Willard: Going to Washington
Manchester Police Chief Nick Willard has been invited to attend a meeting of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy on November 3rd in Washington, D.C. This convening will include leaders from Pay for Success in the fight to address the opioid crisis in order to explore possibilities to add them to the suite of tools deployed at the state and local level to tackle opioid abuse. In addition, state and local policymakers, service providers and evaluation experts will be among those present. Willard was invited because of his work with the National City-County Task Force on the Opioid Epidemic. Might be interesting to see if our outspoken chief tries to have a beer summit with the current occupant of the White House. I’d pay to witness that one!
Ledoux: Busy lady
Manchester Police Lieutenant Nicole Ledoux has been awarded the 2 0 1 6 Susan B. Anthony Award by the Greater Manchester Y W C A.
Anthony, a REAL and original feminist, provided a legacy of hope and advocacy on behalf of the rights of women. The award recognizes the contributions of outstanding women who live or work in New Hampshire and exemplify her ideals. Anthony is most recognized for her efforts to grant women the right to vote. Each year, an award recipient is recognized for her contributions to other women, the community and the way in which she has demonstrated one or more of Anthony’s qualities.
For twenty one years, Ledoux has served as a patrol officer, community policing officer, school resource officer and a Child Abuse and Sexual Exploitation investigator. She is currently the supervising lieutenant of the Juvenile and the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault investigative units, a member of the Attorney General’s Task force On Child Abuse and Neglect and the New Hampshire Task force on Human Trafficking. She also serves on the boards of the Granite State Children’s Alliance, the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester and the Pediatric Advisory Board for the Mary and John Elliot Foundation at Elliot Hospital.
Our congratulations to Lt. Ledoux!
Auburn: Tax rate released, property sold
The town of Auburn has announced that the Department of Revenue Administration has set its tax rate. Residents are likely to be pleased with the twenty dollar and twenty five cent per thousand rate, as it reflects a forty six cent reduction from the previous year. Comprising the total is four dollars and forty three cents for the municipal tax rate, twelve dollars and twenty six cents for the local school tax, two dollars and forty seven cents for the state wide property tax, which is also for schools, and a buck nine for the county.
Town officials say that the reduction in the tax rate will cause the November property tax bill this year to be less than the bill that came out in June. They say tax bills by November 1st will a due date of December 5th.
The Auburn Board of Selectmen also announced it sold the town’s former fire and police station on Raymond Road to L K B L LC of Manchester for one hundred fifty thousand dollars. The building is expected to be used as a warehouse for Manchester based Mill City Energy, L L C.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
to be tested
In preparation for the upcoming winter, the city of Manchester will be testing its snow emergency alert lights at intersections throughout the city on November 3rd and 4th. Please be advised if you see the lights flashing on these days, it is a test, unless it’s snowing, in which case, you’d be wise to pull your cars off the street lest a tow truck does it for you later that evening.
Asking for help to keep storm drains clear
The foretasted rain has the Merrimack Public Works Department asking for to help keep storm drains clear. They say their crews will be out checking on catch basins to remove leaves, but with more than five thousand basins and leaves constantly falling from trees, they say they can’t keep them all clear. Officials are asking people to keep the grates in front of their homes and businesses free from leaf cover so the water can get off of the roads and avoid flooding.
Folks in Manchester and other urban areas might want to do the same given what happened last week. I think Noah’s Ark is still floating on the flood caused by leaf covered storm drains in Colonial Village and other areas of town.
Merrimack Halloween Party
Merrimack’s 24th Annual Halloween Fun Day Party is today at Wasserman Park. Bring the whole family to this year’s “Spooktacular” event featuring a night of food, carnival games, face painting, crafts, not-so-scary stories, music, the Pumpkin Carving Challenge and, the highlight of the evening, their Halloween Costume Contest!
You can also take a walk through their new Haunted House, sponsored by the Merrimack High FIRST Robotics team, for just a nominal entrance fee which benefits team.
Their announcement didn’t mention what would happen if the weather didn’t cooperate, so you might want to check with the town about alternative arrangements.
That’s news from our own backyard! Girard at Large hour ___ is next!
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