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 Street (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.
LED Streetlights
Unitil, a provider of natural gas and electricity to customers in New England, recently completed work with the City of Concord to convert more than 2,000 streetlights from traditional bulbs to more efficient LED lighting in an effort to reduce energy usage and lower operational costs.
The city took advantage of cost-saving incentives available for the multi-year project, including a unique approach involving street-by-street audits to custom design lighting specifically for each neighborhood. This design strategy resulted in low-level lighting for residential neighborhoods and higher levels of lighting for commercial and high traffic areas.
The incentives were offered through NHSaves – a collaboration of New Hampshire’s electric and natural gas utilities working together to provide customers with information, incentives, and support designed to save energy, reduce costs, and protect the environment statewide.
“We’re pleased that we were able to work with the city on this exciting project, which is significant and will come with many benefits,” said Alec O’Meara, External Affairs Manager at Unitil. “Not only will the new lighting lower operational costs for the city, but the upgrade will lead to reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions, less maintenance, and improved overall lighting that is more neighborhood appropriate.”
The project involved replacing a total of 2,050 streetlights – the largest conversion in Unitil’s New Hampshire service territory. The move to LED streetlights, which are rated for a 20-year life span, is expected to reduce the city’s energy usage by 672,364 kilowatt hours annually, resulting in an estimated carbon emission reduction of 551.6 tons per year. As a result of the new lighting, the city is projected to save more than $700,000 on energy costs over a 10-year period, with the potential for additional savings in the future as advanced control systems are introduced and installed.
Grants
On April 6, the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority awarded the City two $500,000 Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) – one for Housing and one for Public Facilities. The Housing CDBG grant will support the Concord Coalition to End Homelessness in the acquisition of 6 South State Street which will create eight affordable one-bedroom apartments for persons exiting homelessness. The Public Facilities CDBG grant will support the Crisis Center of Central New Hampshire (CCCNH) in the acquisition of 27 Warren Street for programmatic office space to support victims of domestic violence and to improve CCCNH’s ability to serve their 1,500 clients. Both projects benefit primarily low- and moderate-income persons. Since the beginning of the City’s participation with New Hampshire’s CDBG program in 1975, the City has been successfully awarded $25,263,132.
Earth Day Hike
Celebrate Earth Day out on the trail. Join Concord Trails on April 22 at 9:30 p.m. at the Swope Park Trails, dedicated to Marjory Swope, one of Concord’s greatest advocates for conservation and the environment. Meet at the trailhead parking lot at Long Pond Road. the hike is about 1.5 miles, expect to take about an hour. Map 25 at concordnh.gov/trails. For more information, email bfenstermacher@concordnh.gov.
Arbor Day
Modern Woodmen have donated trees to be planted at Kimball Park on April 28 at 10 a.m. in celebration of Arbor Day.
Dog License
State law 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. 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.
Golf Course Open
The course opened for the 2023 season on April 12. Please call the Pro Shop at (603) 228-8954 for updates. The Pro Shop is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The driving range is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Indoor golf simulators are still available for rent and are open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hydrant Flushing
Hydrant flushing started on April 10. For the next several weeks, crews will be going to different areas of the city to flush hydrants as part of required routine maintenance of the City’s water distribution system. This annual practice flushes out any naturally occurring sediment from the pipes in the system, and helps to maintain Concord’s water quality, check water pressure of the area, and ensure proper operation of distribution system components. Depending on the location, flushing will typically start between 4:30 and 6:30 a.m. and continue through 3 p.m. each weekday.
Water customers may experience low water pressure or discolored water when hydrant flushing occurs in their area. If discoloration occurs, customers are advised to run their tap water on cold until the water runs clear. Customers are advised to avoid doing laundry during their scheduled flushing times.
Hydrant flushing schedules and more information are available on the City’s website at concordnh.gov/springoperations.
Leaf pick-up
Concord residents with curbside trash collection can begin placing leaves at the curb starting April 24, for the return of the City of Concord’s Spring Leaf Collection.
All leaves must be in biodegradable yard waste bags or rigid containers labeled for leaves. In the spring, leaves must be bagged or contained for easy pick-up with trash collection. Leaves raked loosely to the curb are collected only in the fall.
Leaf collection will occur on a resident’s trash day and must be out by 7 a.m. Unacceptable materials will not be collected, including branches, brush, or plastic bags.
Leaf collection will continue for six weeks through June 3. The last collection week will be delayed by one day, with no trash or leaf collection on May 29, for the Memorial Day holiday.
Residents can also bring leaves to Gelinas Excavation & Earth Materials Recycling Center at 10 Intervale Road, off of Fort Eddy Road, once they open April 17. Drop-off is free with proof of residency for loads smaller than a non-commercial pick-up truck. Residents are required to empty contents at the facility to confirm that loads are 100% free of any unacceptable materials. Bags are not required for drop-off. Any containers used for transporting leaves to the recycling center must return with the resident.
Find more information about the City’s spring leaf collection at concordnh.gov/leafcollection.
