Accountability Posts

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Sunapee Forward advancing projects without Select Board oversight or authorization

Sunapee's Select Board (3/24) learned that community planning group Sunapee Forward has been advancing projects — including Route 11 traffic calming — without consulting the town. The board voted to demand a formal presentation. Residents: did you know this was happening?

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Emergency medical service continuity risk — single point of failure with no contingency

Sunapee currently has NO backup ambulance service if New London ends their agreement. At the 3/24 meeting, a board member warned: 'New London could decide tomorrow that they want to get out.' The town has no plan yet. Every resident should know this.

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Ordinance conflict threatening community events; residents not yet informed of potential impact

Sunapee's 3/24 meeting surfaced an unresolved conflict: the town's recreational ordinance bans commercial activity on town property — but the farmers market and Arts in Harbor run on town land. Legal review ordered for April 6th. Popular events may be at risk.

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Significant recurring and capital spending decisions taking shape without full public cost estimates

Sunapee's Select Board (3/24) is moving toward hiring a full-time fire chief, potentially adding ambulance service, and issuing an RFP for the town's first-ever Capital Improvement Plan. These are major budget decisions. Residents should be watching closely.

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🧵 Sunapee Select Board met 3/24/26. Several issues residents need to know about — including a community planning group advancing projects without town approval, a fragile ambulance arrangement, and a board divided on whether the town should grow. Thread:

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1/ SUNAPEE FORWARD vs. THE BOARD: The board learned that Sunapee Forward and the Upper Valley Regional Planning Commission have been moving forward on projects — including Route 11 traffic calming — without properly consulting town government. The board voted unanimously to send a formal letter demanding a presentation.

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2/ One board member put it bluntly: 'We are the ones that are in control of it... where is the real benefit to the town?' The board also tasked member Kurt with directly informing the Sunapee Forward steering committee that the Select Board must be in the loop going forward.

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3/ AMBULANCE RISK: Sunapee relies entirely on New London's ambulance service — with no backup. A board member warned at the 3/24 meeting: 'New London could decide tomorrow that they want to get out.' The town has no contingency plan. Board is now scoping a town-operated service, but no decisions or cost estimates yet.

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4/ FIRE DEPT RESTRUCTURING: The board also moved toward hiring a full-time fire chief — a new recurring salary — and expanding that role to cover health officer and emergency management duties. Two board members were authorized to attend a fire wards meeting Thursday to communicate this direction. Cost and qualifications unresolved.

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5/ ORDINANCE CONFLICT: Sunapee's recreational ordinance prohibits commercial activity on town property. Problem: the farmers market and Arts in Harbor are held on town land and are commercially oriented. The board ordered a legal opinion before April 6th. If the ordinance is enforced as written, these events could be disrupted.

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6/ GROWTH DEBATE: Board members openly disagreed about whether Sunapee should be 'growth-minded or status quo' — a fundamental question about housing, development, and spending. No consensus reached. Deferred to a future strategy session. This divide will shape every major decision going forward.

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7/ CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN: The town has never had a comprehensive CIP covering roads, bridges, buildings, and equipment. The board agreed to issue an RFP for a consultant to build one. It will likely surface significant deferred obligations — and inform future tax rates and possible bond requests.

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8/ BOTTOM LINE: A lot moved at this meeting — some of it quietly. Residents who care about public safety, community events, town planning, and taxes have reason to pay close attention to what comes next, especially the April 6th and April 20th meetings. Stay engaged. /end

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Longer-form draft.

📋 SUNAPEE SELECT BOARD — MARCH 24, 2026: What You Need to Know

Several significant issues came before the Sunapee Select Board at its March 24th meeting that deserve broader public attention.

🔴 SUNAPEE FORWARD OPERATING WITHOUT TOWN OVERSIGHT
The board learned that the community planning group Sunapee Forward — along with the Upper Valley Regional Planning Commission — has been advancing projects, including Route 11 traffic calming, without properly consulting or coordinating with the Select Board. This raised serious concerns about accountability: who authorizes these plans, and who is the town committing to when volunteer groups act independently? The board voted unanimously to send a formal letter requiring Sunapee Forward representatives to present their plans directly to the Select Board. One board member was also tasked with personally informing the steering committee that this cannot continue. If you've been involved with or supportive of Sunapee Forward's work, this is a development you'll want to follow.

🚨 NO BACKUP AMBULANCE SERVICE — AND THE BOARD KNOWS IT
Sunapee currently depends entirely on New London's ambulance service. At the March 24th meeting, a board member stated plainly: 'New London could decide tomorrow that they want to get out of the ambulance service.' The town has no contingency. The board began exploring a town-operated ambulance service, but no decision was made and no cost estimates are on the table yet. Two board members were authorized to attend a fire wards meeting to begin scoping options. This is a public safety gap that residents deserve to know exists.

⚖️ POPULAR EVENTS MAY CONFLICT WITH TOWN ORDINANCE
Here's one that caught even the board by surprise: Sunapee's recreational ordinance prohibits commercial activity on town-owned property — but the farmers market and Arts in Harbor programs operate on town land and involve commercial vendors. Enforcing the ordinance as written could threaten these beloved community events. The board directed the town manager to get a legal opinion before the April 6th meeting. No resolution yet, and the ordinance may need to be amended. Event organizers and participants should watch the April 6th meeting.

💰 BIG SPENDING DECISIONS ARE TAKING SHAPE
The board is moving toward hiring a full-time fire chief (a new recurring budget line), potentially launching a town ambulance service, and has agreed to issue an RFP for the town's first-ever comprehensive Capital Improvement Plan covering roads, bridges, buildings, and equipment. That CIP will likely surface decades of deferred maintenance obligations — and could inform future tax increases or bond requests. A major Lake Avenue paving project with possible bond financing is also in early planning stages. None of these costs have been presented to residents in concrete terms yet, but they are coming.

The next relevant meetings are April 6th (legal opinions on ordinances, department head introductions) and April 20th (road paving priorities with the highway department). Public attendance matters.