While a majority of Canterbury voters ultimately supported a truncated version of a noise ordinance at Town Meeting Friday night, town officials likely haven’t heard the last of the arguments.
Voters agreed that people should be prohibited from setting off fireworks or playing loud music between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and not before 8 a.m. and after 10 p.m. on Sunday. But there were strong disagreements about whether the use of construction vehicles and equipment, such as bulldozers, dump trucks, power tools and cement mixers, should also be prohibited during those same time frames.
For Jim Miller, the inclusion of construction-related activities in the town’s “noise nuisance ordinance” seemed pretty clear cut, especially as he recalled being awoken “numerous times” this winter by large vehicles operating near his home by 6 a.m.
But for several others who said their livelihoods depend on logging, farming and construction, the proposed noise ordinance crossed a line. While the group successfully led an effort to amend the proposal to exclude any reference to construction, at least for now, others tried to bridge the gap between opposing sides by recommending that the warrant article be tabled a year.
Ruth Smith, who was in favor of tabling the warrant article, suggested the town establish focus groups comprised of concerned residents who could discuss their differences and try to work toward a compromise.
“I think there are a lot more details that we don’t know about that could be brought forward,” she said.
Conversely, a couple of voters, including longtime planning board member Jim Snyder, encouraged the passage of an amended ordinance to at least get something on the town’s books that can be improved upon in the future.
With the elimination of any construction-related references, voters did just that.
Although voters didn’t entirely see eye-to-eye on the ordinance, they did agree on several spending articles – including the $2.9 million operating budget – and were quick to approve them Friday night at the Canterbury Elementary School.
At the top of the meeting, Canterbury joined a growing rank of small police departments across New Hampshire in approvinf the use of body cameras for its officers in a ballot vote of 71-12. The town authorized the selectmen to enter into a long-term lease-to-purchase agreement at a cost of $18,890, with $5,486 to come from general taxation this year.
Canterbury Police Chief Michael Labrecque said the five-year agreement will allow the department’s six officers to get the cameras, which will then be upgraded to newer models after two and a half years and again at year five. He explained that the technology is always improving so the camera replacement is an added bonus of the lease option over the outright purchase of the equipment.
The body cameras will record every call; however, if an officer enters a private residence, the homeowner or renter can request that the camera be turned off, Labrecque said. All video footage will be stored on a server for 30 days unless a complaint or request is filed before that deadline, and then the video in question will be kept longer.
As a part-time officer at the University of New Hampshire, Labrecque said he has seen first-hand the benefit of body cameras in increasing transparency and accountability for all involved. The university started its roll out this past September.
“This will help me to be transparent to everybody and make sure our officers are doing the right thing,” he said.
Voters agreed to set aside $169,000 in nine capital reserve funds, including for building maintenance, as well as highway, fire and rescue equipment. Further, voters established a new capital reserve fund in hopes of purchasing a backhoe for the town at a later date.
The town will also purchase a new highway truck this year for $100,000, and will pay for it with money set aside in prior years.
The fire department hopes to receive a $50,000 federal grant to enable the town to purchase new self-contained breathing apparatuses, which would cost voters just $4,000. The department will also be buying an ultra-terrain vehicle for $14,084 to increase its response capabilities on hiking trails, as well as during brush fires and emergency floods. Additionally, voters said ‘yes’ to a new heart monitor as two existing monitors currently used by paramedics will not be serviceable after February 2021.
Two petition warrant articles also passed. One asked the town to call upon state and federal representatives to enact carbon-pricing legislation. The second called for an independent redistricting commission, composed of five Democrats and five Republicans, to advise on the redrawing of the state’s political districts after the 2020 census.