ARTICLE 2 – DIMENSIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 1 as proposed by the Planning Board for the Town of Litchfield Zoning Ordinance as follows?
Amend Section 310.00 DIMENSIONAL REQUIREMENTS, Note 4, to change the square Footage for a shed needing to meet the minimum ten (10) foot side and rear setback from 192 square feet to 200 square feet.
Recommended by Planning Board – Passed 904 / 416
ARTICLE 3 – PLANNING BOARD CONDITIONAL USE
Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 2 as proposed by the Planning Board for the Town of Litchfield Zoning Ordinance as follows?
Amend Sections 603 (Special Exceptions – Highway Commercial), 703 (Special Exceptions – Southwestern Commercial District, 803 (Special Exceptions – Northern Commercial District), 953 a through c (Special Exceptions Northern Commercial/Industrial Service District) and 1003 a through c (Special Exceptions Southern Commercial/Industrial Service District) to permit Gasoline Sales, Automobile Service and Repair and Fast Foods Restaurants with Take-Out and/or Drive-Through Service by Conditional Use Permit granted by the Planning Board rather than as a Special Exception under the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
Recommended by Planning Board – Passed 943 / 414
ARTICLE 4 – ELECTRONIC SIGNS
Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 3 as proposed by the Planning Board for the Town of Litchfield Zoning Ordinance as follows?
Amend Section 1500.00, Signs, to provide specific requirements for electronic signs.
Recommended by Planning Board – Passed 921 / 438
ARTICLE 5 – 2020 OPERATING BUDGET
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate as an operating budget, not including appropriations by special warrant articles and other appropriations voted separately, the amounts set forth in the budget posted with the warrant or as amended by the vote of the first session, for the purposes set forth therein, totaling $7,064,927. Should this article be defeated, the default budget shall be $7,035,661 which is the same as last year with certain adjustments required by previous action of the Town of Litchfield or by Law; or the governing body may hold one special meeting, in accordance with RSA 40:13, X and XVI, to take up the issue of a revised operating budget only. Estimated 2020 tax rate impact: $0.03.
Recommended by Board of Selectmen (5-0-0)
Recommended by Budget Committee (8-1-0) – Passed 782 / 595
ARTICLE 6 – FULL TIME HIGHWAY EMPLOYEE
To see if the Town will vote to hire a full time Highway Employee effective July 1, 2020 at an estimated annual salary and related costs of $71,928 and further vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $35,964 for wages and benefits for the period of July 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020. Estimated 2020 tax rate impact: $0.04.
Recommended by Board of Selectmen (5-0-0)
Recommended by Budget Committee (7-2-0) – Failed 682 / 713
ARTICLE 7 – PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM LEASE PURCHASE
To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to enter into a five (5) year lease purchase agreement for the sum of $700,000 to replace and expand the public safety radio communication system. The first payment is not required until 2021. This lease agreement contains an escape clause. Estimated 2020 tax rate impact: $0.00.
Recommended by Board of Selectmen (5-0-0) – Passed 799 / 588
Recommended by Budget Committee (7-2-0)
ARTICLE 8 – LIBRARY EARNED TIME ACCRUAL EXPENDABLE TRUST FUND
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $5,000 to be placed in the Library Earned Time Accrual Expendable Trust Fund as previously established. Estimated 2020 tax rate impact: $0.01.
Recommended by Board of Selectmen (5-0-0) – Passed 780 / 608
Recommended by Budget Committee (8-1-0)
ARTICLE 9 – HUMAN SERVICES AND HEALTH AGENCIES
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $15,000 to support Human Services and Health Agencies providing services to the Town of Litchfield. If approved, the Health and Human Services Funding Committee will review funding requests and submit recommended funding amounts to the Board of Selectmen for approval. Estimated 2020 tax rate impact: $0.02.
Recommended by Board of Selectmen (5-0-0) – Passed 739 / 672
Recommended by Budget Committee (8-1-0)
ARTICLE 10 – GENERAL ASSISTANCE EXPENDABLE TRUST FUND
To see if the Town will vote to establish a General Assistance Expendable Trust Fund pursuant to RSA 31:19-a, for the purpose of providing financial assistance to individuals in need pursuant to RSA 165:1 and to raise and appropriate $10,000 for said fund; further to name the Board of Selectmen as agents to expend from said fund. Estimated 2020 tax rate impact: $0.01.
Recommended by Board of Selectmen (5-0-0) – Passed 718 /683
Recommended by Budget Committee (8-1-0)
ARTICLE 11 – OLD TOWN HALL PAINT
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $25,000 to paint the exterior of the Old Town Hall. This sum to come from the unassigned fund balance and no amount to be raised from taxation. Estimated 2020 tax rate impact: $0.00.
Recommended by Board of Selectmen (5-0-0) – Passed 861 / 559
Recommended by Budget Committee (6-3-0)
ARTICLE 12 – PLOW TRUCK PURCHASE
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $100,000 to purchase a plow truck with equipment for the Highway Department. This sum to come from the unassigned fund balance and no amount to be raised from taxation. Estimated 2020 tax rate impact: $0.00.
Recommended by Board of Selectmen (5-0-0) – Passed 953 / 467
Recommended by Budget Committee (7-2-0)
ARTICLE 13 – BUILDING SYSTEMS EXPENDABLE TRUST FUND
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $50,000 to be placed in the Building Systems Expendable Trust Fund as previously established. This sum to come from the unassigned fund balance and no amount to be raised from taxation. Estimated 2020 tax rate impact: $0.00.
Recommended by Board of Selectmen (5-0-0) – Passed 944 / 467
Recommended by Budget Committee (9-0-0)
ARTICLE 14 – TECHNOLOGY & COMMUNICATION EXPENDABLE TRUST FUND
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $25,000 to be placed in the Technology & Communication Expendable Trust Fund as previously established. This sum to come from the unassigned fund balance and no amount to be raised from taxation. Estimated 2020 tax rate impact: $0.00.
Recommended by Board of Selectmen (5-0-0) – Passed 945/ 468
Recommended by Budget Committee (9-0-0)
ARTICLE 15 – NON BINDING VOTE – COMMUNITY CENTER DESIGN
Are you in favor of the Recreation Commission investigating the need to construct a community center, investigating the cost of such a center, and developing drawings and designs of such a center?
Recommended by Board of Selectmen (5-0-0) – Failed 639 / 773
ARTICLE 16 – BY PETITION
Per RSA 72:39-a and RSA 72:27-a we the people of Litchfield, NH would like to modify the elderly exemptions to the following:
The elderly exemption based on assessed value of their home for qualified property owners 65 years of age up to 75 shall be $85,000 (dollars), from 75 years of age to 80 shall be $140,000 (dollars), age 80 and up shall be $190,000 (dollars) and the income of a single person to $45,500 and married couples to $55,000.
To qualify, the person must have been a New Hampshire resident for at least 3 consecutive years, own the real estate individually or jointly, or if the real-estate is owned by such persons spouse, they must have been married to each other for at least 5 consecutive years. In addition, the single tax payer must not have a net income of more than $45,500 (dollars) or, if married, a combined net income of $55,000 (dollars) and own net assets not in excess of $300,000 (dollars) excluding the value of the persons residence or, if married, combined assets shall not be in excess of $300,000 (dollars). The combined net asset amount for married persons shall apply to a surviving spouse until the sale or transfer of the property by the surviving spouse or until remarriage of the surviving spouse.
Recommended by Board of Selectmen (5-0-0) – Passed 817 / 561
Recommended by Budget Committee (8-0-1)
ARTICLE 17 – BY PETITION
To see if the Town will vote to increase the Veterans’ Tax Credit and the All Veterans’ Tax Credit from $300 to $500 per year?
Recommended by Board of Selectmen (4-0-0) – Passed 936 /451
Recommended by Budget Committee (8-0-1)