22-02-2025
City Hall: Aldermen mull gates of wrath at Goffstown line; mayor, board call for bail reform
Feb. 21—Could gates of wrath be coming to a quiet Queen City neighborhood near Mount Calvary Cemetery in the near future?
Stranger things have happened.
For those unaware, the Dubay Group Inc. and Allard Revocable Trust are seeking a variance from the Goffstown zoning board to subdivide a property for the purposes of building single-family homes within the Industrial Zone, which is not permitted per Section 3.11 of the Goffstown Zoning Ordinance.
The reason the project is on the radar for Manchester officials and residents is the property is located off Riverview Park Road, on the border between the city and Goffstown.
Access to the proposed subdivision would be off of Phillip Street and Joseph Street Extension — streets located in the Queen City — creating a cut-through in what has historically been a very quiet Manchester neighborhood off Goffstown Road.
A brief discussion on the matter was held earlier this month at Goffstown Town Hall, with zoning board members voting to determine the project has regional impact — meaning the development proposal has potential impacts beyond Goffstown's boundaries.
As RSA 36:54-58 explains, a determination of regional impact affords the abutting communities and the regional planning commission the status of abutter. It is also an opportunity to broaden the scope of review and in doing so, gain additional input and technical support in the review of large, complex development proposals and evaluate potential effects on inter-municipal agreements.
At the Feb. 18 meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, the project was mentioned by at-large Alderman Dan O'Neil.
"We received communication from the residents in Ward 12, concerned Joseph Street residents," O'Neil said. "I want to know what our options are with that, those streets are pretty, pretty tight over there to get into this development."
City Planner Jeff Belanger said the project will be brought to the attention of Manchester's planning board.
"This board (Manchester aldermen) will be the board that has the ability to communicate and to be considered abutters for purposes of testimony," Belanger said. So anyone representing this city, this board could go to Goffstown and testify. There could also be someone from the planning board who goes to testify, or any abutter could also testify. They wouldn't have the status as an abutter in Goffstown, so they wouldn't have the right to testify, but usually if someone wants to testify, a zoning board would allow them to do so. So neighbors can certainly do that."
Belanger told aldermen they could take a position on the project as a board.
"You could write a letter, you could testify there," Belanger said. "We could deliver a letter to Goffstown staff and have them include that in the ZBA agenda. Our staff has distributed the plans to the whole technical review committee that meets for every planning board application here, so we're going to look at it, and we'll provide comments."
According to Belanger, the project has three access points — two through Manchester neighborhoods, and one from the south in Goffstown.
Alderman Ross Terrio asked if Manchester could refuse and say, "you already have access from the south from your own town?"
"I would need to look into that further, I'm not sure that we could say no, categorically," Belanger said.
That's when Alderman Tony Sapienza asked if putting a gate or gates on Phillip and Joseph streets, preventing access from Manchester through those neighborhoods could be a possibility.
"It's the department of public works that might want to consider that, but ultimately, this board has control over the city's rights of way," Belanger said.
"So that's a yes?" Sapienza asked.
"That's a definite maybe," Belanger said.
"Oh, you gotta run for office," Mayor Jay Ruais said to Belanger, laughing.
"That's a yes," Sapienza added.
A public hearing on the project will be held Tuesday, March 4, at 7 p.m. at Goffstown Town Hall at 16 Main St., in the Mildred Stark Room (106).
Bail reform revisited
Mayor Ruais is leading a letter that is being sent to the state Legislature, with 14 aldermen having signed on, calling on lawmakers to revisit the topic of bail reform in the wake of a stabbing outside an Elm Street convenience store.
Kyle Bisson, 25, was arrested on Bridge Street on charges of second-degree assault and two counts of falsifying evidence.
At a magistrate hearing held the next day, police argued for Bisson to be held on preventive detention. But Magistrate Stephanie Johnson released him on personal recognizance bail, prompting criticism from Ruais, Manchester police and bail reform advocates.
An effort to revoke Bisson's bail, sought by the Hillsborough County Attorney's Office after the outcry, failed last week, with superior court judge Michael Klass saying the prosecution did not meet its burden to prove Bisson would be a danger to the public. The Hillsborough County Attorney's Office had declined to object to the Magistrate Johnson's initial bail ruling when it was made.
In the letter, Ruais and city aldermen tell state senators and representatives that "the safety and security of our citizens is non-negotiable," and asks for their support in revising the state's bail reform law.
"As the recent horrific stabbing on Elm Street in Manchester demonstrates, our current law is not working," the letter states. "It is imperative that we keep violent and repeat offenders off our streets and behind bars. We understand the good intentions behind the previous changes to our bail laws. However, those good intentions have been replaced by criminal acts."
The letter offers numbers to back up the city's argument. In 2024, there were 2,971 adults arrested in Manchester, accounting for 4,551 arrests, because 27% of them were arrested more than once.
Of the 2,971 arrested, 715 or 24% were out on bail at the time of their arrest.
The letter urges legislators to send Gov. Kelly Ayotte legislation dedicated to bail reform.
'Oui oui' for French programSchool board members have approved a proposal for a second dual-language immersion program in city schools that should launch next fall, centered around teaching French at Webster Elementary School.
In dual-language immersion programs, students receive instruction in both languages. In the case of the proposed program at Webster, students would learn in French over 80% of the school day, and English the remaining 20%.
The Manchester School District launched a Spanish dual-immersion program at Bakersville Elementary School this fall, the only dual-language immersion program in the state.
Total startup costs of the program at Webster are pegged at $20,000, with officials saying it will be funded through grants, including one for $10,000 from the French Consulate in Boston. Manchester School District Assistant Superintendent Nicole Doherty said there are teachers currently working in the district who are fluent in French who are willing to participate in the program.
Doherty said the district conducted a survey inviting caregivers and community members to share their feedback and express their interest in a dual-language French program in Manchester.
"We've received a total of 47 responses from our survey," Doherty said. "Over half of the responses came from families with children in kindergarten and preschool, highlighting strong interest in a bilingual education for our youngest learners, 76% of the responders shared that they consider bilingual education to be very important to their child's academic and personal growth. This feedback showcases the community's recognition of significant benefits that bilingualism can provide, both in the classroom and beyond."
