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own of ye TNewsletter R Vol. 13, No. 2 A Publication of the Rye, New Hampshire, Board of Selectmen June 2010 SELECTMEN’S MESSAGE On May 31 at 9 a.m. the Selectmen Discuss the Good, the Town of Rye will conduct a Memorial Day ceremony Bad, and the Donor Town at the Central Cemetery. See Page 6 for details. NEW DPW DIRECTOR HIRED Everett “Bud” Jordan retired as Director of Public Works effective June 1. Bud served the Town in that capacity for ten years. We wish him well as he transitions to the role of retiree. Dennis G. McCarthy begins his Rye’s First Retirement Community tenure as Rye Public Works Director on June 1. Dennis has 30 years of experi- Development Breaks Ground ence in the areas of public works man- agement, municipal infrastructure, and municipal leadership, most recently as DPW Director for the Town of Ray- mond, NH, where he served in that ca- pacity since 1991. His position in Raymond focused on supervision, management, and budget preparation for a DPW department consisting of 12 full-time and 12 part-time employees White Birch at Rye—an Affordable Retirement Community that, in addition to highway, included fleet maintenance, parks, water, build- After eight years of thinking of the concept of housing for Rye’s seniors, the ing, and grounds. retirement community development by the Housing Partnership finally breaks GOOD NEWS ground. When the Rye Planning Board held a visioning session in the summer As the result of diligence and hard of 2002, a senior issues committee was formed. Some of the areas concerning work on the part of a number of indi- seniors in Rye were transportation and viduals, including Town Administrator housing. The Senior Issues Committee Mike Magnant, Assist. TA/Financial TOWN CLERK/TAX evolved into what is now known today Administrator Cyndi Gillespie, Energy as Rye Senior SERVE. This committee Committee member Lucy Neiman, COLLECTOR’S REPORT has purchased a van and resolved one and Tim Nichols of ANIX, an Office of Now that spring is here Beach Park- of the major issues, addressing the Energy Planning (OEP) Energy Effi- ing Permits are available once again. transportation needs of the elderly ciency and Conservation Block Grant You must be either a Rye resident or population in Rye. totaling $377,561 was awarded to Rye property owner to purchase a permit. Since that time, SERVE continued to for three building efficiency and two A vehicle registration must be pre- focus on the housing needs, and one of renewable energy projects. A variable- drive air-handling system with im- sented for each permit requested. NH the original members, Mel Low, sought proved air distribution efficiency and privacy laws prevent us from looking out the Housing Partnership and recovery ventilation ($41,890), a new worked with them to find land suitable up your plate number so please don’t ground-source heat pump ($96,162), ask. If you have trouble getting in to for the needs of the community. Dur- and installation of 3 PV attic ventilation the office to purchase your permit, you ing that time, a zoning ordinance was fans ($4,649) were approved for the See Town Clerk’s Message, page 3 See White Birch at Rye, page 7 See Selectmen’s Message, page 2 Selectmen’s Message (Continued from page 1.) Town Hall. The Library received ap- officially closed, cleanup was made meeting. Due to short notice, the Board proval for envelope insulation, R-42, in more difficult and dangerous by those requested Mike Magnant to develop a the attic plus wall and ceiling gap re- who bypassed the posting and placed comparison of the Friends statement to pairs ($67,208) while the Elementary themselves and others in harm’s way our original set of conditions. School was approved for a 10 KW CHP while heavy equipment was at work One major stumbling block was ap- System ($167,652). It is estimated that on the cleanup. parent at this most recent meeting. the Town’s share will be between 25 Failure to Scoop: Picking up after From the outset, the BOS has insisted and 30 thousand dollars. Spot or Rover is a year-round, Town- that acquisition of the Tower have ap- WALLIS SANDS/PARSONS CREEK wide responsibility. It appears that fail- proval of a Town Meeting vote. The WATERSHED STUDY ure to scoop may impact water quality Friends group, with a sense of urgency Jessica Devoid, an environmental anywhere. Please carry and use your fueled by the NH Fish and Game De- technician with the NH Department of plastic bags on both the beach and partment’s desire to get rid of the Environmental Services (DES) has been roadside and dispose of them properly Tower during 2010, is anxious to com- leading a team working with the Town upon your return home. plete the transaction. We are working to develop what is termed a Water- Plant the Right Tree: Negative im- to resolve any differences remaining. shed-based Plan for the Wallis pact resulting from our actions is not Meanwhile, FOPRT has been success- Sands/Parsons Creek Watershed. always immediate. Public Service ful in having Pulpit Rock Tower placed Such a plan requires detailed analysis Company of New Hampshire has is- on the National Register of Historic of source or sources of bacterial con- sued a request that homeowners plant Places. Congratulations. tamination within the watershed area. the “right” species of trees under NEW LOOK ON THE WAY Multiple sampling stations were estab- power lines in order to avoid outages On March 22 approval was given by lished last year and they will continue and undesired pruning in years to the Board to move forward with Vir- to collect data moving forward. Local come. tual Town Hall for design and devel- input and cooperation are considered Right, in this case, means short. Ar- opment of the Rye Website. Once the critical to a successful outcome. We borvitae, dogwood, flowering crabap- design phase is complete, responsibil- will update you as work progresses. ple, Japanese maple, and magnolia all ity for upkeep of the expanded site will A FEW (NO-NO, THIS MEANS YOU) fit this criterion since none would in- be divided among designated, trained REMINDERS terfere with power lines at maturity. Town Hall personnel. The transition to Signs on Town Property: No polit- Do not plant maple, oak, pine, poplar, the new format should be completed ical signs are allowed on Town prop- or willow in the area of power lines. by June 30. erty. RSA 664:17 states in part “No STATUS OF PULPIT ROCK We would be remiss if we did not political advertising shall be placed on TOWER take the time to remind everyone of the or affixed to any public property in- Ongoing discussions between the extraordinary service that has been cluding highway rights of way or pri- Board of Selectmen and the Friends of faithfully provided over the past vate property without the owner’s Pulpit Rock Tower (FOPRT) as to twelve years by Drew Doherty, origi- consent.” Also, “Signs shall not be whether or not the Town will assume nator and Director of the Town’s offi- placed on or affixed to utility poles or responsibility for Pulpit Rock Tower cial web site: www.town.rye.nh.us. highway signs.” On April 5, 2010, the continues. On October 19, 2009, the Drew initiated the site and brought the Board of Selectmen voted to “reinforce BOS set forth conditions that included Town of Rye into the 21st century. He the policy that political signs not be local, state, and federal requirements to has maintained our website on a daily placed on or adjacent to Town-owned be met prior to acquisition of the Tower basis throughout this entire period as a parcels”. by the Town. The Friends held an open volunteer. It is said that we are all re- Signs at Parsons Field are consid- house at the Tower, conferred with the placeable. In this case, it will take sev- ered only from non-profit entities hold- Conservation Commission, initiated eral people to fill his shoes. Thank you, ing approved events on Town or some of the necessary requirements Drew, for leading the way. School property. Parsons Field appli- such as cleaning, and obtained esti- LIFEGUARDS cation forms are obtained from and mates on others. On May 3, 2010, rep- Since Labor Day of 2009, the Board submitted through the Selectmen’s of- resented by Patricia Weathersby, the has discussed supervision of lifeguards fice at Town Hall. Friends presented a restatement of the on several occasions with both the By-pass of Pylons, Barricades, or path to acquisition of the Tower by the Beach Commission and Fire Chief Skip Police Tape: During one of our recent Town. Unfortunately, this document spring wind storms, many trees were was not received until just before the The Town of Rye Newsletter is produced by damaged or toppled in the Town For- Beckwith Bookworks 2075 Ocean Blvd., Rye, NH 03870 est. Despite the fact that the trail was 2 (603) 964-4800 Selectmen’s Message (Continued from preceding page.) Town Clerk’s Message (Continued from page 1) Sullivan. In April, it was decided to choice. Remember, if you request no may apply through the mail. Please place the day-to-day supervision of the spray on your property, your neighbor include a copy of your registration lifeguards under the Fire Department. across the street cannot be sprayed and the $20 fee for each permit re- This practice, we have learned, is quite since the machine sends the mist both quested.