Town Meeting Recap

When most towns were cutting money from their budgets, Haverhill not only put money back into its budget, but increased funding to another area.
All warrant articles passed easily and money was also added to other articles.
The budget passed after $15,000 was put back into it.  The funding was taken out by the Selectboard from the three fire departments of North Haverhill, Woodsville, and Haverhill Corner.  A representative of North Haverhill Fire Department, Shawn Bigelow, proposed to amend the budget and put the money back in.
"We depend on that money for our truck fund," said Bigelow.  "By taking that out that shortens up our truck fund payment and we have to take it out of taxes from the precinct."

Richard Guy addressing the public

Richard Guy, who was representing the Woodsville Fire Department, also spoke to have the funding replaced.

"We can't really cut these expenses," said Guy.  "We're already committed to bond payments on these trucks based on a long term agreement with the town.  It won't really change the fact that we have to make these payments, all its going to do is change who has to pay them.  You're shifting the cost for these truck payments from the bigger group of the town of Haverhill to the smaller precincts."
The amendment passed as well as the amended budget.
"That's the American way," said Selectboard Chair Wayne Fortier after the meeting about the fire department getting the funding back.  "The board took a very frugal look and we thought that that was a line item that we could tap for one year.  The people had a say and they said it tonight at this meeting.  That's what they wanted and they voted it back in.  The good thing is that a number of people came out and spoke about it."

Another project to receive more funding was the senior center in North Haverhill.  The proposed budget gave the center $12,000, but after a few residents as well as officials who work at the center addressed the meeting the funding was increased to $19,000.
"They have asked for that appropriation for a number of years," said Fortier.  "And for three or four years now we have flatlined that at 12,000.  The budget committee gave them 15,000, but we went back and brought it down to 12.  The controversy of the Selectboard reducing it to 12 came out and the people heard what (the senior center) had to say.  It was a good net gain for the senior center and I'm very pleased that that did happen."
Fortier acknowledged that while the citizens of Haverhill decided what was best for the town, the Selectboard was sparing with the budget and will continue to be so.
"We still have to be frugal, I think we are not out of tough times by any means," said Fortier.  "We'll have to keep a close eye on how we maintain our budget.  I think next year will be tougher."

Election results - number of votes in parentheses

Selectman - term of three years = Wendy Warcholik (202)

Trustee of the trust funds = Marie Bigelow (6)

Supervisor of the checklist - term of one year = Robert Roudebush (228)

Supervisor of the checklist - term of three years = Carol Norcross (196)

Cemetery Commisioner = Robert Rutherford (decided by voice vote at town meeting)

Newest Selectman-Wendy Warcholik

The newest member of the Haverhill Selectboard, Wendy Warcholik, was sworn in at town meeting on March 8.
Warcholik ran unopposed and replaces outgoing Selectman Peter Heilmann.
"I always knew I wanted to work at the local level," said Warcholik.  "I've done things at the national level, (such as) national budgeting, state budgeting.  It all starts here at the local level."
With a PhD in economics Warcholik has worked on national and state budgets.  She sees the current economic problems in the country and hopes to be able to address them and fix them.
"There are issues with the economy and housing values," said Warcholik.  "I'm very interested in how that's going to effect property taxes in the future with the revaluation that's going to go on."
She also sees what is happening at the state level and how that could effect the town.
"With the state cuts it all trickles down to the local level," said Warcholik.  "We're not sure whats going to happen with the state and what the cuts are going to be.  So until they firm up their budget at the state level in June, we're really not going to know what the cuts are going to be here in Haverhill."