Hooksett Town Council Meeting - June 24, 2026

The Hooksett Town Council met Wednesday, June 24, 2026, calling the meeting to order at approximately 6:02 p.m.; the transcript also contains an earlier reference to a planned 7:00 p.m. start. The council heard the town administrator's report, received presentations on a CDBG housing grant and a secondhand dealer license application, approved routine items, and recognized outgoing Chair Timothy Santulas for 10 years of service.

Town Administrator's Report

• Administrator Andre reported two resignations: Town Planner Grant McGregor, effective June 30, 2026, and Police Captain Jake Roby, retiring effective July 5, 2026.
• POW/MIA flag ceremonies are scheduled for June 26 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., with 13 stops in and around town ending at Town Hall; Mr. Caruso said final preparations are complete and the event will proceed rain or shine.
• The Petersburg Pavilion at Petersburg Park was unveiled at a ribbon cutting on June 11. Home Depot and Friends of Athletics (formerly HYAA) were contributors; staff Ben Berthium and Tommy Bartula were recognized, and Bob Wiley and Mike Horn shepherded the project.
• An employee appreciation ice cream social is set for June 25, with a vendor visiting departments in place of the former appreciation luncheon due to time and budget constraints.
• The administrator requested postponing the non-public performance evaluation to July 8 and added a new business item recognizing the Chair.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public input was offered in either of the two public input sessions.

Scheduled Appointment: Elm Grove CDBG Grant Presentation

• Shauna Saunders of the Lakes Region Planning Commission (LRPC) said LRPC was representing the Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission on the town's and developer's behalf. Brian Webster, Elm Grove project manager; Matt Menning, Elm Grove director of operations; and Matthew Rose, LRPC environmental planner and grant writer, were present.
• Webster described the Residences at River Hill, 512 West River Road, a four-story, 70-unit multifamily building currently serving workforce and market-rate housing needs. It has two studios, 14 one-bedrooms, and 54 two-bedroom units; amenities include off-street parking, on-site laundry, a gym, and a playground.
• Proposed work includes exterior facade upgrades (Hardie board siding, window replacements, brick painting), a paver patio, a dog park, rooftop solar, common-area interior improvements, and conversion of underutilized basement storage into six new studio units. The building would become fully workforce housing.
• Rose explained that CDBG is a federal HUD-funded program administered by New Hampshire CDFA; eligible applicants are towns, cities, and counties outside entitlement communities (Dover, Nashua, Portsmouth, Manchester, and Rochester). Grant categories include housing, public facilities, economic development, emergency needs, and transformative planning, with a maximum request of $750,000.
• The roles would be: town as grant applicant, Elm Grove as sub-recipient, and LRPC as grant writer and administrator. In response to Councilor Lapierre, the team said $30,000 of the grant would be used to contract a third-party administrator, not hire a town employee. Required plans include a three-year Housing and Community Development Plan and a Residential Anti-Displacement and Relocation Assistance (RARA) plan.
• The administrator noted Elm Grove approached the town in May and the Planning Board gave a positive recommendation for converting existing units and adding six units.
• The project team said 90% or more of existing tenants are expected to be retained through income averaging from 20% to 80% of area median income (AMI). Menning stated that the property currently has 40% affordability restricted to 60% AMI, with income limits around $60,000; the new structure would allow incomes ranging from about $20,000 to $90,000, move the property to 100% affordability, and allow more portable Section 8 voucher holders. The town welfare director asked about subsidized units and received this explanation.
• Councilor Smith asked about storage; Webster said current storage is underutilized and some storage would remain. Another question addressed town staff level of effort; the team said it would be extremely limited, with Elm Grove handling Davis-Bacon wage paperwork and the compliance period. Administrator Andre said the town's financial exposure is very low, with costs largely borne by the applicant and only limited audit exposure.
• The team asked the council to schedule a public hearing for July 8, 2026 because the grant application is due at the end of July.

Scheduled Appointment: Bass Pro Shop Secondhand Dealer License

• Town Clerk Karina Town and Police Chief Justin Sargent presented Bass Pro Shop's application for a secondhand dealer's license under ordinance 2014-1.
• Chief Sargent said the town has three gun stores - Bass Pro Shop, Shooters, and Wicked Weaponry - and none of the other two holds this license; the ordinance has not been enforced during his tenure. He expressed concern that the license is unnecessary for firearm dealers because the ATF already regulates firearm sales and checks for stolen firearms, but he would enforce the ordinance if directed. Town Clerk Town clarified that Bass Pro Shop submitted the application on its own initiative for compliance.
• Council discussion included the view that the existing ordinance covers firearms and should be enforced unless amended, and a pro-business view that Bass Pro Shop should not be delayed; a later ordinance review could address the broader question. A motion to grant the application and approve the $250 fee passed on a voice vote with one councilor opposed. A follow-up review of the ordinance was discussed.

Routine Approvals & Consent Items

• The council accepted a $100 donation for the Head School program, to be used for historical toys in the 1840 one-room schoolhouse program.
• Budget Transfer 2027-01: the council voted 6-1 to reallocate the voters' approved default budget of $24,643,338 for FY 2026-27 to the amended budget approved by the Town Council on June 10, 2026. The amendment included a $3,500 addition to support the Hooksettites program; Councilor Lapierre voted no. During discussion, one councilor raised concern about budget reductions for field and park lawn and pest-control maintenance, saying delaying treatment could cost more in the future.
• Encumbrances: the council approved encumbering items 1 through 14 on the encumbrance list, not to exceed $261,062.52 from the FY 2025-26 budget, in accordance with RSA 32:7.
• The council approved the public and non-public minutes of June 10, 2026, as presented, with no changes.

Key Outcomes

• The council voted to hold a public hearing on July 8, 2026, for the CDBG project plan and grant adoption (voice vote, all in favor).
• The Bass Pro Shop secondhand dealer license application was approved with the $250 fee (voice vote; one councilor opposed).
• A $100 donation for the Head School program was accepted.
• Budget Transfer 2027-01 was approved by a 6-1 roll-call vote, with Councilor Lapierre opposed.
• Encumbrances totaling up to $261,062.52 were approved for items 1-14.
• The June 10, 2026 public and non-public minutes were approved.
• The administrator requested that the non-public performance evaluation be postponed to July 8, 2026.
• The council recognized Chair Timothy Santulas for 10 years of service since being sworn in on July 8, 2015; he was presented with an eternal key to the city and gave closing remarks. The meeting then adjourned by motion.