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Meeting report · Board of Selectmen Minutes-only
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Board of Selectmen — March 9, 2026

The meeting consisted primarily of administrative updates, permit approvals, and departmental reports with no public testimony recorded.

Date Monday, March 9, 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.

Two significant topics were discussed during the Springfield Board of Selectmen meeting on March 9 that require resident attention: municipal fees and street lighting policy.

First, a new proposed fee schedule was presented by the Zoning Coordinator. These fees impact the cost of conducting town business and obtaining permits. Recognizing the financial impact on residents, the Board has been tasked with scheduling a formal public hearing by March 23 so the community can review and weigh in on these changes.

Second, the Board is currently debating the future of Springfield's street lighting. The discussion centered on whether the town should invest in LED upgrades or move toward eliminating street lighting entirely to reduce costs. While the immediate priority is repairing currently malfunctioning lights, the decision between energy efficiency and public visibility/safety is still pending.

We will continue to monitor the scheduling of the fee schedule hearing. Residents should prepare to attend and voice their opinions on how these costs and infrastructure changes will affect our community.

Mar 9, 2026 5 decisions Routine
Notable statements Drag to browse

“Handle the street light issue first [regarding energy audit].”

— Steve Dzubak · Discussing whether to proceed with an energy audit or address non-working street lights first.

“A section of the cemetery has been designated for green burials.”

— Jen Roberts · Cemetery department update.
This meeting — choose a section

Public ⁠impact

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

Potential increase in costs for town-related services and permits

What was discussed

Potential reduction in public lighting or significant infrastructure upgrade

Topics ⁠discussed

Each topic expands to quotes and full context.
Speakers: Tim Bray
What was discussed

Review of zoning permits issued for solar arrays and bunkhouses, updates on Short Term Rental vested permits and expirations, driveway permit statuses, and a discussion regarding NHDES wetland permitting requirements for a culvert on Pettengill Road.

Speakers: Tim Bray
What was discussed

The Zoning Coordinator presented a researched proposed fee schedule based on comparable towns.

Speakers: Steve Dzubak
What was discussed

Discussion regarding malfunctioning street lights and whether to replace them with LEDs or eliminate them entirely.

Speakers: Jen Roberts, Steve Dzubak
What was discussed

Brief updates from various town departments including Buildings/Grounds, Cemetery, Conservation, Fire Department, and Recreation.

Controversy & ⁠dissent

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

Potentially controversial issues

01

Proposed Fee Schedule

Changes to municipal fee schedules typically impact residents' wallets and the cost of conducting town business; the board has acknowledged the need for a public hearing, indicating it is a matter for public scrutiny.
Board position: The board is proceeding with a formal public hearing process to vet the proposed researched schedule.
medium concern
02

Street Lighting Policy

The discussion involves a choice between modernizing infrastructure (LEDs) or eliminating street lighting entirely, which pits energy savings/cost reduction against public safety and visibility concerns.
Board position: The board is prioritizing the repair of malfunctioning lights before deciding on a long-term energy audit or replacement strategy.
medium concern

Split votes

Acceptance of February 10th Meeting Minutes
2-0 (1 abstention)

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.
Approval of Zoning Permits (Leathers solar array and Moulton/Bonneau bunkhouse)
Permits approved as they met all requirements of the Zoning Ordinance.
Approved
Approval of Colby Marshall driveway permit
Determined by Planning Board that no engineering plan was required.
Approved
Acceptance of Zoning Coordinator/Health Officer report
Motion by Steve, seconded by Jen. Voted in favor: Steve, Jen, Amy.
Passed
Acceptance of February 10th Meeting Minutes
Motion by Jen, seconded by Amy. Voted in favor: Jen, Amy. Steve abstained.
Passed
Acceptance of February 23rd Meeting Minutes
Motion by Steve, seconded by Jen. Voted in favor: Steve, Jen, Amy.
Passed

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Proposed Fee Schedule impact
At the March 9 Board of Selectmen meeting, a new municipal fee schedule was proposed. These changes impact the cost of town services and permits for all residents. The Board has been directed to schedule a public hearing by... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/springfield/select-board/2026-03-09/ #MeetingWatch #SpringfieldNH
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Street Lighting Policy
Springfield is weighing two very different paths for street lighting: upgrading to LEDs or eliminating street lights entirely. The Board is currently prioritizing fixing broken lights before deciding on a long-term... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/springfield/select-board/2026-03-09/ #MeetingWatch #SpringfieldNH
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Split vote/Abstention
During the March 9 Selectmen meeting, the Board voted 2-0 to approve the Feb 10 meeting minutes, with Steve Dzubak abstaining. While routine, abstentions on official records can sometimes signal underlying disagreements on... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/springfield/select-board/2026-03-09/ #MeetingWatch #SpringfieldNH
319/280 chars

X thread

1
Two key issues discussed at the March 9 Springfield Selectmen meeting will affect your wallet and your neighborhood safety. Here is what you need to know: 🧵 #MeetingWatch #SpringfieldNH
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2
1/ Proposed Fee Changes: The Zoning Coordinator presented a new fee schedule based on comparable towns. Because this affects the cost of municipal services and permits, the Board must now notice a public hearing. Watch for that notice before March 23.
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2/ Street Lighting: The Board is debating whether to modernize with LEDs or eliminate street lighting altogether to save money. For now, they are focusing on repairing broken lights, but the long-term direction for visibility and safety remains undecided.
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3/ Stay informed on how these decisions impact Springfield. We will continue to track the upcoming public hearing on the fee schedule. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/springfield/select-board/2026-03-09/
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Facebook — long form

Two significant topics were discussed during the Springfield Board of Selectmen meeting on March 9 that require resident attention: municipal fees and street lighting policy.

First, a new proposed fee schedule was presented by the Zoning Coordinator. These fees impact the cost of conducting town business and obtaining permits. Recognizing the financial impact on residents, the Board has been tasked with scheduling a formal public hearing by March 23 so the community can review and weigh in on these changes.

Second, the Board is currently debating the future of Springfield's street lighting. The discussion centered on whether the town should invest in LED upgrades or move toward eliminating street lighting entirely to reduce costs. While the immediate priority is repairing currently malfunctioning lights, the decision between energy efficiency and public visibility/safety is still pending.

We will continue to monitor the scheduling of the fee schedule hearing. Residents should prepare to attend and voice their opinions on how these costs and infrastructure changes will affect our community. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/springfield/select-board/2026-03-09/ #MeetingWatch #SpringfieldNH

Action ⁠items

Who owes what, by when.
Monitor NHDES permitting progress regarding Pettengill Road wetland impact.
Assigned: Zoning Coordinator
Make necessary changes to O’Neill driveway plan and bring stamped copy to next Planning Board meeting.
Assigned: Engineer
Notice a public hearing for the proposed fee schedule.
Assigned: Board of Selectmen · Due: March 23, 2026
Follow up with Chris and Gabe regarding Meetinghouse work starting in April.
Assigned: Emily · Due: April
Forward quotes for Fire Department roof resealing.
Assigned: Steve Dzubak
Reach out to Chris regarding library ramp repairs.
Assigned: Board/Staff
Obtain quote for a dormer over the Meetinghouse front doors.
Assigned: Jen Roberts

Member ⁠positions

7 issues · 3 explicit · 2 inferred
Jen Roberts
Chair
Present
Acceptance of Zoning Coordinator/Health Officer report YES
Acceptance of February 10th Meeting Minutes YES
Acceptance of February 23rd Meeting Minutes YES
Proposed Fee Schedule ~
Proceeding with formal public hearing process.
Street Lighting Policy ~
Prioritizing repair of malfunctioning lights first.

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.