Hooksett Town Council Meeting – April 8, 2026

The Hooksett Town Council met on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at 6:01 p.m., with all seven councilors present. The council handled property disposition authority, consent donations, a personnel policy rate change, annual committee updates, old business, and entered nonpublic session at the end of the public portion. No agenda or minutes were provided with the transcript.

Consent Calendar

• Council approved a $1,000 donation from the Hooksett Kiwanis Foundation to the Hooksett Police Department, citing the statute stated in the motion as RSA 31:95-b.
• Council accepted a 0.95-acre parcel donated by NCAP Properties, identified as Map 25, Lot 59, at Legends Drive and Route 3. Discussion added removal of the Legends Golf sign, while retaining the existing sign structure and electrical pedestal for possible future town use.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke during the public input portion of the meeting.

Discussion Items

• Resolution 2601 / RSA 80:80: Councilor Sullivan moved to adopt RSA 80:80 on disposing of tax-deeded property by advertised sealed bid, public auction, or an alternative method as justice may require. Councilor Lapierre read the council rules requiring discussion before formal introduction. Council discussed alternative methods, including listing with a real estate broker and conveying undeveloped parcels to abutters. The motion passed and the town administrator was directed to prepare a proposed ordinance, with April 22, 2026 as the target if notice requirements can be met.
• Town Administrator’s Report: Brian Coyle was hired as a Fire Department EMT starting April 13, 2026; Police Officer Richard Fosher resigned effective April 17, 2026. The administrator will be on vacation April 13–17. He shared groundbreaking photos of the Kiwanis Pavilion project, reminded the council that police training will use Town Hall on the afternoons of June 5 and June 12, 2026, and reported that the comfort dog Steve was featured in the Union Leader on March 26, 2026. The CIP Committee still needs a council representative; its first meeting is April 15. Council also endorsed the town clerk purchasing multiple pet-registration reminder signs within her budget, similar to the recent election signs, to reduce mailing and forfeiture costs.
• Planning Board Request: The Planning Board requested nomination and appointment of Michael Summers to the Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission; no action was taken and the item was held for the next meeting.
• Heritage Commission Annual Update: Commission Chair Tony reported on historic preservation work, including a public hearing that found the former O’Brien Farmhouse at 267 Londonderry Turnpike historically significant; a demolition agreement includes a documented historical sign. Marker projects are underway at Lambert’s Park, the Ford and Morrissey houses at Southern New Hampshire University, and Ordway Cemetery. The new town history book covering 1968–2026 is being written with researcher Melissa Moore; the manuscript is targeted for early 2027 and printed copies by June 2027. Preliminary work continues on a village heritage district, and storyboards for Alfred J. Lambert Riverside Park are targeted for May 2026 installation with a September rededication tied to Old Home Day. New commission members are being recruited.
• Recycling Transfer Advisory Committee Update: Ray Barney reported full staffing, the promotion of Jim Levine to Assistant Crew Chief, and new hires Robert Fratis and Nick Donati. The new building project did not receive approval after misinformation about tax impact; delay will increase future costs. Equipment sales included a 2015 International trash truck for $23,000 on GovDeals and a 1990 vehicle for $4,800. A new baler was purchased in December 2025 with a $5,000 grant from NH Recycles/NH the Beautiful. Current rates cited: trash $98.10 per ton, rising to $103 per ton on July 1, 2026; furniture $109 per ton; demolition debris $119 per ton; electronics 7 to 20 cents per pound; Freon $8 per unit; lithium-ion batteries $1.50 per pound; NiCad batteries 78 cents per pound; cardboard revenue $40 per ton; metal revenue $140 per ton; mixed glass disposal cost $50 per ton; plastic #1/#7 bales 0.25 cent per pound. The committee noted a new state surcharge of $3.50 per ton took effect January 1, 2026; at last year’s 5,038.10 tons, it would amount to $17,633, with municipalities expected to seek quarterly reimbursement. The town recycled 35,000 pounds, or 17.5 tons, of plastic from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025. Council directed the town administrator to contact state representatives and neighboring towns about the surcharge and reimbursement process.
• Ordinance 0026 and No-Through Trucking: The council voted to schedule the first public hearing for a proposed amendment to sign regulations, ordinance 0026, and proposed ordinance 26-01, no-through trucking, for April 22, 2026. The Highway Safety Advisory Committee, police, and public works reviewed the proposed language because the current ordinance is difficult to enforce.
• Police Detail Rate Amendment: Council approved changing the detail rate for non-union sworn police employees to $70 per hour effective July 1, 2026, with 1.5 times the detail rate after eight hours. Police Chief Sergeant said chief and captain details are infrequent and the change keeps them in line with union detail rate increases. The detail fund balance is about $350,000; Councilor Lapierre requested a future agenda discussion of the town’s detail billing rate and administrative fee.
• Old Business: Councilor LaLiberty asked that a Parks and Recreation plaque honoring the Marcier family, Macy’s Industries, and Bruce Thomas for the Denati Park footbridge be placed on the next agenda.
• Councilor Statements and Personnel Matters: Councilor Smith read a statement about an off-duty conversation with fire department personnel that he said left him feeling perceived as a threat; he asked that off-duty conduct expectations be clear but did not request action on an individual. The administrator read a Fire Department memo confirming the matter is being reviewed as an off-duty personnel matter and will not be commented on further. Councilor Smith also attempted to present resident and business complaints about the building inspector. Chair Santulas stopped the reading, saying it concerned a town employee and should be handled in nonpublic session to protect the employee’s reputation. The council discussed that the employee should have an opportunity to respond if the matter proceeds.

Key Outcomes

• Approved moving RSA 80:80 tax-deeded property authority forward as a proposed ordinance.
• Approved both consent agenda items.
• Appointed Carrie Hyde to the Heritage Commission for a term ending June 30, 2029.
• Directed the town administrator to contact state representatives and neighboring towns regarding the $3.50-per-ton disposal surcharge.
• Rescinded the prior electrical support bid award and, on a roll-call vote, awarded the contract to Oak Ridge Electrical LLC as primary contractor and Ian Cody, DBA IC Electric, as backup, with an option to terminate a contractor that does not perform satisfactorily.
• Scheduled the first public hearing on the signage/no-through-trucking ordinances for April 22, 2026.
• Approved the police detail rate change to $70 per hour effective July 1, 2026, with overtime after eight hours.
• Approved the March 25, 2026 meeting minutes and nonpublic minutes, with a note that the minutes’ font changed inconsistently.
• Voted by roll call to enter nonpublic session under RSA 91-A:2 II (a) and (b).