“A
Star is Born” is the movie selection at the Epsom Library on
Wednesday, March 6 at 1:30. This remake of a tragic love story
needs no introduction. Much has been publicized of this
Oscar-nominated film starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. It
is rated R for sexuality and substance abuse.
Letter To The Editor
A few
years ago when I was elected to the job of Road Agent for the Town
of Epsom, all things at the Highway Department were not perfect.
We now have a good old backhoe, a one ton pickup truck, a salt shed
and a repair building which we built with donations, sweat equity
and some money out of the budget. It is very productive to have
garage space so we can do repair work inside. We look forward to you
coming and checking it out.
Most
of the drainage culverts, that needed to, have been replaced.
We’ve replaced nine bridges, repaired one and have two more to go,
with the plan to open the Cass Road bridge in about three years.
As
you may have noticed, this past month’s weather conditions,
consisting of snow, lots of rain and extreme cold have created
challenging ice conditions. But take heart, according to a certain
groundhog, spring is just around the corner!
Please know that whatever God sends for weather, I am working my
hardest for your safety and to bring about positive changes for our
Town roads and hope to continue these efforts. I would very
much appreciate your vote in March and thank you for your
consideration.
Bless
you,
Gordon R. Ellis, Your Road Agent
Epsom Meet The Candidates Forum
Submitted By: Virginia J. Drew, Friends of the Epsom Public
Library
The
Friends of the Epsom Public Library are hosting a Meet the
Candidates Forum on Sunday, March 3, 2019 at 2:00 pm. Join us
and the candidates for Town and School office at the Epsom Public
Library for our yearly opportunity to meet the citizens who have
filed to serve our community as public officials!
This
is YOUR chance to hear from the candidates and to ask them questions
to help you decide on your votes on Town and School Election day
(Tues., March 12 @ 8:00 am to 7:00 pm).
The
Friends of the Library are looking forward to seeing you all and as
always there will be great refreshments!
Letter
Thanks, to those who came out to the 2019 school and town
deliberative sessions. Please come to vote on Tuesday, March 12, at
the Epsom Central School gym from 8 am until 7 pm.
Of
the five warrant articles on the school ballot this year, three
involve spending. If all three pass, the estimated tax impact will
be $2.06 per thousand. For example, a $225,000 valued property would
incur a $463.50 increase in their tax bill. If the spending articles
fail, the default budget would result in a tax impact of $1.39
increase, thus translating to a $312.75 increase.
The
School Board and Budget Committee have not recommended approval of
implementing full-day kindergarten, and school officials have said
that implementation will not guarantee a drop in special education
costs, which is a large part of the school budget’s increase this
year. It has been stated that Keno revenue will cover some of the
costs of full-day kindergarten, but I believe taxpayers have come to
realize that the state is continuing to lower their share of
education funding every year, and there is no guarantee that revenue
or funding will continue. In the end, it is we, the local taxpayers,
who make up for unfunded mandates when we pay the bills.
Of
the nineteen warrant articles on the town ballot, ten involve
spending. If all ten pass, the estimated tax impact will be $1.47
per thousand. A $225,000 valued property would incur a $330.75
increase in their tax bill. If the spending articles fail, there
will be no increase, as the default budget is $4.08 per thousand,
which is 7 cents lower than last year’s budget.
There
are town and school sample ballots available at the town hall, as
well as information on the town and school websites.
Respectfully,
Tom
Langlais
Michael Briggs Spaghetti Dinner
On
Tuesday, March 12th, 2019 the Epsom Central School will be holding
the 13th annual Spaghetti Dinner. This dinner is held each year to
help raise monies for both the Michael Briggs Community Center of
Manchester and an Epsom student award given in remembrance of
Officer Michael Briggs.
The
student award will be given to a graduating eighth grade student
from Epsom whom upon graduating high school, pursues a post
secondary education or enters a public service career. In
order to make this award a reality we need your empty stomachs and
generosity.
Epsom
School Staff will be cooking and serving the dinner in an effort to
raise money for the award. The dinner will be from 5:00 to 7:00 PM
in the Multipurpose Room. The cost will be $5.00 for adults
and $3.00 for children. Tickets will be available in the
office ahead of time or you may purchase them the night of the
dinner. We will once again be offering “take out” dinners.
We will make it fresh for you when you come in to pick it up.
With
your support, we can make this award a reality. Should we need to
cancel due to snowstorm, our snow date will be Wednesday, March
13th.
Any
questions please call Mrs. Donovan or Mrs. Brodeur at 736-9331.
Thank you.
Letter
Dear
Epsom Residents,
My
name is Meadow Wysocki and I am running for the Budget Committee.
I have lived in Epsom for the last 23 years. I have raised a
family and purchased two homes in Epsom. I enjoy our small
community and am excited to bring my experience and knowledge to the
Budget Committee.
I
have an extensive history in the field of finance over the last 30
years. I have worked as an Accounts Receivable Specialist for
Hesser College and Notre Dame College, as well as a Bursar and
Finance Director for Granite State College. I spent a number
of years at New Hampshire Higher Education Assistance Foundation
managing the department responsible for assisting schools with the
distribution and maintenance of federal and private student loans.
Each and every position I have held has required a budget component.
As the Financial Manager position at Granite State College I was
responsible for developing, monitoring and updating the entire
schools budget which included working with the University Systems
Central Accounting. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting
and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration.
I
enjoy giving back to my community and being retired allows me a
certain amount of flexibility to dedicate my time to the community. I currently volunteer at Concord Hospital as a patient visitor and
on the maternity ward. I volunteer on the Old
Meetinghouse Revitalization Committee and hope to help the
fundraising efforts and to create an amazing community center that
can be used by all.
I
would appreciate your vote on March 12th and provide me with the
opportunity to serve my community and bring my experience and
expertise to the Budget Committee. If you have any questions
or comments please feel free to contact me by email at
[email protected].
Thank you.
The
Fabric Of Our Lives: Party Dresses: Piecing It Together At The Epsom
Public Library
The
High Season Artists meet weekly at the Kimball Jenkins Estate in
Concord, NH to inspire and support one another as they pursue
techniques, materials and ideas that have evolved over time. Often
they work quite spontaneously! During a conversation about
Halloween, the theme of party dresses was suggested. Within hours
the artists were at Goodwill picking over their party dresses and
evening gowns. What fun they had!
Party
titles... Garden Party! Surprise Party! Hen Party! Valentines Day
Party! Animal Party and I Don’t Want to Wear a Dress Party! emerged.
Eager to design their individual party dresses, they used other
materials and objects with their fabric and began stitching;
spending many days to complete their dress.
The
artists are excited to share the results with you, along with some
drawings, paintings and mixed media pieces that are a response to
their dresses.
Come
meet the artists at the opening of this unique exhibit, “The Fabric
of Our Lives:Party Dresses: Piecing it Together” at The Epsom Public
Library on Friday, March 1 at 5-7 pm. Wear your party dress or suit
if you’d like!
Letter To The Editor
To
really understand the cost effect on a taxpayer, we need to look at
the $175,000 warrant article (tax rate increase $.41) on the
homeowner. Though in reality the Full Day Kindergarten proposal adds
even less to the Tax Rate: only on average $.30 to the Tax Rate as
Epsom will get state funding for FDK per the Senate Bill 191. The
warrant article will show the below costs, which will actually be
about 25% less when you take into account the revenues received,
similarly to adequacy funding for grades 1-12.
For a
$300,000 home....yearly cost $123 or $2.36 weekly
For a
$250,000 home....yearly cost $102 or $1.97 weekly
For a
$200,000 home...yearly cost $82 or $1.57 weekly
For a
$150,000 home...$61.50 or $1.18 weekly
Who
cannot afford $1-$2 a week to take care of Epsom’s young children
and young families? Can you sacrifice a couple of beers; a pack of
cigarettes; or a Dunkin Donuts coffee. week to support our young
kids? I say we all can and should vote YES on the FDK Warrant
article. Most all towns in NH have FDK and educators throughout the
State and the Nation support FDK. Please do not neglect our young
children in Epsom by voting NO on the FDK Warrant article.
Arthur Laro
Letter To The Editor
Transparency and Communication
I
believe that transparency and communication will be key in managing
our highway department successfully and frugally. I will communicate
with residents via The Suncook Sun newspaper, social media, and
personal contact on upcoming road work that may impact their road.
I
will not close a road for work to be done unless absolutely
necessary, which typically would only be in an emergency.
I
will communicate with the Select Board and a Road Committee on
upcoming work that I plan on doing. They will have an estimated
financial cost to the taxpayers and enough notice that if strategies
need to be changed they can.
I
will communicate with the Budget Committee with a budget as accurate
as possible for the upcoming year. My goal would be to try and put
together warrant articles that would get the approval of both the
Budget Committee and Select Board.
I
believe that social media is a great way to communicate and maintain
transparency with a very large portion of our residents. I will
start a social media page to post work that has been done, upcoming
work, and any information I feel residents should know about.
If
you want well maintained roads and a Road Agent that is willing to
communicate, please vote for me on March, 12th Vote for Change, Vote
for Epsom.
Scott
Elliott
[email protected]
Letter To The Editor
Clearly it’s an election year, After reading the recent article by
our current road agent, Gordon Ellis, related to “sand is the enemy”
this gave insight to the current thought pattern which gives me
serious concern.
His
case to continue using damaging stone vs. common sand approach is
contradicted in his own article. As math and sciences has taught us
(volume and circumference) that 3/8 –3/4 stone currently used will
fill our ditches, drains, etc. faster than filtered grains of sand.
What might take a decade to fill with sand, can take one year with
current stone used.
As
stated in T2 articles, sand can migrate after eight car passes… what
do you think it takes for large stone to migrate, one or two passes
before it sits at the shoulder and in ditches/drains? His math
is not referenced to supporting info, but you can see for yourself
that sand is cheaper than stone. He adds in the cost of cleaning
ditches, street sweeping (when have you seen our town clean up the
massive amount of stone?), etc. Once again, stone clogs faster
proven-mass, damages town equipment, personal property, safety to
the public after snow melts/other seasons (walking, jogging, biking,
motorcycles, etc.), damaging top road surface (roads not lasting as
long) and costs more. You add these factors, stone has a
higher cost to use vs sand. So according to his own math and using
logic, “stone is the enemy.”
After
reading many UNH T2 articles, salt is here to stay and is the most
effective use as well as sand. Both should be used
strategically. There is almost no talk of stone as a treatment
source on paved roads, especially all the time in all areas with no
immediate clean up. This is why I ask you to support common
sense change when we, Epsom, vote March 12th, this year we have a
choice, Scott Elliott.
A.
Ramsdell
Concerned Voter
Letter
To my
constituents in Allenstown, Epsom, and Pittsfield,
This
week, my committee met to recommend more bills to the House. HB 221,
renaming Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day, was debated at
length, with the committee Democrats fixated on Columbus’s misdeeds
in Haiti and the Caribbean, and the Republicans not wanting to hide
our history or rename a federal holiday. We voted not to pass it,
9-11, then not to kill it, 7-11, then finally to retain it in
committee, 16-4. HB 506, making primary day a state holiday, was
debated over whether it preempted local control over holidays and
how to pay for the mandated overtime. We voted 12-8 to retain it, on
party lines (Republicans wanted to kill it.)
HB
470, telling the treasurer to arrange for a way to accept
cryptocurrencies (ie, bitcoin) for tax payments, had also been
worked in subcommittee and had an amendment supported by the sponsor
and the treasurer, which we adopted 19-1. Then the subcommittee
chair pointed out that Visa offered a bitcoin debit card, so the
bill was not necessary, and the chair mentioned that a commission on
cryptocurrencies would be working this biennium. A motion to kill
the bill failed, 8-10, and we finally retained the bill, 15-5. I
voted against retaining because it seemed a cheap and easy way to
encourage high-tech businesses, which likely have cryptocurrencies,
to start up or relocate to New Hampshire.
HB
667, requiring water wells be tested before issuing a certificate of
occupancy, was retained at the sponsor’s request. HB 720, allowing
retiring community college faculty to go back to work part-time
immediately after retiring, was killed 17-3, to prevent the
appearance of a revolving door.
Interested people can email me for my newsletter, with more
information than can fit in The Sun.
Representative Carol McGuire
[email protected]
782-4918
Epsom
Employee Receives UNH T2 Advanced Master Roads Scholar Award
Gordon Ellis of Epsom, NH achieved University of New Hampshire
Technology Transfer Center’s (UNH T2) distinguished recognition as
an Advanced Master Roads Scholar. This prestigious award is the
highest level of achievement within the UNH T2 program. It
recognizes those who both complete at least 200 hours of classroom
training with UNH T2, and who develop and complete an outreach
project that seeks to improve, promote, or otherwise enhance the
public works community. Mr. Ellis has participated in a number of
UNH T2 training opportunities across content disciplines including
safety, environmental, supervisory, and technical topics, including
titles such as Drainage, Drainage, Drainage; Culvert Maintainer
Certification Training; Green Snow Pro Training; and an Invasive
Plants and Eradication Workshop, to name a few. He contributed his
knowledge, expertise, and awareness of new technologies and
techniques in road management to road agencies across New Hampshire
by partnering with UNH as an instructor for a workshop on Winter
Maintenance Fundamentals.
As an
Advanced Master Roads Scholar Mr. Ellis’s dedication to professional
development promotes mentorship and collaboration with public works
colleagues, and supports safe, effective roadways for NH residents
and visitors.
The
UNH Technology Transfer Center fosters a safe, efficient, and
environmentally sound surface transportation system by improving
skills and increasing knowledge of the transportation workforce and
decision makers. As the site of the state’s Local Technical
Assistance Program, it works to enable local counties, cities and
towns to improve their roads and bridges by supplying them with a
variety of training programs, an information clearinghouse, new and
existing technology updates, personalized technical assistance, and
newsletters.
For
more information about UNH T2 visit https://t2.unh.edu/ or
contact Marilee LaFond at [email protected].
Letter To The Editor
Dear
Residents of Epsom:
On
March 12, I would appreciate your vote so that I may serve as a
member of the Budget Committee. I have been a resident of Epsom for
almost thirty years, and come to this position with no agenda,
except to do what is best for Epsom. I commit to factually
analyze the information, listen and ask questions, and to be sure I
have an understanding before making recommendations.
I am
retired from state service, after 30 years. My career was spent
analyzing complex financial information, preparing budgets, and
providing good information to decision makers from governors and
legislative leaders, to members of the public.
Whether serving as Commissioner of Administrative Services, Budget
Director for two Governors, Medicaid Finance Director at Health and
Human Services, or Chief Financial Officer at the Dept. of Justice,
good factual information was always key in trying to arrive at the
right decision.
Please consider me when you vote March 12. Thank You.
Linda
Hodgdon
Epsom
Obituaries
Stephen Lombard, Jr.
SHORT
FALLS – Stephen Lombard, Jr., 70, of Short Falls, passed away on
Sunday, February 17, 2019 at his residence, surrounded by his
family.
Born
on August 2, 1948 in Concord, he was the son of the late Stephen and
Eris (Yeaton) Lombard.
Steve
worked for over 40 years in the concrete business, eventually
working for himself as the owner of New England Form Specialists,
Inc. He was a longtime member of the Corinthian Lodge No. 82 and
Jewell Lodge No. 94, F&AM, where he served in many chairs. He
served as District Deputy Grand Master and recently received his 40
year Masonic pin, which was presented by the Members of both Lodges.
Stephen loved to read, travel, and snowmobile. He especially
enjoyed spending time with family and friends, sharing stories of
family lore.
He is
survived by his wife of 39 years, Susan (Longley) Lombard, their
daughter, Marcy LeBlanc and her husband Jason of Douglas, MA; and
their son, Joseph Lombard of Short Falls. He also leaves
behind a sister, Gina Canney of Farmington; brothers, Tom Lombard
and Willie of Graceville, FL and James Lombard of Epsom;
step-siblings Linda Tirrell of Epsom, Sharon Wayman of Loudon,
Debbie Tirrell of Concord, Cal Tirrell, Jr of Pittsfield, as well as
numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. The family appreciates the
tremendous support provided by many who knew Steve.
A
Celebration of Steve’s life will be held on Saturday, March 9th from
12 to 2 P.M. in the Still Oaks Funeral & Memorial Home, 1217 Suncook
Valley Highway in Epsom. There will be a brief Masonic service
starting at 12 P.M., followed by the opportunity to share memories.
Friends and family are invited to begin gathering at 11:30 A.M. In
lieu of flowers the family would appreciate donations to the Epsom
Food Pantry (Rt 4, Epsom, NH 03234) or to the NH Masonic Charitable
Foundation (30 Mount Vernon St, P.O. Box 486, Milford, NH
03055-0486).
To
share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit
www.stilloaks.com
|
