating a vote on it at our August 6th meeting. If the dam is something you're interested in, now is the time to pay attention and get involved.

4. New faces. There are some new faces in the school district this summer and articles in the Exeter Newsletter and Foster's have highlighted some of these. There is a new Superintendent, new NES Principal and a soon-to-be-determined new school board member.

Keep enjoying the summer and I'll update as the weather permits!