miscellaneous

Earlier this year, officials from every city and town named Dublin around the world were invited by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Ireland, Naoise O Muiri, to be a part of the country's first ever Gathering of the Dublins. Five of the 17 Dublins accepted the invitation including California, Georgia, New Hampshire, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Not knowing what to expect, my husband and I left straight from Dublin's Town Meeting for the airport for a 6 hour flight. We arrived in Dublin, Ireland on Sunday morning (St. Patrick's Day) at 5:30 a.m.

Ten high school graduates have each received a $750 scholarship from the John B. Andrews Scholarship Fund, a 501 (c)(3) entity administered by the New Hampshire Local Government Center. The scholarships are funded through private donations, and one scholarship for 2012 was generously funded by the New Hampshire Government Finance Officers Association.

Did you know that the 2011 LGC Annual Conference will mark the 70th annual gathering of New Hampshire local officials? We hope you'll join us November 16 and 17 at the Radisson Hotel Manchester to be a part of this great event designed to engage, inspire and inform you-and provide you with the tools you need to achieve your mission.

Some 520 local officials and staff from cities, towns, counties and schools across the state gathered at the Radisson Hotel Manchester on November 16 and 17 to participate in the New Hampshire Local Government Center’s 70th Annual Conference, themed Embracing the Mission. With more than 60 informational sessions from which to choose, attendees benefited from the opportunity to expand their knowledge and their peer network and reconnect with the mission of public service. The following are some highlights from the event.

The prevailing focus of the upcoming budget season for local governments across New Hampshire will continue to be the economy. Three and a half years have passed since the onset of the financial and economic crisis of 2008, yet despite what politicians campaigning across New Hampshire have been saying about the U.S. economy, the New Hampshire economy appears to be headed in a positive direction, albeit very, very slowly.

Valuable possessions can be obliterated in a matter of minutes. The tragic tornado that tore through Joplin, Missouri this past spring serves as a stark reminder of that.

The late August visit from Tropical Storm Irene wrought particularly harsh impacts on a few New Hampshire communities but, for the most part, left much of the state relatively unharmed. Reported estimates for statewide damage to roadways totaled more than 150 state roads and approximately 475 local roads.

"I can remember it like it was yesterday." It was May 25, 1959 and Jim Rivers was nine years old. "My mom got a call and they said my dad was injured on the job. I was waiting in the yard when Louis Colgan from the State Highway Department drove up and told my mother, 'I think we better go inside.'"

By Steve Norton

The last few years have brought unprecedented forces of change to New Hampshire. The Great Recession changed the economic landscape, communities and the state budget process. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act sent millions of dollars to state and local communities, money which will no longer be available to support state and local activities. And political tides have changed, as well, adding momentum to trends that began as a result of the recession, including changes in state spending.

Crowds gathered in downtown Durham on Monday, March 14 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Durham Fire Department. Most fire departments date back to the 1950s, and only a few can claim the length of history of Durham's Fire Department. Serving as master of ceremonies for the event, current Fire Chief Corey Landry shared key points in the department's history.