The Superior Court Meets on Our Government July 7

The hearing is scheduled for 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. at the Grafton County courthouse in North Haverill. Town Clerk Sophie Seace asked us to post the summons; you'll find it here. Presiding Justice Lawrence McLeod has been asked to appoint Bob Ells and Skip Smith to the Orange Selectboard.

If you have any objection to that appointment, the summons reads that you must first file an "Appearance" and send a copy to the Orange town attorney, Adele Fulton.

Update on the Racetrack

Dorothy Heinrichs just spoke with the Canaan Town Manager, Mike Samson, who filled her in on the news from the racetrack. Here’s her report on what he told her: 

The former Canaan Speedway will open in July as a private club track. While it will be be closed to the public during normal operation, we’re all invited to see the unfinished facility as part of Canaan’s July 4 celebrations. The four kinds of vehicles that will be raced there will be on display: sports cars (mostly old-model, apparently), carts, motorcycles, and green energy vehicles. 

As part of the celebrations, the facility will host a model-airplane demonstration, and a race. A drone will provide coverage, which you can watch on the Town of Canaan website. There will be a race this Saturday; Mike said you can watch this on the Canaan site as well.

What about noise? Mike says that if you haven’t heard any cars recently, you shouldn’t worry because four races have already been run. Formerly the decibel limit at the track was 140 decibels; the new limit is 90. 

The facility comprises four tracks, three of which are ready for use:

• A dirt track for “high performance” racing.  According to Mike, the highest speed recorded in the most recent race was 40 mph. He rode in one of the cars himself, and says they’re not noisy.
• A paved 7/8-mile track (more than twice as long as the old oval track) for side-by-side racing. It’s similar to the track at Watkins Glen.
• A paved track for motorcycle and high-performance cars; it overlaps with a section of the side-by-side track.
• A fourth track, to be built in the future on undeveloped land, will add another half-mile to the side-by-side track.

In addition, a garage for some 20 cars will let owners keep their cars at the track and practice racing. Although liability issues will keep the public away from the unfenced track, the facility plans to clear part of the hill along Orange Road for parking and picnicking so people can watch from a safe distance.

The owner, Tillman Gerngross, has been working with the Town of Canaan to make this a going concern as a business and as an economic engine for the town. Mike says the facility hopes to host two or three music events a year as well as car shows, and other events. Canaan has been working to bring B&B’s to town, and Mike hopes that Canaan will eventually boast boutiques and a high end restaurant.

We’ll post more information about the track when we get it. Meanwhile, if you have any tips about this or other Orange news, please email Jay through this site or directly at o.speech@gmail.com.

Update on Saturday, June 27, 2015 at 3:29PM by OrangeNH

We erroneously reported that today's race on the Canaan racetrack could be seen online at the Canaan town website. The event is a RallyCross, a timed event on dirt. (We're hearing the noise right now, and it's not bad.) You can see a video on RallyCross here.

July 7 Set for Court Approval of Selectmen

According to today's Valley News, the Grafton County Superior Court won't decide until July 7 on Orange's petition to appoint two new Selectmen. The petition, signed by Town Clerk Sophie Seace, requests that the court approve Bob Ells and Skip Smith. The two would serve until next March, when voters would have to choose three new members.

When the Town gets the nod from the court, the two Selectmen will appoint a third member. Meanwhile, we're without an official government, and no Board meetings are scheduled.

Select Board and Treasurer Resign

Town Clerk Sophie Seace reports that there will be no Select Board meeting tomorrow. The town has reqeusted that the state appoint two new Selectmen. Thanks, Sophie, for your fast action in alerting the state and working with the Town's legal advisors.

Here's Sophie's notice. You can find the packet she submitted to the state Superior Court here.

To the residents of Orange,

On Wednesday evening, June 17, 2015, I received resignation notice from the remaining two Selectmen, Pat Mercer and George White. Along with that was also resignation notice from the Treasurer Cathey Bean. I discussed the situation with the Secretary of State's office on Thursday morning and was advised to work with the Town Attorneys office. What you see here is the result of that effort.

This situation will be handled as timely as possible under the direction by the State of New Hampshire Superior  Court. At this time there will be NO SELECTMEN MEETINGS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

For your understanding, the packet submitted to the Superior Court is here. Please feel free to call the Town Clerks office 603-523-4467, or email orangetownclerk@myfairpoint.net, if you have questions or concerns and I will do my best to reply. 

I will post updates to this situation here as well as the office bulletin as we make progress.

Respectfully,
Sophie L Seace
Town Clerk

Update on Monday, June 22, 2015 at 4:02PM by OrangeNH

I'm having technical difficulties posting the entire petition. The most relevant part states that it requests the state appoint Bob Ells and Skip Smith to replace the resigned Selectmen. -Jay

Update on Monday, June 22, 2015 at 6:44PM by OrangeNH

Sophie asked us to reiterate that the court has not yet appointed the two Select Board members; the Town has made a request through its petition to appoint Bob Ells and Skip Smith. Here's the petition itself.

Select Board Meeting Tomorrow

The Board meets on Tuesday at 7 pm. Under the new rules established by Chairman Pat Mercer, public comments must be submitted in advance, and the Board will decide whether to consider them.

If you decide to submit comments, feel free to send them to us. You can email me (Jay) directly, here.

I'll record the meeting and will post an audio file afterward.

Update on Monday, June 22, 2015 at 3:53PM by OrangeNH

Because of resignation of Pat Mercer and George White from the Select Board, there will be no meetings until further notice.