[bring up crowd noise]
IT'S ORIENTATION FOR PLYMOUTH STATE UNIVERSITY'S CLASS OF 2009.
ABOUT A HUNDRED FRESHMEN AND THEIR PARENTS ARE FILING INTO A CAMPUS AUDITORIUM TO LEARN ABOUT LIFE IN THE DORMS.
[D1 T8 0:27] so why don't we get started, this is residential life presentation, so everybody's in the right spot.
THESE FRESHMEN WILL HELP MAKE UP PSU'S FULL-TIME STUDENT BODY OF ABOUT 39-HUNDRED UNDERGRADUATES.
THAT'S NEARLY TWICE THE NUMBER OF PERMANENT PLYMOUTH RESIDENTS.
AND BECAUSE THE SCHOOL TAKES UP MOST OF PLYMOUTH'S DOWNTOWN, ALL THOSE STUDENTS STICK OUT.
PAT CATE IS A P-S-U RESIDENCE HALL DIRECTOR.
D1 T4 CATE [cut to 4:40] one of the things I can do at my level, try to remind them that you're here in my residence hall but you're a resident of Plymouth, which comes with a host of responsibilities and rights- you should also be respectful of the community that you live here.
THAT EFFORT IS A SMALL PART OF WHAT CAN KEEP SO-CALLED TOWN-GOWN RELATIONSHIPS HEALTHY IN SMALL COLLEGE TOWNS.
IN THE U-N-H SYSTEM, BY MOST ACCOUNTS, THOSE RELATIONSHIPS ARE FAIRLY STRONG IN DURHAM AND KEENE.
BUT IN PLYMOUTH, THE TOWNSPEOPLE AND THE UNIVERSITY AGREE THEIR PARTNERSHIP IS IN NEED OF REPAIR.
P-S-U PRESIDENT DON WHARTON:
[D2 T1 4:49] the town and the university are like folks for whom there's been an arranged marriage - we didn't have anything to say about selection of other partner, there's no possibility of divorce.
THAT SENSE OF BEING STUCK WITH EACH OTHER COMES FROM DECADES OF SQUABBLING OVER MONEY.
P-S-U'S PROPERTY ACCOUNTS FOR NEARLY 30 PERCENT OF THE TOWN'S ASSESSED VALUE.
BUT BECAUSE THE U-N-H SYSTEM IS TAX-EXEMPT, P-S-U DOES NOT PAY PROPERTY TAXES.
INSTEAD, THE UNIVERSITY HAS VOLUNTARILY SIGNED A CONTRACT TO PAY FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES, INCLUDING TRASH, SEWER AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART PSU DECIDES WHAT THOSE FEES WILL BE.
AND MANY PLYMOUTH RESIDENTS FEEL THE AGREEMENTS ARE UNFAIR BECAUSE IN THE END, THE TOWN HAS NO POWER TO REJECT THEM.
[D3 T6 11:35 We've always being in a position of begging, saying this is what we want, and this is what the university is saying, "well, this is what we're going to give you and see ya later!"
PLYMOUTH REPRESENTATIVE MARY COONEY SAYS SHE'S SEEN ONE TOO MANY OF THESE AGREEMENTS.
SO SHE'S CO-SPONSORED A BILL THAT WOULD CHANGE THE ARRANGEMENT.
IT WOULD REQUIRE PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES MAKE WHAT ARE CALLED "PAYMENTS-IN-LIEU-OF-TAXES" ON ALL FUTURE PROPERTY PURCHASES.
AND COONEY WANTS THE STATE TO TAKE ACTION WHEN A TOWN FEELS SHORTCHANGED.
[cut to D2 T7 0:20] we need some board or some entity to go to and say this isn't working, we need a disinterested party to come in and say what is fair. [D3 T8 1:45] I think if you chose somebody to open dialogue with citizens and officials of Plymouth, it would help enormously.
LAWMAKERS HAVE ALWAYS STAYED OUT OF THE CONTROVERSY, ENCOURAGING THE LOCALS TO SOLVE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS.
U-N-H SYSTEM CHANCELLOR STEVEN RENO, WHO'S A MEMBER OF NHPR'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS, SAYS THAT APPROACH HAS WORKED WELL IN DURHAM AND KEENE.
[D3 T2 12:43] I truly believe the best way is for both parties, the university and the community, to recognize that today college boundaries are permeable, they're increasingly blurred, and when that's the case, and each entity is working out their activities across these boundaries, you have to put a high premium on attention to those potential frictions and communication.
FRUSTRATED RESIDENTS SAY THAT'S WHERE P-S-U PRESIDENT WHARTON HAS LET THEM DOWN.
THEY SAY WHEN THEY'VE GONE TO HIM WITH THEIR CONCERNS IN THE PAST, HE AND HIS ADMINISTRATION HAVE BEEN DISMISSIVE.
PLYMOUTH RESIDENT, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, AND OUTSPOKEN CRITIC PATRICE SCOTT SAYS PSU HAS A BAD ATTITUDE.
(D2 T4 6:05ish) We just want them to be good neighbors, and they're not being good neighbors. They're trying to stick their neighbors with the full tax bill when they know they impact us, that's not right.
SCOTT SAYS THE MONEY IS JUST PART OF THE PROBLEM.
SOME RESIDENTS COMPLAIN PLYMOUTH'S NEIGHBORHOODS ARE BEING TAKEN OVER BY STUDENTS.
AND SCOTT SAYS IT'S CHANGING THE CHARACTER OF PLYMOUTH.
[D2 T4 11:50] most of the core of the center of our town has been taken over by parents buying these little houses for students. We have no starter homes for families to move into our town. And once college students get the house, it's destroyed... the quality of the neighborhood goes away.
THE UNIVERSITY ADMITS INCREASED ENROLLMENT AND A LACK OF SPACE HAVE DRIVEN MORE STUDENTS TO OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING.
BUT THE ADMINISTRATION PLANS TO RECTIFY THAT PROBLEM.
NEW HOUSING IS PART OF A RECENTLY ANNOUNCED, 250-MILLION-DOLLAR EXPANSION.
AND THAT EXPANSION IS GOOD NEWS TO MANY IN TOWN - ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO DEPEND ON PSU'S BUSINESS.
PATTY BIEDERMAN AND HER HUSBAND ARE P-S-U ALUMS WHO OWN A DELI AND MARKET ON MAIN STREET.
D1 T1 4:59 we've renovated and expanded hours and services, so as the college grows, and also raises its academic standards, we have better employees, a better environment in Plymouth.
BIEDERMAN SAYS AFTER 29 YEARS IN BUSINESS HERE, SHE UNDERSTANDS THAT NOT EVERYONE CAN SEE SUCH TANGIBLE GAINS FROM HAVING P-S-U IN TOWN.
D1 T1 3:50 the townspeople see growth at Plymouth State and see property being taken off tax roll, that's where it comes from, I don't think people see what Plymouth State offers back to town of Plymouth, that's grey and can't always be listed on a paper in Black and white.
ONE WAY TO QUANTIFY THOSE BENEFITS IS TO ADD UP THE AMOUNT OF MONEY P-S-U FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS SPEND IN AND AROUND PLYMOUTH.
AND ACCORDING TO A U-N-H STUDY IN 2000, THAT MONEY ADDS UP TO ABOUT 20 TO 30 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR, NOT INCLUDING PROPERTY TAXES.
STUDENTS SPEND MORE THAN 70 PERCENT OF THAT MONEY IN PLYMOUTH'S DOWNTOWN, MAIN STREET AREA.
THE UNIVERSITY ALSO SHARES ITS LIBRARY AND ATHLETIC FACILITIES WITH PLYMOUTH RESIDENTS.
THE SCHOOL'S CULTURAL ARTS CENTER BRINGS WORLD-CLASS TALENT THROUGH TOWN.
AND THE SCHOOL IS ALSO A MAJOR EMPLOYER IN THE REGION.
STILL MANY IN TOWN BELIEVE TENSIONS IN PLYMOUTH ARE REACHING A BREAKING POINT.
AND REPRESENTATIVE COONEY AND OTHERS IN TOWN SAY IF RELATIONS GET ANY WORSE, THEY'LL CALL FOR A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP AT P-S-U.
1:45 I think if you chose somebody to open dialogue with citizens and officials of Plymouth, it would help enormously [CUT TO] 2:12 we have a president here who hides in his ivory tower and is afraid to go to a public meeting.
PRESIDENT WHARTON ADMITS HE'S AVOIDED PUBLIC MEETINGS.
HE SAYS HE FEELS IT WOULD RESULT IN TOO MUCH FINGER-POINTING.
HE SEES PRIVATE ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS WITH SELECTMEN AS MORE PRODUCTIVE.
[D2 T112:47] I think the kind of engagement we're doing with the selectboard is appropriate, where we're attending to the marriage is appropriate.
WHARTON SAYS THE UNIVERSITY AND THE TOWN ARE ALREADY WORKING ON THE NEW BRIDGE PROJECT AT THE ENTRANCE TO TOWN.
A 3-LANE BRIDGE OVER THE PEMIGEWASSETT RIVER WILL REPLACE AN OLDER, MORE NARROW ONE.
PRESIDENT WHARTON SAYS ITS LOCATION AT THE SHARED ENTRANCE TO PLYMOUTH'S MAIN STREET, AND THE HEART OF P-S-U, IS SYMBOLIC.
D2 T1 16ish it's going to change the whole appearance that visitors will see, suddenly there's going to be a whole new vista. [CUT TO] I think if we work together we could develop some plans. I think we want to find a way to increase the resource we can draw to the community by working together.
D3 t610:07 I think it's part of the solution. So far the university hasn?t been willing to look at real solution.
AGAIN, REPRESENTATIVE COONEY:
10:50 the entrance with the new bridge, that will be a great partnership, but what I want to achieve in the legislature, is, however the legislation comes out, for the future, we need a level playing field for negotiations, we need the university to ante up and pay their fair share.
THE UNIVERSITY SAYS IT HOPES THE NEW BRIDGE WILL DEMONSTRATE TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD THAT PSU AND PLYMOUTH CAN WORK TOGETHER.
BUT THE UNIVERSITY'S CRITICS WARN THAT IF THEY DON'T SEE MORE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE, THOSE OUTSIDE APPEARANCES WILL BE DECEIVING.
FOR N-H-P-R NEWS, I'M SM.
