LGC Head: No 'Magic Wand' to Find Towns' Money

Officials have a timeframe in mind, though, for refunding misappropriated employee healthcare funds.

George Bald, the interim executive director of the Local Government Center, told North Hampton selectmen this week that he expects to have answers in the next few months about how the LGC will repay the $52 million it has misappropriated from municipalities across the state. Bald, who appeared before the North Hampton Select Board on Monday, said he recognizes that North Hampton is looking for a check for its share — roughly $40,000 — of the $33 million inappropriately taken from employee healthcare contributions, along with its share of other misused funds. Bald there is no "exact date" for when a check will be issued or when the source of all of the money will be found, although he said that his "sincere hope" is to have the issue …

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Town Turning Back the Clock to Celebrate Big Part of History

A history- and student art-rich ceremony and gala will unite the town in a celebration of its origins.

Atlantic Avenue will be transported back to the 1840s later this spring when selectmen board a ox-drawn carriage while wearing period clothing — complete with top hats — to celebrate a key part of North Hampton's past. Saturday, May 18, will be celebrated as "Town Hall Day," and a variety of activities and entertainment are planned as part of a celebration that town officials hope will turn into an annual gala. North Hampton Town Hall was recently added to the National Register of Historic Places, and Heritage Commission Chairwoman Donna Etela said the May 18 celebration is meant as a way to honor that distinction through a re-creation of the March 12, 1844, ceremony in which the building was moved down Atlantic Avenue to its present …

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New Town Administrator Begins Today

There won't be much easing into North Hampton's top position when the town's new administrator begins today.

Paul Apple officially begins his duties as North Hampton's new town administrator today, bringing a passion for managing individuals and crafting municipal policy to the town during the heart of budget season. Apple, 45, the current Allenstown town administrator, has spent the past two Fridays in North Hampton learning some of the ins and outs of the community from Interim Town Administrator Dave Caron and town employees. The focus of Apple's first official day, according to Caron, will be getting Apple up to speed on current town projects — for which Apple's "impressive" vision helped land him the job. Apple has previously expressed to Patch a desire to get going on the job, explaining that he'll put a big emphasis on people as he gets "…

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Stanton: Expanding to 5-Man Select Board Would Be 'More Representative'

A petitioner feels having five selectmen could've prevented the large assembly ordinance issues, while a selectmen doesn't see a need for the change.

Rick Stanton expects there to be "a little bit of inertia" when it comes to rallying support around a proposal to add two seats to the three-member North Hampton Select Board, although he said that's natural and shouldn't be a big obstacle because he feels many are supportive of the expansion. Stanton, the chairman of the North Hampton Budget Committee, is part of a group of four residents who gathered 102 signatures for a petitioned warrant article calling for a five-member select board. Having two more selectmen would allow for "better representation" across the town, let alone bring new faces and opinion to the board because "more people means more ideas," according to Stanton, who said he didn't receive any negative reactions while …

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Locals Petitioning to Add 2 Selectmen Seats

The public is asked to give their input during a special session later this month.

The North Hampton Select Board will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 14, to gather input on the possible addition of two seats on the three-member board. Chairman Jim Maggiore said in a release that the town has received a citizens' petition in favor of expanding the board to five selectmen. A public hearing is required by New Hampshire RSA Chapter 41:8-c for citizens' petitions seeking to change the number of selectmen on the board. The change must be approved at the annual town meeting in March to take effect. The idea of expanding the number of individuals serving on the board has been discussed in the past, including last year, although selectmen and the majority of residents that spoke out in public forums were in favor…

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Selectman: New Leader 'Painted Clearest Picture' of Town's Needs

Paul Apple has beat out the other town administrator finalists due to an "impressive" display and approach.

New Admin. to Run North Hampton 'From the Bottom Up'

The soon-to-be full-time town administrator looks forward to the municipal complex work and other opportunities in town.

Self-described as a "hopelessly basic person," family man and people person, Paul Apple is looking forward to the challenges that will come with jumping into North Hampton's budget process midstream when he takes over as town administrator next month. Apple, the current Allenstown town administrator, has signed a conditional letter of employment to become North Hampton's town administrator on Jan. 17, 2013, after selectmen felt his "impressive" vision for the town stood out among the field of other candidates, according to Jim Maggiore, the chairman of the North Hampton Select Board. Apple told Hampton-North Hampton Patch he's "really excited" about his new position and opportunity, even though he'll have to "get acclimated as quickly as …

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Controversial Workforce Housing Development Scrapped for Conservation Easement

Officials say a conservation easement instead of a workforce housing development will save the town hundreds of thousands of dollars.

North Hampton selectmen gave overwhelming support Wednesday to a warrant article calling for the town to seek a conservation easement on Post Road farmland that was previously slated for a large, controversial workforce housing development. If the article is approved at next year's annual town meeting, $150,000 will be raised and appropriated without the use of a municipal bond to "support the acquisition" of an estimated $1.82 million conservation easement. The federal government will foot half of the cost of the easement, the North Hampton Conservation Commission will provide $350,000 out of the existing conservation fund, and the remaining $155,000 will be raised through other gifts and grants, according to Brian Hart, executive …

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Town Seeking Historical Distinction for Clerk's Office

The structure would be only the second building in town to make it on the state register, if the efforts are successful.

North Hampton is pushing forward with plans to list its Town Clerk's Office on the State Register of Historical Places, and officials say it could be a step toward securing a place for the historic building on the national register. Selectmen gave their consent Monday to allow the North Hampton Heritage Commission to submit their nomination application for the building, which was built in 1907 as the town's original library building and also currently houses the tax collector's office. The commission, which is still in the process of listing North Hampton Town Hall on the National Register of Historic Places, voluntarily performed the register work free of charge because of the significance of the structure and its iconic stone facade. "I …

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