Dublin Women’s Club On Schedule
By Nancy Campbell
I am happy to report that our goal of at least $20,000 for our beach restoration project has been surpassed. To all of you who have donated, many, many thanks. The NHDES granted us an extension to October 2016 to complete the boulder revetment wall down near the shoreline and an extension (if needed) for the plantings to October 2017.
Phase one of the project, the French drain, was completed in mid-April. Members and guests will have to excuse the appearance of the beach this season.
Set-up day — when we put in the rafts, docks, and boats — has not yet been determined. We hope to have a lifeguard on duty starting June 20 with lessons starting the following week.
Invitations to join the Dublin Women’s Club were mailed the end of April. Anyone who does not receive an invitation and who wishes to join may contact Nancy Campbell at 563-8480. Dues for both the club and beach will remain at $125. If one wishes to only join the club without beach privileges, the fee is $25. Those persons needing financial assistance may contact Nancy Campbell or Connie Cerroni.
Nancy Campbell is Treasurer of the Dublin Women’s Club.
Memorial Day Exercises will be held on
Monday, May 30, at 11:15 am.
The parade will form in Yankee’s parking lot. All veterans are
encouraged to participate. Any veterans needing a ride to
the cemetery should call Brian Barden at 603-398-8546.
Colonel Lawrence C. Ross, USA Ret.
1937-2016
Dublin Public Library
If April showers have done their job, it is time to think gardens in May: planting and transplanting plants and shrubs. The library has a wonderful collection of gardening books thanks to the Garden Club of Dublin’s many donations. It is also time to get outside, take a walk or a hike. We have many books on walks in the area as well as books on walks or hikes others have taken.
The Dublin Public Library continues to host Story Time for families on Wednesday mornings at 9:30. On May 4 we will read from Mother Goose and make something special for Mom. As we welcome back the birds this spring, how many can you identify? Check out one of our many bird guides and share the experience with a child. We will add feathers to our drawings of birds on May 11.
Summer fun means water and boating. Be prepared with some safety tips that we will read about on May 18 and then make a sailboat to take home. We will read Old Turtle by Douglas Wood on May 25 and another fun craft will follow. Refreshments are served and there is always time for socializing.
Books
As Time Goes By by M. H. Clark
Miller’s Valley by A. Quillen
Family Jewels by Stuart Woods
American Girls Social Media and the Secret Life of Teenagers by N.J. Sales
Wild by Nature by S. Marquis
My Cathedral, Temple Mountain by Mike Beebe
Journey to Munich by J. Winspear
DVDs
Concussion
Star Wars The Force Awakes
Brooklyn
Larry Davis Will Speak at DPL
One man’s passion for climbing Mount Monadnock.
On Saturday, May 14, at 10 am, come hear Larry Davis speak in the lower level of the DPL. A lover of nature and physical activity, Dublin native Larry Davis, now in his 50s, decided to set a goal in 1984 to do 84 hikes up the mountain that year.
He surpassed it, completing 106. That goal turned into a quest to do it every day. At some point this spring, he’ll summit the mountain for the 7,000th time. In terms of total vertical feet, that’s the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest more than 400 times. Presented by The Friends of the Dublin Public Library.
Dublin Trustees of Trust Funds Scholarships 2016
By Bill Goodwin
Places like Dublin thrive because people care about their community. This attention to civic responsibility and engagement helps to define the character of our town.
Because the people of Dublin believe that education is one factor in maintaining a strong community, we are pleased to offer the Dublin Trustees of Trust Funds Scholarship, three scholarships of $1000 each that will be awarded to legal Dublin residents who are continuing their education beyond secondary school.
The application for the scholarship was developed by the Scholarship Committee (consisting of Mary Loftis, Barbara Summers and Balmeet Kaur Khalsa) in March and distributed to the secondary schools attended by Dublin students early in April. Copies were also made available at the Town Hall.
The completed applications are to be submitted no later than Friday, May 13, 2016, to the Trustees of Trust Funds, PO Box 127, Dublin, NH, 03444.
Bill Goodwin is president of the Trustees of Trust Funds for Dublin.
Dublin Police Department Acquires Funding for Speed Sign
By Stephen Sullivan
A year ago at the 2015 Dublin Town Meeting, the police department presented a warrant article for $4,820 for the purchase of a new speed display sign with Smart Technology. The warrant failed by a vote of 44 to 48.
Prior to that, I began the FY2016 Highway Safety grant process with NH Highway Safety. We had requested enforcement funding and four pieces of equipment (speed sign, LIDAR, radio, and funding for an in-car computer upgrade). The Office of Highway Safety declined two of my requests early on. I completed the grant process for speed sign and LIDAR in July 2015.
As the FY2016 grant process moved along, there were many new changes announced by NH Highway Safety, one was Dublin was not eligible for any enforcement reimbursement funding due to a new benchmark that was established.
Because of the uncertainty of funding, I decided to keep the LIDAR match in the PD budget and did not proceed with the 2016 Warrant Article for the speed sign grant match because NH Highway Safety funding changes led me to believe this funding would be denied.
I recently received an email from NH Highway Safety announcing that we had been awarded grant funding for both equipment requests (speed sign and LIDAR). The NH Highway Safety grants are 50% match grants. I budgeted for the LIDAR in the 2016 PD budget.
To cover the match for the speed sign I have decided to use funds from the Phyllis Burt Trust Fund that was left to the police department many years before my arrival. The trust fund is specifically earmarked for police department purchases.
This equipment will be a great tool for enforcement and will assist the police department as we continue to move toward a more data-driven policing philosophy.
I can be reached to talk about this or any other issues at (603) 563-8411 or by email at ssullivan@nulltownofdublin.org.
Stephen Sullivan is Dublin’s Chief of Police.
In light of some confusion about the grant, Sturdy Thomas has contacted the Advocate to say he has submitted an explanation to appear in the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript and sent a letter to the 61 people who submitted a petition about the purchase of the speed sign. According to Sturdy, “several misconceptions are circulating and all has been handled above board and in the town’s best interest.”
Police Collect Expired Medications
The Dublin Police Department will be taking part in the DEA-sponsored “National Drug Take Back Event” again this spring.
Please bring your unused or expired medications to the Dublin Police Department on Saturday, April 30, between 10 am and 2 pm for safe disposal.
This is a free service and all are encouraged to participate. If you have any questions about the program, please contact the Dublin Police Department at (603) 563-8411.
It’s Time to Register for Dublin Summer Playground
By Eliot Pelletier
Hello Dublin Citizens,
Help your kids beat the doldrums of summer by sending them to Playground! The Dublin Summer Playground is a tradition for the children of this town, and your family is invited to be a part of it. Playground is held at the Dublin Consolidated School each day from 9 am until 3 pm. The program, for Dublin children ages 5 to 12, will run weekdays rain or shine from June 27 until August 5.
The Dublin Summer Playground is all about play. We offer a variety of fun activities for kids, and we also give them plenty of time to simply play with one another. We will be taking several field trips, including Canobie Lake Park, hiking Mt. Monadnock, and weekly library trips. Our staff is caring and exuberant, and many counselors were campers themselves years ago.
Dublin Summer Playground provides a fun and safe place for kids to spend the summer. Fees will again be $150 per camper for Dublin residents, although scholarships may be available for those who qualify. Fees can be taken care of once the program begins or you can send a check, made out to the Town of Dublin, along with this registration form (one per family) and mail it in to the Town of Dublin, Box 277, Dublin NH 03444.
This will help us to estimate attendance numbers so we can better meet your child’s needs. The playground calendar will be available this month at DCS and at the Town Hall. Please direct your questions or suggestions to Dublinplayground@nullyahoo.com.
Eliot Pelletier has been director of Playground for the last 11 years. He teaches middle school in Jaffrey.
New Boathouse for Dublin School Crew
Dublin School and the Crew Team have built a new boathouse on Thorndike Pond. The building is large enough to store the shells downstairs while upstairs a common room will function as a meeting and gathering place. The boathouse will serve DS students from fall through spring; and in the summer it will be used by the Boy Scouts at Camp Wanocksett. There will be a dedication of boathouse on Thorndike Pond in late April.
Share the Road — 
With springtime here drivers can anticipate more walkers and bicyclists on our roads. Remember to look for these exercisers, and share the road, with both courtesy and respect.
May at Dublin Consolidated School
By Nicole Pease
May brings many exciting events to the Dublin Consolidated School. Grades 4 and 5 will be heading to Boston for a guided trip along the Freedom Trail. Grades 2 and 3 will attend the Performance of “Amber Brown is Not a Crayon” at the Colonial Theater in Keene.
The annual Walk to School Day will happen on May 13, with the starting point at the Dublin General Store. Interestingly, as an elementary student, I lived next to the present Dublin General Store and walked to school each day.
May brings spring benchmarking in which we gather ongoing information of our students’ growth through AIMSWeb probes. While this can be time consuming, the information revealed helps us know where students are progressing academically, and where they might need a bit more attention.
May 21 is the Children & the Arts Day, and DCS will represent the theme of “Tell me a Story” with the creation of a giant caterpillar to depict The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
Other May events include the third annual Field Day on May 25 where many of the district’s elementary schools gather to compete in a variety of activities. It should be a wonderful day! We will hold our Memorial Day celebration on May 27.
June will begin with the annual Ice Cream social, always a well-attended PTO-coordinated event. Speaking of the PTO, the current treasurer, Emily Bennett, along with others, has spent much of the past year planning and fundraising in order to build a new playground at DCS. With these efforts, the playground is much closer to a reality! There has been support from the town as well as private donations and grants, for which everyone is grateful.
This month there will be a final decision on which company will build the playground as well as the desired elements. While this playground is being built at DCS, it is for the whole town to enjoy.
Thanks so much to all the support both from the PTO and to countless other local supporters. We welcome you to our wonderful school; please just call first.
Nicole Pease, M.Ed., is Dublin Consolidated School Principal and the Math Coach for SAU1.
Fun at Cobb Meadow
By Anne Branzell-Spiegler
Outdoor play at Cobb Meadow is seen here. Indoor play has centered around physics and architecture this year.
As Cobb Meadow’s lead teacher, I will be available for chatting and coffee at the Dublin General Store on May 2 from 9 to 10:30 am, and again on June 6, also from 9 to 10:30 am. Stop in to say hi, ask questions, or tell us what your Cobb Meadow alum is up to these days.
We welcome prospective families to a school day for an open house on May 27, from 8:30 to 10 am. Please call the school with questions or an RSVP at 563-7755.
Cobb Meadow School is a Waldorf nursery and kindergarten.
Anne Branzell-Spiegler is head teacher at Cobb Meadow School, a Waldorf nursery and kindergarten serving children since 1992.
Chasing Raindrops
A watershed exists on each side of the Dublin Divide.
By Traceymay Kalvaitis
Molecular attraction and gravity are the two basic laws that govern raindrops, but precisely where the drops contact our planet, our town, or our heads will determine their destiny. We are taught as children that all raindrops are destined to return to the sea; true as it may be, it is a premature ending to a potentially spectacular adventure story.
Track a thunderstorm moving from Keene toward Dublin and imagine billions of raindrops finding their way to rivulets and small streams that drain into the Ashuelot River, and on into the Connecticut River. Upper reaches of this watershed include Dublin and Silver lakes, and Howe Reservoir. When that leading edge of rain passes the cemetery, it reaches a divide, a ridge that we know as Pumpelly Ridge, but it also forms parts of Frothingham Road, and Beech Hill to the north. Raindrops that fall east of this divide begin to feed the Contoocook River watershed. Brush Brook begins as a trickle from Beech Hill and Mud Pond fills from Mills Brook and Pumpelly Ridge.
Our town sits astride this divide, this watershed boundary, this north-south trending ridge, formed hundreds of millions of years ago, when random land masses were fused to the edge of the continent (3 billion years ago, Vermont was coastal). Imagine a big table with a tablecloth and if you push against the long edge, you create a series of parallel ridges. The second ridge in would be our Dublin Divide ridge.
The land beneath us is at least 400 million years old, and the waters that flow around us are older than the oldest land. Jim Haddock, Sr., geologist, was supremely interested in the lay of Dublin land. In the attic of his former house, where I now reside, I found a map with the Dublin Divide carefully traced, that line of determination that scatters the raindrops west, then east.
Sixty-one miles of waterways weave their way across Dublin, connecting ponds and lakes that would collectively cover a square mile. These waters are under our collective care.
The Conservation Commission’s mission “is to preserve Dublin’s most important natural resources, especially its watersheds, aquifers, scenic vistas and forest and woodland environments… through education.”
We will be offering a series of articles about waterways in Dublin. If you have information to share, please contact a member of the ConCom. Also, keep in mind that our Master Plan for the town is up for revision this year. I wouldn’t say we are as powerful as raindrops, but we have more choices in determining our future, and the future of our beloved town. [Data from the Southwest Regional Planning Commission.]
Traceymay Kalvaitis is on the Conservation Commission. Other members are Miriam Carter (chair), Rusty Bastedo, John Morris, Katri Jackson, Sturdy Thomas, Jerry Branch, and Wendy White.
About the Upcoming Master Plan
We hope that you will participate when the time comes.
By Bruce Simpson
The Dublin Planning Board is working on the preliminary steps of the Master Plan Update. State law recommends that the Master Plan be updated at least every ten years, and ours was last done in 2007. According to the relevant statute, RSA 674:2, “The purpose of the master plan is to set down as clearly and practically as possible the best and most appropriate future development…, to aid the board in designing ordinances that result in preserving and enhancing the unique quality of life and culture of New Hampshire, and to guide the board in the performance of its other duties in a manner that achieves the principles of smart growth, sound planning, and wise resource protection.”
In order to draft a document that reflects the values of our town, we will begin by reaching out to our fellow citizens this summer to try to get a sense of how Dubliners see their town; what things they would like to see preserved, what things they would like to see changed, and how they envision Dublin ten and more years from now. The Board is still discussing different options for doing this, but we may send out questionnaires, invite folks to complete surveys, and hold public meetings and workshops to discuss the different aspects of a vision for the future of Dublin.
It is vitally important that as many townspeople as possible share their views with us during this process.
Please watch the Advocate for announcements and updates in the coming months.
Bruce Simpson is Chair of the Planning Board.
College Graduate
Jessica Hopkins will be graduating this May from Northeastern University with a Masters of Fine Arts in Information Design and Visualization. During her studies she worked part-time as a Typography Teaching Assistant at Northeastern as well as an Information and Graphic Designer for Healthdataviz. Jessica is currently pursuing jobs in the Boston area.
Theresa Edick Recognized for Community Service
She has received her college’s Newman Civic Fellows Award.
Colby-Sawyer College has awarded Theresa Edick the Newman Civic Fellows Award, which honors inspiring college student leaders who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country.
“Through service, research, and advocacy, Newman Civic Fellows are making the most of their college experiences to better understand themselves, the root causes of social issues, and effective mechanisms for creating lasting change. These students represent the next generation of public problem solvers and civic leaders. They serve as national examples of the role that higher education can—and does—play in building a better world. The Newman Civic Fellows Awards are made possible through the generous support of the KPMG Foundation and Newman’s Own Foundation,” according to the college website.
But here are Theresa’s own words: “Growing up in a small town allowed me to feel like I could make a difference, that my voice would be heard. Throughout my schooling, I knew the value of community togetherness and therefore found a passion in connecting people. This feeling of community connection followed me into college as the President of the Community Service community and leader for the Alternative Spring Break club. I have continually worked with the New London Recreation department to strengthen the connection between the Colby-Sawyer community and New London through town and campus events. I hope organizing these events will help me to pass on my passion of strengthening communities.”
The president of Colby-Sawyer College, Thomas Galligan Jr., says: “Theresa Edick has been the driving force behind community service initiatives on the Colby-Sawyer Campus. Although she’s only a sophomore, Theresa has been engaged in service since she stepped onto campus. This year she stepped up into the role of Community Service Club president and has begun to build new relationships with community partners throughout the year. She’s truly strengthened the connection between the college and the New London community in many ways. Not only has Theresa helped to execute these projects but also to educate her peers about the importance of giving back and making connections with others in our local community….”.
(Article above excerpted from The Colby-Sawyer College website: http://compact.org/newman-civic-fellow/theresa-edick/#.Vw6QBheUFPk.email)
Graduating? Share your accomplishments and plans with friends and neighbors.
The Advocate welcomes submissions from Dubliners who are graduating high school and college accompanied by a short paragraph and photo. Please e-mail by May 15 to DublinAdvocate@nullgmail.com for the June issue.
Olympic Studies at Mountain Shadows
The Park Family Makes their Home in Dublin
By Ramona Branch
Dublin has a new young family in town, the Parks, Justin and Stephanie, and their three children. Hunter is 15 and goes to ConVal High School. His younger siblings, Georgia, 8, and Cayden, 7, both attend Dublin Consolidated School. They have made their home on Brush Brook Road on the property formerly known as Moose Maple Nursery.
Justin, a Gunnery Sergeant, has served in the United States Marine Corp for 17 years. He was in the invasion of Iraq in 2003. In 2007 Justin was deployed to Fallujah, Iraq, for combat duty and another combat deployment to Helmand, Afghanistan, in 2009.
When Justin’s overseas duty was over (he is now a marine recruiter in Nashua), the couple chose New Hampshire to live and work. They first moved to Swanzey. A year and a half ago they bought the former Moose Maple property and moved to Dublin. “We were looking for a good place to raise our children,” Stephanie said, “a place for the children to play outside in nature, where I didn’t have to worry about their safety. A big plus is that Georgia and Cayden are getting a lot of support from Dublin Consolidated School.”
In addition to all her duties as mom to her three children, Stephanie works part time at Shaw’s grocery in Peterborough. She also has a business, Scrubby Stephs, creating all-natural body scrubs made with coffee and sugar.
The Parks love to spend time outside fishing and hunting. The kids are carving out their special places. Hunter handles the media for the Assembly of God Church in Keene. Georgia and Cayden are both involved in the ski club. This enthusiastic and friendly family also has four four-legged companions: two dogs, Buddie and Liam, and two cats, Spooky and Babs.
Ramona Branch is on the staff of the Advocate.
A Dark Pond Hike for Birdwatching: Join Tom Warren on Saturday, May 28, for a moderately easy, 1-mile roundtrip hike to Dark Pond, looking for nesting Merlin and newly arrived summer migrants. Meet at 9 am at 91 Charcoal Road in Dublin. Back by 11 am. Please RSVP to Tom Warren at (603) 563-7190 or email ttwassociates@nullmyfairpoint.net. Sponsored by the Harris Center for Conservation Education.
From the obituary published March 29 in the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript: “Joseph Petrone, 93, died peacefully, with his wife at his side, on Mar. 24 in Naples, Fla. He lived an honorable and active life, as an Iowa farm boy, as a Lieutenant in Patton’s 3rd Army in the Battle of the Bulge, as a White House Military Aide under Eisenhower, as Military Attaché in Paris, and Ambassador to the European Office of the U.N. in Geneva under Reagan — and a treasured husband of 58 years…” [reprinted with permission of the family]. For the full article in the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript, visit: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/ledgertranscript/obituary.aspx?n=joseph-carlton-petrone&pid=179426279#sthash.W9wzN6AL.dpuf
Joseph Petrone: A Remembrance
By June Cook
There have been many articles written about the wonderful Joe Petrone (1922-2016), and when you talk about Joe you must include Augusta, his wife and partner of 59 years. When Bill Goodwin called and asked us to write about Joe, I said yes right away for as good friends there were many fun times we experienced with them.
Did you know we belong to a gang with the Petrones? I believe Augusta and Joe named the group of us a gang! We have gotten together over the years for dinner and lunch at someone’s house and sometimes breakfast at the Peterborough Diner. The girls at the diner probably thought of us as regulars once a week in the back room and automatically brought coffee, water with lemon, and tons of creamers. There we would usually talk about what was happening in the political world.
Before dinner we sometimes played croquet and even bocce. Again before dinner and through dinner we talked about world affairs as we saw it. When Joe wanted Augusta’s attention he would say in a loud voice A-GUS-TA and she, absolutely serene, would appear at his side and answer Joe’s question.
At their home Knollwood, which has a beautiful ballroom, Joe and Augusta would come out on the stage to welcome their guests. Augusta would recount the history of Knollwood with President Taft coming from the village with townspeople holding torches all the way. There was a receiving line waiting, and President Taft didn’t see Augusta’s father who was a little boy so didn’t shake his hand.
In the huge dining room there is a picture of a young uniformed Joe or Joseph, as Augusta always called him. He remained handsome into his nineties. He had the knack of talking directly to you and would ask you to sit right next to him and start a conversation. Joe grew up on an Iowa farm and he truly resented the fact that tractors replaced horses, which he loved so much.
Everyone remembers Joe for his military service and his love for Augusta, and we also remember Joe as a dear neighbor and wonderful friend.
June Cook lives in Dublin with her husband Forrest, author of Money, Murder and Madness, A Banking Life (Advocate, July 2015).
Jeff Boutwell: A Remembrance
By Pam and Dean Hoyt
Jeffrie Boutwell passed away on March 16, 2016. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and to us…Uncle Jeff. Born in 1926 and raised in the Upper Valley area of New Hampshire, early on he learned a strong work ethic. While attending Newport High School, he obtained a job working at the Brampton Woolen Mill.
He would leave school in time to work the second shift and earn money while in high school. He was spotted in homeroom in the last seat of the second row by Charlotte Nichols. He was interested in football and baseball so he did not give her any attention.
While Jeff was getting ready for his senior year, he was drafted into the U.S. Army to serve during WWII, eventually joining the 801st Tank Destroyer Battalion. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge, one of the most difficult and hard-fought campaigns of the war. Then he spent one more year in the U.S. Constabulary, policing the American-occupied zone of Germany. He did not talk about the war experiences until later years when his grandson Jeff Kermick interviewed him for a college paper.
A few years ago Charlotte sent away for a hat for Jeff that was embroidered with “WWII Veteran.” Whenever Jeff wore it, someone would thank him for his service to his country or shake his hand. He appreciated that.
After returning from the Army, Jeff married Charlotte and went to work with his father in the logging business. He learned to use a come-along to take down trees with precision and many other logging skills, which he continued to use well into his eighties. He also spent many hours working at Charlotte’s family (Nichols) farm in Lempster. He cut wood, hayed, and plowed fields. This was all done after his other jobs he did over the early years.
Jeff and Charlotte raised two daughters, Linda (Holmes) and Diane (Kermick). He took pride in his family and home. Jeff went to work for Sprague & Carlton in 1952 and honed his woodworking skills at the shop, in his home workshop, and on the many woodworking jobs he did for friends and family. He even restored four pieces of broken furniture we found in Dean’s parents’ barn that are enjoyed and appreciated by our family today. He earned the title of master craftsman.
In 2004 Jeff’s granddaughter Leslie Kermick Pennel contacted the Newport School District and laid the groundwork for Jeff to receive his high school diploma. He was completely surprised when the Superintendent of Schools arrived at his house one day to personally present him with his diploma. Although he wanted us to think it wasn’t important, he was proud to share the news with others.
Jeff enjoyed bowling for many years. He bowled with a number of cousins and always had funny stories to tell about their trips to bowling contests. In winter he could be seen on his Kubota tractor snowblowing his yard and in summer he kept the lawns and landscaping attractive and neat. He kept track of sports and could always tell you the stats on baseball, football and basketball players and teams. He enjoyed his dogs and cats over the years.
Jeff and Charlotte celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary on February 3, 2016. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
Pam and Dean Hoyt live just over the line in Harrisville.
[For an earlier profile of Jeffrie and Charlotte Boutwell in the Advocate, please see September 2015, p. 5; and his obituary in the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript.]
Spring Rummage & Yard Sale at DCC
Rummage Sale: Friday, May 20, 1-6 pm
Yard Sale/Rummage Sale: Saturday, May 21, 8-11 am
What great items are awaiting you at the sale? Come wander through the Boutique and
Book/Toy store, see all the wonderful spring and summer clothes in the vestry, try on a pair of new (almost) shoes, pick up those housewares you have been wanting and didn’t want to spend a lot of money on. There are also linens, tablecloths, towels (beach), and the list goes on. One never knows what one will discover at the Dublin Community Church Rummage Sale.
Between 10 and 11 am on Saturday is a $2 a bag sale.
A Belief in the Concept of Long Range Planning
By Margaret Gurney
After serving on Dublin’s Zoning Board for some 30 years, Bill Barker admits it “can be very divisive.” People want to be able to use their land for their benefit and it is sometimes in conflict with the long-term goals of the town. He says he always worked to find the balance between “three constituents: the town, the landowners, and the zoning ordinances.”
Bill explains that “you have to look all sides, think through the impact to the owners, abutters, and the town to really make a balanced decision; you have to give people a clear picture of what we’re really dealing with. Emotions can run high and sometimes it gets very personal — but in the end, the decision must be fair.” He adds, “We seem to be in an era where you don’t have to be polite anymore.”
When Bill came to Dublin in the late ‘60s, the town was in the process of developing the Master Plan and zoning regulations. He says there was a very active group of residents and various boards that spent a great deal of time thinking about the future of Dublin and developing regulations to insure the future of the town.
“On the Planning Board, you need people who are forward thinking. What drives the Planning Board is how to balance when people are saying ‘I own the land, I can do what I want with it’ (even if it’s strictly for personal reasons) and the need to look at the future.” Bill adds that long-range planning is for the greater good and some people don’t like that. “People live in Dublin because it’s a nice place to live, but we need to protect that; it is not self-sustaining.”
He says it’s a tricky thing. You need new, creative solutions that fit into the long-range view and you need to consider how they will benefit the community. He thinks Andy Freeman’s ideas about a commercial center for the town are forward-looking, and he hopes the town can work it into the new Master Plan.
As Bill moves away from such public service, he wonders how to get people to commit to serve on boards and think about the future of the town.
“When we moved here in 1968,” Bill says of his wife Susan and children, “we committed to the town, sent our children to the school, and raised our family. Now with fewer kids in the school and older families” we need to ask “what should the town be looking at for the future?”
When not contemplating Dublin’s future, Bill keeps busy as a trustee at Dublin School, where he also works with the students each week in making skis. He is a trustee of New Hampshire Public Television, “a very valuable state resource.”
In addition, Bill has a shop where he does everything from making flyfishing reels to repairing furniture.
His suggestion for this new generation stepping forward is to get involved, take a big view, maybe even consider the example of those who have gone before. “One has to think broadly,” Bill explained, “of the impact to town” of future plans.
And Bill says he would welcome being asked to advise either the Planning Board or Zoning Board as we come to the new Master Plan in process. “I would love to get involved if there were something I could do.”
Margaret Gurney is editor of the Advocate.
Thinking Ahead
By Andy Freeman
Abraham Lincoln said “the best way to predict the future is to create it.”
It’s time again to dust off the Master Plan and take a look at the Vision Statement. A lot has changed since 2007, and we have an opportunity, as a town, to share our views and shape the future of Dublin by actively participating in public meetings, charrettes* and surveys.
Historic and natural resource preservation, transportation, communication, tax diversification, reasonable housing for younger and older folks, and available goods/services are all issues that we face.
A comprehensive Vision Statement would evaluate social, logistic, and economic change while maintaining our historical integrity and sense of community.
Andy Freeman runs the Dublin General Store with his wife, Michelle.
See related article in the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript, “Overlay district project proposed for area” by Nicholas Handy (Saturday, March 26, 2016); http://www.ledgertranscript.com/Articles/2016/03/From-Archives/duOverlay-ml-032416
*What is a Charrette? A charrette is an intensive planning session where citizens, designers and others collaborate on a vision for development. It provides a forum for ideas and offers the unique advantage of giving immediate feedback to the designers. More importantly, it allows everyone who participates to be a mutual author of the plan. [By The Town Paper (www.tndtownpaper.com)]
Shop at Fresh Chicks
The Fresh Chicks Outdoor Marketplace opens its sixth season on Monday, May 2, from 11 am to 3 pm. The Marketplace, which takes place every Monday from May until October, is set up weekly on the grounds of the Monadnock Community Hospital, Old Street Road, Peterborough. Although not affiliated, the market aligns itself with the hospital’s mission of promoting and enhancing healthy living.
In addition to being able to buy flowers and perennials from Dublin resident Carl Webber, who has been one of the marketplace’s full-time vendors since the beginning, the market offers fresh picked fruit and produce; baked goods; lamb, pork, beef, and chicken; coffee; eggs; cheese, goat milk and cheeses, ice cream; honey; maple syrup, jams and jellies, take-home prepared food items. Folks will also find locally made artisan crafts. If you have any questions, please call 831-0901.
Children & the Arts Day is Here
The 23rd annual Children and the Arts Festival will be held Saturday, May 21, from 9 am to 3 pm in downtown Peterborough. The theme is “Tell Me a Story,” featuring books, tales, and adventure. Performances, activities, and demonstrations will take place in venues all over town, punctuated by the Parade of Giant Puppets at noon. Come early to see a circus at 9:45 am, or drop in to a cappella performance at 10, a storyteller at 11, and much more.
Amazing, free performances, many featuring the children from our communities, continue throughout the day.
The festival, fun for children of all ages, asks that all dogs be left at home. Our festival is free due to generous donations from individuals and businesses in the ConVal communities and beyond. Tax-deductible donations can be sent to Children and the Arts, PO Box 771, Peterborough, NH 03458. For more information, including a schedule of the day’s events, visit www.childrenandthearts.org or email childrenandarts@nullgmail.com.
May at the Hub
Opening: Artist of the Month
Earl Schofield is the featured artist at the Hub in May, with an opening on April 30 from 5 to 7 pm. His medium is encaustic (wax) painting. His landscapes are very personal and intuitive without abandoning a high degree of technical precision and realism. Earl teaches visual art and art history at The Dublin School and many of his landscapes are inspired by the Northeast.
Here is an excerpt from www.EarlSchofield.com: “…The artist chooses to engage in observation of a subject out of a sense of connectivity. The visceral reaction to visual impulse, mimicking what the artist is feeling, and the choices made when producing the image further convey that feeling. Landscape is ideally suited to this enterprise…”. Please visit his website for further information.
Community Center Turns Two
Celebrate two years of art, learning, and recreation and the many years in the making of the Dublin Community Center on May 7 from 5 to 7 pm. Hear some stories from our past as we honor the legacy and hard work of Nancy Cayford and Bruce Simpson – our special guests for the evening – in making the Community Center a reality. Nancy ‘retired’ from the Board and directorship earlier this winter and Bruce’s long-term Board leadership has concluded, but their inspiration and tenacity in seeing through the renovations and rebuilding of The Hub are worthy of a party. Everyone is welcome to attend our beverages and hors d’oeuvres reception and silent auction.
Mixing Wine & Paint Night
By Bridget McFall
Join us for our first Mixing Wine & Paint night at the Community Center on Saturday, May 14, from 7 to 9 pm. This creative fundraising event will be led by the Hub’s featured artist in May, Earl Schofield, who will teach participants how to paint Celtic Flowers.
All participants must be over 21 years old. Bring a friend or come alone. Tickets are $30 per person or $50 per couple. Buy tickets online using the Paypal link on our website, or mail a check with “Wine & Paint” in the memo line and sent to the Dublin Community Center, PO Box 249, Dublin, NH 03444.
Bridget McFall is executive director of the Community Center.
Environmental Film Series By Nancy Nolan
On May 15 at 3 pm, the Community Center will show the award-winning film “Revolution” by Rob Stewart as part of a continuing environmental film series.
“Revolution” (2013) sheds light on environmental topics such as ocean acidification, over-fishing, climate change and deforestation. The full-length documentary lays out the greatest threats to our planet and ourselves, and what actions we can take to help.
Aimed at a general audience, it has an online study guide for teachers, as well as other resources for caring about the environment. Discussion to follow. Light refreshments will be served. The environmental film series is cosponsored by NextGen Climate in Keene.
Nancy Nolan is on the board of the Community Center.
Monadnock Ukulele Group
The Monadnock Ukulele Group will meet at the Hub on Friday, May 20, at 7 pm. All ukulele players are welcome to join us, no matter what your level of playing. The group meets monthly, on the third Friday of every month. Please call Nancy Nolan for song sheets and with any questions at 785-9857.
Come Find your Roots By Chris Gallagher
The Community Center is sponsoring An Introduction to Genealogy workshop on Wednesday, May 25, from 6:30 to 8 pm. The workshop is free, and is for both beginners and more advanced researchers. Topics will include internet research, pedigree charts, family group sheets, and research logs. Attendees may bring computers and information that they may have already collected.
The workshop will be led by Jeanne and Peter Jeffries from Walpole, NH. The Jeffries have studied genealogy for more than 35 years and have learned basic and advanced ways to discover primary sources of information.
Chris Gallagher, who organized this workshop, can be contacted at 563-8031 if you have questions.
Monadnock Rotary Road Cleanup: April 30: The members of Monadnock Rotary Club (MRC), which meets every Tuesday at 7:30 am in the lower level of the Dublin Community Church, is organizing a roadside cleanup day on April 30. If you wish to join the crew, meet at Carr’s Store at 8 am and bring gloves and a picker-upper grabbing tool if you have one. Route 101 will thank you.
MRC Speakers This Month
May 3: Patricia Jones, HC Services, will give a presentation on Mosquitoes, Ticks, and Associated Diseases.
May 10: Jamie Hamilton, Rector of All Saints Church, will give an Introduction to Islam.
May 17 and 24: Programs to be announced.
May 31: Rotary will not meet.
River Center’s Spelling Bee a Success
Thanks to everyone — the many sponsors, donors, volunteers, and participants — who helped make the 11th Annual Community Spelling Bee benefiting The River Center a wonderful success. Thanks to you we met the generous challenge match made by the Finlay Foundation and other anonymous donors totaling $14,500. The River Center is your family and community resource center, here for you, your family and your neighbors.
MFS Presents Rhythm Future Trio
By Larry Ames
Join us at the Nelson Town Hall on Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 8) for an evening of traditional and original Gypsy Jazz with the Rhythm Future Quartet — appearing as a trio for this event. The concert will begin at 7 pm. Admission is $15/$12 (senior, student, or in advance).
The acoustic jazz ensemble, Rhythm Future Quartet keeps the spirit of Gypsy jazz alive and expanding in today’s musical universe. The virtuosic foursome, named for a Django Reinhardt tune, offers up a newly minted sound, influenced by the classic Hot Club of France, yet wholly contemporary.
Larry Ames (lsames@nullworldpath.net) handles PR for the Monadnock Folklore Society
(www.monadnockfolk.org).
Green Tip:
For those who dislike throwing plastic containers in the trash because they aren’t accepted at our transfer station, you can bring plastic containers numbered 1 through 8 to the Monadnock Food Coop in Keene, where there are recycling bins across from the cash registers for all to use. They also accept plastic bags for recycling. Every little bit helps.
Tips for Backyard Birding
Courtesy of the Monadnock Conservancy
- Birds love a birdbath!
- Attract hummingbirds, butterflies and other pollinators by planting bright, colorful native flowers.
- Invite birds, not bears. Bears love birdseed, so take down feeders from March to early December.
- Skip the lawn chemicals. They can be harmful to wildlife, and to pets and children.
- Keep a camera and journal ready to record wildlife sightings … and share your photos with Conservancy friends!
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