Dear Stratham Residents,

Please read below for news and notes from the Town of Stratham.  In this edition:

• New Tax Exemptions & Credits
• Transfer Station - Open March 29
• Boston Post Cane
• Clean Up Stratham Day - April 26
• Wiggin Memorial Library Event - Skills for Disagreeing Better
• Great Bay Food Truck Festival - May 10
• Parks & Recreation - Senior Programming
• Stratham Historical Society Scholarships
• Antique Appraisal Day - April 6
• Clerk's Corner
• Following Select Board Business
• Casella incident
• SMS Board Update District Meeting

To sign-up for these updates and other notifications, please visit this section on our website and check the "Select Board" box under News and Announcements.

The Select Board
Michael Houghton, Chair                   Allison Knab, Vice-Chair                   Joe Anderson

NEW TAX EXEMPTIONS AND CREDITS

Are you eligible for tax exemptions or credits?  Town Meeting this past Saturday, March 15th, adjusted eligibility and exemption levels that may make you eligible.  Click here for more information.  The deadline to apply is Tuesday, April 15.  

TRANSFER STATION

The Transfer Station is starting it's summer hours early!  The Transfer Station will be open on Saturday, March 29 from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm.  It will then be open every Saturday thereafter until the end of November.  Please note, only checks are accepted; no cash or credit cards.  Check out this spring flyer for more DPW news.

BOSTON POST CANE

In accordance with a longstanding partnership with the Town, the Stratham Historical Society is looking for the oldest citizen of Stratham in order to present them with the famed Boston Post Cane.  Rich in tradition, the original Boston Post Cane is on permanent display at the Stratham Historical Society.  Its symbolic replica and certificate are given over to Stratham’s oldest citizen to maintain.  Read the fascinating history of the Boston Post Cane here.  This is a community tradition, and you can help!  If you know someone, male or female, who is at least 92 years old and a citizen of Stratham, please email  info@strathamhistsoc.org.  We promise to gently follow up.

CONSERVATION COMMISSION SPONSORS ANNUAL CLEAN UP DAY!

Please come help clean up our community during this fun, family-friendly event!  We will be meeting on Saturday, April 26, 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!  Gloves, safety vests and trash bags will be provided.  E-mail planning@strathamnh.gov with questions.

Have you ever found yourself in an uncomfortable disagreement with someone over politics?  Or really, or any other important topic?  Then this special workshop is for you!  Join us on Saturday afternoon for this free seminar with our hosts, Braver Angels, a non-partisan non-profit committed to depolarizing America.  The seminar starts at 1:00 pm in the Library meeting room, after Chair Yoga with Laura.  Register here. 

GREAT BAY FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL - May 10

Get your tickets today for the Great Bay Food Truck Festival!  Spend an afternoon with family and friends while dining on delicious foods in beautiful Stratham Hill Park.  See you there!

PARKS & RECREATION - SENIOR PROGRAMMING

• "STAYING CONNECTED IS A KEY TO HEALTHY AGING" 
  Seacoast Village Project Presents.....Aging in Place - March 26th at 12:00pm at the Municipal Center. 
  Want to stay in your home and community as you age?  The Seacoast Village Project can help!!!  Join us for an informative presentation on how we can stay connected, get smart and support each other. 
• Mystery Lunches - Each month Zach takes our van to a Mystery Lunch!  March is full, but please look for our calendar for the dates.  Next mystery - April 30th!!

STRATHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY 2025 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS NOW UNDERWAY

The Stratham Historical Society is pleased to announce that applications for the Society’s 2025 Winfield L. Foote Awards for Academic Excellence are now underway.  Scholarships are offered at the following levels:

• For 2025 SAU16 high school graduates entering college in 2025, a minimum of $1,000 scholarship each will be granted.  Applicants must be graduating high school seniors from SAU 16 District, which includes Stratham and surrounding towns.  In addition, Stratham residents graduating from private schools outside the district may also apply. 
• Scholarships in the amount of $1,500 are offered to qualifying rising college juniors and seniors. 
• A Thesis/Dissertation Award for Graduate students of $2,500 is offered.
• A Benefactor Grant Award is also offered by the Society.

DEADLINE for all applications is April 1, 2025.  Find detailed instructions and more information on Stratham Historical Society’s pages on the Town of Stratham’s website.

STRATHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY - ANTIQUE APPRAISAL DAY - April 6
Sunday, April 6th from 1:00-3:00 pm in the Morgera Room, Stratham Fire Station
Come find out what your family heirlooms and treasures are worth!  Our experts will appraise a variety of antiques and collectibles including: furniture, works of art, jewelry, military memorabilia, photographs, china, glass, etc.  You can bring a photo of large furniture and other large items.  Fees benefit the Stratham Historical Society.  Click here for more details!

CLERK'S CORNER

• Top Dog of Stratham contest is closing April 30th.  If you currently have a dog and are living in Stratham, it is the state law that all dogs living in the State of New Hampshire must be licensed no later than April 30th.  You can renew your dog(s) license here.  If you have a dog that is not currently licensed, proof of rabies vaccination is required via rabies certificate and will need to be done in person during normal business hours.
• A demonstration for the new voting machine will take place on Friday, April 4th in the Sewall Room at the municipal center at 11:30 AM.  To facilitate this demonstration, the Town Clerk’s Office will be closing at 11:15 on Friday, April 4th.  Video with testimonials here.    
• Recently, we have had several residents that were unaware their driver’s license had expired.  As a reminder, you can renew as early as 6 months.  Your license DOES expire on your actual birthday and not the end of your birth month.  To make an appointment, please do so here.  Walk ins are not a guarantee.

SELECT BOARD BUSINESS

Want to follow Select Board business?
The board meets the first and third Mondays of each month at 7:00 pm at the Municipal Center.  If you would like to send the Select Board a message, you may do so here.  Each meeting of the Select Board has a public comment session at which members can address the board on any topic.

Select Board agendas are typically available on Friday afternoon along with a packet of materials to be reviewed at the meeting.  These are posted to Town’s website on Friday afternoon before the Monday meeting.

CASELLA INCIDENT

Casella has made us aware of an isolated incident that happened recently involving one of their drivers.  Read the Casella statement here. 

SMS BOARD UPDATE DISTRICT MEETING

During the District Meeting, the town voted to approve the roughly $12MM bond to renovate the school, which will address the "must have" academic, code, and physical infrastructure needs.  A list of all 41 items to be addressed can be found on the SMS website along with the blueprint plans for the renovation.  The school will next put out an RFP for a construction company to start right away.  Hopefully, work on the renovations will begin this summer and be completed by the fall of 2026.

The town also voted to change the SMS operating budget, raising it from a 2% to 2.73% increase from last year.  The new budget will mean that three of the five staff who took an early retirement incentive will be replaced.