League of
Women Voters of the Upper Valley
Hanover,
NH, Norwich, VT and neighboring towns
updated April 20, 2006 Home Page >> Hanover Town
Government >> Chapter 3
Know
Your Government: A
Hanover
Citizens Guide
Chapter 3: Town
Government
Appointed
Boards and Town Services
Another way to
participate in
town government is to become involved with appointed town boards
and committees. You may attend the public meetings of any of these
boards to learn about their activities and participate in the
discussion. If you are interested in serving on a board, you are
encouraged to send a letter of interest to the Select Board for their
consideration.
Appointed Town Boards,
Commissions, and Committees
All of the
following are
appointed by the Select Board for three-year terms. In addition to
those listed below, the Select Board also appoints ad hoc committees
when needed. For a list of current members of all these groups see
either
- the
town website: http://www.hanovernh.org/twn-brdcom.html or
- the
League's Know Your
Officials directory available at Town Hall and libraries.
- Advisory
Board of
Assessors
This board sets policy
for and hears appeals regarding
property assessment. - Building
Code Advisory Board
This board reviews and
recommends revisions to the town
building code, advises the building code administrator on
interpretation of the code, and advises the Zoning Board of Adjustment
in cases involving an appeal of a building code administrator's
decision. For details, see chapter 4. - Conservation Commission
This Commission
protects the town's natural resources;
preserves and maintains important land including town forests and
trails; advises the select, planning, and zoning boards on conservation
matters; and makes on-site visits and recommendations for wetland,
water bodies, and dredge and fill permits. - Disabled
Accessibility Advisory Committee
This committee's goal
is to increase accessibility for all
citizens, in accordance with Hanover's accessibility ordinance. The
committee recommends parking locations for the disabled, and, if
requested, will advise applicants about both building exteriors and
interiors. - Finance
Committee
The Finance Committee
advises the town and school districts
on financial matters. It is the only group to be appointed by the town
and school district moderators. For further details, see chapter 6 on
finances. - Hanover
Housing Authority
The Select Board acts
as the Hanover Housing Authority, and
is responsible for authorizing and funding public housing. The only
current project is the housing for the elderly at 42 Lebanon Street. - Parking
and Transportation Board
This board studies and
makes recommendations to the Select
Board about traffic, transportation, and parking, including the new
parking garage. - Parks
and Recreation Board
This board sets policy
and approves recreation programs for
the community, oversees the Community Center, and advises recreation
department personnel. - Planning
Board
The Planning Board
updates the master plan for community
development, adopts and reviews site plans and applications for
subdivisions, and proposes zoning amendments for voter consideration at
Town Meeting. For further details, see chapter 4. - Recycling
Committee
This committee promotes
recycling and the town's curbside
collection program, sponsors special events such as scrap metal
collection and Christmas tree collections, and promotes safe hazardous
waste collection. - Senior
Citizen Steering Committee
This committee oversees
the programs for all Hanover senior
citizens, and advises the Senior Services Coordinator. Programs include
a newsletter, parties, health clinics, lectures and short courses, and
other activities. Programs take place in the new Richard W. Black
Community Center, 48 Lebanon Street. - Upper Valley-Lake
Sunapee Regional Planning Commission
Hanover sends two
representatives to this advisory body
which provides technical services and promotes regional planning-
including land use, transportation, and solid waste management-for
thirty-one local communities. - Zoning
Board of Adjustment
The ZBA, a citizen
judicial board, reviews four kinds of
cases involving zoning: appeals, special exceptions, equitable waivers,
and variances. Such cases usually involve a public hearing. The ZBA
also hears appeals regarding administrative decisions regarding
building code compliance. For further details, see chapter 4.
Town Services
The mission of the
town
government is "to provide public services for all the citizens of
Hanover." Citizens may avail themselves of the following services at
these locations.
- Town
Hall
Located on South Main
Street near the intersection of
Lebanon Street in downtown Hanover, open 8:30-4:30 weekdays. Insert
changes in hours later? Phone during business hours: 643-4123 ; phone
after business hours: 643-2222 ; email: hanover.town@valley.net;
website: www.hanovernh.org. Among the most publicly-utilized
departments are:
-- Town Clerk's Office handles voter registration,
issues permits and licenses (such as fishing, hunting, and marriage),
collects most non-tax fees (such as motor vehicle registration), sells
land-fill tickets, provides notary service, and files town records,
643-0712.
-- Planning and Zoning Office issues permits for
buildings and wetlands (i.e., on or near water); has information about
the Master Plan, zoning ordinance and maps, site plan and subdivision
regulations, and the building code, 643-0708.
-- Assessing Department sets values for all taxable
property, 643-0742, ext. 103.
-- Parking Division of the
Police Department handles
parking tickets, 643-0737.
- Town
Libraries
(1) The Howe Library, founded in 1900 and now located
on
the corner of East South Street and Currier Place, has about 79,000
items in their holdings, 643-4120, website: www.thehowe.org. (2) The
Etna Library, located on Etna Road, with about 5,000 items in holdings,
was founded in 1898 and has been named to the National Register of
Historic Places, 643-3116.
- Parks and
Recreation/Community Center
48 Lebanon Street, 643-5315. A
portion of
the new Richard W. Black Community/Senior Center houses the Parks and
Recreation Department—which handles athletic and non-athletic
activities for youth and adults, as described in their quarterly
catalog.
- Public Safety
Located
in two buildings at 46 and 48 Lyme Road; 911 emergency; 643-2222
non-emergency; both available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Houses
the police department, fire department, emergency medical services,
animal control office, and 24-hour dispatch service.
- Senior Center
48
Lebanon Street, 643-5531. Sponsors activities for seniors on weekday
afternoons.
- Public
Works
The public works facility is located on Route 120 near Buck
Road,
643-3327; the wastewater treatment plant is located off Route 10 behind
Pine Knoll Cemetery, 643-2362. Divisions include: (1) highway, (2)
sewer, (3) grounds, (4) buildings, (5) fleet maintenance, and (6)
wastewater treatment. (Both the college and the town manage the town's
water supply.)
- Parking Garage
Located at 7 Lebanon Street, provides over 200 public
parking spaces.
District Court
Located in
Centerra in Lebanon,
the District Court houses courtrooms and holding cells. Two judges
handle misdemeanors, small claims, domestic violence, and juveniles.
More serious crimes are handled in the Grafton County Courthouse. (See
chapter 7.)
Know
Your Government: A
Hanover
Citizens Guide
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Online Edition.
Printed copies are available at Town Hall, the Etna Library and the
Howe Library.
Introduction
Chapter
1: The Voters
Chapter 2:Town Government, Town
Meeting,
&
Elected Officials
Chapter 3: Town Government
Appointed
Boards and
Town Services
Chapter 4:
Planning and Zoning
Chapter 5: School
Government
Chapter 6:
Municipal and School
Finances
Chapter 7:
Federal, State &
County
Government
& Elected Officials
Chapter 8: County Government in
New
Hampshire
A
Brief History of
Hanover
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