Exeter council adopts resolutions opposing several state bills and urges full funding for state aid

Exeter — During its May 6 meeting the Town Council moved to adopt several policy resolutions directed at the state legislature and federal projects, including opposition to creation of an Office of State Building Commissioner, opposition to any revival of the old Canyon Bypass proposal and formal opposition to proposed public‑records legislation that would centralize records reporting to the Department of Administration.

A council member explained the rationale against the public‑records proposal (identified in council discussion as H7763 and S2679), saying the amendments would require that records maintained by public bodies be forwarded within 30 days to a centralized DOA database, which would impose an administrative burden on towns and state agencies. "Those are to be forwarded to the DOA…to be entered into a centralized online database…" the member read during deliberations. Council members said the proposed mandate would be onerous for local clerks and municipalities and moved a resolution opposing the bill; the motion passed on a voice vote.

Separately the council approved a resolution opposing any revival of the Canyon Bypass and voted to oppose a proposal to create a statewide building commissioner (read as HB 7983 in the discussion). Council also discussed asking state legislators to restore full state aid funding to the previously announced 25% level for the relevant program and moved a resolution in support of that funding goal.

Council members said the resolutions are intended to preserve local control and to signal the town’s position to regional and state policymakers; staff were directed to forward adopted resolutions to appropriate state offices and local legislators.