Westboro rail yard money ready to spend on demolition
Modified: 2/11/2021 9:50:55 PM
WEST LEBANON Money set aside two years ago to demolish crumbling buildings at the Westboro Rail Yard will finally be utilized to clear the 22-acre property of debris, giving hope to Lebanon officials and residents who want to build a public park along the Connecticut River.
The New Hampshire Department of Transportation, which owns the rail yard near Route 10 in West Lebanon, informed city officials last week that it intends to unfreeze funds dedicated to site cleanup and asbestos removal. DOT has not said specifically what it will spend, but estimates indicate it could be more than $500,000.
NH communities explore re-forming coalition opposing ‘donor town’ model for education funding
Modified: 1/10/2021 8:55:11 PM
LEBANON A group of communities who fear a return to New Hampshire’s “donor town” system of education funding is moving to re-form a coalition that opposed past efforts to funnel money from property-rich municipalities to their less-fortunate neighbors.
Under a proposal put forward by the city of Portsmouth, the Coalition Communities would pool money for a lobbyist and other “related experts” to advocate on their behalf at the Statehouse, according to Lebanon City Manager Shaun Mulholland.
He said Portsmouth officials are now working to craft a memorandum of understanding to govern the coalition, which once boasted 34 members, including Grantham, Hanover, New London and Sunapee.
Lebanon City Council approves annual budget with 2.4% tax increase
Modified: 12/17/2020 9:33:40 PM
LEBANON The City Council approved a $61.1 million budget for the coming year that preserves the energy and facilities manager position championed by sustainability advocates that had been in danger of being eliminated.
The spending plan will come as a disappointment to those calling for sweeping changes to how Lebanon allocates its tax dollars.
Groups proposing that the city to either drastically curtail police spending or cut taxes were equally rebuffed during a roughly 4½-hour meeting Wednesday night.
About two dozen speakers argued for their priorities to make it into the 2021 budget, from calls to maintain funds for an upcoming library renovation to lamentations that property taxes are pushing residents to look for homes elsewhere.
Except that Burns has been doing that for 82 years and turned 100 on Sunday.
She already pre-celebrated her personal centennial in 2020 with a high of 118 for a single string and a 316 triple at her home alleys, Sparetime Recreation on Church Street in Whitinsville.
Burns is a native of Millville and only four years younger than the town itself, which was incorporated in 1916 after breaking away from neighboring Blackstone. For a little place, though, Millville has good athletic tradition that includes more than candlepin bowlers.
Burns grew up a half-Worcester away from the home of Hall of Fame catcher Gabby Hartnett, and big-league pitcher Tim McNamara was a Millville boy, as well.
Jim Kenyon: Tax time triggers a tempest in Lebanon
Jim Kenyon. Copyright (c) Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
Modified: 12/12/2020 10:42:51 PM
About 230 Lebanon residents have signed a petition calling for the city to “mandate vigorous fiscal restraint going forward in 2021.”
In other words, folks are steamed about their rising property tax bills the second biannual installment for 2020 came due earlier this month and want the city to start spending less on (fill in the blank). The petitioners argue that if Lebanon doesn’t change its spending habits, the city risks pricing older residents out of their homes and impeding working-class families from moving in.