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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
- Category: Articles
December 5, 2019 – At an award ceremony yesterday in the Governor and Council Chambers in Concord, the Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire (SELT), received a $150,000 grant from the NH Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) to conserve Clarke Farm in Epping and Newmarket. This project was one of 33 projects across the state that received $3.5 million in matching grants from LCHIP.
“We are so appreciative of LCHIP’s investment in conserving important farmland in New Hampshire,” said Jeremy Lougee, SELT’s Conservation Project Manager and Farmland Coordinator. “The Clarke Farm is an example of a small, family farm growing food for its community, and this LCHIP award will enable SELT to protect this agricultural resource while also maintaining clean drinking water, critical wildlife habitat, and open space for future generations.”
Purchased in 1977, Clarke Farm straddles the Newmarket and Epping town lines. There, Jack and Linda raise beef cattle and sheep, largely on pasture, and they have built this operation over time with careful attention to soils and long-term sustainability. Over the years, they've transitioned unmanaged, low-value forest back into productive farmland fields that now produce quality hay and feed, grasses for grazing, and superb finished meats.
In addition to its important contribution to the local food system, Clarke Farm also provides extensive and exemplary wildlife habitat. Development, as experienced in southeastern New Hampshire, often breaks up habitat making it difficult for wildlife to thrive. Once protected, Clarke Farm will connect nearly 5,000 acres of conservation land surrounding the Wild & Scenic Lamprey River, thereby enhancing habitat for a variety of wildlife species, protecting clean drinking water for people and allowing local residents to explore the extensive network of forest trails the Clarke’s maintain on their land.
Speaking about why they felt it is important to conserve the remainder of their farm, Jack and Linda shared, “We’ve poured our lives into this family farm over the past 40 years. We’ve improved the soils and the land with an eye on sustainability and profitability. We want to make sure that our farm will continue to be a viable and productive operation that feeds our community long into the future.”
Projects are being supported in each of the state’s 10 counties. This grant round was highly competitive, with over $7 million in funding requests compared to $3.5 million available for grants. LCHIP Board Chair Amanda Merrill of Durham observed “The LCHIP Board of Directors was particularly impressed with the variety and quality of projects seeking support this year.”
Grant recipients are required to raise a minimum of one dollar for each dollar provided by LCHIP. This year’s awards of $3.5 million will be matched by more than $10 million that the project proponents will raise from other public and private sources, infusing a total of almost $14 million into the state’s economy in direct project activity.
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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
- Category: Articles
Through additional research into the issue of private road taxes with the NH Private Road Taxpayers Alliance, we have found that part of Town Administrator Conner MacIver’s statement, which he gave on October 11th, 2019, is factually incorrect.
He stated:
“For a piece of property on a Class VI or private road, the land value is reduced by 10%.”
According to the State of New Hampshire, Class VI roads are public roads that are no longer maintained by the Town. We found that properties that are accessed via Class VI roads consistently get a 10% adjustment in the Site Field of Barrington’s property cards, but Private roads do not get the 10% adjustment. There is nothing private about a Class VI road – they are two completely different types of roads, but what they have in common is that neither of them is maintained by the Town.
During our investigation, we asked the Town Administrator why Private Roads and Class VI Roads receive the 10% adjustment, and he responded:
“Every appraisal is an opinion of market value. Achieving fair market value is the only goal of an assessment. Whether that opinion is from a private appraiser as part of a home purchase or the Town’s Assessor. In many cases, the Assessor’s opinion of a property on a road not maintained by the Town is a reduction in market value.”
Mr. MacIver could have corrected his statement of October 11 and set the record straight by admitting that Private Roads do not get the same Site adjustment as their Class VI counterparts, but he missed the opportunity.
We also asked Mr. MacIver about 10 properties that are accessed via Private Paved Roads, and why they didn’t get the 10% adjustment. The properties were:
- 12 Covenant Way
- 13 Colcord Rd
- 16 Birch Ln
- 17 Breezy Way
- 18 Bryson Dr
- 24 Colcord Rd
- 32 Chapman Dr
- 40 Chapman Dr
- 60 Breezy Way
- 99 Mendums Landing Rd
His response to this evidence was a long, dramatic explanation about what the Assessor does, and the appraisal value of the property and he even mentioned the Superior Court, rather than admitting that his claim of a 10% reduction for properties located on Private Roads was incorrect. So we gave him two opportunities to correct the record, and he did not take advantage of either one.
Nearly 52% of all the roads in Barrington, when categorized by name and type, are Private Roads – roads that don’t receive plowing or road maintenance from the Town. Since Private Road Taxpayers represent the majority of taxpayers in Barrington, NH, we believe they should be asking the question of why Class VI Roads get a 10% adjustment for their Road Class, but Private Roads (which they were told get the same adjustment) do not.
For those interested in political action on Private Road Taxation, the New Hampshire Private Road Taxpayers Alliance can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
- Category: Articles
Scot Villeneuve started Big Hit Media in 2004 after several years in corporate marketing with Cabletron Systems, AT&T and The Tracey Edwards Company – a large New Hampshire marketing firm. His vision was to take what he had learned and created a company that really focused on the client and their needs.
“We’re looking to build client relationships based on trust…”, said Villeneuve, and added that “it’s something that’s built over time.”
Some of Big Hit Media’s clients have been with the firm for nearly 15 years, such as Granite State Glass and L3 Insight Technology. The thing that keeps them coming back, is the good work, the results, but what it’s really about is the relationship.
Mr. Villeneuve explained an example – One day, Dave Ryan, VP of Sales & Marketing at Granite State Glass said he needed an advertisement designed, and Scot didn’t see the email immediately, and so he apologized. Mr. Ryan laughed and said that it was alright because if he needed it done right away, Dave knew Big Hit Media would have been on it; that's how strong the relationship is.
Over the years, Big Hit Media has served national clients such as ESPN Books, L3 Communications, iParty, Willis Insurance, and Long Term Care Partners. They also represent local clients, including Turbocam, TimberNook, Lake Sunapee Bank, When Pigs Fly Bread, and George Calef’s Fine Foods.
Since 2004, Big Hit Media has developed over 1,000 websites, including their own that states “Nice people, great work, good advice.” Their tagline is “Good at what we do,” and that pretty much sums up Big Hit Media.
Mr. Villeneuve’s company offers Website Development, Social Media Marketing, Graphic Design, Business and Sales Consulting, Content Creation, Marketing Strategy, Print Ads, Video & Radio Production, and so much more.
“We don’t like to just put a new facade on a website or ad campaign for the sake of making it look fresh,” said Villeneuve. “We want to identify the business goals of an organization, and customize the strategy to achieve those goals.”
People understand what advertising is, and they know what digital marketing is. The thing that differentiates Big Hit Media, is they can provide guidance as a business advisor to clients. That could take the form of retail sales strategies, Online sales strategies, and it could also take the shape of positioning a company in the marketplace.
“We’ve helped established companies that have grown significantly to refocus their identity via mission, vision, and positioning exercises, a methodology that Big Hit Media has developed over the years.
What Big Hit Media seeks to do, is to simply state the mission, vision, and position of the company. That’s the foundation for all messaging, and it guides business decisions. Even if the company has been around for 100 years, it doesn’t mean they can’t make improvements, according to Villeneuve.
He said, sometimes you must examine the “why we do this” because the “we’ve always done it this way” is not an acceptable reason. “Why do we spend $60,000 a year on this radio station?” to which Big Hit Media asks the question “Is this ad-spend yielding the maximum return on investment?”
Villeneuve explained, “There’s the business, analytic, and consulting side of what we do, but that’s just one part.” He added, “The other part is the creative design, and imagination component.” He said, “I like to consider ourselves artists and content creators – that’s really the 'golden goose' of our business.” Villeneuve added that there wouldn't be any 'soul' in his work without that creativity and imagination.
What do we see for the future?
“We know the technology is going to change – that’s a given. What isn’t going to change is our creative thinking and our commitment to clients,” said Villeneuve. “We’re constantly pitching ideas to our clients to make their businesses better.”
Villeneuve continued, “We see emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence-based marketing, business intelligence, and data analytics as tools and tremendous opportunities to grow our client's market share.”
“With our creativity, methods, and most importantly, our client relationships, I see Big Hit Media continuing to grow and I am really excited about the future,” Villeneuve concluded with a smile.
For more information about Big Hit Media, reach out to them at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., visit their website at www.bighitmedia.com, call Scot Villeneuve directly at 603-834-6300, and visit the old fire station building on the corner of Route 9 and Mallego Road at 644 Franklin Pierce Highway, Barrington, New Hampshire 03825.
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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
- Category: Articles
CONCORD, N.H. – New Hampshire Homeland Security and Emergency Management is urging residents and visitors to be prepared as the first significant winter storm of the season is forecasted to impact the state tonight through Tuesday.
Two waves of snow is expected to arrive tonight and last into Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS), causing significant snow accumulation for parts of the state over a prolonged period of time. The first wave of moderate to heavy snow will be tonight into Monday morning and will affect the commute in southern and central parts of NH. The second round of snow will be Monday night into Tuesday morning.
The NWS has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Cheshire, Hillsborough, Sullivan, Merrimack, Rockingham and Strafford counties from 4:00 P.M. tonight through 7:00 A.M. Tuesday.
The NWS has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Belknap, Grafton and Carroll counties from 4:00 P.M. tonight through 7:00 A.M. Tuesday.
“During the storm, only travel if absolutely necessary,” New Hampshire Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Jennifer Harper said. “Once the storm begins, travel will be hazardous. If you must travel, remember to clear snow and ice from your vehicle, slow down, allow extra time for travel, and leave plenty of space between vehicles.”
Some sleet could mix along the coast Monday night and Tuesday.
Snow totals through Tuesday:
· Southern and Coastal NH: 12-18”
· Central NH: 6-12”
· Northern NH: 2-6”
Harper provides these additional reminders:
· Slow down and move over for emergency vehicles.
· Do not crowd the plows or emergency crews.
· Clear all snow and ice off your car, including your roof, around lights, and license plates before traveling.
· Bridges, overpasses, and exposed road areas are the most prone to icy conditions.
· Visit ReadyNH.gov to learn more preparedness tips to help you and your family stay safe.
Take time now to prepare. Director Harper encourages everyone to plan ahead for disasters. The core steps toward preparedness is (1) make an emergency kit, (2) have a family emergency plan, and (3) stay informed by signing up for NH Alerts. Download templates and instructions for each of these preparedness steps online at ReadyNH.gov
Defined by the NWS, Winter Storm Warnings are issued for a significant winter weather event including snow, ice, sleet or blowing snow or a combination of these hazards. Travel will become difficult or impossible in some situations. Delay your travel plans until conditions improve.
Defined by the NWS, Winter Weather Advisories are issued when snow, blowing snow, ice, sleet, or a combination of these wintry elements is expected but conditions should not be hazardous enough to meet warning criteria. Be prepared for winter driving conditions and possible travel difficulties. Use caution when driving.
About NH HSEM:
NH Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) provides a coordinated, integrated program for state-wide emergency management and homeland security, including coordination of the state response to emergencies, strategic and operational all-hazards planning; community preparedness; exercise and training; and grants planning and program management. HSEM is a division within the NH Department of Safety and is the state-level equivalent of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Follow NH HSEM on Twitter at https://twitter.com/NH_HSEM and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NH.HSEM. Also, sign up for NH Alerts to receive emergency information via your mobile and landline phones, including severe weather alerts from the National Weather Service and emergency information from NH HSEM. To learn more about NH Alerts and other preparedness tools, visit www.readynh.gov or call HSEM at (603) 271-2231.
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