Worries abated over stability in pending storm

HOLLIS – Worries about the fate of the Hollis Town Hall clock tower have eased, now that severe weather forecasts for this weekend have been scaled back.

Extreme winds resulting from Tropical Storm Hanna were originally expected to hit this weekend.

Hollis emergency department heads, selectmen and the town administrator met with the town’s emergency management director Friday morning to discuss preparedness. They were particularly concerned about the clock tower, based on recent engineering studies that raised questions about its supports.

Spokeswoman Cathy Hoffman said Don McCoy, the town’s emergency management director, called the 8 a.m. meeting to review procedures.

“He was concerned about potential high winds,” Hoffman said.

Weather reports Thursday afternoon predicted winds perhaps as high as 90 mph this weekend, although by Friday morning, the forecast said winds would likely not surpass 35 mph.

But officials weren’t dismissing the possibility of severe weather, given the uncertainty of the tropical storm heading north. “It could change,” Hoffman said, adding that the meeting put department heads on alert.

Selectmen Chairman Vahrij Manoukian, who attended the meeting, said McCoy reminded of officials about emergency management procedures that are “always in place.”

HOLLIS – Worries about the fate of the Hollis Town Hall clock tower this weekend due to severe weather resulting from Tropical Storm Hanna have eased, now that forecasts have been scaled back.