To choose all necessary Town Officers for the ensuing year.

The Town Elections were held Tuesday, 9 March 2004 at Town Offices; click here to see those results.

To raise such sums of money as may be necessary to defray town charges for the ensuing year and to make appropriations for the same.

Voters at town meeting questioned a variety of line items in the Selectmen's proposed budget, the most significant amendment was proposed by Abigail Arnold: to reduce funding for the police by 27,200. Arnold argued that the number of calls reported in the town report did not warrant the proposed level of increase and noted that the increase was contrary to the wishes of the majority of residents responding to the 2002 master plan questionnaire. Although several residents stated that they were in support of increased police presence to slow speeders, Arnold's amendment passed in a ballot vote: 113 Yea, 36 Nay.

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Two Hundred Seventy Seven Thousand, Five Hundred Dollars ($277,500.00) to be placed in the Capital Reserve Accounts, to be allocated as follows:

Voters approved the proposed appropriations into reserve but, on an amendment by Sandi Lowery, voted to fund the appropriation with $100,000 from the undesignated fund surplus, the remainder from taxation.

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Nine Thousand Dollars ($9,000.00) to purchase and install 2 air conditioning units in the administrative offices of the Town Office Building (Red School), such sum to be raised by the withdrawal of $9,000.00 from the undesignated General Fund balance.

This was the second year that the selectmen proposed air conditioning for the town offices. Voters last year refused to approve the expenditure but, despite an attempted amendment by Cindy St. Jean to reduce the amount to $1200 (enough to cover the cost of area air conditioners), this year the proposal passed.

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $5,200.00 to replace the front steps of the Town Office, (Red School) building with granite, such sum to be raised by the withdrawal of $5,200.00 from the undesignated General Fund balance.

After some discussion on the feasibility of adding handicap access ramps to the front of the building, the article passed.

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $25,000.00 to replace and repair the roof on the Francestown Fire Station, such sum to be raised by the withdrawal of $25,000.00 from the undesignated General Fund balance.

Fire Chief Donald Abbott told voters that the department had obtained a lower bid and proposed amending the appropriation to $14,250. The amendment and appropriation passed.

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $16,345.00 to purchase a 20 kilowatt portable Caterpillar Diesel Generator for emergency stand-by service, such sum to be raised by accepting $12,258.75 (75% of the cost) from a FEMA grant and $4,086.25 to be raised by taxation.

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $100,000.00 to continue the reconstruction in a northerly direction on 2nd NH Turnpike South from slightly south of the driveway entrance to Francestown Sand & Gravel for a distance of approximately one mile, such sum to be raised by the withdrawal of $100,000.00 from the Capital Reserve account entitled "Future Town Road Improvements".

After some discussion about the priorities for repairing town roads, DPW Director Tom Plourde stated that the road study committee would be revisiting the plan for town roads. The article passed.

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $85,000.00 to replace the existing salt shed with a 40 x 60 pole barn with an asphalt base, such sum to be raised by the withdrawal of $85,000.00 from the undesignated General Fund balance.

The Selectmen proposed an amendment to this article to increase the amount to $100,000 based on an estimate they had received from the state. Voters asked if the estimate was based on any quotes and the selectmen stated they had not put the project out for bid and therefore had no exact numbers. The amendment failed.

After several questions as to the risks posed to the aquifer if the work was delayed, it was proposed that the article be tabled until the 2005 Town Meeting at which time the selectmen should present firm bids to voting body. The required 2/3 of the body voted to table the article.

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $6,000.00 to repair outside chimneys, remove center chimney and point bricks on the rear of George Holmes Bixby Memorial Library, such sum to be raised by taxation.

After it was noted that the center chimney could not be removed because it served as exhaust for the building's heating system, the article was amended to repair the center chimney. Demetria McKaig proposed an amendment to fund the appropriation from the undesignated fund balance. The amendments and article passed.

To see if the Town will authorize the utilization of town property, Map 13, Lot 20, for library purposes, more specifically for expansion of the George Holmes Bixby Memorial Library. The funds will be available, and the building design will be approved by the Town before any construction commences.

Rebecca Harris spoke on behalf of the library, stating that this was a request solely to dedicate the land to the project and that the library was still in the planning stages for the final design. Abigail Arnold proposed an amendment to strike the last sentence from the article, stating that it put unnecessary restrictions on the Library Trustees. The amendment passed in a voice vote. The amended article passed in a ballot vote 134 Yes, 25 No.

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $5,000.00 to obtain digital format tax maps to be used in developing a GIS data base including a natural resource protection, such sum to be raised by taxation.

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $40,000.00 to be placed in the Conservation Fund as authorized by RSA 36-A-5, such sum to be raised by taxation.

To see if the Town will vote to add 198.9 acres +/- (Tax Map 4, Lots 4 & 16) located on Crotched Mountain to the adjacent and existing Town Forest and to designate 58 acres +/- (Tax Map 8, Lot 84) located on Pleasant Pond Road with frontage on Shattuck Pond as a Town Forest as allowed by RSA 31.110 and allowing these properties to be managed by the Francestown Conservation Commission under the provisions of RSA 31: 112, II.

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $15,000.00 to upgrade and repair lawns, prune trees and repair monuments within Francestown's cemeteries, such sum to be raised by taxation.

Demetria McKaig proposed an amendment to fund this article from undesignated fund surplus. The amendment and article passed.

To see if the Town will vote to create a revocable General Cemetery Maintenance Trust in accordance with RSA 31: 19-a to be funded by tax revenues and proceeds from the sale of cemetery plots, with Cemetery Trustees as agents to expend, for the purpose of maintenance, improvement, and expansion of cemeteries, and the acquisition of equipment related thereto: and from which the principal may be expended only with approval of Town Meeting; and to raise and appropriate the sum of $1.00 to fund this General Cemetery Maintenance Trust.

To see if the Town will concur with the Cemetery Trustee's vision, proposing to replace the chain link fence along the Francestown Turnpike at the front of Cemetery #3 with a "farm wall", approximately 2 feet wide, 3 feet tall, harmonizing with the existing stone walls within cemetery #3 and similar to the restored wall along the Francestown Turnpike, at the front of this cemetery's new section.

To see if the Town will vote to create a Recreation Revolving Fund in accordance with RSA 35-B:2, II and to name the Recreation Commission as agents of said fund as outlined in RSA 35-B:2, II. All revenue from fees and charges for recreational services or facilities shall be deposited into a Recreation Revolving Fund. If a Recreation Revolving Fund is created, the money in the fund shall be allowed to accumulate from year to year and shall not be considered part of the political subdivisions general surplus. The Treasurer of the Town shall have custody of all moneys in such fund, and shall payout the same only upon order of the Recreation Commission. These funds may be expended only for the purpose of conducting recreation activities and providing the facilities for these programs and no expenditure shall be made in such a way as to require the expenditure of, or create a liability upon other Town Funds, which have not been appropriated to that purpose. After creation of such a Recreational Fund, the monies in such fund shall not need further town meeting approval to be expended.

To see if the Town will vote sell a 1.2 acre lot on Mountain Road, identified as Map 7 Lot 9. Lot has well house and well that provides water (deeded) to Map 7 Lot 12.

The meeting was adjourned a little after 5:00pm.