Waterville Estates Village District
562 Winterbook Rd, Campton, NH 03223
Phone: (603) 726-3082 | Fax: (603) 726-8611
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Waterville Estates Village District
December Commissioner Newsletter
The Commissioners hope that everyone is having a great holiday season and wish for you happiness in the upcoming new year. There are many items to report on as we complete a busy year of Village District development. Here are some highlights of Commissioner activity:
- The Waterville Estates Village District (WEVD) and Waterville Estates Association (WEA) have entered into a modified Recreation Management Agreement, and created a new contract, the Administrative Services Agreement. These documents clearly establish the relationship between the two governing bodies, including responsibilities of each party, services provided by each party, and financial arrangements binding the parties. The new agreements will be posted as soon as practical on Village District and Association websites, and copies will be available for pickup at the Community Center. We would like to thank all individuals involved in the creation of these important documents, as they will guide the governing bodies as we enter the new budget year.
- Upon beginning the process of re-commissioning the ski area, it was determined that the ski area lighting was not in compliance with code guidance from the state. With that, WEVD and WEA worked collaboratively to reconstruct the lighting system for the rope tow area. This work included trenching and burying wires, and replacement of lights with LED high efficiency lights. The balance of the ski area lighting has been disconnected, and will be addressed following the winter season. We would like to thank all individuals involved in this project.
- The pumps in both of the wells for the water system have been replaced. This important maintenance was overdue, and with its completion, the sourcing of our municipal water should be reliable for upcoming years. We will create a routine inspection and replacement schedule, and build the costs into future budget years. We would like to thank all individuals involved in this important project.
- The Budget Advisory Committee has been meeting weekly, and has interviewed department leads in an effort to determine needs in 2022 and beyond. The draft budget will be presented to the Commission in January 2022, followed by budget hearings and Annual Meeting Warrant Article hearings. It is important to note the following identified deferred items that will need funding and community support in the upcoming budget years:
- HVAC – the heating and air conditioning systems in both the Community Center and Ski Area Lodge are in need of redesign and upgrade. Immediate needs have been addressed with the boiler replacement, however, much is yet to be done.
- Water – There are several pressing infrastructure needs such as the improvement to and enlargement of the Sunset Tank, pumps, and pump house, possibly moving the treatment facility from the ski area to a more accessible location, and the placement and creation of an additional well to supply future needs of the community. The District will seek state and federal funds to help cover these costs and/or secure low interest loans to replace and repair system components – some of which are more than fifty years old.
- Buildings – There are many outstanding building needs that must be budgeted for and completed in the upcoming years including the following: replacement of corroded heating pipes at the Community Center, the replacement of two spas at the Community Center, ADA accessibility improvements at the Community Center, repair and maintenance of a significant number of out-buildings that are scattered across the Community Center Complex, repairs to the exterior of the Community Center, and maintenance/repairs to the pools at the Community Center.
- Roads – Both paved roads and gravel roads wear out with use. In addition to a plan to repave all existing paved roads to maintain them, a plan is being developed to pave all community road surfaces over a twenty year window. In order to complete this initiative, while continuing to maintain existing surfaces, a considerable amount of capital will be required.
- Ski Area – As previously mentioned, the balance of the ski area lighting will have to be replaced and brought into code compliance, the 50-year-old ski lift will need replacement at some point in the not-too-distant future, and the snowmaking system will need to be upgraded for two purposes – to eliminate the reliance on community drinking water and to expand to cover the entire mountain.
- Service Yard Salt Shed – Costs for construction of a salt shed at the service yard will be higher than what the community set aside in the 2021 warrant article. The project requires additional expenditure to be planned for in 2022.
- Service Yard – The service yard will undergo some remediation – the leaking heating oil tank has been replaced and clean-up of the spilled heating oil is scheduled — and, after further review by our chosen consultant, there may be a need for additional expenditures for remediation and cleanup of the entire service yard and abutting wetlands.
- We will be introducing in February 2022, an HMO plan for full-time employees offered by New Hampshire Health Trust, replacing the existing catastrophic plan. This improvement in health care coverage for the eleven (11) eligible employees will have an offsetting reduction in the proposed budget. We want to thank those responsible for working with New Hampshire Health Trust to make this greatly improved plan a reality for our valued employees.
- We will be introducing the new website waterville-estatesnh.gov in the early part of calendar 2022. This new web platform will enable additional transparency in communication of Village District information in a timely and easy to use manner. We would like to thank all those involved in this transition.
This has been a challenging year, marked by significant change and improvement at the Village District. Although the list of continued needs seems daunting, we will work with staff and dedicated volunteers to develop plans for addressing the needed maintenance and repairs. We will apply ourselves to accomplish those plans and improve our District assets. The Commissioners would like to thank all of the staff, volunteers, consultants, and vendors for all that we have accomplished in 2021. These efforts do not go unnoticed and continue to guide us to be a sought-after community for living, investment, and recreation. We hope to see you at the Community Center, Ski Area, trails, and Lodge in the season of snow.
Respectfully Submitted,
Maureen Patti, Commission Chair
John Herlihy, Commissioner
Gerry Panuczak, Commissioner