Francestown will vote on whether or not to once again pursue withdrawal from the ConVal School district at a special Town Meeting on Saturday.

The meeting is 10 a.m. at Francestown Town Hall. All Francestown residents can attend.

The warrant contains two articles –a second feasibility study for withdrawal from the ConVal School District, and requesting the formation of a planning committee at ConVal to study the benefits of Francestown leaving or remaining in SAU 1. Francestown’s previous bid to withdraw from ConVal failed in March because even though it received 81% approval in town, the 38% approval across the district was less than the 40% required. In the aftermath of the March vote, more than 60 Francestown residents signed the petition requesting a special Town Meeting, and the Select Board approved it in April.

At Monday night’s Select Board meeting, Select Board member Charlie Pyle shared a letter the board had received from Dean Eggert of Wadleigh, Starr & Peters, who represents the ConVal School District.

“Basically, our attorney and ConVal’s attorney have a difference of opinion about the SAU warrant article,” Pyle said. “He believes that according to the RSA, we do not have the ability to formally demand withdrawal from the SAU.”

The town had planned to vote on whether or not start the process of withdrawing from SAU, or school administrative unit, at special Town Meeting on Saturday. Pyle said Eggert’s position is that since Francestown is not a school district, the town cannot request to withdraw from the SAU, as only school districts can request to withdraw from an SAU. School administrative units are offices that oversee the operations of school districts, including business and administrative responsibilities such as accounting, bookkeeping and managing health and retirement benefits for school employees.

“Their lawyer is saying the town of Francestown is not a school district. Our attorney says we are still the Francestown school district, even though we are part of the ConVal school district,” Pyle said.

Pyle said that as a result of the letter, Saturday’s vote may be nonbinding and result in a statement from the town rather than a formal request to start the process of withdrawing from the SAU.

“Frankly, I don’t know how much capital the town wants to spend figuring this out between lawyers, as it could get very expensive,” Pyle said. “The lawyers will talk after the special Town Meeting.

Select Board member Karen Fitzgerald said she “would think ConVal would want Francestown to also leave the SAU.”

Pyle said he would start the process of formally reconvening the Francestown School Committee for the second feasibility study process, which is now underway, after the special Town Meeting.

Residents complain about new hours at transfer station

Town Administrator Jamie Pike said he had heard from three town residents who were unhappy about the lack of Sunday hours at the town transfer station. Until recently, the transfer station was open on Sunday afternoons.

Pike said the staff at the transfer station had been fielding complaints about the limited hours and were advising residents to take their concerns to the Select Board. Pyle said some residents had also complained to the town’s Waste Disposal Committee.

“I have been trying to think about how we can accommodate those people who are only able to make it to the transfer station on Sundays,” Pike said.

The board decided to keep the schedule the same through Labor Day and reevaluate at that point.

“I am asking people to just be patient and give the new hours a try,” Select Board member Scot Heath said.

Tax arrears letters sent

Town Clerk and Tax Collector Pam Finnell reported to the Select Board that letters to residents at risk of losing their properties due to unpaid taxes had been sent. Property owners who have not paid their taxes in three years have until noon on June 10 to pay their back taxes or make arrangements with the town.

Finnell said the board has the deadline to look at the individual properties and consider whether or not it would be in the town’s benefit to take the deed to a specific property. Pike said there were some circumstances in which the town would not want to deed.

“If there is hazardous waste on the property, or if it is a condo situation that has homeowners’ fees, or if there is a tenant, these are situations the town may not want to get involved in if there is significant cost to the town,” Pike said.

Finnell said that while the town and the tax office make every attempt to inform taxpayers about the arrears process, some property owners still seem to be unaware of the consequences of unpaid taxes.

“I work in Hancock and in Francestown, and in both cases, it is amazing to me how many people do not even realize this is the process. People need to understand the seriousness of the situation, and we need to give them another opportunity to dig themselves out,” Finnell said.