Meeting Information

SELECTBOARD MEETING LOCATION
2529 Route 25A, Orford, NH

Selectboard meets every 2nd & 4th Wednesday at 5:30 PM in the Town Office to conduct Town business

From John Adams, Selectboard Chair, March 24, 2020

Conducting the town’s business during the current corona virus epidemic

All persons doing business in person at any town building will be required to wear a mask.

At this time the Town offices are open. There is a continuing need to conduct the Town’s business. Both Esther Dobbins-Marsh, Administrative Assistant to the Selectboard, and Deborah Hadlock, Town Clerk, Tax Collector, will continue their regular hours. HOWEVER they expect everyone NOT to come into the building unless absolutely necessary. Remember most business can be conducted over the telephone, via e-mail, or via US mail.  There is also a drop box at the front entrance if you want to drop something off. If you need documents, please arrange with either Esther or Deborah a way to pick up documents in person. It is expected that an appointment can be made to pick them up, and the documents will be taped to the outside door for you to retrieve. No direct conduct is expected or needed. Esther can be reached at:603-353-4889 or via e-mail at orfordselectmen@orfordnh.us. Town Clerk, Deborah can be reached by phone at 603-353-4404, or by e-mail: at townclerk@orfordnh.us. Tax Collector, Deborah can be reached by phone at 603-353-4404.

Town Treasurer, Nancy Murphy will continue with her usual schedule so that accounts payable and payroll checks are processed on time. No direct contact is expected with her for her official duties.

The use of hand washing soap, hand-sanitizer, and surface cleaning protocols are in place to help keep Town staff from undue exposure to corona virus.

All Highway Department personal will remain active. Highway Department personnel are considered to be essential employees. We are not like a big city where they can designate only some employees to come to work on any given day. It is mud season and we have roads to maintain.  The Town garage is now closed to non-employees. For requests of service or to report a road condition please reach the Highway Department by phone at 603-353-9366 or e-mail at: highway@orfordnh.us. For urgent dispatch phone: 603-643-2222

Police and Fire Departments are practicing new interaction guidelines set forth by Hanover Dispatch. When they are dispatched to a call, information about the status of the people on the scene needing assistance will be part of the call notice. Therefore, our first responders will know what to expect and can take personal preventative actions if required.

The Transfer Station (Dump) is a vital town service and is not closed at this time.  Local rules are in place there for hygiene and social distancing.

The libraries are closed. They are each under the control of their individual board of directors. For changes to their status contact the library directly.

Our Emergency Management Director, Mike Gilbert, is periodically keeping the Selectboard and our community updated on the general situation. Town Officials are not meant to be your sole source of information, nor your source for the most current information. Please consult national, state and regional sources for the current status of the corona virus epidemic, legal and social requirements. One reliable source for corona virus information is CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov.

Leadership

John Adams, Board Chair
(603) 353-9201
jqadams@orfordnh.us

Fred Kidder II, Board Member
(603) 359-2028
fkidder@orfordnh.us

Right-to-Know Law Meeting Checklist

As Chair of the Orford Selectboard, due to the COVID-19/Coronavirus crisis and in accordance with Governor Sununu’s Emergency Order #12 pursuant to Executive Order 2020-04, the Selectboard is authorized to meet electronically.

Please note that there is no physical location to observe and listen contemporaneously to the meeting, which was authorized pursuant to the Governor’s Emergency Order.  However, in accordance with the Emergency Order, this is to confirm that we are:

Providing public access to the meeting by telephone, with additional access possibilities by video or other electronic means;

We are utilizing the “GoToMeeting (GTM)” platform for this electronic meeting.    All members of the Board have the ability to communicate contemporaneously during this meeting through the GTM platform, and the public has access to contemporaneously listen and, if necessary, participate in this meeting by dialing in. The call-in number will be published on the Meeting Agenda, Listserv and the on the Town of Orford’s website www.orfordnh.us/calendar

Providing a mechanism for the public to alert the public body during the meeting if there are problems with access;

If anybody has a problem connecting to the meeting, please call 603-353-4889 or email orfordselectmen@orfordnh.us

Adjourning the meeting if the public is unable to access the meeting

In the event the public is unable to access the meeting, we will adjourn the meeting and have it rescheduled at that time.

We’ll start the meeting by taking a roll call attendance.  When each board member states their presence, also please state whether there is anyone in the room with you during this meeting, which is required under the Right-to-Know law. Please note that all votes that are taken during this meeting shall be done by Roll Call vote.

John Adams, Selectboard Chair

Contact & Hours

SELECTBOARD OFFICE – The Selectboard’s office is located in the Town Office
Mailing Address: 2529 Route 25A, Orford, NH 03777
Phone: 353-4889
Fax: 353-4489
email: orfordselectmen@orfordnh.us
Esther Dobbins-Marsh, Administrative Assistant
Office Hours:
Monday thru Thursday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Friday 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

2021 Annual Meeting

The Town of Orford Selectboard in consultation with the Town Moderator, as allowed by the Governor’s Emergency Order#83 issued 1/22/21, has initiated changes to the holding of our Annual Town meeting.

The traditional town meeting consists of 2 legal parts: election of officials by ballot and the business meeting.

Election of Officials:
Tuesday March 9, 2021 from 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Location: Orford Town Office Building in the Niles Room

The election of officials by ballot is where we elect the town officials by non-partisan printed paper ballot. Absentee ballots can be requested from the Town Clerk and COVID can be the reason used. This year there are openings in Selectboard and Planning board. Please refer to the Town Clerk’s webpage for additional information.

Business meeting postponed and rescheduled for:
Saturday May 22, 2021, starting at 1:00 pm
Location: East Commons in the vicinity of the bandstand.

The second legal part of the traditional Town Meeting is the business meeting. This is where all the rest of Town business is accomplished in person, including votes from the floor, and discussion of budgets and warrant articles.

2021 Proposed Budget & Warrant articles

Copies of the proposed 2021 budget and warrant articles are posted below under documents.

If you’d like a printed copy, please contact the Selectboard office at 603-353-4889 or via email at orfordselectmen@orfordnh.us