SOMERSWORTH – Jim Avrett, an experienced health-care executive, recently joined Greater Seacoast Community Health as Chief Operating Officer.

Avrett’s 30 years in health care included time at the two largest not-for-profit health-care alliances in the country, Vizient and Premier, and the North Broward Hospital District in Florida, a large public health system that had full clinical and financial responsibility for the region’s indigent population. He has also worked as a consultant on projects such as improving processes and throughput in physicians’ offices, clinics, and urgent-care centers. Most recently he was a director at the Edgewood Continuing Care Retirement Community in Andover, Mass.

Avrett has a bachelor’s degree in Health Care Management from the University of Alabama and an MBA from the Muma College of Business at the University of South Florida. He is certified in Lean for Healthcare through the University of Texas and is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

A Dover resident for the past 20 years, Avrett says the job at Greater Seacoast Community Health appealed to him because it would allow him to have a more direct impact in the local Seacoast community after many years of consulting work with organizations nationwide. “I got into health care because I wanted to help improve people’s health and well-being, and I believe I have done that,” he says. “However, I wanted to get closer to people in need and have a more direct impact on their lives. In my short time here I’ve already seen so many people do things that have made me so proud to be a part of our organization. It is clear that so many of us have that same drive to serve our patients and community.”

Greater Seacoast CEO Janet Laatsch says that not only did Avrett’s extensive health-care experience enable him to “hit the ground running” when he joined the organization in September, but “he also fits into our culture, being very ethical and mission-driven.”

Greater Seacoast Community Health is a network of community health centers providing primary care, pediatrics, dental care, prenatal care, behavioral health counseling, substance use disorder treatment, mobile health services, WIC, social work services, a pharmacy, parenting classes, playgroups and home visiting. The network includes Families First Health & Support Center in Portsmouth, Goodwin Community Health in Somersworth, Lilac City Pediatrics in Rochester, the Strafford County Public Health Network and SOS Recovery Community Organization. Services are open to everyone and aim to be respectful, recovery-friendly, LGBTQ-affirming and trauma-informed. For more information, visit GetCommunityHealth.org.

DOVER, N.H. – Wentworth Health Partners Seacoast Orthopedics and Sports Medicine (SOSMed), a staple in the community for nearly 50 years, has announced it will now provide all hospital-based services exclusively at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital and the Wentworth Surgery Center.

 

Beginning October 27, all the practice’s physicians will perform surgeries at the hospital in Dover or at the Wentworth Surgery Center in Somersworth.  No patient care will be interrupted as a result of this change.

 

“There were several aspects involved in this decision, but the most important was that we provide the absolute best care for our patients,” said Jonathan Beauchesne, Assistant Vice President of the hospital’s musculoskeletal service line. “Wentworth-Douglass is the regional leader in orthopedics and sports medicine, boasting the largest sub-specialty, fellowship-trained orthopedic group in the area.”

 

SOSMed already works closely with a multidisciplinary Wentworth-Douglass team, including Rheumatology, Physiatry, Pain Management, Rehab Services, Integrative Therapists, Athletic Trainers, Wellness Coaches, and others.

 

Orthopedic Medical Director Dr. Charles Blitzer said the hospital’s culture was also a factor in the decision. “Our patients deserve to be treated at a non-profit, mission-based facility that puts patient care above all else. Wentworth-Douglass, with its 115-year history, is the only hospital on the Seacoast that provides that type of unwavering commitment to our community,” he said.

 

Beauchesne said the hospital’s affiliation with Mass General Brigham, a world-class integrated healthcare system, will provide patients with access to new research, innovations, and facilities.

 

“We’re also providing new specialty services like women’s sports medicine, pediatric orthopedics, and others. That means better outcomes, and better care, for all members of our community,” he added.

SOSMed has locations in Dover, Lee, Portsmouth, and Somersworth.

 

 Face-to-face WorkReadyNH class starting this Monday, November 1^st, at the GBCC Portsmouth campus.  The class will run Monday – Thursday 9am – 2pm from November 1 – 19^th.

 

Please feel free to forward this email to anyone that you think could benefit from this tuition-free program.  Anyone interested in attending may reach out to Dawn Hamdi or to workreadygbcc@ccsnh.edu if they would like to register for this class. 

WorkReadyNH 2021 Fall Web Flyer.pdf 

WorkReadyNH Virtual Information Session Flyer 10.1.21 to 12.31.21.pdf

Here is a link to several videos that are found on the WorkReadyNH YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGaKUTLUREc8oU3BwYgWZaQ

SBA Celebrates National Veterans Small Business Week

November 1-5, 2021 is National Veterans Small Business Week (NVSBW).  During NVSBW, SBA and its extensive partner network will celebrate the strength and resiliency of the veteran business community by hosting events across the country and sharing information about the resources available to veteran entrepreneurs.

Here are a couple of interesting facts:

• There are over 1.76 million veteran-owned businesses in the United States. Of this total, more than 337,934 were employers, and 1.42 million were non-employers.
• These businesses employ nearly four million people.
• Veteran-owned businesses generate approximately $1 trillion dollars in sales/receipts annually.
• Across Maine there are nearly 12,000 veteran-owned businesses, nearly 2,800 were employers, and 9,200 were non-employers.

It’s not that surprising that there are so many veteran-owned businesses across Maine and the country. Service members, veterans, and military spouses make great entrepreneurs. The resilience, determination, and fortitude they have acquired through their service in the military has prepared them for life as successful small business owners.

Our veterans don't have to enter their mission of entrepreneurship alone.  The SBA is here to help. Through the SBA, the military community has a partner to support them at all stages of small business ownership. No matter where they are in their entrepreneurial journey transition assistance, entrepreneurial training, disaster assistance, access to capital, and government contracting opportunities are right in their local neighborhood.

This year, given the COVID-19 pandemic, the SBA is focused on supporting the strength and resiliency of the veteran small-business community through resources and guidance to help these businesses meet new demands and adapt to this unfamiliar environment. Now more than ever, it’s vital for military and veteran entrepreneurs to be aware of the local resources that are available to assist them during this difficult time. It’s critical for small businesses to make strong local connections to stay afloat and continue to thrive.

The good news is SBA, and its' resource partner network extends across the country. Veteran entrepreneurs can receive business training, counseling, and mentoring at our Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOC), where they can also find out about financing options and receive procurement guidance to help them better compete for government contracts.

The VBOC of New England serves the veteran community in all six New England states. The center is operated by the Center for Women & Enterprise and offers classes, programs, and services to those who want to start, grow or expand their businesses.  You can find out more about the New England VBOC at: https://www.cweonline.org/About-CWE/Veterans-Business-Outreach-Center.

All of SBA's resource partners are available to help veteran owned businesses at any stage.  Find out more about SCORE, the Women's Business Centers and the Small Business Development Centers here: Resource Partners (sba.gov)

Wayside Publishing, owned by Navy veteran Greg Greuel is a great example of a veteran owned business that grew with help from SBA. Greg’s uncle owned a small publishing company in Cape Cod, and Greg and his wife Amy purchased the business, relocating it to Yarmouth. The focus of the business was textbooks for K-12 education, primarily foreign language classes. At first, the business started small, with one employee and about $500,000 in revenue. Under Greg’s leadership, it outgrew the space by 2015, and a new location had to be found in Freeport. With the innovative strategies employed by Greg, the business redeveloped its textbooks based on feedback from teachers, developed online tools for teachers to use, and even made an app. As a result, an additional space was needed to accommodate the resulting growth.

With an SBA backed loan from Bath Savings, Wayside was able to secure a secondary location in Freeport in 2019. This was necessary because by this time, Wayside had over 50 employees, and has plans for even further job growth. New products have been added, with a line of French textbooks coming out recently, and with others on the way. With the growth in products, and inclusion of online tools, Wayside has grown to see over $7.5 million in sales, with expectations that it could double within the next few years.

NVSBW is the perfect opportunity to reinforce the critical role that SBA plays in this mission to celebrate, strengthen, and empower our nation’s veteran entrepreneurs like Wayside Publishing.

In Maine we will host a roundtable discussion on Veteran-Owned business as part of our Lender Awards and Emerging Leaders Graduation webinar on November 5^th. If you are interested in joining, you can register online https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sba-maine-lender-awards-and-emerging-leaders-graduation-tickets-195327238027?aff=ebdssbdestsearch.

To our nation’s veterans and military community, thank you for your hard work, dedication, and the sacrifices you make. Thank you for your service.

SBA to Host National Veterans Small Business Week (NVSBW)

Week of November 1-5

The U.S. Small Business Administration will celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit and resilience of our veteran small business owners during National Veterans Small Business Week, Nov. 1-5, 2021.

“National Veterans Small Business Week is a time to honor the service and celebrate the impact of our nearly 1.8 million veteran entrepreneurs who are a driving force in our economy, generating approximately $1 trillion annually and employing nearly 4 million people,” said SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman. “The SBA team is committed to providing the capital, marketplace opportunities and supportive network of Veterans Business Outreach Centers so that our veterans and military spouses can continue to do what they do best – face hardships head-on to build, innovate, and adapt their businesses to survive and thrive.”

See Entire Press Release Here

JOIN the NH SBA’s Veteran Small Business Roundtable

Tuesday - November 2 ~ 9am – 11:00 am

Please join the NH Small Business Administration (SBA) district office, Veteran Business Outreach Center (VBOC), SCORE, NH Small Business Development Center (NH SBDC), Center for Women and Enterprise (CWE), NH Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E), US DOL Veteran Affairs (VA), and NH Employment Security (NHES) representative for an overview of how we can help your #Vetbiz access counseling, capital, contracts, and resources for your business needs.

Also, we want to hear from you -- the veteran business owner -- about the needs you face and how we can help your #VetBiz. We will also hear success stories from two local Veteran Business owners from from Carriage Hill Assisted Living and Local Farm NH. 

Register for this FREE webinar

Sign up Today for Veterans Boots to Business

Wednesday & Thursday - Nov. 3-4 ~from 8:30am - 4pm

Participants are introduced to the skills, knowledge, and resources they need to launch a business, including steps for developing business concepts, how to develop a business plan, and information on all SBA resources available.

Register for this FREE training session if you are Active-Duty Service members (including National Guard and Reserve), Veterans of all eras, and spouses.

Boots to Business Registration

ICYMI National Disability Employment Month

On 10/19, Tuesday Belanger host of 'Tuesday Talks', the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and the NH Vocational Rehab have a recorded discussion on the  focus of the valuable contributions people with disabilities provide to New Hampshire's workplaces and local economy. See the recorded webinar here

How Others are Helping

NH Business Review Offering FREE Preview for the 'The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program'

November 4 ~11 a.m. to noon

This NH Business Review webinar previews the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program. The free 14-week program, based on Babson College content and delivered by Manchester Community College, is scheduled for the spring of 2022.

During this webinar, you'll hear first-hand feedback from a panel of local business people who have been through the program and grown their businesses as a result. 

Learn More Here

Register for the NH Business Review Webinar

Did You Know?

OSHA is initiating the rulemaking process to consider a heat-specific standard to prevent heat injury and illness in outdoor and indoor work settings. We are seeking public comments on topics such as heat stress thresholds, acclimatization planning, exposure monitoring, and the nature, types, and effectiveness of controls. Comments must be submitted by Dec. 27, 2021.

Ways to Connect with SBA New Hampshire: Website: www.sba.gov/nh Email: NewHampshire_DO@sba.gov Twitter: @SBA_NH Phone: 603-225-1400

October 25, 2021

Governor Janet Mills today unveiled a slate of initiatives from her Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan to encourage people to pursue health care jobs in Maine and strengthen the state’s health care workforce, including new programs that make it more affordable to become a health care professional and make it easier to advance in their careers once they do.

The Administration is pursuing tuition support programs for health care professionals. Backed by $4 million from the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, the programs will provide financial support, through scholarships and student loan relief, for example, to allow more people to become doctors, nurses, behavioral health specialists, long term care professionals and others starting at the end of this year.

The Governor also announced a program to help people who work in the health care field gain skills and advance with their employer. Backed by $8.5 million from the Governor’s Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, the new “tuition remission” program provides financial support to help employees attain advanced health care credentials. The ability to earn credentials while on the job will allow health care workers to advance in the profession, leading to better paying jobs for them and improved health care services for Maine people.

The Governor also announced that her Administration is launching a new $1.5 million recruitment effort, with $1 million dedicated to promoting the value of work in health care and encouraging young people to enter careers in health care, and the other $500,000 dedicated specifically to promoting direct care worker jobs, such as aides for older Mainers or individuals with disabilities. This effort will be supplemented by another $600,000 to launch Maine’s Health Care Career Navigators, who will be charged with helping people interested in health care jobs figure out the best career path for them.

These important initiatives, which the Administration plans to implement by the end of this year, come as Maine continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, which is exacerbating Maine’s longstanding workforce challenges in the health care sector. The health care sector has been one of the hardest hit during the pandemic, representing 12 percent of net job losses in Maine.

“The health care sector is one of Maine’s largest employers, putting thousands of Maine people to work in good-paying jobs protecting the health, welfare, and lives of Maine citizens. But for a long time now, health care facilities across the state have had to grapple with a shortage of workers and the pandemic has only made the problem worse,” said Governor Janet Mills. “Health care workers have been the backbone of our response to COVID-19. They’ve shown up on the frontlines for more than a year and half to save the lives of Maine people, all while enduring risks to their own health and the added pressure and stress of the job. Their work is meaningful beyond words and is crucial to the health of our people. Through these forthcoming initiatives, we want to make it easier and more affordable for people, especially young people, to pursue careers in health care and continue to move up the career ladder into higher-paying jobs because they provide tremendous opportunity to do life-saving work and make a good wage with good benefits. We look forward to launching these programs at the end of the year, which will help Maine people and strengthen our health care workforce in the long-run.”

“The work that health care professionals do is absolutely critical and has only become even more crucial during this public health emergency,” said Laura Fortman, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Labor. “The initiatives in the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan make health care careers more obtainable and provide a career ladder to family sustaining wages.”

“Having a strong, high-quality health system is not only important to Maine residents, but it is essential to Maine’s economic recovery and the ability to attract new businesses and workers,” said Jeanne Lambrew, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. “The cornerstone of our health care system is the skilled professionals whose knowledge, training, and compassion keep Maine people healthy. Gaining more people in this critical profession will improve Maine people’s quality of life and provide a foundation for economic success for decades to come.”

“The past year has been like any other in terms of the range and complexity of challenges faced by Maine hospitals,” said Steven Michaud, president of the Maine Hospital Association. “Our members are experiencing unprecedented hardships and we look forward to continuing our work with the Governor and her Administration on how to support Maine’s hospitals. The initiatives announced today will attract more people to health professions, help retain current workers, and position our hospitals to keep providing high-quality care now and into the future.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has put a tremendous strain on Maine's nursing homes and assisted living communities and has made longstanding workforce shortages worse,” said Angela Westhoff, President and CEO of the Maine Health Care Association. “Our members are very concerned about staffing shortages as more burned-out caregivers exit the profession and fewer people enter it. MHCA is pleased to partner with the Administration on tangible solutions that will encourage, incentivize, and cultivate the next generation of Maine's health care professionals.”

“With the investments outlined today, Maine is positioning itself as a solutions-focused leader on health care workforce issues,” said Darcy Shargo, CEO of the Maine Primary Cary Association. “These initiatives show a significant commitment to addressing a long-standing challenge for Maine’s federally qualified health centers and the health care sector overall—the ability to attract and retain a strong, mission-oriented, and capable workforce. Now more than ever, we need state leaders to walk alongside us to build our health care workforce so that we can weather the inevitable after-storms of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Making It More Affordable for Maine People to Pursue Health Care Jobs: Supported by $4 million from the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, these tuition support programs will provide scholarships and student loan relief to students pursuing careers in nursing, as doctors, or as other health professionals. The goal of the programs is to reduce the financial burdens that people interested in health care professions often must carry in order to enter the field. By making it more affordable for these individuals, the Governor hopes to make pursuing a career in health care more easily attainable.

Helping Health Care Workers Move Up The Career Ladder: Supported by $8.5 million from the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, this tuition remission program will provide funding to health care employers or directly to interested employees to help them gain new skills, earn advanced credentials, and move up the career ladder. The program lowers barriers to training and education by providing the training free of charge to interested employees – as opposed to tuition reimbursement which requires upfront, out-of-pocket spending. Further, by investing in training and credential attainment for incumbent frontline health care workers, the program will help improve retention rates and increase the average wage among health care workers, improving outcomes for health care employers and their systems overall. The program will work with employers across sectors and sizes—including long term care, hospital, behavioral health and dental sectors. Data is currently being collected in real-time via employer survey input to ensure trainings meet on-the-ground needs.

Launching Targeted Recruitment Efforts to Promote Health Care Jobs: Supported by $1.5 million from the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, the Maine Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Economic and Community Development will partner to launch a public service campaign to promote the value and importance of the health care profession with the goal of recruiting more people, especially young adults, into the field. The effort, which will span social media and radio and include a dedicated website, will market health care as a meaningful, rewarding career that provides incredible opportunity for advancement and good pay and benefits. $500,000 in funding will be specifically dedicated to promote direct care jobs as a great opportunity for career advancement.

Supported by $600,000 from the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan, the Administration will also launch Health Care Career Navigators by the end of the year who will provide customized career guidance – including the creation of person-specific employment and training plans, help navigating available training opportunities, assistance with evaluation and translation of prior credentials, and referrals for health care job and apprenticeship opportunities – to help introduce people into health care jobs. These navigators will be housed within the Maine Department of Labor’s CareerCenters and will work closely with employers and community-based partners to connect jobseekers with opportunities. Navigators will also help out-of-state and foreign-trained professionals translate credentials, access licensing, and learn how prior training may apply to health care jobs in Maine.

These initiatives build on the Mills Administration’s substantial financial support for Maine’s health care sector during the pandemic. In 2020, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services distributed nearly $60 million in one-time, temporary payment increases to a broad range of health care providers.

In the summer of 2021, it provided $40 million in one-time payments to behavioral health providers, hospitals, and nursing homes. This week, it will make the second installment of $123 million in Medicaid supplemental payments authorized by the biennial budget Governor Mills signed into law to Maine nursing facilities, certain residential care facilities, and adult family care homes to support workforce recruitment and retention efforts as they grapple with longstanding workforce challenges exacerbated by the pandemic.

Additionally, the Department last week issued $23 million in one-time supplemental payments to Maine’s hospitals. The funding, which was authorized through the budget, can also be used to address workforce issues. In addition to resources, the Department provides a range of flexibilities and supports for recruiting and retaining health care workers.

The Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan is the Governor’s plan, approved by the Legislature, to invest nearly $1 billion in Federal American Rescue Plan funds to achieve three goals: immediate economic recovery from the pandemic; long-term economic growth for Maine; and infrastructure revitalization. It draws heavily on recommendations from the Governor’s Economic Recovery Committee and the State’s 10-Year Economic Development Strategy, transforming them into real action to improve the lives of Maine people and strengthen the economy.

Last week, Governor Mills announced $139 million in the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan’s first investments, including $20 million for a new small business grant program, $39 million to help lower monthly health insurance premiums, and $80 million to replenish the Maine Unemployment Trust fund and mitigate tax hikes for small businesses.

In coming weeks, the Mills Administration will continue to announce more Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan investments to address known, systemic challenges that have constrained Maine’s ability to grow and thrive, with priority focus on investments to grow and develop Maine’s workforce.

With more than $300 million in planned workforce investments through education and skills training programs, workforce housing, childcare, worker attraction, and business supports, the Jobs Plan aims to make a measurable impact on Maine’s workforce trends and build an economy poised for future growth.

Workforce investments in the Jobs Plan include $105 million for workforce programs at Maine schools, community colleges, and universities; $50 million for affordable and workforce housing, $20 million to expand Pre-K and childcare infrastructure, and programs targeted directly at addressing pressing workforce needs in health care and clean energy fields.

Other investments from the Jobs Plan include critical infrastructure investments, such as expanding broadband, enhancing state parks, accelerating weatherization and energy efficiency projects, and upgrading municipal stormwater and drinking water projects.

Funding for the Jobs Plan is through the federal American Rescue Plan Act, which allocated $4.5 billion in stimulus funds to Maine earlier this year.

Coordination of the Jobs Plan is led by the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services and the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, through a new Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan Office.

This Office will oversee the transparent and accountable implementation of the Jobs Plan, including ensuring that proposed expenditures are permissible under U.S. Treasury eligibility guidance, the final version of which remains pending.

DOVER, N.H. - Three rings of a bell at the Seacoast Cancer Center – Portsmouth marked an end of current treatments for patient Gavin Donaldson and the beginning of a special tradition at the Wentworth-Douglass Hospital Pease campus – a survivor celebration bell.

 

“Today is a celebration of sorts of getting through a 6-week chemo and radiation treatment,” Donaldson said. “I’m very pleased to have done it with such a wonderful group of people at such a wonderful facility. I couldn’t have asked for more.”

 

Staff members who were a part of Donaldson’s treatment course gathered around the bell, which is now a permanent fixture at the main entrance, to commemorate its installation and celebrate Donaldson’s milestone.

A sign underneath the bell from a World War II ship out of London reads, “This bell rings in honor of every patient who walks through our doors. Patients at any stage of their cancer are invited to ring the bell. Celebrate significant milestones like a birthday, an anniversary, improved results or finishing treatment. When the bell rings may we all remember the ways we celebrate life beyond cancer.”

For many, the inscription is more than just words.

“It’s not just for patients finishing treatment, but also for them to simply feel good about something or celebrate when they get a good result. Every single moment, every day is a celebration, and I believe that’s how our patients want to lead their lives,” said Dr. Arul Mahadevan, medical director of radiation oncology at the Seacoast Cancer Center.

He discovered the bell in a flea market in Bangladesh while on a medical mission trip, where he was teaching cancer diagnosis and treatment, and arranged for it to be transported to the U.S.

“It allows our patients and their families to celebrate any small milestone or anything special that’s happening,” said Michael Meserve, Director of Survivorship & Wellness at the Seacoast Cancer Center. “The timing is significant as we wrap up fundraising for our Seacoast Cancer 5K, which funds important aspects of our Survivorship and Wellness Program that mean so much to our patients.”

“I think everyone that goes through this, it’s a sense of accomplishment and completion at some stage, wherever that stage may be in your process,” Donaldson said.  “There’s a quote that I always remember, ‘Get busy dying or get busy living.’ And I’d rather get busy living.”

To learn more about Wentworth-Douglass Hospital’s Seacoast Cancer Center visit https://www.wdhospital.org/wdh/services-and-specialties/seacoast-cancer-treatment-center.

 

About Wentworth-Douglass Hospital

Wentworth-Douglass Hospital (wdhospital.org) is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit charitable health care organization located in Dover, New Hampshire with a 115-year history of compassionate care and innovation. A member of the Mass General Brigham system, Wentworth-Douglass is strategically located in the heart of the Seacoast region of New Hampshire and Southern Maine, which it has served since 1906. The organization is a family of more than 3,500 employees, including more than 400 physicians and advanced practice providers, dedicated to the health, safety, and well-being of the region’s residents and visitors. The organization includes a 178-bed hospital, more than 30 primary and specialty provider practices and clinic sites, multiple express and prompt care facilities, an ambulatory surgery center, several medical office buildings, The Works Family Health and Fitness Center, and the Wentworth-Douglass Foundation.

Dover, NH – COAST is honored to offer free rides to anyone on their way to vote on Municipal Election Day, Tuesday, November 2. As a reminder, masks are required on all COAST vehicles.

While the COAST public transit system does not provide transportation to each individual polling station directly, their hope is to encourage voters to get to the polls by eliminating the barrier of transportation costs.

All passengers need to do is tell their driver that they are on their way to vote, or on the way back from voting, and they will not be charged for the ride.

Not sure where your polling place is? The Secretary of State's website can help you find it - https://app.sos.nh.gov/Public/PollingPlaceSearch.aspx

ADA, Route 7 On-Demand, and Portsmouth Senior Transportation Clients: Please call TripLink for details 603-834-6010. Should we have capacity constraints for trips to the polls on these specific services, we may offer alternative travel times throughout the day.

The Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation (COAST) has provided public transit service to the Seacoast New Hampshire region since 1982. COAST is a non-profit agency, operating a regional public transit system that relies primarily on federal and local government support to operate. COAST is governed by a board of directors representing the communities served, two regional planning commissions, and many local and state agencies. COAST’s vision is to be an innovative leader in providing a broad range of public transportation services, connecting, and coordinating a robust network of transportation options for everyone.

October 21, 2021

Dear Somersworth Business ,

This afternoon  I have two important points of information to share :

1. The Economic Revitalization Zone deadline is quickly approaching , and if you are receiving this email , you are  likely in an ERZ . If you have purchased even one piece  of equipment and hired one employee,  This New Hampshire Tax Incentive can mean significant savings   on your Business Profits Tax cost ( see the attached)

 2. The City of Somersworth  is now in a partnership with the Small Business Development Center  to provide members of our business community  an On- Site Business Advisor at no charge. Our SBDC Advisor is Ed Miles ,  and he  now has office space at City Hall on the second Tuesday of each month at  no charge. Please  contact Ed directly for an appointment to discuss  your  business interests    ( see the attached) 

ERZ . Intro Letter. 2022.pdf

FAQs for Businesses 2022.pdf

NH SBDC - On Site Business Advisor. 2021-22.pdf

Sincerely,

Robin

Robin A. Comstock

Economic Development Manager

Monday-Thursday 8:30-4:00

 

City of Somersworth

One Government Way

Somersworth, NH. 03878

 

O (603) 692-9516|M (603) 496-5841

rcomstock@Somersworth.com

Contact: Rad Nichols, Executive Director, COAST

603-743-5777

DOVER, NH – The scarcity of qualified CDL licensed operators across the nation continues to also affect

local public transit operators like COAST. Multiple times this year the region’s public transit system has

had to temporarily suspend portions of their operations due to a lack of qualified drivers.

After having to temporarily suspend a small set of services starting in mid-June, the non-profit public

transit system serving the Greater Seacoast region made additional, deeper service suspensions in late

August. COAST is once again having to adjust services as fewer staff are now predicted to be available

through the late fall and winter.

Starting wages for CDL Bus Drivers at COAST have been raised twice already this year, now at $21.25 per

hour, and are budgeted to be adjusted again on January 1, 2022. After a CDL bus driver completes their

first year at COAST, the wage rate currently increases by an average of nearly 9 percent per year through

their fourth anniversary. COAST’s wage scale is also increased annually, or more frequently when

necessary, to account for market conditions and inflation. The organization regularly has overtime

opportunities which result in time and a half for all hours worked over 40 in a week. COAST also offers a

benefits package including medical, dental, disability, life, generous paid time off, SIMPLE IRA with

employer match, and many others.

Rad Nichols, COAST Executive Director stated, “We are a mission driven public transit system, offering

good career-oriented jobs that positively impact the communities we operate in. When you leave work

for the day here at COAST, you know you made a real difference in people’s lives.”

Nichols continued, “We know the impacts service suspensions have on other businesses that rely on our

buses to get their employees safely and affordably to and from work, students needing to get to classes,

and others needing to simply get to where they are trying to go. We are doing everything we can to try

and return to full operations, but the lack of qualified candidates looking to become public transit

operators is taking time to overcome. In the mid-term we are even looking out and trying to alter our

fleet mix (in approximately 9-12 months) so that we could hire non-CDL licensed individuals to drive

smaller buses on some of our routes.”

COAST provides a comprehensive paid training program that allows operators to be fully prepared prior

to driving routes on their own. Unfortunately, COAST cannot train drivers to get their commercial

driver’s license, due to liability insurance restrictions. However, COAST can refer individuals for potential

training through the State of New Hampshire if they qualify, and/or help CDL drivers earn their

passenger endorsement, if needed.

Temporary Service Suspensions

Starting on November 13, and continuing until COAST reaches adequate staffing levels, services on the

following bus routes will be temporarily suspended:

• Route 14 (between the Rochester P&R/Portsmouth Mon-Sat)
• Route 33 (continuation of 4:30pm run suspension Mon-Sat)
• Route 34 (multiple am and pm runs Mon-Sat)
• Route 40 (continuation of current suspensions)
• Route 43 (continuation of current suspensions)
• Route 44 (one pm run Mon-Fri)

Service Resumptions

• Route 12 (all previously suspended runs)
• Route 13 (all previously suspended runs)
• Route 33 (6:30pm run)

Service resumptions, particularly on Routes 12 and 13 with stronger rider usage, are possible because of

deeper suspensions to the lower ridership Route 14.

For more information on the specific runs being suspended on each of the affected routes, please visit

www.coastbus.org/upcomingservicechanges.

Nichols confirmed, “like with previous temporary suspensions we have had to put in place, the sole

reason COAST is suspending these services is due to the shortage of CDL drivers. We have tried to be

even more strategic in our suspensions this time around to impact as few passengers as possible. Our

goal is to scale back up to full operations as quickly as possible once we have hired and trained new

staff.”

Being a public transit bus driver can be an incredibly rewarding career, where every day you help your

many passengers safely get to work or school and back, go to doctor appointments, make trips to the

grocery store or local retailers, meet up with friends for a day or an evening out, or otherwise go about

their daily lives. COAST buses are “rolling neighborhoods” that represent each of the 13 communities in

which they operate. Friendships are formed, life stories and struggles are shared, and successes are

celebrated. COAST bus drivers get to experience all that first-hand.

If you have a commercial driver’s license and are looking for a change and a great work environment,

please visit www.coastbus.org/careers.

The Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation (COAST) has provided public transit service to the

Seacoast New Hampshire region since 1982. COAST is a public, non-profit transit system that relies

primarily on federal and local government support to operate. COAST is governed by a board of

directors representing the communities served, two regional planning commissions, and many local and

state agencies. COAST is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.