December 2019

















Henniker Town Administrator

Joseph R. Devine Jr.




Mr. Devine began his role as Town Administrator on October 21, 2019. 

Mr. Devine has served as the Compliance Officer for the City of Rochester since 2016. Prior to working for the City of Rochester he served as the Compliance Officer for the City of Somersworth; Operations Manager for First Protection Services; Director of Strafford County Community Corrections; and as a Police Officer in the City of Merrimack, NH and the Town of Weare, N.H.

Mr. Devine also is very involved within his local community and is no stranger to what the Board of Selectmen face. He currently serves as a Board Member for the Rochester School District.

Mr. Devine has an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice from the New Hampshire Technical Institute and is working towards completing his Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration at Southern New Hampshire University.

Mr. Devine lives in Rochester with Keri and his three sons Nathan, Jacob, and Lucas.
 
Welcome Officer Jake Bois
Officer Bois is a veteran of the United States Marine Corp, he currently lives in Nashua with his wife and daughter. He will be attending the full-time academy starting in January through April, then resume his field training; he should be on the road by the fall of 2020. Officer Bois is filling a full-time position vacated in May.

Welcome Officer Allysia Stone
Part-time officer Allysia Stone was sworn at the Town Clerk's office on December 9. She currently works full-time as a dispatcher for Merrimack County Dispatch. Officer Stone will be attending the part-time academy starting in February. She hold a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice, Master's Degree in Criminal Justice Mgmt, and a Master's Degree in Eduation.
THE FILING PERIOD HAS BEGUN FOR TAX EXEMPTIONS, CREDITS, ABATEMENTS, CURRENT USE, ETC.

Tax Exemptions
The Town of Henniker, by vote at town meetings, offers exemptions (an amount deducted from the assessed value of the property before taxes are levied) to qualified applicants for the following:    
        
  • Elderly (over 65)
  • Disabled
  • Blind
  • Improvements to Assist Persons with Disabilities
  • Solar Energy System
  • Wind-powered Energy System
  • Wood Heating Energy System (not a wood stove)

To apply for any of the above exemptions, the landowner must qualify by meeting certain criteria as determined by RSA and town meeting. The landowner must be a permanent resident of Henniker. The elderly and disabled exemptions have income and asset limits that must be met to qualify. The filing period begins after second half tax bill is mailed.  The deadline for filing for any exemption is April 15th.

Elderly/Disabled Tax Deferrals
Elderly/disabled tax deferrals have income and asset limits that must be met to qualify. Filing period begins after second half tax bill is mailed. The deadline for filing tax deferrals is March 1st.

SOLAR SYSTEMS
Please note that if you already have a solar energy system or have recently installed one, you may qualify for an exemption. Solar energy systems are assessed and taxable and an exemption is not automatically applied. The property owner must apply for the exemption by April 15th in the year for which the exemption is sought. Exemptions are not applied retroactively.

Veterans Tax Credit or All Veterans Tax Credit
The following credits (an amount deducted from the tax bill) are available to qualified applicants:
  • Veteran
  • Disabled veteran
  • Widow/Widower of veteran

To qualify for the All Veteran's credit the property owner or spouse must have 90 days active duty and be honorably discharged.

The Henniker property must be the veteran's primary residence and the veteran must have resided in New Hampshire for one year preceding April 1st in the year in which the credit is sought. 

The veteran must file an application and supply a copy of their discharge papers or DD214. For a document to be acceptable in verifying a veteran's active military service, it must show (in addition to sufficient identification data) at least three key pieces of information:    

  • a date of entry into active duty
  • a date of separation or release from active duty, and
  • the character of the discharge (proof of honorable discharge or separation)

Veterans with a service-connected total disability must provide the municipality with a Summary of Benefits Letter from the US Department of Veteran's Affairs stating that the Veteran is totally and permanently disabled.

Deadline is April 15, 2020

Abatement
An abatement is requested when the landowner feels that their property is unfairly assessed compared to other properties, similar to theirs, that have recently sold; there is a mistake on the assessment card (e.g. 4 bedrooms instead of 3); or a recent appraisal which disputes the town's assessed value. Abatements may be filed after the December tax bill has been mailed. The deadline for filing is March 1st.

For more information on tax exemptions, tax credits, abatements, and current use, go to our website www.henniker.org. or contact the Assessing Office at 428-3221 extension 2.
 
The Town Hall will be closed on the following days:
December 25 & 26, 2019 and January 1, 2020

New Town Clerk Saturday Hours, Effective January 11, 2020: 8:00am to 10:00am

The Town Clerk's Office is open the second and fourth Saturday of each month. 
The Only Henniker On Earth - Acoustic Café Series Returns
 
Henniker - The successful Acoustic Café Series sponsored by the Town of Henniker, Community Concerts Committee in collaboration with New England College, returns for its third year, scheduled for the last Sunday of the month in January, February and March at the Torrington Arms Pub, Simon Center, New England College, 5:00 – 7:30 PM. 

The format remains the same as in the previous two years. The featured group will open and close the evening with local musicians featured in 10-minute Open Mic segments during the middle portion of the evening. Musicians should sign up at the door when they arrive for a time slot and be prepared with 2-3 songs during their performances. NEC provides the microphones, sound board and technician.

First up this year on Sunday, January 26, is Nice and Naughty , consisting of Peg Chaffee and Cheryl Sager, whose repertoire is eclectic: touching and sentimental (“nice”) to saucy and suggestive (“naughty”). The duo is sometimes irreverent, but never rude and their original music will appeal to all audiences as they expound on aspects of everyday life with their exquisite harmonies and original lyrics.
Sunday, February 23, brings the return of the local favorite Decatur Creek , featuring Jack Henry, Steve Dionne and Doug Farrell, all accomplished NH singers/songwriters who met as solo performers through NH coffeehouses and Open Mics. Attracted by each other’s songwriting and musicianship, they decided to team up early in 2012. The 2016 addition of Beth Eldridge on fiddle, vocals, and guitar has taken the band to another level. Their diverse styles, backgrounds, and skills complement each other, and the group's evolving original acoustic sound will bring a smile to your face, rhythm to your feet, and leave you wanting for more. They are a favorite each summer at the Henniker Farmers’ Market with their mix of original and familiar country-folk music.

Finally, on Sunday, March 29, we close out the winter series with the semi-acoustic instrumental and vocal quartet, Off the Cuff , interpreting great songs from the 1920’s to the 21 st Century.  Off the Cuff  has been delighting audiences across southern New Hampshire and surrounding areas for 20 years. Incorporating elements of jazz, swing, blues, bluegrass, rock, folk and world music styles, Off the Cuff  infuses its own special blend of vocal and instrumental harmony into every song to reinvent it as something new and personal. Once this is done, the song is “Cuffed” – given that unique Off the Cuff touch.

This year, in addition to food being available at the Snack Bar, the Pub will serve pizzas, wings, potato skins, and bread sticks along with beer and wine, spiked seltzer and Mike’s Lemonade, etc. but no hard liquor. You can also still go to the Snack Bar to order food that the Pub doesn’t serve. The Snack Bar will open at 5:00 pm. For more information about the Acoustic Café Series go to hennikerconcerts@henniker.org or email rbzax@comcast.net
Henniker Historical Society
Annual Holiday Cookie Sale

Saturday, December 14
Henniker Grange Hall
21 Western Ave.

10:00 am to 1:00 pm
If you are in need of help and short on food, please do not hesitate to visit the food pantry. We are here for you. No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome!
The food pantry is located at 21 Western Ave in the back of the Grange building, which is to the left of the Tucker Free Library. There is plenty of parking in the back. We are "choice" (shopping) pantry.

The Pantry is run by volunteers from Henniker.
For more information
please call 428-7474
Food Pantry Hours

Monday 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Wednesday 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Friends of the Tucker Free Library
SAU 24 ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH
A screening committee to include two board members, two community members/parents, three teachers, two administrators, and two staff members is currently being formed to assist in the selection of the next Assistant Superintendent of SAU 24. If you are interested and available to join this team, please contact Jacqueline Coe at   jacqueline.coe@sau24.org   by December 18. We will confirm committee membership by December 20.  
 
The screening committee timeline is below. All meetings will take place at the SAU 24 offices at
  • First meeting of the screening committee--Wednesday, January 15, 3:30-5 PM

  • Screen applications--Wednesday, January 22, 3:30-5 PM 

  •  Interviews with the screening committee--Tuesday, January 28 and Wednesday,
January 29, 4-8 PM both days
 
  •  Candidates meet with SAU 24 Leadership team--week of February 10

  • Public candidate interviews with the SAU 24 Board--Wednesday, February 19, 5:30-7:30 PM.

SAU 24--five schools, four districts, one community serving the public schools in Henniker, Weare, and Stoddard, NH.
December 2019 Calendar Events: Henniker Community School and JSRHS

***Please note. All schools in SAU 24 (Henniker, Weare, John Stark, and Stoddard) will be closed for the holiday break from December 23-January 1, 2020***
Henniker Community School
Dec. 16-19 : 6th-grade students begin the first part of their Artist in Residence India with a four-day visit by Sunanda Sahay, a folk painter from India. Students will learn about a form of folk painting from northern India featuring pictures of nature and mythology and depicting different events in life from Dec. 16-19 with Sahay. They will then use acrylics and calligraphy pens to create their own folk paintings. AIR India will continue January 21-24 with dancer Jasmine Shah, Grandmaster Michael Couhie, and henna artist Denise Kelly. The culminating performance with 6th-grade students and the artists will be January 24 at 7 PM in the gym. This event is free and open to the public.
John Stark Regional High School
Dec. 18: Parent/Community Advisory Meeting with Principal Dempsey, 9 AM in the Principal’s Office. Open to all Henniker and Weare parents and community members.

Henniker School District



 January 14, 2020 : Henniker School District Board Meeting, 6:15 PM in the school library. Public Hearing on the Proposed Henniker School District Budget at 7 PM

January 17: John Stark School District Board Meeting, 6:30 PM in the school library. Public Hearing on the Proposed John Stark District School Budget at 7 PM.