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
Concord Fire Department
Concord Fire Department personnel were recognized last week by Concord Hospital for two recent significant medical events.
Concord Hospital EMS Coordinator Craig Clough presented Firefighters David Currier, Phil Tirrell, Zach Gagnon, and Firefighter Paramedic Justin Kantar with stork pins and code save pins. For the second time in less than a month, CFD personnel were recognized for their performance at a field delivery of a baby girl. The healthy new arrival was 7 pounds, 8 ounces, and 20.8 inches. This was 25-year veteran Firefighter Phil Tirrell’s first field delivery. Tirrell said, “when we deal with so much tragedy, it is uplifting to be involved with these types of incidents.”
The Heights Fire Station crew also responded to assist Tri-Town EMS with a patient that went into cardiac arrest while being transported to Concord Hospital. Personnel from both agencies worked to perform advanced life support procedures, including rapid sequence intubation and pharmacological interventions, to successfully revive the patient. The skilled and cohesive teamwork led to what is known as a “door to balloon time” of 30 minutes. Door to balloon time is the amount of time from when the patient arrived at Concord Hospital to the time the patient was receiving cardiac catheterization. The patient was able to be discharged from the hospital 4 days later.
City 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:
Zoning Board of Adjustment, July 7, 7 p.m.
City Council, July 12, 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.
Independence Day: City offices will be closed on July 5 in observance of Independence Day. Information is included below under Concord Parks & Rec News regarding the annual Fourth of July Celebration at Memorial Field on Sunday, July 4.
Ward 4 City Council special election
Absentee ballots for the July 13 Ward Four Special Election to fill the vacant City Council seat are now available from the City 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.
Legislative parking garage work
The State of NH has a contractor team working on rehabilitating the deck and supporting structure of the Storrs Street Legislative Parking Garage. This work will involve intermittent lane closures and maintenance of one-way traffic underneath the garage, as well as parking space and sidewalk closures. Work is expected to continue into mid-July.
Beaver Meadow Golf Course
Beaver Meadow Golf Course is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. It all began in 1895, when Miss Mabel Hill, Miss Harriet Anderson, Miss Harriet Huntress and Mr. Paul Holden began playing golf on some fields located east of the Maple Grove Cemetery. The group employed Scottish Golf Pro Willie Campbell to construct a 9-hole course in 1896. Willie came to Concord by train from Brookline, Massachusetts, and did the job for the grand sum of $50. Soon, a permanent golf club was formed and, very shortly thereafter, the membership grew to 120. In 1899, the first clubhouse was built. Learn more about the golf course’s history.
Beaver Meadow is celebrating this milestone with some special events over the 4th of July weekend:
July 2: 125th Anniversary Mixed Twilight, 5:30 p.m.
July 3: 125th Anniversary Willie Campbell Tournament
July 4: 125th Anniversary One-Day Member Guest
There will also be a Member-Guest event July 10-11. Call the Pro Shop at 228-8954 to sign up or visit their website for more information.
Washington Street bridge work
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.
Everett Arena roller skating
Roller skating continues at 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 paving program
GMI Asphalt has completed pavement reclamation and base pavement this week for Joffre Street and Wiggin Street. Manholes and catch basins have been raised, and curb work and finish paving will occur next week. A shim overlay will be performed on Chase Street in the next week as well. 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.
Use water wisely!
As of June 24, drought conditions have expanded across New Hampshire from last week. Moderate drought conditions in Northern parts of the state have grown into Southern areas, now totaling 58.47% of the state, while 31.78% (including Concord) is experiencing abnormally dry conditions and 9.75% is not currently experiencing any drought.
The precipitation deficit for Concord continues to increase and is now currently 5.6 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. Considerable rain is needed to improve conditions.
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) is recommending for water systems to implement outdoor water use restrictions. Currently, 74 water systems in New Hampshire have restrictions in place. 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 continues to trend high this season. Concord’s Water Treatment Facility has been producing 5.8MGD – 6.0MGD (millions of gallons per day) of water for the past several weeks. This is above average for this time of year, which is typically closer to 5.0MGD. Water consumption was higher than average last summer as well. Increased water use is linked with irrigation and outdoor water use and higher than average volumes due to dry conditions driven by the drought.
Please use water wisely. We advise everyone to please conserve water as a proactive measure to preserve 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. We thank everyone for their efforts to conserve water. Every drop counts! Find drought updates and water conservation tips at concordnh.gov/conservation.
Fourth of July celebration
Concord’s annual July 4 Celebration will be held on Sunday, July 4 at Memorial Field. A limited number of food vendors will be open at 6 p.m., Nevers Band will play at 7:45 p.m., followed by an Atlas Fireworks show around 9:20 p.m. The rain date is July 5. Please be aware that there will limited on-site parking with several streets around the complex going one way starting around 4 p.m.
Summer Adventure Camp
The Parks and Recreation Department has a limited number of available spaces for their Rec Adventure Camp (grades 3 – 5). Camp runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday with a limited number of outside field trips beginning the week of July 6. More information is available on the department’s website at concordparksandrec.com.
Story Board Walk at Keach Park
Concord Parks & Recreation is excited to have the privilege to display A Coach Ride Around Concord by local author and illustrator Jill Galvin. Jill’s book is available for the whole community to enjoy at Keach Park as part of the book walk around the park.
Jill Galvin has lived in Concord for 22 years. She has a degree in education with a minor in art. Jill started her career as an Early Intervention Director; she then taught pre-school for many years before she was recruited by Laurie Hart (Concord School District) to run a couple of their Concord Family Center locations. Jill hosts Concord Family Center at Abbot-Downing School and the City Wide Community Center.
During the pandemic, like many of us, Jill found herself with some extra time. It was then she had the idea to write and illustrate a book about Concord.
A Coach Ride Around Concord by Jill Galvin has something for everyone. From a fun seek and find game to historical facts, this story is fun for readers and book lovers of all ages.
