By Ginger Kozlowski
Staff Writer

With Candia Moore School packed to overflowing, the majority of voters made it clear they wanted no part of a regional transfer station in town.

In what town clerk Christine Dupere noted was the mostamended article in Candia's history, a $3 million bond to finance the construction of a regional waste transfer facility was changed to simply ask Candia selectmen to come back to next year's Town Meeting with a "Candia-only solution" to the town's waste disposal problems.

The 10-hour-long Town Meeting also resulted in the establishment of a seven member budget committee, a reduced town operating budget and approval of most of the other articles on the warrant.

Transfer station
The debate surrounding the transfer station lasted for about three hours. Selectman Gary York and Bill Straub of CMA Engineers presented their plans for a regional transfer station, explaining that residents would not have to pay one cent to construct or run the building, as no work would be done until lease agreements were in place for a company to run the station.

"It's not often selectmen provide an opportunity to reduce taxes," said York, noting that the town's 30-year-old incinerator is at the end of its useful life and a solution to Candia's waste disposal must be found.

However, the majority of voters in attendance did not want this particular solution. The Brown road location as well as the idea of bringing in trash from other towns were disputed. Residents even voted against having an Auburn couple speak at the meeting, rather than hear their experience of protesting and then living next to Auburn's transfer station.

"This is a very complex proposal," said Ken Goekjian. "A lot of people have concerns. Two people have come to talk to us. What are we afraid of? We might learn something."

"I'm not opposed to listening," said Janet Wilderman, "however, this is Candia's Town Meeting, and just like last week, everyone comes with their minds made up. We need to move this question and need to vote."

At that, York moved to amend the article to a $1.2 million bond for a Candia-only transfer station, but even that was voted down.

Tom St. Martin offered the amendment to strike the wording of Article 3 entirely, and change it to read that residents want the town to investigate a Candiaonly facility, later changed to Candia-only solution so as not to rule out any possibilities.

"Last year's meeting left things up too much to interpretation," said St. Martin. "The next solid waste committee will do what they think best. let's have something explicit come out of this meeting."

Budget committee
The creation of a budget committee was a close call, with Article 35 passing 220-214. Many at the meeting said such a committee was merely adding another layer of bureaucracy, while others said it would be beneficial to have a committee keeping the town and school's total spending in mind when making decisions.

"Spending got a little bit out of hand this year," said Fred Kelley. "I feel as though we need this. There is not a town around us that does not have a budget committee."

"We elect these people to live with and come up with their budgets," said Goekjian. "Why do we need more people involved in the process?"

Once passed, voters decided to start with a seven-member budget committee. There were 21 candidates for the seven slots, and the seven chosen were sworn in at the end of the Town Meeting.

Other votes
Voters decided to slash the town's operating budget, then put money back for the fire department, which is coming under the town's direction this year. Candia will now have a budget of $1,887,598.

Most other articles passed, including articles 18 and 19, allowing the Candia Conservation Commission to manage some town land, as well as money for repairs on South Road.