Hampton Beach Group Elects New At Large Commissioner

Dean Merrill, of Tobey and Merrill Insurance, has been chosen as the new Hampton Beach Area Commission at large commissioner following a vote Thursday night.

Merrill, who is a past chairman of the Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce board, was chosen by a 6-1-2 vote Thursday after the commission listened to each of the candidates speak for several minutes.

Merrill will replace Rich Sawyer, who recently vacated his commissioner at large seat. Sawyer is also Hampton's deputy police chief.

HBAC Chairman John Nyhan previously said five individuals expressed an interest in replacing Sawyer, and that the HBAC was looking for his replacement to be someone who is "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."

Nyhan said the board was also looking for someone who was "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."

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.