[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",[32,75,86],{"_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",6271388,"mediaKeyId","3029067-23162cb5398c8a109084ee3c8e45312e","parentId",3029067,"title","Select Board approves range of purchases, appointments and a resolution opposing federal grant freezes","audioSeconds",404,"startMs",6092000,"endMs",6496000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3029067-23162cb5398c8a109084ee3c8e45312e&start=6092&end=6496","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3029067-23162cb5398c8a109084ee3c8e45312e/thumbnail_6092000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6271388/Plymouth/Grafton-County/New-Hampshire/Select-Board-approves-range-of-purchases-appointments-and-a-resolution-opposing-federal-grant-freezes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271388-59c953fe749447aefc10e752e39a4086/orig.mp4?Expires=1771184470&Signature=lpQkZSmqnrE~J~9aOZMOZNoiZiMXfLO~I7Q8JwazvkdYIWOuymtQU9sCE2mhigHxdZKbAltAaFOJgFDp~-7~XZXZCuzsu-7gDEt1DYEp1H5JJGi7z3VzL4EmEKgYUJ4uXU5oS6kihegaz9hc8Jmf0aRBzXYWcH55WctUEhCFAMeD8TfTklqIhwGP5p55bSiwU9xHjN3Ul7ROyQL7BPFnwcKIfGrfr4lIvfENW3Bgb7NILGKUwh8fvxE5FN~ByVU1Yxzd6d50RpNPhlwj-FQW1N93rDre~hu4DnJEBB56JUTP8gvDjuL~nPa3RgHldyJotnvgPEIMkhjx3O2S7Tlrzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Plymouth, NH","date","2025-04-17T00:55:10.117Z","article","The Plymouth Select Board on Tuesday approved a resolution objecting to proposed federal freezes on grant programs, awarded multiple capital and service contracts for FY25–26, and confirmed several board and committee appointments.

Nut graf: The routine business included both policy-level action—a resolution to register the town’s opposition to freezes that affect pending EDA and other grants—and multiple procurement and personnel actions that underscore near-term capital work in the town’s FY25–26 capital improvement program.

Votes and formal actions (summary)
- Resolution opposing federal grant freezes: The board voted to “accept this resolution and sign it and pass it along” (motion made by a board member; second recorded). The resolution directs letters to state and federal representatives and asks for continued funding of programs that supported local infrastructure and community organizations. The resolution passed by voice vote.
- Awards and purchases (CIP / contract approvals):
- VHF repeater replacement (Allcom Technologies): Approved purchase from Allcom Technologies for $25,151.82 and waived competitive bidding (CIP item for 2025–26).
- Police vehicle and equipment (Dodge Durango, state contract): Approved award through state contract for a 2025 all‑wheel‑drive Dodge Durango with police equipment for $71,252.51; board waived competitive bidding as permitted by the state contract.
- Russell Street improvements, Phase 2: The board accepted the low construction bid from John H. Lyman & Sons, Inc. for $384,220 and authorized a project allocation of $422,642 (including a recommended contingency) to complete sidewalks and related work from Pleasant Street to Highland Street. Funding includes prior appropriations, a $40,000 Grafton County grant and highway funds.
- Catch-basin cleaning and jetting services: Awarded to Bellamore for up to $20,000 for catch-basin cleaning and related pipe jetting services for the 2025–26 year.
- Appointments and nominations:
- Motion to nominate Bill Bolton as the Select Board’s representative to the Pemigewasset (Pemmi) River Local Advisory Committee was approved and the board signed the appointment form.
- Appointment of Frederick (Fred) Kelsey to the Zoning Board of Adjustment as a regular member for a three‑year term was approved.
- Appointment of Anne Petro as an alternate trustee to the Keyes Public Library was approved (alternate to be used for quorum needs under RSA 202‑A:10).
- Energy Commission: The board voted to appoint Brian Hachey (Hachez spelled in letter) as a full member of the Plymouth Energy Commission; select board members noted Mr. Hachey will be sworn in by the town clerk when formal paperwork is complete.

Other formalities
Board members signed the authorization and procurement paperwork required for the awards and the personnel forms necessary to finalize appointments. Several motions were approved by unanimous voice vote with no roll-call tally recorded in the public transcript.

Ending
The board directed staff to forward the signed resolution to state and federal officials and to continue follow-up with grant administrators and university officials about pending project funding.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Plymouth Selectboard - 4/14/25","oneSentenceSummary","At its meeting the Plymouth Select Board approved a resolution protesting federal freezes on some grant programs, awarded several FY25–26 CIP purchases and contracts, and confirmed multiple appointments and nominations. The board also directed follow-up on grant and university funding issues.","taxTitle","Plymouth, Grafton County, New Hampshire","taxId",61623,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6271394,"Select Board debates draft social media policy, seeks narrower wording on personal use and Wi‑Fi access",0,433000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3029067-23162cb5398c8a109084ee3c8e45312e&start=433&end=433","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3029067-23162cb5398c8a109084ee3c8e45312e/thumbnail_433000.jpg","/articles/6271394/Plymouth/Grafton-County/New-Hampshire/Select-Board-debates-draft-social-media-policy-seeks-narrower-wording-on-personal-use-and-WiFi-access","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271394-4bddf6177fbcaf3e988681eacfac10b4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771184470&Signature=HAyQtuX~xIMxFzu9tftzgJI-Tcs64PrvWexVe1tgYH~XUCMv898m20lC7GUfpGBhnoaq7cLk8SvMFI0wAbcS13wDdn3T8spKD4xjNlmwhSthoDeabhy2Wwfc6vwAz7TVPNxCrAIg02BHcFBb8rnMIafnqsJJQQGxGiGNsTmvk9SSWVbuQR1wOWbNfKgGGB1iDT2PAr8S~4edXIQWnQq9zUwGJrhQH4vAFBEB8l3GctLz2NyMiV9LPjLMPOM2STpRBnUVPgDNDnXvqg92x4CDSN6fSKTcjMXY9gmzjjknnOc-6PfgHy-tD3lOyljiHBbEcy1xXsl65Q5mwEAZCbiiOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Plymouth Select Board reviewed a proposed update to the town’s social media policy and asked staff to clarify language on personal versus official use and to reconcile the policy with the town’s computer and information‑security rules.

Scott (Town Manager) presented a draft created with input from the town’s insurer and counsel and described it as more detailed than the current policy, including references to RSA 98 (public-employee freedom of expression) and possible disciplinary consequences for violations. Board members focused debate on where to draw the line between personal use and town-representative use and whether staff, volunteers and board members should need written authorization to post on behalf of the town.

Why it matters: Board members said the policy needs to protect employees and the town from liability while allowing pragmatic, professional uses (for example, a highway employee posting a road‑sweeping notice from a personal account for public safety reasons). They also asked that the policy clearly distinguish the guest/public Wi‑Fi network from secure town networks used for town-owned hardware and sensitive systems.

Key points from the discussion
- Personal use while on work time. Several board members proposed a concise rule: prohibit personal social‑media use while on work time or when acting as an official representative of the town, but allow personal posts made off duty on private accounts.
- Official accounts and authorization. The draft tied official social-media posting to supervisory authorization and the town computer policy; some members said that requirement should remain but be clarified so it is not unduly burdensome for routine communications.
- Wi‑Fi and information security. The board asked staff to distinguish the public guest Wi‑Fi (for visitors) from secure networks that employees and committee chairs should use when handling town business; they directed staff to update the computer/security policy references accordingly.
- Free-expression protection. Several members noted the need to preserve employees’ personal free-expression rights consistent with state law; the draft cites the relevant RSA but was not finalized.

Next steps
Town staff will revise the draft to remove ambiguous language, explicitly prohibit personal social-media use while on work time or when acting as a town representative, and add a clarifying sentence about which Wi‑Fi networks are for guest use and which are for town business. A revised draft will return to the board for consideration at the next meeting.

Ending
Board members asked Scott and the town attorney to produce an edited version and circulate an editable copy ahead of the next meeting so members can review proposed final language.","The board reviewed a draft social media policy from town counsel and insurer, debated restricting personal social-media use when acting on town time or representing the town, and asked staff to tighten language on authorized use and public Wi‑Fi access before the next meeting.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6271397,"Consultant urges downtown-focused strategy, LDC and stronger PSU partnership",2993,500000,3493000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3029067-23162cb5398c8a109084ee3c8e45312e&start=500&end=3493","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3029067-23162cb5398c8a109084ee3c8e45312e/thumbnail_500000.jpg","/articles/6271397/Plymouth/Grafton-County/New-Hampshire/Consultant-urges-downtown-focused-strategy-LDC-and-stronger-PSU-partnership","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271397-eb81a145ebd51c9981097de46ab29894/orig.mp4?Expires=1771184470&Signature=VEaC5p0BNScv5iN4ZKnbMbTL~GHz6t~RnCQtRWOtcaCehOpw7jSIRTOb52fsQ8ze3MqvG-CAv6qyjm6IkqBMUu7Rb6SFuuuxw5~K-RaPBC4hsxHzSXNS6KkLALw3aOcsP0hkAdaQL0f~nKsDSYtn1dSee4sfsXlq0GGUOuv-DzWJjIVZ-S08D5Dxmt7uoRjMvYv9G7mnI3Yfaqpaz7PN26qLpvc76fn8ZDfzTHGsQoqxLSAljALautdSlA9hWk1hmMelb8XYJpyiV8uz-dmNAxftGRVq1Vj4TxkyLQtTAao50pa4Tnqs76CfrSRVhDBUXI9E9B4dHtv~NvqSGAJDKg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Neil Cannon, an economic development consultant, told the Plymouth Select Board that Plymouth’s best immediate economic opportunities lie in strengthening its downtown and formalizing local development capacity.

Cannon framed the downtown as the town’s main revenue engine and urged town leaders to favor projects there—sidewalks, sewer and water upgrades, river access and incentives for second-floor housing—because “300 feet of sewer line in the downtown is gonna serve more value than 300 feet in the outside of the downtown area,” he said. He added that river access and even modest amenities such as boat launches or green space can pull visitors into the village core.

The recommendation follows years of piecemeal projects and several stalled or frozen grants. Scott (Town Manager) told the board the town is still awaiting a $488,000 final payment and that an infrastructure grant of roughly $500,000 the town applied for has been frozen, constraining planned work on drainage, lighting and other improvements.

Why it matters: Cannon said concentrating limited public dollars downtown yields higher private returns and helps capture visitor spending—an important point in a community where Plymouth State University, seasonal tourism and regional retail drive local commerce. He recommended three specific approaches: 1) a local development corporation (LDC) to act as a champion and implementer; 2) clearer, actionable steps in the master plan and an implementation program tied to funding and zoning changes; and 3) a formal, negotiated set of contributions and duties with the university to leverage campus events and resources.

Key details and examples
- Local development corporation: Cannon and board members described LDCs in nearby towns (Franklin Business and Industrial Development Corporation; Laconia Industrial Development Corporation; Littleton LIDC) as entities that can package financing and loans, offer low-interest lending, and present a single local interlocutor to prospective companies. Cannon said an LDC can “get 3% money” and otherwise assemble deals that the select board acting alone cannot.
- Funding tools: Cannon recommended exploring federal and state tax-credit programs for downtown housing such as federal historic tax credits and Newmarket-type credits, noting that those tools supply developer equity and have helped housing conversions in Franklin and other towns.
- Parking and municipal land use: Board members flagged parking constraints in the village as a major limit to downtown expansion. Cannon suggested the town consider hidden or peripheral parking and noted the highway garage site (leased from Plymouth Village Water & Sewer) as a potential redevelopment opportunity—though multiple speakers emphasized that moving existing public operations requires negotiation and has complications.
- Tenney Mountain and peripheral growth: Cannon urged treating Tenney Mountain development as a satellite or separate district in planning—useful for new retail, lodging and service businesses—while still pursuing pedestrian and connector improvements that link those areas to downtown.

Discussion highlights
- Housing and second-floor occupancy. Cannon cited examples where converting upper floors and mills to housing brought hundreds of residents downtown and supported restaurants and retail. Board members said Plymouth’s housing efforts (including a prior Housing Opportunity Program and a second-phase downtown master plan) are underway but need coordination.
- University partnership. Cannon stressed the university’s outsized role in local demand—hotels, events and visitor spending—and encouraged a formal set of expectations and shared projects (for example, joint grant applications and use of university faculty for applied economic-development work). Scott and other board members said Plymouth will host university leaders on April 28 to begin a more detailed conversation.
- Implementation and governance. Cannon urged the town to convert “pretty pictures” in the master plan into an action program that assigns tasks, timelines and funding, and to resurrect or create an active economic-development body rather than rely solely on volunteers or ad hoc committees.

What’s next
Select Board members agreed to arrange follow-up talks with Grafton County regional development partners and to invite the county and university representatives to future meetings. Planning staff (Joseph Perez, town planner) and the board will fold Cannon’s suggestions into ongoing downtown master planning and the town’s capital improvement program.

Ending
Board members said the April 28 meeting with the university will be an important next step; they also signaled interest in exploring an LDC, parking strategies and grant packaging to move projects from concept to construction.","A visiting economic development consultant told the Plymouth Select Board that the town should center investment on downtown, pursue a local development corporation and formalize a partnership with Plymouth State University to capture visitor and student spending and accelerate housing and infrastructure projects.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Select Board approves range of purchases, appointments and a resolution opposing federal grant freezes

Select Board debates draft social media policy, seeks narrower wording on personal use and Wi‑Fi access

Consultant urges downtown-focused strategy, LDC and stronger PSU partnership