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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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for Latest Information,
Resources & Updates
NHMA is providing members available resources and updated information from federal and state agencies in order to assist cities and towns in developing appropriate responses at the local level regarding COVID-19.
Please check our website frequently for any new information or updates. Members can access this information by going to
www.nhmunicipal.org and by clicking Resources and Publications (far right tab on menu bar). You will find a new tab labeled
COVID-19 Resources at the top of the side menu. Please check back regularly as we will update this page as new information and resources develop.
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NHMA Issues New Guidance Regarding Public Meetings and COVID-19
Due to concerns about COVID-19, many municipalities have asked how their public bodies may continue to conduct board business while also complying with Governor Sununu's
Emergency Order #16 prohibiting gatherings of 10 or more people, and CDC guidance on social distancing and minimization of in-person interactions.
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IMPORTANT SURVEY NEEDS YOUR ATTENTION!
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Help Increase Funding to Municipalities for COVID-19 Response
What financial assistance does your municipality need to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
COVID-19 creates a variety of financial challenges for towns and cities, from insufficient personal protective equipment for first responders to loss of funding for nonprofits and other organizations that provide services to residents.
Please take a few minutes to complete the following survey seeking input on needs facing your communities, businesses and community organizations. Your responses will help UNH Extension, the Community Development Finance Authority and partner organizations better understand how best to address community issues and needs. The survey will be open until
April 1, 2020 COB and the information will be summarized in a report, shared with partner agencies and made publicly available. Please share the survey widely.
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NHMA Excited to Offer Members Virtual Workshops
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NHMA Now Offering Virtual Workshops to Maintain Our Member Training Needs
To keep our members and staff safe, and to comply with restrictions on public gatherings, NHMA is moving from
"in-person" workshops to "virtual" workshops for the time being.
Virtual Workshops are delivered via the internet and presentations are communicated using a digital platform and tools. When you attend a virtual workshop, you will be able to hear the presenter LIVE, ask questions, see the PowerPoint -- all from the comfort of your own home or office computer.
NHMA is strongly committed to providing our members a continuation of our education and training services during these challenging times. NHMA is fully functional and continues to support our members by using electronic communication and by utilizing teleconferencing tools to facilitate upcoming training events, such as these Virtual Workshops.
We hope you will join us in these virtual workshops and we are appreciative of your support. More importantly, we wish you, and your residents, good health!
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After Each Election...
Time to Update Local Municipal Roster!
New this Year - The Wage Survey is Back!
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It's Simplified.
It's Streamlined.
It's More User-Friendly.
The Wage Survey is back. It's been simplified, streamlined and is more user-friendly so as to boost member participation as the Wage Survey is a valuable business management tool that is a much requested resource of our municipal members.
This year we ask that
when you update your municipal roster for the
New Hampshire Municipal Officials Directory
, you simultaneously include this new wage data too.
PLEASE UPDATE BOTH MUNICIPAL ROSTER AND WAGE SURVEY BY MAY 31, 2020!
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Same Time! New Format!
Free Virtual Workshops
for Newly-Elected and Seasoned Municipal Officials!
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SAVE YOUR VIRTUAL SEAT TODAY FOR 2020 LOCAL OFFICIALS WORKSHOPS!
Due to restrictions on public gatherings, NHMA is shifting from in-person workshops to virtual workshops. This live virtual workshop, similar to a webinar, provides the same content without the need to gather.
Presented by NHMA's Legal Services attorneys, these VIRTUAL workshops provide municipal officials with tools and information to effectively serve their communities.
Topics will include the Right-to-Know Law, ethics and conflicts, effective meetings, town governance, municipal roads, budget and finance, and more. Ample time allowed for questions, answers, and discussion.
Attendees will receive a digital copy of NHMA's 2020 edition of the publication,
Knowing the Territory.
Each program runs 9:00 am - 4:00 pm.
Dates and Locations
Pre-registration is Required. No Registration Fee.
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2020 Edition of Knowing the Territory is Going DIGITAL
In an effort to provide this valuable resource to our members as soon as possible, we will be distributing complimentary copies to our members as an electronic download! We will also be distributing digital copies to those municipal officials who attend our Local Officials Workshops.
One feature of the digital version is being able to click on the title of a chapter in the Table of Contents and jump right to that chapter. We will have a limited number of hard copies available for purchase if you still wish to obtain a hard copy for your city or town. Please contact Judy Pearson, Member Services Coordinator, if you have any questions at
[email protected].
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NHMA's Legislative Policy Process Postponed!
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But We're Still Seeking Member Policy Proposals
Due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, NHMA is postponing (not cancelling) its 2021-2022 legislative policy process. The organizational meeting of the legislative policy committees that was originally scheduled for April 3 has been postponed to a date that is still to be determined, most likely in mid- to late May. We will send more information by e-mail to those who have signed up to be on a committee. Thank you to everyone for your patience.
In the meantime, we are also extending, indefinitely for now, the April 17 deadline for submitting legislative policy proposals.
Here is a link
to information about our legislative policy process. You can find a link to the legislative policy proposal form at the bottom of that page.
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Upcoming Virtual Workshops
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Please join us for an upcoming Virtual Workshop
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The Right-to-Know Law and Governmental Meetings
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
(pre-registration required)
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Cost: $40.00
Join Legal Services Counsel Stephen Buckley and Municipal Services Counsel Natch Greyes who will discuss the requirements for holding a proper public meeting, as well the exceptions to the meeting requirement (the so-called "non-meeting"), in light of the Covid-19 epidemic. The attorneys will address the fundamentals of the public meeting requirements of RSA Chapter 91-A, as well as the particular circumstances that we face as a state. This virtual workshop will cover the procedural requirements and difficult "meeting" issues that municipalities are facing at this time. There will be ample time for questions and answers.
Please Note Important Changes in Registration Process Below:
If you wish to join us, and we hope you do, after registering for this Virtual Workshop, you will receive an email from NHMA Webinars confirming your registration including a
JOIN WEBINAR link. NHMA uses
GoToWebinar as our digital platform for producing these training and educational resources for our municipal members. Simply click this link to join the training event at the specified time and date.
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Hot Topics in Road Law - A New & Improved Hard Road to Travel Virtual Workshop
9:00 am - 12:30 pm (pre-registration is required)
Friday, April 17, 2020
Cost: $65.00, does not including publication.
How Does the Select Board grant permission for use and repair of a Class VI Road?
What can we do about Postal Service Vehicles causing ruts in road shoulders?
What are the rules governing CDL licensing for municipal employees?
Join NHMA Legal Services Counsel Stephen Buckley and Municipal Services Counsel Natch Greyes for the answers to these questions --- and many more! The attorneys will discuss the designation and management of Class VI roads, including how and when building permits can be issued under RSA 674:41, granting permission for use of Class VI roads by OHRV's and snowmobiles, and allowing abutting property owners to undertake private repairs. This virtual workshop will also cover management of local highway construction, repair and maintenance through the office of an elected or appointed road agent or expert agent, and the requirement of CDL licensing for municipal highway employees. This virtual workshop will also provide a review of the local regulation of highways by the select board including, parking, street numbers, street names, weight limits, mailbox location, as well as driveway regulation by the planning board.
Online pre-registration required!
Questions? Call 800.852.3358, ext. 3350,
Please Note Important Changes in Registration Process Below:
If you wish to join us, and we hope you do, after registering for this Virtual Workshop, you will receive an email from NHMA Webinars confirming your registration including a
JOIN WEBINAR link. NHMA uses
GoToWebinar as our digital platform for producing these training and educational resources for our municipal members. Simply click this link to join the training event at the specified time and date.
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Upcoming Webinars and Workshops
Please note the March 25 NHDES Safe Tank Webinar and
April 1 Legislative Half-time Webinar have been POSTPONED!
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NHMA Webinar: ZBA Basics in New Hampshire
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
As a new volunteer member of your local Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA), you just don't know where to start to learn about your new responsibilities. That's why NHMA is hosting a webinar designed specifically for new board members including a basic overview of the organization, powers, duties, and relevant statutory and case law authority to make your public service both more enjoyable and productive.
Join Legal Services Counsel Stephen Buckley and Municipal Services Counsel Natch Greyes who will share their expertise on how to keep your board's affairs in order (including rules of procedure), the do's and don'ts for conducting meetings and hearings, your board's issuance of decisions, and its rehearing procedures.
This webinar is open to all NHMA members and will benefit not only new ZBA members, but also governing bodies, other land use boards, and administrators who want to better understand the different roles and responsibilities of various municipal officials in these positions.
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Registration to open in April!
June Workshops at NHMA may be Offered as Virtual Workshops!
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Please check with sponsor regarding future of these programs and events.
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State and Local Elected Officials Briefing Call
1:00 pm, Wednesday, March 25
On Wednesday, March 25, at 1:00 PM ET, please join the U.S. Surgeon General - Jerome Adams - and Senior Administration Officials for a briefing call on COVID-19 (coronavirus).
The purpose of this call is to provide State and local elected officials with up-to-date information on COVID-19 and pertinent Administration and Task Force actions. Registration instructions are below - please read the RSVP instructions in their entirety before registering. We encourage you to share this invitation with your county and/or municipal colleagues as well as public health officials.
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DHHS Readopting Amendments Regarding Youth Recreation and Youth Skills Camps
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is readopting with amendments administrative rules He-C 4003 and He-C 4004 relative to youth recreations camps and youth skills camps.
These rules address a broad range of health and safety issues including buildings, sleeping quarters, equipment, water supply, bathing beaches and swimming pools, toilet and sewage disposal facilities, food storage, preparation, and service, fire safety, health care (including communicable diseases isolation and reporting), and background checks for camp owners, directors, employees, and volunteers who may be left alone with any child or children. The proposed rules make both editorial and minor substantive changes to address comments relative to clarity and compliance. Copies of the proposed rules are available on the department's website at
https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/oos/aru/comment.htm.
A public hearing on the proposed rules is scheduled for
2:30 p.m. on Monday, April 6, 2020 at DHHS Brown Building, Auditorium, 129 Pleasant Street, Concord. The deadline for submission of written comments is Monday, April 13, 2020. Written comments may be emailed to
[email protected].
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NHDMV Transitioning to Appointment Only Services
Due to concern for the health and safety of its customers and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles will transition to phone and online services starting Thursday and limited appointment only services starting Monday to allow for proper social distancing as defined by the Center for Disease Control.
Walk-in operations at all locations will pause Thursday and Friday, March 19 and 20, to allow staff to train and prepare facilities for appointment based operations. Online, phone, and mail services will not be interrupted.
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NHDES Issues List of Resources for Solid Waste Facility Owners and Operators
NHDES has compiled the below list of resources that discuss handling of solid waste with potential or known COVID-19 contamination. NHDES intends to post additional resources on the NHDES website next week.
If you have questions about the information provided below, please contact OSHA or NWRA directly, as appropriate. Also, please check these websites frequently as knowledge and best management practices are rapidly evolving.
- COVID-19 Control and Prevention Fact Sheet provided by OHSA. Included in this fact sheet at the end is a section specific to solid waste and wastewater workers.
- Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19 provided by OSHA.
- Webinar presented by the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) "Managing COVID-19 Waste"
- FAQs from the NWRA's Healthcare Waste Institute
If you need to make changes to your facility operations to meet the recommended guidance, including changes:
- to minimize contact with solid waste that has potential or known COVID-19 contamination;
- operating hours; or
- other facility services,
please notify NHDES of the needed changes via email sent to
[email protected]. NHDES will place the notice in the facility record. No additional action is required on your part to update the department.
If you have questions regarding other waste streams, such as household hazardous waste, hazardous waste, wastewater, or septic systems (subsurface systems), please see NHDES' Contact Us webpage here
https://www.des.nh.gov/contactus/index.htm or call NHDES main line at (603) 271-3503 to be directed to the program that has the information you seek.
If you have additional questions regarding solid waste, you may contact NHDES' Solid Waste Management Bureau at (603) 271-2925.
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NHRA Issues Notice to Employers Addressing Retiree Employment During State of Emergency
Governor Sununu declared a state of emergency in New Hampshire effective at 5:15 p.m. on Friday, March 13, 2020. As a result, any hours worked by NHRS retirees for a participating employer for the duration of this state of emergency will not count toward the annual limits on retiree work hours. Although annual reporting of hours worked in calendar year 2020 will not be reported to NHRS until next year, RSA 100-A:7-b requires that participating employers must keep track of retiree hours worked during the emergency. NHRS will develop a format for employers to report these exempt hours as a separate entry in the annual report.
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ASSET MANAGEMENT FOR SMALL WATER AND WASTEWATER UTILITIES
April 21, 2020 - North Conway
104 Sawmill Lane North Conway
Registration: 8:00a.m.
Course: 8:30a.m. - 1:00p.m.
ATTENTION SMALL SYSTEM OPERATORS, TOWN MANAGERS, SELECTBOARDS!
Workshop Description:
Utilities faces day-to-day challenges providing reliable service for customers and the environment. The Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP), and the NH DES is offering a FREE 1/2-day workshop to help your utility learn about asset management, develop a capital budget, maintenance scheduling and budgeting.
This workshop is made possible by funding through the U.S. EPA, and support from NH DES and RCAP, and will cover:
- Asset Management Concepts
- Get the Most Value from your Equipment
- Develop a Capital Budget
- Increase Efficiency/Reliability
- Maintenance Budgets
- Quick Recovery from Unexpected Failures
- Implementing an Asset Management Plan
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Handy Link to State Agency Contact Information
The State of New Hampshire Telephone/Email Directory Search page allows immediate access to agencies and personnel working for the State of New Hampshire.
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Benefit Plans for the Public Sector
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OMNIA Partners is the largest and most experienced organization for public and private sector procurement.
CHECK OUT COVID-19 RESOURCES!
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March 25th TRIVIA QUESTION:
According to its website, name the New Hampshire town or city that was first known as Cochecho Township?
It was formed by a group of settlers from Durham who petitioned the Masonian Proprietors in May of 1749 for a 45 square mile grant of land. The terms of the settlement were: There should be forty families settled within five years after peace was proclaimed between the English, French and Indians. Each lot owner was to build a house at least 16 square feet and each family should have three acres cleared within six years and a sawmill within five.
It is not known exactly how many people came in the years between 1750 and 1762. The residents put in a request to the Royal Governor, Benning Wentworth, for recognition in the form of a charter, which would authorize them to have a town government of their own. King George III granted the charter and the town was officially born in this wild, wooded land.
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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March 11th TRIVIA QUESTION:
According to its website and Wikipedia, name the New Hampshire town or city that is recognized as the newest town in New Hampshire having been incorporated in 1962 after considerable litigation. Hollywood star Bette Davis owned two homes here, Butternut Lodge and Butternut Cottage.
Correct Response: Town of Sugar Hill
March 11th Winner: Judy Rolfe, Finance/HR Administrator, Town of Waterville Valley
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SAVE THE DATES!
Please check with sponsor regarding future of these programs and events.
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Registration to open in April 6, 2020 @ NHOSI Website!
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Registration to open in April!
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SAVE THE DATE
JUNE 23, 2020,
8:15 am - 4:30 pm
Manchester
(Location pending NH Governor & Council Approval)
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NewsLink. It's Ridiciously Helpful Information!
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New Hampshire Municipal Association, 25 Triangle Park Drive, Concord, NH 03301
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