Meredith Docks
 

Are they planning on fixing the Meredith docks before Memorial Day. Looks like they are in bad shape. What happen, did the bubblers stop working.

Dave M

I thought it was damaged by the shifting ice flow which bubblers have no effect on.

I asked yesterday
 

I am told it's a hold up on the part of DES permits to repair.

Happened during a big ice shift. One week nothing the next they were damaged.The power of the ice :eek:

What is the state of the docks? Are they usable for a 38' boat?

We sometimes make a run to Meridith on the boat for breakfast or lunch, so it would be nice to know what to expect before we head out.

even the town has trouble fixing their own docks because of buracrats
only one of the busiest and most traveled locations in NH

Are we surprised by this????

I honestly believe at times, that NH is trying to allow Maine and Vermont to win the Tourism dollars... The Rooms and Meals tax is outrageous.... The fact that fixing damage to public structures like this requires red tape... etc etc etc...

Maybe I am being over the top here a bit, but the problem is at times NH doesn't seem to understand that Tourism is what makes the state tick...

On the other hand, why should Meredith or any town be exempt from the same regulations and associated red tape as you or I?

The permit for the dock work has been approved everyone and as long as the weather holds there's a chance the barge can get in there and perform the work by the end of the week.

This is a good question... And while a part of me agrees with this, when it comes to the repair of a public structure, that is important to the economy, there should be provisions to all the work to proceed. I am not saying that their doesn't need to be red tape etc. and that the correct paper work doesn't need to be filed, but there should be allowances that allow even the public to start repairing structures where safety is an issue, well going through the permitting process. especially when the project is repairing with no modifications.

agree there should be a rush status or a top the top of the pile type thing for something like this, especially on existing structure

And then should the same "special provisions" be available to Mr. John Q Public who just wants to repair damage done to his dock as long as there are no enhancements/expansion that are not outside the intent or provisions of the original approval?
I think the laws and regulations should apply equally to all. The gubmint makes the rules, they should also abide by them.

Correct the same provisions should apply to John Q. as I stated in my post.

The problem is people are to concerned with the abuse that could happen, rather then the abuse that does happen... that laws are made to cumbersome for the common good.

Now surely some people would abuse the right to repair, however most would not. And if you make examples of those that do abuse, then you punish them so as to make others second guess their idea of "making a slight modification".....

It's a sad commentary that we have to legislate and create such cumbersome processes to "protect" us from the abusers.
I hope they get those docks fixed....I'll be on my way up later today and may want to use them this weekend! :)

A couple of thoughts
 

We may be protected from the "abusers" but who is there to protect us from government zealots?

People who work in departments like DES are generally bent in one direction: Conservation at all costs. They don't care if their over regulation costs thousands more and impedes homeowners and businesses from moving forward with repairs or new construction.

These positions should be filled equally with conservationists as well as with business people who understand both sides of an issue. Some of these conservation nuts get to these jobs straight out of college and have never had to live in the real world, hold down a private industry job, meet a payroll, or understand how much the interference of government costs us all.

I know that DES got involved in my project and to meet their requirements the end result was more costly and more harmful to the lake than if they had just left me alone.

There was an 80 room hotel proposed for the Weirs Beach area a few years ago. That project was abandonded after Indian arrowheads were found on the property and the cost of dealing wth that issue prevented the project from going forward. That new building would have been a nice boost to the area and Laconia's tax base but it is now a lost cause.

Something needs to change but I doubt that it will.

Well said.

If someone's docks were destroyed by ice out, and especially if they never use the Meredith town docks, they feel they need their permit just as quickly as Meredith. It shouldn't take a whole summer for someone to get a permit to fix a dock.

According to today's Citizen...repairs to the Meredith Town Docks will begin today. Repairs being done by Ambrose Marine Construction.

tools and parts are in place
 

Drove by last night and the barge was at the docks and a whole pile of poles were stacked in the parking lot.

It's good to hear that the repairs have started.

I haven't yet seen the extent of the damage.

Are all the docks unusable until the repairs are complete?

In my opinion, most of the docks are still available for use unless the repair operation blocks them.

I have to respectfully disagree with that statement. Over the past 9 years of having a waterfront home next to a nut job neighbor with too much time and money on their hands, I have had WAY more than my fair share of dealings with the folks at the DES (2 PBNs, 3 formal abbutter complaints against me, a wetlands permit, a shoreland permit, 3 abbutter appeals of those permits, one of those one all the way to the Supreme Court, Yes, same abutter). In all that experience the people at DES have been nothing but professional in their dealings with me. Each and every case. They don't make up the rules but it is their job to understand them and to enforce them fairly and consistently just the same. Whether they agree with those rules or not is irrelevant. In my experience because they do know the rules inside and out they are also able to give you hints and show you loopholes if you treat them with the respect they deserve and not like you think they're government zealots and beneath you.

Just saying.

Actually, they do.

The more we treat others with disrespect, than the more laws will get passed to protect everyone from everyone.

Ambrose was on the docks this AM working away!

not looking good
 

I drove by at 2:30 and they had already packed it up for the day. I could be wrong but it doesn't look good for completion before the weekend.

I agree. I drove by last night and they were working but it honestly did not look to me like any real progress had been made. By that I mean the ends of the docks really did not look any different (although I'm sure work had probably been done below the water).

That's the bad news. The worse news is that, looking at the weather forecast for this weekend, the limited dock space in Meredith will probably not be an issue.

26 posts and no pictures yet? :rolleye2:

Can you get over there and take one to post??

If not, I will try tomorrow AM

Sorry, it's about a 1.5 hour drive for me. But if the work is still in progress, I'll try to take some pictures when I get to the area.

Done?
 

Did the work get completed?

Looks to be all done...docked there earlier.

We were out there Friday, launched around 1:30pm and came back at 9:30. Both the launch ramp and docks appear to be 100% usable from what we could tell. :)