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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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Early Bird Discount Valid Until this Friday, October 11!
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Please join us on Wednesday and Thursday, November 13 and November 14, at The DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown Manchester Hotel in Manchester, for NHMA's 78th Annual Conference and Exhibition.
This is New Hampshire's premier conference for municipal officials, featuring over 55 educational program sessions on timely and relevant topics, as well as ample opportunities to meet and great with exhibitors and sponsors ready to offer you the latest products and services.
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REGISTRATION FEES
You must be an NHMA Member (employee or representative) to attend or a member of an NHMA Affiliate Group to attend.
Member Early Bird Rate (valid until 10/11/2019)*
ONE DAY $80.00 / TWO DAYS $130.00
*EARLY RATE ONLY BY CREDIT CARD PAYMENT
Member Rate (valid after 10/11/2019)
ONE DAY $110.00 / TWO DAYS $160.00
Affiliate Member Rate
ONE DAY $175.00 /TWO DAYS $225.00
EARLY BIRD RATES VALID UNTIL OCTOBER 11TH
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CHECK OUT OUR NEW ONLINE FEATURES!
You may begin your registration form and return to complete it within one day.
Please click 'save' at the bottom of the form and a link will be emailed to you.
Register up to five people on one form.
Enter information accordingly, then click 'add registrant' to add another person.
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Gold Level Sponsor
Maguire Equipment, Inc.
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NHMA Conference Mobile App Now Available!
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Are you Attending the NHMA Annual Conference this Year?
Enhance your conference experience with NHMA's Conference Mobile App!
Just search for NHMA Conf 2019.
Features include: Ability to tag your sessions, interactive map to find your session rooms, interactive map to find exhibitors, and the always popular activity stream to see what fun other attendees are up to! Set session reminders, respond to polls and never miss an announcement with the 2019 NHMA Conference App!
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New Final Overtime Rule Workshop for Cities and Towns
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm (Registration at 1:00 pm)
Wednesday, December 13, 2019
Cost is $35.00.
On September 24, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) announced a final rule issued under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to allow 1.3 million workers to become newly entitled to overtime by updating the earnings thresholds necessary to exempt executive, administrative or professional employees from the FLSA's minimum wage and overtime pay requirements. The new final rule becomes effective January 1, 2020, less than three months away!
Join Steven McKinney, the Community Outreach Specialist for the Northern New England District Office of the United States Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (USDOL) who will discuss, among other requirements, the salary and compensation levels needed for workers to be exempt and review how nondiscretionary bonuses and incentive payments factor into the new rule.
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NHMA Webinar:
Using the Attorney General's Polling Place Checklist to Run a Better Election
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Join Assistant New Hampshire Attorney General Nicholas Chong Yen and NHMA's Legal Services Counsel Stephen Buckley who will discuss and review the Attorney General's Polling Place Checklist.
Learn what are the critical polling place set up and operation requirements that will be inspected when representatives of the Attorney General visit to ensure compliance with New Hampshire's election laws. The checklist will be used to address political signs, presence of elections officials, voting booths, accessible voting systems, electioneering, voter check-in procedures, absentee balloting, challengers and the voter registration process.
This webinar is open to all NHMA members and will benefit moderators, town clerks, supervisors of the checklist and governing body members who want a refresher course on correct polling place procedures.
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NHMA Webinar:
Regulating Short-term Rentals in New Hampshire
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
How to regulate home-sharing and short-term rentals has become one of the hottest topics among city and town officials across New Hampshire. Many municipalities continue to grapple with the positive and negative consequences of increased "tourism" in their residential settings.
Join NHMA's Government Affairs Counsel Cordell Johnston and Municipal Services Counsel Natch Greyes as they discuss the legal bases for regulating short-term rentals and different approaches to regulation. They may include zoning, site plan review, building and fire code enforcement, parking and noise ordinances, and nuisance actions.
This webinar is open to members of NHMA and will be of interest to governing bodies, land use board members, planners, building inspectors, code enforcement officers, and anyone else involved in land use regulation.
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NHMA Webinar: What Municipal Officials Need to Know About Cable TV Franchising Today!
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
This summer the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to make dramatic changes to cable franchise agreements, many of which are managed by municipal governments. These changes may have serious negative impacts on cities and towns that collect franchise fees from cable operators.
This webinar will cover the basics of what you need to know for negotiating a franchise agreement with your local cable TV company. This includes a review of key features of cable television franchise agreement, how your cable television franchise may affect broadband in your community, as well as how the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC's) recent order on cable television franchising may reduce franchise fees and formerly "free" services in New Hampshire communities.
Join
DTC Lawyers Katharine B. Miller and Brendan A. O'Donnell
who will review these and other key issues including guidance on legal considerations when negotiating cable franchise agreements or renewals.
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New Hampshire Summit on Economic Inclusion and Digital Equity
October 28-29, 2019
$35 per day or $60 for both days
The
New Hampshire Summit on Economic Inclusion and Digital Equity is being organized by the National Collaborative for Digital Equity, based in Weare New Hampshire, in partnership with the New Hampshire Bankers Association, Diversity Workforce Coalition, New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs (NHBEA), Economic Vitality New Hampshire, and the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority, among others.
The gathering will be of special relevance for New Hampshire municipalities seeking investments in broadband infrastructure.
On Day Two of the summit, a workgroup, co-facilitated by Margaret Byrnes, NHMA executive director, and NHBEA director of broadband technology, Carol Miller, will explore with interested municipal, regional development, and banking leaders development of a statewide network of municipalities and banking leaders to secure investment for affordable broadband in underserved areas statewide.
Attendees can participate in either Day One (on economic inclusion strategies) or Day Two (on removing digital divide barriers to economic inclusion), or both days.
The summit's aim is to bring together state and community leaders in banking, education, workforce development and philanthropy, to share promising Community Reinvestment Act (CRA)-funded practices in economic inclusion and digital equity, and to spur action planning.
The summit will be keynoted by Barry Wides, Deputy Comptroller, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. He will affirm federal policy support for CRA investments in digital equity for economic inclusion.
Among the action planning strands at the summit will be workgroups exploring how best to d
evelop a statewide plan for bank CRA-supported investment in broadband infrastructure development for underserved areas of the state.
Please contact summit organizer, Dr. Robert McLaughlin, at [email protected] or 1.802.249.1159, for further information.
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Join the CommuteSmart Challenge!
Join other businesses, employers, and workplaces from across the state in celebrating fall by participating in the Buses, Bikes, & Brooms Challenge! During the Challenge, adapt your current commuting practices by trying new, more sustainable methods of getting to work.
The competition is open to all employers and individuals in New Hampshire. Sign ups for the challenge will be held on the NH Rideshare website, where participants can join their workplace team, log their trips, and see where they stand against other teams on the new and improved leaderboard. Individuals without a workplace team are able to join the team "Free Agents," a team comprised of all individuals from around the state. Accepted travel modes include carpooling, transit, walking, bicycling, skateboarding, telecommuting, or any combination of these.
Prizes will be awarded to individuals based on the total number of days logged by that individual during the challenge. Every participant will receive a prize for logging at least one day of sustainable commutes, and the more trips you log the more prizes you'll get!
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NHDRA Holding Public Forum on Assessments of Regulated Public Utilities
11:00 am, Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Governor Hugh J. Gallen Office Park South
Department of Revenue Administration, 109 Pleasant St., Concord, NH
Written material and testimony may be forwarded to:
New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration,
Municipal and Property Division,
P.O. Box 487,
Concord, NH 03302-0487. Visit NHDRA's website here.
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NHDES Proposes Amendments to Wetland Rules
New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) is proposing amendments to the recently adopted, but not yet effective, rules in subtitle Env-Wt to correct errors that were found subsequent to adoption and to clarify certain rules that have been determined to need clarification based on preparation of forms and training materials.
Amendments to Env-Wt 300 also would replace "the 2019 effective date of this chapter" with "December 15, 2019" and add procedures for processing routine roadway maintenance registrations (inadvertently omitted in prior process). Amendments are proposed to Env-Wt 406.01(d)(1)-(2) to update the name of the NHF&G vernal pool guidance and insert the date of the draft USACE vernal pool guidance, are proposed to Env-Wt 406.06(c) to correct the omission of minor projects, and are proposed to Env-Wt 407.07(c), Table Env-Wt 407-2, Classification Criteria For Specified Projects, to add four types of projects that were inadvertently omitted. In Env-Wt 500, provisions being clarified include those pertaining to timing of bank/shoreline stabilization projects, classification of non-docking structure projects, forestry project classifications, design requirements and classification of residential and commercial/industrial projects and plans and construction requirements for certain dam-related projects.
The public hearing for this rulemaking is scheduled for
Friday, November 8, at 1:00 PM in Room 208, NHDES, 29 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH. The deadline for submission of written comments is
4:00 PM on Friday, November 22, 2019. Written comments may be submitted even if you do not attend the public hearing.
Comments or questions should be directed to Mary Ann Tilton, Wetlands Bureau Assistant Administrator at
[email protected] or by phone (603.271.2929) or fax (603.271.6588).
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NHOSI Releases 2018 Municipal Land Use Regulation Survey Results
The New Hampshire Office of Strategic Initiatives (NHOSI) Planning Division recently announced the release of the 2018 results of the New Hampshire Municipal Land Use Regulation Annual Survey. The 2018 survey was completed by all 234 municipalities as well as nine village districts with zoning authority and Coos County, which has zoning authority over 23 unincorporated places in the North Country.
NHOSI welcomes the use of the survey data for further analysis, but they ask that all data be attributed to NHOSI's Municipal Land Use Regulation Survey and would appreciate notification if your analysis produces noteworthy results.
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NHDES Proposes Amendments to Waiver Requirements for Septic Systems
New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) is proposing amendments to the waiver requirements for septic systems. The existing rules in Env-Wq 1000 implement RSA 485-A:29-44 relative to subdivisions and septic systems (individual sewage disposal systems, or ISDS), by establishing, among other things, the procedural and substantive requirements for obtaining state approval of a proposed subdivision or ISDS.
The criteria and procedures for obtaining waivers to the requirements established in Env-Wq 1000 are in
Env-Wq 1001.03. NHDES is proposing to modify this section to allow waivers to set-backs to surface water, very poorly drained soils, or an off-lot well installed prior to July 1, 1989 if necessary to allow an existing legal use to continue and to require set-backs that are reduced by a waiver to be as close to the specified distance as possible.
The public hearing for this rulemaking is scheduled for
Monday, November 4, at 1:00 PM in Rooms 112-113, NHDES, 29 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH. The deadline for submission of written comments is
4:00 PM on Friday, November 13, 2019. Written comments may be submitted even if you do not attend the public hearing.
Comments or questions should be directed to Rob Tardiff, Administrator, Subsurface Systems Bureau, at
[email protected] or by phone (603.271.2904) or by fax (603.271.6683).
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Grants Training:
Special Rate for NHMA Members
December 2 and 3, 2019
Hannah Grimes Center
25 Roxbury Street, Keene, NH
Hannah Grimes Center and Grant Writing USA will present a two-day grants workshop in Keene, December 2-3, 2019. This training is applicable to grant seekers across all disciplines. Attend this class and you'll learn how to find grants and write winning grant proposals.
Beginning and experienced grant writers from city, county and state agencies as well as nonprofits, K-12, colleges and universities are encouraged to attend.
Grant Writing USA is excited to offer New Hampshire Municipal Association members and their staff a special tuition rate of $425 which includes
everything: two days of instruction, workbook, and access to our Alumni Forum that's packed full of tools, helpful discussions and more than 200 sample grant proposals. Please use discount code "NHASSN" to receive this $30 discount off full price at registration.
Multi-enrollment discounts and discounts for Grant Writing USA returning alumni are also available. Tuition payment is not required at the time of enrollment.
More information including learning objectives, class location, graduate testimonials and online registration is
available here.
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Preservation Grant Resources Available!
Historic preservation projects with strong community and economic revitalization potential in Carroll, Cheshire, Coos and Sullivan counties and certain municipalities in Belknap and Grafton counties may be eligible for a new grant program sponsored by the N.H. Preservation Alliance. The Preservation Alliance, along with Maine Preservation, Preservation Trust of Vermont and the Preservation League of New York State recently received a grant from the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) for this work. More on this opportunity for non-profit and municipal shovel-ready "bricks and mortar" grants
here.
To request application information when they are available later this fall, you can email [email protected].
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NHPR Hosts Program on Cybersecurity Challenges Facing State and Municipal Governments
Join NHMA's Executive Director Margaret Byrnes and Commissioner of New Hampshire Department of Information Technology Denis Goulet who discuss the challenges faced by state and municipal governments in defending against cyber attacks.
This New Hampshire Public Radio program aired on Thursday, September 19, 2019 and is roughly 58 minutes in duration.
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NHDES Seeking Surface Water Data
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) is preparing for the 2020 Surface Water Quality Assessment process, as required by Sections 305(b) and 303(d) of the Clean Water Act
. The first step in this process is to make sure that NHDES has as much available data as possible on which to base our water quality assessment decisions. To that end, NHDES encourages anyone who has surface water data/information, to submit it to NHDES electronically. For inclusion in the 2020 Surface Water Quality Assessments, data must be submitted no later than November 15, 2019.
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Funding Available to Low Income Homeowners to Replace or Upgrade Old Heating Oil Tanks Through SAFETANK Program
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) is currently accepting Safetank qualification applications and will approve system replacements or upgrades based on leak risk factors, working with installation professionals, community action programs, fuel oil dealers, manufactured housing communities, and other groups accordingly. Income-qualified homeowners should be aware that variations in both available funding and demand may result in significant delays in the completion of Safetank work.
The Safetank Program is available to income-qualified homeowners in New Hampshire to upgrade or replace their fuel oil storage tank system. In the majority of cases, installation professionals are paid directly for upgrade or replacement work approved by NHDES.
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Public Hearings on NHDOT's Draft 2021-2030 Ten Year Transportation Plan
RSA 228:99 and RSA 240 require that the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) propose a plan for improvements to the State's transportation system every two years. The purpose of the Ten Year Plan is to develop and implement a plan allowing New Hampshire to fully participate in federally supported transportation improvement projects as well as to outline projects and programs funded with State transportation dollars.
The Draft 2021-2030 Ten Year Plan, which includes
project listings by municipality
, is available on the NHDOT
Ten Year Plan website
. Twenty public hearings on the Draft 2021-2030 Ten Year Plan have been scheduled throughout the state from
September 10 through October 28, 2019.
A copy of the Public Hearing Schedule is available
here.
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Agritourism: Building Connection Between Farmers, Customers and Communities
12:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Monday, November 4, 2019
Portsmouth Country Club, Greenland
The
11th Annual New Hampshire Direct Marketing Conference
will be held on Monday, November 4, 2019 from noon - 5:30 p.m. at the Portsmouth Country Club, 80 Country Club Lane in Greenland.
A slate of speakers will cover creating tourist - oriented directional and attraction signs, promoting agriculture events and goods in New Hampshire and beyond, working with local government to support your farm, and reducing liability risk when visitors come to your farm.
Registration starts at noon. New Hampshire Commissioner of Agriculture Shawn Jasper will kick off the conference with a presentation about what is or what is not considered agritourism.
Registration is $30 per person by October 28 and after that date it will be $35 per person. Afternoon refreshments are included in the registration. Registration is now open; see the conference details at
http://bit.ly/2019Agritourism
. For more details, contact Nada Haddad, UNH Extension Food and Agriculture Field Specialist, at
[email protected]
or 603-679-5616.
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National League of Cities:
Proposed Changes to SNAP Will Have a Direct Effect on Cities and Towns
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service has proposed a rule that would revise categorical eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formally known as food stamps.
Specifically, the proposal would provide categorical eligibility only to those who have qualified for ongoing and substantial benefits from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funded programs. It would cut-out a significant number of our residents who depend on SNAP and TANF to bridge the gap when self-sufficiency is not possible.
On September 23, the National League of Cities (NLC) submitted comments to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, arguing that the proposed changes would have a directly negative impact on the economic vitality of our communities, including the health and well-being of residents; as such, NLC asks that the proposed rule be reconsidered.
While this rule is an effort ensure only those who truly need SNAP resources receive them, across-the-board elimination of categorical eligibility would pose significant challenges to cities, towns and villages across the country.
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Before you act on an employment or labor issue,
call the
Drummond Woodsum
EMPLOYMENT LAW HOTLINE
@ 623.2500
The Employment Law Hotline is an NHMA Member Benefit
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Benefit Plans for the Public Sector
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October 9th TRIVIA QUESTION:
Name the New Hampshire city or town that houses Baileys, Highlands, Riverton, Starr King, Waumbeck Junction and Cherry Mountain. One notable inhabitant was an inventor and aeronat who organized a balloon corps during the Civil War. Thaddeau S. C. Lowe also invented ice making machines and the water-gas process to run lights in several cities.
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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September 25th TRIVIA QUESTION:
Name the New Hampshire city or or town that houses Hazens. It was the last town granted two years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Correct Response: Town of Whitefield
September 25th Winner: Julianna Hale, Town Clerk, Town of Atkinson
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SAVE THESE DATES - UPCOMING EVENTS!
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New Hampshire Municipal Association, 25 Triangle Park Drive, Concord, NH 03301
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