Bartlett Selectmen adopt Hazard Mitigation Plan and approve lease for new John Deere backhoe

On April 15 the Bartlett Board of Selectmen voted to adopt a Hazard Mitigation Plan prepared by Mapping and Planning Solutions and approved lease paperwork to replace the Highway Department’s backhoe.

Chair Gene G. Chandler moved to adopt the hazard plan and Selectman Vicki L. Garland seconded; the board adopted the plan by roll call vote (Chandler and Garland yes; Selectman Ronald T. Munro absent). The certificate of adoption for the plan was signed and included in meeting materials.

Town Administrator Lynn P. Jones presented lease terms for a John Deere 710 backhoe to be leased from United Construction and Forestry, Pembroke, N.H., financed by Tax Exempt Leasing Corp., Thompson’s Station, Tenn. Chair Chandler signed the agreement at the meeting. The lease includes an escape clause and the first payment is not due until one year after the Town receives the backhoe (anticipated June 2026), meaning no 2026 budget impact is expected; the Board noted that a warrant article will be included on the 2027 Town Warrant to approve continuation of the lease agreement.

Why it matters: The Hazard Mitigation Plan codifies local mitigation priorities and is a framework for future grant applications and emergency planning; replacing the highway backhoe affects the department’s operational capacity and will carry fiscal implications addressed through the 2027 warrant process.

What’s next: The town will publish its adopted Hazard Mitigation Plan; the Highway Department will take delivery of the backhoe when available and the Town will include the lease continuation on the 2027 warrant for voter approval.

Attribution: This article is based on the Selectmen meeting minutes and statements by Chair Gene G. Chandler and Town Administrator Lynn P. Jones.