WMWV – 93.5

CONWAY,NH – The Conway Recreation Department and Town Hall will be moving. Tuesday Conway residents hit the polls to decide on 34 warrant articles, several local leadership positions, and the operating budget.

According to the official results 31 of the 34 articles as well as the town operating budget passed.

Article 21 which asked to allow the electronic Bingo like gambling game Keno, was rejected by the people of Conway by just 40 votes (679-719).

Article 22 failed 408-989 at the polls, the article would have given tax break for new industrial development.

Article 35 was rejected by voters 168-1,189. The article sought to give commercial development a 50% tax exemption for 5 years .

Article 7 which proposed to lease unused space at Kennett Middle school to act as the new Recreation Department for Conway passed by over 200 votes (834-605). The bill for the move is $700,000 half of which is covered thanks to a generous donation by Margaret L. and Charles S. Marshall.

Another somewhat controversial warrant article, Article 8, which proposed moving the Town hall to the Bank of New Hampshire Building in Conway costing the town $160,000 passed by over 500 votes (982-439).

Article 23 which asked to donate $10,000 to the Eastern Slopes Regional Airport was passed by voters 744-630.

Article 35 which sought to give commercial development a 50% tax exemption for 5 years was rejected by voters 168-1,189.

When it comes to town positions the new Town Clerk tax Collector will be Louise Inkell who defeated Cynthia Shirley 1099 to 247.

In the race for two seats on the Board of Selectmen the two John Colbath and Steve Porter will be keeping their positions. Colbath received 1067 votes and Porter got 979 votes. Challenger John Greenleaf Whittier received 222 votes.

In the race for library trustee positions Hans Hildebrand, Peter Innes, and Alison Memoli will have seats.

When it comes to the School system ballot the largest question at hand was Article 2 which asked for a $1.2 million, 20 year bond for electrical and mechanical upgrades to Pine Tree Elementary School. The article passed by the skin of it’s teeth receiving 866-575, just 1.5 votes above the 3/5 threshold it required.

According to the Conway Daily Sun a request for a recount has been submitted but school officials, however a date for the recount has not been announced.

All 11 Articles were approved by the town which included:

Articles 5 and 6 which all sought to add money to the Kennett Middle School ($17,086 ) and Elementary schools’ ($9,900) facilities maintenance fund.

Article 7 which agreed to a Three-year collective bargaining agreement between the school board and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, calling for an increase in salaries and benefits from July 1, 2018 till June 30, 2021.

The proposed school budget, Article 8, of $37,139,445 for the 2018-2019 school year.

Project SUCCEED (Schools Under Contract Creating Enriching Extended Days) at John Fuller, Pine Tree and Conway Elementary for will be funded $47,473 thanks to Article 9.

The school system will also be purchasing two full-size school buses due to the approval of Article 10, costing $182,000, $45,000 of which will be withdrawn from the Capital Reserve Fund.

Article 11 asks voters to authorize the School Board to enter into a lease agreement with the Town in order for the Conway Recreation Department to lease space at Kennett Middles School, a measure that was also approved on the Town ballot.

CONWAY, NH – Residents of Conway will be deciding if the Conway Recreation center will be moving, who will be the new town clerk, and other issues when they head to the polls today.

The polls at the Conway Community Building in Conway will be open from 8a.m. till 7p.m.

Of the more contentious issues is Article 7, which asks the town to approve the relocation of the Conway Recreation department to an unused section of the Kennett Middle school, costing an estimated $700,000 half of which would be donated by Margaret and Charles Marshall. The board of selectmen recommend the article, however the budget committee does not.

Article 8 asks for the town’s approval to relocate the town hall to the Bank of New Hampshire building in Conway, which is estimated to cost around $160,000 for remodeling and renovation costs. If approved the town would sign a lease that would run 36 years broken into three 12 year options. The proposed rent would equal the bank’s annual property tax bill. Both the board of selectmen and Budget Committee recommend the article.

Other things up for discussion at the meeting include the towns recommended budget for the year, excluding special warrant articles. As stated in Article 4 the requested budget is $11,078,998. If not approved the budget would be set at 2017 budget amount of $10,951,370.

Not included in the budget is a new proposed agreement with the Conway Police Department. Article 5 asks to go into a new agreement with the Police for 2018 and 2019 which would include a $65,063 increase in costs over the current agreement to cover salaries and benefits over two years.

Article 19 asks to appropriate $2 million to construct a 2.8 multi-purpose path from Cranmore Mountain Resort to Hemlock Lane. The project is a part of Mount Washington Valley Recreation Path project. Those funds would be attained similarly to Article 17, with no money coming from local property taxes.

In Article 20 the Conway Town Library seeks to raise no more than $7,500 to create and design a new website. The funds for this would come from the Library Trustee Donation Account.

One proposal which many towns across the state will be discussing is Article 21 which asks whether or not the town wishes to allow the electronic gambling game Keno. The game has been approved in several towns across the state including in Berlin. A portion of the proceeds from the game go towards funding full-day kindergarten in the state, though a town does not need to allow the game in order to benefit from it.

Article 23 is sure to be something many will question at the Wednesday night meet. It asks the town to give $10,000 to the Eastern Slopes Regional Airport located in Fryeburg.

On petition that was originally rejected by the town but has since been added is Article 25 which seeks to give the Conway Area Humane Society $10,000 for medical care.

When it comes to town positions up for election, the town will be looking to fill the role of Town Clerk tax collector, as 5 term town Clerk Rhoda Quint announced earlier this year she will not be running for reelection. The town will be deciding between Louise Inkell and Cynthia Shirley.

John Colbath and Steven Porter are running to keep their seats on the board of selectmen. John Greenleaf Whittier is also running for a seat on the board of selectmen.

The town will also have to decide on the library trustees, of the four up for election resident will have to choose 3 between Hans K. Hildebrand, Peter Innes, Alison Memoli, and Linda Fox Phillips. Trustees Donna Dolan and Debbie Cross are not running for re-election.

There are also several write in campaigns in town for various positions up for election.

Click for a full look at all of the warrant articles and operating budgets, and a sample ballot.