CLAREMONT, N.H. – A lengthy citizens forum took place at the Sept. 23 meeting of the Claremont City Council. Marion Harris, representative of New Hampshire Food Bank, stated that “the most recent report shows that hunger has unfortunately risen across our state, impacting one in nine residents and one in six children in Sullivan County. This is higher than the state average. We’ve supplied 12 partner agencies with 29,362 pounds of food, serving 1,695 households last month alone.” She said a mobile food pantry will be set up in Claremont on Nov. 11, and volunteers are welcome to help out. The New Hampshire Food Bank offers a “Find Food Map” on its website, www.nhfoodbank.org, and offers SNAP application assistance in partnership with New Hampshire Health and Human Services.
Charlene Lovett, president of the Station Host Association was concerned that the council reduced the association’s annual budget from $2,500 to $2,300. She said, “This is not sustainable, nor is it reasonable. We ended fiscal year ’26 with a deficit of $417.34. Volunteers have to pay for this if the council does not agree to pay for this.”
Matt Bacon, owner of 1852 MB Claremont LLC said he was “concerned with some delays and is looking for some transparency.” Bacon explained that the City of Claremont has a history of dealing with developers and providing parking to these developers. However, more than a year has gone by without the city signing off on Bacon’s desire to purchase the parking lot that the developers and the business need. Without the agreement of the city council, this sale can not proceed. It was initially put on the council’s agenda for the Aug. 12 meeting. “We were removed from the agenda with no explanation or notice,” Bacon claimed, adding he was “expecting a vote to approve this sale agreement…In the real world of construction, a week is crippling, and a month is paralysis.” As he understands it, the former city manager’s hands were tied from approving the sale without the council’s official vote.
Chris Garrity stated that, within the week and a half prior to the meeting, he spoke to more than 140 citizens from all three wards of Claremont, ranging in age from 20 to 90. He shared a document which expressed people’s concern over “extreme motor vehicle exhaust/discharges, as well as the speeding and reckless behavior” in town. “While this continuing menace has been brought up during the last three council meetings, we feel this problem needs to be addressed further as an agenda item for the city council and in conjunction with the police commission and the police chief.”
Earlier in the meeting, Mayor Dale Girard announced that the Claremont Parks and Recreation department will hold its 29th annual Fall Festival and Chili Cook-off at the visitors center on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., along with a 5K race, beginning at noon. The parks and recreation department, in collaboration with Discover Sugar River Region, will sponsor the third annual Rail Trail Rendezvous on Saturday, Oct. 10. The Claremont Fire Department will host its annual Firemen’s Parade on Oct. 9, at 6:30 p.m. Additionally, Cleanup Day on Pleasant Street is scheduled for Oct. 9.
City Manager Rick Bergeron introduced new Finance Director Maureen Hulslander, and new Parks and Recreation Director Patrick Saucier. A contract between the City of Claremont and the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission has been enacted to fill in the gaps left by the departure of the city planner.
Bergeron has been looking into options for a daytime shelter, which would sit adjacent to the nighttime shelter at the Trinity Church. He stated that the best option for building a shelter is working with a local building supplies business.
After reviewing bids for repairs to the roof of the Claremont Savings Bank Community Center, the city chose to hire Jancewicz and Son, at a cost of $19,449. The council approved the transfer of these funds from the CSBCC Capital Reserve Fund.
A request for a Community Revitalization Tax Relief was made to the council by the owners of 11 Main Street, who are renovating the building. This tax relief absolves them from paying the increased tax rate for a period of five years. Council members approved this tax relief.
The Claremont City Council meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, at 6:30 p.m., in the Claremont City Hall Council Chambers.