Town Council conditionally approves Lilac Bridge flower-box fundraiser

The Hooksett Town Council on April 23 gave conditional approval for a Light Up the Village committee proposal to place adoptable flower boxes along the Lilac Bridge, with two conditions: the town administrator will seek legal review on any historic-grant or other restrictions and the committee must use a mounting method the police chief signs off on to reduce the risk of boxes becoming hazards.

The vote follows a presentation from Tony Locash, who said the boxes will be made to order, paid for by sponsors and removed each fall. Locash said the boxes are wooden, roughly 2 feet long and shallow, and that sponsors would sign contracts committing to maintenance, watering and removal. He told the council the committee’s goal is to sell up to 50 boxes at $150 each; payment and a signed agreement would be required from each sponsor.

The council and town staff raised several concerns. Members asked whether selling sponsorships on town property would conflict with prior grant conditions or agreements tied to the bridge’s reconstruction and whether advertising or fundraising on town-owned infrastructure is allowed. Councilors and the town administrator also asked how watering and maintenance would be handled; Locash said adopters would be contractually responsible and volunteers on the committee would monitor the boxes several times per week.

Public-safety questions dominated part of the discussion. The police chief reminded the council the bridge is a popular spot for pedestrians and recreational boaters; councilors and the chief said there is a history of objects being thrown from local bridges and requested a secure mounting method. Locash said the builder plans to attach boxes with clamps to the bridge railing and said the boxes would be removed each fall and resold the next season.

After discussion the council passed a conditional motion approving the placement of the boxes, with two explicit directions: the town administrator should consult legal counsel about any historic-resource grant or other restrictions tied to the Lilac Bridge, and the Light Up the Village committee must demonstrate to the police chief that the attaching method will prevent boxes from being removed or thrown into the river. The council recorded the action as approved with the stated conditions.

Councilors asked Locash to send a sponsorship form to the town office so the council can help distribute it to prospective buyers. Locash agreed to email the committee’s Google form to the town clerk’s office for dissemination.

If the legal review or the safety review finds issues, the council directed the administrator to report back before the committee installs any boxes.