With the election less than a month away — Tuesday, March 10 — the town's annual Candidates' Night is set for Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. at the Selectmen Meeting Room at the Town Hall.
The program will also be broadcast live on the town's cable assess channel 22.
All candidates running for town, Seabrook and Winnacunnet Cooperative school districts' offices are invited to attend. Candidates are requested to arrive at the Town Hall by 6:30 p.m. for preliminary preparation.
Candidates' Night will be moderated by Assistant Town Moderator Virginia Small and assisted by Owen Latham. Because of limited seating in the Selectmen Meeting Room, candidates will have seating preference.
Citizens who do not have cable access may watch the live broadcast of the event at the Seabrook Recreation Center.
The format allows candidates to make a brief statement on why they wish to run for the office or position, listing their qualifications and how Seabrook will benefit by their election.
Candidates are asked to give their telephone number and e-mail address so they can be contacted for answers to questions citizens might have.
For more information, contact Latham at 603-474-3732, or by e-mail, owenlatham@juno.com.
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Political activist Owen Latham wasn't done after getting approval from selectmen for Candidates' Night. He recently made another request of selectmen, asking them to take to the phones during future selectmen's meetings so residents can call in with questions and comments.
Latham suggested a speakerphone could be hooked up after the business portion of the meeting is over so selectmen could take the calls at the end of the meeting and answer them while being broadcast live on channel 22.
Selectmen Aboul Khan and Brendan Kelly thought it might be a good idea for people to call in with their questions ahead of time so selectmen had a chance to review the questions and find appropriate answers.
Selectmen Bob Moore was more forthright in stating the obvious problem with Latham's proposal.
"We'd need some kind of delay (in the live broadcast) because you never know what's going to come over the phones," Moore said with a smile.
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Trying to operate a "green" household for the good of the environment? Looking to cut wasteful spending during these challenging economic times?
The Seabrook Public Library will soon be able to help residents with library cards do both, according to Library Director Ann Robinson.
"The library will be purchasing a Kill A Watt Appliance Efficiency Monitor to lend out to our patrons," Robinson told selectmen recently. "If you connect any appliance to the monitor, it will tell you how much power your appliances are using."
The monitor can work on computers and television sets, as well as hair dryers and other gadgets that use electricity. The monitor even alerts users as to how much electricity appliances use in "vampire mode," or while they're plugged in but turned off.
The monitor, once it arrives, will be able to be checked out just like a library book, Robinson said.
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Public Works Director John Starkey needs help from residents.
As every local driver knows, it's pothole season, and chances are it's going to get worse before it gets better as the temperature rises one day, then dips the next. DPW crews are out using "cold patch" to cover up holes they know about, Starkey said.
"But we can't be everywhere," he said. "Don't hesitate to call us and let us and report potholes."
The DPW number is 603-474-9771.
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The transfer station's efforts to lower its operating costs are working well. More than a year ago, the DPW received grant money to purchase a furnace for the transfer station building that would burn waste oil, which is collected at the transfer station.
The hope was the department could lower its energy costs a bit, Starkey said, and the hope has become a reality. As cold as it's been this winter, the waste oil furnace has kept the building warm so far, Starkey said. The department may have to turn on a more traditional heating source come March, he said, but for four months, waste oil has kept things toasty at the station, saving hundreds of dollars.
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State Rep. Al Weare, the senior representative on Seabrook's House of Representatives delegation, reports on the committee assignments of all four House members from Seabrook who represent Rockingham District 14.
Weare — Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee — Committee office phone number: 603-271-3418
Rep. Mark Preston — Fish and Game and Marine Resources Committee — 603-271-3125
Rep. Amy Perkins — Municipal and County Government Committee — 603-271-3317
Rep. Koko Perkins — Judiciary Committee — 603-271-3184
Seabrook's state senator, Maggie Wood Hassan, is chairwoman of the Commerce, Labor and Consumer Protection Committee, vice chairwoman of the Capital Budget Committee and a member of the Finance Committee. She also is chairwoman of the Veteran's Employment Commission and serves on the state's Veteran's Advisory Committee. She can be reached at 603- 271-2106 or at maggie.hassan@leg.state.nh.us.
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Angeljean Chiaramida covers Seabrook for The Daily News. She can be reached at 978-462- 6666 ext. 3271 or via e-mail at achiaramida@newburyportnews.com.
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