City of Laconia City Council Meeting - August 11, 2025

The City of Laconia City Council held its regular meeting on Monday, August 11, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. The council addressed a consent calendar, public comments, discussion items including a controversial commercial docking restriction at Weirs Beach, a building permit on a private road, a grant for police narcotics enforcement, and proposed water rate increases. Mayor Hosper announced his resignation effective at the end of the year, and a process to fill the vacancy was outlined. Several items were referred to committees for further study, and the council entered a non-public session to discuss personnel matters.

Consent Calendar

• Acceptance of Minutes: Minutes from the July 28, 2025 regular meeting were accepted as distributed with no corrections.
• Appointments to Boards and Commissions: The council unanimously approved the following appointments recommended by the Appointments Subcommittee: Arthur Kirk (Parks and Rec Commission), Richard Bodie (Zoning Board of Adjustment – full member), Deb Williams (Conservation Commission), John Tracy (Water Commission), Warren Clement (Downtown TIF District Advisory Board), Lois Kessen (Heritage Commission), Michael Agiroppolis (Library Board), Lisa Morham (Conservation Commission), Aaron Bassett (Library Board), and Charlie St. Clair (Downtown TIF Advisory Board).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Chad Puzzle (Tuzies/Miniwinny Party Bus Company) spoke against the existing regulation restricting commercial docking at Weirs Beach. He argued that a $100 fine for commercial boats would hurt his business and the local economy, noting that his boats do not loiter, solicit, or sell merchandise at the dock, but only pick up and drop off passengers. He urged the council to reconsider the rule, emphasizing that his customers are directed to spend money at local businesses. He asked what he and others could do to help the process.
• Bill Verner (Lakes Region Boat Tours, Moltonboro) noted the absence of a handicap-accessible dock at Weirs Beach, contrasting with Wolfeboro where a shared handicap dock works well. He requested a similar accommodation.
• Jeff Hagopian (owner of Lake Winnipesaukee Pontoon Boat Charters and Tours) supported the prior speakers’ economic impact arguments and added a safety perspective. He described the waters near the Weirs as treacherous, especially on weekends, and stated that his tours provide a safe boating experience for visitors unfamiliar with the lake. He asked what prompted the posting of the commercial use signs, as no such signs existed on the old docks. Councillor Cheney responded that he brought the issue forward after receiving constituent complaints about boats spending too much time at the docks, and that the ordinance already existed. He recommended referring the matter to the Ordinance Committee for review.

Discussion Items

• Mayor’s Resignation: Mayor Hosper announced his term will conclude at the end of the year, with his resignation effective at the end of the current meeting. A process to fill the vacancy was presented by the City Manager: advertising begins August 13, applications due August 28, and a special council meeting for interviews on September 4 at 6:00 p.m. The appointment will fill the remainder of the term.
• Council Comments:
  • Councillor Felch reported that the Gut Lunch program fed 550 children that day, thanked a volunteer (Dunper Pepe) for watering downtown flowers, and promoted National Night Out on Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m.
  • Councillor Cheney requested that the committee studying resident-only parking move quickly. He also asked if the Historic District could evaluate designating the Weirs as a historic district. He inquired about the solar farm at the Weirs (off Sterling Drive) and received an update: it has been running since January 2025; the city receives a lease payment estimated at $30,000 this year plus a small fraction per kilowatt hour. He also raised parking issues on Beamman Street, citing photos of vehicles on sidewalks, and forwarded the complaint to the police chief.
• Item 21D – Commercial Docking Restrictions (Chapter 229): The council discussed a request from multiple lake businesses to allow short-term commercial docking at Weirs Beach for passenger transport. The item was moved up in the agenda. A motion to refer the matter to the Government Operations and Ordinances Committee passed unanimously (6-0). The committee will meet on Wednesday, August 13 at 2:00 p.m. The City Manager noted that any committee recommendation would require a public hearing before council action, meaning the earliest resolution could be September.
• Item 21A – Building Permit for 54 Colonial Road: The council considered a building permit for a single-family home on a private lot on a road that is not a city street. The Planning Board recommended approval with a condition that a drainage plan be submitted to and approved by Public Works, and that the owner sign an acknowledgement of the city’s limited liability for the private road. A motion to approve the permit with those conditions passed unanimously (6-0).
• Item 21B – Grant Resolution 2025-27: The council authorized a $40,000 New Hampshire Department of Safety Granite Shield/Northern Shield grant for the Police Department to combat narcotics trafficking. Three motions passed unanimously (6-0): waiving the reading of the resolution, approving the first reading, and scheduling a public hearing for August 25, 2025.
• Item 21C – Proposed Water Rate Increases: The Water Commission voted to increase the base rate by 15% (from $25 to $28.75 per quarter) and the consumption rate by 10% (from $2.55 to $2.81 per 100 cubic feet), effective January 1, 2026. The City Manager clarified that the estimated increase for an average family of four is 11 cents per day ($41 per year), not $1.08 per day as initially stated. The projected revenue increase is $350,000. During discussion, Councillor Cheney expressed concern about the Water Commission’s authority to set rates without council approval, noting the department has approximately $2.5–$3 million in cash reserves (about six months of operating expenses). He moved to refer the matter to the Government Operations Committee to study whether the council should have approval authority over rate increases. The motion passed unanimously (6-0). The Water Commission’s chairman and the City Manager noted that the department’s infrastructure-heavy nature requires higher reserves, and that Laconia has the fourth-lowest water rates in the state.
• City Manager’s Report: Kirk Biotti presented the process to fill the mayor’s vacancy. He also reviewed financial and operational trends for July: building construction and fire calls (including multiple simultaneous calls) were up; community paramedic contacts increased; police community policing efforts more than doubled; property tax collections were on track; motor vehicle registrations slightly ahead of pace; impact fees rising; and a professional review of impact fees will be presented to the council in the coming months. Building permits equaled last year’s levels. No questions followed.

Key Outcomes

• Appointments to boards and commissions approved unanimously.
• Commercial docking issue referred to Government Operations and Ordinances Committee (meeting August 13 at 2 p.m.).
• Building permit for 54 Colonial Road approved with conditions (drainage plan and signed liability waiver).
• Resolution 2025-27 (police narcotics grant) moved to first reading and public hearing scheduled for August 25.
• Water rate increase discussion referred to Government Operations Committee for study.
• Mayor’s resignation announced; vacancy filling process set (applications due August 28, special meeting September 4).
• Non-public session held under RSA 91-A:3 II (employee matters), with the council voting 6-0 to enter. No further business after the session; the meeting adjourned.