Francestown residents should expect a postcard from the town regarding the ongoing drought plaguing Southern New Hampshire.
The Francestown Board of Selectmen voted at its Monday meeting not to join Peterborough in banning certain water uses, but wants residents to be aware of the severity of the water shortage.
“I think people think that when winter comes, it’s over,” Selectman Abigail Arnold said. “But it’s not.”
Town administrator Jamie Pike will send colored postcards informing townspeople of the risks and conservation techniques. This comes after the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services recommended municipalities consider bans and restrictions, even for well users.
“Even if you have a well, it’s not an endless supply,” Select Board Chair Brad Howell said.
The board went on to meet with John Kendall, the town building inspector, who recommended neutralizing town expenses by raising revenue from building inspections on renovations.
“I look at this position like I run my business,” he said. “There’s areas of loss and areas of gain.”
One area of loss, he says, is remodels in existing homes.
“If a person does a big kitchen remodel with laundry, I guarantee it’s going to be four to five trips for me,” he said.
The board elected to hold a public hearing later this year to consider changes to the fee structure.
At this meeting, which was at the Town Office on Sept. 26, Howell relayed the amount of the funds raised by the weekend events. Between Saturday’s dance and Sunday’s town picnic, $804.60 was raised for the Town Hall renovation project.