Council budget hearings upcoming

Around Town with Dick Patten
Pineconia Grange # 322 will meet Monday, May 24 at 7 p.m. at Havenwood Retirement Community in the Auditoroium. The Grange will have a Memorial Day program. The Grange received thank-you notes for the dictionaries presented to Broken Ground School. Merrimack County Pomona Grange will meet June 7 at Daniel Webster Grange. The annual baking contest will be held. Winning entries from all the Subordinate Granges in the Merrimack County Pomona District will compete.

The annual New Hampshire Law Enforcement Memorial Observance will be held Monday, May 17 at 10 a.m. at the Memorial located on the grounds of the Legislative Office Building at the corner of North State and Capitol Streets. There will be many people participating. Participants will gather at the State House Plaza and march to the Memorial. Gov. John Lynch will lead a delegation of State of New Hampshire politicians to the ceremony. The 5th and 6th Grade Chorus from Broken Ground School will sing appropriate songs; remarks will be given b y several invited speakers. Following the speeches, family members will place flowers on the their loved one's name located on the memorial. The New Hampshire State Police, New Hampshire Conservation Officers, Police Departments, Correctional Officers, and more will be among those in attendance. This is open to the public to attend.

A breakfast forum featuring Mayor Jim Bouley and City Manager Tom Aspell will be held Friday, May 21 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Grappone Conference Center,Concord. The cost is $20 for Chamber members; and $30 for non-members this includes a full breakfast. This is sponsored by Nobis, Merrimack County Savings Bank, HinckleyAllenSnyder, CWB PA,Attorneys at Law, 3W Design. Please call the Chamber Office to make your reservation at 224-2508.

The 7th annual Blind Awareness Walk-A-Thon sponsored by N.H. Association for the Blind will be held Saturday, June 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.. This will be held ran or shine. Please call Mary at 224-4039 ext. 324 for information. The registration fee is $15 for adults, $5 for children under 12.

The City Council gets ready for the budget meetings: Tuesday, May 18 at 6:30 p.m. Budget Overview and Review Meeting Schedule: Thursday, May 20, 6;30 p.m., Administration, Community Development, Conservation Commission; Tuesday, May 25 at 6:30 p.m., Fire, Police including parking; Thursday, May 27, General Services; Thursday, June 4rd, Library, Recreation; Tuesday, June 8,Human Services, Social Service Agencies; Thursday, June 10 @ 6:30 p.m., Capital Budget, Bonded Debt; Monday, June 14 @ 7 p.m., Regular Council meeting; Thursday, June 17 at 6:30 p.m., Reserved/optional work session; and Monday, June 21 at 7 p.m., Public Hearing/Budget Adoption.

There is a scheduled session set for Monday May 31, at 6:30 p.m. with Fiscal Monitoring Report, Miscellaneous, Non-public session - Comp Adjustment. However, May 31 is a holiday, and the paperwork states May 24 as the holiday, so stay tuned, as we will get that checked.
These meetings are open to the public and this is where you, as a citizen needs to attend if you have questions. You can voice your opinions on areas that you are concerned about.

Again, don't forget the annual Memorial Parade parade is scheduled for Monday, May 31 at 9 a.m. with formation scheduled at 8:30 a.m.at the Burlington Coat Factory parking lot off Storrs Street. The parade units will proceed from the parking lot to Pleasant Street Extension marching up the hill to North Main Street and Pleasant Street, turning onto North Main Street traveling north on North Main Street to Boutin Street stopping at the Old North Cemetery where ceremonies will be held along with laying of wreaths. The parade will proceed south on North State Street to Capitol Street to the State House Plaza where ceremonies will be held. The Rundlett Middle High School and Concord High School Bands will provide music for the parade. The ceremonies athe plaza will include laying of wreaths by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Gold Star Mothers, and Gary S.Dillion Marine Corp. The ceremonies lwill include speeches, patriotic music, and 21 gun salute. This is open to the public. The parade is in need of participants. If you would like go enter a marching unit, patriotic float, or band be at the formation site and check with the formation committee. The parade will be held irain or shine. In case of rain, the events will be held inside of the State House Hall of Fame.