A group named “Restore Pelham Property Rights” hosted an event to boost awareness of their sponsored Citizen’s Petition at the Pelham Saddlery yesterday to protect “Family Farming” in Pelham.
The group describes themselves as “a group of concerned citizens dedicated to restoring property rights and our right to family farm in Pelham. Our goal is to file a citizen’s petition to repeal Article 3.
At Pelham’s March Town Meeting Article 3 passed limiting livestock ownership to just egg production poultry on lot sizes smaller than 3 acres.
The Amendment banned other livestock animals on the smaller lots, including donkeys, horses, pigs, goats, bees, alpacas, cows, and rabbits.
Over 100 people attended the event yesterday, visiting animals brought by seven residents in Pelham. 62 of those attendees signed the petition, for a total over 350 to date. A Citizen’s Petition needs only 25 resident signatures to be on a Town Meeting ballot under New Hampshire RSA.
Jeff Cairn, Speaking to the Eagle-Tribune, claims people were confused by the ban.
“No one understood the wording,” he said. “We didn’t even vote because we didn’t understand what it would mean.”
Eagle Tribune
When it passed, and people started to realize what it meant, they were shocked.
“If it’s not overturned, we’re moving,” Cairn said.
John Spottiswood, one of three founders of the group, was looking for new ways to reach out to voters interested in preserving their rights. This is an issue that crosses party lines, he says, and can build an important coalition for when the Town tries to infringe on other Property Rights. John is the Chair of the Pelham GOP Committee, a Town that voted overwhelmingly for President Trump in 2020 and has 11 Republican State Representatives in their 11 seats.
Joe Boissonneault moved to Pelham around two years ago and owns chickens on his one acre lot. He and his fiancee have been looking at a two acre lot with the hopes of setting up a barn for goats and horses. He says 2 acres is more than enough land for a couple animals, and this Article shouldn’t have passed.
“They’re trampling on our rights,” he said, adding he didn’t think he needed to put in any work before the vote because he “thought it would never pass.”
According to Joe, this all started because of one pig owner in one neighborhood. As a result, his neighbors put together the petition that put Article 3 on the ballot. “Now everyone is being punished because of one guy.”
He says a responsible neighbor makes sure there isn’t an undue impact on the neighborhood. His neighbors get free eggs for putting up with his rooster’s crowing at odd hours. “They don’t mind, they get the free eggs. If they cared we’d have worked it out as neighbors.”
If the Amendment isn’t repealed at 2020’s Town Meeting, he may look elsewhere for his next home, like Londonderry. He likes Pelham for its proximity to family in Massachusetts. However, he can get more land with more freedom just a little farther away.
Grassroots Leadership
All three of the group’s founders are Grassroots Leadership Academy graduates. Spottiswood claims the training helped immensely in strategy and tactics in growing a coalition. AFPF is hosting a Bootcamp session this Saturday. They’ll focus on “building coalitions, intro to media, maintaining community bonds, identifying/recruiting activists, and building a relationship with your local reporter.”
“Using the training we were able to identify and get families on board that would be affected. A lot of these animals are beloved family pets,” he said. “We were able to give those families and those animals a voice and a connection.”
“A lot of local businesses utilize local farmers. They were able to act as conduits to connect us with more affected families.”
Hershel Nunez, State Representative from Pelham, worked with John and Laura Spottiswood to start the group. “This was a perfect example of street theater,” he said. “One of the many things we learned through GLA.”
“The kids created poster boards, invited the 4-H Club and the Boy Scouts, and they also did most of the talking all day as well. Invited folks, passers by, and even some in opposition came in to talk to us, and we even changed a couple of minds.” added Nunez. “We learned how to do all of this through the educational opportunities that were afforded us by Americans for Prosperity NH and the Grassroots Leadership Program.”
“A few years ago I wouldn’t have known where to even start. Not anymore! Every minute of training has been worth it.” Spottiswood added on Facebook.
