Former Hampton selectmen and current Hampton Town Leader for the nhpatriothub.org presents the “Cherry List” of views for the March 14, 2023, Town Election.

Consider this to be a quick cheat sheet for all the items to be voted on at the upcoming March 14, 2023, election.
Use if you so choose,
Regina Barnes

https://hamptonnh.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5911/2023-Warrant-Articles

Article 1 – Election of Officers – NO POSITION TAKEN

Articles 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8 – proposed zoning amendments – vote “NO”
Reason – Hampton does need any more regulations on the books.

Article 9 – Bicentennial Seawall for a $3,000,000 bond – vote “NO”
Reason – total cost estimated to bond this project is $5,231,250, interest of over $2,200,000.  If the wall is a safety factor, then the money should come from either already appropriated taxpayer dollars (the unassigned fund balance) or a direct grant from the state of NH.

Article 10 – Operating Budget for $34,503,083- vote “NO”
https://www.hamptonnh.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5881/2023-Budget-Summary
Reason – Hampton on average at the end of the year has plenty of money left over from unused budget line items.  The operating budget as proposed is a $4,296,842 or 14.2% increase from the budget approved, used, and still had unexpended appropriations left over in 2022.  If the operating budget were to pass, taxes on a $400,000 assessed value property in Hampton would increase by roughly $438.  Whereas the default budget is a $2,948,831 or 9.8% increase from 2022.  The default budget is the 2022 budget plus any contractual obligations and items approved at the 2022 town meeting vote.  Additional taxes on a $400,000 assessed property would increase by roughly $301 if the operating budget failed and the default budget was used for 2023.

Article 11 – Fire Engine purchase for $825,000 – vote “NO”
Reason – Vehicle purchases/replacement/maintenance should either be built into the budget or be able to stand muster on their own so taxpayers will not mind the additional funding request.

Article 12 – Kings Highway flooding for $2,800,000 – vote “NO”
Reason – the entire appropriation should be offset by a state grant.  The taxpayers of Hampton
should not have to pay a dime for the gross negligence by both the board of selectmen and state of NH in regard to not addressing the drainage/flooding issue sooner.    The state government can find the money and our locally elected officials should be constantly hounding them for it.

Article 13 – Road Improvement Fund for $500,000 – vote “YES”
Reason – most Hampton roads are in horrendous condition.
NOTE – The road improvement fund has a balance of $2,500,000 as of December 2022.  The
2023 appropriation proposed in article 13 would bring it to $3,000,000; how soon will this
money get invested into the town’s roadway infrastructure?
https://hamptontrustfunds.org/townreports/townreports/2022Hampton_CY_Town_Report.pdf

Article 14 – state highway block grant for $618,660 ($303,660 raised by taxes and $315,000
from the state highway block grant) – vote “YES”
Reason – most Hampton roads are in horrendous condition.  We can be guaranteed this money
will go toward their improvement.

Article 15 – public work vehicles for $550,000 – vote “NO”
Reason – purchases/replacement/maintenance should either be built into the budget or be able to stand muster on their own so taxpayers will not mind the additional funding request.

Article 16 – Town Hall HVAC for $450,000 – vote “NO”
Reason – this last-minute project, similar to the work currently being done at the town hall with
end of the year funds left over in the budget, should be able to stand muster on their own so
taxpayers will not mind the additional funding request.

Articles 17 & 18 for $404,283 & $134,175 – body worn and vehicle mounted cameras for HPD
and an additional full time lieutenant position at HPD – vote “NO”
Reason – the PD current budget request is $5,819,446, or 22.7% increase over the 2022 budget request.  This includes $1,253,261 for support services which includes paying outside agencies, anywhere from $75 – $115 / hour (example is the county sheriffs) to patrol Hampton Beach. This should be a state police function, as it is state property.  Hampton taxpayers should not be funding this.  If the state wants to encourage cameras for the police in NH similar to how was adopted for state police, then the state should fund it as they should fund patrolling their state parks, or at least reimbursing the town.  Also, if police have to wear cameras, then so should all teachers.

Article 19 – withdrawal of $200,000 from the Hampton Recreation fund – vote “YES”
Reason – parks and recs will use this money already in possession by the town for park
improvements, electrical work (Christmas lights), and building repairs.

Article 20 – Human Service Agencies for $190,511 – vote “YES”
Reason – most ot these agencies are local and help residents in the Hampton community who are in need.

Article 21 – the Hampton Hub design and preliminary budget for $165,945 – vote “NO”
Reason – now is not the time to consider building another municipal building with all associated
costs.

Article 22 – consulting work for Ince Pond and Grist Mill Pond for $100,000 – vote “NO”
Reason – now is not the time to consider getting involved with an ecological study when there
are already so many projects in the works.

Article 23 – public works grinding and disposal of debris for $100,000 – vote “YES.”
Reason – public works does a great job maintaining the Hampton Transfer Station, this will assist them in getting rid of the existing debris piles at the station.

Article 24 – public works manhole assessment for $34,100 – vote “YES”
Reason – this will be 100% offset by loan forgiveness of $34,100 under the clean water state
revolving fund.

Article 25 – Police forfeiture fund for $90,000 – vote “YES”
Reason – these authorizes withdrawals from the police special forfeiture revenue fund and there will be no impact to property taxes.

Article 26 – trash compactor replacement at the transfer station for $83,000 – vote “YES”
Reason – there is a lot of trash that gets brought 5o our transfer station.  In the summertime, the town allows the state parks to bring all of their trash there and lots of demolition waste gets
brought there year-round.  The transfer station requires these compactors to be in decent
condition, this is necessary.

Article 27 – cemetery dump truck for $65,000 – vote “NO”
Reason – purchases/replacement/maintenance should either be built into the budget or be able to stand muster on their own so taxpayers will not mind the additional funding request.

Article 28 – pedestrian and traffic safety fund appropriation of $50,000 – vote “NO”
Reason – this should be part of the regular operating budget as it should be a continuous effort.

Article 29 – Hampton conservation fund for $30,000

• vote “NO”
  Reason – this should be part of the regular operating budget as it should be a continuous effort.

Article 30 – firefighter turnout gear for $27,500 – vote “NO”
Reason – this should be part of the regular operating budget as it should be a continuous effort.

Article 31 & 32 – readoption of the optional veterans’ credit (currently in Hampton, a $750 rebate off property taxes) and the readoption of the All-veterans tax credit (currently in Hampton, $750 rebate off property taxes) – vote “YES”
Reason – if the town does not pass these articles the credits will default back to only $50.

Article 33 – Hampton Community Electric Aggregation Plan – NO POSITION TAKEN
NOTES:
1.  The government being the moderator in this entire process is concerning.  It sounds appealing on the surface, but not appealing enough for recommendation to local voters.
2.  Currently, I purchase power from a Texas company, whose rates are much competitive than
unitil rates, a local company.  Why is that?
3.  NH regulations on utility companies have contributed to the increased costs for some time. 
This has been a bipartisan effort and continues to this day.
4.  Remember, state and local governments either saw the inflation coming or were warned. 
They did nothing.  Yet now the municipality can to provide the cheapest rate.  My question, what regulations will be put on a community aggregate plan?  How will these regulations affect rate payers?
5.  Concerned voters should inquire with Aquarion as to how state regulations have progressed
over the years and find out what it has meant to the everyday duties and operations of the
company.

Article 34 – amend entertainment activities ordinance – vote “NO”
Reason – this sub-zones the town where some areas outside music will need to end at 9pm and other areas will not have to end until midnight.  If the town has an ordinance it should apply to all, if sub-zoning certain zones is proposed as it is here, the article should be recommended by the planning board, not the selectmen.

Article 35 – Hampton Christmas parade for $3,000 – vote “NO”
Reason – this should be part of the regular operating budget as it should be a continuous
effort.

Article 36 – adding “Gather” for $5,000 to Hampton’s list of Human Service Agencies then
donate money to on an annual basis at town meeting (see article 20) – vote “YES.”
Reason – this agency already helps residents in the Hampton community who are in need.