City Council - Regular Meeting

live on the city of YouTube channel and Spectrum channel. Can you turn on your microphone, please? We'll start again. Good evening.

The hour of 7 PM having arrived, I will call to order this regular meeting of the Keen City Council. This meeting is being broadcast live on the city of Keen YouTube channel and on Spectrum channel 1302. The video is also streamed on the city's website and is posted by the end of the next business day, barring any technical difficulties. If you would like to receive an electronic city council packet to reference while viewing future broadcasts, please contact the city clerk's office during business hours or go to the city's website and subscribe to city meetings email list. The agenda is also accessible from any mobile device. I'd like to ask the clerk to please call the role. Randy Elilio here. Michelle A. Chalice here. Katherine I Workman

here. Brian J. Lake here. J uh Jacob R. Fabis here. Laura E. Tobin here. Robert C. Williams here. Philip M. Jones present. Chris E. Roberts. Betina H. Chadborn here. Edward J. Hos here. Laura E. Ruddle Miller here. Molly B. Ellis here. Thomas F. Powers here. Mitchell H. Greenwald here.

Thank you. Uh, I'd like to ask Councelor Hos, would you please lead us in the pledge of allegiance? I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Like to call on councelor Greenwald for a motion to adopt the minutes of our previous meeting. Thank you your honor. I move to adopt the minutes of the February 19, 2026 meeting as presented.

Second. Seconded by councelor Powers. Any comments, corrections to the minutes? Seeing none, all those no. No. Uh yes. All those in favor, please raise your hand. Motion carries unanimously. Thank you. Uh I'd like to begin announcements for the evening uh by uh honoring Councelor Filio who has indicated that he's celebrating his 35th birthday for the second time. Congratulations, [applause] counselor. Uh, I'd also like to extend our best wishes to counselors uh Chadbornne and Favalis who will also be celebrating their birthdays in the month of March, but a little bit later. So, happy birthday all. Um, let's see a few other uh announcements. I want to introduce to you the Keen Sentinels new uh reporter, Mason Rouser. Uh Mason is from Austin, Texas, I just learned. And he has been assigned to cover both Keen and Cheshure County governments. Uh Mason, please uh give us a heads up. Yeah, thank you. A wave.

Welcome. Um okay, some dates of interest in this month. Uh this is women's history month and care workers recognition month. Uh we'll try to pick up that care workers recognition at our next scheduled uh council meeting. Uh this Sunday uh March 8th marks International Women's Day and on March 9th uh counselors are invited to attend the Keen Serenity C Center's ribbon cutting ceremony at 10:00 a.m. Uh that's in the CVS Plaza uh and uh next to the uh US Cellular uh building or space. So uh Yep. uh 10:00 a.m. this Monday. U which reminds me that uh they had previously been at the Mandac Pure Support Building, which underwent a significant renovation over the last six months uh adding an elevator and building out some of the basement area. So, if you haven't been over there, uh I don't know if I'm blowing their uh ribbon cutting uh ceremony, but I I I was went there this last week and I I thought, wow, what an improvement. Uh okay, Tuesday for the public and all of us to uh take note of is the school board elections and warrant article uh day. So, polls will be open at 8

7 a.m.

at 7 a.m. And uh all wards will be voting at the Keen Parks and Recreation Center on Washington Street. So, please turn out to vote. Uh I'm sure that'll be appreciated by all. Uh March 15th uh there is a uh presentation uh called Freedom's Unfinished Journey, Selma Jonathan Daniels and the Fight for Voting Rights. That'll be on Sunday, March 15th at 1:30 at St. James Episcopal Church at 44 West Street. Um I'm dressed for St. Patrick's Day today because it is occurring before our next uh council meeting but St. Patrick's Day is in our traditional holiday didn't wait for council meeting. Um March 17th uh councelor uh Powers is also duly decked out for this evening. Uh Thursday uh March 19th Ramadan ends. uh for those who are celebrating honoring that uh period. Uh and uh at this point I'd like to recognize councelor Favis who's got uh special recognition himself.

Thank you uh Mr. Mayor. I worry you've hyped it up a little bit and folks will be disappointed, but uh I will be serving on the New Hampshire Municipal Association's governance and administration policy kind of guiding committee. um that'll kick off April 3rd and meetings will continue on Fridays through April and May. This is the first step in NHMA's kind of policy priority setting uh process for the upcoming legislative session. So that the one that begins next year. So I'll be representing Keen. Thank you. Yes, congratulations. And it's good for us to have a Keen City counselor represented there. Um, I want to thank the counselors who attended the uh uh

CIP

CIP but but the uh capital improvement programs uh workshop this last week. Uh the conversation will continue uh with a special meeting of the finance organization and personnel committee scheduled for March 10th at 5:30. The public's invited to that meeting uh and will continue the review of the proposed capital improvements program. Uh the regular uh finance organization and personnel committee will take place on March 12th that also has an early start at 5:30 uh to continue the uh CIP capital improvement programs review. Uh and for counselors, uh there will be a meal served prior to those meetings. I believe probably at 5. So we'll see you then. Uh and uh lastly, yes, I want to encourage uh any group that is interested in participating in the Manadnock 250th Independence Day parade to go to the manadnock 250.com website. Uh councelor Ellis is chairing that. uh that event uh and uh organizations, school groups, uh not forprofits, uh uh uh businesses in the throughout the Menadnock region are invited to register at manadnock250.com for the parade. U and anytime between now and May, uh please uh please sign up and please spread the word, too. should be a wonderful ceremony. Okay, thank you. Um, okay. And just I think tonight's meeting will will probably be a short meeting. Uh, next couple of meetings we are working on some uh proclamations or

presentations uh that'll take place on uh March 19th and April 4th. So uh look forward to filling up the the room with some people that deserve some recognition. Okay. Like to recognize the clerk to lead us through some nominations. We actually have a public hearing first. Oh, we have I'm sorry. Never mind. Uh I'd like to ask you then to read the notice of the public hearing.

Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held before the Keen City Council relative to ordinance 020540 relating to setback exceptions, accessory dwelling units, and parking regulations. The petitioner, the city of Keen Community Development Department proposes to amend section 1.3.4A of the LDC to clarify that retaining walls are exempt from setback requirements, modify section 8.4.2A by removing the requirement for an interior door and access to util city utilities for accessory dwelling units. Amend section 9.2 2 to increase the percentage of parking spaces that can be reduced administratively from 10% to 25% and prohibit the creation of remote parking spaces on parcels with a residential primary use and update table 9-3 to include parallel parking per order of the mayor and council this fifth day of February 2026

and uh present with us this evening for the presentation are Mary Brunner, senior planner uh in community development and her colleague Megan Forson. Uh I don't know how you care to present, but please please launch.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. This is Megan Forson planner. Um so this um ordinance is sort of a zoning cleanup ordinance that was introduced back in mid December on December 18th. Um to run you very quickly through the proposed changes. Um they include adding retaining walls to the list of structures that are exempt from setback requirements, updating our accessory dwelling unit regulations so that they're in compliance with um updated state law by removing the requirement that interior doors be installed between attached units and requiring that units have access to city water and sewer. Um, the next proposed change includes it includes increasing the amount of on-site parking that can be reduced through an administrative zoning process from 10% to 25%. Updating the remote parking requirements to prohibit the creation of remote parking spaces on lots that are uh a primarily residential use. Um, and then updating the parking specifications that are outlined in table 9-3 of the LDC to specify that par uh, yes, parallel parking spaces are allowed in the city of Keen and to establish widths of drive aisles for one and 2A traffic. Um the intent of these changes is to reduce the number of variances that are sought both for um setback issues related to retaining walls as well as to make um parking a little bit easier for people who can demonstrate that there's not a need for as many spaces as are dictated under under the land development code. Um and then again, our ADU regulations need to be updated to comply with updated state law. Um the joint committee meeting or joint committee workshop for the ordinance was held on January 12th and there was no comments from any members of the public. Um in terms of feedback from joint committee members, there was a little bit of confusion related to what a retaining wall really is and if it's aesthetic or if it's more structural. Um so I'm happy

to answer any questions if there are any about that. Um and then um there was also some question related to uh the parking analyses and potentially removing the requirement for administrative reductions altogether. However, at the end of the meeting, the committee voted to um keep the wording of the ordinance as was proposed and the planning board made the determination that the proposal was consistent with the 2025 master plan and the PLLD recommended that a public hearing, which is this public hearing this evening, be held. Um, so I'm happy to answer any questions. That was sort of your 35,000 foot view of the ordinance. And um I would just like to add that really this ordinance is trying to make it easier for residents and people who want to do business and keen to do that. Um so while these seem like really nitpicky changes, um they really are meant to make the code clearer and easier for people to use. So yeah, good point.

Thank you. Um I don't think we've got many uh in the audience that are going to comment uh tonight. So counselors, if if you do have questions uh about any part of this, uh we'll open that up for your comments and considerations. Councelor Chalice, very briefly, as a person who has learned or tried to learn how to deal with all of these codes. I really appreciate you taking the time to attend to these little details because the public finds it crazy challenging and to have things go a little bit smoother is best for all of us. So, thank you. Thank you, Council.

Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Just a a brief question about what the what the process looks like when somebody is applying for ad parking reduction administratively. I I know what some of the questions are at the zoning board level. Are those the same sorts of questions that an administrator is asking or is does that process look a little bit different in terms of the factf finding?

Thank you. Yep. So, um it's pretty similar. The difference is that right now in the code, if you're getting a special exception for a major parking reduction, which would have to go to the zoning board of adjustment, um you have to get a parking study that's conducted by an a traffic engineer or um another professional who's licensed in the state of New Hampshire and that can get to be quite expensive. Um however with the zoning administrator um administrative reduction we would accept just um a memo [clears throat] or just a a brief analysis that's done by a traffic engineer in lie of a full study. Um so that's really the biggest difference for applicants from their perspective. In the code there is a list of criteria that the zoning administrator has to consider. Um, I don't have it in front of me right now, but I believe that it says that you have to find that they meet at least one of those criteria. And um, yeah, this just gives the zoning administrator some uh, more flexibility when there's like really common sense situations like situations where people aren't allowed to have cars, you know, things like that. Um, and there's other uh criteria or circumstances that make it make sense to not h require so many parking spaces. Um,

yeah. Yep. Councelor Williams, Councelor Hos, and then Councelor J. Uh, can you just provide a brief explanation of what the changes to ADU's uh, regulations are?

Sure. So, well, sorry. Um, [laughter] you can take off with it. [clears throat] So previously uh as you are well aware I'm sure the state sort of sets rules that we have to live by and in the past they used to require that we have a requirement for an interior door between the main unit and the accessory unit. Um and now they require us to not require that. And so we're striking out that requirement which is actually in my opinion a really good thing um because it was adding a lot of unnecessary costs to ADUs because you have between the units you have to have a fire rated um wall and then you'd have to pay extra money to make the door fire rated. So this will actually make it easier for ADUs. Um the other change was with respect to utilities. the way it was written, it made it sound like you had to be connected to city water or sewer, even if you were in a located in a district where you don't have access to city water or sewer. So, that's already covered under other aspects of the code. Like, if you're located in a district um such as low density, you're required already to be connected to city water and sewer under that zoning district. And so, it was um it was duplicative and it was also confusing. So, we just struck that as well. Yep.

Councelor House. Yeah. Thank you, your honor. Um on page 25 of our agenda packet uh under a 927C1. Okay. We uh we're increasing the amount of parking reduction up to 25%. I think you need to increase that in that paragraph if I'm reading this correctly. under major reduction request request for reductions in required parking that exceed 10%. I think that should read 25% now.

So I don't have the packet in front of me. Could you um give me the reference in the 9.2.7 C.1 That's great. Page 25 on 20 25 of our packet. Big big question and change here. Really just a scriber thing. I think yeah maybe I can I can show it to you later. I I see it. You see the intent?

Yes, I do. Thank you. What just for Mary, would you please point out to us where this changes page? Sure. So, um, this is page 25 of the packet on this is in the LDC mockup pages. Um, under section 9.2.7, which is reduction of required parking subsection C, major reduction request number one. It looks like there's another section of the code that mentions that 10% threshold that we may have missed.

Right. It's changed in one paragraph and not in the other. Got it. Good catch, Councelor. Uh, councelor Jones. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh, I just want to point out the shortened version of the definition of retaining wall that a retaining wall is actually retaining something. If it's aesthetic, it's built for aesthetics, it's no longer a retaining wall. Correct. That is correct. Yes, that's all I need.

Exactly. Okay. Uh seeing no other comments from counselors, uh I'll remind the public then that uh we can close the public hearing. I just check there are no people in the public uh in the audience tonight wishing to address this. uh that uh the public uh can still comment on these proposed changes uh up until uh 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10th. Uh after that uh which is going to be in the hands of our uh planning, licenses and development committee and uh for their consideration. Uh okay, thank you very much. Now we can move on to nominations and I ask the clerk to read the recommendations.

Thank you. We have the um following nominations from the mayor. They include uh to the airport development and marketing committee. Sally Reinhardt who would serve as an alternate member in slot 12 on that committee for a term to expire December 31, 2028. and to the bicycle pedestrian path advisory committee, David Mast, who will also be serving as an alternate in slot 11 for a term to expire December 31, 2028.

Thank you very much. And we'll hold those nominations till our next uh regular meeting. So, they are tabled. Uh moving on to communications. We have one, no, we have a couple. Sorry. Our first communication is from uh Terry Bishop and uh he is putting on record concerns with parking on Malboro Street and a disc uh asking for a discussion related to solutions for parking enforcement along this corridor. So we'll uh refer that letter to the Municipal Services and Facilities Infrastructure Committee. Councelor Greenwald.

Thank you your honor. Being that we meet once a month and this has been going on for years as an issue, I would hope that city staff can come with some solutions for us to choose, do a little homework before before the actual meeting so we can actually act on it, not just kick it down into the April or July meeting. It could be done. Manager.

Um, so we'll certainly do our best, but I'm not a mind readader. I don't know what he's going to say. I know that he says he has um some concerns related to parking and parking enforcement, but I do understand that he some of the solutions we've proposed in the past he's not been in support of. So, we will be there to have Yeah. to have some comments. Um but I'm not sure we'll be quite ready to offer you a recommendation. Depends on how the conversation goes. Gotcha. Thank you. All right. And we have a second communication.

We do. Our second communication is from Mark Rebelard of the Keen Downtown Group. And this is uh his request for a license to conduct the Manadnock 250th independence celebration on July 4th. And we'll refer that letter to the planning, licenses, and development committees next meeting. All right, we move on to committee reports. Would the clerk please cover this brief report this week?

Yes. Our first report is anformational report from the finance organization and personnel committee and it relates to a presentation that was provided uh relating to city budgeting, capital planning and the property tax rate.

And as recommended, this report will be filed asformational. And our second report is also from the finance organization and personnel committee and it relates to uh payment in lie of taxes agreement with Cedar Crest. And on a vote of 5 to zero, the finance organization and personnel committee recommends the city manager be authorized to negotiate and execute a payment in lie of taxes agreement with Cedar Crest, Inc. Recognize councelor Powers for a motion. Thank you, your honor. Move to carry out the intent of the committee report. Second seconded by councelor Chadborn and councelor powers for the committee.

Thank you honor. Um as you all know there are a number of organizations in the city that are [clears throat] taxexempt by statute will often have an agreement with this local that they are housed in. In our case, there are a number and right now, Cedar Crest has come forward and suggested that there's some some method of them being able to help us out in our services provided every day. If you're u aware of Cedar Crest, it's a very important element in healthcare for youngsters and uh we do spend quite a bit of time there, but it's well worth the effort that's put forward in what we're able to do for them that they're doing for families. So, they thought that if they do a pilot, [clears throat] they would like their money to go towards the fire department at this point in time. So, they've discussed it with the fire chief and there's probably been a few preliminary discussions with the city manager and they've identified um the fire department as the place they'd like their money from the pilot to go to and they're looking at covering the cost of class A uniforms. Um it'll be negotiated with the manager. She'll come up with a reasonable amount of money as we do for each place that has a pilot. pilot is a payment in lie of taxes

um and um very very helpful to communities. So the manager will certainly u come to terms with them and we'll know for sure and I I believe they're all 10 years are they not recognized manager? Um no not all of them are 10 years. Um, this one is being proposed as 10 years. And, um, we did speak with the the fire department about a potential plan to phase in the cost of these um, class A uniforms, something that we're not currently able to fund in our budget. Finance committee unanimously recommends that you approve this. Thank you.

Thank you, counselor. Any questions from counselors? Uh seeing none, all those in favor of the recommendation? Motion carries unanimously. Thank you. Uh I did want to uh on the uh report informationational report on city budgeting and capital uh planning property tax rate overview. I wanted to thank uh city departments and manager for organizing that presentation. Uh if you recall, we got a letter from uh a constituent who uh wanted to more visibility to uh uh how our tax rate is set. And I I think that that uh presentation explained both the expense side and how that budgeting takes place as well as how the uh tax rate is set uh and also allowed for some discussion as you'll see in the minutes for that uh discussion. Uh uh a good a good overview of what people can expect of our tax rate in the coming year. uh as we go through a property tax reassessment. So, it was a good it was a good presentation. Thank you for organizing it.

Okay. And leading Oh, sorry. Uh sorry. I I I just Oh, it was you, Councelor Rto Miller, please.

Sorry, it was a nod. Thank you. Um I just wanted to say um piloting um off of piggybacking off of that and then also what councelor Chalice pointed out when councelor Powers was speaking. I I watched from home. I wasn't here physically, but I think a lot of the questions that were asked by councelor Filio and the mayor and things that kind of were like if I wasn't part of the city government, would I understand what was being discussed? Because I think the information as a whole was incredibly helpful and in-depth, but there were some things that were kind of quickly glossed over that because you people who work in that field are like super entrenched and understand. Um, I think taking that step back and saying, "If I didn't do this job every day, would I understand what I just said?" is a super important part of that. And I appreciate the follow-up questions where people recognized maybe not everyone understands the implications of what was just said or maybe there's some additional follow-up that's needed. Um, so I think that that that was great, too. Like all of it kind of was more like conversational and really really great and helpful. So I hope people felt good about that. Yes. And and I might add for to to that question. I I think the the last comment that was received was uh and that the discussions about downshifting of costs and the pressure it's putting on our local property tax rate not just at the city but at the school district and at the county level. I think uh there's there's some conversation occurring that the manager is in involved in uh that uh we can provide that kind of information in conjunction with the other taxing entities uh and and give that more transparency as well. So thanks for your comment. Uh more to follow. Councelor House.

Yes. Thank you your honor. Um this will be in the minutes from this meeting of course. Could it again also get posted on the assessor's website? I it's too good not to uh give it some more publicity. This this this is leading into the manager's report, I believe. So, don't steal if if there are no other comments. Okay, we'll give it to

Yes, absolutely. Except we're thinking of placing on the finance department website. So um along with the presentation that was done at FOP the PowerPoint that was done at the capital planning workshop as well. So we're placing the both of those on uh the finance department portion of the website. And then just a couple of other updates for you this evening. The another winter weather parking ban. I know it's crazy how much snow we have gotten this year. Um, so no on street parking is allowed tonight starting at 11:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. Anyone who needs overnight parking should use the Elm Street or Gilbo East Municipal Lot. And then looking ahead to next week, um, we're expecting temperatures in the 50s and potentially 60s. So you can expect snow melt. So um, we'll be keeping an eye on that for any sort of um, issues that might bring. And then I wanted to give you just a quick update on the winter operations budget. The public works director's here this evening. Um this cost center is 79% expended. Our overtime for this cost center is $43,000 over budget. However, the good news is overall the public works wage lines are able to absorb this overage and our salt shed is mostly full. So, we are in good shape even if there are a few more storms that come our way, which is good news. Actually, I don't think I had anything else for you tonight.

Councelor Chalice has a comment. Yeah, sorry to jump in. I just would like to remind everyone that this amount of snow has the ability to feed all of the plants and trees and our forests. We have been in drought circumstances off and on for an extended period. So, I know it's rough, but if you could keep in your mind the notion of this moisture percolating down for our groundwater as well, the snow is really much needed and I'm so grateful for it and I'll just toss that out there. Yes,

that's a really good point. Um, it's helpful to fill up our our wells as well. Um, so the other thing I wanted to just quickly mention is, uh, I it was a great reminder about trying to always step outside of our role because sometimes we're using, you know, initials for things that other people don't know what NHMA means or GFO means. And so that's always a good reminder because we do tend to get into our own little rhythm. So asking those types of questions are really, really helpful. I do think that um you know Dan and the finance director both did a great job. I really enjoyed Dan's spreadsheet. Um and being able to plug different numbers in to see what that does in terms of our assessment and our budget. I think that's really helpful. And we're going to talk a little bit more about how we might be able to put something up that people can do that themselves. But um so great reminder about getting outside of our own roles and thinking about how someone might interpret what we're saying or understand it.

I don't know why people didn't understand swept. Oh, swept. Yes. [laughter] Uh councelor Workman.

Thank you, your honor. I just want to u quickly acknowledge uh the public works crews. Um I saw them out today um filling potholes and I um also just wanted to remind the public I myself just used to see click fix and reported several potholes. They were fixed immediately. Um so just a reminder to the public um you know social media is great but when you see something rather than report it on social media also report it through the city um platforms like cclick fix and thank you again

which people can go to the keen nh.gov gov website and uh locate pretty easily I think uh how to sign up for city notifications and we have like I have the app on my phone so I just do it through the app so it's great y all right no other comments for the manager all good uh we can move on then this evening to uh our ordinances for first reading

yes and Our um ordinance, the one ordinance we have on the agenda is coming in from the city engineer and uh it relates to updates to section 94-321 of the city code. Uh and we have ordinance 0202603, an ordinance relating to updates to section 94 321 stop signs of the kit city code. and we will refer this ordinance to the municipal services facilities and infrastructure committee. Your your agenda is building.

Okay, moving on to uh resolution for us this evening. Oh, we didn't we didn't vote. Did they vote? Let me look. They did. Yes, it was unanimous. [laughter] You're welcome. Now, we'll move on to resolutions.

So, our final item is a finance, organization, and personnel committee report. And on a vote of 4 to 0, the finance, organization, and personnel committee is recommending the adoption of resolution R202607 with an effective date of April 1, 2026. And we have resolution R 2025 202607 pardon me. A resolution relating to service connected total disability veterans tax credits. Recognize councelor P for I'm sorry. Uh before I recognize you for the motion, councelor Roberts. Um yes, your honor. I request that I continually be recused on this matter.

Understood. Uh uh and is there any objection to councelor Robert's refusal? Uh seeing none, thank you for your making us aware. Like to recognize council powers for a motion. Thank you, honor. Move to adopt resolution 2026-7 with an effective date of April 1st, 2026. Seconded by councelor Lake and recognize councelor Powers for the committee.

Thank you, your honor. Um, this is the second time it's been before us because we went through a method to come up with the right recommendation for the council to pass. And as I indicated before, this is a result of some statute changes. And um this the statute outlines what the amounts of money that can be used as a credit for your taxes and each community can decide how much of that. And traditionally we have been running just about the same as what the level of authorization is is. Additionally in the changes that were made this last year uh one of the credits was red was taken off the books. So, in some cases, some veterans became at a loss on that amount of money. It was $300, but it's an important amount when you have a system put together like this. So, based upon that, the recommendation came from the assessing department that uh we go with the $4,300 currently because it makes those who lost the $300 credit whole. And so we would, if we passed this this evening, we would make it a $4,300 for those totally disabled veterans. And as an organization, we will probably come back and look at it after the reassessment and after the budget is put together. I highly recommend that we pass this this evening. Thank you.

Thank you, counselor. Any comments or questions? This is the second time this has come to our attention. Uh seeing none shows for this. Uh all those in favor have the recommendation. Motion carries 14 to none. That being the last item on our agenda, uh we are adjourned until our next meeting.