Keene Panel Moves Downtown Incentives, City Hall Work Forward

One of the key items involves redevelopment deals for 112 Washington St. and 34 Court St.

The Keene City Council’s Finance, Organization and Personnel Committee on Thursday gave unanimous support to a set of spending and policy items that now go to the full council, including steps meant to ease downtown redevelopment and improve services during City Hall construction.

One of the key items involves redevelopment deals for 112 Washington St. and 34 Court St., both of which have been granted tax relief through New Hampshire’s 79-E Community Revitalization Tax Relief Incentive Program. City Attorney Amanda Palmeira told the committee the city wants to give up its right to file a lien against insurance money if either building is damaged, saying the existing language has made lending difficult because banks do not want another claim to outrank a mortgage.

The committee also supported using $22,000 in unused City Clerk’s Office staffing money to help improve the office while it operates from a temporary location during structural repairs at City Hall. The planned changes include more public-facing space, better ADA access, private rooms for meetings and a work area designed to function more efficiently.

In a separate action, members backed revisions to the Conservation Fund policy so money can be distributed more steadily even when land use change tax receipts vary. They also approved spending $32,000 from the Wastewater Treatment Plant Capital Reserve Fund to fix the facility’s heating system after corrosion was found in its glycol piping.

The full Keene City Council will now decide whether to accept the committee’s recommendations.