Dear Stratham Residents,
Please read below for news and notes from the Town of Stratham. In this edition:
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The Select Board
Michael Houghton, Chair Allison Knab, Vice-Chair Joe Anderson
In celebration and recognition of the importance of municipal clerks and the vital services they provide to local governments and communities, the State of New Hampshire has determined that May 4 - 10th be designated as Professional Municipal Clerk's Week. Our clerk's perform essential duties such as ensuring fair, transparent and accurate elections, maintaining vital records, processing property tax payments, motor vehicle registrations and dog registrations. Thank you Deb, Jim and Lisa for the outstanding services you provide to the residents of Stratham.
Please come help clean up our community during this fun, family-friendly event! We will be meeting on Saturday, May 3, at the Scamman Pavilion (located near the playground) at Stratham Hill Park from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Pick your favorite area of the park or any area in town to clean up! Gloves, safety vests and trash bags will be provided. E-mail planning@strathamnh.gov with questions.
Tickets are selling fast but there's still time to get yours! With over 20 unique food trucks, there's sure be something for everyone to enjoy. Plan to come with family and friends and enjoy a delicious day out. Buy tickets here.
Sometimes, a sharp eye and a bit of curiosity can lead to incredible discoveries. While sorting through items recently dropped off at the Stratham Transfer Station, one of our employees noticed several pieces of artwork signed by Carlos Stuart. Intrigued, he began to research—and uncovered a fascinating story.
Carlos Stuart, a trained artist who once worked with the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, passed away in 2008 in Boston. Some of the pieces were stamped with the name of the Museum of the National Center for Afro-American Artists in Roxbury, MA. Our employee brought the artwork to the museum, where Director and Curator Edward Barry Gaither—who knew Stuart personally—confirmed the pieces had once been part of the museum's collection but had gone missing years ago.
Thanks to the efforts of our Transfer Station staff, the artwork is now being returned to the museum, closing the loop on a meaningful piece of art history.
Spring is here along with tips for treating your lawn right!
The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension provides soil analysis and nutrient recommendations for home lawns - Soil Testing Services | Extension (unh.edu). The cost is $20 for standard gardening parameters including soil pH (acidity), phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and lead levels. Soil test results provide important information about nutrient and mineral levels in our soil, characteristics of the soil, and recommendations for fertilizer. Without this information, we may end up applying products or using practices that waste time and money, inhibit plant growth, and contribute to pollution. Soil tests are recommended before seeding a new lawn and at least once every three years following establishment.
Other temptations in the spring include fertilizing too early and mowing too short. Different formulations of fertilizer require different minimum temperatures. Hold off on applying until you are sure your soil needs it and the soil temperature is adequate. Likewise, resist the temptation to mow too low. Encourage the early season grass roots to grow deeper into the soil by keeping more of the grass blade growing above ground.
More information on grass seed, watering, mowing, and fertilizing your lawn is available here: Grass and Fertilizer.
For more, please see the full meeting minutes here. For questions, email Board Chair Jennifer Scrafford. Our next board meeting will be Wednesday, May 14th at 6pm at the SMS library/learning commons.
