Warner voters approve $182,000 to help build Warner Village water storage tank after debate over Exit 9 development costs

Warner voters approved a $182,000 appropriation to assist the Warner Village Water District build a 200,000-gallon storage tank and connecting main, a measure supporters said is necessary to improve town-wide fire suppression and preserve available outside funding.

Lynn Perkins, a Warner Village Water Precinct commissioner, told the meeting the project now faces sharply higher costs: bids received in December showed a roughly 40 percent escalation driven by construction-price increases, regulatory timing and easement work. Perkins said the town is being asked to help the precinct for one year to secure a tank now; "if they do not do it soon, the precinct will lose funding," he said.

Selectman Richard Cook and others argued the town should first pursue other funding and that commercial developers who benefit from infrastructure near Exit 9 should help pay for improvements. "If improvements are to allow commercial development at Exit 9, then those commercial developers should be paying for the improvements," Cook said, a position that drew applause from the hall.

Opponents also questioned whether the tank would primarily serve new commercial development. Joanne Hinnendael, a member of the Zoning Board, said review of planning documents suggested developers were being asked to provide their own infrastructure in prior cases and that an impact fee could be appropriate if the tank’s need were driven by new development.

Fire Chief Richard Brown framed the tank as a townwide safety improvement, noting past fires that quickly depleted local water reserves and saying that additional storage benefits firefighting operations well beyond the precinct. Perkins said the planned 200,000-gallon tank would increase fire suppression time by about two to two-and-a-half hours on top of existing storage.

The article was sent to a paper ballot at residents' request. The Moderator later announced the result: YES 161, NO 57; Article 27 passed.

The Warner Village Water District presentation noted the appropriation would cover the tank only — not a new well — and that the project timeline and funding sources remain subject to regulatory approvals and precinct-level decisions. The town discussion also referenced previous water studies cited by the precinct in support of larger storage recommendations.