I am writing to discuss both article 16 and 23. 

Article 16 was put forth by the Board of Selectmen recommended by the Rail Trail Committee. The Board took the recommendation and put Article 16 in place. They state in the voter’s guide that the snowmobile club representative who met with the Rail committee agreed with the recommendation.  He was in no way, shape or form in agreement with what was recommended.  

Members of the Board of Selectmen were informed of this from me personally and they ignored it. 

The Transportation Enhancement Grant states that no ATV’s are allowed, but that the grant allows snowmobiling on any trail that the grant pays for, and also recommends it. 

In the guide, the Selectmen also state that this is a passive recreation trail. Are they so misinformed that they don’t realize that the Federal government could take the grant back for misuse of the funds?  This grant states that it is strictly for Transportation, not recreation.

Now Mr. Gordon has written a letter to the editor, also posted on the GRA’s website, and has stated that this is not what the residents of Goffstown signed on for, and that there would be a burden with enforcement and maintenance.  Obviously Mr. Gordon doesn’t know what he is talking about.  

There is more funding thru snowmobile clubs than the Rail committee could ever come up with.  Also, there is no need for extra enforcement by the town’s Police Department because the N.H. State Fish & Game division will patrol the trail.  There is also more manpower for maintenance of the trail by the local snowmobile club than the Rail committee could ever muster.  

As far as what the residents signed on for when the trail was purchased, the residents weren’t even given a choice.  It was the Selectmen who chose to exclude one of the largest industries we have in this state.

The Rail committee is trying to get a grant from the Federal government with matching funds from the Town Budget.  They will tell you that these funds are from Impact Fees.  They are still moneys that if snowmobiling was allowed could be used in other places of our budget, and this after they tried to get more money out of us at the Deliberative Session for our roads.  I guess our Board of Selectmen is just a bit backwards in what a necessity is and what fluff is. 

As a Business owner and resident here in Goffstown, I would recommend that you send a message to both of these groups that you are tired of the misspending of our budget by a bias Board of Selectmen, and that the very few members of the Rail committee aren’t the only ones who want to not only use, but take care of, a great resource of our town by voting YES on both Article 16 and Article 23.

Thank You.

William Hart
Goffstown