Merrimack council accepts donations, approves fee changes and forwards budget articles to deliberative session

The Merrimack Town Council on Feb. 13 accepted several grants and donations, approved changes to local fee schedules and moved the town's proposed 2025'26 municipal operating budget and related warrant articles to the March deliberative session and April ballot.

Councilors voted, unanimously, to accept a $5,000 donation from Merrimack Friends and Family to expand the Welfare Department's heating-assistance account for elderly and disabled residents and to authorize a ceremonial presentation of a check. The council also appointed Donna LaRue as an alternate library trustee and swore her into that post.

Why it matters: The actions clear funding and personnel items needed before the town's March 12 deliberative session and April 8 ballot. The fee changes and grant acceptances affect how routine town programs operate and how much residents and businesses pay for certain services.

The council voted 6'0'00 on each item where a roll call was taken. Highlights of formal actions, all adopted by unanimous recorded votes unless otherwise noted, included:

- Donation for heating assistance: The council accepted and authorized expenditure of a $5,000 donation from Merrimack Friends and Family to the Welfare Department's heating assistance account for elderly and disabled residents in need. Motion: accept and expend $5,000; mover: Nancy Harrington; second: Peter (Pete); tally: 6-0-0.

- Library appointment: The council appointed Donna LaRue as a library trustee alternate pursuant to Charter Article 6, Section 2 and RSA 202-A:10. Motion: appoint Donna LaRue as trustee alternate; mover: Jennifer; second: Nancy Murphy; tally: 6-0-0.

- Milfoil treatment grant and match: The council authorized acceptance and expenditure of up to $20,500 for milfoil control at Horseshoe Pond and Naticook (Nantakuk/Naticook) Lake, including a $10,250 grant from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) and a $10,250 town match funded from the Milfoil expendable trust fund. The council specified work this year will use DASH (diver-assisted suction harvesting) rather than chemical treatment. Motion: accept and authorize expenditure up to $20,500; mover: Jennifer; second: Nancy Murphy; tally: 6-0-0.

- Zoning Board of Adjustment fee schedule: The council adopted a revised ZBA application fee schedule and consolidated the newspaper/public notice charge into a single application fee set at $200 (to align with peer communities). Motion: adopt ZBA fee schedule as proposed; mover: Jennifer; second: Peter; tally: 6-0-0.

- Solid-waste commercial and C&D fees: The council held the required public hearing under Chapter 163-4 of the Merrimack Town Code and adopted new commercial-hauling and construction-and-demolition disposal rates (commercial trash $1.65 per unit; construction debris $1.85 per unit) to take effect after a 30-day public posting. Motion: adopt DPW-suggested solid-waste fee schedule with amendment specifying construction $1.85 and commercial trash $1.65; mover: Nancy Harrington; tally: 6-0-0.

- Budget and warrant actions: The council moved the municipal operating appropriation and several warrant articles to the town warrant and recommended them for deliberative session. Key actions moved to the warrant included: - Article 2: Authorization related to a Penacook (Penetruk/Penachuk) Square pump station engineering study and conceptual design; total project scope $100,000 with an expected $55,000 grant from the State of New Hampshire clean-water/wastewater program and $45,000 from wastewater funds (no town-wide tax impact). Motion to recommend and move Article 2: passed 6-0-0. - Article 3: Municipal operating budget — $42,863,616 as the proposed operating appropriation to the warrant. Motion to recommend and move Article 3: passed 6-0-0. - Article 4: General fund capital reserve fund deposits — moved to the warrant ($2,410,000 deposit total recommended). Motion to recommend and move Article 4: passed 6-0-0. - Article 5: Sewer/wastewater capital reserve fund deposit — move $600,000 to the warrant (user-fee funded; council noted the increase is covered by sewer-rate adjustments). Motion to recommend and move Article 5: passed 6-0-0. - Default budget: The council approved a default (operating) budget calculation of $40,808,242 for the voters' consideration. Motion to move the default budget amount to the warrant: passed 6-0-0.

Council discussion and staff presentations

Town Manager Paul (town manager) and department staff presented the budget and fee proposals during the meeting. Planning and zoning administrator Casey Wolfsmith explained the milfoil program and confirmed this year's treatment will use DASH (diver-assisted suction harvesting) and that the contractor coordinates with lake residents and volunteers.

Public hearings and next steps

Where required the council opened and closed public hearings before voting (milfoil, zoning fees, solid-waste fees, and certain capital and debt notices). The council repeatedly noted schedule dates: the town's deliberative session is March 12 (7 p.m., James Mastracola Upper Elementary School all-purpose room) and annual voting day is April 8 (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.) at three polling locations; the council also reminded residents how to find polling locations on the town website.

Votes at a glance

- Donation: Accept $5,000 from Merrimack Friends and Family for Welfare heating assistance — Approved, 6-0-0 (mover: Nancy Harrington; second: Pete). - Library appointment: Appoint Donna LaRue, library trustee alternate — Approved, 6-0-0 (mover: Jennifer; second: Nancy Murphy). - Milfoil treatment program: Authorize acceptance/expenditure up to $20,500 (DES grant $10,250 + town match $10,250) using DASH — Approved, 6-0-0 (mover: Jennifer; second: Nancy Murphy). - ZBA fee schedule: Adopt updated application fee (rolled-in notice fee) of $200 — Approved, 6-0-0 (mover: Jennifer; second: Pete). - Solid-waste fees: Adopt commercial trash $1.65 and construction C&D $1.85 (per unit) — Approved, 6-0-0 (mover: Nancy Harrington; amendment accepted). - Operating/warrant articles: Recommend & move Articles 2, 3, 4, 5 and default budget to deliberative session/ballot — All moved/recommended, 6-0-0.

What the council did not decide

No final voter-level appropriations were adopted at the meeting; for spending items that require voter approval (the municipal operating appropriation, capital reserve deposits, and specified articles), the council only recommended and moved those items to the warrant so they can be considered at the March deliberative session and April ballot.

Next steps

The council will present the recommended warrant articles at the March 12 deliberative session and voters will decide appropriations and bond/article questions on April 8. Staff said required public notices and newspaper postings will follow the council's votes.

Ending: The council closed the meeting after approving minutes and hearing brief public-comment remarks about the relative sizes of the school and municipal budgets.