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Residents and officials spar over townwide permit reminder and possible code-enforcement expansion
Summary
After a generic permit-reminder letter drew criticism from residents who called it punitive and intimidating, the building inspector defended the mailing and the Board asked for a cost estimate to dedicate a code-enforcement officer one day per week; town administrators said drone use is limited to viewing inaccessible properties and anonymous complaints are allowed.
A reminder letter about building permits prompted sharp public reaction at the Gilmanton Board of Selectmen meeting on May 4, where residents described the mailing as punitive and town officials defended it as an educational notice.
Town Administrator Heather Carpenter introduced Building Inspector Bob Garside, who told the board Gilmanton processes about 442 permits a year and currently has 12 active written complaints. Garside said the recent generic reminder was intended to ensure compliance with existing regulations and that his company may be able to dedicate a full-time code-enforcement officer one day per week to Gilmanton; the board asked for a cost estimate for that service.
During the public-comment period, resident Brett Currier criticized the tone of the building-inspector letter and raised broader concerns about perceived targeting of properties, use of drones to survey hard-to-access sites and the town’s handling of an individual living in a bus. "The letter felt punitive," resident Adam Mini said, urging the town to focus on obvious infractions rather than prompting panic over routine repairs such as deck replacements.
Town Administrator Carpenter responded on behalf of the board, saying the mailing successfully educated many residents about the permitting process and explaining that the town’s current budget supports a part-time building inspector focused on permitted work and a written-complaint process, not proactive enforcement patrols. Carpenter clarified that "drone usage was strictly for safely viewing inaccessible properties, not general surveillance," and emphasized that expanding code enforcement would require explicit board direction and budgetary support.
Several residents described fear of retaliation as a reason for anonymous complaints. Carpenter explained the written-complaint form requires contact information but that anonymous submissions are allowed when individuals express fear of retaliation; the town also accepts complaint submissions by phone or email where appropriate.
The board did not adopt new enforcement measures at the meeting but directed Building Inspector Garside to provide a cost estimate for dedicating a code-enforcement officer one day per week so the board can consider budget implications at a future meeting.
