Newfields meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Newfields Select Board approves $529,745 school tax payment

The Newfields Select Board approved a $529,745 school tax payment at its Aug. 11 meeting, along with routine payroll and accounts payable items. The board also discussed allegations of Right-to-Know Law violations and a Conservation Commission appointment, but took no formal action on either.

Select Board

At its Aug. 11 meeting, the Select Board approved:

• School tax payment of $529,745.00
• Accounts payable manifest of $3,327.05
• Payroll manifest of $59,223.12

The board discussed RSA 91-A compliance and quorum concerns, and the appointment of Chris Shanelaris to the Conservation Commission, but no votes were taken on those matters. The minutes for this meeting are available.

Other Recent Meetings

Several other boards met over the past two weeks, though no decisions were recorded.

• **Public Safety Building Committee** met Aug. 12 and Aug. 19 to review requests for qualifications from Turner Group and Placework for the public safety building design, and to deliberate on a Structural Maintenance Plan request for quotation. The committee may enter non-public sessions, but no votes were listed.
• **Planning Board** held a public hearing Aug. 13 on proposed changes to roadway construction standards for site plan and subdivision regulations, covering pavement width, concrete depth, drainage pipe material, and the Typical Road Section. The board also discussed a preliminary subdivision proposal with Gayle and Dwight Davis, heard a complaint about truck traffic on Pleasant St. from Stacey and Tom Grella, and received a Capital Improvement Program update. No decisions were made.
• **Conservation Commission** met Aug. 17 to review meeting minutes, discuss commission email practices, site monitoring, bylaws next steps, and the Vernon Family Farm site management plan. The commission also addressed the chair position. No decisions were listed.

Coming Up

The Select Board will meet Aug. 25 at 6:45 p.m. for a non-public session, followed by a public portion at 7 p.m. The agenda includes:

• Library Trustees on green burials
• Police Chief Young on the Personnel Policy Manual
• SMP Architects
• Review and approval of checks, accounts payable and payroll manifests, September meeting dates, and prior meeting minutes

All meetings are open to the public unless noted otherwise.

Public Safety Building Committee Authorizes $28,480 Site Assessment Contract

In the past two weeks, the most consequential action taken by a Newfields board was the Public Safety Building Committee's unanimous approval of a site assessment contract not to exceed $28,480. The committee also decided to continue its current planning process rather than switch to a design-build approach, and selected three firms for interviews for the next phase.

Public Safety Building Committee

At its August 5 meeting, the committee voted unanimously to authorize John Hayden to sign a site assessment contract with a not-to-exceed amount of $28,480. The contract covers costs for Beals, Northam's survey work, and wetlands flagging. The committee also approved prior meeting minutes as amended and reached consensus to continue with the current site assessment and needs analysis process, citing legal and financial risks of switching to a design-build approach. Three firms—SMP, Turner, and Placework—were selected for interviews for the next project phase.

At its August 12 meeting, the committee reviewed responses to requests for qualifications (RFQs) from Turner Group and Placework for the public safety building project. The agenda also included approval of prior meeting minutes and a potential non-public session under state law. No votes on contracts or funding were listed.

Cemetery Trustees

The Cemetery Trustees met August 4 to discuss two items: a request to remove a fallen tree near Hilton Graveyard and a request to consider creating a green burial space. The board planned to have Jim check on tree removal and Lynne contact Kensington Cemetery Trustees about green burial. Lynne was also to contact Wallace Dugan about mowing for 2026. The board approved minutes from an October 21, 2025 meeting. Minutes from this meeting have not yet been published.

Water & Sewer District

The Newfields Village Water & Sewer District met August 4 to review treasurer reports, water projects, and wastewater updates. Commissioners planned to vote on subscribing to Waterworth, and discussed meter fees, a shut-off door hanger fee, a credit card contract for invoice payments, and a Waterworth rate study data request. No decisions were recorded in the agenda; minutes are not yet available.

Select Board

The Select Board met August 11 with a light agenda. Items included review and approval of checks and prior meeting minutes, a Town Hall rental for a contra dance, revenues and expenses, and an ex officio report from the Planning Board and Conservation Commission. The board also had the option to enter non-public session. No decisions were listed in the agenda.

Planning Board

The Planning Board held a public hearing August 13 on proposed amendments to the Subdivision Regulations and Site Plan Review Regulations regarding road design criteria, including pavement width, concrete depth, drainage pipe material, and the Typical Road Section. The board also held a preliminary discussion with Gayle and Dwight Davis, heard a complaint about truck traffic on Pleasant St. from Stacey and Tom Grella, received a Capital Improvement Program update, and reviewed June meeting minutes. All items were on the agenda; no votes were reported.

Coming up

The Conservation Commission will meet today, August 17, at Town Hall. The agenda includes review of May, June, and July meeting minutes, discussion of commission email practices, site monitoring updates, bylaws next steps, an alternate member appointment, the Window Dressers Program, and the Vernon Family Farm site management plan. The commission will also address the chair position before adjourning.

Newfields boards take up cruiser purchase, public safety building RFQ

Over the past two weeks, several Newfields boards met to discuss routine finances, a police cruiser purchase, a public safety building project, cemetery maintenance, and water and sewer operations. Minutes from these meetings have not yet been published, so no decisions or votes are available to report. The agendas are summarized below.

Select Board

The Select Board met on July 28. Police Chief Young was scheduled to discuss a cruiser purchase at 7:00 PM. The board also planned to review and approve checks, accounts payable and receivable manifests, and the treasurer's report, as well as prior meeting minutes. Select Board members were to give a status report on ongoing projects.

Public Safety Building Committee

The Public Safety Building Committee met twice. On July 29, the committee was set to review a Request for Qualifications (RFQ), approve prior minutes, and schedule its next meeting. On August 5, the committee planned to follow up on the design-build process, review RFQ/RFP documents, approve prior minutes, and schedule another meeting. The agenda was largely procedural, with no concrete decisions or dollar amounts listed.

Cemetery Trustees

The Cemetery Trustees met on August 4. They discussed a request to remove a fallen tree near Hilton Graveyard; Jim was to check on removal. They also considered creating a green burial space; Lynne was to check with Kensington Cemetery Trustees. Lynne was to contact Wallace Dugan about mowing for 2026. The board planned to approve minutes from the October 21, 2025 meeting.

Water & Sewer District

The Newfields Village Water & Sewer District met on August 4. Commissioners were to vote on a Waterworth subscription. They also planned to discuss a Hutchinson Sealing Meter, American Tower correspondence, a shut-off door hanger fee, a credit card contract for invoice payments, and a Waterworth rate study data request. No vote results are available.

Coming up

The Planning Board will hold a public hearing on August 13 at a time and location to be determined. The hearing concerns proposed changes to roadway construction standards for site plan and subdivision regulations, including pavement width, concrete depth, drainage pipe material, and the Typical Road Section. The board will also hold a preliminary discussion regarding Gayle and Dwight Davis and receive a Capital Improvement Program (CIP) update. Residents interested in these topics may attend.

Newfields Public Safety Building Committee narrows architect search; Water & Sewer vote set for Tuesday

The Public Safety Building Committee has agreed on a scoring process to rank architectural and construction management proposals, moving the town closer to a March bond vote on a new public safety facility.

Public Safety Building Committee sets RFQ scoring matrix

On July 22, the committee unanimously approved its July 15 meeting minutes and agreed to use a spreadsheet-based scoring matrix to shortlist the top three candidates from the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) responses. Members also agreed to pursue a pre-application meeting with the Department of Environmental Services regarding Meadow Road access. The committee is coordinating a site survey and wetland flagging timeline to meet legal deadlines for a March bond vote.

A second committee meeting on July 29 was scheduled to review the RFQ, but minutes have not yet been published.

Select Board agenda included police cruiser discussion

The Select Board convened July 28 to review routine financial reports, including checks, accounts payable and receivable manifests, and the treasurer's report. Police Chief Young was scheduled to present on a cruiser purchase at 7:00 PM. Board members were also set to give status reports on ongoing projects. Minutes from this meeting have not yet been published.

Conservation Commission bylaws vote pending

The Conservation Commission met July 20 to discuss land stewardship and administrative matters. The agenda included a possible motion to approve the commission's bylaws, a SELT monitoring visit of Sellers-Newlin 1, 2, and 3, the Anderson Easement site monitoring report dated June 9, an update on the Resource Waste Services permit application, and the VFF site parking area plan process. Minutes were not available.

Coming up

Two meetings in the next two weeks may draw resident interest:

• **Water & Sewer District — Tuesday, Aug. 4:** Commissioners will vote on subscribing to Waterworth and discuss meter fees, a shut-off door hanger fee, a credit card contract for invoice payments, and a Waterworth rate study data request. The agenda also includes correspondence regarding Hutchinson Sealing Meter and American Tower.

• **Planning Board — Thursday, Aug. 13:** A public hearing is scheduled on proposed changes to roadway construction standards for site plan and subdivision regulations, covering pavement width, concrete depth, drainage pipe material, and the Typical Road Section. The board will also hold a preliminary discussion regarding Gayle and Dwight Davis and receive a Capital Improvement Program update.

Newfields boards weigh appointments, property matters, and public safety building plans

Three Newfields boards and committees met over the past two weeks, but official minutes have not yet been published for any of the sessions. The following items are drawn from agendas only, meaning they were scheduled for discussion or action but outcomes are not yet confirmed in the public record.

Select Board — July 14

The Select Board's agenda listed two appointments: J. Feenstra as Emergency Management Director and B. Blais as Deputy Emergency Management Director. Whether those appointments were confirmed is not yet documented in published minutes.

The board was also scheduled to review a tax abatement for Map 208/15.1, discuss Office of Highway Safety grants, and review correspondence and financial manifests. The agenda included discussion of Vernon Family Farm complaints.

Water & Sewer District — July 7

The Water & Sewer District agenda called for a non-public session to consider acquisition or sale of real property. No details on the property or any decision are available, as minutes have not been published.

Other agenda items included a water shut-off for delinquent April invoices, discussion of a Cash Reserve Policy, a WaterWorth subscription proposal, and a listed future task involving a cell tower sale.

Public Safety Building Committee — July 15

The Public Safety Building Committee was scheduled to approve prior meeting minutes and discuss questions related to a Request for Proposals for the public safety building project. The agenda also included a meeting with Beals and Associates, identified in the agenda summary as likely a consultant or architect, plus time for any other open items and scheduling of the next meeting.

No outcomes are confirmed in the public record.

Coming up

Conservation Commission — July 20: The commission may vote to approve its bylaws. Other agenda items include a SELT monitoring visit of Sellers-Newlin 1, 2, 3; the Anderson Easement site monitoring report dated 6/9/26; a Resource Waste Services permit application update; and discussion of the process for the VFF site parking area plan.

*Note: All recent meeting details above are based on agendas only. Official minutes have not been published for the July 7, July 14, or July 15 sessions. Readers should consult the linked official documents for confirmed outcomes and vote tallies.*

Newfields committees review public safety building RFP, water district property matters; Select Board set for appointments July 14

Three Newfields committees met over the past two weeks, but minutes have not yet been published for any of the sessions. What follows is based on the posted agendas only — residents should treat these as items scheduled for discussion, not confirmed decisions.

Public Safety Building Committee — June 30

The Public Safety Building Committee was scheduled to review a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the public safety building project. The agenda also included approval of prior meeting minutes, scheduling the next meeting, and a possible non-public session under RSA 91-A:3, the state statute that allows boards to meet privately on certain matters.

Because minutes have not been published, it is not yet known whether the RFP was finalized, revised, or released. The public safety building project has been a long-running effort to provide updated facilities for the town's emergency services.

Trustees of the Trust Funds — July 1

The Trustees of the Trust Funds were scheduled to orient a new trustee and update bank account signatures. The agenda also listed discussion of an upcoming payment for a fire truck and consideration of how to track future withdrawals for cemetery maintenance.

No dollar amounts were listed on the agenda. Minutes have not been published, so the status of the fire truck payment and the cemetery maintenance tracking system is not confirmed.

Water & Sewer District — July 7

The Water & Sewer District agenda included a non-public session to consider acquisition or sale of real property. Under RSA 91-A:2, boards may discuss real estate negotiations in private before a contract is executed.

The agenda also listed several operational and financial items:

• A water shut-off for delinquent April invoices
• Discussion of a Cash Reserve Policy
• A WaterWorth subscription proposal
• A cell tower sale listed among future tasks

No vote tallies or dollar figures were provided on the agenda. Minutes have not been published.

Coming up: Select Board — July 14

The Select Board is scheduled to meet Tuesday, July 14. The agenda includes two appointments:

• J. Feenstra as Emergency Management Director
• B. Blais as Deputy Emergency Management Director

The board will also review an abatement for Map 208/15.1, consider Office of Highway Safety grants, approve financial manifests, and discuss correspondence related to Vernon Family Farm complaints.

Residents can attend the meeting to hear the appointments and abatement review firsthand. Meeting details and materials are available through the town's official channels.

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A note on sourcing: All three recent meetings listed above are marked "agenda only" — minutes have not been published as of July 13. This roundup reflects what was scheduled for discussion, not what was voted on or decided. Readers seeking confirmed outcomes should check the official minutes once they are posted.

Newfields boards review farm noise, public safety building proposals, and fire truck payment

Four town bodies met over the past two weeks, but minutes have not yet been published for any of them. The following is drawn from official agendas only; outcomes and vote tallies are not yet available.

Select Board — June 23

The Select Board's agenda included a public session on Vernon Family Farm noise compliance. The agenda noted that no public input was allowed during that session. The board was also scheduled to review and sign documents for a Town Hall rental for a Contra Dance, approve checks and accounts payable and payroll manifests, and review prior meeting minutes. Upcoming meeting dates were listed as an agenda item.

Because minutes are not yet published, it is not confirmed which items were acted on or how any votes went.

Public Safety Building Committee — June 24 and June 30

The committee met twice to advance plans for a new public safety building. The June 24 agenda called for reviewing RFP submissions from two firms: Beals and Associates and Verdantas. The June 30 agenda listed a further review of the RFP for the public safety building project, approval of prior meeting minutes, and scheduling of the next meeting. That agenda also noted a possible non-public session under RSA 91-A:3, the state statute that allows public bodies to meet privately on certain matters.

No dollar figures, rankings, or selections were included in the agenda materials.

Trustees of the Trust Funds — July 1

The Trustees' agenda covered orientation of a new trustee, updates to bank account signatures, and discussion of an upcoming payment for a fire truck. The trustees were also scheduled to discuss how to track future withdrawals for cemetery maintenance.

The agenda did not specify the fire truck payment amount or a payment date.

Coming up

Water & Sewer — July 7: The district will enter a non-public session to consider the acquisition or sale of real property. The public agenda also lists a water shut-off for delinquent April invoices, discussion of a Cash Reserve Policy, and a proposal for a WaterWorth subscription. A cell tower sale is listed among future tasks. No dollar amounts were included in the agenda.

Public Safety Building Proposals Under Review; Water and Sewer to Consider Property Sale

The Newfields Public Safety Building Committee began evaluating proposals for a new public safety facility at two meetings in late June, while other town boards addressed farm noise, fire truck payments, and trustee transitions. Meeting minutes have not yet been published, so outcomes of discussions remain unconfirmed. Below is a roundup of recent and upcoming municipal meetings based on published agendas.

Select Board – June 23

The Select Board held a public session regarding noise compliance at Vernon Family Farm. According to the agenda, no public input was permitted, and the item was listed as a standalone board review. The board also planned to approve a town hall rental for a contra dance and to sign associated rental documents. Routine financial items on the agenda included approval of accounts payable and payroll manifests, prior meeting minutes, and scheduling of upcoming meeting dates.

Public Safety Building Committee – June 24 and 30

The committee, which is overseeing planning for a new public safety facility, met on June 24 to review request for proposals (RFPs) from two firms: Beals and Associates and Verdantas. A second meeting followed on June 30, during which the committee continued its RFP review and planned to approve prior meeting minutes and schedule its next session. The June 30 agenda also noted a possible non-public session under RSA 91-A:3, the state’s open meeting law, to discuss matters allowed in private.

Trustees of the Trust Funds – July 1

The trustees gathered to orient a newly appointed trustee and update signature authorities on bank accounts. Their agenda also listed discussion of an upcoming fire truck payment and how to track future withdrawals designated for cemetery maintenance. The fire truck expenditure may relate to a previously approved purchase or lease; the cemetery maintenance tracking reflects the trustees’ ongoing responsibility for trust-funded care of town burial grounds.

Upcoming: Water & Sewer District – July 7

The Water & Sewer District will meet on July 7 and immediately enter a non-public session to consider the acquisition or sale of real property, as permitted under state law when public discussion could affect a negotiating position. After the closed session, public agenda items include updates on current water and wastewater infrastructure projects, discussion of water shut-offs for customers with unpaid April invoices, review of a proposed cash reserve policy, and a subscription proposal from WaterWorth, a service provider. Commissioners will also review a list of future tasks that includes a possible cell tower sale. Residents may attend the public portions of the meeting.