Fired administrator sues: Guy Scaife was the Milford town administrator for several years until 2014 when he left to become the town manager of Rocky Hill, Connecticut. Two years later, he left Rocky Hill for Meriden, Connecticut, where he was city manager until December when the town council fired him, citing “escalating discord,” according to the Record-Journal newspaper. In March, Scaife said he was let go because he was uncovering wrongdoing by the city’s financial director, and in May he sued the city for wrongful termination. The newspaper reported that Scaife was fired in a party line vote two months after the council voted to raise his salary.

The Record-Journal also said Scaife admitted that his relationships with some employees had reached the breaking point.

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Dudley on TV

MILFORD – Dudley the bull, featured in the May 24 Cabinet, had a visit from a Boston television station, WHDH Channel 7 News, last week. David Wirbal,a Wilton resident, recently bought the bull from a farmer and then launched a GoFundMe page to raise money to cover some of the $6,000 purchase.

Dudley, a two-year-old Scottish Highland bull, will soon go to a Massachusetts farm-animal shelter called Unity Farm Sanctuary.

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Transportation

survey

The Nashua Regional Planning Commission is reaching out to people who live or work in the Nashua area as the Commission updates its long range Metropolitan Transportation Plan. The survey, at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2018NRPCTranspSurv, is intended to help them understand how area residents and workers are using the transportation system and to get input into residents’ preferences and priorities. The survey should take between six and seven minutes to complete.

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Park improvements

MILFORD – Two years ago, the Keyes Memorial Park Committee put together a master plan for the park and last week selectmen approved two actions to implement the plan’s first phase. The board voted unanimously to let the committee spend money from the capital reserve fund for signage and for a survey of the two properties – at 45 Elm St. and the new section at 127 Elm St.

Milford High School students will design, build and paint the signs, so the only expense is materials, Recreation Director Arene Berry told the board.

The survey will be the first phase of combining both sections into one park and creating a walking path around the park perimeter and a vehicle road to connect the old and new sections.

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Get ready to vote

June 5 is the last day for voters already registered to change or declare a party affiliation.

Only undeclared voters may declare a party and vote on primary Election Day, Sept. 11.

Voters who register subsequent to this date may declare a party when they register.

They can check their current party affiliation with the following link:

http://sos.nh.gov/VoteInforLook.aspx.

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Wheelchairs in the woods

MILFORD – Selectmen will host a public hearing June 11 on a conservation commission policy establishing accessibility guidelines for the town’s outdoor recreation areas.

According to the commission, the purpose of the policy is “to preserve the uniqueness of trails and features, while ensuring accessibility for all users.” It adopts a two-tiered approach, drawing distinctions between wheelchairs and “other power-driven mobility devices” and adheres to the Americans with Disabilities Act definition of a wheelchair.

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Odd-even again

MILFORD – The town’s water department has restarted its odd-even lawn watering restrictions that will extend to Oct. 1. The mandatory program is to help manage the water distribution system, allowing controlled withdrawals from the aquifer to protect against seasonal fluctuation and ensure there is available water for everyday needs, lawn watering and fire protection.

Residents whose address is an even number are allowed to water their lawns on even days of the month

Those with an odd number can water on odd days. Watering is only allowed between 5 – 9 a.m. and 5 – 9 p.m. and fines will be imposed for repeat violations, with serious repeat offenders risking disconnection of water service and a reconnection fee.

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Retiring

AMHERST – Russlyn Vear, the Amherst Town Library’s reference librarian and director of adult programming, is retiring after 23 years with the library.

Library Director Amy Lapointe told selectmen last week, saying there is “no more thorough researcher, tenacious negotiator or welcoming programmer.” Attendance in the library’s adult programs is up 40 percent, she said, and April broke a record, with 579 people coming to 12 programs.

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Citizen of the year?

AMHERST – The town’s big Fourth of July celebration is coming soon, and the Amherst Lions Club is looking for nominations for the 43rd annual Citizen of the Year Award. There’s no requirement for the nomination except that the individual has contributed volunteer community service, helping make Amherst a better place to live. Deadline for nominations is June 23 and letters of recommendation are encouraged. Submit your nomination via the form found at http://www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/amherstnh/ or by contacting Bob Gibson at amherstlionsclub@gmail.com.

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Antique Co-op earns honor

MILFORD – New Hampshire Antique Co-op has been named as “Best of New England for Antiques & Collectibles” for 2018 by Yankee magazine. The award is part of Yankee’s annual Best of New England summer issue (May/June 2018), which is chock-full of recommendations for the best shopping, dining, events and adventures throughout New England, chosen by the experts at Yankee.

In its review of New Hampshire Antique Co-op, Yankee writes, “Museum-quality pre-Columbian artifacts, art nouveau jewelry, art deco porcelain, rare American Indian art, Chippendale chests, historical maps-this emporium doesn’t have just a few rare pieces but rather entire cases and rooms full of them. Modest collectors shouldn’t be intimidated, though: Additional rooms are filled with budget-friendly collectibles ranging from teddy bears and crocheted doilies to tin cookie cutters and the books we loved as kids. For genuine antiques, fine art, and just everyday old-fashioned stuff, this 20,000-square-foot group shop is a candy store for collectors and browsers.”

New Hampshire Antique Co-op is a destination shop for fine art, period furniture, porcelain, silver, collectibles, jewelry and more. It is one of the largest group antique shops in the state and was established in 1983 by the Hackler family. The shop features more than 200 dealers and 2,000 consignors. New Hampshire Antique Co-op is located 1.5 miles west of the Milford Oval at 323 Elm St. in Milford. The shop is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 673-8499 or visit online at www.nhantiquecoop.com or www.facebook.com/nhantiquecoop.

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Historical Society open house set

The Milford Historical Society’s Carey House Museum, 6 Union St., will be open from 2-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Once again, its Ordinary yet Extraordinary Neighbors exhibition features stories of Milford citizens who made a positive benefit to society. Winifred Wright, Terry Lorden and Douglass Annand all did extraordinary things during their lifetime. Winifred’s granddaughter, Denise Wright Fox, Bonnie Gondola, historian at the First Congregational Church and Charlie Annand will all be on hand to answer any questions about these extraordinary people.

The new hands-on technology exhibit has been very well received, especially by the younger generations who have grown up without much exposure to older technology, such as rotary dial phones. Another exhibit tells the in-depth and harrowing story of the Great Souhegan Bank Robbery of 1874.

For more information on The Historical Society and The Carey House Museum visit milfordhistory.com and find us on Facebook.

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Patriotic quilt

raffle set

AMHERST – Members of the Southern New Hampshire Branch of the American Association of University Women will be selling raffle tickets for a donated quilt during the Flag Day 5K Run by the Amherst Village Green on Friday, June 15 starting at 6 p.m. Proceeds from ticket sales go toward scholarships for local young women planning to pursue STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, Math) careers after college. The quilt was originally given to a WWII veteran while he was in respite care at the VA Hospital in Manchester.

Amherst resident Ann Howe’s father, Tom Gouvalaris, received the quilt in 2007. At the time, he was the oldest veteran in the hospital and the second oldest living veteran in NH. During the war, he served more than three consecutive years in the Pacific theater assigned to the U.S. Army’s 39th General Hospital, first based in New Zealand, then moving to New Caledonia, and finally to Saipan. He returned to the U.S. in 1945 with the rank of staff sergeant and lived to be 98 years old.

The patriotic quilt, measuring approximately 5 feet by 6 feet, was completed in 2007 by The Material Girls in Conway, NH. (The provenance is attached to the back of the quilt.) The star-burst patterns are framed by prints of American flags. There are 500 tickets for sale. One ticket $5; five tickets $20.

Tickets will also be sold on the Amherst Green during the Fourth of July festivities, and in Mont Vernon’s Town Park during the 2018 Mont Vernon Summer Concert Series on July 25. The Freese Brothers Big Band will offer music from the Swing Era including pieces made famous by Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, and Frank Sinatra. The series is made possible through a Community Express Grant from the NH Charitable Founda­tion. It is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Daland Memorial Library and funds from the Frederick W. Cox and Dorothy Thurber Cox Memorial Fund. The concert begins at 6:30 p.m. and is free.

The drawing will take place over Labor Day weekend at the Amherst Police Station. (Need not be present to win.)

Founded in 1881, AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. AAUW is a non-partisan non-political organization that never endorses candidates or specific parties.

Those interested in purchasing raffle tickets directly or in learning more about the organization contact Susan Hoover at susnhoover@aol.comor 213-6601.

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Boys & Girls Club

programs available

CAST, a committee of the Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley, focused on preventing substance misuse in the Souhegan Valley, promoting healthy choices among youth, and educating, supporting and strengthening families. The CAST Committee meets from 3:30-5 p.m. on the 2nd Wednesday of every month at Milford Ambulance Center, 66 Elm Street, Milford NH. For more information visit www.nhcast.org or contact Monica Gallant, BGCSV Director of Prevention Services, at mgallant@svbgc.org; 672-1002 ext. 39.

CAST YOUTH EMPOWERMENT & SERVICE

The CAST YES Team is an active group of middle and high school youth from the Milford, Amherst, Hollis/Brookline and Wilton/Lyndeborough school districts. The focus of this youth group is Leadership, Advocacy, and Community Service relative to mental health awareness and alcohol and other drug prevention among their peers. The CAST YES Team meets every Monday from 3:45-5:10 p.m. at Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley (BGCSV). There is no cost to participate and a free BGCSV membership is included for active CAST YES members. For more information contact Monica Gallant, BGCSV Director of Prevention Services, at mgallant@svbgc.org or call 672-1002, ext. 39.

CHILDREN’S RESILIENCY RETREAT

The Children’s Resiliency Retreat is a monthly retreat held for children affected by a loved one’s substance use disorder. This program is held at the Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley and provides supportive education and Positive Action group sessions, peer and adult mentoring, and many other types of therapeutic support including creative arts, indoor and outdoor adventures, animal therapy, etc. This free program is offered to children in grades one through eight. There is no cost to participate, however, registration is required. For more information please visit: http://www.svbgc.org/childrens-resiliency-retreat or contact Monica Gallant, BGCSV Director of Prevention Services at mgallant@svbgc.org or 672-1002, ext. 39.