KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) – The Keene City Council’s Finance, Organization, and Personnel Committee reviewed funding for the expansion of Monadnock View Cemetery, a highway safety grant and proposed changes to the Keene Community Power Program during Thursday evening’s meeting.

The committee received an update on plans to expand Monadnock View Cemetery, which has exhausted its available space. The proposed project would develop about 10 acres and create approximately 9,000 burial spaces, with the potential for another 1,000 cremation spaces. The cemetery trustees have approved up to $1.4 million from Trust Fund B to cover the full expansion, including infrastructure, irrigation, lots and plots.

Under the plan, the city would front the construction costs and receive reimbursement from the cemetery trustees as the project moves forward. Trust Fund B currently has enough money to fully reimburse the project. The expansion is expected to provide enough cemetery capacity for an estimated 65 to 100 years.

The project is expected to be completed under a 270-day contract, with bidding planned for this year. The goal is to have additional burial space available by early spring. The committee accepted the update as informational.

The committee also reviewed a $10,500 annual highway safety grant from the New Hampshire Highway Safety Agency. The grant will fund overtime for enforcement efforts targeting speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving, pedestrian and bicycle safety, and seatbelt use from October 1 through September 30.  The committee authorized the city manager to accept and expend the grant.

Members also unanimously supported amendments to the Keene Community Power Program that will change the default electricity product for approximately 300 customers enrolled in the electric assistance program. Those customers will move from Keene Standard to Keene Basic, the program’s least-cost option.

Customers who previously affirmatively selected Keene 10 or Keene 100 will keep those selections and can change products at any time. Other customers will continue to receive Keene Standard as their default product. The amendments were supported unanimously by the committee and will be submitted to the Public Utilities Commission, which requires notification but does not require a public hearing for the changes.