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NewsLink
is a bi-weekly newsletter of the New Hampshire Municipal Association.
Its purpose is to keep you up-to-date on the latest information
of interest to municipal officials.
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2019 Important Date Calendars Available Online
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2019 Important Date Calendars Now Available
Visit
www.nhmunicipal.org to see the 2019 Important Date Calendars, which detail important dates and deadlines for March and May traditional meetings and March, April and May SB2 meetings, as well as a general calendar. These Important Date Calendars are located in the Legal Services box.
You may also download your 2019 calendar here:
Printed calendars will be distributed to members in September.
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Important Email Information. Please Read.
Please make sure we have your correct email address on file. This is how we communicate with you regarding NHMA training and educational programs, as well as receiving critical e-blasts.
It has come to our attention that some municipal members have created bundled email accounts on behalf of their municipal officials. This means they are using one email account for several individuals. If you wish to receive our email notifications, you must establish individual or unique email accounts for each municipal official. If it is not possible to create multiple email accounts, we request that you send your personal email account. NHMA will keep this information confidential and it will only be used by NHMA - it will not be shared. Further, you may unsubscribe from mailings at any time.
Thank you!
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Upcoming Workshops Worth Attending!
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Registration Now Open for 2018 Budget and Finance Workshops
9:00 am - 4:30 pm
W
ednesday, September 12
(The Derryfield Banquet Facility, Manchester, NH)
or
Thursday, September 20
(The Mountain Club on Loon, Lincoln, NH)
The Budget and Finance workshops are targeted at municipal officials and employees involved in the budgeting process, including members of governing bodies and budget committees, town managers, administrators, and finance staff.
Registration Fee: $90
Attendees will receive a copy of NHMA's 2017 edition of
The Basic Law of Budgeting: A Guide for Towns, Village Districts and School Districts and the 2018 Supplement.
Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.
Program Description
Fundamentals of the Municipal Budget Process
Using the 2017 edition of NHMA's Basic Law of Budgeting and the 2018 Supplement as a guide, this full-morning session will address all aspects of the municipal budget process focusing on appropriations, gross-basis budgeting, separate vs. special warrant articles, multi-year contracts, transfers, lapses, spending limitations, no-means-no, duties of official budget committees, disallowed appropriations, special budget requirements under the SB 2 process (official ballot voting) including recent law changes, and other topics. This session is a must for members of governing bodies, budget committees, and other local officials involved in the budget process. Ample time will be provided for questions and answers
Presented by: Stephen Buckley, NHMA Legal Services Counsel, and Margaret Byrnes, NHMA Staff Attorney II.
How to Pay for the Budget You Want
This session will address the numerous ways to finance the municipal budget including user fees, reserve and special revenue funds, unanticipated revenue, use of fund balance, long-term debt, leases, Tax Increment Financing (TIF), and of course property taxation. The importance of multi-year planning using capital improvement plans will be explained, as well as an overview of state aid available to municipalities.
Presented by: Stephen Buckley, NHMA Legal Services Counsel and Barbara Reid, NHMA Government Finance Advisor.
Understanding the Property Tax System
This session will describe how the property tax system works, including school, county and village district components of property tax rates. Participants will better understand the difference between "assessed" and "equalized" property values, how those values are used in the tax rate setting process, and how to estimate budgetary impacts on the property tax rate in their municipality.
Presented by: Barbara Reid, NHMA Government Finance Advisor.
Data Analysis for Decision-Making
The final session of the day will explore the information and data available to municipal officials and the public on the New Hampshire Public Finance Consortium website. This Data Model was developed to provide access to consistent and timely data about New Hampshire local governments utilizing financial information reported annually by cities and towns to the Department of Revenue Administration, along with other information, with a goal of helping to analyze trends and provide relevant comparisons.
Presented by: Barbara Reid, NHMA Government Finance Advisor.
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NHMLA/NHMA Workshop:
Governmental Meeting Disruptions
2:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Thursday, September 6, 2018
In recent years, nationally and in New Hampshire, the national tenor of protest and disruptions has manifested itself during local government meetings. This may result in issues sometimes described as conflicts between First Amendment rights and the need for governmental bodies to conduct their affairs efficiently and effectively. This seminar will present an overview of legal and practical concerns, along with interactive discussion on the following: the public's right to speak, petition and assemble at local government meetings and proper nature of governmental body responses, such as postponement of the meeting or ejection of individuals. Included will be analysis of RSA 642:1 on Obstructing Government Administration and suggestions for practical guidance on handling disruptions.
Important Notice Regarding MCLE Credit in New Hampshire
The New Hampshire Municipal Lawyers Association (NHMLA) believes this course meets the requirements of NH Supreme Court Rule 53 and may qualify for 120 minutes toward the annual NHMCLE requirement. Actual attendance minutes must be determined and reported by attendees. Breaks do not qualify as attendance.
New Hampshire attendees must self-determine whether a program is eligible for credit, and self-report their attendance.
Registration Fees
NHMA Members (Municipal Officials)=$30.00
NHMLA Members (Attorneys) and NHSBA Members=$40.00
Non-Members (Attorneys)=$65.00
This webinar is open to NHMA members and members of the New Hampshire Municipal Lawyers Association (NHMLA) and the New Hampshire School Boards Association (NHSBA).
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NHMA Right-to-Know Law Workshop:
Public Meetings and Nonpublic Sessions
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Friday, September 28, 2018
NHMA Offices, 25 Triangle Park Drive, Concord
Cost is $75 and includes breakfast and publication
Join Legal Services Counsel Stephen Buckley and Staff Attorney Margaret Byrnes, who will discuss the requirements for holding a proper public meeting, as well the exceptions to the meeting requirement (the so-called "non-meeting"). Then the attorneys will discuss the purposes for which public bodies may hold a nonpublic session, as well as the procedural requirements for a proper nonpublic session. This workshop will also address difficult "meeting" issues, such as communications outside a meeting and electronic means of communicating. There will be ample time for questions and answers.
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Upcoming Webinars -
Training Without Leaving Your Office!
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NHMA Webinar: Alien Invasion: Preventing Aquatic Invasive Species in Your Local Waterbodies
12:00 noon - 1:00 pm
Wednesday,
August 22, 2018
New Hampshire has been fighting exotic aquatic plants since the mid-1960's and these invasive species have spread to infest more than 60 water bodies in the state.
Once in the waterbody, continuous management and control practices are the only cost-effective tools to control the nuisance plant growth which research has shown reduces shoreline property values. With over 800 lakes and ponds in the state, the efforts of volunteers in monitoring these waterbodies for new infestations become critical.
Join Amy Smagula, Exotic Species Program Coordinator with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and Kelly Ainslee Buchanan, Advocacy Coordinator with NH LAKES, who will discuss what cities and towns can do through education and volunteer training to prevent exotic plant infestations in your local water bodies.
This webinar is open to NHMA members and is of interest to all municipal officials and employees and members of NHLAKES.
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NHMA Webinar: The ABCs of RPCs
12:00 noon - 1:00 pm
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
New Hampshire is comprised of nine Regional Planning Commissions (RPCs) and each represents a unique association of local governments that provide comprehensive planning services to meet the diverse needs of the geographic region they serve.
The traditional role of RPCs was to plan for the physical development of the areas they served. This involved planning issues such as land use, transportation, and natural resource protection. While this function has continued to be important, additional program responsibilities have been added, including technical assistance in such areas as economic development, grant and loan services, reviewing developments of regional impact and compiling housing needs assessments.
Join Nathan Miller, AICP, Deputy Executive Director with the Southern New Hampshire RPC, and Stephen C. Buckley, Esq., NHMA's Legal Services Counsel and Chair of the New Hampshire Association of RPCs (NHARPC), who will outline the strategic partnerships and current program of work of the RPCs on behalf of their member communities, and by extension, all cities and towns across New Hampshire.
This webinar is open to NHMA members and is of interest to all municipal officials and employees and members of the New Hampshire Association of Regional Planning Commissions.
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NHMA Webinar:
Elections: From Registration to Results
12:00 noon - 1:00 pm
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
The State General Election is Tuesday, November 6, 2018. Are you ready?
Join Dee-Ann Decker, Chairman, Supervisor of the Checklist in the Town of Nottingham, and Stephen C. Buckley, Esq., NHMA's Legal Services Coordinator, who will explore and discuss important election law changes affecting all New Hampshire municipalities. The legislature made significant voter registration changes via SB 3 that must be implemented by local election officials. One of those changes, a bifurcated voter registration process, must be used by election officials with different forms and procedures for registration more than 30 days before an election as opposed to voter registration less than 30 days before an election or on election day. Recently enacted HB 1264 (goes into effect on July 1, 2019) modifies the general statutory definitions of "resident or inhabitant" and "residence or residency" for voter eligibility and registration purposes.
Come learn from the experts about the new responsibilities election officials have to keep in mind when preparing for the next general election.
This webinar is open to NHMA members and is of interest to all municipal officials and employees, particularly those officials with election responsibilities.
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Final
Legislative Bulletin Now Available!
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Are You Ready for NHMA's Legislative Policy Conference?
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NHMA's 2019-2020 Legislative Policy Conference
9:00 am, Friday, September 14, 2018
NHMA Offices, 25 Triangle Park Drive, Concord
The Legislative Policy Conference is scheduled for Friday, September 14, 2018, at 9:00 a.m. at NHMA's offices at 25 Triangle Park Drive in Concord.
We urge the governing body of each municipality to discuss
the full slate of policy recommendations, along with these floor proposals, and take a position on each proposal to give guidance to your voting delegate. Do not send your positions on the policy recommendations to NHMA; they are only for the guidance of your voting delegate, and each municipality can register its positions only by voting at the conference. At the conference, delegates may vote to approve, reject, amend, or table a policy proposal. They may also vote to change the order of priority of the various policies.
Floor Policy Proposals
Please follow
this link
to find the floor policy proposals that have been submitted for discussion and vote at the NHMA Legislative Policy Conference. We have also sent paper copies of these proposals by U.S. mail to the chief administrative officer in each municipality (or the governing body chair if no administrative staff). These proposals supplement the policy recommendations prepared by the three legislative policy committees, which were mailed to each municipality on June 20, 2018. Delegates at the conference will vote on the policy recommendations and the floor policy proposals, along with NHMA's Legislative Principles. If you need copies of any of these documents, you can find them on the NHMA website,
www.nhmunicipal.org
. (Near the top of the home page, click on the "Advocacy" tab, then use the menu on the left to find "Legislative Principles," "2019-2020 Legislative Policy Recommendations," and "2019-2020 Floor Policy Proposals.")
Voting Delegate - Action Required by September 7th!
Each member municipality has one vote at the policy conference. Each governing body is asked to appoint a voting delegate to cast the municipality's vote on the policy proposals. With the paper copies of the floor policy proposals, we have also sent a voting delegate card to be returned to us indicating the governing body's appointment for voting delegate. Please mail this card back to us
no later than Friday, September 7.
This is an important opportunity for each member municipality to participate in determining NHMA legislative policy for the 2019-2020 biennium--we count on your input!
As always, please do not hesitate to call or
e-mail
the Government Affairs Staff with any questions, comments, or concerns. We look forward to seeing you on September 14.
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Are You Signed Up for the
Legislative Bulletin?
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Get Ready for Upcoming Legislative Session with the Legislative Bulletin
Every Friday during the legislative session receive information municipal officials need to know about what's happening at the State House.
This is your most timely source of information regarding legislative developments impacting the efficient and effective operations of municipal government in New Hampshire.
Sign up today. Don't miss out!
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NHDES to Host Stakeholder Meeting on Fugitive Dust Rule
10:00 am - 12:00 noon
Thursday, August 16, 2018
NHDES Offices, 29 Hazen Drive, Concord
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) will be holding a stakeholder meeting on August 16, 2018 for a presentation regarding upcoming fugitive dust rule revisions and a discussion of potential updates.
Env-A 1002, Prevention, Abatement, and Control of Fugitive Dust has been in effect since 1978, as authorized under RSA 125-C. The current rules will expire May 2019. Rule updates will coordinate current technology and industry practices that have developed over the years for worker protection, and protection of the public and the environment.
NHDES has shared the following resources in advance of this August 16 meeting:
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NHDES to Readopt Rules with Amendments Governing Underground Storage Facilities (Env-Or 400)
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) is proposing to readopt with amendment Env-Or 400, Underground Storage Facilities.
The existing rules implement RSA 146-C, Underground Storage Facilities, by regulating the design, installation, operation, maintenance, and closure of underground storage tank (UST) facilities. NHDES is currently approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to administer and enforce the UST
program in New Hampshire under subtitle I of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq. To retain program approval, NHDES's rules must be at least as stringent as the federal requirements. Some of the provisions of the federal requirements revised effective October 13, 2015 are more stringent than the existing rules, so revisions are being proposed. The proposed revisions reflect federal rule revisions, including some additional testing requirements, clarifying existing requirements, and deleting obsolete requirements.
The public hearing is scheduled for Monday, August 20, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. in Room 112 of the DES Offices at 29 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH. The deadline for submission of written comments is 4:00 p.m. on Friday, August 31, 2018.
Comments or questions should be directed to Michael Juranty, PE, Supervisor, Oil Compliance Section at 603.271.6058 or [email protected].
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New Hampshire Coalition for Sustaining Agriculture Releases "Local Regulation of Agriculture" Toolkit
Developed with grant funds provided by Farm Credit East Northeast AgEnhancement, the New Hampshire Coalition for Sustaining Agriculture has developed this Toolkit for farmers and municipal decision makers to guide development of farm friendly regulatory environments in which agricultural enterprises can operate successfully, and the traditions of New Hampshire's working landscape of farms and forests can continue.
The Toolkit includes:
* a checklist for assessing the farm friendliness of local regulations and policies;
* a flowchart of state laws governing farming and agricultural activities;
* a glossary of terms, and discussion on the relationship between state and municipal laws;
* a resource list of agencies, organizations, and publications for farmers and municipalities to address conflicts and pro-actively develop farm-friendly regulatory environments.
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Historic Funding Available for Public Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure
In March 2018, Congress provided a historic level of funding that included $5.2 billion for United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure in rural communities under 10,000 population.
According to Granite State Rural Water Association's Executive Director, Jennifer Palmiotto, "New Hampshire is mostly served by small public drinking water and wastewater systems located in rural areas. This funding in the form of grants and loans can make all the difference in making a viable project."
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NESGFOA Annual Conference
September 23-26, 2018
Mystic, Connecticut
The New England States Government Finance Officers Association (NESGFOA) will hold it's annual fall conference in Mystic, Connecticut from September 23-26, 2018. Conference participants may earn up to 16 CPE credits and will enjoy a wide selection of networking opportunities with public finance officials from throughout New England.
The Conference Program Agenda, Conference details, registration and hotel information are available at
www.nesgfoa.org.
A $100 discount is available to the first 15 New Hampshire GFOA government members who register for the conference (use code NHGFOA100).
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Radically Rural Conference
Thursday, September 27, 2018
MoCo Arts Building
76 Railroad Street
Keene, NH
Radically Rural is an annual two-day summit that will bring together 500 people who are passionate about creating vibrant, robust rural communities and eager to learn, connect and lead change.
Broad shifts in demographics, communications, technology, economic development, and personal values are generating creative responses from innovative thinkers, change-makers, entrepreneurs, and community-builders who love their towns and know their advantages. Come and learn what they are doing. Radically Rural will feature five program tracks and three programs per track over the course of two days, as well as keynote opening and closing speeches, and our popular CONNECT event Thursday night.
Early bird conference cost is $109 for just the session, and $129 for the sessions PLUS the CONNECT event. If interested in learning more about Radically Rural Conference, go here!
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NHPST Amends Rules Regarding Police Officer Training
T
he New Hampshire Police Standards and Training Council (NHPSTC) is proposing to readopt with amendments administrative rule Pol 302.01 dealing with training requirements for all newly hired police, corrections and probation/parole officers. This rule specifies the time limits for completion of the training programs, good cause for extensions of time to complete the programs and limitations imposed upon uncertified officers. The proposed amendments will require that uncertified officers work only in the direct presence of a certified officer until completion of the basic training program. The rulemaking notice from NHPSTC states that, compared to the existing rule, the proposed rule may increase costs to political subdivisions relative to the proposed supervisory requirement.
A copy of the proposed rules is available by contacting Timothy Merrill at 271-1790 or
[email protected]. A public hearing on the proposed rules is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on
Tuesday, September 25, 2018 at Police Standards and Training, 17 Institute Drive, Concord, NH. The deadline for submission of written comments by Fax (271-1785) or email is
Tuesday, October 2, 2018.
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The Hassenfeld Institute for Public Leadership: Why State Rankings Matter
The Hassenfeld Institute for Public Leadership at Bryant University recently produced a summary and evaluation of commonly cited indices used to measure the business climate of states, with current ranking of New England states. Rankings can be useful in highlighting trends and prompting policy makers to work on significant challenges facing states and municipalities. Go check out where New Hampshire falls in these indices.
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NHRS Proposes Re-adoption of Practice and Procedure Rules
The New Hampshire Retirement System (NHRS) is proposing to readopt with amendments administrative rules Ret 200 dealing with the rules of practice and procedures. This includes the filing, issuance, and service of documents; petitions and motions; adjudicative proceedings; rulemaking petitions; and declaratory rulings.
A copy of the proposed rule is available by contacting Mark Cavanaugh at [email protected]
or 603-410-3592.
A public hearing on the proposed rule is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 11, 2018 at the NHRS Office, 54 Regional Drive, Concord. The deadline for submission of written comments is by the end of the hearing on September 11.
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GFOA Offers "Better Budgeting" Webinar Series
The
Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) is offering a series of three webinars focused on "Better Budgeting." Each webinar is a separate topic and stand-alone training session. Click on the webinar title below for program description and registration information. Or
click here
to register for the entire 3-part series.
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Workforce Development is Key Component of any Infrastructure Investment Project
This year, the National League of Cities (NLC) is focused on telling the story of city infrastructure through our
Rebuild With Us campaign.
Together with local city and town leaders, NLC is calling on Congress and the administration to work with them to invest in the roads, bridges, waterways and broadband networks that make up the economic
backbone of America's communities.
However, workforce development is also a key component of any infrastructure project, though it is often overlooked during policy debates. That's why NLC has been hard at work highlighting the need for a trained and skilled workforce, our human capital infrastructure, that can build and maintain the critical components of our nation's physical infrastructure.
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NewsLink will periodically feature a segment that highlights recognition of our members (and any other good news that deserve notice) in a new segment called
"Members in the News".
So please send to us any recognitions, awards, distinctions or any news worthy items to us at
[email protected]
. The emphasis is on good news and/or stories of how municipal professionals are transforming the way we serve our residents every day.
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Rural New Hampshire Joins "Age-Friendly" Network - Serves as Model for other New England Towns Seeking to Improve Livability for Seniors at all Life Stages
As we reported here in our July 4th
NewsLink, communities such as Portsmouth and Goffstown were pledging to plan and coordinate changes in housing, transportation, health and employment services to enhance living for seniors as well as younger residents. These municipalities, including the City of Dover, had already received the Age-Friendly designation from AARP.
Through the AARP network, the Mount Washington Valley towns of Albany, Bartlett, Chatham, Conway, Easton, Freedom, Jackson, Madison and Tamworth (plus Fryeburg, Maine) have banded together as a single planning entity for the purpose of becoming age-friendly.
Learn more here.
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August 15th TRIVIA QUESTION:
Name the New Hampshire town or city which includes the two villages of Percy and Crystal. During World War II in 1944 a camp called the Civilian Conservation Corps was converted to a prisoner of war camp housing approximately 250 German prisoners. It is also famous for its historic covered bridge located on the Upper Ammonoosuc River.
Please send your response to
[email protected]
. A winner will be recognized in the next
NewsLink
issue and be eligible for a grand prize of no particular value whatsoever at the end of the year.
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August 1st TRIVIA QUESTION:
Name the New Hampshire town or city named after very popular president at the time. Originally chartered as part of Lyman, it was incorporated as a separate town in 1854. A notable inhabitant was the inventor of the Paddleford Truss for wooden covered bridges, Peter Paddleford.
Correct Response: Town of Monroe
August 1st Winner: Mary Walter, Finance Director, City of Claremont
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Benefit Plans for the Public Sector
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Before you act on an employment or labor issue,
call the
Drummond Woodsum
EMPLOYMENT LAW HOTLINE
The Employment Law Hotline is an NHMA Member Benefit
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SAVE THESE DATES
Other Important Upcoming Workshops!
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REGISTRATION TO OPEN SOON!
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ATTENDEE REGISTRATION TO OPEN IN SEPTEMBER!
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Please Forward
NewsLink to Your Fellow Workers!
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New Hampshire Municipal Association, 25 Triangle Park Drive, Concord, NH 03301
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