Voting Opportunities 2013

Public Hearing for Town Budget

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

6:30 PM at the Henniker Community Center.   Public Hearing per RSA 32:5.  Discussion and review of proposed 2013 budget.

Last Day for Town Selectmen to Accept Petition Warrant Articles

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

For Town Warrant.  Last day for 25 or more voters or 2% of the voters, whichever is less, to apply to the Selectmen to include a warrant article (per RSA 39:3).

Session I, Deliberative Session for High School

Thursday, February 7, 2013 

7:00 PM at John Stark Regional High School, Cafetorium.  Can amend articles before they go on the ballot.

Deadline to Submit a Warrant Article for K-8 School

Monday, February 11, 2013

Persons wishing to submit a warrant article for inclusion in the 2013 Henniker School District Warrant must submit such warrants to the School Board, or one of its members, no later than February 11, 2013 at 5:00 PM.

Public Hearing for Proposed 2013/14 K-8 School Budget

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

for the Henniker School District at 7:00 PM at Henniker Community School, Library Room.

Voting Day

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

7:00 AM - 7:00 PM at Henniker Community School Cafetorium.  Ballot voting day for all elected officials (both schools and town) and planning and zoning amendments.  Ballot voting for High School budget and articles (Session 2).

Annual Meeting, K-8 School

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

7:00 PM at Henniker Community School Cafetorium.  Annual Meeting to vote for Henniker Community School (K-8) Budget

Annual Meeting, Town

Saturday, March 16, 2013

1:00 PM at the Henniker Community School Cafetorium.  Town Annual Meeting to vote for Town budgets and warrant articles.

Want to do Your Part for Earth Day 2013? 

COMPOST YOUR YARD AND FOOD WASTE

It's time for the annual ordering of compost bins, kitchen scrap pails, rain barrel systems and (NEW THIS YEAR) compost turners!  Orders are due MARCH 15, 2013.

Pick up your items at the Henniker Transfer Station April 13-14, 2013  between 11am and 1pm.  Questions?  Call Joan at (603) 496-1718 or email joconnornh@yahoo.com.

GET YOU ORDER FORMS ONLINE OR PICK ONE UP AT THE TRANSFER STATION.

Adult Senior Events at White Birch Community Center

ONGOING

Free Weekly Movies

ONGOING 

"Happy Hoofers" Senior Walking Group

Fridays at 9:00 AM out of the elements inside the NEC Field House. Hosted by White Birch Community Center, www.whitebirchcc.org

Questions on Medicare?

Anita Oelfke, the Medicare Services Coordinator for ServiceLink, will be at White Birch Community Center's Senior Center on Tuesday, February 12 from 11:30 AM-1:00 PM. Address is 51 Hall Avenue. Appointments are necessary. Call WBCC at (603) 428-7860 and ask for Beth Ann.

Cribbage Games

The 2013 Henniker Local Energy Committee's

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SERIES

The Henniker Energy Committee is sponsoring a series of free workshops on renewable energy and energy saving techniques for homeowners. All are welcome to attend.

Solar Photovoltaic and Hot Water

THURS. FEBRUARY 7, 2013  

6:30 - 8PM at the Henniker Community Center, 57 Main St, Henniker, NH

Chris Pinkham, Pinkham Building & Solar Services, will discuss residential solar photovoltaic and solar hot water options. Chris has worked in the building trades for 30 years and focuses on sustainability and renewable energy in his projects.

Special Bus Trip to

Boston Flower & Garden Show

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Sponsored by Henniker Lions Club 

Seats are limited. Ticket sales end when bus is full! Reserve Your Seat Today! $45 per person includes the bus ride and an Admission Ticket to show!

Bus departs from the NH Park & Ride at Exit 2 on I-89 (Clinton Street exit) at 9 a.m. and return at 5 p.m.

Henniker Lions Club, PO Box 808, Henniker, NH 03242

Groups, please include a contact name, phone number or email & a list of all people in the group.  

Questions? Contact Bruce Trivellini hennikerlionsclub@comcast.net.  

How Recycling Effects Our Tax Bills

Recycling is not only an overall advantage to our environment but it is a financial plus to our town.  Recycling generated over $53,000 in revenue to Henniker's general fund in 2012 and when combined with over $46,000 in savings effected by not having this recycled material in our trash stream; recycling gained us over $99,000 for 2012.  That amount saves us all about $.25 per thousand of valuation on our property taxes.  That's $50 a year for a $200,000 home and that number could be higher if we increased our recycling.  

 Every Thursday 4-6 PM

at the Congregational Church's Parish House on Route 114 (Maple St.), Henniker NH

Henniker has access to fresh, local food year round! The Henniker Community Market is indoors for the winter at the Parish Hall. Products include organic vegetables, grass-fed beef, pasture-raised pork, free-range poultry, farm fresh eggs, jams, jellies, granola, artisanal breads and fresh baked goods of all shapes, sizes and varieties, local wine, handcrafted woodworking, dog bones and treats, and more!

Learn more on our website: www.hennikercommunitymarket.com  Like us on Facebook for regular updates: www.facebook.com/hennikercommunitymarket

Town Baseball and Softball Sign-Ups

Signups will run for the month of February ending on Feb 28th. Please go to the Henniker Youth Athletics website to register your son or daughter:

http://www.hennikerathletics.com/index.php?p=userform3 

You can also find more information on our website 

BASEBALL:  http://www.hennikerathletics.com/index.php?p=custom17 

SOFTBALL: http://www.hennikerathletics.com/index.php?p=custom23 

Baseball evaluations will be held on:

Date: Saturday March 16, 2012

Location:   New England College field house.

Time:  Please arrive a 1/2 hour before the set time to sign in and get warmed up! 

  8u 9:30-11:30 (needs to be 7 by April 30 and not 9 before May 1st)

  10u 12:00-2:00 (needs to be 9 by April 30 and not 11 before May 1st)

  12u 2:30-4:30 (needs to be 11 by April 30 and not 13 before May 1st)

 REGISTRATION for SPRING 2013

NOTE:  There is a family cap of $300. Also, uniform costs are NOT included in this registration fee. Uniform costs are TBD.    

24th Annual Henniker Rotary Club 

Rabies Clinic to Benefit the SPCA

Members of the Henniker Rotary Club invite all dog and cat owners to attend the  24th annual Dog and Cat Rabies Clinic, Saturday, April 13, 2013 at the Henniker Fire Station from 2:00- 4:00 PM. There will be special incentives and giveaways for the animals, nail clipping provided by The Mutt Hut and pet photos taken by Karen Booth, with the goal of encouraging more people to take advantage of this low-cost, effective way to prevent their companion animals from the deadly Rabies virus.

Proceeds from the clinic will be donated to the Concord-Merrimack County SPCA. On an annual basis, more than 75 families from the Henniker-area adopt from the SPCA, and over 100 pets are brought from the Henniker area to the SPCA so that new homes can be found.

Once again, there will be lots of giveaways and incentives for the animals attending: cat toys courtesy of Henniker Farm and Country Store and samples of cat and dog food provided by Diamond Pet Foods. In addition, Diamond has provided a 30 lb bag of dog food to be raffled.

The newest addition to the event is Pet Photos by Karen Booth of Hillsboro. Karen will take a professional photo of an owner and pet(s).  Each custom photo costs $10. Alyssa Janelle of the Mutt Hut will again do nail clippings for a modest cost of $5.  Proceeds from both special services will go to the SPCA.

Vaccinations will be administered by the Henniker Veterinary Hospital, under the direction of Dr. Robert Brust, Veterinarian and Rotary member. Cost for the Clinic is $12.00 each for the first two household pets, $6.00 for each additional pet. Kim Johnson, Henniker Town Clerk and her staff will be on hand to provide 2013 dog licensure for local residents ($10 for adult dogs, $6.50 for neutered or spayed dogs). All dogs should be brought leashed, cats in covered carriers. If your pet has previously been vaccinated against rabies, bring the certificate with you to qualify for a 3-year vaccination.

This year's Rabies Clinic is sponsored by: Ameriprise, A Precious Pet Resort, Ayer and Goss Fuels, Jean Hooker & Associates, Rusty's General Store, TD Bank, The Mutt Hut, Western Avenue Pizzeria and media partner Granite Quill Publishers. For more information about the clinic, contact: Ruth Zax, 603-568-1232 or rbzax@comcast.net.

Gas Meters Donated to Henniker Fire Dept. 

The Henniker Firefighters Association is pleased to announce the donation of two gas meters to the Henniker Fire Department.  The Henniker Firefighters Association is a non-profit organization devoted to the assistance of the Town of Henniker Fire Department.  The Association raised the funds for these meters from a raffle held in conjunction with Music on Main Street and through memorial donations made to the Association.

One meter is a four-gas detector which can be used for propane leaks, carbon monoxide investigations and confined space entries.  It monitors oxygen levels, carbon monoxide, lower explosive limit and hydrogen sulfide.  The second meter measures hydrogen cyanide, a gas that is a byproduct of the combustion of modern materials.  The combined value of these two meters and their associated calibration equipment is $2013.60

The four gas detector will replace an older unit owned by the fire department which has become uneconomical to repair.  Prior to this donation, the Fire Department did not have a hydrogen cyanide meter.  Hydrogen cyanide has been recognized as a significant cause of death in smoke inhalation cases and as a threat to the health and safety of firefighters working in fires.  Cyanide poisoning in firefighters has been under-recognized and under-treated. 

This donated equipment will enable to the Henniker Fire Department to protect the health of the firefighters and to better serve the citizens of Henniker.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Dangers of "Sky Lanterns"

FROM THE STATE FIRE MARSHALL'S OFFICE:  NH State Fire Marshal J. William Degnan announced that his office is releasing a technical bulletin prohibiting the release of sky lanterns in New Hampshire. These paper miniature hot air balloons also known as Kongming Lanterns or "wish lanterns" have grown in popularity. Due to the increase, Degnan's office has seen more incidents where these devices have caused fires in the state.

Sky or "Kongming" Lanterns Prohibited by State Fire Marshall

Fire Marshal Degnan has determined that these devices are considered to be recreational fires according to the NH State Fire Code. "Recreational fires must be attended at all times," Degnan said. "Once you let go of the balloon, it is no longer attended." If the balloons are tethered in some fashion then they are permitted to be used.

One of the popular places to light these balloons is at the NH Motor Speedway during race week. Deputy State Fire Marshal Robert Farley who heads up the fire safety detail from the state at the speedway has seen hundreds of these balloons. "We have seen lots of these devices in the air and we find them all over the place with clear evidence that they were burning when they landed," Farley remarked. "We have evidence that these things have actually started fires on private property around the track." Farley also said that they create a littering nuisance and a potential hazard to animals and small children because of the wire frames. Unless tethered, releasing sky lanterns is considered a violation of the NH State Fire Code.

From the Assessing Department 

Abatement applications are due by March 1, 2013

ABATEMENTS:  An abatement is requested when the landowner feels that their property is unfairly assessed compared to other properties, similar to theirs, that have recently sold; there is a mistake on the assessment card (e.g. 4 bedrooms instead of 3); or a recent appraisal which disputes the town's assessed value. 

Exemption/Credit and Current Use applications are due by April 15, 2012 

EXEMPTIONS:   The Town of Henniker, by vote at town meetings, offers exemptions (an amount deducted from the assessed value of the property before taxes are levied) to qualified applicants for the following (see bulleted list below). To apply for any of the above exemptions, the landowner must qualify by meeting certain criteria as determined by RSA and town meeting. The landowner must be a permanent resident of Henniker. The elderly, elderly/disabled tax deferral and disabled exemptions have income and asset limits that must be met to qualify. 

• Elderly (over 65) 
• Disabled  
• Elderly / Disabled Tax Deferral
• Improvements to Assist Persons with Disabilities
• Solar Energy System
• Wind-powered Energy System
• Blind
• Wood Heating Energy System (not a wood stove)

VETERAN'S CREDIT:  The following credits (an amount deducted from the tax bill) are available to qualified applicants (see bulleted list below).  To qualify for a veteran's credit the landowner must have served during specific wars or conflicts, be honorably discharged, file an application and supply a copy of their discharge papers or DD214. 

• Veteran 
• Disabled veteran
• Widow/Widower of veteran

Cindy Marsland
Assessing Technician
Town of Henniker
603-428-3221 x 2 

Chili Fest 2013

Check out the new facebook page for the all the latest news about the 2013 Fire on the Mountain Chili Fest. Updated 2013 applications will be available after February 4th with special incentives for amateur chili makers who take advantage of our early bird entry. Go to www.chilinewhampshire.org   

PHOTO:  Rotarians Frank Damour (left) and Dave Connors (right) grill up some burgers at the 10th Fire on the Mountain Chili Fest (2012).  

Support Your Local Businesses

Every local economic study across the country is showing the same result.  If every consumer in our community shifted just 10% of their spending to local independent businesses we could generate hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity, creating thousands of jobs. Let's make choices that strengthen our local economy, expand employment, nurture a sense of community, and provide a more relaxed, fun and rewarding buying experience.   The Henniker Chamber of Commerce reminds you to "Support your local businesses, they support your community."

"Karma Yoga" with Live Music

at the Henniker Community Center to benefit the Henniker Food Pantry

What: Live Music and Yoga

When: Friday, February 15, 2013 at 6:30pm

Where: Henniker Community Center, 57 Main St., Henniker

Exercise and relax your body, mind and heart while accumulating some good karma credit! This will be a gentle to moderate hatha yoga practice guided by Yogini Tracy, accompanied with live acoustic Beatles music provided by Henniker's very own Jack Bopp. All proceeds will go to benefit the Henniker Food Pantry.

Suggested donation $15 - $20.  Non-perishable food donations will be accepted.  All are welcome!

Contact Tracy for details, 603-748-3030 www.yoginitracy.com

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Weekly Yoga Classes with Tracy

• Mondays @ 6:15 pm, Moderate
• Tuesdays @ 7:30am, Moderate
• Wednesdays @ 6pm, Yoga Basics (Pre-registration Required)
• Fridays @ 6:15pm, Vigorous
• Saturdays @ 9am, Gentle Flow 

LOCATION:  168 Maple St./Route 114 (next door to Coureous Law offices), Henniker NH

MORE INFO:  www.yoginitracy.com or 603-748-3030