We asked the six candidates for two seats on the town’s Planning Board to introduce themselves to voters. Here’s what each of them had to say. The winners of voting on Tuesday, March 12, will serve three-year terms.

Nate Bragdon

Hi, my name is Nate Bragdon and I am running for the town planning board. I have lived in New Hampshire my entire life and in the Lakes Region for the past 20 years with my wife and four kids.

Since we moved to Canterbury in 2020, I have appreciated the strong community mindset that makes our beautiful town unique.

I want to see our town continue to thrive while preserving the beauty and uniqueness we value.

As an engineer, I love to solve complex problems and work to solutions. I frequently work with government documents and I’m familiar with treading through the often complex maze of state and local regulations.

If elected, I believe I will be a valuable member to the board as I work to balance the changing times while protecting the rural character and slower pace of life that defines Canterbury.

Thank you for your consideration.

Tom Franco

Do you want a Planning Board member who listens to people, is unbiased and will be focused on maintaining the historic, cultural, and aesthetic values of our town?

I am running because I want to serve my community.

For almost five years, my wife, Cheryl, and I have lived here, and we love it. We have six grown children and eight grandchildren. I want to offer my help and be part of the preservation and future planning of this town. 

The skills I would bring to the board stem from my Electronic Engineering/Product Development background. This enables me to analyze and dig deep into issues and gather quality data for decision making. I have volunteered on other town boards, such as the Electric Subcommittee in Bedford, NH, and volunteered as an assistant lacrosse coach. Most recently, I have assisted with painting and roofing on the remodel of The Canterbury Country Store.

With my building knowledge, open-mindedness, objective view and listening skills, and my love and concern for the cultural, historic, aesthetic preservation and planning of this town, I am hopeful you will consider me for this position.

Greg Meeh

I am the current chair of the Canterbury Planning Board, leading the hard-working and thoughtful volunteer board members. For the last few years, in addition to overseeing site plan reviews and other regular board business, we have been updating Canterbury’s Master Plan and Zoning Ordinance.

NH state law mandates that towns have a regularly updated Master Plan to outline the town’s vision for the future. Since it has been more than ten years since Canterbury’s Plan for Tomorrow was last updated, this work is a board priority. To that end, we have conducted both a survey and many public forums, through which we learned that town residents believe our Master Plan needs tweaking, not a major overhaul. The main takeaway: Canterbury residents like the quiet, rural nature of our town, and want it to stay that way.

The Plan for Tomorrow is implemented through zoning regulations. As development pressure increases, it is essential that our Ordinance be updated to protect Canterbury’s rural character. Furthermore, to be legally defensible our Ordinance must be updated to comply with state and federal law.

To help with this work, we secured $15,000 in grants for professional assistance. We have also begun to write a handbook to help residents understand our regulations.

There’s a steep learning curve to becoming a good Planning Board Chair. I hope to be re-elected to finalize the Plan for Tomorrow, to continue much needed Zoning Ordinance updates, and to complete the Planning Board Handbook.

Brendan O’Donnell

​​My name is Brendan O’Donnell. I previously served as an alternate on the Canterbury Planning Board in 2019 and 2020, and I look forward to the opportunity to serve on the board again. I am an attorney with prior experience representing municipalities and applicants in planning and zoning matters, including in superior court and supreme court appeals. 

I have lived in New Hampshire my whole life. For the past seven years, my family and I have lived in Canterbury.

Megan Portnoy

Dear Canterbury,

I’m Megan Portnoy – a wife, mother, doctoral student and three-year Canterbury resident. Yes, I am new. Very new. I know I cannot know Canterbury like most of you. However, you and I are likely not so different in many of the reasons we love it here; the rural integrity, small farm culture, the nature, safety and peaceful quietude, the resourceful sensibility of the people and their rich expertise and the depth of care for the community – just to name a few. Canterbury has charm in spades, and I’d like to keep it that way. This is why I am running for planning board.

I have extensive experience in civic engagement, including a degree in political science. I’ve advised federal, state, and local government agencies in strategic planning and change management, and I served on two boards of directors for neighborhoods in Chicago. My vision for the future balances historic preservation with innovation that meets our modern needs, and prioritizes long-term investment over short-term gains. I believe that any growth or development should be slow, sustainable and highly conscious of the impact on our environment, infrastructure and people. Town planning is a dynamic process, and I will be adaptive and responsive to the evolving needs of residents, not outside interests. I am committed to being transparent, reasonable, honest, and an advocate for the voice of all Canterburians in shaping our town’s future.

I kindly ask for your vote.

Jonas Sanborn

My name is Jonas Sanborn and I’m putting my name in for the town planning board. I have lived in Canterbury, within the Sherwood Forest, for over 10 years. I’ve been the president of the association for over 3 years and have had to dive into the world of Home Owners Associations, or HOAs. If I were to be voted into the board, it would allow the town to have a subject matter expert in HOAs and give a better look into that world. It’s important for the residents to understand what it takes to form, develop and maintain such an organization. Every resident in town, regardless if you live in a private neighborhood or not, should have representation within the town and I would be honored to be that person for the Sherwood Forest and future residents who may live within cluster housing and HOAs. You can find me on Facebook.