Newbury meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Newbury Selectboard sets 3% homestead penalty, approves $748K in payments

The Newbury Selectboard set the late homestead filing penalty at 3% and approved warrants totaling $748,049.03 at its Aug. 12 meeting. The board also approved cemetery appropriations, an ATV permit, and an additional payment for wiring removal at the Town Office.

Selectboard actions

The board voted to set the late homestead filing penalty rate at 3%, a motion moved by A. Lee and seconded by S. Prime. It also approved appropriations for cemetery associations as recommended by the Town Treasurer, moved by S. Prime and seconded by A. Lee.

An ATV permit was issued to Shawn Cantrell for agricultural purposes on town roads, moved by S. Prime and seconded by A. Lee. The board authorized an additional $1,445 payment to Graves Builders for removal of old wiring at the Town Office, using funds from the building fund; that motion was moved by S. Culp and seconded by S. Prime.

Finally, the board approved warrants for payment totaling $748,049.03, covering payroll and payables.

Tucker Mountain Town Forest Management Committee

The Tucker Mountain Town Forest Management Committee met Aug. 10 and approved minutes from its July 27 and Aug. 10 meetings. The All Persons Trail bridge is nearly complete and under budget, with abutments on schedule. The committee finalized plans for Tucker Mountain Day on Aug. 19, including use of Miles Conklin's ox cart and a horse logging demonstration.

Security upgrades were discussed, including installing Wi-Fi cameras and a motion-activated light. The committee also supported Mike Kelly's picnic table build with a concrete and chain anchor, and discussed comparing cedar versus hemlock costs for the picnic table and bog bridges. A vandalism incident involving cutting a birch tree was reported, and the State Police were contacted. No formal votes were recorded. The committee scheduled its next meeting for Aug. 24.

Listening session on Newbury Common trees

The Selectboard held a community listening session on Aug. 15 to present an inventory, assessment, and recommendations for trees on the Newbury Common. The agenda included discussion of removing green ash trees, a UCF inventory and recommendations for tree planting, and a potential UCF grant for tree replacement. Public comments and questions were taken, followed by an optional tour. Minutes have not yet been published.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed in the next 14 days.

Tucker Mountain committee approves $3,200 woodcarvings; other Newbury boards hold agenda meetings

The Tucker Mountain Town Forest Management Committee unanimously approved spending $3,200 from its existing budget for woodcarvings on the covered woven arch bridge at its Aug. 3 meeting. No other decisions were recorded in the past two weeks; other meetings were agenda-only with minutes not yet published.

Tucker Mountain Town Forest Management Committee

At the Aug. 3 meeting, the committee approved the woodcarvings with no budget increase. It also discussed using extra cedar logs for bog bridges and scheduled volunteer work with Plenitud for Thursday morning. No formal votes were taken on those items.

The committee is scheduled to meet again Aug. 10 to review minutes, the treasurer's report, and updates on ordinances, the Bailey property appraisal, bridge construction and budget, trails, and Tucker Mountain Day. New business includes a river run event, tree cutting/off-road driving, and security cameras. Minutes from that meeting have not yet been published.

Recreation Committee

The Recreation Committee met Aug. 4 with an agenda that included a guest presentation from Bradford Youth Sports, a soccer program update, a summer community event tied to the West Newbury Parade, and a budget update. The agenda was discussion-based with no final votes or public hearings listed. Minutes have not yet been published.

Cemetery Committee

The Cemetery Committee met Aug. 5 to continue work on its by-laws, approve minutes, and handle other business. The agenda was procedural, with no major decisions or public hearings listed. Minutes have not yet been published.

Selectboard

The Selectboard held two meetings in the past two weeks.

On Aug. 12, the agenda included a possible ATV permit for Cantrell, an update on the Town Office MERP project, late homestead filings, and a community listening session on Newbury Common trees scheduled for Aug. 15. A public comment period and a possible executive session for personnel matters were also listed. Minutes have not yet been published.

On Aug. 15, the board hosted a community listening session on the Newbury Common tree plan. The agenda included a presentation on inventory, assessment, and recommendations for trees, discussion of removing green ash trees, a UCF inventory and recommendations for tree planting, a UCF grant for tree replacement, and public comments and questions. An optional tour was also planned. Minutes have not yet been published.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are scheduled in the next 14 days.

Newbury roundup: Tucker Mountain committee accepts culvert donation; other meetings await decisions

The Tucker Mountain Town Forest Management Committee accepted a donation of five culvert pipes at its July 27 meeting, the only formal action taken among recent Newbury town meetings. Other meetings held over the past two weeks were agenda-only, with no final votes or decisions recorded.

Tucker Mountain Town Forest Management Committee (July 27)

The committee approved the June 22 meeting minutes and accepted the culvert pipe donation. Members also reviewed the FY26 budget and discussed preparations for Tucker Mountain Day and a 5K event. No formal votes were taken on proposed picnic table funding or road maintenance issues. The meeting adjourned with all members in favor.

Selectboard (July 29) — agenda only

The Selectboard met on July 29 at 7 PM. The agenda included opening bids for the Town House repainting RFP and the Ash Tree removal RFP, as well as updates on the Town Office MERP Project and a review of the Town Facility Use Policy. Public input was heard, and TRORC Regional Plan Update Hearings were listed. Minutes have not yet been published.

Tucker Mountain Town Forest Management Committee special meeting (Aug. 3) — agenda only

The committee held a special meeting to consider adding woodcarvings to parts of the covered woven arch bridge. A vote on the proposal, at a cost of $3,200, was on the agenda. No minutes have been published, so the outcome is not yet known.

Recreation Committee (Aug. 4) — agenda only

The Recreation Committee met to discuss a budget update, a soccer program update, and a summer community event tied to the West Newbury Parade. A guest from Bradford Youth Sports was scheduled to attend. The agenda was discussion-based, with no final votes or public hearings listed.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed for the next 14 days. Residents should check the town website or official postings for any newly scheduled sessions.

Newbury roundup: Tucker Mountain committee accepts culvert donation; Selectboard reviews capital projects and town office work

Tucker Mountain committee accepts culvert pipes, reviews FY26 budget

The Tucker Mountain Town Forest Management Committee met July 27 and approved the June 22 meeting minutes, with all members in favor. The committee accepted a donation of five culvert pipes and reviewed the FY26 budget. Members discussed preparations for Tucker Mountain Day and a 5K event. No formal votes were taken on proposed picnic table funding or road maintenance issues. The committee approved adjournment, with all members in favor.

Energy Committee approves April minutes, flags Town Plan data discrepancy

The Newbury Energy Committee met July 21 and unanimously approved minutes from its April 22, 2026 meeting. Members noted a data discrepancy in the Town Plan Energy Section and discussed potential outreach to VECAN and other town committees. The committee deferred Town Office MERP Updates to its next meeting and scheduled that meeting for Tuesday, August 18. No other substantive policy decisions were made.

Selectboard capital planning subcommittee reviews salt shed and highway garage

On July 22, the Selectboard's Capital Budget Planning Subcommittee discussed cost estimates, timelines, and plans for replacing the town's salt shed and highway garage, according to the posted agenda. The subcommittee also reviewed progress on the comprehensive capital budget plan for Newbury. Minutes for this meeting have not yet been published, so no votes or decisions are confirmed.

Development Review Board holds hearing on dog daycare and boarding proposal

The Development Review Board held a public hearing July 23 on Application #2026-41, filed by JoAnne Locke. The application seeks conditional use approval to expand a dog grooming business to include daycare and overnight boarding at 119 Leighton Hill Road, identified as Map 11-02-57, Parcel 000529001, in the RR1 district. Minutes have not yet been published, so the board's ruling is not yet on the record.

Selectboard sets July 29 agenda: bids, MERP update, facility policy

The Selectboard's regular meeting on July 29, 2026, at 7 PM, included several items on the posted agenda: opening bids for the Town House repainting RFP, opening bids for the Ash Tree removal RFP, TRORC Regional Plan Update Hearings, a Town Office MERP Project update, and review of the Town Facility Use Policy. Public input was scheduled. Minutes have not yet been published, so outcomes of these items are not confirmed.

Coming up

• **August 3 — Tucker Mountain Town Forest Management Committee (special meeting):** The committee is scheduled to vote on a proposal to add woodcarvings to the covered woven arch bridge at a cost of $3,200.
• **August 18 — Newbury Energy Committee:** Next regular meeting, with Town Office MERP Updates deferred from the July 21 session.

Newbury Selectboard Set to Vote on Tax Sale Bid; DRB Hearing on Dog Daycare Next Week

The Newbury Selectboard was scheduled July 8 to vote on whether to authorize the town to bid at a delinquent tax sale set for July 22, 2026. Minutes from that meeting have not yet been published, so the outcome of the vote is not yet on the record.

Selectboard — July 8

The Selectboard agenda listed several items beyond the tax sale authorization, including stipulation agreements for Communications Property Valuation Appeals, a comprehensive evaluation and assessment of town roads and highway infrastructure, a Route 302 speed zone request, and an ATV permit discussion. The board was also set to take up reallocation of solar credits and a facility use policy. Because only the agenda is available and minutes have not been published, it is not possible to report what was decided, discussed, or tabled.

Budget Advisory Committee and Selectboard — July 15

The Budget Advisory Committee and the Selectboard held a joint special meeting on July 15 to review first- and second-quarter 2026 budget-to-actual reports for both the General Fund and the Highway Fund. The agenda also included discussion of the 2027 budget planning timeline and deadlines, plus the 2027 budget hearing schedule. No votes or public hearings were listed on the agenda. The Budget Advisory Committee met separately the same day to cover the same Q1 and Q2 budget-to-actual reviews and 2027 planning topics. Minutes for both sessions are not yet published.

Recreation Committee — July 14

The Recreation Committee's July 14 agenda included a tiered sponsorship proposal, a summer community event and partnership with the West Newbury Parade, storage relocation, a budget update, and a shed update. Updates on Little League and soccer were also listed. No votes are confirmed on the record, as minutes have not been published.

Coming Up

Development Review Board — July 23, 2026: The DRB will hold a public hearing on Application #2026-41, filed by JoAnne Locke, seeking conditional use approval to expand an existing dog grooming business to include daycare and overnight boarding at 119 Leighton Hill Road (Map 11-02-57, Parcel 000529001) in the RR1 district. This is the only meeting currently scheduled in the next 14 days.

*Note: All recent meetings listed above are reflected by agenda only; minutes have not yet been published. This roundup will be updated when official minutes become available.*