January 13th Select Board Newsletter
Dear Stratham Residents,
Please read below for news and notes from the Town of Stratham. In this edition:
- Register Your Dog!
- Events Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Elected Positions Open and Candidate Filing Information
- Supervisors of the Checklist in Session
- Body Worn Cameras
- Save Energy and Reduce Costs
- In Memory of Long-time Volunteer Ken Lanzillo
- Trail Management Advisory Committee - Public Forum - January 26
- Help the Lights 4 Lives Reach it's Goal!
- Private Well Water Workshop - February 22
- Stratham School Board and School District Meetings
- NH Preservation Alliance Recognizes Stratham
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 this section on our website and check the "Select Board" box under News and Announcements.
The Select Board
Michael Houghton, Chairman Allison Knab, Vice-Chair Joe Anderson
REGISTER YOUR DOG
2023 has arrived and so has the opportunity to be the TOP DOG of 2023. Please register your dogs by 4/30/2023 to enter your dog into the contest. Register online here or stop in the town offices anytime. Top dog of Stratham will win a nice gift basket with treats for both owner and dog. Register your dog! Here's a link to last year's winner: Top Dog of Stratham 2022 Winner!
EVENTS CELEBRATING MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY
The Town is excited to join and support the many Stratham organizations that have created a number of recognition events and a service project for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Read more here. Beginning next week, all Stratham residents are invited to create their own valentines that will be distributed in February to those who are homebound, in a nursing facility, or in need of outreach from a caring community member. Make your own valentines at a station in the library or make them at home and drop them off in a box in the lobby of the Municipal Center.
Check out your latest issue of Stroll for more information about the events and community-wide service project.
ELECTED POSITIONS OPEN & CANDIDATE FILING INFORMATION
To run for an elected Stratham Town Office, you must file with the Town Clerk between January 25 - February 3. Declarations of candidacy may be filed at the Town Clerk’s Office, 10 Bunker Hill Avenue. Any candidate filing on the last day must file in person. Clerks will be available between 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm on the last day of the filing period. Declaration of candidacy forms are available at the Town Clerks office.
Click here for Town elected official positions open.
Click here for School Board positions open.
Click here for information about about openings for the Exeter Region Cooperative School District (declare for these positions at Exeter Town Hall).
SUPERVISORS OF THE CHECKLIST
The Supervisors of the Checklist will be in session at the Stratham Municipal Center, 10 Bunker Hill Ave., on Tuesday, January 24, 2023 from 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm to accept voter registrations and changes to the checklist. If registering to vote, residents will be asked to provide a photo ID (ex. driver's license), proof of residency (ex. piece of mail or signed lease), and proof of citizenship (ex. birth certificate or US passport). If you do not have acceptable documentation, you will be provided with affidavits attesting to all of the above.
BODY WORN CAMERAS
Starting January 9th, body worn cameras will be in use by all Stratham Police Officers responding to calls for service and performing other law enforcement duties. The use of body worn cameras is an effective tool which is being used to demonstrate the SPD's commitment to transparency, ensure the accountability of its members, increase the public's trust in officers and protect its members from unjustified complaints of misconduct. Please read more about the SPD's use of body worn cameras in this press release.
SAVE ENERGY AND REDUCE COSTS
Stratham has joined the list of towns looking into Community Power to help stabilize and reduce electricity costs to residents. This process has many regulatory requirements that will likely not have any outcome before 2024, so the Stratham Energy Commission will be regularly sending out tips for saving energy and costs in the upcoming newsletters, so stay tuned.
However, with current electric prices at all-time highs, there is no need to wait for those residents looking for alternative supply options for electricity. See the link to NH residential competitive electric supply companies here.
IN MEMORY OF LONG-TIME VOLUNTEER KEN LANZILLO
It is with sadness that we inform you of the passing of Ken Lanzillo. Ken's life was one of service - to the military, his community and his family. He served as Town Treasurer for 42 years, was involved with the Stratham Fair, organized the Stratham Memorial Day Parade and was Scoutmaster of Troop 185. He received numerous awards throughout his life for service to his community. Ken was truly a special person and will be missed. Read more about this remarkable person here.
TRAIL MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE- PUBLIC WORKSHOP- January 26, 2023 - 7:00 pm
TMAC (Trail Management Advisory Committee) has been hard at work over the last few months. Come meet with the Committee and learn about their progress and be a part of conversation regarding potential policy changes at the Trail network. Those attending will be broken into groups to take a deeper dive into some of the topics that TMAC is currently working through. Unable to attend? Please send your thoughts to shickey@strathamnh.gov
With your help, we have raised nearly $19,000 so far! With an additional $1,000, we will be able to purchase 4 full sets of turnout bunker gear to help keep our Stratham volunteer firefighters safe. We will continue to accept donations throughout the month of January, the official Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month as designated by the International Association of Fire Fighters.
FREE WATER TESTING!!
Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 6:00pm at the Cooperative Middle School Auditorium
The Seacoast Private Well Initiative is providing a workshop and free water quality testing for residential private well users in Stratham valued at approximately $400. It’s important for the health of you and your family that your water is tested regularly. New Hampshire well water can contain naturally occurring contaminants and those that originate from human activities.
Post cards with details and a link to registration will be mailed directly to residents who maintain private wells on their property. If you receive water from a community water supply, your water is tested on a regular basis and the workshop is not applicable to you. This opportunity is sponsored by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services with support provided by the Town of Stratham.
More information on the program is available on the Town’s website: 2023 Free Residential Private Well Testing | Town of Stratham NH
SCHOOL BOARD AND SCHOOL DISTRICT MEETINGS
See below for the following upcoming meetings all being held at Stratham Memorial School, 39 Gifford Farm Road. If you can't attend the meetings in person, watch the recordings here Blue Hawk Media
- School Board FAC and Budget Meeting (board meeting to follow immediately after) 1/18/23 at 6 p.m. Agenda
- School Board Public Hearing on FY24 Budget 2/1/23 at 6 p.m.
- School District Meeting 3/6/23 at 6 p.m.
NH PRESERVATON ALLIANCE RECOGNIZES STRATHAM
Stratham was highlighted in the NH Preservation Alliance’s year-end recap of accomplishments across the state for creating our Neighborhood Heritage District. They also cite that 602 barns in 97 communities are now enrolled in 79-D easements. We can be proud of the fact that Stratham contributes 24 of them – thanks to the advocacy of our Heritage Commission and the cooperation of numerous private property owners and Select Boards past and present. For more details see: 2022 by the Numbers — New Hampshire Preservation Alliance (nhpreservation.org)
