The Congregational Church of North Barnstead (CCNB) and the North Barnstead Women’s Fellowship invite you to attend a Taize Worship Service on Sunday, May 5th, at 5 p.m. 

This peaceful service offers a time of worship for those looking for a quiet meditative time as well as those not available on Sunday mornings. CCNB is located at 504 North Barnstead Road, just above Peacham Road. Come join us. All are welcome!

Recent Development Activity In The Lakes Region

The Lakes Region Planning Commission (LRPC) recently completed the 15th annual report of Development Activity in the Lakes Region.  The 2013 report is a compilation of commercial, industrial, and residential permitting activity and residential subdivision activity for the Lakes Region, based on 2011 data.  The NH Office of Energy and Planning (NH OEP) and the LRPC conduct complementary annual surveys, the results of which are included in this report.

From 2010 to 2011, the updated report shows a few modest regional declines in residential, commercial, and industrial permitting compared to 2010’s slight recovery. The number of residential permits issued in the Lakes Region decreased from 216 in 2010 to 196 in 2011; a decrease of 9.3 percent.  The Lakes Region portion of Carroll and Grafton Counties were the only areas in the Lakes Region to experience an increase in the number of residential permits issued; there were nine more housing permits issued in 2011 than 2010 in these areas.  Of the 30 Lakes Region communities, Laconia (46), Moultonborough (29), Alton (15), Ossipee (10), Barnstead and Effingham (9) represented the top five in the number of residential permits allowed in 2011.

Relative to subdivision activity, the survey showed that about 1,130 acres were subdivided in 2011, with Alton (277 ac.), Barnstead (241 ac.), Moultonborough (102 ac.), and Franklin (87 ac.) experiencing the most activity.  The number of subdivided acres in 2011 is still below the ten-year historic average of approximately 3,400 acres. In addition, 70 new commercial buildings were permitted in the region in 2011, totaling more than 112,622 square feet.  Moultonborough issued the greatest number with 29 approvals; Gilford issued the second most with 13.  The only municipality to report industrial development was Franklin with one permit issued.  The amount of industrial space permitted was 27,000 square feet.

The 2013 Development Activity in the Lakes Region report contains other useful information, including supporting real estate sales data from the New Hampshire Association of Realtors and Northern New England Real Estate Network.  These data show the changes in unit sales, median sale price over the past three years as well as demographic trends and characteristics in New Hampshire. The report will be posted soon to the LRPC website, www.lakesrpc.org.  Printed copies are also available from the Lakes Region Planning Commission for a small fee.   The Planning Commission would like to acknowledge the indispensable support and appreciation from the participating municipalities, whose contributions are essential for this ongoing assessment. Funding for the report was provided in part from the NH Office of Energy and Planning. For additional information, please contact LRPC at 279-8171 or e-mail at [email protected].

Ladies’ Night Out

Ladies, join us at the Center Barnstead Christian Church this Monday, May 6th at 7:00 PM for a fun night out!  The theme for this month is “Aprons”.  Everyone is encouraged to wear their favorite apron, and bring an apron to swap.  There will be games, food and lots of laughs!  All are invited. The Center Barnstead Christian Church is located on Route 126, next to the Town Hall.  For more information, please contact the church at 269-8831.

Big News From Barnstead’s Oscar Foss Memorial Library

After 28 years of outstanding leadership, Susan Conrad, the beloved director of Barnstead’s town library, is retiring on June 1st!

The Oscar Foss Memorial Library has thrived under her leadership for almost 3 decades. Mrs. Conrad has guided children, their parents, their grandparents, and countless others to find the knowledge they were seeking or the books they loved and guided all of us through the many changes that have transpired over the years in the ways we gather and share information.

Summer people, permanent residents, folks just passing through, students, business people, public servants, stay at home moms, toddlers, seniors, folks who are financially successful and folks with meager resources have all been touched by Sue and by the library that she has so ably directed for so long.

While the library staff and the trustees are saddened to see her go and know that no one can truly replace her, we want to invite the town to celebrate Susan Conrad at the library during the month of May.

She wants no parties or public speeches or accolades, but we thought those who love her and will miss her would want the opportunity to stop by the library to thank her and to wish her well. We will have a “guest book” available for you to sign – please share a word or two, a little story or memory, or just sign your name to say thanks.

More news will follow about our new director, but meanwhile, please come out and celebrate Susan Conrad and thank her for her many years of dedication to the town of Barnstead. Reminder: library hours are Monday 2-8, Tuesday and Wednesday 10-5, Thursday 5-8, Friday 2-5, and Saturday 9-12. 

Yard Sale Space Available

Do you have a lot of ‘stuff’ to get rid of but don’t have a good location to sell it from? We can provide a great location for you for a nominal per day per table fee. 

Our location is available from Friday through Sunday every weekend.  We are located at 13A Parade Road which is at the intersection of routes 28 and 126.  You would be responsible for your own set up, there is no overnight storage for multiple days and all belongings and trash must be taken out with you.

For more information and to register for your day contact Irene at 603 568-7318 or drop by the Barnstead Community Market at 13A Parade Road, Barnstead, NH.  Hours are Friday 1 – 7, Saturday 9 -4 and Sunday noon – 4.

Mark Laliberte, NH GOP 2014 Candidate Recruitment Director, To Address Belknap County Republican Committee Wednesday, May 8

The next meeting of the Belknap County Republican Committee will be held on Wednesday, May 8, at 6:30 pm at the Top of the Town Restaurant, 88 Ladd Hill Rd, Belmont.  This month’s Guest Speaker will be Mark Laliberte who was recently appointed the 2014 Candidate Recruitment Director by NH Republican Party Chairman Jennifer Horn.  Mr. Laliberte will review statistics about Belknap County’s voting patterns from previous elections, and he’ll discuss the challenges facing the Party in the upcoming 2014 elections.  He’ll also be looking for feedback from members of the Committee.  In addition, the Committee will hear an update about the upcoming annual Mount Washington Sunset Dinner Cruise on Lake Winnipesaukee scheduled for Friday, May 31st.

All Republicans and like-minded Independents are invited to attend Belknap County Republican Committee meetings.  Although the meeting begins at 6:30 pm, if you’re interested in having dinner (at your option) and/or wish to socialize before the meeting, please plan to arrive as early as 5:00 p.m.

Members are asked to bring a non-perishable food item to the meeting for distribution to local food pantries in an effort to help those in the community who are less fortunate during these difficult economic times.