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Select Board — April 2, 2026

The meeting focused on administrative planning, goal setting, and standard operational reports with no significant public outcry recorded.

Date Thursday, April 2, 2026 Decisions 5 Routine

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Summary AI-generated to surface controversy & community impact without bias — always verify against the actual meeting before relying on it.

Attention Andover residents: Changes are coming to how the town handles Land Use Fees.

During the Select Board meeting on April 2, 2026, the Board discussed reviewing and updating land use fees to bring them in line with surrounding towns. While 'alignment' may sound administrative, for residents, property owners, and developers, this move typically results in increased costs for engaging in land use and zoning activities.

This is a significant decision that affects the local economy and the cost of doing business or managing property in Andover. The Board has scheduled a public hearing for April 16 to gather community input on these proposed updates.

If you want to have a say in how much it costs to navigate our town's land use processes, make sure you attend the hearing on April 16. Don't wait until the fees are set to voice your concerns.

Apr 2, 2026 5 decisions Routine
Notable statements Drag to browse

“The biggest job of the Select Board is to manage the operations of the town.”

— Charlie Stewart · Discussing the role of the Board versus resident desires during the goals discussion. 00:00

“Andover needs a strategic plan for 5 years out and 10 years out beyond capital improvements.”

— Les Fenton · Discussing long-term goals for the town. 00:00
This meeting — choose a section

Public ⁠impact

Issues from this meeting with documented community impact.
What was discussed

Management of large upcoming payments to the SAU affects the town's cash-on-hand and overall fiscal stability.

What was discussed

Potential increase in administrative fees to align with regional standards.

Topics ⁠discussed

Each topic expands to quotes and full context.
Speakers: Dana Swenson, Les Fenton, Charlie Stewart, James Delaney
What was discussed

The Board reviewed and approved the meeting minutes from March 5, 2026, and March 19, 2026.

Speakers: Don Sieburg, Mark Cowdrey, Jacob Gilman, Les Fenton, Charlie Stewart, James Delaney, Karen Healey
What was discussed

Discussion regarding 2026 goals, including road inventories, the Master Plan, strategic planning, and potential sub-committees.

Speakers: Don Sieburg, James Delaney, Charlie Stewart, Les Fenton
What was discussed

Discussion of cash on hand and upcoming large payments due to the SAU.

Speakers: Dana Swenson, Les Fenton, James Delaney
What was discussed

Interviews were conducted for Planning Board re-appointments and new applicants; forest fire warden appointment was addressed.

Speakers: Don Sieburg, James Delaney, Charlie Stewart
What was discussed

Discussion regarding the disposal of approximately 100 tires on the French property.

Speakers: Charlie Stewart, Mark Cowdrey
What was discussed

Review of proposed updates to land use fees to align with surrounding towns and the scheduling of a public hearing.

Speakers: Don Sieburg
What was discussed

Report on new equipment, upcoming street sweeping, road conditions, and recent office repairs.

Controversy & ⁠dissent

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

Potentially controversial issues

01

Land Use Fees Review

The board is proposing updates to land use fees to align with surrounding towns, which implies a potential increase in costs for residents and developers engaged in land use activities.
Board position: The board is moving forward with the review and has scheduled a public hearing to allow for community input.
medium concern
02

French Property Cleanup Project

The board determined that a private citizen (Mr. Caron) is responsible for the costs of disposing of approximately 100 tires on a property, which may lead to personal financial dispute.
Board position: The board directed the Town Administrator to contact Mr. Caron to ensure he pays for the disposal costs.
low concern

Split votes

Approval of March 19, 2026, minutes as amended
Passed (with recusals)

Community vs. board tension

Public ⁠comment

What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
No public comments were identified in this meeting.

Decisions ⁠logged

Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
00:00
Approval of March 5, 2026, minutes
Motion by Stewart, seconded by Fenton.
Passed unanimously
00:00
Approval of March 19, 2026, minutes as amended
Motion by Fenton, seconded by Stewart; Swenson and Delaney recused.
Passed
00:00
Authorization of TA Sieburg to send a payment schedule letter to the SAU
Motion by Stewart, seconded by Fenton.
Passed unanimously
00:00
Direction for TA Sieburg to contact Mr. Caron regarding tire disposal costs
Motion by Stewart; the board decided Mr. Caron must pay for the disposal of the tires.
Passed
00:00
Entry into non-public session per RSA 91-A:3 II (c)
Motion by Delaney, seconded by Stewart.
Passed unanimously

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Potential cost increases for residents via Land Use Fee updates
At the April 2 Select Board meeting, the Board moved forward with updates to Land Use Fees to 'align' with surrounding towns. This likely means higher costs for local property owners and developers. A public hearing is set for... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/andover/select-board/2026-04-02/ #MeetingWatch #AndoverNH
315/280 chars
Fiscal management and school payment impacts on taxpayers
Andover’s fiscal stability is on the radar: The Select Board is currently working on a new payment schedule for the SAU to manage upcoming large payments and town cash-on-hand. Significant for all taxpayers. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/andover/select-board/2026-04-02/ #MeetingWatch #AndoverNH
293/280 chars
Board philosophy regarding resident influence vs. administration
During the April 2 meeting, Board member Charlie Stewart stated the Board's 'biggest job' is managing operations, rather than addressing specific resident desires. A reminder of the current Board's stance on its role in town... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/andover/select-board/2026-04-02/ #MeetingWatch #AndoverNH
313/280 chars

X thread

1
What is the future of Land Use Fees in Andover? At the April 2 Select Board meeting, officials discussed updating fees to match neighboring towns. Here is what you need to know about the potential impact on your wallet. 🧵 #MeetingWatch #AndoverNH
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2
The proposed changes aim to 'align' Andover’s fees with surrounding municipalities. For residents, property owners, and developers, this almost certainly translates to higher administrative costs for land use and zoning processes.
230/280
3
The Board has scheduled a public hearing for April 16. If you are concerned about rising costs or how these fees affect local development, this is your opportunity to voice your opinion before they are finalized.
212/280
4
Stay informed on how town decisions affect your finances. Check the town calendar for the April 16 hearing details. #AndoverNH #LocalGovernment #Accountability https://meetingwatch.org/nh/andover/select-board/2026-04-02/
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Facebook — long form

Attention Andover residents: Changes are coming to how the town handles Land Use Fees. 

During the Select Board meeting on April 2, 2026, the Board discussed reviewing and updating land use fees to bring them in line with surrounding towns. While 'alignment' may sound administrative, for residents, property owners, and developers, this move typically results in increased costs for engaging in land use and zoning activities.

This is a significant decision that affects the local economy and the cost of doing business or managing property in Andover. The Board has scheduled a public hearing for April 16 to gather community input on these proposed updates. 

If you want to have a say in how much it costs to navigate our town's land use processes, make sure you attend the hearing on April 16. Don't wait until the fees are set to voice your concerns. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/andover/select-board/2026-04-02/ #MeetingWatch #AndoverNH

Action ⁠items

Who owes what, by when.
Create a sub-committee for road inventory/asset management
Assigned: Les Fenton and Mark Cowdrey
Send a letter to the SAU outlining a prospective payment schedule
Assigned: Don Sieburg (TA)
Contact Mr. Caron to advise that he must pay for tire disposal
Assigned: Don Sieburg (TA)
Attend scheduled session for strategic plan discussion
Assigned: Select Board · Due: 2026-05-15
Public hearing on Land Use Fees
Assigned: Public · Due: 2026-04-16

Member ⁠positions

5 issues · 11 explicit · 11 inferred · 2 unclear
A split vote in this meeting was recorded without naming the dissenter (e.g. a voice vote). Members whose individual vote could not be confirmed are marked UNCLEAR below — this is not the same as a “yes.” Named votes will be filled in if official minutes record them.
Dana Swenson
Chair
Present
Approval of March 5, 2026, minutes UNCLEAR
Approval of March 19, 2026, minutes as amended ABSTAIN
Recused from vote
Authorization of TA Sieburg to send a payment schedule letter to the SAU YES ~
Direction for TA Sieburg to contact Mr. Caron regarding tire disposal costs YES ~
Entry into non-public session per RSA 91-A:3 II (c) YES ~
Roland Carter
Vice Chair
Absent
Present
Approval of March 5, 2026, minutes YES
Approval of March 19, 2026, minutes as amended YES
Authorization of TA Sieburg to send a payment schedule letter to the SAU YES
Direction for TA Sieburg to contact Mr. Caron regarding tire disposal costs YES
Entry into non-public session per RSA 91-A:3 II (c) YES
Present
Approval of March 5, 2026, minutes UNCLEAR
Approval of March 19, 2026, minutes as amended ABSTAIN
Recused from vote
Authorization of TA Sieburg to send a payment schedule letter to the SAU YES ~
Direction for TA Sieburg to contact Mr. Caron regarding tire disposal costs YES ~
Entry into non-public session per RSA 91-A:3 II (c) YES
Absent
Present
Approval of March 5, 2026, minutes YES
Approval of March 19, 2026, minutes as amended YES
Authorization of TA Sieburg to send a payment schedule letter to the SAU YES
Direction for TA Sieburg to contact Mr. Caron regarding tire disposal costs YES ~
Entry into non-public session per RSA 91-A:3 II (c) YES ~
Present
Direction for TA Sieburg to contact Mr. Caron regarding tire disposal costs YES ~
Entry into non-public session per RSA 91-A:3 II (c) YES ~

Positions marked ~ are inferred from context and may not reflect the member's explicitly stated position. UNCLEAR means the vote was split but the record did not name how this member voted — it is not a “yes.”

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Report composed by grok-4.3, gemma-4-26b, grok-4.20-0309-reasoning · analyzed 2026-06-01.