Meeting report · Selectboard
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Selectboard — February 25, 2026
The meeting was largely routine with unanimous votes, but a persistent and pointed public commenter generated real friction over records transparency, due process in parking enforcement, and the town's defensiveness on those topics elevated the tone above a standard administrative session.
Public impact
Issues from this meeting with documented community impact.
01
Municipal Fee Schedule Increases Across All Departments
10–12% increases across recreation, transfer station, general government, police, land use, and fire fees, effective March 1, 2026 Affected: All residents using transfer station, recreation programs, land use permitting, fire inspection, or police services
fee change
02
Transfer Station Operating at a Loss Despite Fee Increases
Town losing money on transfer station operations even after 10–12% fee increases; gap absorbed by general taxpayers Affected: All residents who use the transfer station and all taxpayers who subsidize the deficit
fee change
03
State Legislation Threatening $1.5 Million Local Tax Impact
House Bills 1800 and 1787 could cost Sunapee approximately $1.5 million if enacted, representing a significant property tax increase risk Affected: All Sunapee property taxpayers
tax increase
04
New London Hospital Lease of Public Safety Building
$18,000 annual lease formalizes hospital's use of the safety services building for ambulance parking and office space; impacts EMS service delivery arrangements Affected: Sunapee residents dependent on ambulance and emergency medical services
other high impact
Decisions logged
Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
Approved raffle permit for Friends of Abbott Library
Annual Fourth of July raffle permit
Approved unanimously
Approved all proposed fee schedule amendments with March 1st implementation date
Motion by a speaker, seconded by a speaker. Covers recreation, transfer station, general government, police, land use, fire department fees.
Approved unanimously
Approved acceptance and expenditure of hazard mitigation grant
$9,843 grant from NH Department of Safety for hazard mitigation plan update, with $3,281 town match
Approved unanimously
Authorized chair to sign hazard mitigation grant documents
Motion by a speaker, seconded by a speaker
Approved unanimously
Approved New London Hospital lease for safety services building
$18,000 annual lease ($1,500/month) for ambulance parking and office space use
Approved unanimously
Appointed Betty Ramspot as deputy tax collector
Appointment from present date through end of March to assist through town meeting/election
Approved unanimously
Approved flying Donate Life flag in Sunapee Harbor
Annual request routinely approved by board
Approved unanimously
Delay consideration of town property use approval until April for new board
Board agreed to postpone the matter until April to allow new board members proper orientation and time to review, with potential legal consultation
Consensus agreement
Support for earlier Advisory Budget Committee process
Board members expressed openness to starting budget discussions earlier, though formal working group appointments and public meeting requirements would need to be addressed
General agreement
Topics discussed
Click a topic to expand quotes and full context.
▶ 07:08 Fee Schedule Amendments Public Hearing
Comprehensive review of municipal fee schedules across all departments, with most fees increasing 10-12% to cover rising costs. New consolidated format puts all fees in one location for transparency.
Speakers: Speaker F (Allison), Speaker D (Shannon), Speaker B (Chair)
▶ 10:04 Transfer Station Fee Increases
All transfer station fees increased 10-12% due to rising disposal costs. Town is losing money on transfer station operations despite fee increases.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 25:13 Parking Ticket Administrative Fees
Criticism of 24-hour payment deadline and $15 late fee as potentially violating due process rights, especially on weekends when courts are closed.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 27:37 Right to Know Records Policy Discussion
Public criticism of $10 fee for electronic records delivery and town's refusal to email documents. Town manager defended policy as following state law requirements.
Speakers: Speaker G (Chris), Unidentified speaker
▶ 35:12 Building Permit Revenue vs Department Costs
Discussion of $77,000 in building permit revenue against $400,000+ planning/zoning department costs. Question raised about department paying for itself through fees.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 45:35 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Grant
Approval sought for $9,843 state grant toward $13,000 cost to update 2022 hazard mitigation plan. Town will provide $3,281 match plus in-kind contributions.
Speakers: Speaker E (Chief Cahill), Unidentified speaker
▶ 56:00 New London Hospital Lease Agreement
Board approved $18,000 annual lease ($1,500/month) for hospital's use of safety services building, including ambulance parking and office space.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 59:21 Education Coalition Opposition to House Bills
Town manager reported on House Bills 1800 and 1787 that would force municipalities to levy local property taxes as state taxes, potentially costing Sunapee $1.5 million.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 1:01:48 Legal Fees for Optimist Property Review
Town manager requested authority to spend legal fees reviewing complex issues around small bridge/dock area near Optimist restaurant for potential alcohol service expansion.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 1:03:03 Planning Board Approval for Town Property Use
Discussion of a project that received planning board approval but requires Selectboard review for use of town property, including alcohol service concerns. The matter will be delayed until April for the new board to review.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 1:11:55 Advisory Budget Committee Process Improvements
Town manager proposes starting budget season earlier to allow Advisory Budget Committee members more time to meet with departments and understand budget components before making recommendations.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 1:22:08 Town Ordinance Updates
Police chief has identified several outdated ordinances that need updating, including recreation, hawkers and peddlers license, and alcohol ordinances to align with current community needs and activities.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 1:24:44 2025 Budget Performance Report
Town manager reports approximately $400,000 will return to unrestricted fund balance from 2025 budget, with most departments staying within budget despite a challenging year.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 1:27:44 Financial System Improvements
First year that all town accounts have been reconciled, addressing previous audit criticisms and providing more accurate real-time financial reporting.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
Controversy & dissent
Where the board, the community, or the agenda diverged.
Potentially controversial issues
01
Right-to-Know Records Electronic Delivery Policy
Resident David Whitehouse challenged the town's refusal to email public records, arguing it is inefficient, punitive, and inconsistent with virtually every other government. The town manager's blunt 'Full Stop' defense drew a sharp public rebuke. This touches core transparency and access-to-government values.
Board position: Board fully backed the town manager's position that state law does not require electronic delivery and the town will not change its policy.
high concern
02
Parking Ticket 24-Hour Payment Deadline and Due Process
Whitehouse raised a substantive legal concern that a 24-hour payment window — which runs on weekends when courts are closed — may violate due process rights. Board members verbally agreed the timeline seemed problematic but took no action and did not commit to a fix.
Board position: Board acknowledged the concern but deferred any change to a separate ordinance process with no timeline committed.
medium concern
03
Planning and Zoning Department Cost vs. Revenue Gap
The department costs over $400,000 annually but generates only $77,000 in permit fees — a gap largely subsidized by all taxpayers. Whitehouse questioned whether waterfront construction in particular should bear higher fees. a speaker's sarcastic offer to raise fees 250% exposed underlying tension about who should pay for land use services.
Board position: Board defended current fee levels, citing legal constraints on fee-setting and the principle that fees cannot be used to price people out of building.
medium concern
04
Optimist Property / Alcohol Service Expansion on Town Land
The project involves potential alcohol service near a town-owned bridge and dock area, raising questions about public land use, liability, and community character. The board chose to delay until April so a newly constituted board could review — signaling unresolved concerns without a clear outcome. Legal consultation was deemed necessary, adding to the sense of complexity and risk.
Board position: Board deferred decision to April for new board review with legal consultation; no approval or denial given.
medium concern
05
House Bills 1800 and 1787 — State Takeover of Local Education Property Taxes
If enacted, these bills would force municipalities to levy local education taxes as state taxes, potentially costing Sunapee $1.5 million. This is a major fiscal threat to local property taxpayers and municipal autonomy, though it is a state-level issue the board can only monitor and oppose.
Board position: Town manager is actively monitoring and attending Education Coalition meetings in opposition; board is aligned in concern.
medium concern
06
Comprehensive Municipal Fee Schedule Increases (10–12% Across Departments)
Broad fee increases across recreation, transfer station, land use, fire, and police departments were approved in one vote. Whitehouse argued that any fee increase is effectively a tax and should require public hearings regardless of percentage. The board streamlined the process to reduce formal notice requirements for sub-10% increases.
Board position: Board approved all fee increases unanimously, defending the process as legally sufficient and the increases as cost-driven.
medium concern
Community vs. board tension
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Action items
Who owes what, by when.
Work with town clerk Josh to add auto registration fees to consolidated fee schedule for transparency
Assigned: Allison (a speaker) · Due: Not specified
Highlight changes in future fee schedule publications for public transparency
Assigned: Allison (a speaker) · Due: Not specified
Continue attending Education Coalition meetings and report back on House Bills 1800 and 1787
Assigned: Town Manager Shannon (a speaker) · Due: Ongoing
Engage legal counsel to review Optimist dock/bridge property issues before April board meetings
Assigned: Town Manager Shannon (a speaker) · Due: Before April meetings
Schedule police chief presentation on ordinance updates
Assigned: Town Manager (a speaker) · Due: Upcoming meeting
Include 2025 expenditure report and January 2026 reports in meeting packet
Assigned: Town Manager (a speaker) · Due: Next meeting packet
Meet to agree on terms and conditions for expanded budget review process
Assigned: Advisory Budget Committee · Due: Before implementing earlier budget season
Notable statements
The law is very clear that municipalities are not required to deliver [records] electronically. We are following the law. The law says we are not required to do them electronically. We do not deliver records electronically. Full stop. — Speaker D (Shannon) · Defending town's policy on right-to-know records requests ▶ 28:04
We can fix that. We'll take our planning and zoning fees and what would it take to get us up to the 400,000? About 250% increase. We can do that if you'd like. — Speaker A (Fred) · Response to criticism about building permit revenues not covering department costs ▶ 35:12
I think it makes sense to pass it along in the form of fees versus the town having to absorb it and be passed along in the budget so that the people that are incurring the cost pay the cost, not the rest of the tax[payers] — Unidentified speaker · Supporting fee increases rather than general tax burden ▶ 44:36
Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Every government in the state and the federal government does it, but Sunapee doesn't. And they want to say that they don't have enough money to do all the things they need to do all every day. Well, maybe that's because you're creating a process to make it harder for you to do your job. — Speaker G (Chris) · Criticizing town's records policy during public comment ▶ 54:03
after the 34, 35 years that I've been at it now, I still am learning stuff — Unidentified speaker · Emphasizing the complexity and evolving nature of municipal government administration ▶ 1:14:28
I firmly believe that as a member of this board that one of our responsibilities is to bring things forward to the voters for them to say yes and no about — Unidentified speaker · Discussing the role of the Selectboard in presenting budget items and special articles to voters ▶ 1:19:06
2025 will be the first year that your accounts will have been reconciled. Every single one of them has been reconciled in 2025, the first time ever — Unidentified speaker · Reporting on significant improvement in financial management and addressing audit criticisms ▶ 1:27:04
Member positions
14 issues · 0 explicit · 14 inferred
Suzanne Gottling
Present
Chair
Fee Schedule Amendments Public Hearing
YES
~
Supported approval of all fee schedule amendments with March 1 implementation.
Right to Know Records Policy Discussion
✓
Backed town manager's position; shut down further public comment without further engagement.
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Grant
YES
~
Approved grant acceptance and was authorized to sign grant documents.
New London Hospital Lease Agreement
YES
~
Supported $18,000 annual lease for hospital's use of safety services building.
Legal Fees for Optimist Property Review
✓
Participated in discussion; supported engaging legal counsel before April review.
Planning Board Approval for Town Property Use
~
Agreed to delay consideration until April for new board review.
Advisory Budget Committee Process Improvements
~
Expressed openness to starting budget discussions earlier.
2025 Budget Performance Report
~
Received report; no dissent or objection noted.
Financial System Improvements
~
Received report on reconciliation milestone; no objection noted.
Frederick Gallup
Present
Board Member
Fee Schedule Amendments Public Hearing
YES
✓
Made motion to approve all fee schedule amendments; defended fee levels against criticism.
Building Permit Revenue vs Department Costs
✓
Defended current fee levels; sarcastically offered 250% increase to cover department costs.
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Grant
YES
✓
Made motion to approve hazard mitigation grant acceptance and expenditure.
Planning Board Approval for Town Property Use
~
Participated in discussion; agreed to delay until April for new board review.
Advisory Budget Committee Process Improvements
✓
Expressed strong openness; noted 34-35 years of experience still learning; supports voter input role.
Town Ordinance Updates
~
Participated in discussion on updating outdated ordinances.
Aaron Whipple
Present
Board Member
Parking Ticket Administrative Fees
✓
Acknowledged concern about 24-hour deadline but deferred fix to future ordinance process.
Fee Schedule Amendments Public Hearing
YES
✓
Supported fee increases; seconded motion to approve fee schedule amendments.
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Grant
YES
✓
Seconded motion to authorize chair to sign grant documents.
Legal Fees for Optimist Property Review
~
Participated in discussion on authorizing legal review of Optimist property issues.
Planning Board Approval for Town Property Use
~
Participated in discussion; agreed to delay until April for new board review.
Advisory Budget Committee Process Improvements
~
Expressed openness to earlier budget process start.
Town Ordinance Updates
~
Participated in discussion on updating outdated town ordinances.
Comprehensive Municipal Fee Schedule Increases
YES
✓
Supported fees as cost-passing mechanism; preferable to general tax increase.
Positions marked ~ are inferred from context and may not reflect the member's explicitly stated position.
Public comment
What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
2
Total speakers
2
Addressed
2
Partial
2
Not addressed
David Whitehouse
Not addressed
Questioned why the town charges $10 for electronic files on flash drives when they could email them for free like other governments do. Argued this creates inefficiency and is punitive when the town claims to lack resources.
Key concern
Town should email right-to-know requests electronically instead of charging fees for physical media
Board responseTown Manager explained that right-to-know law doesn't require electronic delivery, and some requests require significant work that would be costly to provide electronically
The board defended their current policy rather than considering the suggestion to improve efficiency
David Whitehouse
Partial
Questioned the board's authority to raise fees without public hearings, arguing that fee increases are essentially taxes and should require public input for transparency.
Key concern
Believes all fee increases should require public hearings regardless of percentage, as fees are a form of taxation
Board responseBoard members explained they still plan to discuss fee changes publicly, just without the formal newspaper notice requirement for increases under 10%
Board acknowledged the transparency concern and confirmed they would still have public discussions, but maintained their position on eliminating formal hearing requirements
David Whitehouse
Addressed
Questioned the cost-effectiveness of the planning and zoning department, noting it generates $77,000 in revenue but costs over $400,000. Asked about adding substantial fees for waterfront construction permits.
Key concern
Planning and zoning department is operating at a significant loss and should generate more revenue to justify costs
Board responseBoard members acknowledged the revenue shortfall but explained legal limitations on fee increases - they must be substantiated by actual costs and cannot price people out of building
Board directly addressed his concern by explaining the legal constraints on fee setting and the practical challenges of making the department self-funding
David Whitehouse
Partial
Criticized the 24-hour payment deadline for parking tickets as unfair, especially on weekends when courts are closed. Suggested extending to 5-7 days and questioned if the $15 late fee violates due process rights.
Key concern
24-hour parking ticket payment deadline is too restrictive and potentially violates due process
Board responseBoard members agreed 24 hours seems tight, especially on weekends, and asked clarifying questions about the policy, but noted this would require a separate ordinance change
Board acknowledged the concern and agreed the timeline seems problematic, but didn't commit to changing it and noted it would require separate action
David Andrews
Addressed
Praised the fee schedule consolidation as excellent transparency in government. Suggested adding auto registration fees to the consolidated schedule even though they're state-regulated, just for resident convenience.
Key concern
Suggested including all fees in one place for resident convenience, including state-regulated auto registration fees
Board responseStaff agreed it was good feedback and said they would work with the town clerk to see about adding those fees for reference purposes
The suggestion was well-received and staff committed to exploring adding the additional fees for completeness
David Whitehouse
Not addressed
During final public comment, reiterated criticism of the town's refusal to email right-to-know requests, calling it inefficient. Also expressed skepticism about the town budget passing, saying increases benefit employees more than residents.
Key concern
Town should modernize right-to-know processes and the budget may not serve residents' interests
Board responseThe chair noted this was public comment time and instructed not to respond during this period
No response was given as this occurred during the designated public comment period where board members don't typically respond
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Report composed by
claude-sonnet-4-20250514, claude-sonnet-4-6, claude-opus-4-6 · analyzed 2026-04-02.