Selectmen set May 20 special town meeting to consider adopting RSA 41:14-a for property acquisition (Davidson Road site)

The Henniker Board of Selectmen agreed to support a special town meeting on May 20 to consider adopting RSA 41:14-a, a procedural statute that would allow the board to be authorized to acquire property and expend from certain trust funds for a police facility project, including a site on Davidson Road.

Town staff explained that adopting 41:14-a provides the select board a process to acquire property — including required review and comments from the planning board and other commissions, followed by two public hearings — and that any future town meeting could rescind authority granted to the board. The town administrator said the recommendation came from the Department of Revenue Administration, town counsel and the town moderator.

Committee member (S5) moved to schedule the special town meeting for May 20 at 6:00 p.m. and to execute the warrant; the motion was seconded and carried. During public comment Clark Spofford urged the board to make it clear to voters that adoption of 41:14-a would allow the board to acquire property without returning to town meeting on each purchase; town staff reiterated that the authority can be rescinded at a subsequent town meeting.

The board described the specific intended purpose as enabling acquisition related to the proposed Davidson Road police facility and noted that authority is broader than a single parcel — it would permit acquisitions until rescinded. The board will post the warrant and follow required review steps before the special town meeting.