Swansea planners elect new chair and discuss HB1300 spending-cap bill, upcoming airport solar packet

The Swansea Planning Board conducted its annual election and internal business at the March 12 meeting, nominating Victoria Ames as chair with a colleague named as vice chair by voice vote. Members recognized Scott Self's decades of service — board members noted he is entering his 34th year on the board.

A member reported that HB1300, a bill to permit towns to put a biannual spending cap on school budgets tied to inflation (with exceptions for building projects and a three-fifths override for larger increases), passed the New Hampshire House and moves to the Senate; members discussed local implications and said any local spending-cap change would likely require a petition article at town meeting.

Planning staff told members that the next meeting packet will include a substantial submittal for two solar arrays at the airport and recommended members set up two-factor Microsoft access to view large files or review the packet in person at town hall. The board also discussed the Southwest Regional Planning contract and adding the economic-development committee to joint meetings, and noted conditional-use permit wording and conservation-committee review roles for future applications.

All routine business concluded with a motion to adjourn.