BUDGET CENTER
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012
THURSDAY
Drunken man said to have threatened police before surrendering LACONIA — Police were able to take an unidentified allegedly intoxicated man into custody yesterday at 129 Franklin Street but not before the Belknap Regional Special Operation Group was called. Police said they were called to the home for a “highly-intoxicated 26-year-old male” who told them via cell phone that he didn’t want contact with the police and would shoot see DRUNK page 10
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VOL. 13 NO. 96
LACONIA, N.H.
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County says no to offer of free Humvee BY ROGER AMSDEN FOR THE LACONIA DAILY SUN
LACONIA — Belknap County Commissioners voted 2-1 Wednesday morning to deny a request from the Belknap County Sheriff’s Department to take possession of a free surplus Humvee. Lt. David Perkins presented the request on behalf of the department, saying that the vehicle was one of three recently acquired by the town of Gilford through the U.S.
Department of Defense surplus program. Gilford, which kept one of the Humvees and gave another to the city of Laconia, offered the third vehicle to the county. Perkins said he Humvee, a 2010 fourwheel drive vehicle with a pickup body and four doors, is in excellent condition with only 3,000 miles on it. He said the department could use the vehicle in weather emergencies, for moving equipment to and from communications sites and for moving
training equipment. ‘’Why in the world would you want a Humvee?’’ asked Commission Chairman Ed Philpot, who said that the department had never before requested such a vehicle and wondered if a real need it exists. He said that even though the vehicle could be obtained with little expense, ‘’there’s always a downstream cost. These vehicles are very expensive to maintain see HUMVEE page 10
Selectmen looking at trimming Belmont Planning Department from 3 to 2 BY GAIL OBER
THE LACONIA DAILY SUN
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Daphne Towle and Gary Sitka, both students in Lakes Region Community College’s Graphic Design program, work in a digital photography class on Tuesday. The design program has been a part of the school since its founding. (Laconia Daily Sun photo/Adam Drapcho)
LRCC turning art students into entrepreneurs BY ADAM DRAPCHO THE LACONIA DAILY SUN
LACONIA — The Graphic Design program at Lakes Region Community College has been part of the curriculum since the school’s founding. Originally conceived with the printing industry in mind, the program has adjusted with emerging technologies and is now more computer-based than ever before. For Graphic Design students, the program offers access to an industry in which they can attract clients from around the world without having to leave the Lakes Region.
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Tom Goulette, vice president of Academic Affairs at the college, was head of the Graphic Design program for 22 years before being named to his current post. Although it is not as numerous as the school’s popular Fire Science and Liberal Arts programs, he said “It is a very healthy program for the college and has been for years.” There are currently about 35 students pursuing a graphic arts degree at the college. When he began instructing, Goulette said, the students focused on “hand skills,” such as airsee GRAPHIC ARTS page 12
BELMONT — Selectmen have asked Planning Director Candace Daigle to justify the department’s need for a land use planning technician after reviewing the department’s 2013 budget request. They tabled her proposal Monday night. Chairman Jon Pike led the discussion by asking Daigle if Belmont’s Planning Department was busy enough to warrant the position. When she provided the board with her budget justification, Pike said he wanted to review it fully before he made any decisions. He also acknowledged he was asking “hard questions” in anticipation of being asked those same questions by the Budget Committee. “I know staffing is a see BELMONT page 10
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