Wednesday, november 16, 2011
wednesday
Council eliminates on-street parking at 2 Lakeport locations By Michael Kitch THE LACONIA DAILY SUN
LACONIA — The City Council this week restricted on-street parking on several streets in Lakeport on the recommendation of the Department of Public Works and with the support of City Councilor Armand Bolduc (Ward 6). Parking will be prohibited on the east side of Belvedere Street from its intersection with North Street to the south and School Street to the north. Belvedere Street carries two-way traffic. The council recognized that the congregation of the Bible Speaks Church, located on the west side of Belvedere Street, relies on onstreet parking. However, the width of the street is not sufficient to accommodate parking on both sides without hindering the flow of traffic and passage of emergency vehicles. With the opening of a municipal parking lot on Manchester Street, the council agreed to ease the congestion around Sanborn Park by forbidding on-street parking in the vicinity. Parking will be prohibited on both sides of Mechanic Street see PaRKInG page 8
voL. 12 no. 119
LaConIa, n.H.
527-9299
Free
Near zero public interest in water rate hike Laconia pumping as much as 1/3 less water out of Paugus Bay than was true just a few years ago By Michael Kitch THE LACONIA DAILY SUN
LACONIA — Following a public hearing Monday evening, the Water Commission unanimously approved the first rate increase since 2007. Superintendent Seth Nuttleman recommended raising the usage rate 30 cents, from $1.15 per 100 cubic feet (hcf), or 748 gallons, to $1.45 per hcf, while holding the base rate at $20 per quarter.
For the average household of four, using 25 hcf a quarter, the annual cost of water would increase by $30, from $195 to $225, or from $0.53 to $0.62 per day. Nuttleman pointed out that despite the rate increase the average resident will pay slightly more than one cent a gallon for water. Paul Dibona, chairman of the commission explained that the rate increase was required to bridge the gap between rising operating expenses and falling water con-
sumption. While the cost of fuel, electricity and chemicals have increased during the past five years, the volume of water billed has decreased by approximately 11-percent, he said. Nuttleman told the commission that on a recent “slow day’ the department pumped less than a million gallons of water, noting that a few years ago on a “slow day” it pumped 1.5-million gallons. He estimated see waTeR page 10
Bob & Margot Swift leaving helm of Pemi Choral Society after 30+ years By adaM drapcho THE LACONIA DAILY SUN
PLYMOUTH — For the vast majority of the 39 years the Pemigewasset Choral Society has provided vocal music to the greater Plymouth area, the choir’s conductor has been Bob Swift and has been accompanied by Margot Swift. The husband and wife intend to conclude their lengthy tenure with the society at the end of the holiday season. First, though, they have a few concerts to put on. The Swifts’ final three concerts with the Pemigewasset Choral Society will be: Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the St. Charles Borromeo Church in Meredith; Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the St. Paul’s Church in Franklin, and; 3 p.m. on Dec. 11 at the Hanaway Theater at Plymouth State University. Admission to the evening performances will be Marot and Bob Swift have been the accompanist and conductor for the Pemigewasset Choral Society for nearly four decades and will by donation while tickets retire after the upcoming winter concert series, beginning Dec. 7 in Meredith. (Laconia Daily Sun photo/Adam Drapcho) see swIFTs page 8
Erica Blizzard’s boating privileges case before Supreme Court today By lynne tuohy ASSOCIATED PRESS
CONCORD (AP) — A New Hampshire woman who killed her best friend in a boating accident wants her boating privileges restored. The lawyer for 38-year-old Erica Blizzard of Laconia will argue before the New Hampshire Supreme Court on Wednesday Fuel Oil OIL & PROPANE CO., INC. that state law governing 10 day cash price* Laconia 524-1421 subject to change her three-year suspen-
3.59 99**
sion is unconstitutionally vague. Blizzard was convicted of negligent homicide for failing to keep a proper look-out. Her best friend, 34-year-old Stephanie Beaudoin of Meredith, was killed in the Father’s Day 2008 accident. Blizzard and another friend, Nicole Shinopulos of Burlington, Mass., were seriously injured. Attorney Jim Moir, who represents Blizzard, says the law doesn’t specify lengths of suspensions for specified offenses. The law, he stated in court documents, “fails to set any limits on the length of suspensions.”
Moir called the three-year suspension “unexplained, unguided and arbitrary.” He also said state officials never specified which provision of the law they were invoking to issue the suspension. “There are hundreds of distinct provisions,” said Moir, noting that one ground for suspension is “improper snorkeling.” Mark Seymour, the Department of Public Safety hearing officer who issued the suspension in June 2010, said boating privileges can be suspended for any period of see BLIZZaRd page 10