“FRIDAY
UPDATES”
Friday,
October 10, 2008
Euonymus
alatus commonly known as the “Burning
Bush”, located along
Identification
by Linn Bogle. Photographed by Frank L. Pilar
The 32nd annual Leif
Ericson Parade will be held early on Sunday morning, October 12, 2008 on
TOWN
OFFICES CLOSED -
A final reminder that all Town
offices will be closed for the Columbus Day holiday on Monday, October 13, 2008,
and will reopen for business on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 8:00 AM. Please
note that there will be NO CHANGE
to the refuse and recycling collection.
ASSESSING
REVALUATION UPDATE
Over the
course of this week I have arranged for David Hynes from the New Hampshire
Department of Revenue, Property Appraisal Division to meet with Assessor
DISPATCH
TRANSITION UPDATE
A major
initiative for 2008 was the transfer of dispatching services from the University
of New Hampshire Communications Center to the Strafford County Dispatch
facility. Unfortunately, we have been experiencing difficulties with the
microwave system that was installed to negate the need for recurring high speed
data and line charges from our telephone providers. Our contractor, 2-Way
Communications, is working diligently to address the issue. However, over the
past week the Fire Department has been dispatched by its backup, the
2006
RECREATIONAL TRAIL PROGRAM GRANT – LONGMARSH TRAIL
PROJECT
The Department of Public Works in
conjunction with the Business Office have completed closing out required
paperwork for the 2006 Recreational Trail Program grant that the Town received
in the amount of $14,124 with matching funds from the Town in the form of
in-kind services from our DPW and volunteers in the amount of $5,290. As is the
case with many of these grants, there is a great deal of paperwork involved to
keep track of the project, however, the DPW, Business Office, and Parks and
Recreation Committee have done a good job in tracking the time of our
volunteers, as well as our own staff time and the Public Works resources, as
part of the development of the Longmarsh Trail Project. This is a nice example
of collaboration between the
UNH
HOMECOMING WEEKEND
The
LOCK
BOX INITIATIVE
In order to
mitigate additional workload for the Town Clerk-Tax Collector’s Office, the
Business Office and the Town Clerk-Tax Collector’s Office have been
investigating the possibility of utilizing lock box service for the payment of
water, sewer, and property tax bills. The lock box system involves providing
return envelopes with water, sewer, and property tax bills so that when bills
are returned by mail they go to a central processing facility that deposits the
money and transfers funds to a Town of
ELECTION
PLANNING
Voting for the General Election on
Tuesday, November 4, 2008, will be held at the
Proposed
Charter Amendments to be Placed on the March 10, 2009 Town Election
Ballot
On Monday,
October 6, 2008, the Durham Town Council held public hearings and subsequently
voted to place two proposed Charter amendments on the ballot for the March 10,
2009 Town Election. The first amendment, pertaining to Article 7 “Conduct of
Officials”, Section 7.1 (C), proposes to strike current language that requires
an elected official who is presently holding another elected or appointed
position to immediately forfeit the office he/she held prior to such election.
New Hampshire Supreme Court case Town of Hooksett v. Baines, 148 N.H. 625 (2002)
precludes communities from imposing term limits on elected offices or imposing
qualifications for elected offices. Since the language in Section 7.1 (C)
of the Durham Town Charter is not enforceable and has not been practiced; it
should be removed to avoid confusion in the future. The second amendment,
pertaining to Article 9 “Town Report”, Section 9.1, proposes to strike the
current word “delivered” and replace it with the word “available”. In doing so,
this will eliminate the current process of mailing annual Town Reports to
individual property owners, resulting in a cost-savings to the Town. Instead,
copies of annual Town Reports would be available at the Town Offices and the
Durham Public Library as well as on the Town web site. The two amendments, as
they will appear on the March 10, 2009 Town Election ballot, are as
follows:
Strikethrough: Indicates
language to be removed from the Charter.
Underline:
Indicates language to be added to the Charter.
Article 7
“Conduct of Officials”, Section 7.1 (C)
Sec. 7.1. Conditions
for holding office.
A. Any person while in
town office convicted of a Class A felony in
B. No full-time or
regular employee of the town shall be eligible to serve as a
Councilor.
C. Any
person elected to a town office or trusteeship while presently holding another
such town office, board membership, commission membership or trusteeship shall
immediately forfeit the office he held prior to such
election.
C.D. Except as
otherwise provided by this Charter, no department head nor regular employee of
the town shall be appointed to a town office, board, membership, commission
membership or trusteeship. They may, however, serve as advisors to such boards,
committees or commissions.
D.E. The Zoning Board of Adjustment
shall not have any members who also serve on the Planning Board, Conservation
Commission or Historic District Commission.
Reason for
proposed change: New Hampshire
Supreme Court case Town of Hooksett V. Baines, 148 N.H. 625 (2002) precludes
communities from imposing term limits on elected offices or imposing
qualifications for elected offices. Since the language in Section 7.1 (C)
of the
_______________________________
Article 9
“Town Report”, Section 9.1
Sec. 9.1.
Town Report. Each year, the Town Administrator
shall prepare a Town Report which shall include: (1) a statement of the
past year's financial activities and a comparative statement of the previous and
present budget; and (2) a review of all major Council actions, including a
summary of ordinances enacted; and (3) Town vital statistics. There shall be a
section which presents any actions which are in progress or pending before town
boards or departments and the Town Council. The effective date of the Report
shall be the end of the fiscal year, and the Report shall be delivered available to the
voters of the town not later than February 15 of each
year.
Reason for
proposed change: To eliminate
the process of mailing annual Town Reports to individual property owners,
resulting in a cost-savings to the Town. Instead, copies of annual Town Reports
would be available at the Town Offices and the
Although it is October, our weather
continues to be mild and the threat of both West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern
Equine Encephalitis (EEE) still remains. The State of
What can residents do around their
homes to help reduce exposure to mosquitoes?
·
Make sure that doors and windows
have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace all screens in your home
that have tears or holes.
·
Remove all discarded tires from your
property. The used tire has become the most important domestic
mosquito-breeding habitat in the
·
Do not allow water-holding
containers. Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots, or
similar water-holding containers. Do not overlook containers that have
become overgrown by aquatic vegetation.
·
Drill holes in the bottom of
recycling containers that are left out of doors. Drainage holes that are
located on the sides collect enough water for mosquitoes to breed in.
·
Make sure roof gutters drain
properly. Clean clogged gutters in the spring and fall.
·
Tightly screen “rain barrels” to
ensure mosquitoes cannot deposit eggs in or on water.
·
Clean and chlorinate swimming pools
and outdoor hot tubs. If not in use, keep empty and covered.
·
Drain water from pool covers.
·
Aerate ornamental pools or stock
them with fish. Water gardens are fashionable but become major mosquito
breeding grounds if they are allowed to stagnate.
·
Turn over wheelbarrows and change
water in birdbaths at least twice weekly. Both provide breeding habitat
for domestic mosquitoes. Eliminate any standing water that collects on your
property. Use landscaping as needed. Mosquitoes will develop in any
puddle that lasts more than 4 days. Mosquito larvae look like tiny shrimp
and are not recognized for what they really are by most people.
·
Remind or help neighbors to
eliminate breeding sites on their properties.
·
Ensure that tarps covering fire wood
piles, boats, ATVs, snowmobiles, etc. are not holding pools of water.
What can residents do to reduce
their risk of becoming infected with WNV or EEE? When mosquitoes are active,
take the following precautions:
·
Wear protective clothing such as
long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and socks if outside during evening, nighttime,
and dawn hours, the time when mosquitoes are most active, and at other times
when mosquitoes are biting.
·
If outside during evening,
nighttime, and dawn hours, or whenever mosquitoes are biting, consider the use
of an effective insect repellant.
·
Vitamin B, ultrasonic devices,
incense, and bug zappers have
not been shown to be effective in preventing mosquito bites.
·
Use repellants according to
manufacturer’s directions.
Ø
Repellents containing DEET have been
proven effective. No more than 30% DEET should be used on adults or
children.
Ø
The
Ø
Repellents containing Picaridin
(KBR3023) or oil of lemon eucalyptus (a plant based repellent) provide
protection similar to repellents with low concentrations of DEET. Oil of
lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under the age of three years. Do
not allow young children to apply repellent themselves.
Ø
Do not apply repellent directly to
children. Apply repellent to your own hands and then put it on the child’s
exposed skin.
Ø
Avoid putting repellent on the hands
of children or near their eyes or mouth.
Ø
Do not spray directly on the face,
spray into the hands first and then apply to the face.
Ø
Do not apply to cuts, wounds, or
irritated skin.
Ø
Do not use under
clothing.
Ø
Do not spray repellent containing
products in enclosed areas.
Ø
Avoid prolonged or excessive use of
repellents. Use sparingly to cover exposed skin and
clothing.
Ø
Wash all treated skin and clothing
after returning indoors.
Ø
Store repellents out of reach of
children.
Ø
Research has shown that repellents
based on natural oils or herbs are less effective than products based on
Picaridin or DEET.
On Wednesday, October 15, 2008,
beginning at 8:00 AM, Town Engineer David Cedarholm will meet with the Durham
Conservation Commission at the
PUBLIC
MEETING SCHEDULE
The following public meetings are
scheduled for the coming week in the Town Council chambers at the Durham Town
Office and will begin at 7:00 PM unless otherwise indicated
below.
DCAT Governance Committee – Tuesday,
October 14, 2008, 7:00 PM, Durham Police Dept. Community
Room
Integrated Waste Management Advisory
Committee – (7:30
AM)
Zoning Board of Adjustment –
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Planning Board – Wednesday, October
15, 2008
Parks and Recreation Committee –
Thursday, October 16, 2008
To view an agenda for the meetings
listed above, please click HERE.
All meetings recorded on DCAT are available on DVD at the Durham Public Library
for checkout and viewing.
Right-to-Know
Law Educational Session Scheduled for Board Members &
Community
The members of the Town of
ChurcHill
Rink AT
Clean-Up Day
Volunteers are needed to assist with
general cleanup tasks at the Churchill Skating Rink located at
Public Skating
Schedule
The Churchill Rink at
Monday, Wednesday, Friday-
2:00-3:20
Tuesday & Thursday- 9:00- 10:20
& 2:00-4:20
Saturdays-
2:30-4:20
Sundays-
2:00-3:50
Community
Event
The first Community Event is
Halloween Skate is scheduled for
Friday, October 31. The community events take place from 7:30-9:00pm and are
free of charge.
A special reminder that the Town of
Durham will hold a small celebration and formal presentation on Thursday,
October 16, 2008, at 4:00 PM at the Dorothy Wilcox Memorial Garden located in
the area of Old Landing Park adjacent to Newmarket Road in recognition of its
being named a Tree City USA town for the 30th consecutive year.
Governor John Lynch will be in attendance to present the award to the Town. All
interested citizens are invited to attend this
event
Fall
Cleanup Begins Monday, November 10
Fall Cleanup is scheduled to begin
on Monday, November 10, 2008. All items must be out by 7:00 AM that day
and fit the criteria to guarantee their pickup. Please follow the below
guidelines to guarantee a successful fall
cleanup:
·
Leaves
should be placed in paper leaf
bags (remember, plastic bags are not recyclable). Paper
bags may be purchased at Houghton Hardware, the Durham Marketplace, or Brooks
Drugs. Loose leaves will not
be accepted but may be brought to the
·
Brush should be placed in one
direction, bundled, and tied with string (no wire
please).
·
Brush and
limbs must be no greater than 5 feet in length and 5 inches in
diameter.
·
The amount
of brush and limbs is limited to one truckload per
household.
·
Cutting off
small limbs from branches will help maximize each
load.
·
Remember, backyard composting your
leaves and brush reduces the flow of waste while at the same time producing
valuable organic matter for the soil. It improves your soil and the plants
growing in it.
Division Chief Corey Landry
explained the importance of roadway safety for emergency responders and new
Federal regulations at a seminar this past Wednesday in the auditorium of the
On Thursday evening this week
candidates for three state and Federal offices met with fire chiefs from across
the state at the monthly meeting of the New Hampshire Fire Chiefs’ Association,
hosted by the Durham Fire Department. The candidates’ forum featured former
Governor Jeanne Shaheen and Senator John Sununu, candidates for the United
States Senate seat; Jeb Bradley and Representative Carol Shea-Porter, candidates
for the United States House of Representatives 1st congressional
district seat; and New Hampshire State Senator Joe Kenney; the republican
nominee for Governor. In addition, Don Bliss participated as a surrogate for
gubernatorial candidate John Lynch.
Recently the Durham Police partnered
with the
Trick-or-Treating in
ENERGY
SAVING TIPS
ü
Consider buying a laptop for your
next computer upgrade; laptops use much less energy than desktop computers.
ü
Using rechargeable batteries for
products like cordless phones and PDAs is more cost-effective and uses less
energy than throwaway batteries, and is better for the environment.
ü
Consider replacing halogen-type
torchiere fixtures with compact fluorescent torchieres. These use 60% to
80% less energy, can produce more light (lumens), and do not get as hot as the
halogen torchieres.
The Friends of the Durham Public
Library will hold a fall book sale on Friday, October 31, 2008 from 10:00 AM to
5:00 PM and Saturday, November 1, 2008 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. A preview will
be held on Thursday, October 30, 2008 from 6:00-8:00 PM. The book sale will be
held at the Durham Public Library located in the
UNH
TESTS CAMPUS EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM ON OCTOBER 17TH
On Friday, October 17,
2008 at 12:00 noon, the
FAIR
TRADE PRODUCTS
On Saturday, November 1, 2008 from
10:00 AM-1:00 PM and on Sunday, November 2, 2008 from 11:30 AM-1:00 PM, the
UNH
HOMECOMING WEEKEND EVENTS
The UNH Alumni Association invites
all alumni, family and friends back to campus for Homecoming Weekend 2008,
October 11-12. The weekend will be packed with a wide range of events and
activities for everyone, including the Blue & White Parade, fireworks,
campus tours and more. For an updated list of activities visit www.alumni.unh.edu/homecoming. The
list keeps growing, so check back often. Headquarters on Saturday, October 11,
2008, will be the UNH Alumni Association's big tent behind Bremner Field. The
UNH Alumni Association will be offering a delicious menu and non-alcoholic
beverages FREE under the tent from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM. There will be
face-painting for kids and other fun activities. Traditional tailgating will be
held in Boulder Field from 9:00 AM to noon. Please note that football tickets
are required for entrance to designated tailgating areas. The UNH football game
against William & Mary will kick off at noon. For more information about
Homecoming 2008, call (603) 862-2040 or (800) 891-1195 or e-mail alumni@unh.edu.
Weekly
Police Arrest Report
Week –
53
39 UNH
(74%) 14
Other (26%)
*2008/09 Academic Year –
231 167 UNH
(72%) 64 Other
(28%)
Calendar Year
–746
444 UNH (60%) 302
Other (40%)
*Commenced September 1, 2008
Historical Data
for the same week
Year |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
Week |
13 |
36 |
27 |
53 |
Academic
Year |
424 |
297 |
226 |
231 |
Calendar
Year |
983 |
800 |
797 |
746 |
FROM
HISTORY IN AN OYSTERSHELL – 1600 – 1976
“1825– Gen. Lafayette came to town
on his tour of the state. He was met at the town line at Lee and escorted to the
Town Hall. Bills for his entertainment included $2.00 for making cartridges for
cannon and for spirits, Vituals, etc., for from 150 to 200 for $150.00 to
Benjamin Kelly, Dr.”
Have a nice
weekend.
Todd
Todd I. Selig, Administrator
Town of Durham
15 Newmarket Road
Durham, New Hampshire 03824
Tel
(603) 868-5571
Fax (603) 868-5572
tselig@ci.durham.nh.us
www.ci.durham.nh.us
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