Accountability posts

**Sunapee Board of Firewards — Meeting Recap & What Residents Should Know (2/19/26)**

The Board of Firewards met Thursday, February 19th. Most of the agenda was routine — vehicle maintenance, a new fire truck inspection, dock delivery updates — but one issue stands out and directly affects some of Sunapee's most vulnerable residents.

**Sunapee Cove's new corporate director is restricting the assisted living facility to meals and medication services only.** In practice, this means fire/EMS may no longer be called for lift-assist calls — situations where a resident has fallen and needs help getting up. Residents who require that kind of help frequently could face pressure to leave the facility entirely. Board members expressed genuine concern, with one noting that many of these residents have 'been paying their taxes religiously for 65 years' and that stopping by to help them is 'the nicest thing we do.' That's a meaningful statement — but the board stopped short of establishing any firm policy or public commitment to protect service access. The Fire Chief and ambulance director were directed to meet informally to develop a protocol. Families with loved ones at Sunapee Cove should be watching this closely and asking what comes out of that meeting.

**On the fee schedule:** The board reached consensus on a new fire department fee structure — $25 for oil/gas equipment permits, tiered apparatus fees of $15–$25/hour based on vehicle weight, and firework permits at $100 (Class B) and $20 (Class C). A public hearing is scheduled before formal adoption. Worth noting: the board proactively removed a proposed fee for copies of reports after recognizing it might conflict with New Hampshire's right-to-know law (RSA 91-A). The fee was set to zero pending legal review — a straightforward and correct call.

**Looking ahead:** The board chair, who has served for approximately eight years, announced their term expires in April and expressed low enthusiasm for reappointment. No successor has been identified. The open position will be publicly announced before the March 19th meeting — which is also the first meeting after Town Vote. Fire and EMS governance touches every resident in Sunapee. If you or someone you know has the time and interest to serve, this is the moment to act. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/board-of-firewards/2026-02-19/ #MeetingWatch #SunapeeNH