Town Meetings in Tough Times

The Ashland Fire Department is seeking a full-time chief in this year's municipal budget, but the economic downturn may mean there's not enough money for the position. (Shannon Mullen, NHPR)

A full-time fire chief for the town of Ashland – $25,000.

[sfx: cash register ca-ching]

Two covered bridge reconstructions in Campton - $1.2 million dollars.

[sfx: ca-ching, ca-ching]

And a bigger, greener police station for Gilford - $1.6 million dollars.

[sfx: ca-ching, ca-ching, ca-ching, change clinking]

Typical warrant articles in any other year. But in the midst of an economic crisis, these items seem like pie in the sky to some voters.

Ed Cody: "My name is Ed Cody, and I am an Ashland taxpayer, I’m very conservative and in tune with the times, the layoffs, escalating prices... part time fire chief is fine, I don’t believe we need a full time, absolutely not the time for that."

Right now, it’s hit or miss whether Ashland’s on-call fire chief is in the station, or even in town to respond to emergencies.

And Fire Lieutenant Tim Joubert says the same goes for the few volunteer firemen who work close by.

Joubert: "Obviously everyone on fire dept knows times are tough, we realize that, but the problem here isn’t going to go away."

Mullen: "So is this a matter of public safety, getting this position filled?

Joubert: "It has been, it always is about public safety. Honestly right now the Ashland Fire Department is doing the best they can, but we’re not doing the job that needs to be done."

Ashland is one of many towns where shrinking budgets this year have pit public safety against other needs.

To balance the books in Colebrook, the town will cut police coverage at some public events. Many municipalities need to replace outdated emergency vehicles or plow trucks.

In a time of economic uncertainty, voters may decide the $1.7 million requested for a "bigger, greener" police station could be better spent elsewhere - or not at all. (Shannon Mullen, NHPR)

And Gilford has outgrown its police station, says Town Administrator Scott Dunn.

Dunn: "We have a severe lack of space, hallways are cramped and full of obstacles, there are many police standards in terms of police stations that we’re not in compliance with, with the current room that we have available."

Gilford voters will weigh a nearly $1.6 million dollar expansion, that includes a new geothermal climate control system.

Dunn says the green energy feature might attract some federal economic stimulus dollars to help cut the project’s cost.

Dunn: "This will be right up the alley for any of those monies, we are shovel ready."

For now, to make the project more palatable to voters, the town has offered to put less money into capital reserves for other building upgrades and new fire equipment.

That sort of budget triage might also work in Campton.

Voters there will decide if this is the year for a $1.2 million upgrade of their town’s two iconic covered bridges.

(sound: car driving over bridge planking)

Campton selectmen say the Blair Bridge over the Pemigewasset River could be closed if the town doesn't make $1.2 million in repairs. (Shannon Mullen, NHPR)

One of them is historic, built in the 1870s, and it’s a major tourist attraction in town, but its support structure is rotting.

Sharon Davis: "There are holes in the roof, the planking where the travel area is, all of that planking needs to be replaced because of wear and tear. It’s old and tired. "

Sharon Davis chairs Campton’s Board of Selectmen.

She says, if voters approve the bridge repairs, the state will pick up 80 percent of the cost. To offset the town’s share, the police chief shelved his request for a new cruiser. And plans for a new town hall are on hold, despite conditions in the current one.

Dunn: "We have water running through the basement, there are health issues, the selectmen’s office is operating out of a construction trailer that has no water or bathroom facilities... because of economic times, we’ve put that back on the back burner, and we’ll be bringing it up next year."

(sound: car passing on bridge)

Davis says the town could lose state funding this year, and the bridge could be closed, if voters reject the repair project.

In Ashland, taxpayers have nixed hiring full-time fire chief the past three years in a row.

And in Gilford, taxpayer Dave Bjelf says many voters support the police station plans on paper.

Bjelf: "Would it save money in the long run? It sounds like it would. But I think voters, they’re hurt. They’re going to vote with their stomachs and their wallets, and if or not they have a job. That will make the difference."

And more gut reactions could make for shorter town meetings this year. But for taxpayers in towns like Ashland, Campton and Gilford, postponing this year’s high-priced projects, will just raise the stakes on next year’s choices.