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Nottingham Blog
Mendums Pond to be Drained for 2025 Season for Dam Repairs
In 2015-2016 Mendums Pond was partially drained to allow repairs to the pond’s 1840 dam. In 2021 further engineering studies were performed, determining that the dam needs additional repairs. Starting on November 11 the pond will begin to be lowered by 20 feet. The repairs are to be completed by 2026.
Nottingham’s Legal Expenses Far Exceed Budget
For the past two years Nottingham has budgeted $30k for legal expenses. In 2023 this budget was far exceeded. The 2023 Town Report shows $83,811 was spent. So far in 2024, over $51k has been spent. That means the town is already $21k over budget with four months in the year yet to go. That extra spending has to come out of other parts of the budget - a budget that is already unusually tight due to the voters’ rejection of the town’s proposed 2024 budget, forcing the Board of Selectmen to adopt the default budget and to spend substantially less than the board originally planned to.
Contested Democratic Primary for State Representative for Nottingham & Northwood
Four Democratic candidates are running for the three seats for the Nottingham/Northwood legislative district. Until Ben Bartlett was forced to resign his seat, the Republicans held all three State Representative seats for Nottingham and Northwood. Democrat Hal Rafter pried away one of these seats in a 2023 special election to replace Bartlett. The loser of that election, James Guzofski, will be one of three Republicans facing off against the Democrats in November, only one of whom will be an incumbent - Paul Tudor, who won in a close 2022 election. So, this election represents a good opportunity for the Democrats to pick up one or two seats.
Ruling Released for Vilchock v. Nottingham Board of Selectmen
Court rules in favor of the board. In a 13-page decision, Rockingham Superior Court Judge Lisa M. English ruled that the Nottingham Board of Selectmen had acted rightly in its decision to fire Jaye Vilchock from his role as Nottingham’s Fire Chief. Vilchock brought the case to court, claiming that the board had decided wrongly and that the process the board used in making its decision was unfair. In New Hampshire, Fire Chiefs and Police Chiefs have a statutory right to have their firings reviewed and potentially overturned by a court.
Details of the Agreement to Re-open Town Beach Road in Nottingham
Nottingham Town Beach has provided a free public swimming area for town residents from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day each year since its opening in 1964. At the time of this article, the beach is still closed and is not expected to be open until July 6.
Nottingham Town Beach to Reopen
The Nottingham Board of Selectmen held an unusual non-public session at the start of their regular meeting on July 1 to have a conference with the owners of the access road to Town Beach. Meanwhile, a large number of residents showed up to express concerns about the beach’s ongoing closure.
Former Selectman Says Nottingham Should Sue for Damages
In a recent interview with former Nottingham Selectman Mark Carpenter, Carpenter said the Town of Nottingham should sue Interim Town Administrator John Scruton for his role in causing the Town to be taken to court by former Fire Chief Jaye Vilchock for improper termination.
Letter Presented as Evidence Describing Problems with Nottingham's Fire Chief
The Nottingham Blog’s coverage of the third and final day of hearings on Vilchock v. Nottingham Board of Selectmen contained the following:. The Town Attorney directed Vilchock’s attention to an exhibit the town had filed with the court - a letter in Vilchock’s personnel file from Town Administrator Charlie Brown, addressed to the board, from 2012. Vilchock was unfamiliar with the letter. The Town Attorney read out loud some parts of the letter very quickly. It was very negative. [I have filed a right-to-know request for a copy of this letter. Being an exhibit in this public trial makes it public information. I will publish the contents of the letter once I receive them.] In the letter, Brown says he’s had it with the Chief. There’s a communication problem with the Chief. A poor atmosphere in the department. The Chief will not respond to things he doesn’t agree with. Many other negative comments I couldn’t take notes fast enough on. Vilchock said that Brown had never discussed this with him.
Candidates for NH House, Rockingham District 1 Posted
The NH Secretary of State has posted the names of candidates who have filed for the upcoming primary election for the three seats in the NH House of Representatives for Rockingham County District encompassing the towns of Nottingham and Northwood.
New Public Disc Golf Course to Be Built in Nottingham
The Nottingham Recreation Department presented a proposal to the Board of Selectmen on June 17 for an 18-hole disc golf course to be constructed at the town's Marston Fields Recreation Area. The total cost of the project is projected to be $9k. Sponsors and volunteers have been lined up to buy and install the disc golf holes. The remaining minor costs will come from the department’s revolving fund.
Beach Access Agreement Delayed, Nottingham Board Faces Criticism
The Nottingham Board of Selectmen disclosed that it had received a proposed draft agreement from the Town Attorney about the road access. The board reviewed this at their prior non-public session and concluded that the draft did not meet the conditions the board had discussed with the property owners, and that the agreement would be similar to existing easements for snowmobile trails. The Town Attorney has yet to prepare a new draft, due to being preoccupied with having to spend much of last week defending the board in court. It was noted that the Town Attorney was asked in February to draft this agreement and that the Town Attorney has been made aware that the board considers resolving this to be urgent.
Questions from Vilchock v. Nottingham Board of Selectmen
The Town Attorney asked, “Did you do something wrong, Mr. Vilchock?” Now it’s the citizens' turn to ask if their government did something wrong. The common question on people's minds following the case of Vilchock v. Nottingham Board of Selectmen is whether the judge will rule in favor of Vilchock or the Board of Selectmen.
Day 2: Vilchock v. Nottingham Board of Selectmen
Day 2 of the 3-day trial. Day 1 is here. The 3rd day will have 3 witnesses and closing arguments. Vilchock’s attorney asked questions to establish Danis’ background. Danis served on the Nottingham Board of Selectmen from 2014 to 2023. She was Chairman several times, as the position is on rotation, including her last year on the board. Her professional background was in high tech. She ran a training organization for a software company. Her title was Director of Customer Enablement. She built her final employer’s first training organization.
Day 1 of Vilchock v. Nottingham Board of Selectmen
The hearing for former Fire Chief Jaye Vilchock’s case against the Nottingham Board of Selectman began the morning of June 11. It is expected to last three days and involve 11 witnesses. Judge English expressed concern that three days may be insufficient for so many witnesses.
Fire & Ambulance Coverage Failure in Nottingham
The Nottingham Blog received a tip that on Friday June 7 the Epping Fire Department had to respond to a mutual aid request from Nottingham because Nottingham’s Fire Station didn’t have staff to send out an ambulance. I was told that if I were to go to the station, I could see this for myself.
Recycling Center Employees Petition to Change Hours
At the June 3 meeting of the Nottingham Board of Selectmen the Town Administrator reported that the Recycling Center’s staff had collected the signatures of 330 people visiting the Recycling Center on a petition to end the Recycling Center’s summer hours.
Struggles to Reopen Nottingham Town Beach
At the June 3 Nottingham Board of Selectmen meeting the board took up the ongoing issue of the temporary closure of the town beach. Selectman Decker amended the draft minutes of the May 23 non-public session to note that the board could not legally discuss the document prepared by the Town Attorney regarding access to Town Beach because it had entered non-public session on grounds of section “I” not “L;” and therefore had to table the discussion to the next meeting. Thehis draft minutes say that non-public was entered into in order to discuss legal matters, and that “The Board briefly reviewed a document submitted to the BOS by the town attorney and agreed to table it for another meeting because most members had not had a chance to review in detail.”
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