legal inquiry

It’s not uncommon for select boards or other local enforcement agencies to learn about health, safety, or other violations (including zoning!) that are occurring throughout the municipality. As is the case with everyone who values solving problems, boards often first think: we need to visit the location to determine the extent of the problem. That’s an admirable thought, but sometimes a problematic one.

The NHMA Legal Advisory Service kicked into high gear on March 13th in response to member inquiries related to the pandemic.  In order to facilitate our response we created a new category for our legal inquiry data base, “COVID-19 coronavirus”, where we store all inquiries, telephone and email, and our responses.  Like the pandemic itself, questions from our members surged 30% in March, April, May and June and have now settled back to a more normal level.  Thanks to a gifted and dedicated team of attorneys, Natch Greyes, Cordell Johnston and Executive Director Margaret Byrnes

The New Hampshire Municipal Association provides legal services through its Executive Director Margaret M.L. Byrnes (as of January 2, 2019) and its Legal Services Counsel Stephen C. Buckley. The main job of the Legal Services Department is giving general legal assistance to NHMA’s member towns, cities, and village districts. We prepare articles, handbooks, seminars, and other educational programs and publications. We will also answer your specific legal inquiries. But there are limits.