[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6686049,"mediaKeyId","2292268-3e390e3a8cc02102653ba8e670db5eed","parentId",2292268,"title","Votes at a glance: council approves parks study, Beautify Hooksett day, consent items and appointments","audioSeconds",259,"startMs",3807000,"endMs",4066000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2292268-3e390e3a8cc02102653ba8e670db5eed&start=3807&end=4066","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2292268-3e390e3a8cc02102653ba8e670db5eed/thumbnail_3807000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6686049/Hooksett/Merrimack-County/New-Hampshire/Votes-at-a-glance-council-approves-parks-study-Beautify-Hooksett-day-consent-items-and-appointments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6686049-3345e0f7e615878b312f26e12111127e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775744542&Signature=VwZJB0JISamPOTHbNhy8tLNln1Im8ktK9kwufzkVG1U2Ub9kqA706bFwx-M06ox5T2nvAKXE2OV0aFFHezqdlB1foizelTmwmiKJOArO7B72LVAa51Ok78~LmmJ8rMIPMsV1fK5w8pXUze~r67Kf~WWcQ1ZD7fyaEzUFJGORAHVLCnD9gC1ZLPQQPEfyatMZha~rVWuC9qic2cF3XDGHIBoDzOJqejfmNhXldgADXW~5jLyh9vqHuJifQ7pzvr1~1hLeZY13Yi5ArvE~upopSWtwgHUuqhDkUpXSAxKUVIk~aHjsI2n4jBVN9DX7ze6TcLpi4tKEMFGeVd~Y3Qf2Cw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Hooksett","date","2025-02-12T00:00:00Z","article","The Hooksett Town Council took several formal actions Feb. 12. The council approved motions and routine items by voice vote or roll call where noted.

Key votes and actions:
- Parks and Rec study: The council voted to direct the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board to prepare a study of a West‑side recreational/play area and report back with site options, costs and funding scenarios. (Motion approved by voice vote.)

- Beautify Hooksett day: The council declared April 26, 2025, as Beautify Hooksett Day and encouraged residents and organizations to sign up; the event will run 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Motion approved by voice vote.)

- Consent agenda: The council approved acceptance of $400 from the State of New Hampshire for the Hooksett Police Department under RSA 31:91‑b and returned the funds to the Police Department operating budget (fund code referenced in packet). (Consent agenda approved.)

- Appointment: Jared Williams was appointed as the planning‑board alternate representative to the Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission with a term to expire June 30, 2027. (Appointment approved by voice vote.)

- Minutes: The council approved public meeting minutes for Jan. 22, 2025 and Feb. 1, 2025, including a correction to attendance noted during the Feb. 1 minute discussion. (Minutes approved.)

- Nonpublic session: The council voted to enter a nonpublic session under RSA 91‑A for the specified items; roll‑call votes to enter nonpublic were recorded in the transcript.

Where the transcript did not record named movers or full roll‑call tallies for voice votes, the motions below show the text and indicate that the motion was approved.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Hooksett - Town Council - Feb 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its Feb. 12 meeting the Hooksett Town Council approved a motion directing Parks & Rec to study a West‑side park, declared April 26 Beautify Hooksett day, accepted a $400 state reimbursement for the police department, and made appointments and routine approvals.","taxTitle","Hooksett, Merrimack County , New Hampshire","taxId",68560,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6686055,"Town finance director reports mid‑year budget status; recreation impact fees earmarked for Petersburg lights",1491,4334000,5825000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2292268-3e390e3a8cc02102653ba8e670db5eed&start=4334&end=5825","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2292268-3e390e3a8cc02102653ba8e670db5eed/thumbnail_4334000.jpg","/articles/6686055/Hooksett/Merrimack-County/New-Hampshire/Town-finance-director-reports-midyear-budget-status-recreation-impact-fees-earmarked-for-Petersburg-lights","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6686055-35daeb3774a17f86b662d97a76b17aec/orig.mp4?Expires=1775744542&Signature=I5iXj2UGyalN-Xpm-m1YVsbXN22LmgOOCB-Hhv4yElhOlu4ljKYkPJyFlie6vIUsLGU4nWCs4sIBWD2OONm7IRhnD~P6BpXk0yk0Syoa-vie2vx~dDnHfv5GLZgHyx-2SkjlrMU~yrYLe5xPRqOZeioydpRWjJI-pOQsDAo0pwuxCgD6vAPNchDwnkUqZSyxX0UXW9nfGEq6Ql904YI32BEiq3PBmsJOki7KFWf05oHlJdCG1lcRoCG7XDqHXPG9oDuSK4zXd7Gp80tr9gyYgw87SmDyLn-6mkzlg9pp7vw45NoawnIziHaEAZaFG13X6JYwZ4k8P9iFsNvWFzrl9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Finance Director Christine presented the Town Council with a quarterly financial report for the six months ending Dec. 31, 2024, describing operating spending, revenue collections, ARPA use and several departmental highlights.

Christine said the town had spent about half of the operating budget through mid‑year and that several adjustments were made to the default FY25 budget, including reduced paving, fewer cruiser purchases and cuts to some training lines. She said the town had spent just over $1 million of ARPA funds and had about $499,000 in ARPA contracts remaining.

On revenues, Christine said motor‑vehicle registration receipts can vary month to month; the FY25 motor‑vehicle budget was set conservatively at $4.5 million while FY24 finished at $4.7 million. She reported $110,000 in income from recyclables through December and said that revenue helps offset disposal costs. On ambulance billing, Christine reported calendar‑year 2024 net ambulance billings of $875,000 and collections of $734,000 (about 84 percent), with roughly $1.2 million in outstanding ambulance receivables and an ambulance fund cash balance of about $500,000.

On recreation funding, Town Administrator Andre Garen told the council the balance in the recreation impact‑fee account as of Jan. 30 was about $119,000. Christine said the top CIP priority tied to those fees is Petersburg field lighting and that a planning estimate for the lighting project was about $437,000, which she said \"would pretty much use up all of the impact fees we have to get that project done.\" She told the council the CIP also includes an earmark for a West‑side park project and that other funding sources — grants or town funding — would likely be needed.

Christine flagged the legal budget line for the town as running high (about 77 percent as of December and closer to 88 percent in January) and said staff would reallocate existing budget lines to cover anticipated legal costs. She also reviewed vacancy and overtime patterns across departments and the timing of paving work that affects year‑to‑date comparators.

Councilors asked questions about building permits and projects in the pipeline that might raise permit revenue. Planning and council members mentioned several proposed developments at various stages; no firm revenue acknowledgements were made beyond Christine's revenue report.","Finance Director Christine presented the town's mid‑year financial report as of Dec. 31, 2024, outlining operating‑budget spending, ARPA expenditures, revenue collection trends and the status of recreation impact fees and earmarked CIP projects.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6686059,"Hooksett Village Water Precinct honored for water taste; precinct outlines 10‑year infrastructure work",315,805000,1120000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2292268-3e390e3a8cc02102653ba8e670db5eed&start=805&end=1120","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2292268-3e390e3a8cc02102653ba8e670db5eed/thumbnail_805000.jpg","/articles/6686059/Hooksett/Merrimack-County/New-Hampshire/Hooksett-Village-Water-Precinct-honored-for-water-taste-precinct-outlines-10year-infrastructure-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6686059-c446edd0a64ca90733fed9f4a8051c54/orig.mp4?Expires=1775744542&Signature=YSijFiS3nLtG3QpSzEBBPIIHkJP5X9~EM901LF8iOAbnvmJ9tjzJXxENikPmolDHO-55~PCadrsCu8Vqdx8gvTmyOlu~C8AFo3FpcipSf7~xtviRghmdbmxbNI2AhIL5V54GILTwzCv0k2v4d~gOGT9oNcUTrbIiNRN8EmfL4u7STEVdbBRN8k~HyPQqLxqhsEP-cPCh~1AH7X5D4p6kTWEeQEb~ziSqRJkGUi3BVdPIr1cmvy5lIBb06FySBy-lFq7muAcxzcjT1VrBvZ1kPXim5ddn4RAXAKgEBx2--zcS8n9e7b-Lo3HQHlhCJmgREjWDtRxiEdHIelpQjB4Nzw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hooksett Town Council recognized the Hooksett Village Water Precinct Feb. 12 after the precinct placed second in a national water taste contest.

Todd Smith, chair of the Hooksett Village Water Precinct, told the council the recognition capped a roughly 10‑year effort to overhaul the precinct's infrastructure, including a capital improvement plan, replacement of mains, construction of two new tanks and updates to staffing and rate schedules. \"It's a culmination of 10 years of work,\" Smith said. He told the council the precinct pursued independence rather than joining a neighboring system and accomplished upgrades without raising local taxes by adjusting fee structures.

Commissioner Jim O'Brien and others from the precinct joined Smith for the presentation. Smith said the precinct is testing two possible new groundwater source sites; if either proves viable, the precinct would gain additional capacity to serve development across the river and planned projects related to the town's tax increment financing area. \"If we can score those 2 sites and get those 2 wells in, it's incredible amount of water that we'd be able to service far more folks with,\" Smith said.

Council members thanked the precinct for the work and encouraged future updates as testing and planned expansions proceed.","The Hooksett Village Water Precinct received national recognition for water taste and told the council about a decade of infrastructure upgrades and prospective new well sites.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6686060,"Council directs Parks & Rec to study West‑side site after turf and field-use briefing",1430,2178000,3608000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2292268-3e390e3a8cc02102653ba8e670db5eed&start=2178&end=3608","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2292268-3e390e3a8cc02102653ba8e670db5eed/thumbnail_2178000.jpg","/articles/6686060/Hooksett/Merrimack-County/New-Hampshire/Council-directs-Parks-Rec-to-study-Westside-site-after-turf-and-field-use-briefing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6686060-9df401a58882e886e618a131bbca55d3/orig.mp4?Expires=1775744542&Signature=MiuyiZ7knCRzCJFk5K8FlnaNnw9N1t4I7N2MulEl9JCvHaFB9cXf3uxFtwBFMYR9hV7pTL2I14r7KiSfccKFVPfLgxEpfrymocLTUpHcmBiCrFcRc~IdEujJPE-iDcWJP7nbOLfbtF6XyCpvgxdbvisfjAjKsCSMWRsdjdKd~0uNgkBZZbt9jGlbDKhBvj~U1TpopEC2KYS3Gq~b1I0yFvGkmj1YNw830bqJesvgnfu0ri3jRCnirNZ24UJEE0GOdRrbK0Vo0TtkIJbN2BcY96QQsAa86r1qALbQX9yFSkdxGLouThaZjCgFpv2ooBeu6M42ts55zvChtYwlS5UsUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hooksett Town Council voted Feb. 12 to ask the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board to develop options and a report on creating a recreational/play area on the town's West side, including cost and siting alternatives.

The council took the action after a lengthy report from Andy Janus, a member of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, and discussion about heavy wear on existing fields and possible capital solutions. Janus said the board has focused this year on Lambeth Park and Frasier Park, has added two full‑time advisory members and is researching permit practices and artificial turf as ways to reduce seasonal field closures. \"People that rented the pavilion have asked for a porta‑potty, and so as a group, we felt that would be a big improvement,\" Janus said. He described planning work to explore additional horseshoe pits, shade and playground upgrades and possible pickleball courts.

The board and public discussed artificial turf as one possible response to repeatedly worn grass fields. Janus said a high‑end resurfacing estimate for Donati Field is about $1.2 million. A member of public works and parks staff, identified in the presentation as Rob, said a typical replacement cycle for a synthetic surface is roughly 10 years and estimated a higher‑traffic replacement cost of about $750,000 for the town's usage patterns. The council and staff also discussed operating considerations such as yearly sweeping, equipment to maintain turf and options for offsetting the upfront purchase by donations or sponsorships.

After discussion about capital planning and funding sources, a councilor moved that the council direct the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board to study a West‑side site (Hackett Hill area was discussed) and return with a report of options, costs, pros and cons and funding pathways. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

Town Administrator Andre Garen and members of the council urged that any study include capital‑planning options and possible use of recreation impact fees or grants. Finance staff later told the council that the town's recreational impact‑fee balance is earmarked in the capital improvement plan and that the top priority identified in the CIP is Petersburg field lighting.","The Hooksett Town Council on Feb. 12 voted to direct the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board to study use of a West‑side site for a multi-use recreation area after a presentation on field demand, artificial turf costs and maintenance.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: council approves parks study, Beautify Hooksett day, consent items and appointments

Town finance director reports mid‑year budget status; recreation impact fees earmarked for Petersburg lights

Hooksett Village Water Precinct honored for water taste; precinct outlines 10‑year infrastructure work

Council directs Parks & Rec to study West‑side site after turf and field-use briefing