■The Town Municipal Office Building is closed to public access until further notice. This includes the Boscawen Public Library. The lobby is open and signage is posted to help visitors complete their tasks. Please check the town website, townofboscawen.org, for further details or call 753-9188.
■The staff at the Boscawen Public Library will is happy to help you with your book and movie requests. Staff are available to answer your questions Monday through Thursday from 12-4 p.m. Call 753-8576. Patrons can pick up their requested items on a blue cart in the lobby on Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Curbside pickup will be available for patrons who are unable to come into the lobby. Requests can also be made at boscawenpl@gmail.com.
■Do you enjoy looking at old photos of Boscawen and the surrounding area or know someone who does? Then the Boscawen Historical Society’s 2021 calendar is for you and makes a great holiday gift as well. Call the library at 753-8576 to order. Calendars are $15. Checks need to be made out to the Boscawen Historical Society.
MARY ALLARD
753-8576
boscawenpl@gmail.com
■The Elkins Public Library has decided to close the Children’s Room for in-person visits due the rising number of COVID-19 cases. All other children’s services will continue, including Story Time to Go kits, curbside pick-up of materials, YouTube Story Hours and online programs. Call, email or message the library through elkinspubliclibrary.org (updated website!) to arrange curbside pickups. If you or someone in your household has tested positive for COVID-19, please hold off on returning the items you’ve borrowed. Call 783-4386 and library staff will gladly assist you in renewing your materials. The library is open to four people in the building at a time for 30 minutes, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.
■The Town Office (783-9955) and Tax Collector/Town Clerk’s Office (783-0153) are currently open by appointment only. Please call ahead before coming to the office. The Planning Board now has a phone number (603-848-2059) in addition to an email address (planningboard@canterbury-nh.org). Many Irving, town assessor, is also now a Planning Board associate and is available to assist with applications and zoning questions. Lois Scribner has taken over the position of Planning Board secretary and Conservation Commission secretary. She is also the Historic District Commission secretary.
Rachel Baker
bakercompany4@gmail.com
■The Salisbury Historical Society has been unable to conduct any fundraising events this year, but still has items for sale, including the books “The Historic Houses of Salisbury” and “They Said it in Salisbury.” SHS is currently out of “Salisbury Lost” books but are working on an updated version that might be available for Christmas. SHS also has ornaments, note cards, Christmas cards and town throws available. If you would like to purchase any of these items, please contact SHS at shscurator@gmail.com or call 648-2551. Donations to the Scholarship Fund are welcome in any amount. Checks should be made payable to Salisbury Historical Society and designated as “Scholarship Fund” in the memo line. Mail the checks to SHS, PO Box 263, Salisbury, NH 03268. SHS is a 501c nonprofit and donations will be tax deductible and greatly appreciated.
■The second issue tax bill has been mailed and is due Wednesday. During the pandemic, the Tax Collector’s office remains closed to the public. The tax Collector is available by appointment by calling 648-6323. You can also email tcsalisbury@yahoo.com.
■The Budget Committee will meet at Academy Hall on Monday at 7 p.m. The public is welcome.
■The Selectmen will meet on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Academy Hall. The public is welcome.
■The Planning Board will meet at Academy Hall on Dec. 21 at 7 p.m.
■The Supervisors of the Checklist will meet on Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. at Academy Hall.
■The Transfer Station is open Wednesdays from 2-6 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Swap Shop is open. Please do not congregate at the Transfer Station. Keep a 6-foot distance to protect all citizens and staff.
■A reminder to all Salisbury residents that many dog licenses have elapsed this year. Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, dog licenses are still required by law. Register your dogs ASAP to avoid any fines that may be incurred due to unregistered dogs. Please email or call the town clerk (tclerksalisbury@gmail.com, 648-6322) if you are unsure of how to do so. Fees are as follows: unneutered dogs $9, neutered dogs $6.50, $2 for one dog owned by senior citizens and $6.50 or $9 for each additional dog (depending on intact or non-intact). If you would like to license your dog through the mail, please send a copy of the rabies vaccination paperwork with a pre-addressed and pre-stamped envelope. Please make checks payable to the town of Salisbury and send to the town clerk, P.O Box 2, Salisbury, NH 03268. You may also leave your fee with information in the dropbox located on the outside of Academy Hall. Please write “Attention Town Clerk” on the outside envelope. If you would like to take care of licenses for this year and next year, the town clerk has tags for both. Please register your dogs ASAP to avoid any fine related to dog registration/licensing (RSA 446:1).
■December vehicle renewal registration information has been mailed to those who need to renew. Please follow the directions in the letter enclosed and the town clerk will mail your new stickers and registration to you. This only covers vehicles previously registered in Salisbury, not new vehicles or vehicles of new residents. Online vehicle registration for renewals and dog licensing is now live. See the town’s website under the department of the town clerk for that information. If you cannot access these services online contact the town clerk’s office by phone (648-6322), fax (648-6658) or email (tclerksalisbury@gmail.com) for questions about vehicle registration renewals or dog licenses. For new vehicles, marriage licenses and vital records, please email the town clerk and request an appointment.
■Library hours for pick-up and delivery are Monday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesdays from 1-7 p.m.,Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Story time is live on Facebook on Mondays at 10:30 a.m. The library also offers genealogy resources Ancestry and Heritage Quest to patrons for free. To access Ancestry, just log into your patron account and there is a link on the sidebar after you log in. For Heritage, contact the library for login information. Visit salisburyfreelibrary.wordpress.com or the library Facebook page for the updates on reopening, links to virtual programming and events, eBook and audiobook collections, and other digital resources. All you need to get started is a library card. If you don’t have one, the library staff and set one up via phone or email. Interlibrary loan is back, but please allow an extra week for delivery as there are quarantine procedures in place to make sure materials are handled safely.
JENNIFER HOYT
648-2260
jimjen505@tds.net
■The Webster Historical Society is going to have a silent auction fundraiser in the spring and is looking for donations from businesses, artisans and other sponsors. For more information, contact fundraising coordinator Allison Eiserman at 648-6272 or eisermanallison@gmail.com. She can answer your questions and arrange for an item to be picked up. Monetary donations or gift cards can be sent directly to: Webster Historical Society, c/o Alison Eiserman, 259 White Plains Road, Webster, NH 03303. The deadline for donations is Feb. 1. This is a wonderful way for businesses and artisans to advertise their wares and for bidders to support a worthy organization.
■Town elections will be in March. The filing period runs from Jan. 20-29 at the Webster Town Clerk’s office. The openings include two selectboard positions (three-year and one-year terms), two Trustees of the Trust Funds (two- and three-year terms), cemetery trustee (three-year term) and library trustee (three year term). For more information, stop by the Town Clerk’s Office during normal office hours or go to sos.nh.gov/elections.aspx.
■The Webster Free Public Library has bags for the kids to take home that include several simple crafts: an activity booklet with coloring pages, hidden pictures, dot-to-dots and more. Pick one up at the library or ask that they be left for porch pickup. Call 648-2706 during regular hours (Sunday from 12-4 p.m., Monday from 1-8 p.m. and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) or email websterl@tds.net.
■The library will be closed Dec. 23 and Dec. 27.
Nancy Picthall-French
webstertowncrier@gmail.com