The Executive Council voted unanimously to approve the land exchange of properties adjacent to the public school property between Laconia and the State of New Hampshire. City Council previously approved the trade at its May 9 meeting, and the deal is now finalized.

Under the terms of the agreement, the City of Laconia will cancel a lease and return full ownership of a parcel of land diagonally across from Robbie Mills Field to the state. In return, the city becomes the owner of the “hayfield” property where Old North Main Street meets Route 106. The state intends, at its own expense, to relocate E911 and Lakes Region Mutual Fire Aid services currently residing on public school. Property, to property across from Robbie Mills and build new facilities there.

The cost of building new emergency services facilities was estimated at around ten million dollars by Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Charlie Arlinghaus at the Executive Council meeting. The state intends to use US bailout funding and, if necessary, the state budget surplus, to cover these costs.

Arlinghaus described the full support and cooperation of the City of Laconia as well as E911 and LRMFA for the exchange and relocation process. “As long as we can provide a state-of-the-art replacement [facility]I think it’s a win-win situation for all parties,” Arlinghaus told the Executive Council.

The city currently has no defined plan for the “hayfield” property: At the Laconia City Council meeting on May 23, Mayor Hosmer invited council members to suggest ideas or proposals for future use of the property acquired by Laconia in the exchange.

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