There is a contingent in town, including Town Planner Sylvia von Aulock and Dan Chartrand, that want Exeter to be a clone of Newburyport. Forget the cost, "if we build it they will come." Instead of spending taxpayer dollars to repair what we have, they would spend on beautification items. An exception (though it took years to make it happen) is repairing/renovating downtown sidewalks. Fortunately voters rejected brick trim as not a worthy expenditure of tax dollars. The same money could be spent to repair other deteriorating sidewalks. Perhaps there is a message here.
As one travels through town one cannot help but notice certain areas are eyesores. This would include along Epping and Hampton Roads. A long standing eyesore on the latter is Colcord's garage. Derelict vehicles have been parked there for over a year. This is ostensibly an auto repair shop, but in reality is a junkyard. It is likely a zoning violation. So, what should be done?
It is suggested that the Town Manager take the necessary steps to improve the appearance of Exeter through legal remedies. He could start by enforcing existing town ordinances and then follow up with developing appropriate ordinances to get property owners to meet minimum standards of property maintenance. This seems a prudent way to enhance the appearance of Exeter for those who visit here, without spending large amounts of taxpayer's money.
