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My name is Gail Labrecque and I am a candidate for the Zoning Board of Adjustment. I am married and my husband and I have six grown children. We also have six grandchildren who are the apples of my eye. Like many Goffstown residents, we moved to Goffstown to enjoy the rural character of the town and the friendliness of the people that you find here. Graduating with a 4.0 GPA, my educational background is in paralegal studies. For over ten years, I have had a licensed family child care business in my home. I was the second of currently four family childcare providers in New Hampshire to achieve national accreditation for my childcare program. These, I believe, are reflective of the over-achiever in me who takes my responsibilities seriously and strives to do things well.
I have been a member of the ZBA since 2004. My activities in town politics began a couple of years before that when I became an active opponent to an application for a development that would abut my home and neighborhood. I was what some people refer to as a NIMBY—Not In My Back Yard.
As I researched the issues regarding this application and how it would affect my neighborhood, it quickly became less of an issue about “my back yard” and more of a concern for the Town as a whole. I was concerned about the rate of residential growth and the little to no commercial and industrial development to help offset our rising taxes. During this process, the chairman of both, the ZBA and Planning Board, suggested to abutters that we join the miscellaneous Board’s in town to be able to be an active participant and have some input into the various aspects of town growth. So I did.
As I said, I have been on the Board since 2004. It has been a good learning experience, and a bit humbling. The individual decisions of the members of the ZBA are only minimally subjective. While our decisions are influenced by our knowledge and personal experience, the decisions must have a legal basis. The Zoning Ordinances the Town votes for, the RSA’s, and case law all must guide our decisions. We cannot approve or deny an application “just because” we don’t like it. There has to be a legal basis for those decisions. Regardless of personal preference, sometimes there is no legal basis to deny an application when the applicant clearly meets the standards. And sometimes there is no passing an application because the standards cannot be met. I’ve seen both scenarios.
As a member of the ZBA, I have missed only a few meetings. Since there is much to learn, and learning is continuous as the laws change, I attend as many training opportunities as possible. I ask that you keep me on the Zoning Board of Adjustment and let me continue to represent the residents of Goffstown. I will continue to do so to the best of my ability.
Thank you,
Gail Labrecque
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