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Record of Proceedings

Claremont Planning Board Meeting - December 22, 2025: CIP Kickoff and Committee Appointments

Planning Board — Monday, December 22, 2025
BodyClaremont, New Hampshire
SessionPlanning Board
DateMonday, December 22, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 47:04

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Good evening and welcome to Clamont Planning Board, December 22nd.

0:06

I'm not gonna use that.

0:08

I don't need to hit you.

0:12

22.

0:12

Can I have a roll call, please?

0:14

Taken Verdate.

0:16

E.

0:16

Michael Sandborne.

0:17

Richard Worleg.

0:19

Bruce Glenda.

0:20

Here.

0:20

Maximum GAG and all de France.

0:22

Here.

0:23

Nancy Beats.

0:24

Here.

0:24

Camera Matttown?

0:25

Here.

0:25

Nicholas Kaloski.

0:26

Here.

0:28

Okay.

0:29

Review of minutes of the previous meeting.

0:32

Motion for that?

0:33

Motion to approve is presented.

0:35

Motion to approve.

0:36

Seconded.

0:36

Second.

0:39

Any discussion?

0:41

Comments?

0:42

Everybody happy with it.

0:46

All those in favor say aye.

0:48

Aye.

0:50

Hey.

0:51

On to old business.

0:54

None.

0:55

New business.

0:57

CIP capital improvement plan discussion.

1:00

Austin, good turn.

1:01

So I'm actually going to take a step back from the discussion a bit tonight and start by introducing if you haven't met her, our new director of planning and development.

1:11

Welcome.

1:12

Up to you.

1:13

Thank you very much.

1:14

So tonight is the kickoff meeting of our capital investment plan.

1:20

So I want to thank you all.

1:22

Thank the planning board for all your continued service and commitment to the city as we shift from 2025 to 26.

1:32

We can reflect on everything the city of Claremont has accomplished.

1:37

Since I've been here in just the few short months, I've seen that Claremont has meaningful revitalization.

1:46

In the recent years, many planning and capital priorities have moved from concept to completion.

1:53

And those successes are a result of the thoughtful planning and collaboration and long-term vision.

1:59

At the same time, there's still a lot of work to be done.

2:03

Growth infrastructure needs and community expectations continue to evolve, and our planning efforts must evolve with them.

2:11

So the Capital Improvement Plan, as you all know, is a multi-year planning document that outlines the city's major capital projects and investments.

2:22

These typically include things like road, bridges, water and sewer systems, public buildings, parks, and other long-term infrastructure.

2:30

Unlike the annual operating budget, which covers day-to-day expenses, the CIP focuses on large projects that are expansive, expensive, have long lifespans, and often take several years to plan and complete.

2:45

The plan usually spans five to ten years.

2:57

So again, as you know, the CIP is a strategic tool.

3:00

It helps us plan ahead and coordinate projects across the departments and prioritize investments based on community needs, safety, regulatory requirements, and long-term goals.

3:12

By scheduling projects over time, the CIP helps avoid sudden tax increases or emergency spending and supports a responsible use of taxpayer dollars.

3:23

The plan is typically guided by the city's master plan and developed in collaboration with the department directors and staff.

3:32

This ensures that projects align with the city's long-term vision and that uh timelines and funding assumptions are realistic.

3:41

Um it provides transparency, financial stability, and a roadmap for maintaining improving public infrastructure while supporting sustainable growth and revitalization.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Capital Improvement Planning█████████████████████████████████████████████63%
Zoning and Land Use██████8%
Budget Equity Analysis█████7%
Procedural████6%
Engineering And Infrastructure███4%
Fiscal Sustainability███4%
Public Engagement██3%
Water And Wastewater Management██3%
Planning and Development█2%
Summary of Proceedings

Claremont Planning Board Meeting - December 22, 2025

Introductory paragraph: The meeting focused on the kickoff of the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) process, with discussion on process improvements, committee formation, and future steps. The board also addressed minor administrative items and previewed upcoming site plan reviews.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of minutes from the previous meeting: Motion to approve, seconded, and unanimously approved by voice vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were recorded.

Discussion Items

  • Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Kickoff: The new Director of Planning and Development introduced the CIP process, emphasizing its role as a multi-year planning tool for major capital projects (roads, bridges, water/sewer, public buildings, parks). She noted that the plan spans 5-10 years, helps avoid tax spikes, and aligns with the city's master plan. The board discussed past challenges, including:
    • Ranking criteria that sometimes lead to subjective opinions rather than objective priorities.
    • The need to distinguish between capital improvements and routine budgetary items.
    • The importance of involving department heads and conducting site visits to better understand needs.
    • Scheduling issues that delayed previous CIP cycles.
  • Committee Membership: The current CIP subcommittee members (Rick, Jonathan, and one other) were noted. A motion was made to appoint Jonathan and Richard to the subcommittee. The motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. The subcommittee will be responsible for guiding the CIP process, including meeting with department heads and refining the prioritization criteria.
  • Future Steps: The board agreed to hold a special meeting in January to review the existing CIP, remove completed items, and clarify definitions before the subcommittee begins work. The subcommittee will coordinate with the director to send guidance to department heads and schedule meetings during business hours.
  • Other Business:
    • A potential site plan amendment at 11 Bowen Street (One Stop Postal Shop) was discussed. The board agreed that a change of use is not involved, so an administrative waiver is appropriate.
    • The board noted that 17 Water Street (the former state office building) will soon be sold by the city and will likely come for site plan review. Members were asked to provide input at the January meeting on what they would like to see in that application.

Key Outcomes

  • Motion to Approve Previous Minutes: Passed unanimously.
  • Motion to Appoint CIP Subcommittee Members: Passed (Jonathan and Richard appointed to join Rick on the subcommittee).
  • Directive: The board will meet in January to review the current CIP, remove completed items, and refine criteria before the subcommittee engages department heads.
  • Administrative Waiver: The board agreed that the 11 Bowen Street site plan amendment can be handled administratively without a full board hearing.
  • Next Meeting: The board will convene in January (date TBD) to discuss the CIP and provide input on 17 Water Street.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening and welcome to Clamont Planning Board, December 22nd. I'm not gonna use that. I don't need to hit you. 22. Can I have a roll call, please? Taken Verdate. E. Michael Sandborne. Richard Worleg. Bruce Glenda. Here. Maximum GAG and all de France. Here. Nancy Beats. Here. Camera Matttown? Here. Nicholas Kaloski. Here. Okay. Review of minutes of the previous meeting. Motion for that? Motion to approve is presented. Motion to approve. Seconded. Second. Any discussion? Comments? Everybody happy with it. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Hey. On to old business. None. New business. CIP capital improvement plan discussion. Austin, good turn. So I'm actually going to take a step back from the discussion a bit tonight and start by introducing if you haven't met her, our new director of planning and development. Welcome. Up to you. Thank you very much. So tonight is the kickoff meeting of our capital investment plan. So I want to thank you all. Thank the planning board for all your continued service and commitment to the city as we shift from 2025 to 26. We can reflect on everything the city of Claremont has accomplished. Since I've been here in just the few short months, I've seen that Claremont has meaningful revitalization. In the recent years, many planning and capital priorities have moved from concept to completion. And those successes are a result of the thoughtful planning and collaboration and long-term vision. At the same time, there's still a lot of work to be done. Growth infrastructure needs and community expectations continue to evolve, and our planning efforts must evolve with them.

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