May 7th Select Board Newsletter
Dear Stratham Residents,
Please read below for news and notes from the Town of Stratham.
In this edition:
- Town Meeting Further Postponed (to July 11th)
- Reminder about Town business on the 2020 Warrant
- Waste Disposal Survey Available
- Library Request
- Road Resurfacing Scheduling Information
- Sign-up for CODE Red
- Homeschool Recycling Lessons
- Eversource drone line inspections
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
MODERATOR AND SELECT BOARD ANNOUNCE POSTPONEMENT OF TOWN MEETING TO JULY 11th
In accordance with his duties under NH State RSA 40:4,II (a), the Town Moderator has postponed the Stratham Town Meeting business session scheduled for May 16, 2020. This decision follows review of the extension and modifications of the Governor’s “stay-at-home” order (Executive Order #41, May 1, 2020). In addition to the guidance in the Order to refrain from gathering in large groups, the public health emergency also issued by the Governor was recently extended to May 15th.
The Town Meeting has been rescheduled to Saturday, July 11, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. at the Stratham Memorial School, 39 Gifford Farm Road. Identifying a time, date, and place certain at time of postponement is a requirement in the law.
The Moderator and Board are mindful the rescheduled date and time may present the same, similar or worse conditions related to the current pandemic. This situation will be monitored on an ongoing basis leading up to the rescheduled date, including relevant state emergency management directives and public health guidance for public gatherings and best practices for conducting them.
Please stay tuned to this newsletter for more information. For a reminder about the business to be addressed at the Meeting, please see below.
REMINDER ABOUT TOWN BUSINESS ON THIS YEAR'S WARRANT
When we are able to conduct our Town Meeting, as required in the law the warrant will be the same as that advertised for the original Meeting date. As a reminder, the following articles are included on the warrant. For more information about the items to be voted on, please see the Town Meeting Information Guide produced for this year’s meeting. The guide can be found here.
ARTICLE 9: 2020 Operating Budget
ARTICLE 10: Capital Improvements Program
ARTICLE 11: Appropriate Funds to Several Capital Reserve Funds
ARTICLE 12: Raise and Appropriate from the EMS Special Revenue Fund
ARTICLE 13: Replacement of Jaws of Life for Fire Department
ARTICLE 14: Adopt Legislation Authorizing Tax Increment Finance (TIF) Districts
ARTICLE 15: Route 108 Corridor Tax Increment Finance (TIF) District
ARTICLE 16: 79-E Community Revitalization Tax Relief Incentive
ARTICLE 17: Modifications of Elderly Exemption from Property Tax
ARTICLE 18: Modification to Veterans Tax Credit
ARTICLE 19: Multi-Sport Park Construction
ARTICLE 20: New Hampshire Resolution for Fair Redistricting
SURVEY ABOUT WASTE DISPOSAL IN STRATHAM
The Select Board-appointed Curbside Collection Advisory Committee has prepared a survey as an outreach tool to assist the Board in making future decisions about solid waste management in Town, including the future of curbside collection. The survey is open now and will run for the next three weeks (Monday May 4th though Tuesday May 26th). The survey can be found here.
If you prefer a paper version of this survey, please write Executive Assistant Karen Richard at krichard@strathamnh.gov. Please include your name and address and we will ensure you are mailed a survey. We can receive surveys via the mail to (10 Bunker Hill Avenue, Stratham, NH 03885) or you can drop it off at the lock box outside of the Town Offices at your convenience.
During discussions about changes in the curbside collection program in 2019, the Town administration committed to engaging the public on the details of the new system. During the course of that work, it was clear many concerns could not be reconciled without substantially defeating the cost saving aspects of the program. As a result, the Town with the help of the CCAC, decided to pause the roll out of the automation program in order to gain a deeper understanding of what Stratham residents want for recycling before investing tax payer money. This survey will help the Town deliver a recycling program that best fits the needs of the community.
To read more about the process to date, please visit the Curbside Collection Advisory Committee webpage.
LIBRARY REQUEST!
The library is putting together a virtual "Word of Mouth" display - recommendations of good reads from you! Please send us your favorites and we'll include them so others will have suggestions of what to read next. Send your recommendations to wigginml@comcast.net or leave us a message at 772-4346. We can't wait to hear them!
PAVING PROJECT
Beginning Wednesday May 6, 2020 The Town of Stratham Public Works in collaboration with Bell & Flynn Inc. will begin the following road resurfacing projects.
The original segment Whittaker Drive will be mechanically ground. Base gravels will be reshaped ensuring proper drainage. This segment of Whittaker Drive will receive a new 2 ½” depth asphalt binder course. In collaboration with the developer of Whittaker Drive extension a seamless 1 ½” depth asphalt wearing course will be paved entirely through Whittaker Drive and Hillcrest Drive.
Jack Rabbit Lane is being mechanically ground. Base gravels will be reshaped to ensure positive drainage. The roadway will receive a 2 ½” depth asphalt binder course and a 1 ½” depth asphalt wearing course.
This work is expected to be completed by mid-May.
All work is weather dependent and delays may occur. Access to and from residences during paving will be permitted but please expect delays if crews are working immediately in front of your property.
Please call Stratham Public Works Department at 603-772-5550 with any questions or concerns.
Thank You!
SIGN UP FOR STRATHAM EMERGENCY ALERTS THROUGH THE NH EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM
Residents may be aware (and already signed-up for) of Code Red Alerts from the State of New Hampshire. The State has recently enabled Towns to deliver important messages to their residents regarding emergencies through use of the same database. That means that, if you signed up for Code Red Alerts from the State using your Stratham address, you are already signed-up to recieve emergency notices from the Town.
If you have not already signed-up for Code Red Alerts, please consider it. Doing so will enable you to receive geo-targeted, time-sensitive alerts from the Town of Stratham as well (e.g. traffic impacts of local events or emergencies)
Please take a moment and follow this link (https://www.onsolve.com/landing/sign-up-for-codered-emergency-alerts/) to register for the CodeRED emergency notification system. You may receive notifications via email, SMS, voice, mobile app push notifications, and more depending on the severity of the situation.
Stay safe - sign up today!
HOMESCHOOL RECYCLING LESSONS
NRRA's School Recycling Club SHIP (Supporting Home Instruction Program) offers free weekly recycling lessons to anyone who is homeschooling due to COVID-19. For more information, visit https://www.schoolrecycling.net
Eversource, in conjunction with Mesa Associates, will be using drones to conduct inspections of its transmission lines over the course of the summer. You may see employees of Mesa in your neighborhood. Click this link for a letter from Eversource and this one for drone information. If you have further questions regarding this, please contact Karen Richard at krichard@strathamnh.gov or call 603-772-4741 x187