July 14th Select Board Newsletter

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

• Summerfest - July 15
• Open Space Plan - Survey and Interactive Map Input Opportunities
• Parks & Recreation - Thursday Night in the Park
• Town Treasurer Vacancy
• Clerk's Corner
• DPW Reminders
• Library Events
• Arsenic and Drinking Water 

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, Chair                   Allison Knab, Vice-Chair                   Joe Anderson

p.s. This time of year, and all year, please be courteous and keep your distance from farm equipment along our roadways.  We can show support for our farmers in many ways.  Thank you!

SUMMERFEST
We hope everyone will join us on Saturday, July 15th at Stratham Hill Park for Summerfest!  The festivities will begin at 9:00 am with an opening ceremony and dedication of a Livestock Barn to long-time Stratham residents and supporters of the 4-H program, James and Lorraine Stuart.  In addition, the ceremony will feature the rededication of the 4-H Display and Exhibition Building for Lynn Garland.  Events and activities will include magic shows, pie eating contests, live music and much more. 

Also don't forget to visit the informational booths - learn about Community Power and Open Space Plan, board and commissions volunteer openings, and employment opportunities with the Town.  At 4:00 pm, the day will conclude with a First Responders softball game:  Stratham Fire vs Stratham Police. 

PROVIDE YOUR INPUT TO GUIDE TOWN'S OPEN SPACE AND CONNECTIVITY PLAN 
The Town wants to hear from you about your ideas for open spaces, trail connections, access to natural spaces, and connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists in the community.  Your input is important to help guide the Town’s Open Space and Connectivity Plan, a planning exercise currently underway and dedicated to providing a long-term blueprint for fostering an open space network that balances the protection of natural resources, opportunities for public access and recreation, and the enhancement of community character and heritage.  There are two online options for providing your input, including by taking a brief survey by clicking here, or by providing input via a GIS-based tool by clicking here.  The GIS tool allows users to pinpoint individual areas of the community where they would like to see improvements and to upload their own photos or visualizations.  Prefer to engage in person?  Then visit our tent at Summerfest this Saturday!  You can learn more about the Open Space & Connectivity Plan effort by clicking here.

PARKS & RECREATION - THURSDAY NIGHT IN THE PARK 
Food Trucks are at Stratham Hill Park, EVERY Thursday from 4 pm to 8 pm through October 12th.  Pizza, BBQ and dessert trucks are regulars this season.  Music entertainment will also be part of the fun!  For more information about this weekly event, please follow our Facebook event. 

TOWN TREASURER OPPORTUNITY
The Town of Stratham will soon have a vacancy in our Treasurer role.  This position is responsible for the custody, deposit and disbursement of town funds and for reconciling bank statements. This is a statutory position, which takes approximately 4-5 hours per week and will be provided a $6500 annual stipend.  Interested applicants should reach out with any questions or submit their resume / qualifications to krichard@strathamnh.gov    Please click here for a job description.
 

CLERK'S CORNER
Are you a registered Stratham voter and interested in assisting with the upcoming 2024 elections?  We need your help!  Please email the Town Clerk at dbakie@strathamnh.gov.  It’s going to be a busy year!

Did you know for mopeds 49cc's or less for new registrations mopeds must be done at a DMV substation (Epping or Dover Point are the closest)?  We can do renewals of moped registrations only.  To make any appointments for the substations, please click here.  Appointments are highly encouraged.

Did you know that you can renew your driver’s license 6 months in advance?  To make any appointments for the substations, please click here.  Appointments are highly encouraged.

DPW REMINDERS
The DPW crew continues to work on the parking lots in Stratham Hill Park as weather permits.

Reminder:  Driveway permits – all property owners are required to apply for a driveway permit in advance of the work being completed.  In collaboration with the Town Building department, the permit will be reviewed by the DPW Director and the permit will be issued back to the resident citing approval or any exceptions, at which time the work may then be completed, if approved.
Driveway permit application 
Permit requirements 

LIBRARY EVENTS
Kids: Great Bay Discovery Center July 19, 1:30 PM.  Join staff from the Great Bay Discovery Center to learn how we are all connected through our amazing estuarine ecosystem.  Register here.

Teen: Chip-Tasting Event July 19, 3PM.  Barbecue, dill pickle, salt & vinegar, ham...these days it seems the options are endless!  Try a little bit of everything, then vote for your favorite chip.  Register here.

Your Identity: Staying Protected & Connected, a Zoom presentation by AARP July 20, 2PM.  As many ways as there are for fraudsters to poach your identity, there are also many simple steps you can take to help keep them at bay.  Join this free Zoom presentation by AARP to learn how to protect your identity.  You must register for this program to receive the Zoom link.

Amy Michael: Forensic Casework in New Hampshire and Solving the Illinois "Ina Jane Doe" Cold Case July 20, 5:30 PM.  Join UNH Professor Amy Michael as she discusses her recent collaboration that resulted in the identification of the Illinois "Ina Jane Doe" case.  Register here.

Pollinators of Stratham July 22, 12PM.  Part of our ongoing #WigginGrows series of events, join us for this informative seminar on pollinators presented by Joe Marttila from SeaBee Honey!  Learn about honeybees and all the native pollinators and how you can help them thrive with the proper plantings.  Register here.

ARSENIC IN DRINKING WATER
Earlier this year close to 300 Stratham households participated in a free private well sampling program. The results were summarized recently by NHDES and not surprisingly more than half of the wells were above the Arsenic health limit of 5 parts per billion.  This confirms existing data from the NH Public Health Lab which showed the same.  Arsenic is a naturally occurring mineral that has no color, taste, or odor and can have severe health effects.  Information regarding the health effects of Arsenic and types of treatment available can be found on the NHDES fact sheet here: WD DWGB-3-2 Arsenic in New Hampshire Well Water (nh.gov)

More information on water quality, well construction, and how to sample your water is also available on the Town’s website:  Drinking Water Info for Private Well Owners | Town of Stratham NH.