August 16th Select Board Newsletter

August 16, 2019

Dear Stratham Residents,

Please read below for news and notes from the Town of Stratham.  In this edition:  Town-wide Reval – what’s next, PFAS update, Eversource structure replacement work, a Historical Society presentation, Master Plan cheat sheet and next step, Town of Stratham posting, and a “thank you” to new members for Stratham’s Boards. 

Please remind your neighbors about this resource for keeping on top of information from the Town.  To sign-up for these updates and other notifications, please visit: https://www.strathamnh.gov/subscribe.

The Select Board
Michael Houghton, Chairman      Joe Lovejoy, Vice Chair      Allison Knab, Selectwoman

WANT TO FOLLOW A SPECIFIC BOARD, COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE’S WORK?
Did you know you can sign-up to receive Agendas and Minutes of meetings for each of the Stratham Boards, Commissions, and Committees?  Want to receive alerts about meetings coming up?  Please visit our website and sign up for e-mail alerts when new agendas and minutes are posted to the web.  You can do so here: https://www.strathamnh.gov/subscribe .

2019 STATISTICAL REVALUATION - UPDATE
On July 19th the “Notice of Preliminary Assessment Values” were mailed.  If you are a residential property owner and have not received your notice, please contact the Assessor’s Office at (603) 772-7391 ext. 184.  Since the mailing, the Office has met with 150 property owners and have spoken with several residents over the telephone. Many questions received are addressed in our “Frequently Asked Questions” (https://www.strathamnh.gov/assessing-department/bulletins/2019-revaluati...).

What happens next?  The Assessors will review specific items discussed during the individual meetings.  In addition, several homes have been scheduled to have an interior and exterior inspection.  After the review process has been completed, letters will be mailed to the property owners that had any adjustment made to their preliminary assessment.

In late October, the NH Department of Revenue Administration will determine Stratham’s new tax rate.  Upon receiving the new rate the tax bills will be generated and mailed. If, after receiving your tax bill you believe your assessment is incorrect, property owners will have until March 1, 2020 to file an abatement.  Documentation must be provided to support your statement that the assessment is not market value.  For more information about the abatement process, please visit: https://www.strathamnh.gov/assessing-department/pages/abatement-information.

If you have questions, please contact the Assessor’s Office at either (603) 772-7391 ext. 184, or via e-mail at jjoseph@strathamnh.gov or alewy@strathamnh.gov. 

BOARD POSITIONS FILLED AND OTHER BOARDS & COMMISSION VACANCIES
Thank you to the volunteers who have come forward to serve on the Zoning Board of Adjustment and the Rockingham Planning Commission Board.  Thank you to Stratham for responding.  

Below is a listing of current open positions as well as an application form for interested applicants.  If you have any questions concerning the opportunities below, please reach out to Executive Assistant Karen Richard (603) 772-7391 ext. 187 who will ensure you are connected with the Department head or other representative to help answer your questions.

Public Works Commission – 1 regular member; 2 alternate members
Southeast Watershed Alliance—1 regular representative

Click here to apply for a Town Board or Committee opening:  Application

STRATHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY EVENT SEPTEMBER 9TH
NH Professor Dr. Kimberly Alexander will give a presentation at 7:00 pm at the Stratham Fire Station on Fashioning the 18th Century New England Family.  The program looks at attire from the colonial 17th century through and into the 19th century.  It is free and open to the public and sponsored by the Stratham Historical Society and the Wiggin Memorial Library.

PFAS CONTAMINATION IN TOWN CENTER - UPDATE
The focused site investigation at the Fire Station related to the PFAS contamination in Town Center is progressing.  Analysis of water test results at the site and in the vicinity is being carried out and new testing rounds scheduled.  Please stay tuned for upcoming opportunities to learn more in depth about the study, implications of the presence of these chemicals in groundwater in Town Center and broader information about PFAS chemicals in NH including recent regulatory changes.  

Currently, approximately 15 total commercial and residential properties in and around Town center are being supplied bottled water due to levels of PFAS compounds in the drinking water wells, which are above drinking water standards.  The State of NH and the Town are continuing to research the source of the contamination through testing individual wells and the focused site investigation at the Fire Station on Winnicutt Road.  Recently, the State legislature approved new more stringent drinking water standards for PFAS, the impact of these new rules will increase the number of wells, which will fall below drinking water quality standards and impact many wells throughout the state. 

You can learn more about the State of NH PFAS issues here: https://www4.des.state.nh.us/nh-pfas-investigation/ or via the Town’s website: https://www.strathamnh.gov/home/news/updated-july-1st-resource-page-resi...

POLICY DEVELOPMENT – NAMING TOWN FACILITIES
The Select Board and Town staff have been working on a policy for naming facilities owned by the Town.  In response to a specific request submitted to the Board, the Board has asked staff to develop a policy for addressing such requests consistently.  As a result, a draft policy has been created for the Select Board’s consideration and can be reviewed here:  https://www.strathamnh.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif5051/f/uploads/draft_augu... .  The policy sets criteria for approving such requests, requires certain information prior to the Board considering these requests, and establishes a procedure for deliberating on a request (ex. establishing a public hearing and taking action at a meeting following the public hearing night).  The policy is in draft form and will be discussed at the Select Board meeting on August 19th.  

EVERY DROP.  SMALL CHANGES.  BIG DIFFERENCES
The Every Drop campaign by the Piscataqua River Estuaries Partnership (PREP) is intended to help educate residents about the small steps each one of us can take to help ensure the quality of the water in our region and contribute to the health of our rivers and the Great Bay.  Outreach and education efforts like this are part of an overall effort to raise awareness about water quality. The Town will be working to further promote these outreach efforts as part of its requirements under its storm water management permit.  More information and materials we be distributed around town and available in the Town offices.  You can learn more here: https://stateofourestuaries.org/everydrop/

A MASTER PLAN INTRO (HINT – LOOK FOR THE BLUE BOXES!)
Haven’t followed one of the many links to the Master Plan draft found in this newsletter?  Feeling guilty?  Here is one strategy for an introduction: the blue boxes found on pages 19 to 51 of the plan contains the actions recommended to advance toward the 10 key issues for Stratham’s future.   (https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b0edcd5fcf7fde1f8b43e39/t/5d2909...).   If you have comments or suggestions based on your review, we invite you to reach out to us or communicate via the links and modes described below.  Thank you!

PLANNING BOARD MASTER PLAN PROCESS NOTE
The Master Plan Committee met on August 5 and referred the draft Master Plan to the Planning Board who will convene their first workshop as a Board at their August 21 regular meeting.  The Board has committed their second monthly meeting to Master Plan work sessions until they convene requisite Public Hearings for the Plan’s Adoption.  The public is welcome to attend and witness the deliberation of the Board during these workshop sessions; public comment or participation may be entertained at the discretion of the chair.   Additionally the Master Plan process can be followed on www.strathamplan.com, the Town website, and through these newsletter updates.  

Watch the video of the last Master Plan held between the Planning Board, Master Plan Steering Committee and representatives from the various Boards and Commissions here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dhytAHCciM&feature=youtu.be 

EVERSOURCE STRUCTURE REPLACEMENT WORK
Eversource’s contractors, PAR Electrical Contractors and Riggs Distler, will be replacing existing wood transmission structures with steel structures of similar size and height. This work will take place within the transmission power line corridor from Route 125 in Brentwood to Muirfield Drive in Stratham (in the vicinity of Raeder Drive, Doe Run Lane, Trishas Way, Stephen Drive, and Autumn Lane).  For more information see this communication from Eversource.

TOWN EMPLOYMENT HIGHLIGHT: ACCOUNTING & BENEFITS COORDINATOR
The Town is seeking a full-time Accounting & Benefits Coordinator in preparation for the upcoming retirement of our Accounting Supervisor in the Town Offices.   This reconfigured position will report to a Finance Administrator who will lead the accounting, finance, human resources and information technology functions (this position is also in the process of being filled). You can view the job announcement here: https://www.nhmunicipal.org/classified/accounting-benefits-coordinator.