February 5th Select Board Newsletter
Dear Stratham Residents,
We hope 2019 has started off well and productively for you and your families. The beginning of the year is a good time to recognize the contributions of many residents who work year round to make Stratham a wonderful home. The contributions of residents take many forms in Stratham and we are grateful for the engagement, hard work, and commitment that, combined with our dedicated Town staff, make us all very proud. Thank you.
The Town of Stratham’s year has started off with many exciting changes. These include the addition of new Selectwoman Allison Knab and new Town Administrator David Moore. To read more about these and other changes, please read this newsletter below and visit the announcements page on the Town’s website (https://www.strathamnh.gov/node/1/news).
In this newsletter you can read about the search for the next Police Chief, Safe Routes to School Information, information about the budget development process, 2019 Town-wide revaluation of property, update about the Town-owned Bartlett-Cushman House, and programming updates from Stratham Parks and Recreation.
As always, we welcome hearing from you; you can reach out directly to the Select Board here: https://www.strathamnh.gov/user/30/contact. Please consider forwarding this update to a friend and encourage them to sign-up at this link for these and other Town-business e-mails: https://www.strathamnh.gov/subscribe.
The Select Board
Michael Houghton, Chair Joe Lovejoy, Vice Chair Allison Knab
Budget Development and Advisory Committee Meetings
Over four nights in January the Select Board and Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) appointed by the Town Moderator met to review budget requests from Town departments and others. The discussions between the department heads, Select Board and BAC are helpful in crafting the 2019 budget being prepared by the Select Board and Town Administrator in preparation for the February 11th public hearing on the Town Warrant (see below) and Town meeting. Many thanks to Moderator Emanuel as well as appointed Committee members Bruce Scamman, June Sawyer, Beth Dupell, Nate Merrill, and Garrett Dolan.
Key Dates for Town Meeting
- A public hearing on the Town Warrant will be held on Monday February 11th at 7:00 p.m. at the Municipal Center (Hutton Room).
- A Voter information night hosted by the Wiggin Memorial Library will take place on Tuesday March 5th, please be on the lookout for details.
- The Town election will take place on Tuesday March 12th (Town election and votes on elected offices, school budgets, and voting on zoning related articles). Polling hours are 8:00am – 8:00pm.
- On Friday March 15th, voting will take place on all other remaining articles related to Town business at the Town Meeting to be held at the Stratham Memorial School beginning at 7:00pm.
Upcoming School Related Meetings, Sessions and Hearings
- Thursday, February 7, 2019 - Exeter Region Cooperative School District's Deliberative Session - 7:00 PM - Exeter High School Auditorium
- Wednesday, February 13, 2019 - Stratham School District's Public Hearing on the Proposed 2019-2020 Budget - 6:00 PM SMS-Library
- Thursday, February 14, 2019 - SNOW DATE for Stratham School District's Public Hearing on Proposed 2019-2020 Budget - 6:00 PM SMS Library
- Friday, March 8, 2019 - Stratham School District Meeting - 7:00 PM SMS Cafeteria
- Monthly Board meetings are posted on the Stratham School Website: https://sms.sau16.org
2019 Statistical Update / Property Revaluation
The constitution and statutes of the State of New Hampshire require that property subject to a tax based on value, be valued anew at least every five years. Mass appraisal is the method used to update all taxable property within a municipality in order to meet the legal requirement. Due to Stratham’s last statistical update being completed in 2014, preparations are underway to update the values for tax year 2019. A presentation by Town Assessor, Andrea Lewy, will be offered on February 19, 2019 at the Municipal Center at 6:00 p.m. Chuck Reese, District Supervisor for the Department of Revenue, Municipal and Property Division, will join Ms. Lewy. All residents and business owners are welcome to attend.
Safe Routes to School Community Input Forum
Join the Safe Routes to School team on Thursday, February 7th from 6pm-7:30 pm at Stratham Memorial School for a presentation of the current plans and an overview of potential projects. Attendees will be invited to provide input, share opinions and perspectives in order to best shape the future of the walkers and cyclists to and from CMS and SMS. In December 2017, the Select Board approved an application for three different Safe Routes to School Grants for SMS and the Cooperative Middle School. In May 2018, Stratham received $50,000 in grant money to evaluate the situation and find specific solutions that will help encourage kids to walk and bike to school.
For more information, please visit www.sms.sau16.org/about/safe-routes-to-school
The Proposed Sale of the Bartlett-Cushman House
In 2018, the Select Board advanced plans to sell the property known as the Bartlett-Cushman House located at 82 Portsmouth Avenue. The stately Federal-style house sits on 2.27 acres directly adjacent to the Stratham Municipal Center’s parking lot at 10 Bunker Hill Avenue. The decision to sell the property came after concerted attempts to find a suitable occupant and rehabilitator of the property following a 2015 Request for Proposal process. The original purchase of the property authorized at Town meeting in 2013 was to ensure adequate room for future expansion of the Municipal Center, although there is no current or immediately foreseeable need for expansion.
In 2018, the Select Board effected a lot-line revision to essentially subdivide the parcel into two and took steps to sell the 1.1 acre parcel (which includes the house structure and outbuildings), while retaining the remaining acreage contiguous to the Town property (the Municipal Center and recreation area). In recent weeks, the Select Board moved through the statutorily required RSA process for selling this Town property, which included two public hearings. In addition, and in order to honor the property’s historic character and architectural value, the Select Board - in coordination with the Heritage Commission - worked to define easement terms for the interior and exterior in order to ensure the property’s character defining features and integrity remain indefinitely. The property was listed for sale with a real estate agent and a buyer has been found who has agreed to the interior and exterior preservation easement restrictions and is preparing to restore the interior and exterior for use as a single-family home. In the coming weeks, preparations for this sale are expected to move forward, including the execution of a purchase and sales agreement. The Select Board looks forward to updating the community in the near future on the status of the transaction.
Search for new Public Works Director
After seven productive years with the Town of Stratham Colin Laverty has left his position as Public Works director to pursue an opportunity in the private sector. The search for a new public works director has begun.
The Director is responsible for all Highway Operations, Transfer Station/Recycling/Solid Waste Management, Cemeteries, Vehicle, Equipment and Grounds Maintenance, and implementation of wide variety of Public Works projects. This is a highly responsible position expected to provide leadership in delivering high quality services; safety awareness education and training; ongoing evaluation and systems improvement; and team building.
Please share this posting www.strathamnh.gov/town-administration/pages/open-positions with anyone who may be interested or advise those interested to contact Town Administrator David Moore by calling (603) 772-7391 x181
Police Chief Search Update & Input Opportunity
The Select Board has engaged Municipal Resources, Inc. (MRI) to carry out a search for the Town’s next Police Chief. Later this month, interviews will take place. For more information about the position, including candidate profile and job description please visit: http://www.mrigov.com/current_recruitments
The e-mail address strathampolicechiefrecruitment@mrigov.com has been established so that members of the community, employees or other stakeholders can provide input as to the personal traits and professional skillsets desired in the next Police Chief and to identify any unique challenges they believe will face the Chief and Police Department in the near and longer term. Any input will be considered confidential and anonymous to the extent that only common themes that emerge will be summarized and shared with the Select Board in order to help them evaluate the final candidates.
Stratham Parks and Recreation Updates
The following programming notes, announcements and updates come from your Parks and Recreation Department:
Registration is open for baseball and softball: Stratham.recdesk.com
Summer Camp at SMS
Enrollment off of the wait list will start this week!
Please put your child on the list if you missed out when registration first opened…
Limited to the first 30 participants on the waitlist, 4 days per week only!
Grades K-5
February Break Coyote Club, Monday through Friday… or just a few days! Grades K-8th at SHP, sign up today at stratha.recdesk.com
Trail Race Series
Summer 2019
Thursdays
May Running
July- August Mountain Biking
Races start at 6 PM
Athletereg.com
Annual Easter Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 13th ~ 9:00am
at Stratham Hill Park
This event is family fun for kids of all ages. Egg hunt is limited to toddlers through 5th grade. Be sure to bring a camera for a photo with the Easter Bunny before the hunt. If you find a special egg filled with a golden ticket be sure to turn it into the Parks and Recreation office to win a prize. Limit of one per family please
New this Year!
Great Bay Food Truck Festival
May 4th, 2019
Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce
Underwritten by Kennebunk Savings
Greatbayfoodtruckfestival.com