Select Board tables decision on Mill Road dam taxes, asks for state Dam Bureau update
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Summary
The board discussed a parcel with a deteriorating dam that has not paid taxes for years. Residents and the town clerk urged caution; the board voted to table the issue and asked for information from the New Hampshire Dam Bureau and American Rivers.
Daphne, the town clerk and tax collector, told the Select Board that the physical dam on Mill Road is privately owned, has never paid property taxes and is in disrepair. She said the town has avoided taking the dam via deed because of liability and remediation concerns.
Residents and conservation members urged the board not to remove the record from the tax roll without full consultation. Bruce Stevens (resident and conservation committee contact) described ongoing contact between the owner, American Rivers and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Dam Bureau and said the Dam Bureau indicated it intends to pursue removal and to explore legal options to hold the owner responsible.
Select Board members debated whether removing the dam from the tax warrant or abating taxes could weaken the town’s legal position. After public comments and requests for more facts, the board voted to table the matter and asked conservation representatives to report back with the Dam Bureau’s current plan and timeline.
