Rochester Concerned Taxpayers

June 11, 2009
Fosters

ROCHESTER — City residents could see significant increases in water and sewer rates if the City Council agrees with Utility Advisory Board recommendations for yearly increases through Fiscal Year 2015 made at Tuesday night’s council meeting.

The UAB advised the council raise the FY10 sewer rate to $5.95 per 100 cubic feet — or 748 gallons — and the water rate to $4.19 per 100 cubic feet, effective July 1. The recommendations represent 8 percent and 3.8 percent increases, respectively.

The UAB also proposed further yearly increases through FY15. The UAB proposed raising sewer by 8 percent each year through FY15 and water by 4 percent in FY11, 4.5 percent in FY12 and 5 percent each year thereafter through FY15.

This translates to significant rate increases for water and sewer customers. The quarterly cost for the average sewer customer in FY09 is $165.18. With proposed changes, the quarterly rate jumps to $178.40 in FY10 and will be $262.12 in FY15, according to UAB Chair Kevin Bridges.

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October 14, 2008
Fosters

Longer terms for Rochester city councilors? Where is the consensus calling for it?

It was a topic raised at a recent “Meeting with the Mayor” — one of the monthly opportunities for Mayor John Larochelle’s constituents to confront him or simply converse with the city’s highest elected official. With only the mayor and three other persons in attendance, last month’s meeting seemed to fall into the conversational category.

Four-year terms for the mayor and city councilors and elected board members?

“If I had my way the terms would be four years,” Larochelle said, “but it would be on an alternating cycle so every two years half of the members would be up for re-election.

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October 13, 2008
Union Leader

ROCHESTER – How much–or more precisely, how little–the state should spend as the economy continues to sour is a prime issue in the election for senate District Six as challenger Fenton Groen seeks to unseat incumbent Sen. Jackie Cilley.

Cilley, a Barrington Democrat, says she hopes to retain the seat she won two years ago so she can address the oncoming economic issues the state is facing. As owner of the small business Horseshoes Plus in Barrington and an adjunct business professor at the University of New Hampshire, Cilley says she is uniquely qualified.

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July 7, 2008
Fosters

ROCHESTER — Councilors’ recent discussion about their goals for the city and manager provided a sobering look at what can’t be done following deep cuts to the approved budget.

City Manager John Scruton said helping the economic development commission fill and redevelop empty space should be “dropped.” The council cut funds to set up a lease system with startup businesses downtown.

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