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Board presses staff to make legal notices easier to find as newspaper notices move online
Summary
Planning Board members raised concerns that required legal notices placed in the Eagle Tribune are increasingly online-only and hard for residents to find; they asked staff to create a prominent 'Legal Notices' area on the town website and confirm state posting requirements.
Members questioned whether the town’s legal notices — historically placed in the Eagle Tribune — are reaching residents now that much of the paper’s content is online-only. A board member said searching the online paper is difficult for many residents and urged the town website to host a clear, dedicated legal notices page.
A member called the paper’s current approach “archaic” and said they would like a prominent front‑page link or calendar highlights that list legal notices; Shay (staff) said she has been posting legal notices on the planning page and will investigate whether the town can adjust the website to display legal notices more prominently. Shay said she would look into calendar display settings and whether notices can live in an obvious, single place on the homepage.
Why it matters: state law requires public notice of hearings, and the board stressed that notice mechanisms should be accessible to residents who are not comfortable searching an online newspaper archive. Members asked staff to confirm the exact RSA or statute requirement and whether posting on the town website can satisfy state notice obligations in addition to newspaper publication.
Next steps: staff will confirm state notice requirements, post legal notices on the town site, investigate a dedicated legal notices section or more prominent calendar display, and report back to the board.
