Former selectman Mark Hounsell spoke against Article 22 asking voters for $400,000 for public bathrooms during a Valley Vision program called "On the Mark." (DAYMOND STEER SCREEN SHOT)
Appearing on a local Valley Vision program, Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Janice Crawford spoke in favor of Article 22. (DAYMOND STEER SCREEN SHOT)
Former selectman Mark Hounsell spoke against Article 22 asking voters for $400,000 for public bathrooms during a Valley Vision program called "On the Mark." (DAYMOND STEER SCREEN SHOT)
Appearing on a local Valley Vision program, Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Janice Crawford spoke in favor of Article 22. (DAYMOND STEER SCREEN SHOT)
CONWAY — Today, Conway town meeting voters get to decide whether the town should build public restrooms in North Conway Village.
The issue has been debated for decades and this current iteration gave rise to a conspiracy theory voiced on a local TV talk show that was categorically denied by the town manager and selectmen Monday.
Article 22 on the warrant asks voters for $399,000 to build the restrooms. Selectmen support it 4-1 with chairman David Weathers in the minority. The budget committee opposed the article 8-5.
Voters will also choose between two selectmen’s candidates with differing opinions on the topic. Incumbent selectman Carl Thibodeau says the article is probably necessary to get the project off the ground. His challenger, Joe Mosca, says the bathrooms should be paid for with other means besides taxation, such as through parking meters.
Article 22 was discussed last Friday during “On the Mark,” a Valley Vision program hosted by Sun Publisher Mark Guerringue. His guests, Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Janice Crawford and former selectman Mark Hounsell were on opposite sides of the fence, with Crawford in favor of Article 22 and Hounsell against.
Some of the discussion touched on the lack of details selectmen presented about the bathrooms and whether that would cause voters to reject the article. No location has been pinned down, and there are no estimates of ongoing maintenance costs.
“What you’ll get from this vote is that the public will not support appropriating ... $400,000 or any amount of money for a pie-in-the-sky pig in a poke,” said Hounsell.
“They (selectmen) need to know exactly what they are talking about because people are going to ask them, ‘Where is it gonna go?’ The selectmen will say, ‘Oh, we don’t know.’ ‘What’s it gonna look like?’ ‘Well, we don’t know.’ ‘How much is it going to cost to run it?’ ‘Well, we don’t know,’” said Hounsell. “That many do-not-knows speaks to the voters.”
Crawford noted: “A couple of people did say to me, your bathroom was sabotaged because of this warrant article.
“The way you’re (Hounsell) talking, it very well could have been a sabotaging move to get the bathroom discussion off the table and put it back to another 10 years,” she added.
Hounsell replied that the town simply made a mistake.
“All five selectmen are good people,” said Hounsell. “They made a misstep, but they are full of good will.”
Crawford is still confident the voters will pass Article 22 and pledged to buy Hounsell lunch at Banners Restaurant if she’s wrong. Hounsell said he couldn’t reciprocate. “I won’t be able to buy you breakfast because I won’t have any more money because now I’m going to have to pay for the people who come up here so that they can go to the bathroom,” he quipped.
Selectman John Colbath had made a motion to put the article on the warrant, saying the article would help “clarify” the will of the town.
On Monday, Colbath refuted the theory that the article was designed to fail. “It’s been going on for 50 years, talking about bathrooms ... Hopefully, there will be some action to move it forward or put an end to it.”
Colbath said he chose $400,000 as a middle-ground number because cost estimates have ranged between $300,000 and $500,000. The $400,000 could be supplemented with grants or donations from the business community.
Holmes said he’s still looking for grants and possible locations and different ways to fund the bathrooms, such as charging people for use. He said he had also heard the theory the vote was supposed to fail but said that is not the case. “I’ll tell you why that’s not the case — when they had an opportunity not to recommend it at the end of deliberative (session), they maintained their vote to recommend it,” said Holmes. “That tells me they really wanted voters to weigh in.”
Asked why selectmen didn’t wait until they had a location, Holmes responded they needed money to work with (coming from Article 22).
“It’s one of these chicken and egg things,” said Holmes, adding he understands Housell’s position.
But, he said, “We really can’t discuss terms with any property owners about rent or renovation or anything else if we don’t know if we have the funding. It’s unfair to ask a private property owner to leave a space open for the months it’s going to take to get the funding. If we get the money in hand, now we can go shopping.”
Crawford said she hopes to raise at least $75,000 for the bathrooms from the business community.
Selectman Steve Porter, who is the selectmen’s rep to the planning board, said he is in favor of Article 22. “As long as we are promoting tourism, it’s the responsibility of the town to solve the issue,” said Porter, who recalls discussion of the issue dating back to the early 1970s.
“In my opinion, we need to stop talking about it, put the warrant out there and let voters decide,” Porter said.
Selectman Mary Carey Seavey said the issue has gone “around and around” and wants voters to decide. She said she would be fine with either result.
“It’s the voters’ money,” she said. “I support our voters.”
Asked about the conspiracy theory Seavey replied, “That’s ridiculous. There’s absolutely no conspiracy.” She said the discussions that led to the bathroom article were open and transparent.
The COVID years exacerbated the need for public facilities, as early on shops were shut down, and then the ski museum closed its bathrooms out of safety concerns. Later, vandals hit the porta-potties in the park, all of which selectmen to discuss the idea of having a town controlled bathroom facility.
Voting takes place today at the town garage in Center Conway from 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
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🧐While this may be to address the visitors who come here it also has effect on those of us who are local. During the worse part of covid most bathrooms were shut down or there use restricted. Many locals had to return home to take care of business in my case a 22 min ride. We also should be able to provide a decent means of relief for those who come here to visit, and spend their hard earned money. I would suggest that if this is a go that there should be some security to prevent any abuse/damage of the property.
This is insane! People come up to North Conway and drop millions of dollars, and the town can't figure out how to install a public bathroom? Are you people taking lessons from my town, Berlin?
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