The authors of the Yellow Sheet suggested voting no on article 23, requesting $126.8K for capital spending on the air system for the library. While we felt was too much money on the project and we have had little confidence in the administration and transparency of the library’s historical practices. We did receive further information about the project that resulted in our reversal of our position and a support for the article. The capital spending is needed to maintain both a good environment for the books and patron comfort and will result in a reduction of future maintenance costs.

The Town Manager’s comments are so far from the truth that they can accurately be described as pure fantasy and a violation of the public trust.

The facts associated with the budget process, based on the attached document which I believe was distributed by the Finance Director to the Budget Committee, are as follows:

While we have no issue with the submission and enthusiastic promotion of Article 38 by the “Friends of the Grist Mill Dam”, Rational Taxpayers of Hampton is recommending a NO vote on this citizen’s petitioned article, which requests $250,000 for the “rebuilding” the Grist Mill Dam. If approved, the $250,000 would be in addition to the $400,000 voters approved last year in a Selectmen’s sponsored article to “decommission”, or remove the dam, and does not include a $170,000 increase in long-term costs. Our reasoning is