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Frequently Asked Questions
Get a Library Card?
Children must be at least age 5 and be able to sign their names to get a library card. If you are under age 18 you will need a parent or legal guardian present when applying for a card.
Library cards are free to Claremont residents and property owners. Please present proof of address in Claremont (driver’s license, lease, power bill, etc.) or proof of property ownership (tax bill).
Non-residents may obtain a library card for a fee of $60.00 for a year or $25.00 for 4
months.
Access Downloadable E-Books and Audio Books?
From the Fiske Free Library page you can click on the "Downloadables" menu button. From anywhere else go to: https://nh.overdrive.com/.
- Click the "Sign In" button.
- Choose "Claremont: Fiske Free Library" from the "Select Your Library" list.
- Enter your library card number preceded by 4502 (Ex: 450211111)
- Click "Sign In".
Please call the Library at 542-7017 for assistance.
Manage my Fiske Free Library account?
- From the Library page click on the "Catalog" menu button. From anywhere else go to: https://fiskefreenh.booksys.net/opac/fiskefreenh/.
- In the "Account" box click on the "Log On" button.
- Enter your last name in the "Username" box and your library card number in the "Password" box.
After logging into your account, click on the "Items Out" tab. This will list all of the items checked out on your card and will display the due date.Check the box next to the items you want to renew. Then click "Renew".
The renewed items will display the new due date.
Abatements
The owner of record of the property as of April 1st of the tax year or any aggrieved party may file an abatement application (NH RSA 76:16). Your right to file is not lost if you sold or bought during the application tax year.
A written application is filed with the Assessor’s Office after receipt of the final tax billing (in the Fall – also known as notice of tax). In accordance with State law, the application must be received or postmarked on or before March 1st. The abatement application form is available at the City Assessor’s Office. For your convenience, you can also download
and print the form from the City’s website
Abatement forms cannot be filed online as an original signature is necessary. There is no filing fee required when applying for an abatement with the City of Claremont.
Click HERE for TAXPAYER’S RSA 76:16 ABATEMENT APPLICATION TO MUNICIPALITY
Once you have filed your abatement application, the Assessing Department has until July 1st following the notice of tax
(Fall tax billing) to grant or deny the abatement application. If the City does not send notice of acceptance or denial by July 1st, the application is “deemed to be denied” by the City (NH RSA 76:16).
If the Assessor has not responded by July 1st or you are dissatisfied with the City’s decision regarding your application,
you may exercise one of the following options:
1. You may appeal to the State of New Hampshire Board of Tax and Land Appeals (BTLA), in writing on or before
September 1st. An application fee will be required. For more information, including forms and contact information,
please visit their website at http://webster.state.nh.us/btla. (NH RSA 76:16-a)
2. You may appeal by written petition, on or before September 1st, to the Sullivan County Superior Court, 22 Main St, Newport, NH 03773, Telephone: 1-855-212-1234. A filing fee will be required. (NH RSA 76:17)
Please note: An appeal to the Board of Tax and Land Appeals shall be deemed a waiver of any right to petition the
Superior Court (NH RSA 76-B:11).
Assessing
$40.26
Tax Rates are issued annually in October.
Assessment Ratios are issued annually in March.
The deadline is 5:00 PM on March 1st.
The deadline for filing is April 15th
The assessment calendar runs April 1 to March 31
The fiscal calendar runs July 1 to June 31
CSBCC
You will have to request a CSBCC Membership Change Form at the front desk of the CSBCC or by e-mail.
Yes!
Locker rentals start at:
$70 for residents, per year
$85 for non-residents, per year
Inquire at the CSBCC front desk.
The larger lap pool is 80 degrees F.
The smaller teaching pool is 83 degrees F.
There are 3 lanes on the indoor track at the CSBCC.
The inner lane is 16 laps to a mile.
The middle lane is 15 lapes to a mile.
The outer lane is 14 laps to a mile.
The inner lane is used for walking.
The middle lane is used for jogging.
The outter lane is used for running.
Dog Licensing
State of New Hampshire RSA 466:1 requires that every owner or keeper of a dog four months old or older shall annually cause it to be registered, numbered, described, and licensed for one year in the city or town in which the dog is kept. Regardless of when the license is obtained, the license shall be effective from May 1 of each year to April 30 of the subsequent year.
State law requires that before a license is issued, the owner or keeper of a dog must furnish proof to the town or city clerk that the dog has been vaccinated against rabies.
In addition, if the dog has been spayed or neutered, the owner or keeper needs to furnish the town or city with the proper documentation.
You can register your dog in person at the City Clerk's Office, 58 Opera House Square, Monday Friday, 9:00am12:30pm & 1:30pm5:00pm excluding holidays; or you can register by mail by sending a copy of the rabies certificate, spaying/neutered certificate (if applicable) and the appropriate fee to our office.
DPW: Snow Removal
Under ideal circumstances, we can predict fairly accurately when we will have streets in various sections of the City plowed. As weather conditions change we often must alter our snow-fighting strategy in the midst of the snow removal operations in order to control drifting snow, ice or
other special problems. We cannot give you an estimate of when your street will be cleared due to ever-changing weather conditions.
The potential for a medical emergency does not warrant priority treatment. Anyone needing an ambulance in a medical emergency should contact the Police Department where all necessary steps will be coordinated.
Snow plow operators take pride in clearing the streets on their routes as quickly and thoroughly as possible. Driving a snowplow is demanding, tiring work. Common sense and good safety practices dictate that each driver should take a 30-minute break every eight hours. It is dangerous, both for the snowplow driver and the public, if a fatigued driver is behind the wheel of a snowplow. It is in the best interest of the all concerned for the drivers to take occasional breaks.
Streets and alleys in the central business district are treated separately from other snow and ice control operations because snow storage within the street and alley rights-of-way is not desirable. Snow removal is normally accomplished by hauling the snow from the area. Snow plowing procedures are utilized only to the extent that storage of snow along the traveled portion of the roadway will not inhibit vehicle movement in and out of parking stalls. When snow removal operations begin, streets and alleys in and near the central business area are sanded and salted. Snow hauling operations normally commence only when the storm has subsided. If it is snowing at 9:00 p.m., streets are passable, and snow is predicted to continue falling throughout the night, snow hauling operations will not normally begin until the following evening.
We wish we could comply with all requests, but equipment and manpower limitations do not permit us to deviate from our predetermined snow plowing system.
As we plow from curb to curb to provide for safe vehicular flow and mail delivery, snow may inadvertently fall onto the sidewalk. Unfortunately, there are a number of locations in the city where the park area is very narrow and the plowed snow covers the sidewalks. Some have suggested that the plows should go through these areas at a slower speed so the snow will not be thrown onto the sidewalks. However, the plows must maintain a certain speed in order to keep the snow from sticking onto the blades of the plow. We do not store the snow on medians because the snow can cause sight problems for traffic.
Some states use cinders. We don't use cinders here because they don't work in all situations. On a hard surface like ice covered and snow packed road, cinders will either bounce off or be kicked out by traffic. We have upgraded from a ‘solar’ or ‘sea’ salt to rock salt. We discovered the sea salt we were purchasing had too much moisture in it. Mid-winter last year, we switched to a rock salt. This is more abrasive and angular. Rock salt should break up when driven on, spreading it more effectively in the travel lane. However, at the end of the 18/19 season, we were introduced to a treated salt product. This is a rock salt product, coated in a salt brine (around 9 gallons/ton). The mixture is coated in molasses which does a few things. The molasses ensures the brine sticks to the salt, it also reduces bounce and scatter (more of the salt stays in the travel lane instead of bouncing toward the gutter) by up to 74%. Lastly, the molasses acts as a natural corrosion inhibiter, reducing the corrosive effects of the salt by as much as 77%! That means, potentially, this salt is less corrosive than distilled water! Not only should that help your personal vehicle last longer, but it should help your DPW fleet last longer too!
There are approximately 5,700+ driveways in Claremont. If we used all of our plows and spent just 60 seconds per driveway, it would take 95 hours to clean driveways alone. One thing you can do to minimize the problem is to pile snow that has been shoveled from the driveway on the downstream side of the driveway. Then if the snowplow hits the pile, it will be moved onto the grass or sidewalk, not back into your driveway. The plow crews do not come back and plow out any driveways.
The Compact Zone is the area in which the City is responsible for the infrastructure and assets within. On the East side of the city it is at the intersection of Washington St and Roberts Hill Road. On the south side it is at the intersection of Charlestown Road and Grissom Lane. On the West side it is at the intersection of Main St and Jackson St. On the North side it is at Hanover and Dunning streets.
The Police Department coordinates all towing operations. If you find that your vehicle has been towed, contact the Police Department at (603) 542-9538.
Our telephone lines are understandably jammed during severe weather conditions. We advise limiting your travel, or staying off the roads entirely if possible. Listen to television and radio bulletins about road conditions. Remember that we can only provide information about streets within the city limits. Our phone lines should be used primarily to alert us if a street has been missed or if there is some special problem relating to the snow removal operations.
The city is signed for no parking between 12:00 and 7:00 a.m. from 1 Nov to 15 Apr. for snow removal.
Outside of the Compact Zones, the streets are plowed by the NH Department of Transportation. The maintenance garage is located in Enfield. For information on County and State Road Conditions or to report an issue in the compact zones, http://newengland511.org/
We wish we had enough snowplows and drivers to take care of every street right away, but our resources are limited and so we must adhere to a carefully laid out system for clearing the streets. If we allowed our plows to be diverted each time a special request was made, our system would be destroyed and it would take far longer to get all the streets in the City cleared. To keep our snow removal operations as effective and efficient as possible, plows are not permitted to deviate from their assigned routes.
There are three reasons why you might see plows on the streets on snowless days. One is that every driver undergoes pre-season training. Skills must be sharpened and routes need to be learned and relearned. The second reason is that the trucks may be scanning the city for secondary cleaning (cleaning the streets where vehicles were parked during the plowing of the streets). The third reason is that the trucks can be sanding main break areas that are out of their view, or other problem areas.
Different types of storms require the use of different snow-fighting techniques. The decision whether to salt or plow depends upon the expected weather conditions. For example, if the temperature is below 20 degrees and not expected to rise, salt will not be effective. But if the sun is shining and the temperature is 20 degrees or more and expected to remain steady or to rise, then salt would be more effective. The decision whether to plow or salt is made with great consideration and based on the latest weather information available. Plowing under the wrong conditions can create a polished street surface, resulting in dangerous glare ice. The decisions made by an experienced crew and supervisory personnel are critical.
Each snowplow has an assigned route. If the trucks spread salt on the way to their destination, then they wouldn't have enough to spread along their own route. Plowing along the way would mean it would be just that much longer until the truck reached its assigned route.
The varying sizes of cul-de-sacs present plowing problems ranging from difficult to impossible.
A plow can easily cut an 11-foot path through the snow on a straight road surface, but trying to plow and turn the blade in a small circle in a cul-de-sac is very difficult. Therefore, endloaders with blades and buckets are used to plow most cul-de-sacs more efficiently than the large trucks. However, there are not enough endloader units for each route. The units are shared by adjoining routes as necessary. This will result in longer response times on cul-de-sacs.
It takes between 3 & 4 hours to complete each snow route. Depending on time of day or day of the week, the order in which each route is plowed may vary. Some streets will be skipped until cars are moved so that plows can safely maneuver.
Bus routes and arterial streets have first priority for snow plowing. Residential streets with hills of 2 percent or more grade are second priority. The remainder of the streets are then plowed. Other streets near the downtown area are posted for no parking 72 hours in advance for cleaning. Any vehicles remaining on the streets after the 72 hours’ notice will be towed. There is a general prohibition against parking a vehicle on-street for 48 or more hours without moving the vehicle. Vehicles may be ticketed more frequently during winter months to ensure that plows are able to plow streets adequately. Anyone leaving town for an extended time (holidays, Spring break) should find suitable off-street parking to avoid ticketing and towing. During a declared snow emergency, parking is restricted to alternate side of street corresponding to odd/even dates of the calendar.
Finance
The Claremont School District is a separate entity from the City of Claremont. To obtain a copy of their current budget you have to contact the Claremont School District's Administrative Offices at (603) 542-4200.
If you have a question about your bill you can email the water/sewer bookkeeper at waterbilling@cmnhdev24.jjcbigideas.com or call 603-504-0397. However, that position is part time at 20 hours per week so you may need to leave a message. If you have an immediate issue or are having service issues with either your water or sewer please call the public works department at 603-542-7020.
The Assessor's Office takes care of property records, they can be reached at (603) 542-7004. Visit the City of Claremont Assessors Office here for the most recent information about property valuations.
Parking Tickets are paid at the Tax Collectors Office (Central Collections) or online by clicking here.
To obtain information about assistance programs, please contact the Welfare Department at (603) 542-7007.
The current fiscal year's budget can be downloaded directly from the Finance Department Budget Information by clicking here. The file is in pdf format and you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open the file.
The City does not have a Purchasing Department. You may contact the department directly to see if they maintain a bid list. All Procuement Opportunities may be found on this page of the website.
The City of Claremont pays bills on the Friday closest to the 15th and 30th of each month.
The fiscal years 2017 thru 2019 budget books can be downloaded directly from the Finance Department Budget Information webpage by clicking here. These files are in pdf format and you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open them.
Audits can be downloaded directly from the Finance Department page by clicking here. These files are in pdf format and you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open the file.
The tax rate is set by the State of NH, Department of Revenue Administration and is usually released by mid-November.
The City adopts a six-year Capital Improvement Plan annually through the Planning Department. This is started in the late fall so that recommendations can be included in the annual budget process. This plan explains the various projects, their justifications, and the estimated fiscal year for funding. Only the first year of the Capital Improvement Plan gets included in the departmental requests and that number may not be in the final approved budget that is authorized by the city council. You can find the capital improvement plan on this page of the Finance Department.
Fire
All permits must comply with City of Claremont Ordinance #556. You may only kindle an open fire in City approved burn zones. A written fire permit is required for the kindling of a fire when the ground is not completely covered with snow. Even if the ground is snow covered, you are still required to contact the Claremont Fire Department at 542-5156 before you start your fire.
There is no cost for a fire permit.
Material must be clean ordinary combustibles. Only wood debris or brush less than 5 inches in diameter, or untreated wood and dimension lumber can be burned. Items that CANNOT be burned include, but are not limited to: tires, tubes, plastics, shingles, household trash, demolition materials and foam rubber.
Burning is allowed with a permit from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. unless you have a Category 1 campfire permit. NO fire shall be kindled between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. except while actually raining or with full snow cover. A permit is still required when raining and with snow cover.
All clearances must comply with the distances prescribed by Ordinance #556. Questions should be directed to the Claremont Fire Department at 603-542-5156.
A hose, shovel or rake, and a bucket of water should be available at the fire. You are liable for the costs if the Fire Department is contacted to extinguish your escaped fire.
You must have written permission from the landowner prior to applying for a fire permit.
You must be at least 18 years of age to obtain a fire permit.
Under Claremont City Ordinance #556, you are not allowed to create any nuisance to any other person from any of the by-products of your fire.
Your fire must be attended at all times, or completely extinguished. A buried fire is not an extinguished fire.
If a fire department official identifies that the permit regulations have been violated, you will be issued a written warning or may be fined up to $275.00 for the first offense under Claremont City Code, Section 6-12.
Library
Parks and Facilities
Yes, there are various trash cans located throughout our parks system.
Yes, all individuasl who visit our parks system must pick up their dogs waste.
The Parks and Rec. Dept. supplies Mutt Mits (aka dog poop bags) for your convenience.
Yes, individuals interested in renting out space must complete a special event permit application (located on our website under permits and applications)
No, non-residents as well as residents can rent park space.
Individuals interested in renting out space must complete a special event permit application (located on our website under permits and applications)
Moody Park vehicular traffic:
Open Monday - Sunday every year; Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Open weekends only; Labor Day to Columbus Day.
Moody Park foot/bike traffic:
Open year round.
Yes, there are restrooms at:
Monadnock Park
Veterans Park
Barnes Park
Moody Park
Planning and Development
A potential business owner should contact the City Business Development Coordinator at 603-542- 7008 or newbiz@cmnhdev24.jjcbigideas.com and set up an appointment to discuss which approach best fits your needs.
It is unlawful for any person to construct, alter, modify, repair, move or demolish any building, structure, sign or improvement which lies within the historic district without first obtaining a Certificate of
Appropriateness from the Historic District Commission.
- Activities Requiring Certificate of Appropriateness (the following activities shall be reviewed by the Historic District Commission whether or not such activity requires the issuance of a permit):
- Erection, construction, alteration, major repair or rising of a building structure.
- Erection, alteration or removal of any exterior, visible feature of a building structure.
- Alteration (including grading), excavating, tree removal, and/or paving a site.
- Erection, or alteration of a sign affixed to a building, painted on a building or window, or hanging inside a window. Temporary signs shall not be in place for more than three months.
- Addition or alteration of exterior siding (e.g. vinyl, aluminum, stucco, wood, glass, etc.) of a building or structure.
- Painting in part or whole of an unpainted stone or masonry building.
- Method of paint removal.
2. Exceptions (do not require Certificate of Appropriateness); the Historic District is NOT required to review the following activities:
- Ordinary maintenance and repair of any architectural features which do not involve removal of and/or a change in design, materials or outer appearance.
- Painting or repainting of a wood surface and/or an already painted masonry surface.
- Roofing or re-roofing (with the same material) of a building or structure providing the roof plane remains the same.
- Storm doors and storm windows providing that the original architectural features are not removed or destroyed.
3. Review Criteria (In making a determination on an application, the Historic District Commission shall give consideration to the following):
- The historical, architectural, or cultural value of the building or structure and its relationship and contribution to the setting.
- The compatibility of the exterior design, arrangement, texture, and materials proposed to be used in relationship to the existing buildings or structures and their setting, or if new construction, to the surrounding use.
- The scale and general size of buildings or structures in relationship to existing surroundings including consideration of such factors as the building's overall height, width street frontage, number of stories, roof type, façade openings (windows, doors, etc.) and architectural details.
- Other factors, including yards, off-street parking, screening, fencing, entrance drives, sidewalks, signs, lights, and/or landscaping which may affect the character of any building or structure within the district, and similar factors which relate to the setting for such structure or grouping of structures.
- The impact that the applicant's proposal will have on the setting and the extent to which it will preserve and enhance historic, architectural, and cultural qualities of the district and community.
- To include the adoption of the criteria and guidelines set forth in the "Secretary of Interior's Guidelines for Rehabilitation".
Please see the Buildings & Regulations page of our site. It lists current adopted codes and additional information. Copies of the codes are available for review by contacting the Building Inspector at 603-542-0346 for an appointment.
You can find the fees on the Fee Schedule located on the Forms page.
Police
Police reports, once the investigation and report are complete, may be picked up between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Fees have been established as follows: Report copies for residents of Claremont: $10.00; report copies for non-residents: $20.00. (report fees help offset the administrative and supply costs associated with generating a printed copy of the report, and these set fees are consistant with other Police Departments in the state of NH)
We are situated on the corner of Tremont Street and Broad Street. To find our Communication Center, from Opera House Square, head down the alley to the left of City Hall's front door. Proceed straight through two sets of glass doors.
The City of Claremont's Police Department authorized strength is 24 full-time officers.
In the lobby of the Dispatch Center, the department provides a packet of information for individuals seeking to recover money from a bad check. Generally, the department does not investigate bad checks with a value less then $1,000.00.
No parking is permitted on City of Claremont streets or parking lots between 12:00 AM (midnight) to 7:00 AM from November 1 to April 30. This allows for snow removal and street maintenance to take place during those times.
Yes, the department provides finger printing services on Thursdays from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. All individuals who are fingerprinted must provide a check made payable to the City of Claremont. The fee for residents: $25.00; the fee for non-residents: $50.00.
Public Works
Here are answers to the most commonly asked snow plowing and winter road condition questions. Please look through these questions first before calling. During storms, we are often too busy to take the time to give complete explanations. These answers will better inform you about our snow removal policies and procedures.
Why can't you plow my street now?
We wish we had enough snowplows and drivers to take care of every street right away, but our resources are limited and so we must adhere to a carefully laid out system for clearing the streets. If we allowed our plows to be diverted each time a special request was made, our system would be destroyed and it would take far longer to get all the streets in the City cleared. To keep our snow removal operations as effective and efficient as possible, plows are not permitted to deviate from their assigned routes.
The plow left some snow at the end of my driveway. Can you send someone to come and plow it out?
There are approximately 5,700+ driveways in Claremont. If we used all of our plows and spent just 60 seconds per driveway, it would take 95 hours to clean driveways alone. One thing you can do to minimize the problem is to pile snow that has been shoveled from the driveway on the downstream side of the driveway. Then if the snowplow hits the pile, it will be moved onto the grass or sidewalk, not back into your driveway. The plow crews do not come back and plow out any driveways.
I own a business downtown. How are streets plowed in the Business District?
Streets and alleys in the central business district are treated separately from other snow and ice control operations because snow storage within the street and alley rights-of-way is not desirable. Snow removal is normally accomplished by hauling the snow from the area. Snow plowing procedures are utilized only to the extent that storage of snow along the traveled portion of the roadway will not inhibit vehicle movement in and out of parking stalls.
When snow removal operations begin, streets and alleys in and near the central business area are sanded and salted. Snow hauling operations normally commence only when the storm has subsided. If it is snowing at 9:00 p.m., streets are passable, and snow is predicted to continue falling throughout the night, snow hauling operations will not normally begin until the following evening.
Can you tell me exactly when my street will be plowed?
Under ideal circumstances, we can predict fairly accurately when we will have streets in various sections of the City plowed. As weather conditions change we often must alter our snow-fighting strategy in the midst of the snow removal operations in order to control drifting snow, ice or other special problems. We cannot give you an estimate of when your street will be cleared due to ever-changing weather conditions.
Why don't the trucks plow and salt on the way to their routes?
Each snowplow has an assigned route. If the trucks spread salt on the way to their destination, then they wouldn't have enough to spread along their own route. Plowing along the way would mean it would be just that much longer until the truck reached its assigned route.
Why don't you use the big trucks to plow out cul-de-sacs?
The varying sizes of cul-de-sacs present plowing problems ranging from difficult to impossible. A plow can easily cut an 11-foot path through the snow on a straight road surface, but trying to plow and turn the blade in a small circle in a cul-de-sac is very difficult. Therefore, endloaders with blades and buckets are used to plow most cul-de-sacs more efficiently than the large trucks. However, there are not enough endloader units for each route. The units are shared by adjoining routes as necessary. This will result in longer response times on cul-de-sacs.
Is there a reason why you can't pile the snow on the medians instead of putting it on the sidewalks?
As we plow from curb to curb to provide for safe vehicular flow and mail delivery, snow may inadvertently fall onto the sidewalk. Unfortunately, there are a number of locations in the city where the park area is very narrow and the plowed snow covers the sidewalks. Some have suggested that the plows should go through these areas at a slower speed so the snow will not be thrown onto the sidewalks. However, the plows must maintain a certain speed in order to keep the snow from sticking onto the blades of the plow. We do not store the snow on medians because the snow can cause sight problems for traffic.
I'm having a party tonight. Can you be sure to plow in front of my house before my guests start arriving?
We wish we could comply with all requests, but equipment and manpower limitations do not permit us to deviate from our predetermined snow plowing system.
Why do you sometimes salt instead of plow, or plow instead of salt?
Different types of storms require the use of different snow-fighting techniques. The decision whether to salt or plow depends upon the expected weather conditions. For example, if the temperature is below 20 degrees and not expected to rise, salt will not be effective. But if the sun is shining and the temperature is 20 degrees or more and expected to remain steady or to rise, then salt would be more effective. The decision whether to plow or salt is made with great consideration and based on the latest weather information available. Plowing under the wrong conditions can create a polished street surface, resulting in dangerous glare ice. The decisions made by an experienced crew and supervisory personnel are critical.
I once saw a snow plow parked in a restaurant parking lot during a bad snowstorm. Why was it there instead of on the streets working?
Snow plow operators take pride in clearing the streets on their routes as quickly and thoroughly as possible. Driving a snowplow is demanding, tiring work. Common sense and good safety practices dictate that each driver should take a 30-minute break every eight hours. It is dangerous, both for the snowplow driver and the public, if a fatigued driver is behind the wheel of a snowplow. It is in the best interest of the all concerned for the drivers to take occasional breaks.
Why do snow plow trucks sometimes just ride around when it's not snowing?
There are three reasons why you might see plows on the streets on snowless days. One is that every driver undergoes pre-season training. Skills must be sharpened and routes need to be learned and relearned. The second reason is that the trucks may be scanning the city for secondary cleaning (cleaning the streets where vehicles were parked during the plowing of the streets). The third reason is that the trucks can be sanding main break areas that are out of their view, or other problem areas.
Salt corrodes my car, sidewalk and drive. Couldn't you use something else?
Some states use cinders. We don't use cinders here because they don't work in all situations. On a hard surface like ice covered and snow packed road, cinders will either bounce off or be kicked out by traffic. We have upgraded from a ‘solar’ or ‘sea’ salt to rock salt. We discovered the sea salt we were purchasing had too much moisture in it. Mid-winter last year, we switched to a rock salt. This is more abrasive and angular. Rock salt should break up when driven on, spreading it more effectively in the travel lane. However, at the end of the 18/19 season, we were introduced to a treated salt product. This is a rock salt product, coated in a salt brine (around 9 gallons/ton). The mixture is coated in molasses which does a few things. The molasses ensures the brine sticks to the salt, it also reduces bounce and scatter (more of the salt stays in the travel lane instead of bouncing toward the gutter) by up to 74%. Lastly, the molasses acts as a natural corrosion inhibiter, reducing the corrosive effects of the salt by as much as 77%! That means, potentially, this salt is less corrosive than distilled water! Not only should that help your personal vehicle last longer, but it should help your DPW fleet last longer too!
I have a heart condition. Can you plow my street in case there is an emergency and an ambulance needs to get through?
The potential for a medical emergency does not warrant priority treatment. Anyone needing an ambulance in a medical emergency should contact the Police Department where all necessary steps will be coordinated.
When is parking prohibited on city streets?
The city is signed for no parking between 12:00 and 7:00 a.m. from 1 Nov to 15 Apr. for snow removal.
What should I do if my vehicle was ticketed and towed for being illegally parked on the street during snow removal operations?
The Police Department coordinates all towing operations. If you find that your vehicle has been towed, contact the Police Department at (603) 542-9538.
When I called the Streets Division number to find out about road conditions, the line was busy.
Our telephone lines are understandably jammed during severe weather conditions. We advise limiting your travel, or staying off the roads entirely if possible. Listen to television and radio bulletins about road conditions. Remember that we can only provide information about streets within the city limits. Our phone lines should be used primarily to alert us if a street has been missed or if there is some special problem relating to the snow removal operations.
Who is responsible for plowing the county and state roads?
Outside of the Compact Zones, the streets are plowed by the NH Department of Transportation. The maintenance garage is located in Enfield.
For information on County and State Road Conditions or to report an issue in the compact zones, http://newengland511.org/
What is and where are the Compact Zones?
The Compact zone is the area in which the City is responsible for the infrastructure and assets within.
On the East side of the city it is at the intersection of Washington St and Roberts Hill Road. On the south side it is at the intersection of Charlestown Road and Grissom Lane. On the West side it is at the intersection of Main St and Jackson St. On the North side it is at Hanover and Dunning streets.
Why hasn't my street been cleared?
It takes between 3 & 4 hours to complete each snow route. Depending on time of day or day of the week, the order in which each route is plowed may vary. Some streets will be skipped until cars are moved so that plows can safely maneuver.
Bus routes and arterial streets have first priority for snow plowing. Residential streets with hills of 2 percent or more grade are second priority. The remainder of the streets are then plowed.
Other streets near the downtown area are posted for no parking 72 hours in advance for cleaning. Any vehicles remaining on the streets after the 72 hours’ notice will be towed. There is a general prohibition against parking a vehicle on-street for 48 or more hours without moving the vehicle. Vehicles may be ticketed more frequently during winter months to ensure that plows are able to plow streets adequately. Anyone leaving town for an extended time (holidays, Spring break) should find suitable off-street parking to avoid ticketing and towing.
During a declared snow emergency, parking is restricted to alternate side of street corresponding to odd/even dates of the calendar.
Please contact the water and sewer bookkeeper at 603-504-0397 or via email: waterbilling@cmnhdev24.jjcbigideas.com.
Please refer to Ordinance #505 Water Rates and Ordinance #506 Sewer Rates.
Ask yourself the following questions: 1. Was extra water used to water a lawn, garden washing automobiles, filling a pool? 2. Was there a leaking faucet, toilet or water line that was repaired? If the answer to these questions is “No”, check the water meter to see if it is running when no water is being used. If it is running, you need to find out from what source. Often times the source is the toilet. Either the flapper doesn’t shut tight after it is flushed or the level in the tank is too high. The level in the tank should be one inch below the top of the fill pipe. Usually there is a “Fill Line” marked on the fill pipe. If water is too high, it can constantly drain down the fill pipe, causing the water to constantly run to refill the tank. Often this is difficult to hear. You can also put food coloring in the tank, wait 30 minutes, and check if the coloring appears in the bowl. If so, there is a leak within the toilet. Efficient new toilets often use one-third the amount of water that older toilets use so you can often recoup the cost of a new toilet in a short period of time through reduced water and sewer costs
These accounts are billed at a “Flat Rate” each quarter. In the majority of cases, customers will save a significant amount of money by having a meter installed so that actual water usage can be billed. For more information on how to have a meter installed, please refer to the “Flat Rate to Meter FAQ”.
Water and Sewer Bills are currently issued quarterly. All but a few of the meters in the City can be read by DPW from the street. Readings are taken around the end of March, June, Sept and Dec. Bills are issued around the 25th of April, July, Oct and Jan. Bills are due in 30 days.
1. The Highway Division, including Streets & Roads, Cemetery, Sanitation, Recycling and Stormwater Sewer
services is funded by the taxpayers.
2. The Utility Division’s responsibility for Water and Sanitary Sewer services are funded through the user
enterprise funds
Submit a request in writing to the attention of the Traffic Committee c/o the City Manager’s office, 58 Opera House Square; please include your name, address, specific new sign request and why.
Record the street location and pole # if possible and report directly to the DPW main office at 603 542-7020.
Report to the Fire Department 603 542-5156
Voting and Elections
In the State of New Hampshire a registered voter may vote by absentee ballot if unable to vote
in person due to one of the following reasons:
• Physical Disability
• Religious Observance
• Absence from city on day of election
• Employment Obligations
• Apply in person at the City Clerk’s Office
• Contact the City Clerk’s Office (603) 542-7003
• Click on link for appropriate election and print form
• Email the City Clerk at cityclerk@cmnhdev24.jjcbigideas.com
Drop off in person at the City Clerk’s Office
• Mail to: City Clerk’s Office, 58 Opera House Square, Claremont, NH 03743
• Fax it to 603-542-7038
• Email it to cityclerk@cmnhdev24.jjcbigideas.com
- In Person at the City Clerk’s Office
- By Mail
- Mark your ballot correctly following the enclosed instructions
- Sign the appropriate affidavit printed on envelope and enclose ballot
- Place affidavit envelope into mailing envelope; be sure name, address and ward is printed in upper left corner; affix proper postage
- Hand deliver ballot in person to the City Clerk’s Office no later than 5:00pm the day before the election
- Or hand deliver in person by a parent, spouse, sibling or child (the person delivering must bring proof of identification and fill out a Return form)
- Mail ballot to: City Clerk’s Office, 58 Opera House Square, Claremont, NH 03743
- Ballot must be received by 5:00pm on election day