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Board of Selectmen — March 2, 2026

The meeting was largely cooperative and unified, but community members raised genuine safety urgency about the Route 122 intersection and chiefs described a public safety communications crisis already underway, preventing the session from being purely routine.

Date Monday, March 2, 2026 Duration 1.5h Speakers 9 Decisions 10 Mildly contentious
▶ Video

Public ⁠impact

Issues from this meeting with documented community impact.
01

Route 122 / Merrimack Road All-Way Stop Installation

$20,000 safety improvement at a documented crash-prone intersection; interim measure until a $3 million roundabout planned for 2034 Affected: All motorists and residents using the Route 122 and Merrimack Road intersection, including commuters and nearby neighborhoods
safety change
02

Federal Grant Applications — Local Match Obligation for Radio Equipment

Potential local match obligations of roughly $300,000–$800,000 depending on grant awards; funding source not fully identified Affected: All Amherst taxpayers who may bear the cost of local match requirements ranging from 25% to 65% across grants totaling over $1.2 million
other high impact
03

SAFER Grant — Firefighter Staffing Expansion

$500,000–$600,000 grant potential with multi-year personnel cost tail; financial projections through year four requested but not yet available Affected: All Amherst taxpayers who would face ongoing salary and benefit costs for new firefighter positions after grant funding expires; also affects public safety capacity
other high impact
04

Healthcare Transition to Health Trust

Town-wide employee healthcare transition; specific cost differential not detailed in this meeting Affected: Town employees and their families whose healthcare coverage and costs will change under the new plan
other high impact

Decisions ⁠logged

Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
Board voted to support the installation of a four-way stop at Route 122 and Merrimack Road intersection
Motion made to support the four-way stop installation and authorize staff to construct and sign a letter of support to NHDOT
Unanimous approval
Approved revision to Fire Captain job description
Changed Community Risk Reduction Captain position from non-exempt to exempt status to reflect supervisory requirements and benefit eligibility
Approved
Authorized Fire Chief and Town Administrator to apply for Representative Goodlander's community project funding grant through USDA Rural Development Program for $305,000
Grant includes 65% local match requirement for public safety communications equipment
Approved 5-0
Authorized Fire Chief and Town Administrator to apply for Senator Shaheen's congressional direct spending grant through USDA Rural Development Program for $305,000
Grant includes 65% local match requirement for public safety communications equipment
Approved 5-0
Authorized Police Chief and Town Administrator to apply for Representative Goodlander's community project funding grant through DOJ Technology Grant for $325,000
Grant may include up to 25% local match for public safety communications equipment
Approved 5-0
Authorized Police Chief and Town Administrator to apply for Senator Shaheen's congressional direct spending grant through DOJ Technology Grant for $325,000
Grant may include 25% local match for public safety communications equipment
Approved 5-0
Approved permit for wholesale and retail sales of fireworks for Apex Fireworks for 2026
Annual permit renewal
Approved 5-0
Approved raffle permit for Milford Rotary Club with ticket sales March to June 19, 2026
Annual raffle permit request
Approved 4-0 with 2 abstentions
Approved use of town common for annual Memorial Day parade on Friday, May 22 from 5-7pm
Annual Memorial Day parade request
Approved 4-0 with 1 abstention
Approved minutes from February 4, 2026 and February 9, 2026 meetings
February 9 minutes approved with typo correction to 'counsel' spelling
Both approved 5-0

Topics ⁠discussed

Click a topic to expand quotes and full context.
▶ 01:40 Route 122 and Merrimack Road All-Way Stop Proposal

DPW Director Slaza presented detailed information about NHDOT's proposal to install an all-way stop at the intersection of Route 122 and Merrimack Road as a temporary safety measure before the planned $3 million roundabout in 2034. The proposal costs approximately $20,000 and shows significant crash reduction benefits based on data from other states.

Speakers: Speaker C (DPW Director Slaza), Speaker E (Chief Champoli)
▶ 30:22 Public Input on All-Way Stop Proposal

Multiple residents provided input supporting the four-way stop proposal, citing safety concerns, frequent near-misses, and visibility issues at the intersection. Two written comments were also received expressing support.

Speakers: Speaker F (Town Administrator), Andrew Pataki, Dan LeClaire, Cassandra Weldon
▶ 39:16 Town Administrator Updates

Updates provided on website transition to Civic Plus platform, financial software selection process, employee handbook revisions, Buck Meadow athletic fields project, PFAS mitigation at fire station, healthcare transition to Health Trust, and upcoming town election preparations.

Speakers: Speaker F (Town Administrator)
▶ 46:50 Public Safety Communications Grant Opportunities

Police and Fire chiefs presented multiple federal grant opportunities totaling over $1.2 million for replacing obsolete radio equipment across police, fire, and DPW departments. Applications include both Department of Agriculture rural development grants and Department of Justice technology grants with varying local match requirements of 25-65%.

Speakers: Speaker D (Chief Walton), Speaker E (Chief Champoli), Unidentified speaker
▶ 58:58 Grant Timeline and Funding Sources

Review of federal grant process timeline (September 30 deadline) and discussion of potential funding sources for local match requirements, including CRF funds and hydrant leasing fee savings.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 1:02:44 Radio System Modernization and Interoperability

Technical discussion of P25 communication standards for future interoperability between departments and replacement of obsolete equipment described as 'bricks that are falling apart.'

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 1:08:55 Grant Application Prioritization

Board discussion on prioritizing grant applications when submitting multiple projects to same congressional offices, with consensus to prioritize grants covering all three departments.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 1:13:00 Additional FEMA Grant Opportunities

Fire Chief presentation on upcoming AFG grant ($500-600k) for SCBA equipment and air filling station, and SAFER grant for additional firefighter staffing positions.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 1:20:58 Routine Permits and Approvals

Approval of annual permits including fireworks sales permit for Apex Fireworks, raffle permit for Milford Rotary, and Memorial Day parade use of town common.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 1:25:38 Meeting Schedule Changes

Board voted to change April meeting dates from 1st and 3rd to 13th and 27th, moving back to typical second and fourth Monday schedule.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker

Controversy & ⁠dissent

Where the board, the community, or the agenda diverged.

Potentially controversial issues

01

Route 122 / Merrimack Road All-Way Stop vs. Long-Term Roundabout

Residents raised safety concerns about a dangerous intersection with frequent near-misses and angular crashes that can be fatal at posted speeds. A key tension emerged around whether the $20,000 temporary stop is sufficient given the 2034 roundabout may never materialize — a resident cited a comparable project on Route 101A that has been on the 10-year plan since 2002. The state also has unilateral authority to act regardless of town input, which some residents may find concerning.
Board position: Unanimously supported the four-way stop installation and authorized a letter of support to NHDOT
high concern
02

Federal Grant Local Match Funding — Source and Fiscal Impact

Four grant applications totaling over $1.2 million were approved with local match requirements ranging from 25% to 65%, representing potential town obligations of roughly $300,000–$800,000. The board briefly discussed CRF funds and hydrant leasing fee savings as sources, but no firm funding plan was presented. Committing to match requirements without a clear appropriation path carries fiscal risk for taxpayers.
Board position: Approved all four grant applications 5-0, directing chiefs and Town Administrator to apply while deferring detailed match funding sourcing
medium concern
03

SAFER Grant — Additional Firefighter Staffing Positions

The SAFER grant, if awarded, would add firefighter positions with ongoing salary and benefit obligations that outlast the grant period. The board deferred a full decision and requested a comprehensive financial analysis through year four, signaling awareness that post-grant costs could become a significant and recurring budget burden for taxpayers.
Board position: Deferred final action; directed Fire Chief to present full financial projections through the fourth year before committing
medium concern
04

Critical Failure of Public Safety Radio Equipment

Police and Fire chiefs described communications equipment as non-functional or irreparable — Chief Walton has a literal bucket of broken radios, and Chief Champoli described 'bricks that are falling apart.' This is a public safety infrastructure failure already in progress, not a future risk. Residents may be concerned that this crisis existed before grants were sought and that service reliability has already been compromised.
Board position: Treated urgently; approved all four grant applications and noted the town is 'past the point of a planned replacement'
medium concern

Split votes

Raffle permit for Milford Rotary Club
4-0 with 2 abstentions
Use of town common for Memorial Day parade
4-0 with 1 abstention

Community vs. board tension

Action ⁠items

Who owes what, by when.
Construct and sign letter of support for four-way stop to NHDOT
Assigned: Town staff · Due: Immediate
Address snow bank visibility issue at Route 122/Merrimack Road intersection
Assigned: DPW · Due: Near term
Schedule work session to discuss employee handbook revisions
Assigned: Board of Selectmen · Due: April 8th or 9th proposed
Submit federal grant applications for communications equipment
Assigned: Fire and Police Chiefs · Due: March 6th (Friday)
Present financial software recommendation to board
Assigned: Town Administrator · Due: March 9th meeting
Provide letters of support to Senator Shaheen and Representative Goodlander's offices for all four grant applications
Assigned: Board Chair · Due: As needed for grant applications
Present comprehensive analysis of SAFER grant scenarios including financial projections through fourth year
Assigned: Fire Chief and Staff · Due: Next Board meeting
Schedule budget work session for April 8th at 4:00 PM
Assigned: Town Administrator · Due: April 8, 2026
Prepare election coverage schedule for members
Assigned: Board · Due: Next Monday meeting (night before election)

Notable ⁠statements

The state could implement this despite what the town wants to do or doesn't want to do, but they want to try to work with us and do what we think is right for our town — DPW Director Slaza · Explaining NHDOT's authority over state roads while seeking local input ▶ 22:52
Angular crashes at even the 35 miles an hour, true angular crash into the driver's door or passenger's door with an occupant generally results in a fatality — Chief Champoli · Emphasizing the severity of crashes at the intersection due to speed ▶ 18:26
There's no guarantee that this project is even going to happen until 2034. Just as an example, the one on Route 101A Bedford Amherst Wilton has been on the ten year program since 2002 — Dan LeClaire · Expressing skepticism about long-term transportation project timelines ▶ 32:16
I literally have a bucket of radios in my apparatus bay that cannot be repaired and cannot be used — Chief Walton · Describing the critical state of obsolete communications equipment ▶ 47:58
More irons in the fire is going to be better for us in the long run — Unidentified speaker · Explaining strategy of submitting multiple grant applications to increase chances of success ▶ 58:16
I have a bunch of bricks that are falling apart and that's my primary goal is to get those replaced — Unidentified speaker · Describing current state of fire department radio equipment ▶ 1:03:26
We are past the point of a planned replacement. We are in critical need replacement right now — Unidentified speaker · Emphasizing urgency of radio equipment replacement for fire department ▶ 1:04:13
This is not a problem that we went searching for so we could have a solution. This is a problem that we have that needs to be solved — Unidentified speaker · Clarifying that grant applications address genuine operational needs, not opportunistic funding requests ▶ 1:12:10

Public ⁠comment

What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
No public comments were identified in this meeting.
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Report composed by claude-sonnet-4-20250514, claude-opus-4-6 · analyzed 2026-05-19.