The city manager’s office sent out the City Manager’s Newsletter last Friday. The full newsletter can be found by going to concordnh.gov and clicking the “Newsletter” button. Here are some highlights:
Meetings
The planning board will meeting Wednesday at 7 p.m. via Zoom. For more information, visit concordnh.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx. Agendas will be posted ahead of the meetings. Visit the City of Concord calendar, concordnh.gov/calendar.aspx, for a full schedule of meetings.
Everett Arena
Public ice skating is taking place at the Douglas N. Everett Arena Monday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sundays 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is $6 for ages 14 and up and $5 for ages 13 and below. Skate rentals are available in the Pro Shop for $5. Adult Stick Practice (ages 14 and up) hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Helmet and gloves are required. Admission for adult stick practice is $10.
Masks or facial coverings are required inside of the arena and while on the ice during public ice skating. Masks are recommended while on the ice during stick practice and hockey, but are not required when actively engaged in athletics. Skate rentals will continue to be thoroughly disinfected after each use. Other COVID-19 guidelines at the arena remain in place, including one-way traffic throughout the facility and on the ice, only unlocking building doors 15 minutes prior to events, reducing public skating to 50% occupancy or less, and limiting spectating to immediate family only. Siblings must stay with a parent at all times or the group will be asked to leave. The Everett Arena has been exceeding all guidelines for cleaning and sanitization, has had extra precautions in place for increased air filtration, and continues to provide hand sanitizer throughout the facility.
All Everett Arena visitors and staff will be required to complete a COVID-19 screening in the main entrance lobby. A screening kiosk has been installed that uses touchless mobile technology to guide guests through a COVID-19 risk assessment. The screening process includes scanning a QR code at the arena on your phone, filling out a quick questionnaire, and using a unique QR code that is then generated on your phone to scan at the kiosk to log your visit if needed for contact tracing. The QR code is time sensitive and will expire after the end of the day. Once the code is scanned, visitors will use the hands free thermometer to scan their wrist or forehead for a temperature screening. Paper forms will be available as a backup if a visitor does not have access to a phone or if there are any issues with the kiosk.
Find full COVID-19 guidelines and more information about programs at the Everett Arena at concordnh.gov/arena.
Tree collection
Christmas tree collection started on Jan. 4 and will continue until the weekend in coordination with residential curbside trash and recycling collection. Residents can place Christmas trees curbside for disposal on their trash collection day through Jan. 15. Trees must be placed at the curb by 7 a.m. next to trash and recycling. All lights, ornaments, tinsel, and decorations must be removed from the tree. Wreaths and artificial trees will not be collected. Please note that trees will be collected in a separate truck from trash and recycling. Trees can also be taken to the Transfer Station at 77 Old Turnpike Road during the month of January.
Drought update
As of Jan. 7, Concord is experiencing abnormally dry conditions. Fortunately, drought conditions improved last week and downgraded Concord from its previous standing of moderate conditions. Now, 36.5% of New Hampshire is experiencing abnormally dry conditions. 12.2% of the state remains in moderate drought and 51.27% is not currently experiencing any drought conditions. The National Weather Service predicts a normal probability for precipitation for the region in the next 8-14 days.
Concord’s water consumption continues to remain low, which is consistent for this time of year. Please continue to use water wisely. Drought conditions will continue to be monitored. Low-income residential well owners may qualify for assistance with the State of New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) and NH Drinking Water and Groundwater Advisory Commission if they are experiencing drought-related loss of a safe, reliable source of drinking water at their primary residence. Short-term relief is available through the Drought Assistance Program for bottled water and financial assistance for activities associated with replacing or improving a homeowner’s well or connecting to an available community water supply. We thank everyone for their efforts to conserve water. Every drop counts!
Find drought updates and water conservation tips at concordnh.gov/conservation.
Bridge repairs
ED Swett closed the Hooksett Turnpike Bridge on Jan. 4. This closure will be in effect 24/7 through mid-May 2021. No vehicles or pedestrian traffic will be able to pass between #60 and #53 Hooksett Turnpike. Motorists will use Birchdale Road as a detour.
Parks and Rec Sticker Campaign
Show your support for cross-country skiing at Beaver Meadow. Donations of $25 or more will receive a limited edition “Ski the Beav” sticker. All proceeds benefit the Enhance Skiing at the Beav Project to purchase at tracked groomer for the trails at BMGC. The goal is to raise $100,000 by Aug. 2021. For more information on this project, visit concordparksandrec.com.
Winter operations
Sign up for winter parking ban email notifications at http://www.concordnh.gov/notifyme. Sign up for both Winter Storm Event Parking Bans and Winter Maintenance Parking Bans to get alerted for both city-wide and downtown bans. Winter parking bans require all vehicles to be removed from indicated streets between midnight and 7 a.m. for snow removal operations.
Free parking is available in the City garages on weekends, observed holidays, and Monday through Friday from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. for permit/lease spaces (marked with signage) and until 9 a.m. for metered spaces. Penacook residents may park at the Canal Street Municipal Parking Lot at the corner of Village Street and Canal Street near Chief’s Restaurant. Although this lot is posted for no overnight parking, the City’s Parking Division will suspend this regulation during city-wide winter parking bans to accommodate Penacook residents. Residents should only park in the public spaces on the south side of the lot along Canal Street.
Concord General Services works as quickly and efficiently as possible to plow the 220 center line miles (440 lane miles) of streets and 90 miles of sidewalks throughout the city on a priority level basis. Plows require a lot of space on the road, which can make plowing difficult if cars are parked on the street, especially on narrow streets. Cars parked in tight areas or on narrow streets can block plows from fitting through the street. We appreciate the community’s cooperation to park off-street, even when a parking ban is not issued, to allow crews to plow more efficiently and restore safe road conditions. Visit concordnh.gov/winteroperations for more information about the City’s winter operations.
Thank you from Concord Human Services
As we look back on 2020, many of us will remember sickness, quarantines, job loss or layoffs and accompanying financial stress, loss of loved ones and changes in our and our families’ work, school and basic life routines. To say the least, we are all hoping for a much healthier and happier 2021. At Human Services, we have seen how individuals and families were affected first hand, and we have also witnessed how a community comes together to support those most in need.
Concord is very fortunate to have people who, year after year have donated their time, gifts, food and hygiene items, money and clothing to our department.
We would like to sincerely thank the Beaver Meadow Village for their yearly contribution of toys and clothing for children.
The City Clerks dept., Ashley Hamilton, Donna Muir, Eddie and Lisa Drouse and former city employees Barbara and Ron Lowd as well as other anonymous donors are sincerely appreciated for sponsoring children and fulfilling their wish lists once again!
LARC and Health Trust have also sponsored children and their parents so that gifts would be under their trees Christmas morning. The Capital Region Food Program, The Women’s Club of Concord, the United Benevolent Association, Care Net Pregnancy, Health Trust and Granite United Way have generously donated knitted hats and mittens, food and diapers for our pantry and a monetary donation for our teen Christmas program. We are blessed and we wish you all the best for 2021.
