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County lines up new director

NORTH HAVERHILL—Grafton County’s new administrator will be a familiar face to some in the area. After serving as Littleton Town Manager for 5.5 years, Andrew Dorsett will start his new position on Feb. 16. He succeeds Julie Libby, who will become the county’s finance manager. Previously, Dorsett was a town administrator on both sides of […]

Plant plans draw public ire

WOODSVILLE—The Haverhill Selectboard voted on Monday night to seek a public hearing by state regulators on a proposal to expand capacity and increase emissions at the biodiesel plant in the business park in North Haverhill. The board’s vote comes as the biodiesel’s plant’s owner, Renewable Fuels by Peterson, have filed a request with the state […]

Auction casts focus on vault repairs

BRADFORD—A mysterious void lies beneath. For nearly a decade, the so-called “vault” under a Main Street sidewalk has vexed town officials. The vast empty cavern is a remnant, some believe, from a fire more than 50 years ago that reshaped one end of the downtown. There is little wistful nostalgia, however, for this pest from […]

Board tweaks truck purchase

ORFORD—A proposed 2021 Orford municipal budget is roughly level-funded with last year’s, according to an overview provided by selectmen at a public hearing last week. Selectboard chair John Adams said the plan for 2021 is approximately $7,000 less than the 2020 budget, despite increases in employee health insurance, wages, and other costs. “We figured out […]

Chamber assesses efforts in challenging year

WELLS RIVER—“This year has been like no other for the chamber,” Cohase Chamber of Commerce Board President Andrew Barter said at this year’s annual meeting held on Jan 19. The organization pivoted in response to the pandemic from its regular lineup of activities and tackled projects that strengthened its foundation. Although it produced at least […]

In Times Past —It’s still in the mail—

“The postal service is for a variety of good reasons made a public function; but that it results in more economical or efficient management, there is not only no evidence to show but all evidence available contradicts.”—Windham County Reformer, Dec. 27, 1901. The first part of this postal history analysis was published in December and […]

Fury after TM’s ‘morons’ comment

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article refers to statements using explicit language. Readers should be aware that the explicit language is quoted in full in a paragraph on page 8. HAVERHILL—A furor erupted on social media last week after Haverhill Town Manager Brigitte Codling was caught on video using profanity to describe some of the town’s residents. […]

Oxbow finally has a budget

BRADFORD—In the fourth round of voting, the Oxbow Unified Union School District finally has a budget approved for the fiscal year that began over six months ago. In balloting that was completed on Jan. 13, 552 residents in Bradford and Newbury voted to approve the $16,780,183 budget. There were 351 votes against the budget. There […]

Board preps budget for hearing

WOODSVILLE—School board members were told last week that they may need to raise an additional $1.6 million in revenue even though they have a mostly level-funded budget proposal for 2022. Meeting on Jan. 11, board members reviewed a budget proposal that was $85,000 over the current year’s of $14,568,446. In spite of a nearly level-funded […]

Rivendell eyes Visions return

ORFORD—A proposed Rivendell budget would move all of the district’s 6th graders to Rivendell Academy and restore afterschool and summer school programs, but reduce the number of staff in the district by nearly four full-time positions. A public hearing on the draft budget is scheduled for Jan. 19, after this edition’s press deadline. The board […]