Albany [04/12/2003]

By Mary Leavitt

Albany Town Column: Mary Leavitt 447-1710 and Dorothy Solomon 447-1199 As a reminder to Albany citizens, the Selectmen's office will be closed on Thursday, April 17, as Diane will be attending a conference in Concord. To all senior citizens: The New Hampshire Legal Assistance Senior Citizens Law Project Advice Line is open to help you with civil matters. This is a free service open to all who are 60 or over, or the caregiver for a person 60 or over. Call 1-888-353-9944 Monday through Friday. The intake person will ask several questions and have an attorney return your call. Questions generally asked are about Medicaid/Medicare, consumer credit problems, family issues, housing, nursing homes, pensions, will and advance directives. Are you in need of a wheelchair accessible van? In my capacity as a member of the Area Committee on Aging, I received a flyer of a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan SE (white) with 10,200 miles for sale. It is claimed to be in mint condition and still under warranty. The asking price is $29,900. Should you be interested call 634-2777 or 440-806. I have not forgotten that the seniors of Albany are interested in Project Good Morning. The hang-up is still the police. I have brought this problem up before the state Committee on Aging and the area Committee on Aging. Along with these agencies, I am hopeful that something positive will happen. Keep the faith. On April 22 at 7 p.m., the annual Albany Civic Group will meet at Town Hall. The Albany Civic Group is open to all women of Albany. At this time there will be a meeting of the Lora Johnson Pierce Scholarship Fund. The Civic Group will develop programs for the year. Please join us as new blood is always needed. This is your town, so get involved! High school seniors in Albany planning to attend post high school institutions should be thinking about applying for the LJP scholarship that is offered every year. See your guidance councilor for information. Many citizens of Mount Washington Valley have long complained about the fee for parking in the National Forest. Since Albany is 92 percent National Forest, our community is certainly affected by these fees. Regardless of your opinion, pro or con, it should be understood that the money collected has been used to improve the facilities that all people use in the forest. Among the projects that were beneficiaries of this funding was the reconstruction of 4.4 miles of the White Ledge Loop Trail and relocation of .06 miles of the Mount Stanton trail, installing over 200 rock water bars, log stairs, rock steps, six wood water bars, 400 feet of rock scree, check dams, bog bridges and cribbing on erosion prone or sensitive trails and areas. Additionally, it provided Youth Conservation Corps crew materials to construct water bars on East Side trail, repaired dispersed campsites along the Tripoli Road to protect sensitive water areas, removed riparian zone campsites at Elbow Pond to protect sensitive water areas, funded trail reconstruction on the Garfield Ridge and Mead trails in a cost share with the AMC and funded trail reconstruction and maintenance on the Dickey and Beaver Brook trails. Also, the money provided funding to trail crews across the forest. They also constructed a new composting toilet at the Mount Cabot backcountry cabin, installed new information and directional signs at wilderness access points and on forest roadsides. It also helped with snowplowing and providing winter access to local cross country and wilderness entry/access points. This funding has been used to construct an 18-foot hiking bridge at the Piper Trailhead, improved accessibility at eight more outdoor toilet facilities, repaired over 40 picnic tables and replaced four parking areas or roadside information kiosk roofs. In the future, among the items to be funded are numerous trail improvement projects and continuation of the Mountain Safety Education Program. The Carroll County Democrats are holding the annual Grover Cleveland Dinner on April 25 at North Conway Grand Hotel. The keynote speaker will be Sen. John Kerry. The cost for the dinner and entertainment is $35 per person. If you would like to attend the dinner, please call Stan Solomon at 447-1199. Ann Croto and her granddaughter, Melissa Courtemanche, attended a production of Phantom of the Opera in New York City along with Melissa's middle school choral group. According to Ann, all had a great time. Mary Lou Archibald spent a few days with her mother and niece in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This was their Easter holiday that they always spend together. Steve Carrier's father, Hector, has been re-hospitalized in Portland. He is scheduled to be there for at least a month and looks forward to visitors and mail from friends. Birthday greetings to Daniel Goupil, Cort Hansen, Theresa Paquette, Lance Gerrish, George Anderson, Karen Deveau, Michael Garrett, Wayne Fisk, James Sabina, Kenneth Wiggin, Steven Carrier, Frank Wolfe, Bradley Donaldson, Lynne Hulsman, and Arthur ONeill. May you all have a wonderful year. Have a great weekend. Maybe spring will actually arrive.