Board of Selectmen — February 9, 2026
No public dissent, split votes, or unresolved conflicts; every agenda item passed without debate and public concerns were directly addressed.
Public impact
Route 122/Merrimack Road safety improvements
Austin Road 13-acre open space acquisition
Decisions logged
Topics discussed
▶ 00:13 Citizens' Forum
Public comments on proposed state bills regarding daycare zoning and home businesses; request for Board support on a letter urging earlier DOT repairs to Route 101; concerns about potholes on Route 122; reminder about master plan action items.
▶ 10:04 Public Hearing on Land Acquisition
Joint hearing with Conservation Commission on purchase of 13-acre Austin Road parcel (Map 7 Lot 44) for open space and trail connectivity at $300,000 from Conservation Fund.
▶ 23:23 Conservation Commission Appointment
Appointment of Peter Music as alternate member to Amherst Conservation Commission with term ending 2027.
▶ 24:54 NH DOT Presentation on Route 122 Intersection
Discussion of all-way stop control as low-cost interim safety measure for Merrimack Road/Route 122 intersection pending 2036 construction project; data from other states showing crash reductions.
▶ 1:00:11 Traffic safety measures at local intersection
Discussion of signing changes or other safety improvements following a recent accident; board agrees to seek public input before final approval.
▶ 1:04:45 Renewable Energy Credit (REC) agreement for DPW solar system
Review of fixed-rate REC sales contract with Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire for the 58 kW solar installation on the salt shed, projected to generate ~$2,100 annually.
▶ 1:18:10 Hydrant rate correction with Pennichuck
Update on discovery of billing error involving 16-inch pipe exclusion; anticipated reduction in rates and refund of prior overcharges.
▶ 1:26:21 Rail trail project updates (North O2 and North O3)
Status of North O2 alternatives analysis, right-of-way issues on private segment, and potential repurposing of funds; North O3 remains on schedule with VHB selection pending. CMAC-funded extension from Courthouse Road to 101 overpass; funding secured at ~$1.6M total ($1.28M grant, $320K town share); seeking state approval to use VHB as engineer via QBS process, with survey work anticipated in April.
▶ 2:03:00 Village Streets Project Update
Status of Safe Streets for All grant project to redesign six village intersections; RFQ to be advertised Feb 13; discussion on reconvening Village Streets Committee with revised charter for input on prioritization and design.
▶ 2:17:11 Fire Department Items
Acceptance of federal surplus property (PA system, evacuation chairs); approval of part-time administrative assistant job description; approval of Captain of Community Risk Reduction job description and authorization to fill position.
▶ 2:22:12 Consent Agenda and Routine Approvals
Approval of consent agenda (veterans tax credit, manifests); three tax abatements; approval of Jan 12/20 minutes; approval of 4th of July event and Easter egg hunt requests; supplemental tax bill for Map 10 Lot 50.
▶ 2:28:18 Other Business and Letters
Discussion of public input session for 122 Main St interim improvements; letters to Ways & Means and NRP regarding 101 project support; announcements of upcoming Bike/Ped and Planning Board meetings.
Controversy & dissent
Action items
Notable statements
Amherst has always been identified as the area with the most accidents on that road — Unidentified speaker · Route 101 repairs discussion ▶ 06:20
Always stop control can be installed on primary routes without violating driver expectations or creating safety concerns — Unidentified speaker · DOT presentation citing NC and DE data ▶ 43:00
My granddaughter was going to Souhegan High School and she. Somebody t boned her — Unidentified speaker · Personal account of intersection crash ▶ 56:20
End of March is good timeframe for town decision on signing changes to incorporate into current project or summer operational plan — Unidentified speaker · Traffic safety discussion ▶ 1:01:08
REC price stable at $33 per REC for past five years; one-year contract auto-renews each December with cancellation option — Unidentified speaker · Solar REC presentation ▶ 1:11:09
State confirmed no impact on future grant eligibility if project scope changes or results in no-build due to right-of-way issues — Unidentified speaker · North O2 rail trail update ▶ 1:48:18
Moultons intersection likely to cost as much as the other five combined and is priority one — Unidentified speaker · Village Streets project cost discussion ▶ 2:14:49
Reconvene committee informally to refresh prior discussions and bring recommendations to board — Unidentified speaker · Village Streets Committee reactivation ▶ 2:10:30
Public comment
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grok-4.3, claude-opus-4-7 · analyzed 2026-05-27.