City Manager's Report 7/2/2007
Rural Development Event
On Thursday June 21st, Jolinda LeClerc who is the Federal Director for Rural Development in Vermont and New Hampshire was in town to present the City with a key representing the $3,150,648 that Rural Development has provided to Berlin families toward getting or maintaining single family home ownership. This particular event occurred at 417 Derrah Street, which is the home of army veteran James Hall. Mr. Hall's home is in the process of some significant improvements made possible by the work of Rural Development and Tri-County Cap.
Best of New Hampshire Event
The Best of New Hampshire Event held at the Verizon Center in Manchester on thursday January 21st was attended by Mayor SnDanderson, Councilor Nelson, Pam Laflamme and me. It featured booths and displays of businesses considered to be the Best in NH by New Hampshire Magazine. Mostly it was restaurants being recognized for their various types of food. As you know Berlin was recognized for Riverfire and being a community on the rise.
New England Forest Rally
The New England Forest Car Rally is scheduled this year for 7:30 a.m. Saturday, July 14 with its start on Main Street, in front of City Hall.
Rock Salt Bid
Attached is the Notice of the State Bids for Rock Salt. We are District #1 which means our price this coming year will be $56.15 per ton. This is a 10% increase over our $50.83/ per ton of this past year. This is one of those items that we have to cross our fingers and pray on.
Police Mesh Network Bid
Bids for the installation of the Police Mesh Network were received on Thursday, June 21st. One bid was received from IT Guardian in the amount of $16,021.25. That bid has been awarded to them to keep this project moving as the Homeland Security Funding Agency is requiring the project to be completed by the first of September. Award of this bid and coordination with PSNH should allow this to happen. We now have a description of the easement for the Dummer Yard weather tower which enables us to accept the deed for that Tower from GivenNameFraser.
CDFA Monitoring of ISI CDBG funds on ISI project
Attached is a copy of the monitoring letter from CDFA regarding their review of our handling of the CDBG funds on the ISI project. The letter is very complimentary of the City and the City Planner with respect to this fairly complex project.
Impressions of Care
The AVH project to create the nice walkway from Hutchins street to the entrance to the hospital is getting underway and looking for donors. Information on where and how to donate is in your FYI file.
Renewable Energy Efforts
Attached is an article which was in New Hampshire Business Review on 6/22/07. The article is in support of SB 140 which as far as I can tell now just provides that the State Energy Policy Committee must report back to the Senate President with its findings on renewable energy with interim reports on December 1, 2007 and a final report on December 1, 2008. Perhaps I am cynical, but given the gyrations that have gone on in Concord over the last two years with nothing to show for it, it is not clear to me what additional legislative study is going to accomplish.
Even though he is promoting the wrong location (the plant should be in Berlin), the point Mr. Pfundstein is making so politely in his article is very important. That is that the State needs to see to it that a clear path for the expansion of the power infrastructure in the North Country occurs rapidly so that renewable power facilities can be built. If renewable facilities are to be built here which they certainly should be, then the currently inadequate power infrastructure needs to be upgraded so that there is adequate means for distributing the generated power to consumers elsewhere in the State.
HB143 on Apportionment of Damages
Attached is another article from the New Hampshire Business Review which reviews the status of HB 143 which is awaiting the Governor's action to sign it or not. The article points out that the trial lawyer's, in their zeal to get the Governor to sign this mockery of fairness bill, sent out a mailer/fax urging recipients to contact small businesses and tell them why the bill was not good for small businesses. The trial lawyers actually got it right for once…
Manager's Time and Time Off
My time-keeping is attached. I plan to take off the week of July 30th through August 3rd off. Laura Viger will be Acting Manager in my absence.