 Photo by Eric Anderson
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December 2020 Issue December Holiday Closings
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 Photo by Eric Anderson
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All Town offices will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day - December 24, 2020 and December 25, 2020.
Baker Free Library will be closed on Christmas Day, December 25, 2020.
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Important Property Tax Bill Information Property tax bills will be mailed out on December 17, 2020, with a due date of January 21, 2021. If you want to get a tax deduction on your income taxes, the tax bill has to be paid by December 31, 2020.
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2021 Town Election Information Town Election is scheduled for Tuesday, March 9, 2021.
Voter registration deadline is Friday, February 26, 2021 in the Town Clerks office, or on Saturday, January 27, 2021, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. The Deliberative portion of Town Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Declaration of Candidacy will be may be filed from Wednesday, January 20, 2021 to Friday, January 29, 2021. Click on the links below for further information.
How to file for candidacy Declaration of Candidacy
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Baker Free Library Happenings
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Crafters take Note!December's Craft Kit is Winter Gnome and Snowman and registrations for this event is full. Make a pair of winter friends to add to your seasonal decor. Kit contains everything you need to assemble these fun, festive winter decorations, with step-by-step instructions. January's craft kit is Birdseed Wreath Registration is required and limited to 15 participants. Supplies are limited and registration is required. For more information, contact Betsy at betsy@bakerfreelib.org.
Home for the Holidays (Virtual Program) Take part in this 6 week series; that will highlight simple crafts, recipes, holiday book reviews and more, all from the comfort of your home. As part of this program, we will hold an Adult Winter Reading Program with reading challenges and raffle prizes. This series runs from November 22 to January 2. Sign up to receive a weekly Home for the Holidays email by contacting Amelia at amelia@bakerfreelib.org.
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Kids Corner!Our weekly story times are back in a virtual format! Join us each week on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. via Zoom for new stories and songs as we meet via Zoom. Story times are designed for children aged 3-5, although all ages are welcome to attend. To access this month's program, email juliana@bakerfreelib.org.
The library’s Creative Kit program, a monthly take-home kit designed for children aged 3-12, continues through December. This month, we’ll learn about winter weather and snow, arctic animals and hibernation, and take part in experiments and activities that celebrate the holidays! If you were unable to reserve a Creative Kit, head to our website for this month’s archived projects. Supplies are limited and registration is required. To reserve a kit for your child, please sign-up with the appropriate age group using our online calendar. Registrations do not carry forward; you will need to sign-up for each month you plan to participate. Reserved kits can be picked up anytime during the first week of the month.
Once again, the library will host a coloring contest this month for children aged 12 and under! To enter, simply pick-up or print your picture (available as part of December’s Creative Kit, archived online), color it in and return it to the library by December 18. Pictures can also be scanned and emailed to Juliana@bakerfreelib.org. Two winners will be chosen.
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Book Club Picks Available Now At this time, the Adult Book Groups and White Rock Whodunits for the month of December will not be meeting in person, however the copies of “Eliza Hamilton: the Extraordinary Life and Times of the Wife of Alexander Hamilton” by Tilar J. Mazzeo will be available for Book Talk members to pick up at the Circulation Desk. Copies of the 2021 Calendar are also available. Please contact Amy at amy@bakerfreelib.org with any questions.
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The Giving Tree is back!The continued support of our library events, programs, workshops, and services through this fund-raising effort makes the library a better resource for the whole community. For more information on how to contribute to our 2020 Giving Tree, visit the Library or contact us at (603) 224-7113.
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Baker Free Library will be observing the following Holidays Christmas Day on December 25, 2020.
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Bow's Business to Business Event goes vIrtual
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The Business Development Commission conducted its first virtual networking event back in October, via Zoom . Participants included local business owners and employees and Town officials. The Bow Police Department made a presentation on how to keep Bow businesses safe and the services that are available from the Department.
The Business Development Commission meets the first Wednesday of the month.
Bow Planning Board The Board recently approved a small commercial subdivision on River Road, creating new business development potential. Several site plans are currently under review, including a 6,000 square foot warehouse on Route 3A. The zoning amendment season began in October, and the Planning Board will be discussing proposed changes until January 2021.
Planning Board meetings are conducted via Zoom with the public being able to watch via YouTube or participate via Zoom meeting software.
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Remember to Conserve Water
In spite of recent rains, most of New Hampshire continues to be in a moderate to severe drought, with a portion of the southeastern part of the state still in an extreme drought according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, as of November 24 , 2020. Although the October and November rains have helped, there are several measurements that go into drought conditions. These include stream flows, soil moisture and groundwater levels. Over the past six months, New Hampshire’s rainfall numbers are still several inches below normal, and, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the topsoil soil moisture content for 88 percent of New Hampshire was dry to very dry. Even though grass might be green as you look outside your window, the ground will soon be freezing, which means that many wells that were stressed over the summer, may continue to be at low levels throughout the winter and are at risk of running dry. Links on current drought conditions and ways to conserve water can be found under Water Conservation Links on the Bow Drinking Water Committee’s web-page
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 Photo by Eric Anderson
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Winter has arrived and DPW is ready!With snow coming any day now, the Public Works crew has gone right into winter mode. Drainage culverts were checked for clogged leaves, and leaf cleanup on Town properties has been completed. The Town Cemeteries had dead limbs cut and leaves cleared. Both Evans and Alexander Cemeteries are still open until the first measurable snowfall occurs.
The Town's roads have also been prepped for winter with continued drainiage ditch cleaning, ditching and patching roads, cutting brush, and grading dirt roads. Winter salt has been delivered and more sand has been stockpiled at the Facility. .
The Department has converted our trucks and equipment for winter. This includes putting on all the sanding equipment and plow blades, changing over all vehicles to snow tires and having chains ready, giving the trucks a good cleaning inside and out, taking care of maintenance items and performing any repairs that need to be made for the upcoming plowing season.
We recently received delivery of a new 2020 Ram 5500 dump truck and traded in the 2011 Ford F550. This new replacement truck will be added to our fleet for snow plowing this winter.
Thank you all for your patience and understanding. When the winter plowing season begins, we are here for you.
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Winter Driving Safety Tips Please remember to clean ice and snow completely off of your vehicles. during the winter season. Snow and ice flying off from a moving vehicle can create hazardous driving conditions for vehicles travelling and may severely injure other motorists.This may also result in fines and/or civil liability for failing to take reasonable steps to remove the snow or ice accumulations. Early removal of the snow after a snowstorm is the best way to prevent such ice from accumulating.
It is also very important for drivers of all vehicles to leave sufficient space when following others to give themselves enough time to react and the ability to avoid any snow/ice in the event that it does fall from a vehicles or a trailer.
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 Photo by Eric Anderson
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Dunklee/Rte. 3A Intersection ProjectThe project has been closed for winter shutdown. The bridge is open for travel. . To see project information/progress photos for this project, as well as other Town projects, click on this link: Road Construction and Infrastructure Projects.
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Employee Safety Training The Fire Department recently conducted safety training for our Town employees. This 4 hour training included CPR, fire extinguisher use, and simple first aid to difficult first aid. The sessions were done in collaboration with our Joint Loss Management Committee. Thank you Bow Fire for an excellent training!
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 Photo by Mridula Naik
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There is a new face in the Town Clerk's Office!
You may recognize Kate Ess, who was recently elected as a Supervisor of the Checklist. In addition to that role, Kate has joined the Town Clerk's Office as their new PT Account Clerk.
Welcome Aboard, Kate!
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Job OpportunitiesSeeking CDL-A or CDL-B Drivers. The Department of Public works is always accepting applications for a CDL-A or CDL-B drivers. Please visit our website at www.bownh.gov. to apply.
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Need a Passport?
The Baker Free Library can help you with that.
As of September 1, 2020, the Library will be accepting passport applications by Appointment Only. No Walk-ins at this time. Please contact the Library to make an appointment. Our schedule will be Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m.- 3:30 p.m., and Saturday 10:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. For more information, visit our website or call (603) 224-7113.
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Stay Connected The greater the involvement of our citizens, the stronger our community will be. Here are some of the ways you can stay connected with the Town of Bow:
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