Hooksett council approves paving contract, veterans monument and school newsletter; rejects park renaming amid wider budget debate

The Hooksett Town Council on May 28 voted to award a 2025 road resurfacing contract, approve a Persian Gulf War monument at Jacob Square and allow the school district to include its newsletter with the town tax bill if the district pays mailing costs, while rejecting a proposal to change the name of Lambert Park.

Town Administrator Andre Garen told the council that the state Department of Transportation held a May 15 public meeting about widening Route 3 between Whitehall Road and Alice Avenue. Garen said the town’s positions — a five‑lane cross section, lighted intersections at Alice Avenue and Mammoth Road, dual sidewalks between Alice and Mammoth and a single sidewalk on the west side from Mammoth to Whitehall — were conveyed to DOT and that the public comment period closed May 27. “The meeting was well attended,” Garen said. He also reported that Hooksett is continuing to press state legislators to keep the local courthouse open after the Senate Finance Committee moved to restore funding for the Hooksett and Goffstown courts.

On personnel, Garen announced several hires and reassignments and two upcoming retirements: Fire Chief Steven Colbert will retire effective June 26 and Human Resources Coordinator Donna Fitzpatrick will retire June 20. He listed recent hires in public works and police, and said department heads are training new truck drivers who lack a commercial driver’s license (CDL) during a six‑month probationary window.

Votes at a glance - Resurfacing contract: Approved. Council awarded the 2025 resurfacing contract to Advance Excavating and Paving LLC for $579,636.09. (Roll call recorded; chair announced motion passed.) - Persian Gulf War monument at Veterans Park (Jacob Square): Approved. The council accepted a request from American Legion Post 39 to install the monument; site details will be finalized with DPW. (Motion passed by voice vote.) - School newsletter in tax mailing: Approved. The council agreed to allow the school district to include its newsletter with the tax bill provided the school pays the additional mailing cost. (Motion passed by voice vote.) - Senate Bill 297 (risk pool): Approved. The council authorized the town administrator to send a letter supporting the current compromise version of SB 297 to state legislators. (Motion passed by voice vote.) - Heritage Commission sign/storyboards at Lambert Park: Storyboards approved; park renaming failed. The council voted to accept three historical storyboards for Lambert Park but rejected a motion to change the park name to “Alfred J. Lambert Riverside Park at Anahooksett Falls.” (Roll call resulted in the motion failing.) - Consent agenda and routine budget transfers: Approved. Several budget transfers and consent items were approved as listed in the packet.

Conservation and trust funds The council heard the Conservation Commission’s annual update. Commission chair Joe Carroll Woodburn and vice chair Dr. Alan Stein reviewed stewardship work at five conservation areas, noting Quimby Mountain (about 97 acres) will receive a stewardship plan and invasive‑species removal, and that the River Walk Trail remains heavily used. The commission reported trail counters recorded more than 10,000 visits across the River Walk and Heads Pond trails during a sample month; they said weekday use averaged roughly 100 visitors and weekend days several hundred. The commission also described plans to pursue improved accessibility at the Heads Pond trail head and ongoing invasive‑species treatments.

Trustees of the Trust Funds chair Claire Lyons reported that trust fund balances were stable: the trustees’ most recent April 30 statement showed roughly $217,053 in the trust funds they manage and $12,044,939.93 in capital reserve accounts. The trustees said they continue to work with outside investment managers under a conservative policy.

Heritage Commission, Parks & Recreation debate The Heritage Commission presented three proposed interpretive storyboards about the park site’s pre‑European (Abenaki/Pennacook), mill and more recent history and asked the council to consider modifying the park’s formal name to include the indigenous place name Anahooksett (presented in the commission’s materials as “Anahooksett”/“Anahooks‑sett”). The commission said it consulted tribal representatives and historical records in support of the proposed revised name, “Alfred J. Lambert Riverside Park at Anahooksett Falls.”

Rob, Parks and Recreation superintendent (presented in testimony) and some councilors reported that Parks & Rec had recommended against the name change by a 2–1 vote at its May 20 meeting. Council discussion centered on balancing historical recognition and donors’ preferences; one attendee, Jeanette Gagne, told commission members privately and in the record she wanted the Lambert name preserved on the sign. The council voted to accept the three storyboards; a later roll call vote to change the park’s formal name failed.

Veterans monument John Danforth of American Legion Post 39 asked the council to authorize installation of a Persian Gulf War monument at Veterans Park, citing next year’s 35th anniversary of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. The council voted to accept the request and directed DPW and administration to work on location and logistics. Danforth said the monument design would mirror the scale of the town’s Korean and Vietnam memorials and would leave space for future bronze plaques for names.

Public comment and community programs During public input, residents raised two issues: a Parks & Recreation advisory committee member and other residents urged support for volunteers who attempted to secure grants for Parks & Rec (one resident offered a $1,000 donation toward sign restoration), and another resident spoke about perceived inaccuracies in a local news item about a Parks & Rec grant. The council acknowledged the concerns and the administrator said staff would follow up.

Eagle Scout recognition Councilor Walcic presented an award to Nate Baron, a junior at Pinkerton Academy, who completed an Eagle Scout service project that produced 50 blankets and comfort items for Bedford Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Nate described fundraising and volunteer coordination used to complete the project.

Resurfacing contract and other procurement Public Works Director Ben Berthiaume (present via staff materials) presented three bids for the town’s resurfacing work. The council awarded the contract to the lowest responsive bidder, Advance Excavating and Paving LLC, for $579,636.09.

Budget and default‑year planning The council spent substantial time reviewing a draft default operating budget for fiscal year 2025‑26 and a package of proposed reductions totaling $918,444 (Town $808,603; Library $61,915; Wastewater $47,926). Town Administrator Garen and Finance Director Christine Tewksbury summarized proposed reductions across departments: hiring freezes (police, fire/EMS paramedic staffing shifts, DPW positions), reductions in training budgets, deferred paving and cemetery maintenance, suspension of certain outside support line items, and changes to the condominium trash reimbursement program (phased elimination). Garen said final decisions are needed before July 1 and the council scheduled additional discussion at its June meetings.

Administrative changes The council approved an amendment to its multifactor authentication policy (technical security) and took up revisions to the administrative code governing town social media; the social‑media language was tabled pending a requested amendment to allow the town administrator to name a designee and to consider adding an appeals or block/unblock process.

What’s next Councilors directed staff to bring affected department heads to the June meetings for deeper discussion of proposed default‑year cuts so the council can finalize actions before the new fiscal year begins July 1. The council also set a target Aug. 16 date for a town‑led auction of tax‑deeded town property, pending final arrangements.

The meeting packet and minutes list additional procedural votes, routine transfers and consent‑agenda items approved by the council. The meeting moved into nonpublic session on personnel and legal matters at the end of the public agenda.