Friday evening's Deliberative Session, regarding our Epping School District (SAU14), was an embarrassment to the majority of Epping Taxpayers (that obviously aren't on the payroll of our School District). At about 41 and half minutes into the video of this meeting ( here's the link: https://epping.vod.castus.tv/vod/?video=42fdbe7b-9daa-466a-a75b-f84a77e2fabe) regarding Article 5, as clearly explained by Michael Vose, there was plenty of political "gamesmanship" regarding the amendments offered and voted on, including the increase of a spending cap of up to $45,000 per student, in the effort to grossly override Mr. Vose's proposed failed amendment amount increase from $24,000 to $28,100...in essence modifying the "intent" of the Warrant Article from placing a limit on spending based on the number of students enrolled. The amendment offered to increase the $24,000 "cap" spending amount per student to $45,000 is an 87.5% increase that was voted in favor of by plenty of self-serving, short-sighted individuals here in our town. Their actions will now allow our School District the ability to propose an annual budget of over $40 million (based on an enrollment of 900 students). Two words come to mind, foolish and irresponsible. 

Not only are there some educators in our School District, there are School Board members and School District management that are grossly misleading the taxpaying public. For example, at about 55 minutes into the meeting, our School Board Chairperson Heather Clark states that the State should be paying their share to educate our students, etc. Either Chairperson Clark (and others that profess that the State of NH should be providing more funding) are terribly naive or just not willing to take the time and effort to think this all through...where would the State come up with the funding to provide to all the School Districts, thus reducing our property taxpayer burden? About the only additional funding mechanism available to the State, is a statewide sales tax and/or income tax. Effectively shifting the burden from property taxes to other forms of taxation, thus not really any kind of an overall tax burden reduction to Granite Staters. Furthermore, we all want to have and retain "local control" of our Schools but you must come to the realization that if the State of NH were to start providing significant amounts of funding to school districts across the State, they are going to take control of every town's school system...period.

This is not rocket science folks...either we get our School spending under control on a local level or we spend ourselves into property tax depletion. Stop with the crying and whining that the State won't pay its fair share. Our spending problem rests right at our own School Boards feet and they, along with our School District Administration needs to be held accountable for how they are spending our money.

In addition there's the belief that our town's Budget Committee has control of the budgeting process here in Epping, which is not nearly as accurate as one would believe. There is a town Warrant Article, #29 (for the most part initiated by our School Board and School employees)...that greatly changes the make up of our Budget Committee, including "...not be authorized to prepare the budget as provided in RSA 32:5 or to conduct public hearings...".

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First off there's a majority of those of us that make up Epping Residents for Government Integrity that believe Nicole Bizzaro (https://www.facebook.com/nicole.bizzaro) has been doing outstanding work over the past several years with managing our Town's Recreation Dept (https://www.facebook.com/ExeterParksandRecreationNH).  

Secondly, what we don't understand is why our Select Board once again exercises "crisis management" with the relatively last minute idea of presenting Warrant Article #4 to where Town Property Taxpayers would be tagged with coughing up more tax obligations in the amount of $2 million dollars to purchase and then the ongoing unknown annual management/improvement expenses of the property on Plumer Road.
What it all boils down to is "childcare" services that the Epping Recreation Dept provides for two-parent households that came out publicly at our Town's Deliberative Session (here's the video link from the meeting:  https://epping.vod.castus.tv/vod/...) where it's clearly mentioned at about an hour and 23 minutes in...where a parent said that "...this is the cheapest childcare that we can get for after school and for the people who need it before school...".  The question tax property owners who don't need "childcare" services provided by our Recreation Dept...why are they being asked to pay more in taxes to help subsidize childcare expenses for those two parent working families?

If our Select Board truly had the best interest at hand for all Epping Taxpayers and residents, they should pull the $2 million out of the "taxes that have already been collected", sitting in what's called often our "rainy day fund" and dump the idea of adding more new taxes.

  
Again, it's a great idea that should have been explored a few years ago when this property was sold on Jan 23, 2022 for $935,000.  Did this nearly 16 acres with a large dwelling on it, along with exterior outbuildings, etc. truly realize a gain of $815,000 in value (an increase of about 87%...an annual average of 29%...from the asking price of $1,750,000)?  Then the added tax burden for closing cost along with immediate expenses mentioned for usage compliance, etc.

  
Since it's been explained there's benefits of this property on Plumer Road being adjacent to our School facility/campuses...has our School Board ever expressed an interest in making an offer to directly purchase this property and/or contribute a significant amount of funds they peel out of our pockets every year, to partner with the Select Board to make it a joint project?

All in all, great idea but there are much larger issues that face our Town that prior and existing elected Town representatives have been kicking down the road for far too long...that require much more attention and funding, for example the millions of dollars that have been spent over at least the past 10 to 14 years on our Water/Sewer system...that we're told now we'll be looking at another Warrant Article Bond to vote on next year of at least another $19 million dollars.

The message to elected Town representatives and voters of Epping...stop spending money on wants that we don't have money readily available.  Taxpayers have been squeezed to the point there's just not anything left...so if those that are in favor of the acquisition and ongoing expenses of this property on Plumer Road, convince your Select Board members to use the tax funds they've already collected and are sitting on...to make this want into a need.

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Based on current Town and School District (SAU14) spending, based on existing budgets, it's at a $1.36 every second of every hour ($81.60 a minute; $4,896 every hour; $117,504 every day; $822,528 every week).

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Read all of what's on the Town Warrant Articles (including the one for the bond purchase for the 14 Plumer Road property) that will appear on our upcoming Ballot in March: https://www.eppingnh.gov/.../f/news/2025_final_warrant.pdf

By the way, from what we count, all these Town Warrant Articles add up to an additional financial commitment being asked of Epping property taxpayers, totals $4,960,740 in new taxes (yes, that's nearly $5 million dollars over and above the Town's proposed Operating Budget of $13,207,905).  A grand total of just the Town expenditures of $18,168,645 (excluding the School District's additional $24,806,967 in new taxes (excluding the $531,189 of their Food Services Budget which we've always been told, is always paid back by grants, etc.

Overall, at this point we've identified a total dollar commitment being asked of Epping's registered voters is to approve in spending of $45,362,727 ($44,897,727 in new taxes and an additional $465,000 in taxes collected from prior taxation).  On average that's $6,002.74 annually being spent by our Town and School government per each of the estimated U.S. Census  Bureau population of 7,557.  On average, based on the Town's proposed expenditure of $18,168,645...that comes to $2,404.21 per resident and of the Schools proposed expenditure of $25,338,156 towards 880 enrolled students (per the districts data at: https://campussuite-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/.../Profile...)  averages $28,793.36 annually.  Add in those 880 students, who are part of the overall Town's 7,557 population, above what is being spent by the School District, another $2,404.21 average, out of the Town's budget  expenditure...it totals $31,197.57 being allocated towards students.

 
You've heard us here at www.ERGI.org say over and over that it's our School District (SAU14) and School  Board who really "runs" our Town.  All you have to do is follow the money.  We might as well disband the Select Board and all the other Town boards and commissions because it's all for not when our School system controls pretty much what gets done, when it gets done...with the pittance of funds they leave on the table, after they rake in the BIG money and all the Town departments are left scrambling for the scraps left behind by the School Board.  

It's terribly disappointing that it appears very few, if any Select Board or Budget Committee members even speak up to challenge our School Board for what they've been doing for years and continue to do so.  In fact  there's even a Warrant Article this year, on our upcoming Ballot, that  essentially further "stacks the Budget Committee" on behalf of the School District/School Board.

Voters of Epping...why have you, and continue to do so...keep reelecting  people to the School Board that ignore all the residents of our Town by  absconding with the enormous amounts of taxpayer money while also at the same time, reelecting members to our Select Board that are afraid to  challenge School Board members?  

U.S. Census Bureau data is at the following weblink:
https://www.census.gov/.../eppingtownrockingham.../PST120224

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For those taxpayers in Epping that are concerned about how inflation has reduced the value of your $$, get ready to pay substantially more when the "Martin Road Project" gets underway.

Since the NH State Housing Appeals Board recently overruled our own local Zoning Board, we're in for a tremendous amount of increased Town expenses that will have to be paid mostly by Epping taxpayers.  Take into account there will be likely a Warrant Article on our upcoming Town Election ballot, in about 4 months, of a $19 million dollar bond towards our Wastewater Treatment Plant (a facility, that over the past several years, has been the subject of earlier Warrant Articles into the millions...and is not functioning as it was intended).

If you are truly concerned about the enormous amount of $$ that gets spent by our Town government and how that $$ comes out of your pocket, listen and watch the recording of the November 14, 2024 Planning Board meeting at: https://epping.vod.castus.tv/vod/?video=ce5552fa-620c-417d-bbc2-156539cd143

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If  you missed the Wednesday 11/13/2024 Town Budget Committee meeting be sure to view it at the following link (note the video shows as  11/11/2024 but the meeting actually took place on Wednesday the 13th):    https://epping.vod.castus.tv/vod/?video=3d8ec935-9c3e-4716-936f-42217ede4674

You'll witness another failure by our Budget Committee Chairman who didn't follow-through with a committee voted dictate to have Town departments come before the Budget Committee and present their budgets.  Another shining example on how our Town Budget Committee Chairman (who needs to be replaced with someone who doesn't "talk out of both sides of their mouth") doesn't take the position seriously...thus rendering our Budget Committee ineffective when trying to control spending. 

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Once again the Absentee Voting process was manipulated in our  "General Election"...here in Epping.

Is there a legitimate reason why someone in their upper 40's...that has made their home, over the past 20 some years 250 plus miles from Epping...continues to use a family member's Epping home address as their own...in order to cast their vote(s) in Epping elections...via an absentee ballot?

You be the judge...according to TITLE LXIII ELECTIONS Chapter 657 regarding "ABSENTEE VOTING" Eligibility Section 657:1 (https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/lxiii/657/657-mrg.htm?id=8589992027)

I.  Any person who will be absent on the day of any state election from the city, town, or unincorporated place in which he or she is registered to vote or who cannot appear in public on any election day because of his or her observance of a religious commitment or who is unable to vote there in person by reason of physical disability may vote at such elections as provided in this chapter.  A person who is unable to appear at any time during polling hours at his or her polling place because of an employment obligation shall be considered absent for purposes of this chapter.  For the purposes of this section, the term "employment" shall include the care of children and infirm adults, with or without compensation.

II.  When the National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning, blizzard warning, or ice storm warning for election day applicable to the city, town, or unincorporated place: (a) A person who otherwise would have voted in person but has concerns for his or her safety traveling in the storm, shall be considered absent for purposes of this chapter and may vote absentee on the day immediately prior to the election.  (b) A person who cares for children or infirm adults who reasonably anticipates that school, child care, or adult care will be canceled, who otherwise would have voted in person but will be deterred from voting by the need to care for children or infirm adults, shall be considered absent for purposes of this chapter and may vote absentee on the day immediately prior to the election.  (c) As required by RSA 652:20, the clerk's office shall be open to receive applications for absentee ballots, to provide voters the opportunity to complete absentee ballots, and to receive returned ballots on the day immediately prior to an election at a minimum from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  The clerk may designate a deputy clerk or assistant to provide this service, provided the individual has taken the oath of office and has been trained in the requirements for using an absentee ballot and the procedures for issuing and receiving absentee ballots.  (d) In the event an election is postponed pursuant to RSA 669:1, the provisions of subparagraph (c) shall apply to the day before the date of the originally scheduled election and the day before the date of the postponed election.

Source. 1979, 308:2; 436:1. 2006, 136:1, eff. July 21, 2006. 2016, 130:1, eff. May 27, 2016. 2018, 329:4, eff. Jan. 1, 2019. 2019, 192:5, 6, eff. July 10, 2019.

The actual "domiciled home address" of this non-Epping resident absentee voter is not in Epping and the reason this person continues, for some 20 plus years...to cast vote(s) in a town they don't live in is deceptive.  Is the real reason this person continues to use an Epping family member's home address as their own...when they clearly aren't an Epping resident (with a domiciled home here)...an act of manipulation?  According to the NH State Attorney General's Office, ((https://www.doj.nh.gov/bureaus/election-law/establishing-domicileresidence-new-hampshire)) the terms "domicile" and "residence" are equivalent.  Even though RSA 21:6-a and RSA 654:1 contain different words, they convey the same basic concept.  When a person makes a town or ward in New Hampshire his or her principal place of physical presence to the exclusion of all other places, that person has established a domicile/residence.

You make a town or ward in New Hampshire your principal place of physical presence to the exclusion of all other places.  Your actions in New Hampshire reveal your intent to make a place in New Hampshire your domicile/residence.  Such actions include, but are not limited to, purchasing or leasing a principal (i.e. primary) house or apartment, obtaining a resident vehicle registration, placing dependent children in a publicly funded school, registering to vote, paying taxes applicable only to residents, etc. RSA 21:6; RSA 21:6-a; RSA 259:23; RSA 654:1. 

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Epping Taxpayers/Residents....please make the time to watch/listen to our Town's Budget Committee meeting from Wednesday evening, Sept.  11th.   Here's the weblink: https://epping.vod.castus.tv/vod/?video=a956efe3-e591-4a19-9bf7-0eae3b61114d&nav=recent

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The following observations and opinions are from someone who knows what's occurring within Epping government and are strictly based on a professional basis, and are all a matter of Public Record. 

The structure of the Epping Government is archaic and may have been sufficient in the past before Epping’s growth exploded.  Epping is governed by committees, boards, and a commission.  From what I have experienced, there is no one person in your government that can be held accountable for anything.  Even your Town Administrator position is just a clerk’s position.  The position has no authority as a mayor or Town Manager.  All of Epping’s boards and committees are the same.  Their meetings are nothing but opinion fests with people who get elected by their friends.  Much like high school elections, nothing but a popularity contest.  No one really goes to the meetings or even watches them on your ETV.  I don’t blame them; they are a joke.  There were those that had to be at the Water & Sewer Commission meetings that couldn’t wait to get out.  Just sitting in those meetings with three people who have never treated a gallon of wastewater, instructing others on how to do their job, was too much to take for them.  I am sure that there are some knowledgeable people on some of the committees, and I know that they receive a small stipend, but they are part-time volunteers and not held accountable.   

Maybe the town’s residents should realize that instead of spending their tax dollars and Water & Sewer fees to support outside engineers, consultants, contractors, and others, they should make a change and have an accountable government.  You may have to pay them, but they will have to be accountable, and have skin in the game (their livelihood), and it would be much cheaper in the long run.  Believe me, I am not a big government person, but there comes a time when you must face the music.  Epping has grown by leaps and bounds in terms of business and residential numbers, but its government and infrastructure to support the growth has not.  Your town just had an election, how do you see it changing anything?

First of all, they are an “Enterprise Funded Organization” and are not held accountable by the taxpayers, or anybody else.  Only the users pay.  That is wrong on its face!  The entire town benefits from water & sewer services, should contribute and have the ability to hold people accountable.  It is a betterment for society.  I have not had a child in the public school system for over 14 years, can I stop paying my taxes?  After all, I am not a user.  There are many cities and towns that employ the enterprise system for water and sewer, but they are usually administered by knowledgeable town or city paid employees, such as an experienced DPW Director.  Not elected residents who happen to have friends.  It is ridiculous!  Your Water & Sewer Commission recently raised the rates for users about 80% without a notice, hearings, or quite frankly a good explanation except for blaming the state of NH.  I know better.  Do you know that the town is under a State mandated moratorium for Septage Receiving (reported annual revenue of 600-900K), and new sewer connections for anyone, causing the lack of further development and the tax revenue that would have been generated by usable public utilities, the Wastewater and Water Treatment Facilities.  The reason is that neither one of them are capable of supplying the permitted services that they were supposedly designed for.  ERGI talks about kicking the can down the road, which really is the Epping way and true.  However, there is also kicking the can back to previous boards, committees, and commissions, so that no one takes responsibility for what they don’t do.  Somebody else did it before I got here attitude.  It is pervasive in Epping politics!  Epping just had an election; one incumbent Water & Sewer commissioner was on the ballot unopposed.  The candidate received almost 1,200 votes. Why?? The candidate has no education or experience in the Water/Wastewater industry.  Yet the candidate, and still commissioner gets to make decisions, along with the other two commissioners with no experience, to spend the town’s money on the most important utilities that the town has. It is insane!  

I provide this information only so that you may be able to understand why the town is where it is today.  Back in the 1960’s when Epping was a rural town with very little commercial and industrial activity, two large lagoons were built for basically a constructed wetlands treatment.  It was the norm at the time for many towns in NH.  Around the year 2000, the town and their engineer committed the first sin, in constructing a Membrane plant as opposed to a conventional treatment plant.  Not to get into it deeply, but there is only one Membrane municipal wastewater treatment plant in NH to this day, and it is in Epping.  Membrane plants are expensive to operate, not reliable, and frowned upon by the state.  They are considered Innovative/Alternative (I/A) treatment and carry different permit requirements, as well as higher maintenance and replacement costs.  Due to multiple violations and wastewater bypasses to the Lamprey River over the years, the EPA issued a Consent Order (CO), to “fix” the situation.  I'm unsure of the date of the first consent order.  So, the town and their current engineer, who has been involved with the town going on 10 years, made the choice to do an “Upgrade” with membranes from a different manufacturer, instead of going with conventional treatment.  This is where the real insanity comes in.  The membranes that were selected, manufactured in Germany, (Weise Membranes), have absolutely no track record of use in any municipal Waste Water Treatment Facility in the United States.  They don’t exist!  So, Epping became not just the only membrane plant in NH, it became the sole municipality in the United States employing Weise membranes in a Municipal environment.  In short, they failed horribly!

The first of three Weise membranes was installed in March 2021.  While there were two existing membranes also being used everything seemed OK.  At that time there were already issues with the Weise membrane, but the State gave the town permission to purchase and install the remaining two Weise membranes.  In October 2021, the Weise membrane completely failed, and yet the town and the engineer installed the other two new Weise membranes which also failed.  Epping's Waste Water Treatment Facility bypassed millions of gallons of partially treated wastewater into the Lamprey River between December 2021 - March 2022, and then again from January - June 2023.  The Lamprey River is a Federally protected river and supplies the town of Durham, NH and UNH with drinking water.  In both instances the town of Durham had to suspend their use of the Lamprey for drinking water.  Also, there was the issue with recreational use of the river that became a concern.  

There is much more that can be said on how millions upon millions of dollars have been spent poorly only to put the town of Epping back in the same boat as in 2000!  You are back to Zenon membranes, with some improvements yes, but it should be a plant that lasts for 30 - 40 years with normal maintenance.

All of what has been described should be a matter of Public Record.  I suggest there be research into monies spent and why.  Especially the cost of the only town engineering consultant for many years, only to end up where the town of Epping was 24 years ago!

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