Wolfeboro

Article 12 is a Bad Deal for Wolfeboro

TOCAG put forward a ‘citizens’ petition to buy the Ocean Bank building on Varney Road to relocate Town Hall. In the past year, TOCAG has systematically confused the issue by throwing enough hubris against the proverbial wall to achieve their objective - to seize control of our municipal government’s decision-making process.

Do we need another bank bailout? The Ocean Bank building has been for sale for years. With declining real estate values, TOCAG is committing taxpayers to a building whose price may be as much as $100,000 over valued. Furthermore, this building is ill suited and poorly designed to function as a town hall.

The building is made of light, wood frame construction: typical in residential construction, but not suitable for municipal use. In contrast with the massive structural elements and stature of our Town Hall—there is no comparison: skilled craftsmen used the highest quality materials of the time. Just imagine if the Ocean Bank building had to survive without any upgrades and maintenance for 118 years. Our Town Hall did and it still stands plumb and square, needing only minimal exterior repairs.

The present location of Town Hall, which is a high-use building, has easy access from both North and South Main Street. The Ocean Bank building is not so easy to get to, especially in the winter months when the steep-sloped access roads are ice or snow covered.

Part of North Main Street dumps vast amounts of water runoff down Friend Street. The topography on the east side of Friend Street allows water runoff to the Ocean Bank building site. Also, a wetland exists on the proposed land and is fed from runoff directly from North Main Street. Is it any wonder the Ocean Bank building has been for sale for years? The building does not have a foundation rather; it sits on a slab, probably because the soil is not suitable because of year-round high water tables in the area.

At the Deliberative Session, TOCAG claimed no legal problems exist with the right-of-way that bisects the property. Unfortunately, that’s not true. There is no legal title search or legal opinion on that right-of-way. In fact, one of the lots was removed from their proposal during the Deliberative Session because of title problems. Are there more legal problems to follow?

TOCAG’s ‘citizen petition’ (Warrant Article 12) is a bad deal for the town. The plan was cobbled together in a hurry and is so fragmented its difficult to follow. For example, it changed 3 or 4 times in a matter of weeks. TOCAG should be embarrassed with this proposal: there is no contract to purchase the bank building, no site engineering to determine if the soil is suitable for more construction; there are no plans, no specifications and no verifiable cost estimates. It is poorly conceived and an insult to Wolfeboro taxpayers. Vote NO on Article 12!

Richard O’Donnell
Wolfeboro, NH

At the deliberative session TOCG announced there was a buyer for BMH. I would think that if BMH were on the market that the town would select the highest bidder. Recently my neighbors and I were approached by a realator representing a major chain store to sell our houses. We are located near BMH. The neighborhood would have been demolished for building this store. If article 12 passes what is the future for BMH, our town and neighborhood? What if article 12 gets voted in and Varney St. location turns out not to meet criteria for Town Hall? Voting yes for article 11 is the only option that makes sense at this point in time. Susan B McDonald