Beach Commission Looking to Stop 'Turf Battles' with State

The Hampton Beach Area Commission will elect an individual Thursday night to replace Rich Sawyer after each candidate outlines their platforms during a five-minute presentation.

HBAC Chairman John Nyhan said five individuals have expressed an interest so far in replacing Sawyer, who recently vacated his commissioner at large seat. Sawyer is also Hampton's deputy police chief.

The deadline for letters of interest from potential candidates is Wednesday. Nyhan said he hopes all candidates will be able to attend the commission's 7 p.m. meeting on Thursday in order to give members a chance to fully evaluate all of the individuals in contention before they take a vote to fill Sawyer's seat.

Nyhan said the HBAC is looking for someone "familiar" with Hampton Beach and "all of the activity going on down there," in addition to "someone willing to work with a variety of organizations at all levels of government."

Sawyer's replacement should be someone who is "committed to the betterment of the Hampton area" and someone who is a "collaborative type with a positive attitude that is willing to work with everyone and not get into turf battles and create negativity," according to Nyhan.

In past years, Hampton and state officials have disagreed — sometimes in a heated way — about responsibility, fees and costs for various things related to Hampton Beach. The relationship between the two sides has improved recently, though, and Nyhan has remarked about the need to continue to work together in a positive way. 

Brian Warburton, a former Hampton selectman and Budget Committee member who also from 2005 to 2010 was employed by the state to oversee Hampton Beach and the surrounding state beaches, is one of the individuals who has announced his candidacy for the vacated seat. 

"My experience and background speaks for itself," said Warburton in an e-mail he shared with Patch. "With all the development going on at the beach, state parks, town, precinct, chamber, and other entities coming together, I feel I have the knowledge to continue he dialogue.  Now is the time for me to get back involved on an official basis."