The old town hall located at 1634 East Main St. in Conway Village has been assessed for $433,900. There is no minimum bid to buy the historic building, which dates to 1850. (Photo by Rachel Sharples)
Conway to auction old town hall Saturday
Anyone wishing to purchase Conway’s former town hall building should show up at Conway’s new town hall on Saturday morning.
The town moved its offices from 1634 East Main St. in Center Conway several years ago to Conway Village.
The sale, which will be held by N.H. Tax Deed and Property Auctions, will be held at 23 Main St. on Saturday at 11 a.m. Registration starts at 10 a.m.
The old town hall, now known as the Town Hall Annex, houses the Conway Supervisors of the Checklist, Valley Vision and a business called Smart Equipment Innovators owned by David Schurman. The 2½-story structure is zoned village commercial.
“Beautiful and iconic Conway Old Town Hall. Built in 1850, this large, well-maintained structure consists of two finished floors, a spacious attic, and an easily accessible basement,” states nhtaxdeedauctions.com.
“The building includes a recently installed elevator/lift for handicapped access to the second floor. Lot is approximately 1.10 acres of level land off an established road, and contains a paved driveway, paved parking area, and a pond towards the rear of the property.”
The building has been assessed for $433,900. There is no minimum bid.
The building comes with a preservation covenant to protect the appearance of the outside of the building. — Daymond Steer, Conway Daily Sun
Erin Holmes
Erin Holmes named new director of engineering for Pennichuck Water
Pennichuck Water recently announced their new director of engineering, Erin Holmes. Prior to working at Pennichuck, Erin worked as the Watershed Management Bureau Administrator for the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.
In this role she worked with her staff of 50, focusing on coastal resiliency planning, water quality monitoring throughout New Hampshire, stream crossing work, and working on long-term planning strategies for the removal of invasive species.
ECI group
Engineers Construction, Inc. transitions to 100% employee ownership
Engineers Construction, Inc. (ECI), a Vermont-based heavy civil construction company, has officially transitioned to 100% employee ownership through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan
(ESOP).
This step reflects the company’s commitment to its employees and community, ensuring an employee-centric future and eliminating the need for future ownership succession planning.
“Selling to the employees was something we wanted to do to let the company culture we’ve built live on and continue to improve,” said Kenneth Pidgeon, who along with his brother Scott, purchased the company from their father Alan in 2004. “Rather than selling to the highest bidder, we wanted to do this for the employees because they helped bring us to this point.”
Founded in 1965 by Alan Pidgeon, ECI has been a leader in Vermont’s construction industry over the past six decades. The company, known for its technical expertise and dedication to safety and quality, employs over 200 people, including seven registered professional engineers and 50 employees with technical degrees. Its portfolio of innovative projects spans a wide range, from bridges and tunnels to ski resorts and Burlington’s Downtown Transit Center. The ESOP transition marks a new chapter for the company, designed to solidify its core values and strengthen its workforce.
As part of this transition, Ben Dow, an engineer and long-time leader at ECI, will step into the role of President & CEO. Dow has been with the company since 1988, holding nearly every position in the organization throughout his tenure. Since 2004, he has played a crucial role in evolving ECI’s culture from a centralized, “old school” management style to a more collaborative, team-based approach that has allowed the company to grow and take on larger projects. Notably, Dow was also instrumental in developing the company’s Code of Conduct, which serves as the foundation of ECI’s culture today.
“It’s natural for ECI to become a company that operates for the benefit of the employees because the company has already been run that way up to this point,” said Dow. “The most important people in the company are not its executives but the people that are out there more than we are every day creating success for the company.”
The ESOP allows each of the ECI employees to become shared owners of the company, with vesting over time, via an employee retirement plan. By combining the new ESOP with the existing 401(k) plan, ECI is providing a more stable future for its workforce.
“We have many employees who are really good with a shovel or an excavator or a transit, but planning for retirement and making those hard decisions to save early on in their careers can be difficult,” shared Dow. “The ESOP is a great solution for our employees who work hard, day-in and day-out in rain, wind, and snow, and, over time, the ESOP will help fund a meaningful portion of their retirement.”
ECI has been actively involved with the Vermont Employee Ownership Center (VEOC) since beginning to explore employee ownership in 2019, attending VEOC’s annual conferences and receiving support throughout the ESOP conversion process.
“We’ve definitely felt that the support of VEOC and its annual conference, as well as from the ESOP companies at the conference, has been very helpful,” Dow said. “It feels like joining a club that is very supportive across the board in sharing strategies on what works well and what doesn’t.” — ECI press release
Members of local renters association want refund from town
The town of Conway has deemed its rental inspection program unenforceable in its current state, prompting the head of the local rental owners association to ask for refunds to those who paid fees to the program.
On April 9, Conway voters overwhelmingly passed a warrant article permitting the inspection and regulation of long- and short-term rentals. This article required rental properties to pass a life safety inspection to receive a certificate of rental compliance, effectively endorsing a program previously adopted by the selectmen.
The fee structure included a temporary option allowing owners to complete self-affidavits for $125 without a fire department inspection. Owners of one- or two-unit rentals were charged $375 for a three-year certificate.
In July, the Mt. Washington Valley Association for Responsible Vacation Rentals sued the town, alleging that the inspection program was unconstitutional due to warrantless searches and powers not granted to Conway by the state. The association has since broadened its representation to include long-term rental owners.
Last month, selectmen announced a pause on the program following legal counsel advice, indicating that changes would be proposed at the next town meeting. The lawsuit is currently paused until February, when the proposed changes are expected to be drafted.
Property owners have requested refunds, prompting a response from Conway Zoning Officer Nick DeVito in a letter dated Oct. 25.
“At this time, the program has been placed on hold pending a town vote scheduled for this coming April,” DeVito wrote. “Until the town votes on this matter, no further actions will be taken regarding enforcement or refunds. Furthermore, the Town believes that Chapter 72 Housing Standards is an existing and legally sound program, and it remains a valid ordinance.”
David Cavanaugh, president of the Responsible Vacation Rentals group, criticized the town’s letter.
“The letter the town of Conway sent to landlords is an insult to their intelligence. How can the town say on one hand that the program is unenforceable in its current state, while on the other hand say it is a ‘legally sound program, and it remains a valid ordinance’? They can’t have it both ways.” said Cavanaugh.
“Whether the warrantless inspection ordinance was legal will be decided by the courts. But two groups of our members, both long and short-term landlords, deserve a refund. First, those charged $125 for a self-affidavit. How can the Town justify charging $125 just to file a piece of paper? Secondly, those who paid $375 and never received an inspection prior to the town pausing the current program, should have a chance to review the new ordinance if it passes, and decide whether to participate. In both circumstances, I think the courts would agree that a refund is deserved.”
The Conway Daily Sun inquired about the refund request and the program’s soundness at Tuesday’s selectmen’s meeting.
Deputy Town Manager Paul DegliAngeli explained that both parties agreed to pause the lawsuit while changes are drafted. He was also asked why the town considers the program legally sound while stating it needs adjustments.
“We listen to counsel, who will defend this issue in court and later prosecute for fines,” DegliAngeli said. “So we heeded their advice.”
He added that property owners who had inspections received a service for their fee, as fire officials inspected their properties for safety.
Cavanaugh said the town has been asked for a refund in a letter from the association, but said the group doesn’t plan to pursue this in court. — Daymond Steer, Conway Daily Sun
