The Londonderry town warrant in March could see up to 10 citizens petitioned
warrant articles, as residents exercise their right to request items not
necessarily endorsed by the Town Council.
The Council reviewed several of the proposed articles in its Jan. 9 meeting.
Seven articles had been received by press time, with a deadline of Jan. 10.
The largest group of petitioners were more than a dozen residents of
Hillcrest Lane and a small portion of Longwood Avenue, representing 13 homes
and homeowners, Amy Cocci, a spokesperson for the group, explained that the
neighborhood is near the Auburn Road Superfund site. While town water was
extended to most of the area in the 1990s, the Hillcrest and Longwood lots
were overlooked, Cocci said.
She and her husband have invested in a new pump, digging more deeply, and
finally a secondary well. “It is a constant concern and a large expense,”
Cocci said.
In 1986 the EPA closed the site and mandated that all residents within a
one-mile radius be put on town water, Cocci said. Her neighborhood was
somehow overlooked, and when Shady Lane petitioned and got connected in
2004, overlooked again.
The neighbors are asking for $230,000 to connect to town water. Town Manager
Kevin Smith said that was the estimate given by Manchester Water Works, the
town’s provider in that area.
Council Chair John Farrell reminded residents of the area that in 2004, the
town was still run under a “town meeting” format. “It was a truly vetted
process,” he said, noting that their issue would have been debated for
hours. Now, under the Official Ballot Law, the issue is decided in the
voting booth.
Their article will have stiff competition from at least six other petitioned
articles, three articles endorsed by the Town Council, including the
operating budget, and a potential four union contracts.
Farrell advised the group to have a strong representation at the Feb. 11
deliberative session.
Other articles discussed included the following:
€ Requesting $138,000 to improve the conservation and recreational area at
Kendall Pond. Conservation activist Mike Speltz represented the petitioners.
He said the money would fund 550 feet of new trail, stone dust or gravel on
10 feet of trail, four picnic tables, three benches, an observation
platform, upgrading a kiosk, extending the parking area and installing a
light pole. Speltz’s vision for the area includes amenities for people who
don’t feel up to hiking the Musquash or biking the Rail Trail, but want a
place where they can walk with strollers or some form of assistance. It
would also provide a conservation area in the south end of town, Speltz
said.
Requesting $144,000 for improvements to the Rail Trail, including a
Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon to improve safety at crossing Route 28. Bob Rimol
represented the request and said that Londonderry Trailways received a
$75,000 grant in December, but that it is a matching grant.
Requesting $65,000 for a professional clean-up crew to address
Londonderry’s main roads. Resident Mike Byerly had originally asked for
$100,000, based on an estimate by Public Works, but he adjusted the figure,
Town Manager Kevin Smith said.
Requesting $115,000 for improvements to the lighting of the men’s softball
field on Nelson Road. Rec Director Art Psaledas said that the Recreation
Commission had met and was “generally in favor” of the request. Smith told
Psaledas that the article was in but the signatures had not yet been
verified.
In addition, Smith said, two more articles are in the wings. For one, he
said, “There is a question if it is lawful,” while the other is intended to
purchase land where a development is planned. The second would be for
$500,000 but has not yet been turned in, Smith said.
An article proposed by Councilor Joe Green may or may not be a petitioned
article, depending on whether the Council chooses to sponsor it.