THETFORD Even for a town that has seen a lot of action in its Selectboard elections in recent years, this one seems big.Two incumbents, Mary Bryant and Nick Clark, and former Selectboard Chairman Stuart Rogers are running for a three-year seat on.
Bottom Line: Hanover Co-op sales surge in pandemic, but expenses were way up, too
Modified: 5/15/2021 11:01:37 PM
The Hanover Co-op had a banner year in 2020, with sales jumping 11% to a record $85.4 million. And the bottom line swung to a profit of $1.8 million, the fattest the Co-op has recorded in its 85-year history.
But, despite the stellar results, the Co-op’s “patrons” won’t be seeing a refund check in the mail, which, with the exception of a modest check last year, has become more the norm in recent years.
What happened?
Roaring sales driven by people dining at home during the COVID-19 pandemic were accompanied by an even more roaring increase in wholesale costs and higher payroll expenses to handle the workload, as detailed in the 2020 financial report presented at the Co-op annual meeting last month.
3/5/21 Hot topic: Voters at Dorchester’s Town Meeting will decide whether to increase the highway agent’s term in office from one year to three years once. 3/5/21 Hot topic: Voters in Orange are being asked if they will allow the moderator to appoint a committee of five residents to study the salaries of. 3/4/21 Hot topic: One article on the school warrant this year asks whether to add fifth grade to Croydon Village School, giving students the option to. 3/4/21 Hot Topic: Opposition to the effort to merge Haverhill’s three fire districts into one town fire department has prompted a slew of warrant articles.
Harkay turns back Selectboard challenge in Thetford
Staff report
Modified: 3/2/2021 10:06:26 PM
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THETFORD Selectboard member Sharon Harkay turned back a challenge from Orin Pacht for a two-year term in a 692-276 vote on Tuesday. Incumbent Li Shen also was re-elected with 764 votes, though there were 108 write-ins.
On the School Board, Megan Snider was unopposed for a three-year term and Donna Pluta won a two-year term.
Voters approved the general fund budget, 597-411, and the school budget on a 680-339 vote.
An article allowing the town to enter into tax stabilization contracts with owners or operators of agricultural or forest property, open space land, and alternative-energy generating plants passed on a 717-292 vote. But a similar article for commercial and industrial property narrowly failed, 673-346, falling just shy of the two-thirds majority required for passage.
Hot topic: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Thetford is using Australian ballot voting for articles that would ordinarily be discussed during an in-person Town Meeting.Budget: Voters are being asked to approve a general fund budget for the town of $1.6.