The article on Marc Murai today in the paper really spells the end of this IOKA episode. It really is too bad that this fragile soul was thrust forward to lead the charge. A local face and a Harold Hill persona was required to get any movement . A self professed shy man did not have a prayer. I have no clue what the editorial today accomplished. The tag line of moving Exeter into the 21 st century was lost on me.
In NH almost 14% of it’s residents are employed in non profit ventures. In Maine it’s even higher. I find that interesting and troubling at the same time. I think it would be better if the number was much lower. I actually have thought that NH cannot afford itself. Think about that for a bit. We just this year got kindergarten in every Town!. This despite years of documentation of it’s positive effect on learning.
This State requires a huge influx of jobs, high paying jobs. That does not include jobs handling baggage at Pease for the next vacation airline. I would close that airport in one day and lay out another huge industrial park on it’s runway( it has one runway). It will never , ever, be a functioning airport. It would be great if someone would take one more look at Judd Gregg’s participation at Pease. That story about his brother and development at Pease died too fast.
In NH every venture always starts with ” let’s apply for a grant”. I have a project to install some composting toilets on the Swasey. The first word I heard was “grant”. I shot back “how about everyone paying 20 bucks? The seed money for Crossroads House in Portsmouth, about 300K, came from a Detroit Foundation. The YMCA/ Commons dream is a long way from it’s goal. That million bucks is not in the bag. I will admit to having questions about that Project. I don’t understand at all the profuse thanks to our Congressional Team. Big deal. Gregg gives a million every year for the smart police car sinkhole project at UNH. How long has that project been funded? Maybe if we really want something we should pay for it. Maybe if we need this ” community center” that is now a 55, 000 person “community” we should be asking some tough questions about the future.
Perhaps it was hyperbole but don’t be telling me that “thousands ” will be visiting the YMCA. That’s a quote from an article on the SMG website.. There were a lot of residents that were glad to see the High School leave simply for the improved traffic flows. So now we will have a year round traffic generator? If the Squamscott Commons is to serve 55,000 people then it should be relocated right now. I suggest the defunct car dealership at the end of Epping Road. I would love to see Epping Road finally get some sort of anchor.
I spent some time at the YMCA, growing up in Needham MA. I also attended a Summer camp for years in Greenfield NH, Camp Union. It was a Boston YMCA camp. The YMCA in Needham was in an old house, later they added a pool. I have no case to make against a YMCA. I do see the LGBT community has some beefs with the “family membership ” I hope that is addressed for our diverse community.
Get an EZ pass and retire a toll booth worker
Mike
The negative drumbeat of the various editorials made it seem quite clear that the powers that be at the News-Letter were no fans of Murai.
I’d bet that someone high up at the paper knows someone who knows someone who is likely “next in line” to buy and develop the property.
The Exeter Theater Company, organized as a non profit in January is still committed to having the Ioka as a community-run theater. exetertheater@gmail.com if you have any interest.
As for Squamscott Community Commons, the town specifically chased the non profit away in the mid 90s from Epping Road as they wanted all the businesses located there to be tax-paying. An earlier design of the center was there. So, the Linden Street site was chosen as the best way to reuse a challenging building/site. If you want to really understand the project, contact robin@squamscott.org. She can give you facts that might be interesting for you to blog about.
forgot to add you might find this report on the role of the NH non profit sector interesting
Click to access SectorReport09.pdf