The city manager’s office sent out the City Manager’s Newsletter last Friday. The full newsletter can be found by going to concordnh.gov and clicking the “Newsletter” button. Here are some highlights:
Meetings
Going forward, City meetings will be held in person in Council Chambers at 37 Green Street (unless otherwise specified on the calendar). Upcoming meetings include:
Planning Board: June 30* at 7 p.m. (*Rescheduled from June 16)
Zoning Board of Adjustment: Wednesday, July 7 at 7 p.m.
City Council: Monday, July 12 at 7 p.m.
These meetings will continue to be broadcast on Concord TV, Channel 17, and via the City’s YouTube channel. Visit concordnh.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx for agendas, which are posted prior to the meetings.
Voter checklist
New Hampshire law requires that communities verify/purge their voter checklists every 10 years. In accordance with that law, any person currently on the City of Concord checklist who has not voted in the past four years will be removed from the checklist.
On June 17, the City Clerk’s Office sent postcard notices to approximately 8,000 people who haven’t voted in the City of Concord in the last four years. Notices were sent to the address on file for the given voter, the address provided when registering to vote. The postcard indicates that recipients will be removed from the City of Concord checklist unless they re-register to vote via the City Clerk’s Office, on or before July 29. It is possible that postcards will go to residences within the City addressed to people that haven’t lived at a given address in some time. If residents within the community receive a post card addressed to someone that does not reside at their address, the postcard may be disregarded; no further response is needed.
If someone is purged from the City’s checklist, they can easily re-register to vote at the polls on Election Day and/or at the Clerk’s Office whenever it is convenient for them, during normal business hours.
Anyone with questions about this checklist purge should contact the City Clerk’s Office by phone at (603) 225-8500 or via email at cityclerk@concordnh.gov. The City Clerk’s Office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with extended hours until 6 p.m. on Thursdays.
Property tax relief deadline
Property owners who owned and resided in their homes on April 1, 2020, may apply to the State of New Hampshire for relief of a portion of the state education property tax. There is no age requirement or asset limit for this program. A single person whose total household income was $20,000 or less in 2020 and married person or head of New Hampshire households with total household income of $40,000 or less in 2020 may apply.
Completed forms and documentation must be postmarked no later than June 30, 2021, to the NH DRA, Taxpayer Services Division, PO Box 299, Concord, NH 03302-0299. Applicants will need a copy of their final 2020 tax bills, that were sent to you in November, and a copy of their 2020 federal tax return. If the property is in a trust, a copy of the entire trust document must be submitted. If you need a copy of your final 2020 tax bills, please contact Collections at 603-225-8540.
Questions about the program may be directed to the Revenue Administration at 603-230-5920; press prompt #2. Hearing or speech impaired individuals may call TDD Access: Relay NH at 1-800-735-2964.
Application for the State of New Hampshire’s Low-and Moderate-Income Homeowner’s Property Tax Relief program are available on the Department’s website at revenue.nh.gov/forms/low-moderate.htm. The forms may be obtained on the City of Concord’s website at concordnh.gov; on the Assessing Department page, the link is on the left side of the screen under the Low & Moderate Tax Relief. The forms are also available at the Assessing office, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
New four-way stop
New STOP signs with stop bars have been installed on Bog Road and Horse Hill Road. The intersection with Carter Hill Road and River Road is now operating as a 4-way stop. Electronic message boards will temporarily stay in place to warn motorists of the change. Drivers who regularly use this intersection are asked to approach it mindfully as everyone gets accustomed to the change.
Special election Ward 4
Absentee ballots for the July 13 Ward Four Special Election to fill the vacant City Council seat are now available from the City’s Clerk’s Office. Residents who are unable to vote at the polls on Election Day due to absence from town, religious observance, or physical disability may request an absentee ballot from the City Clerk’s Office. You must be registered to vote prior to casting an absentee ballot. July 6 is the last day residents may register to vote prior to Election Day. A sample ballot is available through the elections page at concordnh.gov/elections.
Information submitted by candidates is available through a link on the Elections page concordnh.gov/elections.
For more information about the upcoming election, contact the City Clerk’s Office at 225-8500 or via e-mail at cityclerk@concordnh.gov. The City Clerk’s Office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with extended hours until 6 p.m. on Thursdays.
Garage maintenance
Big Guns Pressure Washing will be pressure washing the School Street Garage June 25, 26, and 27.
Pressure washing will occur from Friday night to Monday morning. The garage will be closed to the public overnight from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. on these days. Daytime parking will be permitted. All vehicles must vacate the premises by 7 p.m.
Washington Street Bridge
The Washington Street Bridge will be closed during the day while the contractor is actively working. This closure began on May 3. The closure can be expected between 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., but may be shorter each day based on the contractor’s schedule.
At some point in the coming weeks, the bridge will be closed completely until mid- to late-August, and there will be a follow-up advanced notice with more details.
During the closure, traffic traveling southbound on Washington Street will be detoured down Millstream Lane to Borough Road. Traffic traveling northbound on River Road /Washington Street will be detoured down Borough Road to Millstream Lane. Below is a plan showing the detour route, which will be designated with signage along the route.
If there are any questions or concerns, please contact the Engineering Services Division at 225-8520. We thank you for your patience while we complete this important project.
Beaver Meadow hosts Pinnacle Awards
Beaver Meadow Golf Course was happy to host the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce’s Pinnacle Awards outside under the tent this past week. Congratulations to all of the award recipients and thanks for joining us during what was a beautiful day.
Fire department news
Congratulations to the members of the Concord Fire Department who were recently promoted, and to the department’s new members as well. You can view videos of these events on the City’s YouTube channel for the April 16 ceremony and June 14 ceremony.
Roller skating
Roller skating has returned to the Everett Arena! Skating hours this year are Tuesday through Friday from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Roller skating will only be available for a limited time through Friday, July 30. Admission will be $5 with skate rentals available if needed for an additional $5 at the Pro Shop. Book a private roller skating event for a birthday party, field trip, or rainout event. Private events only cost $150 an hour and include skate rentals. Call (603) 228-2784 or email everettarena@concordnh.gov if interested. Visit concordnh.gov/rollerskating for more information.
Neighborhood Street PavingProgram
GMI Asphalt has begun work on Joffre Street and Wiggin Street this week after the completion of the water line replacement project. All catch basin and manhole covers were lowered on Thursday and Friday, pavement reclamation will start on Monday, and then base pavement will be completed by the end of next week. Manholes and catch basins will be raised late next week along with curb work and finish paving will occur the following week. A shim overlay will be performed on Chase Street in the next couple of weeks. A shim overlay on Clinton Street from Princeton Street to South Spring Street will occur around September. Work is weather permitting. Streets may be reduced to one lane or closed to through traffic. Parking will be prohibited between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Residents will have road access to their homes. Find more information and a tentative schedule of streets approved for paving at concordnh.gov/pavingplan.
New Pool Pumps
General Services’ Public Properties Division has facilitated the installation of new pool pumps at Merrill, Keach, Kimball, Rollins, and Rolfe Park. Pool pumps were installed to replace aging and end-of-life equipment. The new pumps are more energy-efficient and are estimated to produce 40,000 kWh in energy savings. This will reduce the City’s electric bill by approximately $5,000 to $7,500 annually. The City will also receive a utility rebate of about $9,400. Pumps are running and ready for the start of pool season!
Use Water Wisely – Drought conditions persist
As of June 17, drought conditions remain unchanged from last week. 40.89% of New Hampshire is in a moderate drought, 48.7% (including Concord) is experiencing abnormally dry conditions, and 10.41% is not currently experiencing any drought. Drought conditions at this time remain most intense in Northern parts of the state.
The precipitation deficit for Concord has increased to 4.83 inches below average for this time of year. The National Weather Service predicts 33-40% above average precipitation for the region in the next 8-14 days. More rain is needed to help improve conditions.
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) is recommending for outdoor water use restrictions to be implemented for community water systems and municipalities across New Hampshire. At this time, Concord is not implementing watering restrictions as our water supply remains healthy. It is possible restrictions may be implemented if drought conditions continue to worsen and if water consumption gets too high.
Water consumption was much higher than average last summer and consumption continues to trend high again this year. Concord’s Water Treatment Facility has been producing 5.8MGD – 6.0MGD (millions of gallons per day) of water for the past few weeks. This is above average for this time of year, which is typically closer to 5.0MGD. Increased water use is linked with the return of irrigation and outdoor water use and higher than average volumes due to dry conditions driven by the drought.
We advise everyone to please conserve water use as a proactive measure to manage our water source. Be mindful of your water use, especially outdoors. Simple conservation practices include minimizing irrigation and lawn watering, and inspecting systems for water leaks. Practice watering at night or early morning to minimize evaporation and consider using weather-based irrigation controllers to avoid unnecessary watering if it rains.
Drought conditions will continue to be monitored. Please continue to use water wisely. We thank everyone for their efforts to conserve water. Every drop counts! Find drought updates and water conservation tips at http://www.concordnh.gov/conservation.
Concerts
Concord Parks & Rec is hosting a series of free Tuesday and Thursday night concerts in June, July, and August. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Nevers Band plays on Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. at various locations around the city. Nevers’ Band Concerts are an exciting & fun experience for the whole family! Their diverse repertoire includes popular numbers, patriotic music, classic orchestral transcriptions, music from motion pictures & more!
Tuesday Night Dates:
June 29: Concord State House
July 4: Memorial Field (rain date: July 5) *7:45 p.m. start time*
July 13: Eagle Square
July 20: Rolfe Park
July 27: Keach Park
Aug. 10: Riverfront Park (behind Everett Arena)
Thursday night concerts are held in Eagle Square beginning at 7 p.m. and feature a variety of musical acts. Visit the Concord Parks & Rec website or their Summer/Fall brochure (page 8) for more information.
Thursday Night Dates:
Freese Brothers Big Band: June 24
Rebel Collective: July 1
NH Fiddle Ensemble: July 8
Kid Pinky: July 15
Freese Brothers Big Band: July 22
Marc Berger: July 29
Bad Medicine: Aug. 5
Club Soda: Aug. 12
Live music with the library
Concord Public Library’s Live Music with the Library concert series returns. These concerts are free and everyone is welcome to attend.
Rory Scott Band: July 21, 6 p.m., Eagle Square (rain date: July 28). The Rory Scott Band is a “hard hitting country band with a rock flair.”
Nick’s Other Band: August 18, 6 p.m., Library Lawn off of Prince Street (rain date: August 25). Nick’s Other Band is a high energy band playing classic rock and more.
These concerts are also listed in the Parks & Rec Summer/Fall brochure (page 8).
City pools
The following pools opened on Sunday: Keach, Merrill, Rolfe and Rollins. Due to staffing constraints, the Kimball Pool opening has been delayed. As soon as we have adequate staff, we will open for the season. For information on pool hours and rules, please visit our website at concordnh.gov/pools.
The grand reopening of Merrill Pool was held June 18. Concord General Services had been working with The H.L. Turner Group Inc and SSG Pools to fully replace the existing pool structure to address aging concerns and offer improvements for ADA accessibility, increased safety, improved efficiency, and enhanced visual appeal.
Residents must bring ID for free entry. We can’t wait for the community to be able to enjoy the improvements of this new pool, including a beach style ramp with zero-entry access, a new deck with increased floor traction and drainage, spruced up bathrooms, and gusher jets! Find more information about the community pools at concordnh.gov/pools and information about the pool renovation at concordnh.gov/publicproperties.
CATCH groundbreaking
Congratulations to CATCH Neighborhood Housing on a successful groundbreaking ceremony at Rosemary’s Way in Penacook on Thursday. Speakers included Governor Chris Sununu, Mayor Jim Bouley, and many others. This project at 95 Village Street will add 42 units of affordable housing, including one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments.
