The Laconia Daily Sun, April 5, 2012

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THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2012

THURSDAY

Belmont willing to work with casino on retiring huge property tax debt

BELMONT — Selectmen have told the newest owners of the Lakes Region Casino — what for years was referred to as “the dog track” — they are willing to consider reducing the amount of interest owed on some back tax obligations for a goodfaith effort toward becoming current. At their regularly scheduled meeting see CASINO page 7

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VOL. 12 NO. 219

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LRGHealthcare finished year in black, just barely BY MICHAEL KITCH THE LACONIA DAILY SUN

LACONIA — After closing 2010 in the red, LRGHealthcare ended fiscal year 2011 in the black, but as President and CEO Tom Clairmont told the tenth annual meeting of LRGHealthcare since the merger between Lakes Region General Hospital and Franklin Regional Hospital yesterday, “The challenges we

all face are real.” After posting a loss from operations of $2.3-million in 2010, LRGH reported a gain of $13,697 from operations in 2011, effectively breaking even for the year, as operating revenues and expenses closely matched at $210.2-million. However, approximately $3-million of operating revenues represented LRGH’s

anticipated share of the excess surplus of the New Hampshire Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association (JUA). After prolonged litigation, in 2011 the New Hampshire Supreme Court upheld the policyholders’ claim to the excess surplus of $110-million, which the state had sought to transfer to its general fund. Subsequently the Legislature

required the JUA to set aside $85-million to be returned to the policyholders in 2012 and another $25-million to settle any outstanding tax liabilities. LRGHealthcare include $3-million among its receivables at the close of its financial year on September 30, 2011, but not any portion of the remaining $25-million, which see LRGH page 12

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Maia Heller followed by her mom Katie begins her search at the Laconia Parks and Recreation Department’s flashlight Easter Egg Hunt held Saturday evening at Smith Track in Opechee Park. (Karen Bobotas/for the Laconia Daily Sun)

Mud season blues: S’ton highway dept. has run out of money BY GAIL OBER

THE LACONIA DAILY SUN

SANBORNTON — The perfect storm of soaring costs of diesel and an unusually severe mud season has seemingly sucked the life out of the town’s highways and streets budget. Confronted with the bad news at last night’s meeting, selectmen voted unanimously to freeze all discretionary and

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unnecessary spending throughout all the town’s departments until the town’s administrators can get a fix on where exactly the highway department’s budget stands. Sanbornton is the only community in Belknap County, except the city of Laconia, that operates on a fiscal year that is different than the calendar year. Its budget runs from July 1 to June 30. “We don’t even have enough for payroll,”

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said Selectboard Chair David Nickerson as he reviewed the projected budget balance for this fiscal year of $35,000 to projected payroll estimates of $54,000. Preliminary estimates indicate the highway department could overspend its $697,000 annual budget by at least $20,000. “There’s no money for diesel, no money for gravel and we’ve still go to put these see SANBORNTON page 9

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