[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6168521,"mediaKeyId","5407452-877ef60f1020d0607e846b4987829212","parentId",5407452,"title","Council approves CDBG application for Laconia Senior Center kitchen, adopts anti‑displacement plan","audioSeconds",2605,"startMs",742000,"endMs",3347000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5407452-877ef60f1020d0607e846b4987829212&start=742&end=3347","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5407452-877ef60f1020d0607e846b4987829212/thumbnail_742000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6168521/New-Hampshire/Council-approves-CDBG-application-for-Laconia-Senior-Center-kitchen-adopts-antidisplacement-plan","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6168521-e6ecba95c525381aeb0ff6539c969cd4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770930053&Signature=HsV56X7-cKZUYsFCA9uoQmHmFNLzwVN7RANFL~lv7PhhdIQyoX3vDtjl8HOeL-~mkVMqG7nOOho~sXsgJaC2CJsXMV1pv8dpb-tZz~dJWqc25n7vaLZEhlsPw8Yqf7Kz9EkXS5BBBuD3uuPS0FC-qAslDn7Q~oImWKew2FgBFEq0hzmKN7UVWasTwyJBhUXaVX7c4cLyMrlXvnLFVgBz7YFI4RQaxlnqCUbLIp9U0AxUe7er1JISbAX~4RMfsAX8hoPp5w32L2vLvM3mX18VyKWECuFBNv7DyjxzUrdMmBixoIeJiz2GQFlJFmXKFeiNSC2IhGV6F6d2cZwsMF7lqg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Laconia NH","date","2025-07-15T12:54:35Z","article","Laconia City Council on July 14 voted to submit a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application to add a commercial kitchen at the Laconia Senior Center and approved a project‑specific anti‑displacement and relocation assistance plan.

The action authorizes the city manager to sign and submit the application to the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority and, if approved, to execute the CDBG contract and any amendments. Councilor Susie moved the application approval; Councilor Bogart seconded. The motion passed on a 6‑0 voice vote.

Why it matters: City staff said the kitchen expansion would let the center prepare congregate meals on site and substantially expand the Meals on Wheels program so food can be prepared and distributed locally rather than transported from Concord. That change would let the program increase from serving congregate meals twice weekly to operating five days per week.

City staff and local program representatives described the project and the related planning study during the council’s multiple public hearings before the vote. Donna, a city staff member who presented the CDBG notices and project summary, said the city’s application would request up to $500,000 in public‑facility CDBG funds, that “up to $35,000 will be retained by the city for administrative compliance costs,” and that “up to $465,000 of the funds will be subgranted to the Community Action Program Belknap Merrimack.” Donna also said the planning study estimates the kitchen expansion and associated improvements at about $1,300,000.

Karen Pryor, a consultant for Community Action Program Belknap Merrimack, told the council the current space functions primarily to receive and hold food brought in from Concord and that the proposed work would create an on‑site commercial kitchen. “Right now, there really is no displacement at all,” Pryor said during the hearing, describing the current operation as a staging area rather than a cooking facility.

Suzanne Demers, who said she was the center director a year ago, described daily usage and meal counts for the congregate program: “We serve two times a week for the congregate right now, and those numbers can be anywhere from 25 to … 75, 80,” she said, adding that the commercial kitchen would support a transition to five‑day meal service.

The council also adopted the project’s residential anti‑displacement and relocation assistance plan, required under CDBG rules and the Uniform Relocation Act, by a 6‑0 vote. The city and program representatives told the council the project does not anticipate displacing residents or businesses; the plan establishes procedures that would apply only if displacement occurred.

Councilors reviewed related CDBG items during the same hearing series. Staff also presented updates on other CDBG‑funded projects in the city — including playground improvements at the Boys & Girls Club of Central New Hampshire Lakes Region Early Learning Center, accessibility and safety upgrades for Partnership for Public Health at 11 Academy Square, and housing improvements at Millview Apartments managed by Lakes Region Community Developers — and on the city’s updated housing and community development plan, which is required to maintain CDBG eligibility.

During the public presentations, staff said the Boys & Girls Club playground construction is expected August–October and that the playground grant amount was described by a presenter as “almost $500,000.” Staff reported the Millview Apartments work — roofing, siding and some door replacements — is largely complete, and that Partnership for Public Health project bidding had closed and construction would start soon.

What the council decided: • Approve submittal of the CDBG application for the Laconia Senior Center kitchen expansion and authorize the city manager to sign and execute the application and related documents (motion by Councilor Susie; second Councilor Bogart; vote 6‑0). • Adopt the residential anti‑displacement and relocation assistance plan for the project (motion by Councilor Susie; second Councilor Hoffman; vote 6‑0).

Next steps: Staff will submit the application to the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority and, if it is awarded, return with required contract documents and any additional approvals.

Details and context: CDBG projects must primarily benefit low‑ and moderate‑income persons (a 51% threshold was cited in presentation materials). The planning study funded earlier by a smaller CDBG planning grant produced preliminary designs and a cost estimate used to support the larger application.

Speakers quoted in this article spoke during the public hearings and are listed in the meeting record; public comments and staff presentations were presented during agenda item 13 and again during unfinished business as agenda item 22.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Laconia City Council Meeting 07/14/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Laconia City Council on July 14 voted to submit a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application to add a commercial kitchen at the Laconia Senior Center and approved a project‑specific anti‑displacement and relocation assistance plan.","taxTitle","Laconia City Council, Laconia, Belknap County, New Hampshire","taxId",68580,"location","New Hampshire","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6168511,"Council delays vote on charter changes after debate over eliminating municipal primary and meeting time shift",2499,1795000,4294000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5407452-877ef60f1020d0607e846b4987829212&start=1795&end=4294","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5407452-877ef60f1020d0607e846b4987829212/thumbnail_1795000.jpg","/articles/6168511/New-Hampshire/Council-delays-vote-on-charter-changes-after-debate-over-eliminating-municipal-primary-and-meeting-time-shift","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6168511-e25d28936b2ecb6e11751bbf0724acc9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770930053&Signature=dd3izkdTWhtUwlfCUNxQMT3Bv4BdtL--VRmm0lgfMl1~2g7uhZ5Dpd3fUXLcGYeAVmdUMu7TKmpxaMxW46l~Z8zdI8qlEdbAqjzRooDU-TIB3XjgDA9U1n6oM5zgzC8RkmdlPD1ixrb8CUnZRWihBGIxcH-Lli3lby0KiRWALEP57tlISsrvsDBgV~v6QPDM0B4zQd4PTYbIjOcZr4lkRLtj5RlZyUL-y-PnLk0zADCG12yAk-G7ttVktvisdXG9hCVYFBaw0ptAhVBQcoWtri~fOF4gM5o-EEqt-o-E0coCE5b9JjZ~y46d8A5PTzeCLx-8vIGKQtRpYzCppMM2zw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Laconia City Council on July 14 tabled a proposed package of charter amendments after several councilors said the measures should be considered separately and that one proposal — removing the city municipal primary — raised particular concerns.

The resolution, numbered 2025‑25, contains four proposed changes: modify the supervisor of checklist meeting requirement to conform to state law; remove a redundant afternoon‑meeting requirement for the supervisor of checklist; eliminate the requirement to hold a municipal primary; and change the candidate filing period and the council meeting start time (proposed to move meetings from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.). The clerk explained those changes and said the city has already sent the proposed language to the Department of Revenue, Attorney General’s Office and Secretary of State for review; staff said comments would return within about 45 days.

Councilors debated the package as a single motion and several members said the provisions are not identical in consequence and should be split for separate votes. Councilor Feltz said she supported the two procedural changes but opposed eliminating the municipal primary: “If you have three candidates and two are similar and one is different, the two similar are going to split the votes,” Feltz said during discussion, arguing that a primary can prevent vote‑splitting in multi‑candidate races. Other councilors echoed the view that removing the primary could unintentionally affect outcomes and favored separating the items.

Councilor Hoffman and others supported splitting or tabling the package; a motion to table was moved and seconded and the council voted to table Resolution 2025‑25 for further consideration.

What the council decided: • Table Resolution 2025‑25 to allow individual provisions to be considered separately or to allow further review (motion to table adopted by council vote).

Next steps: The council will return to these charter amendments in a future meeting; if staff receive substantive comments from the state offices, the council will hold another public hearing to review required changes before placing any amendment on the ballot. Staff had noted that if the state offices do not object, the city could move to place the questions on the November municipal ballot.

Details and context: Staff said the filing‑period change was requested so the clerk’s office would have more time to prepare if a primary remained in place. The supervisor of checklist meeting time change would align local charter language with a lower state minimum period for the session; staff said that avoids needing a future charter change if state law is amended.

Speakers and public testimony during this agenda item are recorded in the meeting transcript; the charter hearing opened under agenda item 13h and the item was revisited under unfinished business as agenda item 22h.","A resolution proposing several Laconia charter amendments — including removing the city’s municipal primary, changing filing dates and moving council meetings from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m. — was tabled after councilors expressed concerns about eliminating primaries and altering meeting times.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6168516,"Laconia council adopts FY2026 spending plan with amendments; funds first‑responder mental‑health work",700,4330000,5030000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5407452-877ef60f1020d0607e846b4987829212&start=4330&end=5030","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5407452-877ef60f1020d0607e846b4987829212/thumbnail_4330000.jpg","/articles/6168516/New-Hampshire/Laconia-council-adopts-FY2026-spending-plan-with-amendments-funds-firstresponder-mentalhealth-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6168516-eadff50182bc85e0db4157517e4769c9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770930053&Signature=NpwoQmQl660vZfoTiu4sEaK6VqGnCV~VYmIhuzpHdFb4Hd7OQqDIFSLFNYwl3qjQ~2kcYZK-ob6G-WKgMCMP2ymt7Hu8YIqY9QPdOszZ5Sf3U7S~p8W6tlizE1DDSlWAucDYT7Pkpomsf8fjyRtT91K44a8EJE-Z2pjC2Ru1Y4oZ1JItvHw-P5Zkg2kpQ3g7LYKNeDIzObTSkrYIt3LWexRShWIJ3FNeu9Mwp2wpRHCfXd8bGHgyb~P7fT4QZi4Vl6zE8VNJ50vOQD4C7AvMwZDI1l0C3iexdqH8UN~8LgoAgRoH4TEMHr4BY5XvBXpz9CuUnmAHzwNODS2~xgY8pg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Laconia City Council on July 14 approved the city’s fiscal year 2026 appropriation package after amending several budget lines, the council said. The final vote adopted Resolution 2025‑21 as amended by unanimous roll call.

City Manager Kurt Biotti presented an amended expenditure plan and described the key changes that followed council discussion. “We now have presented to you an amended expenditure plan for FY26,” Biotti said in his report, describing new and redirected funds and noting the overall package remains within the city’s tax cap.

Key changes and highlights presented to the council included: • A half‑year funding allocation for a project manager position (second half of FY26) and no current funding for a crime analyst position, which the police department still lists as a future priority. • A $50,000 allocation intended to begin development of a first‑responder mental‑health program; city staff said the Chiefs of Police and Fire will work with outside professionals to design the program, with the hope of expanding services to all city employees over 12–18 months. • Revenue adjustments reflecting the city’s share of proceeds from the sale of the Concord Co‑op property and opioid settlement receipts; those sources were used to offset increases without raising the amount to be funded by property taxes. • Minor internal fund adjustments, a Lakeport TIF fund amendment, and a new Pumpkin Fest account (revenue and expense offset).

Councilors moved through a set of amendments on the floor, approving each amendment by voice vote. After those amendments passed, councilors voted to waive a full textual reading of Resolution 2025‑21, approved the second reading, and then approved the resolution as amended.

Council discussion touched on staffing, service priorities and long‑term sustainability. Biotti noted the city had increased its general assistance budget line following recent expenditures and that other metrics — including a rise in building permits and increased use of parks and recreation facilities — informed the fiscal outlook.

Council members thanked finance staff and department heads for work on the budget. “This is not an easy project,” one councilor said during the vote, thanking Finance Director Glenn Smith and staff.

What the council decided: • Multiple procedural motions to amend the proposed FY2026 budget passed; the council adopted the amended FY2026 expenditure plan under Resolution 2025‑21 (final motion passed by roll call; vote recorded as the council’s affirmative vote count). • The budget, as amended, remains within the city’s property tax cap and uses identified non‑tax revenue sources for the approved amendments.

Next steps and implementation: City staff will implement the funded positions and programs and move forward on procurement and contracts as required. The $50,000 first‑responder mental‑health allocation is to be administered through city accounts and developed in partnership with the police and fire chiefs.

Details and context: Biotti and staff said the mobile integrated health (MIH) community paramedic program is already in operation and has reduced transports; officials hope such programs and other cost management tools will help constrain future operating pressures. Impact fees and a third‑party review of those fees were noted as pending items that could affect future capital plans.

Speakers quoted are recorded in the meeting transcript; the budget discussion occurred during the city manager’s report and under agenda item 22i (fiscal appropriations).","After debate and a series of amendments, the Laconia City Council approved Resolution 2025‑21 setting FY2026 appropriations, including a half‑year project manager position, $50,000 allocated to develop a first‑responder mental‑health program, and adjustments funded from property sale and opioid settlement receipts.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves CDBG application for Laconia Senior Center kitchen, adopts anti‑displacement plan

Council delays vote on charter changes after debate over eliminating municipal primary and meeting time shift

Laconia council adopts FY2026 spending plan with amendments; funds first‑responder mental‑health work