A few weeks ago I received a call from a journalist who wanted to talk about the safe spaces in college campuses around the country. She was trying to figure out why so many college students did not have coping skills to handle the outcome of the election. As we began to chat, we talked … Read more
A few weeks ago parents in Stratham received a permission slip so that their 1st grade children could attend a field trip at the high school. The field trip indicated that the purpose was to learn about political activism.
November 13, 2023 – The Stratham Republican Town Committee will be hosting its Third Annual Fundraising Event – “What a Crock! (of Soup),” on Thursday evening, November 30th, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the Stratham Municipal Center’s Main Meeting Room, at 10 Bunker Hill Avenue in Stratham.
TheNew Hampshire Business Review has an Op-Ed by Dan Weeks. Weeks is a co-owner and director at ReVision energy in Brentwood (Portland ME, Liberty ME, North Andover MA, etc.). They claim to be the number one rooftop solar installer in New England, which might make them the number one recipient of the federal money that props up their industry in New England.
But Representative Abrami thinks I am paranoid because I oppose SB 11; however, I may be just crazy enough to believe I own the water on my property. Sadly, it seems that the NH Department of Environmental Services says “No”. If that doesn’t give you pause, then go to the former Governor John Lynch’s website and read the final report of the Water … Read more
“Overall goal of SB 11: Enable a municipality to establish a water and sewer district within a specific area to attract and sustain commercial development”
So, Monday morning, May 6, I’m on the radio talking about upcoming legislation and bring up SB 11 and that, in my opinion, it was a real Trojan horse disguising a long-wished for entre for cities and towns and the state of NH to tax private well and septic owners to pay for the mistakes and mismanagement of municipally-owned and operated water and sewer systems.
Next day, out of the blue, I get this email from Senator Nancy Stiles – how in the world she got my email address I have no idea:
Susan,
An email was forward to me and I’m not sure you understand why SB11 was put forward. It didn’t come out of a study. One of my selectmen group was in need of services and didn’t want to put them through the whole community but to provide business with nee[sic] for water and sewerage. One town has the water supply and the other has the septic in place. SB11 ENABLES two communities to share resources through an MOU. No one cares how they set up who pays for what as long as the two communities agree. Included in the legislation is a requirement that if they hate each other 5 years down the road it is predetermined and agreed on how the break up will occur and who has what responsibilities. TOTAL local control to solve a problem. Instead of drafting legislation for one/two particular towns I made it ENABLING legislation for any community that saw a need. NO mandate to do anything. Hope this helps. Stop in my office sometime to say hello.
New Hampshire Senate Bill 11 will get a formal vote in the House this week, according to a post at CNHT.org. The post states the full vote is May 22, but was sent to me with an update: the vote will be held this Wednesday, May 15th.
(Note: We received confirmation. The vote is Wednesday May 22nd)
The date hardly matters, except as relates to our need to act against it. To the best of my knowledge this is the same exact bill that was set aside last week. No effort has been made to deal with the broad language that set off red flags last week. It is still a bad bill.
There is also the question of why this bill is even needed…
CNHT asks…
“…why do Exeter and Stratham need this legislation which “permits municipalities to establish water and/or sewer utility districts and to enter into intermunicipal agreements for the establishment of such districts” considering that the Merrimack Valley Water District has been in existence since 2004 by virtue of RSA Statutes: Chapter 53-A, Chapter 33-B, Chapter 38, and Chapter 362.”
If statutory authority already exists, why introduce a bill like SB 11, with such broad language, unless you are after something more?