ALERTS: None at this time!

The Seabrook Wastewater Resiliency Study

The Seabrook Board of Selectmen authorized a study on climate resiliency at the Seabrook Wastewater Plant, which was unveiled on a recent visit to the Plant by Congressman Pappas. This project was funded by NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management in conjunction with New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Coastal Program.

The goal of the study was, in the most basic terms, to identify the vulnerabilities of the plant to climate based sea level rise. We have also identified plant “hardening” measures that can be taken to mitigate the very real and severe challenges faced in the runup to 2050. The recommendations will inform Seabrook’s capital planning in the wastewater department.

I am appreciative of the work of Curtis Slayton, Sewer and Water Superintendent, and Daumanic Fucile, Chief Sewer Operator. My thanks to Weston and Sampson for their fine work on this project as well.

seabrook-wwtf-climate-resilience-assessment-project-report-july-2021


Seabrook Capital Spending 8 Year Review

With preparations ongoing for the production of the new Seabrook Capital Plan I have prepared the 8 year review of Seabrook capital spending, which is attached below, with the corresponding tabs. This review shows us where our capital spending has gone, both by department, and by function. Seabrook capital spending has been financed with capital bonds, fund balance, and on a pay/go system through the budget. Importantly both the Budget Committee and the Board of Selectmen have approved the creation of capital reserve accounts, which will help to smooth our capital budgets annually.

Seabrook CIP Spending Eight Year Review 2020

tabs-2020


Seabrook Parks and Playgrounds Reopening Phase 2

The Governor’s re-opening task force has issued new guidance on parks and youth sports, which will now allow competitive games to proceed. This guidance has been adopted by the Seabrook Board of Selectmen, and the initial policy, put forward by the Town of Seabrook in conjunction with the initial parks reopening on June 6, has been amended to reflect the new guidance. The amended Seabrook policy, as well as the new guidance from the Governor’s task force, are attached below. In order to schedule games or for any inquiries on the new policy please contact DPW or Recreation.

Seabrook Parks Reopening Policy Phase 2

guidance-amateur-youth-sports phase 2


Guidance on Access to Transfer Station

The Town of Seabrook will not be issuing parking placards for the 2020 season. For those “non-resident” taxpayers who have prior used the placards to access the Town transfer station please note that we will accept a tax bill, with a drivers license, to allow access in this season. You should present both at the transfer station for entrance. Thank you!


Seabrook Town Hall Phase One Reopening June 1

Seabrook Town Hall will reopen to the public on June 1, with restrictions. Town Hall will be opened to the public Monday June 1, Wednesday June 3, and Thursday June 4. Town Hall will be available for transactions Tuesday and Friday in the current manner, utilizing the drop box and appointments. There will be an employee in the lobby to direct the public, and ensure that we do not go over capacity. Seabrook has installed Plexiglas barriers at our service windows, and we have installed a new drop box that can be accessed without leaving your car. That Dropbox is secure, but we will not accept cash via the box. The full reopening protocols are below. If you have any questions please call Town Hall at 603-474-3311 or email [email protected]

Town Hall and Departments Reopening Protocols


The New Hampshire Regional Beach Reopening Plan

The Town of Seabrook, along with the towns of Hampton, Rye, New Castle, and North Hampton, have agreed to a set of beach reopening protocols that were submitted to the Governor’s Reopening Task Force yesterday. The Task Force received this document on May 21, 2020 and approved it for submission to Governor Sununu for consideration. I would like to thank Senator Tom Sherman as well as the management teams from all the communities for all of the work in building this consensus, as well as Tim Roache from the Rockingham Planning Commission. Our thanks to the Governor’s Office and the Reopening Task Force for all of their hard work on the many difficult issues they are faced with.

It is important to note that this document does not contain any reference to, or support of, the Hampton Beach Reopening Plan call for the closing of Ocean Blvd. in Hampton. The Town of Seabrook’s Board of Selectmen continue to oppose that aspect of the Hampton Plan, and have submitted a letter of opposition to it.

The plan submitted yesterday is attached below.

Regional Beach Plan 5-21-20 Final Draft


Seabrook Beach Draft Reopening Plan

The draft Seabrook Beach Reopening Plan, phase one, is attached below. The Board of Selectmen discussed this item at the May 18, 2020 meeting.

Seabrook Beach Reopening


State Coronavirus Information Line- Call 211

CONCORD, NH – Today, Governor Chris Sununu, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, and NH Homeland Security and Emergency Management, announced that 211NH has been mobilized to handle all COVID-19 related calls from New Hampshire residents. All residents with questions or concerns surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak can call 2-1-1.

“211NH will serve as a coordinated and streamlined process for any Granite Stater concerned about the coronavirus,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “Now that it is up and running, any New Hampshire residents can call with questions or concerns. I would like to thank the folks at Granite United Way and Public Health for working around the clock to stay on top of this evolving public health situation by making this critical resource available 24/7.”

“It is important during an outbreak that residents get the information they need to protect their health and the health of their community,” said HHS Commissioner Lori Shibinette. “2-1-1 provides that resource for our residents to get the most up to date and accurate information about the presence of coronavirus in New Hampshire.”

211NH is New Hampshire’s statewide, comprehensive, information and referral service operated by Granite United Way and will replace the current Department of Public Health Hotline (603-271-4496) for COVID-19 related questions.

Members of the media and local city and town officials, as well as emergency management officials should still call the state’s Joint Information Center.


The Seabrook Town Warrant 2020

The Seabrook Board of Selectmen have finalized the 2020 Town Warrant, which is now posted. The Town Deliberative Session will be on February 4 at 7:00 p.m. at the Seabrook Community Center. The Town election will be on March 10.

I have provided the Board of Selectmen with an analysis of the data contained in the Warrant. The analysis contains a breakdown of requested articles and FY 2020 tax impacts by department. The full memo is attached below. The summary, without the departmental spending, is directly below:

This memo will provide the raw data associated with the 2020 warrant, and will break down that data by department. While there are several ways to look at these numbers I have chosen to examine the articles in the context of the 2020 tax impacts. After the election I will produce the annual capital report which will highlight other facets of capital spending.

The total of requested warrant articles in 2020 is $3,079,656. This is a reduction of $2,910,469 from the 2019 warrant requests of $5,990,125. That is a significant reduction, based on the Board effort to stabilize capital spending, and frankly having addressed some major capital spending needs in prior years. The number should be further reduced by $143,727, the amount sought for reauthorizing water exploration money that had been prior approved, with that source of funding being the water capital reserve. Once that prior appropriation is removed the number requested for this year dips to $2,935,929. As we examine the 2020 numbers our focus will be on the FY 2020 tax impacts, so we will, for this exercise, focus on one year, and show future tax impacts separately.
Other items of note include the fact that the Police number includes $100,000 that comes from a citizens article. The overall warrant contains $165,000 in funding capital accounts that are pre-payments on future capital obligations. Additionally the Police request for radio equipment through bond financing is funded through the newly created communication revolving fund. There will be no taxpayer impacts, in FY2020, or into the future, as that revolving fund derives its funds from lease payments made to Seabrook by Verizon (Police/Fire Tower) and by T-Mobile (Water Tower Lease.) New personnel costs included in these numbers are $190,492. Those would rise in following years.
The tax impacts for FY 2020, if all requested articles are passed, would be $1,309,822.

Town Warrant 2020

Warrant 2020 Analysis


Seabrook Announces Collective Bargaining Agreement with SEA

The Seabrook Board of Selectmen announced this week a one year Collective Bargaining agreement with the Seabrook Employees Association, affiliated with Teamsters Local 633. The SEA is the largest of the Town of Seabrook’s employee unions, covering our DPW, Water, Sewer and some Police and Fire employees, as well as most of the clerical staff. This one year agreement will be on the ballot in March 2020, and would become effective, if passed, on April 1, 2020.
The contract has a “true zero” for FY 2020, with a wage increase of 50 cents per hour beginning on January 1, 2021. On the management side we appreciate the work and good faith shown in the negotiations by the SEA and Teamsters Local 633. The Board of Selectmen worked very hard on this contract and deserve recognition for that effort. This unit has been without a contract since 2017. This contract will appear on the 2020 Warrant as Article 6.

SEA Collective Bargaing Agreement
SEA Collective Bargaing Agreement