Grant To Help Revive Historic Ashuelot Library

Thanks to the efforts of Julia Ferrari the library is now a part of New Hampshire Historic Registry and will be receiving a grant to help with restoration and a new paint job.... Story from the Keene Sentinel

ASHUELOT – It’s been serving the community for more than 100 years – and thanks to some state funding, the Thayer Public Library may well be around for another century.

A $10,000 grant from the N.H. Moose Plate Program will pay for a much-needed exterior paint job on the nearly 200-year old building on Route 119 in Ashuelot, opposite the covered bridge.

According to the program’s Web site, grant funds are raised through the purchase of conservation license plates (“moose plate”) to promote or protect the state’s natural, cultural and historic resources.

The structure, built in 1823in the Greek revival style, was a home donated as a library in 1902 by Julia Thayer.

The library is located on the ground floor with the librarians’ living quarters on the second floor.  Thayer, who grew up in Ashuelot, was a philanthropist and wife of Edward Thayer, who owned a woolen mill in town.  The couple also donated the building that now houses the Keene Public Library.  One of her stipulations in donating the Thayer Public Library was that the building remain a library. 

Over the years, the library was the location of historical lectures, children’s story hours, and about 20 years ago, it housed meetings to revive Winchester’s early 20^th century newspaper, The Winchester Star, according to Julia Ferrari, library trustee and the writer of the successful grant application from the state license plate program.

Recently, she added the local Grange chapter and a poetry group have expressed interest in using the library for meetings and poetry readings.

To ensure the library will remain a resource for many years to come, some restoration had to be done.  Using money from the library’s trust fund, repairs are almost finished.  Ferrari said about 95 percent of the building’s clapboards were in good shape, so only a few rotted ones had to be replace, while minor structural repairs on some beams are also under way. 

Ferrari knew that if the building was considered of historic value by the state, any restoration projects would be eligible for grants.  She applied early this year, and the library was later named to the N.H. State Register of Historic Places.  It is also situated within Winchester’s historic district.  The library also received about $2,000 annually from the town of Winchester that is used toward heating the building.

Any restoration projects need to be in line with the library’s historic listing and location, which means painting the clapboard exterior, rather than installing vinyl siding.  “We didn’t want it to lose its historic façade.” Ferrari said, speaking on behalf of her fellow trustees.  “It’s simple and austere.”

The new paint job is slated for spring.  Bids are still being accepted, and the hope is that the grant money will pay for all of the work.  There have been virtually no changes made to the library’s interior since 1902.  Much of the furniture in the reading room and even a few of the books in the collection are the same as when Thayer put them there.  “It’s as if time has stopped,” Ferrari said.

Ferrari believes the library’s value is in preserving that history – for example, its collection of books on New Hampshire’s heritage.  Other improvements under consideration are updating the library’s collection, adding computers with online access and expanding the number of days and hours the library is open.  “We’re trying to bring the library back to being alive,” Ferrari said, adding that the library was situated to be within walking distance of users.  “We want to get the community coming back, so we have to rethink what a tiny library offers.  I think it’s possible.”

Merry Christmas to All !

We would like to wish all of our faithful supporters and those of you who have contributed to this blog, a very safe and happy holiday.

                                                   

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

    Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!
    On, Comet! On Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen!
    To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
    Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

 So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; 

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Revised Selectmen's Warrant Petitions

This is a revised list of the selectmen's warrants. It would seem that our publishing their earlier list has raised some concerns and that they have made some changes, though not with their ability to continuously add more and more spending to their agenda. I guess they all feel Winchester is some sort of a booming metropolis. How else do they explain their current mentality of spend more than the town's people can afford, year after year?

                                         
To the inhabitants of the Town of Winchester, in the County of Cheshire in said state, qualified to vote in Town affairs:

You are hereby notified to meet in the Town Hall in said Winchester on Saturday the 30th of January next 2010 at nine o’clock in the forenoon to discuss, debate and amend warrant articles #1 through #         and to receive the reports of the selectmen, town treasurer and other town officers including the agents and committees and act thereon.  Final vote will be by the official ballot on Tuesday, March 9, 2010.  

You are hereby notified to meet in the Town Hall in said Winchester on Tuesday, the 9th of March next 2010 at eight o’clock in the forenoon to act upon the following subjects.  The Polls not to close an hour earlier than seven of the clock in the afternoon.

ARTICLE 1.    To choose all necessary Town Officers for the ensuing year.

ARTICLE 2.    Shall the Town of Winchester raise and appropriate as an operating budget, not including appropriations by special warrant articles and other appropriations voted separately, the amounts set forth on the budget posted with the warrant or as amended by vote of the first session, for the purposes set forth therein, totaling $                ?  Should this article be defeated, the default budget shall be $            , which is the same as last year, with certain adjustments required by previous action of the Town of Winchester or by law or the governing body may hold one special meeting, in accordance with RSA 40:13, X and XVI, to take up the issue of a revised operating budget only.

Recommended by the Board of Selectmen -
Recommended by the Budget Committee -


ARTICLE 3.    To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $545,500.00 for the purpose of preparing plans and specifications for additional work required for the reconstruction of the Winchester Wastewater Treatment Plant that will qualify the Town for Federal and State funds; $300,000.00 of such sum to come from a federal State Tribal Aid Grant (“STAG”), which the Town is hereby authorized to accept; and $245,500.00 such sum to be raised by the Town’s issuance of serial bonds and notes under and in compliance with the provisions of the Municipal Finance Act (NH RSA 33:1 et seq as amended), including any borrowing from the State Revolving Fund, so called established pursuant to RSA 486:14; and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to issue and negotiate such bonds or notes, to determine the interest rate thereon, and to take such actions as may be necessary to effect the issuance, negotiation, sale and delivery of such bonds or notes as shall be in the best interest of the Town of Winchester.  Without impairing the nature of such bonds, notes or loans as a general obligation of the Town, it is the intention and expectation of the Board of Selectmen that the principal and interest thereon shall be paid by the users of the sewer system.

To be enacted, this article requires a 3/5 vote.

Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0
Recommended by the Budget Committee -

ARTICLE 4.    To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $500,000.00 for the purpose of preparing plans and specifications, and for the construction of a new bridge to replace the closed bridge over Wheelock Brook on Old Westport Road, that will qualify the Town to receive 80% matching funds from the New Hampshire Department of Transportation;  $100,000.00 of such sum to come from sums already on deposit in the non-lapsing Capital Reserve Fund established at the 2006 Town Meeting under Warrant Article [19]; and $400,000.00 of such sum to come from  a proposed grant from the State Department of Transportation, which the Town is hereby authorized to accept.

(This article will not impact taxation.)

Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0
Recommended by the Budget Committee -

ARTICLE 5.    To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $317,400.00 for the purpose of reconstructing the westside downtown Main Street sidewalks and to install new sidewalks from downtown to Kulick’s Shopping Center, including a pedestrian bridge crossing over Mirey Brook (the “Project”); $63,480.00 of such sum to be raised by general taxation; and $253,920.00 of such sum to be raised from a proposed Federal Transportation Enhancement Grant (the “Grant”), which the Town is hereby authorized to accept; and to further authorize the Town to issue up to $253,920.00 in serial bonds and notes, under and in compliance with provisions of the Municipal Finance Act (NH RSA 33:1 et seq as amended), to finance the cost of the Project pending the receipt of the Grant;  and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to issue and negotiate such bonds or notes and to determine the interest rate thereon and the other terms thereof as shall be in the best interests of the Town.

To be enacted, this article requires a 3/5 vote.

Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0
Recommended by the Budget Committee -

ARTICLE 6.    To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $250,000.00 to finish chip-sealing approximately 9 miles of newly-shimmed roads, which are:  Woodard Avenue, Ashuelot Street, Old Chesterfield Road, Pudding Hill Road, Rabbit Hollow Road, Forest Lake Road, South Scofield Mountain Road, South Parrish Road, and Mine Road?

Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0
Recommended by the Budget Committee -

ARTICLE 7.        To see if the Town will authorize the Selectmen to enter into a 3-year lease/purchase agreement in the amount of $65,000.00, to be paid in 3 annual principal and interest payments of $23,175.00 for the purpose of purchasing a 2011 Ford 1-ton dump truck, with central hydraulics system, flat bed dump body and plow set-up?  At the end of the 3-year lease agreement, no additional payment will be required and the Town will own the truck.

Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0
Recommended by the Budget Committee -

ARTICLE 8.    To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $40,000.00 for the Town’s share of State road grant reconstruction costs for bridges and place it in the non-lapsing Capital Reserve Fund established at the March 2006 Town Meeting under Article 19 for that purpose?

Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0
Recommended by the Budget Committee 7-0, with 4 abstentions

Article 9.    To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of up to $25,000.00 for the cleaning, repair, and refinishing of the concrete retaining wall at the Town Beach?

Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0
Recommended by the Budget Committee -

ARTICLE 10.    To see if the Town will raise and appropriate $24,800.00 as the fifth and final lease-to-purchase payment for the 2007 International dump truck, plow, and sander package?

Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0
Recommended by the Budget Committee 11-0

ARTICLE 11.     To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $22,760.00 to be placed in the Capital Reserve Fund established under Article 16 at the 2006 Town Meeting for the purpose of performing the assessing update or revaluation of the real estate in the Town of Winchester scheduled for 2015?

Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0
Recommended by the Budget Committee 8-3

ARTICLE 12.    To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate an amount not to exceed $18,000.00 to be deposited in the Evergreen Expendable General Care Trust Fund established by an affirmative vote by the 1998 Town Meeting as Article 11; the source of these funds to be withdrawn from the surplus generated by the perpetual care funds already established for the care and maintenance of lots within the Evergreen cemetery, and not from taxation.

Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0
Recommended by the Budget Committee 9-0, with 2 abstentions

ARTICLE 13.     To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $10,000.00 to be placed in the Capital Reserve Fund established under Article 7 at the 2009 Town Meeting for the purpose of future upgrades and/or purchase of the town’s computers and networking system?

Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0
Not Recommended by the Budget Committee 6-5

ARTICLE 14.    To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $10,000.00 to be placed in the Police Cruiser Capital Reserve Fund established at the March 2006 Town Meeting under Article 14?

Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0
Not Recommended by the Budget Committee 7-4

ARTICLE 15.    To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $10,000.00 to be placed in the Fire Department non-lapsing Capital Reserve Fund for the purpose of purchasing new fire apparatus, established at the March 2005 Town Meeting under Article 21 for that purpose?

Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 3-2
Recommended by the Budget Committee -

ARTICLE 16.    To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $6,000.00 to support the annual Pickle Festival?  

Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0
Recommended by the Budget Committee -

Selectmen Attempting To Remove All Checks and Balances

 It would seem that our Selectmen are tired of butting heads with the Budget Committee over runaway spending and unnecessary purchases and instead of working with them to come up with a sound and fair town budget each year, they want full control and are going to attempt to get their way.

Article 16. 
Are you in favor of rescinding the Municipal Budget Act as defined under RSA 32:14?

Our Town Selectmen are attempting to circumvent our system of checks and balances by removing the town budget committee process; asking the voters to pass a town warrant to do just that. By rescinding the Municipal Budget Act, it would allow allow the town's Moderator, Ken Harvey or Henry Parkhurst to appoint a so-called Finance Committee, the number of members at large and who these members would be. Can we trust our selectmen to oversee this committee and to pick trustworthy members that will look out for the best interest of the town? Stop and think for a minute, do you really want to give them that much more power to control all of the town's finance's with no option to hold them in check? You know darn right well they will appoint people from their inner circle of friends and supporters who will approve their every want and wish list, with no regard for the citizen's of Winchester. Do you really want to put these people on a committee to approve and oversee our budget? If this subdivision is adopted we will most certainly loose control of our town finances according to article IV.

The Budget Committee is far from perfect; but it takes the control away from the Selectmen.
and gives us hope that someone is watching out for our best interests.


32:14 Adoption. –
I. This subdivision may be adopted:
(a) By any town with a town meeting form of government, including those with a budgetary town meeting, official ballot town meeting, or representative town meeting

 IV. If the vote is favorable, the town or district shall at that same meeting vote, by ballot or other means, determine the number of members-at-large, as provided in RSA 32:15, I, and whether they shall be elected or appointed by the moderator.

This is a dangerous petition for all of us and should be defeated with a resounding vote of NO. Don't be fooled by the propaganda they will spew about how passing this warrant will benefit the town and all of us, it most certainly will not.

The Real Reason Our Property Tax Rate Dropped

As we reported on our main page a few days back, the Selectmen had nothing to do with the reduction in the property tax rate, despite what you may have heard. An article written by Sarah Palermo in the Keene Sentinel confirmed what we had reported earlier.

"Drop in tuition students means decrease in Winchester tax rate"


WINCHESTER - The property tax rate in Winchester is down, largely because fewer students from Winchester attended Keene High School in 2008-2009 than anticipated.

The total rate fell from $28.27 last year to $26.94, a drop of 4.7 percent.

The town, state education and county portions of the tax rate all rose, but they were offset by a decrease of $1.50 in the school portion.

School officials estimate the number of students for the coming school year based on current enrollments in the 8th through 11th grades. However, in the summer of 2008, months after the budge was st, the number of students dropped from about 230 to about 200.

NOTE: Isn't it amazing that just 30 students would drop the rate by $1.50?

The savings in tuition went back to the taxpayers, lowering the tax rate, according to Winchester School District Business Manager Thomas P. O'Connor.

The town's ratio of assessment is 100 percent, meaning that, on average, a house that is assessed at $200,000 would sell for that amount, and its owner would pay an annual tax bill of $5,388.

NOTE: I bet you would find that NO houses are selling for what they are listed/assessed at...for 2009.

Of every $26.94 in taxes collected in Winchester.

> $7.09 goes to the town government, up 8 cents, or 1.1 percent, from last year's rate of $7.01.

This will raise $1,995,187 for the town.

> $14.72 goes to local school taxes, down $1.50, or 9.2 percent, from last year's rate of $16.22. This will raise $4,148,250 for local schools.

> $2.35 goes to the state educational tax, up 8 cents, or 3.5 percent, from last year's rate of $2.27. This will raise $636,669 for the state.

> $2.78 goes to Cheshire County, up 1 cent, or 0.4 percent, from last year's rate of $2.77.
This will raise $784,530 to support the county jail, nursing home and other services.

In total, Winchester will raise $7,496,536 in taxes, down $438,029 from last year.

Tax bill were mailed on November 24, and are due January 4.