Haverhill, NH – A delay in completing the Mountain Lakes financial reports for the Department of Revenue Administration (DRA) has been holding up the filing so that the Haverhill tax rate can be set and residents can pay real estate taxes.
This beginning of the year news has begun been featured on the local Haverhill social media page resulting in a few critical comments from the public and an inquiry from a Haverhill Advisory Budget Committee (ABC) member has prompted comments from Chairman Richard Guy who told The Bridge Weekly that the ABC has a budget total of $35,000 for Tax Anticipation Notes, a fund that is available in anticipation of tax revenues that will be coming into the town treasury to pay town bills.
ABC Chair Guy said last week that $35,000 was considered reasonable at the beginning of December 2025. He noted that with the date now being the middle of January, there had been no hint about when Mountain Lakes would complete their annual submittals to the DRA."
He said that "borrowing this magnitude of money is an unreasonable burden to the whole of us taxpayers." He also noted to The Bridge Weekly that his ABC did make a formal recommendation that each part of the town that reports to the DRA be brought together early each year to identify any potential delays going forward."

Mountain Lakes Commissioner Bob Long told The Bridge Weekly on Sunday, January 4, 2026, and he indicated that he "was working on this with our auditor and was hoping to have this completed a couple of weeks ago. As of now, I hope to have it completed over the next couple of days."
On Tuesday, January 6, 2026, Mr. Guy explained to The Bridge Weekly that the lateness of the filing interferes with the town's ability to obtain the funds it needs to borrow as it waits for revenues to come in.
He said that many people in Haverhill had already filed their tax payments in anticipation of the bill being late, so they paid without waiting. "That has helped quite a bit, he said.”
He said that the ABC formal recommendation is that all town sub-entities and the Town itself come together by August 15 annually to identify and resolve any issues that might interfere with tax billings. The DRA should have it all in their system in October. Bills should be sent out by the town in November and paid for the first part of December.
He said once all the figures come together, the DRA can set a tax rate in very short time, and he notes that it will not take the town long to get the tax bills out to residents. He said as it looks now to him, the tax monies flowing into the town will probably end up as much as three months late, with payments being two months late.
A notice in the Haverhill NH Discussions Forum! Facebook entry last week identified as being from the Haverhill Administration:
It notes that “Tax Bill Delays Explained: The Town of Haverhill has been receiving a lot of calls regarding when Tax Bills will be going out. The reason bills have not gone out yet is that we are waiting for Mountain Lakes District (MLD) to complete all required filings. The Selectboard has no options at this time to move forward with setting the tax rate to issue 2025 Tax Bills without the MLD filings. We hope MLD will complete their forms this week. Please be patient with our Tax Collector, as the Town has no control over this delay. The Town will notify residents as soon as the rate has been set.
For questions regarding the process at the Mountain Lakes District, they can be reached at 603-787-6180."

In an interview just prior to last Friday, January 9, 2026, with Haverhill Select Board member Ron Hurlburt, he said the select board was tired of seeing town employees and Tax Collector Melinda Boutin taking the heat from the public over something that is not their fault.
He said the late tax numbers and the long overdue subsequent filing (whenever it is made) are solely the fault of the Mountain Lakes commissioners who are holding back the process by not having their numbers ready for the DRA.
He said, “the select board’s hands are tied until Mountain Lakes comes up with the needed figures,” during the interview late last week. He said he has no idea what the problem with the late figures is and he has not been told but hopes he finds out so it will never happen again.
He said the past year and one-half, possibly longer, there have been problems with the town clerk’s office being open in a timely manner. In an effort to reduce that workload, especially in the motor vehicle registration business of the town, the select board is moving toward appointing a municipal agent/deputy town clerk position.
Select board member Hurlburt said the job description was discussed again by the board at their most recent meeting on Monday night, January 12, 2026.
The published job description is as follows:
The Haverhill Selectboard is pleased to announce they have authorized the Town Administrator to research the creation of a new part-time position as a Municipal Agent. The role is intended to increase Department of Motor Vehicle registrations to 5 days a week and include evening hours. The Selectboard recognizes the challenges many of us are facing with registrations and renewals and is working to increase the consistency of services to residents. The position will be under the direction of the Selectboard and will be using funds previously intended for a Deputy Town Clerk, now directed toward this position for better oversight and transparency.
The Selectboard has been working for the past two years to support the Town Clerk with their needs and to increase hours and services for residents. The Selectboard has no authority over the Town Clerk's Office or the services they provide. For this reason, the Selectboard feels strongly to better provide these services; it should be done under their supervision. The Selectboard will continue to support the Town Clerk while providing similar services.
We're all looking forward to the increased hours and opportunities, stay tuned!

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