Font ResizeWALPOLE, N.H. -- Two incumbents are among a trio of local men aiming for two seats on the town's planning board.
Robert F. Miller, Peter S. Kenney and Dennis Marcom are each vying for three-year positions.
Walpole voters will be able to pick two planning board members via Australian ballot at the town hall and the North Walpole St. Peter's Church between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., Tuesday.
Miller has already served five terms and is the current vice chairman. He said he is interested in a sixth term because he wants to uphold the integrity of the town plan.
"I'm committed to the mission of the planning board and I feel I have good experience," he told the Reformer. "It's a never-ending learning cycle, no matter how long you're there. And I want to do all I can to preserve our wonderful town."
He first started his tenure on the board when he was asked to fill a vacancy.
Kenney, a descendant of Walpole's earliest settlers, said he cannot pinpoint the reason why he wants another term but enjoys hearing from people and the process the board goes through.
"I feel like a part of Walpole," he said.
Marcom has never sought public office before but thinks his experience in timberframing will be useful. He said Walpole has a great history of citizen service and he wants to contribute to that.
He said he is running, in part, due to his disapproval of some of the board's decisions -- mainly the one in
The project is controversial in Walpole and its planning board was split on the vote, 4-3. Kenney, James Aldrich, Henry Fletcher and Selectmen Jamie Teague voted in favor of the plan while Robert Miller, Eric Merklein and Chairman Jeff Miller voted against it.
Marcom was opposed to the vote because he feels the project will get the town "moving in the wrong direction."
Miller said he voted against the plan because he doesn't think the project properly fits Walpole and could even be detrimental to it. Kenney, however, voted in favor of the plan because Avanru bought the land fairly and is following all rules and procedures.
"If they own land they should have the right to do what they would like to do -- whether or not we like it," he said.
Domenic Poli can be reached at dpoli@reformer.com, or 802-254-2311, ext. 277. You can follow him on Twitter @dpoli_reformer.
