The Deliberative Session to debate the Hudson town budget saw extensive discussion over Warrant Article 10 and its $2,533,000 commitment towards intersection improvements at Lowell Road, County Road, and Birch Street.
“The Planning Board did a study and there were recommendations for improving this area of Lowell Road,” said Selectman Heidi Jakoby, who added the purpose of the improvements was to improve safety in what has been identified as one of the more accident-prone areas of Hudson.
$2,042,400, or 80% of the appropriation would be covered through federal grants, while the remaining $510,600 would be covered using townwide corridor funds, avoiding any local tax impact.
“We have been proactive with this project, we’re finalizing the design,” added Town Engineer Elvis Dhima. “We’re looking into getting the design completed with a federal permit, which is called a NEPA permit, and start looking into getting the right-of-way we need for this permit.”
He hoped to have the project “shovel ready” in the near future. Selectmen Dillon Dumont had also been in contact with state officials to help get the project move forward.
“Are you stating in your presentation that there is no contract ready to be signed that will appropriate the money necessary for this project?” asked resident Roger Coutu. “Is there one in the works?”
Dhima answered by saying there was no construction contract yet in place, although one was being prepared.
“I’d like to know what the expected traffic on Belknap would be if it becomes an alternative to using Central Street to go from the east to the south,” said resident James Wilkins. “It should also take into consideration the culvert system in that area, which is known to be inadequate.”
The Town Engineer did not expect an increase in traffic, emphasizing that the intent of the intersection improvements was solely to make traffic safer, not redirect it. He promised all culvert work “would be done in compliance with state and federal requirements” and would not be an issue.
There were fewer questions over Article 12, which proposed raising $40,000 to fund a mosquito control program in Hudson.
“In NH, mosquitos transmit infections including Triple E, West Nile, and the Jamestown Canyon virus,” explained Selectman Dave Morin. “The NH Department of Health and Human Services found an elevated risk in 2024 of Triple E infections given the positive mosquito samples identified. Funding of this program would provide services such as surveillance and larval mosquito treatments, including permitting and reporting the recommendations for other control methods.”
The tax impact for Article 12 was one cent.
“We had this program in Hudson until several years ago,” noted Fire Chief Tice, who added the old program had its funding redirected following a dry summer. “A contract company would come in and look for the larvae. There are certain types of mosquitos that carrying different types of diseases and they would be targeting those.”
The program would also include trapping fully grown mosquitos to test them for mosquito-borne infections and spraying to keep mosquito numbers down.
“The type of spray they’re using, is there any impact on our wildlife, on our birds and stuff?” asked resident Nancy Sudsbury.
Tice responded by saying all materials followed EPA guidelines to avoid harm to people and animals.
“This material they use is specific to those types of mosquitos and mosquito larvae,” he said. “The weather doesn’t impact their usefulness.”
The general election for the warrant articles, including the town budget, is scheduled for Tuesday, March 11, 2025. The polling location for Ward 1 is at Hudson Memorial School, and the polling location for Ward 2 is at Alvirne High School.
