Here’s a look at what was included in Friday’s city newsletter:
Meetings
City meetings are held in person in Council Chambers at 37 Green St. (unless otherwise specified on the City’s calendar). Upcoming meetings include:
Zoning Board of Adjustment: May 3, 6 p.m.
City Council: May 8, 7 p.m.
Visit concordnh.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx for City Council and Planning Board agendas, which are posted prior to the meetings. View the City calendar for more meetings and events.
Dog licenses
State of New Hampshire RSA 466:1 requires that every owner or keeper of a dog, four months of age or older, license said dog in the municipal clerk’s office in the city or town in which the dog is kept. Licenses are effective from May 1 to April 30 of the subsequent year.
In accordance with RSA 466:1, the City Clerk’s Office has begun the annual dog licensing season. Historically, the annual dog license renewal process begins each April, with residents vying for tag #1. In honor of that tradition, staff has reserved tag #’s 1 – 299, and will begin issuing those numbers on April 3.
In the meantime, residents not vying for low tag numbers can either renew said license(s) online, in person, or by mailing payments to the City Clerk’s Office, 41 Green St., Concord, New Hampshire 03301.
Licenses may only be issued if current rabies information is on file. If you are unsure as to whether or not current rabies information is on file for your dog(s) feel free to contact the City Clerk’s Office by email at cityclerk@concordnh.gov or by phone at (603) 225-8500.
Owners who license a dog after May 31 are subject to additional fees. If you are no longer required to license a dog with the City of Concord, because you relocated outside of Concord or Penacook or you no longer have your pet, please let the Clerk’s Office know.
New Solid Waste Contracts
The City of Concord will be entering into a new 10-year solid waste collection and recycling services contract with Casella and a 10-year disposal contract with WIN Waste Innovations (Wheelabrator Concord Company), effective July 1, 2024.
New Disposal Site:
Concord’s solid waste disposal site will change from the North Country Environmental Services landfill in Bethlehem to the waste-to-energy facility in Penacook. Waste-to-energy facilities are a preferred method for solid waste management over landfills according to the State of New Hampshire’s waste management hierarchy (after first reducing waste, reusing and recycling, and composting) because they can turn waste into energy, reduce trash volumes, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced from landfills. Having the facility located in Concord also reduces transportation emissions and keeps the responsibility of the community’s waste local.
Automated Collection:
As part of the 10-year contract for solid waste collection and recycling services with Casella, Casella will procure, deploy, and maintain toters for an orderly transition to automated trash collection by July 1, 2028, after a 2-year pilot program by July 1, 2026.
Automated curbside trash collection uses a truck with a mechanical arm to grab, lift, and empty materials into the back of the truck. Toters (trash barrels with a lid and wheels) will be required, one for recycling (typically a 96-gallon) and another for trash (typically a 64-gallon). A split-body truck will continue to be used, allowing for the collection of both trash and recyclables at the same time, separated by a divider within the vehicle.
Currently, Concord utilizes manual collection, in which workers physically grab materials at the curb and place them into the truck. The solid waste industry has been shifting away from manual collection due to labor shortages, improved technologies, and cost savings. The transition to automated collection has already transpired for other New Hampshire communities such as Manchester, Nashua, Rochester, Londonderry, Bow, and Laconia.
Automated Collection Pilot Program:
The 10-year term not only prolongs a secure contract with potential long-term cost savings, but also delays the transition requirement to automated collection as long as possible while providing the opportunity for a gradual transition. Instead of all 12,000 (approximate) stops in the city instantly switching to automated collection at the same time, a gradual initiative allows for a minimized number of participants in select neighborhoods to test out the functionality and work more closely to address concerns.
