January 28th Select Board Newsletter
Dear Stratham Residents,
Please read below for news and notes from the Town of Stratham. In this edition:
- Town Meeting Polling and Business Session Locations
- Voter Information Night - Tuesday, March 1st
- Reminder - Filing Period Closing
- Town Meeting Website & Materials
- Police Dept. Survey
- Impending Storm Info - Parks & Recreation Programs, Wiggin Memorial Library Closed Saturday
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
Special Weather Note: We hope all of Stratham is safe this weekend in the snow and high winds. Our Public Works Department has a long weekend ahead keeping our roadways clear and safe for travel. Please give the plows the right of way, space to properly clear the roadways and adhere to the no parking notices.
TOWN MEETING: POLLING AND BUSINESS SESSION LOCATIONS
Readers of the newsletter will recall the Select Board’s invitation to comment on the location of future elections in the Town of Stratham. Following deliberations in November and December, the Board voted to request the permission of the Stratham School District to hold future Town and State elections at the Stratham Memorial School (SMS), 39 Gifford Farm Road. The Select Board - after consultation with the public and election officials - determined that the opportunity to provide a consistent polling location for all types of elections tipped the balance in favor of use of SMS. On January 19th, the School Board approved the request. As a result, the Town’s March 8th Town Election will be held at the Stratham Memorial School (polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.).
The business session of Town Meeting will also be held at a new location this year, the Cooperative Middle School at 100 Academic Way in Stratham (Saturday March 12, 2022 at 9:00 a.m.). This location was chosen to facilitate distancing and to take advantage of the auditorium space located in Stratham. Last year, CMS was unavailable due to the renovation. We appreciate the public’s patience and understanding as we have made adjustments in the face of today’s challenges and changes.
WIGGIN MEMORIAL LIBRARY VOTER INFORMATION NIGHT: MARCH 1, 7:00 PM
What is Voter Information Night?
This annual event introduces candidates for Town and School Districts and presents information on what topics will be voted on at elections (3/8) and at Town Meeting (3/12).
This year Voter Information Night will take place both online and in-person at the Municipal Center, with the opportunity to ask questions from either location. Over 100 people attended in 2021, the majority of them from the convenience of their own homes. Many past attendees have said that Voter Information Night has helped explain the issues and that getting to know candidates' background, interests, and motivation for running helps in the voting booth.
We hope you will tune in whether you come to the Municipal Center (where expert safety guidance is in place) or join via Zoom; and come with your questions. The event will also be recorded through Zoom for later viewing.
You can register online at the Library's calendar, send us an email, or give us a call (603-772-4346) to get onto the list to receive the Zoom link or just to let us know you plan to attend. We will be sending the Zoom link out during the week of February 21 and up to 4 pm on the night of the event - March 1.
FILING PERIOD CLOSING TODAY (Friday) AT 5:00 P.M.
Our Special Edition Select Board Newsletter earlier in the week, summarized the key info about the filing period. The Clerk's Office hours today are 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.(all transactions) and 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (for candidacy filing only).
Elected official highlight: Trustee of Trust Funds
Under NH State Law, every municipality with trust funds must keep these funds separate from other municipal funds and in the custody of "Trustees of Trust Funds." The trustees are required to: perform duties as the fiduciary custodians of all the separate trust funds; provide for the safe-keeping and preservation of the trust fund assets; Invest and manage these funds with "due diligence" and a plan for long-term growth; and provide for the proper disbursement of the trust fund income as per the funds' stipulations. In Stratham this work is done in close cooperation with Cambridge Trust Company.
Want to learn more about Trustees positions? See here for NH Charitable Trust Division handbook for Library, Cemetery and Trustees of Trust Funds.
TOWN MEETING 2022 WEBSITE & MATERIALS
We have begun loading materials to the 2022 Town Meeting Website. The public hearing on the Town Warrant and Budget is scheduled for Thursday, February 7th at 7:00 p.m. Following the public hearing and in preparation for Town Meeting and the library Voter Information Night, we will once again post a 2022 Town Meeting Guide (including information about Zoning Articles to be placed on the March 8th election ballot), final versions of the Town’s 2022 Budget Narrative, Line Item Budget, Capital Improvement Plan as well as the Annual Town Report will also be posted along with links to sample ballots.
Earlier this month, the Select Board met with the Town Moderator-Appointed Budget Advisory Committee to review a preliminary budget and obtain feedback on it and the Town’s Capital Improvement Plan. Budget presentations from department heads as well as a preliminary budget summary for 2022, preliminary 2022 line item budget, and a draft Capital Improvement Plan are posted on the Town Meeting website. Final versions of these documents will be posted following the public hearing and finalization of the warrant. Special thanks to this year’s Budget Advisory Committee for their volunteerism and thoughtfulness in deliberating not only on this year’s budget but planning for the Town’s future.
STRATHAM POLICE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK!
Our Police Department has initiated a survey to solicit feedback on how they service our community. What can be improved upon? What are they doing right? Your response may remain completely anonymous, so please be honest and forthcoming with your feedback. Take the survey here.
Due to the impending storm Stratham Parks and Recreation has CANCELLED all recreation basketball scheduled for Saturday, January 29th. Stay safe and enjoy all the snow!
Please adhere to the notices that the NiceRink and natural skating area at Stratham Hill Park will be CLOSED as of Saturday, January 29th until the snow is properly removed from the ice surfaces. Please do NOT walk on the ice surfaces until they are cleared of snow as it could damage the ice surface beyond use. The Stratham Hill Park Association is hosting a Snow Removal Party of the natural ice rink on Sunday, 1/30 at 9am. Volunteers Needed!
A winter storm is approaching and here are a few reminders...
A Parking ban is currently in effect. Town Ordinance provides for "NO PARKING" on any street or property plowed by the Town of Stratham or any other place where & when snow removal would be hindered. Per Town of Stratham Ordinance #2-2011, Chapter 1-10.
Please help out the Stratham Highway Department by ONLY PARKING IN THE MAIN PARKING LOT AT STRATHAM HILL PARK on Saturday, January 29th. Please DO NOT park in the Jack Rabbit lot!
Our Highway Department has a long weekend ahead of them keeping our roadways clear and safe for travel. Please give the plows the right of way, space to properly clear the roadways and adhere to the no parking notices.
In anticipation of the pending storm, the Wiggin Memorial Library will be closed on Saturday, January 29th. Stay safe!
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