At our April City Council meeting, we considered whether or not to remove bleachers at Memorial Field, moved forward with the purchase of dump trucks with assistance from the Department of Environmental Services (DES)’s Granite States Clean Fleets grant, heard a presentation from the Tree Subcommittee, moved forward with updated tax credits and exemptions I’ve discussed previously, and updated our sewer ordinance to be in compliance with DES regulations.
Recording | Meeting Packet & Minutes
Why I voted “no” on the removal of the bleachers: Council appears to be split on the direction for Memorial Field broadly, and I am not confident in making decisions on it until we have ironed out more details. Examples include identifying a cost split with Concord School District, committing to a firm time frame that our young athletes can use these spaces once again, and ensuring engagement with the public to avoid a miscommunication like that of the recent tree removal. Merrimack Valley School District leadership and community members spoke at length about the need for further discussion before proceeding with other major decisions regarding Memorial Field are made, and I am anxious to see how Joint Committee discussion evolves. Their next meeting has not yet been scheduled. You can review the current Memorial Plan “pre-Master Plan” materials in their previous April minutes.