Selectboard — March 16, 2026
Sunapee faces a $67K ambulance gap, 5+ critical staff vacancies, and a rising tax rate — and the board left all three without a concrete plan on March 16.
The meeting was largely procedural and collegial but carried underlying tension around recruitment failures, a pointed public complaint about hiring practices, frank acknowledgment that the town's hostile public climate deters staff, and an unscheduled but significant discussion of ambulance service gaps — all of which suggest real institutional stress beneath a unified surface.
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Here's what happened at the Sunapee Selectboard meeting on March 16, 2026 — and why residents should be paying attention.
**Tax rate going up.** The municipal portion of Sunapee's 2026 tax rate is rising from $2.71 to $3.00 per thousand dollars of assessed value. For a home assessed at $400,000, that's roughly $116 more per year. For a $1.5 million property, it's $435 more. The board accepted the budget outcome and resulting increase without seeking further cuts. The Town Manager acknowledged 'money is tight for everybody' while offering context about what $116 represents — a framing that didn't sit well with everyone in the room.
**A public safety question with no formal answer.** Board member a speaker raised a pointed concern: Sunapee is paying more than $67,000 a year to New London Hospital for ambulance service, and upcoming changes to that service may force the town to create its own. The vast majority of fire department calls are already medical in nature. This is a significant public safety and budget issue — but it was raised informally, with no study ordered and no timeline set for a decision.
**Five critical positions vacant — and a hostile climate is part of why.** The Town Manager was candid: code compliance officer, fire chief, heavy equipment operator, police officer, and buildings/grounds foreman are all unfilled. She stated directly that Sunapee's combative public environment deters applicants — 'people see how you can get annihilated here.' A resident, Cindy Spear, backed that up with a specific example: a job applicant for the heavy equipment operator position was placed on a short list, then never contacted back despite sending follow-up emails. The Town Manager committed to improving applicant communication, but no concrete timeline or hiring plan was put forward.
**And the hydroelectric plant's revenue has collapsed.** The town's hydro plant used to generate meaningful non-tax income under a long-term contract. That contract has expired. The most recent revenue check came in at approximately $17,000. The board noted it and moved on. Lost non-tax revenue doesn't disappear — it shifts onto property tax bills. Residents deserve a clear conversation about what the town plans to do about it.
Public impact
Municipal rate rising from $2.71 to $3.00 per thousand; $116 annual increase on a $400,000 home, up to $435 on a $1.5 million home
$67,000+ annual cost to New London Hospital; upcoming service changes may force the town to create its own ambulance service, with significant budget and safety implications
Revenue dropped to approximately $17,000 per check from historically higher contract returns; long-term fiscal gap requiring replacement through taxes or cuts
Five or more critical positions vacant simultaneously including fire chief, code compliance officer, heavy equipment operator, and police officer
Topics discussed
Meeting called to order on March 16, 2026 with pledge of allegiance. March 2nd meeting minutes were reviewed and approved unanimously.
Board welcomed newly elected selectboard member David Andrews and thanked election volunteers and staff for their work.
Town Manager provided orientation materials including 'Knowing the Territory' guidebook and Right to Know manual to new board members, explaining key governance rules and communication restrictions.
Extensive discussion of Right to Know law requirements, processing burden on staff (averaging 2 requests per week), and policy of requiring in-person record review rather than electronic delivery for formal requests.
Board directed to review policies and procedures document by next meeting, with specific attention to agenda format changes and potential move of board member reports to earlier in meetings for more discussion.
Discussion of potentially changing public comment from 3 to 5 minutes and allowing board responses, with concerns raised about speaking without complete information.
Town Manager outlined multiple vacant positions including code compliance officer, buildings/grounds foreman, heavy equipment operator, police officer, and fire chief, noting recruitment difficulties.
Board reviewed and approved 2026 pay table with 3% COLA increase, including amendment to place fire chief at Grade 18.
Town Manager discussed need for comprehensive organizational study to determine if current positions are fit for purpose, including potential for technology integration, urban planning needs, and project management capabilities.
Town Manager reported the need to reaffirm investment policy annually for audit compliance, noting they were previously dinged for not reaffirming the policy.
Discussion of multiple policies needing review including recreation ordinance, right-to-know policy, ethics policy, financial disclosure policy, and alcohol policy, with various scheduled items through summer.
Board conducted annual election of chair and vice chair positions, with nominations and discussion of candidates' availability and commitment.
Board made various committee and board appointments including ABC Committee, Energy Aggregation, Highway Safety, Planning Board representative, and others.
Resident criticized town's hiring response time for heavy equipment operator position, citing poor communication as deterrent to applicants.
Town Manager provided detailed breakdown of approved 2026 budget including warrant articles and encumbrances, with estimated tax rate impacts for various property values.
Board discussed estimated tax rate increases for 2026, with municipal portion going from $2.71 to $3.00 per thousand, resulting in increases of $79.75 for a $275,000 home up to $435 for a $1.5 million home.
Discussion of hydroelectric plant's reduced profitability due to expired long-term contract and current market rates, with recent check of only $17,000 compared to historical higher returns.
Board approved sale of 1994 fire truck to A.P. Howard Sales for $17,257 after receiving two bids (the other being $444.87).
Town manager announced boring polls will be conducted on Lake Avenue in late March as part of ongoing infrastructure study, with coordination among departments and public notification planned.
Board members discussed performance of new voting tabulation machine, noting it processed 900+ votes with 31% turnout but created longer lines due to thorough overvote detection.
Board member raised need for town ambulance service given $67,000+ annual cost to London Hospital and upcoming service changes, suggesting integration with new fire chief hiring.
Controversy & dissent
Potentially controversial issues
Municipal Tax Rate Increase for 2026
Chronic Staff Vacancies and Recruitment Crisis
Hiring Process Communication Failure (Heavy Equipment Operator)
Ambulance Service Gap and $67,000 Annual Cost to New London Hospital
Right to Know Request Burden and In-Person Review Policy
Hydroelectric Plant Revenue Collapse
County Tax and Donor Town Funding Formula Frustration
Community vs. board tension
Public comment
Decisions logged
Action items
Member positions
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.”
Accountability flags
Agenda items not discussed
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