Executive Director Message

The information contained in this article is not intended as legal advice and may no longer be accurate due to changes in the law. Consult NHMA's legal services or your municipal attorney.

NHMA’s strategic plan is on the move! Over the past couple months, I’ve had the pleasure of hitting the road to visit members in person to discuss NHMA, the upcoming strategic plan, and to hear about the issues, concerns, and successes happening in our communities. In the past several months, I’ve visited Pembroke, Merrimack, Windham, Greenland, Deerfield, Rindge, Lyndeborough, Antrim, and Fremont − with another stop planned soon in Hollis. If you or your select board is interested in NHMA “stopping by,” please contact us at info@nhmunicipal.org. Traveling around the state is not only a great reminder of why I (a Connecticut native!) love New Hampshire; it is also a reminder of how fortunate I am to have a hand in supporting the work of local government.

While my plan is to visit all our members, with all 234 as members, it might take me a little time! You can view NHMA’s strategic plan on our website, and send comments or questions before October 18, if you wish, to info@nhmunicipal.org.

Otherwise, summer at NHMA is all about preparation: budgeting for the upcoming year; reviewing and updating of publications; planning for big fall events like the Budget & Finance Workshop (September), Annual Conference (October), and the Land Use Law Conference (November); and putting together the annually highly anticipated Important Dates calendars. Our staff is also working on creating the Final Legislative Bulletin and preparing training and guidance on changes in the law from the 2024 session; but, as of this writing, there are still bills awaiting action by the governor, including HB 1400, which would mandate new parking rules (and conflicting parking rules at that) for municipalities. And since fall is such a busy time, staff at NHMA also try to get a little R&R.

Speaking of R&R, this issue of Town & City is dedicated to health and wellness, with excellent content brought to you by our partners and sponsors, HealthTrust. We hope you enjoy—and that we will see you on October 30 and 31 at NHMA’s Annual Conference! (Find more information on our website and on page 23 in this issue!)