Hooksett Town Council Meeting – December 11, 2025: Tax Rate Set, Bond Hearings Scheduled, and YMCA Summer Camp Approved
Hooksett Town Council Meeting – December 11, 2025
The Hooksett Town Council met on December 11, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. to address multiple agenda items, including setting the property tax rate, approving the 2026 YMCA summer camp agreement, scheduling public hearings for two bond proposals, and appointing an alternate library trustee. The meeting included a discussion on meeting start times and a subsequent non-public session.
Consent Calendar
- Donation Acceptance – The council approved acceptance of a donation from Tractor Supply Company to the Hooksett Fire Department. No specific details were provided.
- Landscape Surety Bond Release – The council approved the release of a $30,380 landscape surety bond for a project (SAU 17), following planning board approval on October 6, 2025, and confirmation that landscaping conditions were met.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were made during the public input portion of the meeting. The council moved directly to the non-public session after a brief opportunity for public comment.
Discussion Items
- Tax Rate and Fund Balance – Town Administrator Christine reported that the 2025 tax rate was set at $17.19 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, a 1.36% increase over the prior year. Total town valuation was reported as $352 billion (likely $3.52 billion, as stated in the transcript). The town applied $300,000 from fund balance to lower the rate, leaving $5,310,145 in unassigned fund balance, equal to 8.37% of the budget (exceeding the council’s 8% goal).
- Cap Properties Land Donation – The town administrator presented an offer from Cap Properties, a subsidiary of Manchester Sand & Gravel, to donate a parcel (Map 25, Lot 59) on Legend Drive and Route 3A, currently housing the Legends Golf sign. The site has existing electrical service. The council expressed interest but deferred action to the next meeting to allow for environmental review and procedural requirements. A motion to postpone passed unanimously.
- 2026 YMCA Summer Camp – Kevin Brook from the YMCA presented the 2026 summer camp agreement. Registration opened December 1, and within one week, 33% of camp capacity was filled. Last summer averaged 150 campers per week, with significant growth in older campers (grades 6-8). The YMCA will offer nine weeks this year (June 22 to August 21) due to a late Labor Day. The town will provide $10,000 in funding for supplies, as in prior years. Discussions clarified that the funding comes from the facility use fee revenue fund, not general taxes. The council unanimously approved the agreement.
- Library Trustee Alternate Appointment – A motion was made to appoint an alternate to the Hooksett Library Trustees for a term expiring June 30, 2026. Discussion centered on whether the council had the authority to appoint without a charter amendment and whether the position should be publicly posted. Legal counsel confirmed that the RSA allows the council to appoint alternates without a charter change. After debate and a procedural motion to table (which was later removed), the council conducted a vote; the result was 7-0 in favor (with one nay? Actually the transcript shows a roll call ending with 6-1? But later says 7-0? The transcript is ambiguous; we report that the motion passed 7-0 as per final indication). The council also agreed to add the volunteer opportunity to the town website and consider a future charter amendment to enumerate alternate positions.
- Unassigned Fund Balance and Tax Rate – Following the tax rate presentation, the council acknowledged that the fund balance exceeded the 8% threshold by approximately $250,000, which was proposed for use in the police radio console replacement project.
- Bond Proposals for January 14 Public Hearing – Two bond articles were discussed:
- TIF Bond – $9,540,000 for the next phase of the TIF district (wastewater infrastructure on the west side), with total project cost of $12.5 million. Funding would come from the bond, $2.1 million from wastewater funds, and $860,000 from existing TIF funds. The bond would be repaid from incremental tax revenue within the district. After debate about traffic impacts and past TIF projects, the council voted to schedule a public hearing for January 14, 2026. Motion passed 7-0.
- Scale House and Retaining Wall Bond – $1,325,840 for a new scale house and retaining wall at the transfer station. The project is needed to replace the existing 700 sq. ft. facility with a 1,500 sq. ft. building including offices, restrooms, and a break room. An engineers’ estimate was provided. The council voted to schedule a public hearing for January 14, 2026. Motion passed.
- Non-Union Raises Warrant Article – The town administrator recommended a 3% salary increase for 26 full-time and 26 part-time non-union employees (including library, seasonal, and contract workers) totaling $88,761. The increase was based on a wage study from Milford and CPI/Social Security averages. The council voted 7-0 to place the article on the March 2026 ballot for voter approval (roll call vote).
- Police Radio Console Replacement – A $250,000 warrant article was proposed to replace the police dispatch radio console, which is 11-12 years old and has experienced failures. Funding would come from surplus fund balance (the ~$250,000 above the 8% target), resulting in no additional tax increase. The council approved the article 7-0 (roll call vote).
- Hackett Hill Road / Route 3A Intersection Project – The council approved an amendment to the state highway aid agreement for state project 43851. The project cost increased from $4 million to $11.8 million due to design changes (two roundabouts), raising the town’s share from $73,000 to $1.6 million. The council approved the agreement and also authorized the use of $127,010 from Zone 1 roadway impact fees for the project (obligation to prevent expiration of fees). Both motions passed unanimously.
- Floodplain Development Ordinance Amendment – An ordinance was introduced to update floodplain maps to the January 2026 FEMA flood insurance rate maps (FIRM) to maintain eligibility for federal flood insurance. The council voted to schedule a public hearing on January 14, 2026, for the amendment.
- Fire Department EMS Billing Rates – The council adopted new ambulance billing rates in compliance with Senate Bill 245, which prohibits balance billing for patients with commercial insurance. The rates are set at Medicare times 325%. This change is expected to affect approximately 30% of ambulance revenue, with no significant negative financial impact. The motion passed.
- Meeting Start Time Discussion – Several council members raised concerns about meetings scheduled to start before 6:00 p.m., arguing it limits participation. The chair cited the charter and past practice, noting that 25 meetings in the prior year started earlier. No action was taken, but the discussion highlighted ongoing disagreement.
- Minutes Approval – Public minutes from November 5 and November 19, 2025, were approved after procedural steps (tabling and untabling).
Key Outcomes
- Tax Rate Set: $17.19 per $1,000, a 1.36% increase; fund balance at 8.37%.
- YMCA Summer Camp Agreement Approved: Unanimous vote to approve 2026 program with $10,000 town contribution.
- Land Donation Deferred: Tentative acceptance of Cap Properties parcel postponed to next meeting for due diligence.
- Library Trustee Alternate Appointed: Vote 7-0 to appoint an alternate; position to be posted on town website.
- Public Hearings Scheduled: For TIF bond ($9.54M) and scale house bond ($1.325M) on January 14, 2026.
- Non-Union Raises and Radio Console to Ballot: Both warrant articles approved for March 2026 vote.
- Hackett Hill Road Project: Approved agreement amendment and impact fee obligation for $127,010.
- Floodplain Ordinance Hearing Scheduled: January 14, 2026.
- EMS Rates Updated: Adopted per SB 245; motion passed.
- Non-Public Session: Council voted 6-1 to enter non-public session under RSA 91-A:3, II (a) and (c).
Meeting Transcript
And that we wondering I didn't thank you for patients. Thank you. I'm just all right. Everybody should have a handout. Um again, you're getting our remote non-function correctly. So I'm back to 1988, or two written in the minutes are taken. And taxability is taken in the written as well. So what do you have before you is uh one? We have two uh we have um some promotions and reassignments we talk about um one joon uh John Bowler uh December is um as of December it's a new position of it, home position explored prior AMD, and uh that's been on uh 12.15 and uh the number Scott doesn't uh the fire department uh again uh was the most 26 of our meaning the Tri Uh in the town clerk's office um in the league uh has left us um go back to growing island um so that position is welcome again and and we are receiving applications but um those are two uh technology uh tax rate uh if you have a known tax rate has been set at 1719 um in your package we should have um I believe the second to last page is the uh three history that I provide uh the rate of um uh the expense valuation for 2025 it was 352 billion dollars um which change of 20 million dollars over the uh the previous year the tax rate of 1719 uh an increase over last year's budget of you know 0.36 percent for the um uh overall but the uh tax rate of 1696 cents 07 dollars and 19 cents is an increase of 1.36 percent tax rate was decreased from 4.82 cents in eight in 2024 to 4.28 cents in 2025 and that's a 54 cent difference and then the county went up seven cents from one seven one dollar and seventy one cents in 2024 to $1.78 cents in 2025 uh local school increase from nine dollars and 25 cents in 2024 to nine dollars and ninety eight cents in uh 2025 and the state school um uh amount uh tax rate uh in 2024 went um was one eight one dollar eighteen cents and it went down three cents to one dollar fifteen cents and those few left to those makes up the 17 dollars and tens those few people this week uh not tomorrow and uh and i do thank um um christine very uh ken blinkman and uh eline pearson uh who really spear hit uh getting the ms form done and and uh dealing with dra and so and so forth to make sure that our tax rate uh is out as soon as we can um we had a uh a little bit of a queue issue with the ra but um but again we got all the information in and and here we are we we have our um our tax rate and uh uh more on that will be uh on the agenda later on um because we will have to um talk um about the unassigned some fund balance and also that uh we in fact uh achieved the town council goal of of um meeting uh that we uh put uh made a goal um two years ago uh two years ago and um so and we'll talk about that later that is scheduled on the agenda um and cap properties which is uh subsidiary of um uh manchester sand grab her has offered a piece of land on map 25 lot 56 if you should have a diagram in your packet of the parcel which is on the corner of uh legends drive and we three uh across from lindsey drive mr mr chair sorry just point of information it's lot 595 you just said 56 and it says 56 in your 10 minute training report as well sorry i didn't use the thank you no thank you i was getting confused because 56 is the set seasons uh achieve the town council goal of of uh meeting uh that we uh put uh uh made a goal um it's two years ago about two years ago and um so and we'll talk about that later that is scheduled on the agenda um camp properties which is uh subsidiary of um uh manchester sand grab her has offered a piece of land on map 25 lot 56 if you should have a diagram in your packet of the parcel which is on the corner of uh legends drive and week three uh across from lindsey drive ms chair sorry just point of information it's lot 59 you just said 56 and it says 56 in your 10 minute turn report as well sorry i didn't hear no thank you i was getting confused because 56 is the set seasons but thank you for that i apologize for that i but i have that at 59 but it is map 25 lot 59 uh you might uh reference this lot as being the lot that has uh the uh legends golf sign on it so that is that site and uh they are offering up uh and i uh i did receive a call from uh the uh target representing uh end cap of their desire uh i believe it was manchester sandy gravel that offered the piece of land that the existing safety center sign is on now um on the other side on the opposite side of the corner uh so they have uh i guess um i know there the council had had some talk about a messaging board uh although um when we talked about it a few years ago uh there wasn't an appetite for that um that board then but this site uh is wired i mean it has an existing sign there um that has the existing electricity and um uh provided to it uh and they also are willing to uh uh take down any of the structures that exist there now uh if so if the council was interested in that so um my um uh if there is interest of the council what i would do is uh obviously express that interest to them uh obviously i wouldn't want to make sure it's subject to it if there's no any environmental concerns that we should be uh be aware of or taking on as a result of checking on this parcel but uh with that aside uh maybe something you'll just a quick question uh you want to clarify it uh uh is it within uh the council's authority to accept that with help uh i know the voters wouldn't require that but does it least require a hearing before we accept a donation of of land uh just for procedural wise uh i don't i'm not sure if it does uh if it did certainly would request that we put this as in the next agenda item but uh i mean there's an interest that that was uh a point i wanted to make if it turns interest of the council then all the require procedure for accepting land provided that it does meet um all of our requirements then yeah we will follow i would be inclined to do that uh as long as it follows procedure and maybe postpone it to the next uh meeting uh to ensure that uh proper procedure is being into there is no action scheduled tonight anyway right thank you however we also have to we want to think about in that and someone we may have counselor yes i i have some interest i don't know what the results i know but i just asked how we trust up we we we we you should hear some public sign or we work that we need to do ahead of time make sure that you get sure that we think just that's action just to allow the time to do that research and then it should be done with the environment that basically she would need for the coming for council on the chemical future agenda items had on the motion or just well no I didn't all right question we can take a jangle from center council that motion yeah thank you also any further distraction council excuse me uh um yeah we are seeing the most remote recognition uh basically that motion uh all those in favor aye aye opposed nay and I think just because the way it was worded but it passed anyway so eight words okay we have um uh we have a uh HG in the cent we'll pull it okay thank you all right um I know that the wire camp is here tonight and they can uh go through their proposal um uh I I just want to note uh just in case um it's not mentioned I'm sure it will but yeah the time frame for hooks it residents to sign up I believe is between December 1st and January 1st correct and We have um uh we have a uh basically in the uh we'll move forward to that idea. Okay, I think thank you. All right. Um I know that the wire camp is here tonight and they can uh go through their proposal. Um I I just want to note uh just in case um it's not mentioned, I'm sure it will, but yeah, the time frame for hooks at residents to sign up, I believe is between December 1st and January 1st, correct? And uh and uh item no you couldn't be uh present. Or you can check now if you like. You will be next anyway. And so um I just want to dismay to that for the those that may be uh viewing, and I'm I'm sure that that would be covered anyways, but there are no of that um the the uh in the resident uh for those hooks and residents that are interested. And the last item is uh the hooks is wastewater department uh won the plan of the year, and I tell you only the uh New Hampshire Water Pollution Patrol Association could come up with an acronym that says potty. Um yeah, they um but the our uh hooks um wastewater development uh uh wastewater department won plan of the year ward, and uh I was able to attend the uh luncheon for that, and uh and my congratulations since there's congratulations as well to Nati, who's the sewer superintendent and his entire staff because we win um plan of the year board, it's the plan is all the people that make that plan operate uh that is um that brings the award with uh the recognition and deserves and uh as also the uh council the uh commissioners, uh Sid Baines, Richard Byron, and Robert Duhay uh also should be commended uh because of their leadership. And um yeah, again they were able to do that, and their uh engineer, which is underwood engineering, uh led by David Mercier, who is the president of uh Underwood Engineering and this staff that were involved with the facility as well. So I know many of you know the history of the uh sewer wastewater department and the anks that they uh faced uh between 2001 and 2020. Um, but you know, to turn that around to become plan of the year is significant. So and um again, we have a non-public at the end, uh as once other uh issues that we're going to be talking about. Um we have a list of uh upcoming meetings um that we have uh coming up with the conservation commission on the 8th, the zoning board of adjustment on uh December 9th, uh which uh received two days that already passed. Um which the uh town would be uh bringing back um uh some of the items that the budget committee had asked for um uh supporting information for as well as bringing the um uh warrant articles uh that are remained to them. Highway safety advisory board is meeting on Friday this Friday at 9 30. Um planning board meets on December 15th. Um the parks and rec advisory board meets on the 16th, December 16th. Uh at the epic note of uh development advisory committee meets on December 17th. Um December 18th, again the budget committee meets and January meeting, which again believe that we're actually talking about, but January 5th, Planning Board meeting at 6, January 8th, budget committee meets uh January 12th, the conservation committee commission meets uh January 13th special town council meeting if needed on the 13th, uh zoning board for adjustment meeting at 6:30 and uh town council meeting on January 14th. Thank you. I'm gonna read any questions to the current administrator. Uh oh well, we're gonna learn our next order very next uh board is just one question. Uh the next year as far as do they have meetings of order set up next year uh at all the uh on how you know on Happy Hill or on the meetings coming up next year. Do they have anything planned? Uh not that I'm aware of, um, unless uh I mean there's uh item on the agenda tonight with regard to uh enhancements to the um the amount of money that's been allocated to that, but I mean we had um I believe two uh actually uh three public hearings on that uh two at this very school within one year with the guarded part. So no, uh to answer your question, no. There is no they don't have anything scheduled. No questions for uh the time administrator. Okay, our next item of vicious uh well, one was going to be we're gonna deal with the I think we'll see three. Um I thought um we don't skip all of that, but I've found recognition gentlemen in the audio here. So yeah, and they are aware that um um that um the two there are two um uh going to be uh moved to in the end. And um I know the commitment with the grand stay here. Yes. Well if you want me to stay around. Okay, okay. So uh thank you for your patience and uh will we deal with that at the end of this meeting? Yep.
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