New Hampshire statute RSA 72:39a sets forth a procedure for establishing qualifications, procedures, and amounts of property tax exemptions for residents 65 and older. At Town Meeting on Tuesday, March 12, attendees will be asked if they wish to adjust the income eligibility requirements. These exemptions were last adjusted at Town Meeting in 2006. Currently, […]
Loss of surpluses and other offsets mean tax rates could rise 9%
The Andover Budget Committee has finalized its recommended 2013 budgets. The committee members worked hard to balance requests for increased funding for the School and the Town with the desire to keep the growth in property taxes within manageable limits. The budgets they are recommending are the results of these difficult compromises. The recommended 2013 […]
Over the past few years, we have seen many new programs introduced in our public schools across the country. Many of these programs, including No Child Left Behind (NCLB), required more accountability for student learning, yet the definition of what students were expected to learn was never well defined. In fact, there continues to be […]
The Beacon asked every candidate running for a local office to submit 250 words and a picture. Board of Selectmen Duncan Coolidge Howard Wilson Library Trustee Janet Moore Order of Candidates on the Ballot New Hampshire RSA 656:5-a defines the order in which candidates’ names will appear on the ballots. For the sake of consistency […]
Since the last snow storm, I had been thinking about photographing the reflections of snow-covered evergreens in a slow-moving river. On January 16 we got about six inches of new snow and when I woke up the following morning, I could see the sun was coming out. Morning sun, a new blanket of snow, all […]
The New Hampshire Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is encouraging state residents and visitors to take precautions in advance of a major winter storm that is expected to strike New England beginning tomorrow. “There is still uncertainty about the exact track of this storm, but it seems certain that New Hampshire will experience […]
“Substantially more cost effective” than fossil fuel
Two local schools have seen the value in making a commitment to harnessing solar energy. Both Colby-Sawyer College in New London and Proctor Academy in Andover are prime displays of harnessing the sun’s abundant energy while not spewing waste into the atmosphere or into the environment. You can see Proctor’s solar array when you drive […]
Here are the minutes for Town committee meetings that took place in January 2013. Board of Selectmen: January 7 January 21 Planning Board: January 8 January 22 Zoning Board of Adjustment: January 15 Recreation Committee: January 8 Conservation Commission: January 9 School Board: January 8
Candidates needed for Selectman, School Board, and more.
With Town Meeting coming up in March, it’s time to think about who’s going to fill all the positions in town government and in the school district to keep the wheels turning smoothly. The following is a run-down of what offices will be on the ballot in March and what the incumbents may be planning. […]
Curriculum requirements and school population are growing
There are three additions to the 2013-14 proposed school budget and one warrant article that need further explanation. I will explain the thinking behind these additions and why those of us involved thought it was important to bring to the voters. As a school, we are charged with providing the best education for every student […]