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Laconia City Council approves vendor fees, appointments, street and parking changes; accepts SWAT grant and schedules trail and traffic hearings
Summary
At its Jan. 13 meeting the council approved vending fees for Laconia Motorcycle Week, confirmed appointments to a regional planning advisory committee, accepted a $10,680 homeland-security grant for police equipment, approved a no‑parking plan on Howard Street and scheduled public hearings on trail and traffic sign changes.
The Laconia City Council on Monday approved a package of routine and policy items, including vending fees for Laconia Motorcycle Week, appointments to a regional planning advisory committee, acceptance of a $10,680 Department of Safety Homeland Security grant for police equipment and a no‑parking designation for parts of Howard Street.
Key votes at a glance
- Boardwalk and Weirs Boulevard vending fees for Laconia Motorcycle Week 2025: Motion to approve fees as presented passed 6–0. Motion made by Councilor Phelps; seconded by Councilor Cheney. Council packet notes vendor fees for boardwalk spaces were last adjusted for Motorcycle Week 2022.
- Appointments to Lakes Region Planning Commission Transportation Advisory Committee: Motion to appoint Nate Garrett as primary representative and Tyler Carmichael as alternate for a two‑year term from Jan. 13, 2025 to Jan. 13, 2027 passed 6–0. Motion made by Councilor Susi; seconded by Councilor Hoffman.
- Resolution 2025‑02 (Transportation Alternatives Program application for Wild Trail, Opechee Loop segments D, F, G and H): Council moved to waive full reading and approved a first reading 6–0; the council also scheduled a public hearing for Jan. 27, 2025. Motion to move first reading was made by Councilor Felt; seconded by Councilor Susi.
- Resolution 2025‑01 (traffic sign change at 155 Lexington Drive): Council moved to waive full reading, approved a first reading to replace a “Do Not Enter” sign with a time‑limited “No Through Traffic” sign (3–4 p.m., Monday–Friday) in the vicinity of 155 Lexington Drive, and scheduled a public hearing for Jan. 27, 2025. First‑reading motion by Councilor Cheney; second by Councilor Haynes. Vote on readings and hearing scheduling was 6–0.
- Resolution 2024‑29 (acceptance of DHS grant for SWAT/SOU equipment): Council accepted an award of $10,680 from the New Hampshire Department of Safety Homeland Security grant program for the Laconia Police Department; the resolution requires no local match. The resolution passed on second reading and final approval 6–0; the motion to authorize the city manager to sign related documents was made by Councilor Haines and seconded by Councilor Cheney.
- Howard Street no‑parking plan: After a public‑works subcommittee review, the council approved a motion to make portions of Howard Street no‑parking and to add a loading zone for deliveries to the Brick Front Restaurant area. The motion passed 6–0.
Other procedural and informational items
- Streets to be laid out public: City staff briefed the council on the process to lay out private streets as public where a majority of property owners have provided easements; the council will be asked on Jan. 27 to set public hearings for two streets (Hillcrest and James). Staff said planning board review and notice to mortgage/lien holders are part of the process.
- Nonpublic session: The council voted to enter nonpublic session under RSA 91‑A:3 to discuss the acquisition, sale or lease of real property and ended the open meeting to take that discussion.
What the votes do not do: None of the approvals tonight committed the council to specific capital spending beyond the usual adoption of grants or scheduling of future public hearings. The TAP grant application would put the Wild Trail segments in the state’s queue if accepted; any City share of a future TAP award would require subsequent approvals and funding identification.
