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PAYT Bag Prices Effective Monday, April 1st, the price of Town of Peterborough Recycling Center trash bags has increased. The local vendors selling the blue bags are Agway (Rt. 202 south), Belletete's (Rt. 202 north), Shaw's (Rt. 101 west) and Nature's Green Grocer (347 Union St). Bags are sold in rolls of 10. Small bags (15gal) are now $11.50 per roll. Large bags (33gal) are now $23.00 per roll.
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Weekly Dispatch - April 27th

April 27th, 2021

Town of Peterborough Weekly Dispatch Keeping Residents Informed During the COVID-19 Crisis

Though the front doors of the Town House remain restricted to staff use only, Town House offices remain staffed from 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday (holidays excluded). The Town Clerk’s Office is open, accessible via the side door (on the Main Street side of the building), from 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM; no appointment required, one person permitted inside at a time.
Please visit the Town website for current and easily accessible information: http://www.peterboroughnh.gov

TOWN MEETING
2021 Town Meeting Ballot Session – Tuesday, May 11th 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM Peterborough Community Center on 25 Elm Street.

TO VIEW SAMPLE BALLOT, click here

All items on the Warrant for 2021 Town Meeting will be on the ballot, with the first article to ask whether voters approve of the alternative meeting format. Those who wish to vote in-person may do so at the Peterborough Community Center on 25 Elm Street on Tuesday, May 11th, between the hours of 7:00 AM & 7:00 PM. Masks are required, and social distancing and increased sanitation measures will be in place to ensure a safe experience for those who vote at the polls.

Absentee ballot information can be found here. If you do not plan to vote in person at the town elections, you should be requesting your absentee ballots NOW. Ballots are currently available in the Town Clerk’s office.

Questions about Warrant Articles?

Though the Live Question & Answer Session of Town Meeting was held on April 6th (recording can be viewed here), voters are still welcome and encouraged to ask questions about any of the warrant articles on the ballot. A webpage has been created for the purpose of posting questions and answers for public review. Questions and comments can be submitted via email, phone, mail, or secure mail slot, through May 10th. Click here for more details about submission options.

TOWN CLERK
Absentee ballots for the Town Meeting Tuesday, May 11th are available at the Town Clerk’s office for pick-up. Request forms can be obtained at the Town Clerk’s office, at the interim Peterborough Library, or on the town website. If you will be requesting an absentee ballot by mail, please send in your absentee ballot request to the Town Clerk ASAP to allow for mailing deadlines.  Absentee ballots must be received at the Town Clerk’s office by 5pm on MONDAY, May 10th, or by mail at the USPS by 5pm on Tuesday, May 11th for them to be counted.

Reminder: all dogs must be licensed annually by April 30th. A current rabies certificate is required. You may license your dogs by mail or via the dropbox at the front of the Town House (please include your stamped, self-addressed envelope), you may do it by the eb2gov system on the town website, or you may come in to the Town Clerk’s office. Please license your dog(s) now!

 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
Rt. 202 Retaining Wall Accident:
Last week, an accident occurred at the Rt. 202 Retaining Wall construction site. A drilling rig operating on the site tipped over while working at the US Route 202 retaining wall portion of the project.  Fortunately, no one was injured.  Though a small amount of fuel leaked, it was quickly contained.  NH DES was immediately notified.   Route 202 on Granite Street/Pine Street/Concord Street between Sand Hill Road and Route 101 was temporarily closed but is now open to one-way traffic. 
Removal is expected to take considerable time, and more will be known on this as the project team meets this afternoon to discuss next steps.  Given that large equipment will be required for removal, there are likely to be additional road closures in the near future to facilitate removal.  The Town will be updating the community as plans are developed.  After the drilling rig has been removed, a detailed site assessment will occur to understand any implications to the project’s schedule and budget.
As updates become available on this situation, they will be shared with the community.    

West Peterborough Sidewalk Extension and Drainage Improvement Project:
The West Peterborough Sidewalk Extension and Drainage improvement project is now out to bid.    This project consists of the construction of sidewalks, culvert replacements, and other site improvements on Union St. and Old Dublin Rd.   The bid window closes May 12th.  Shortly after bids are received and carefully reviewed, Peterborough DPW will provide an update of findings to the community and will discuss the project with the Select Board, including, if applicable, a recommendation for awarding of the contract.  Should the Town receive a bid that meets all specified criteria, construction is expected to begin this summer.

EV Charging Stations – Riverwalk Parking Lot:
After considerable research and a formal bid process, the Town has received six quotes for the project to install electrical vehicle charging stations in the Riverwalk Parking lot.   Staff is currently reviewing and scoring each quote, with an aim toward being on an upcoming Select Board agenda to present findings and consider recommendations to award a contract.   

Cold Springs Intermunicipal Well Connection Project:
The Cold Springs well project has moved into the preliminary engineering phase, whereby the Town’s of Peterborough and Jaffrey have begun site and design considerations in close consultation with Underwood Engineers.   Underwood was selected as engineers for the project after a comprehensive and competitive selection process.  We are excited to be underway on this project and will continue to provide updates as the work progresses.

RECREATION
Seasonal Staff Wanted:
Looking to hire summer staff for the following positions: maintenance, lifeguards and bathhouse attendants.  Starting pay for rec maintenance as well as the bathhouse attendants is $11.46/hour and the starting pay for lifeguards is $13.52/hr.  Right now, there is a shortage of training programs for lifeguards.  If you are interested in being a lifeguard this year, please apply (if you are over 15 years of age) anyway.  You will need to have your lifeguarding certification by June 11th at the latest. Please call 924-8080 or email John at jkohlmorgen@peterboroughNH.gov

Peterborough’s Memorial Day May 31st
Peterborough Post Office bridge on Grove Street: At 10:00 AM on Monday, May 31st

There will not be a Memorial Day Parade this year, but there will be a ceremony to memorialize those veterans who, as Abraham Lincoln put it, “gave the last full measure of devotion”. Town cemeteries will be decorated the week of May 23rd. Over 850 flags are placed every year in Peterborough. 
There will be a brief service on the Post Office Bridge. American Legion Cheney-Armstrong Post 5 Peterborough members will participate, with the Post Chaplain Andy Benoit saying a prayer. The Post Honor Guard will fire, and Vice Commander John Franklin will toss a bouquet of flowers into the Nubanusit River to commemorate those lost. Wendy and Dick Dunning will put up the crosses at the Memorial Gates to recognize the Veterans from Peterborough who lost their lives during combat. The gardens at the Memorial Gates have been worked on for the 31st by Boughs of Holly.                                                                                                                                         

The Weekly Dispatch is published on Tuesdays to both the Town website and Facebook page, and is emailed to those on the Select Board mailing list. If you would like to sign up to receive this in your inbox, visit this link and enter your email where indicated.

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