“FRIDAY UPDATES” (On Tuesday)

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

 

 

The Sullivan Monument

 

A final reminder that all Town Offices will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday and Friday, November 27 and 28, 2008.  All offices will reopen for business on Monday, December 1^st at 8:00 AM. Residents whose regularly scheduled pickup day for trash and recycling is Thursday should put their items out on Friday morning by 7:00 AM instead.  There will be no commercial pickup of recyclables on Friday. 

 

2008 Tax Rate Set

On Monday of this week, Business Manager Gail Jablonski met with a representative from the State of New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration to set the official tax rate for 2008 for the Town of Durham.  The following is a breakdown of the 2008 local tax structure.

 

	2007	2008
Town of Durham	$6.90	$6.52
Strafford County	2.27	2.15
School (local)	16.55	15.74
State Education	2.52	2.26
Total	$28.24	$26.67

 

On Monday evening, December 1, 2008, the Council will be asked to approve the official tax warrant utilized for the sending of the 2008 tax bills. The Town Clerk-Tax Collector anticipates mailing the 2008 property tax bills to property owners on Friday, December 5, 2008.

 

Valuation figures used for setting the 2008 tax rate were derived from the Town’s recently completed revaluation. To view information explaining the 2008 revaluation process and new values, click HERE.

 

DCAT Broadcast of "Creating an Energy Vision for the Master Plan" - Wednesday, November 19^th at 7:00 PM

On November 19 the Durham Energy Committee (DEC) sponsored a meeting with Durham residents to discuss actions they would like to see Durham take to steer the town towards greater energy efficiency and independence. Bill Schoonmaker and Walter Rous facilitated the meeting, taking the first step in developing an Energy Chapter for the Town’s Master Plan. Durham Cable Television (DCAT) will broadcast its recording of the meeting on channel 22 this Wednesday, November 26, at 7:00 PM. The DEC is planning the next step in the process, and a follow-up public forum is anticipated sometime in January. Stay tuned for details.

 

Vacancies on Town Boards

The following is a list of vacancies that currently exist on various Town boards, commissions, and committees. Residents interested in being appointed to any of these boards may obtain an application form by clicking HERE.  Applications are also available at the Town Clerk-Tax Collector’s Office. Completed applications may be submitted via email to jberry@ci.durham.nh.us, or mailed to Jennie Berry, Town of Durham, 15 Newmarket Road. To view the charges/duties for the various Town boards, commissions, and committees, click HERE.

 

Conservation Commission – (1 vacancy)

Planning Board – (1 alternate member vacancy)

Zoning Board of Adjustment - (1 alternate member vacancy)

Durham Cable Access Television (DCAT) Governance Committee - (2 vacancies)

Durham Energy Committee (2 vacancies)

Integrated Waste Management Advisory Committee - (1 vacancy)

Strafford Regional Planning Commission (MPO Policy) - (2 vacancies)

 

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.

 

Town Council – Monday, December 1, 2008

Historic District Commission – Thursday, December 4, 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. 

To view the Oyster River School Board meeting schedule, click HERE. 

To view the Durham Public Library Board of Trustees meeting schedule, click HERE.

 

Turkey Trot – Hosted by Durham Parks and Recreation & ORPP

Durham Parks and Recreation Committee and Oyster River Parents and Preschoolers invite you to join them for a Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Morning - Thursday November 27th from 9:30-11:30 AM. Enjoy a nice downhill hike to the water at Wagon Hill Farm before your Thanksgiving festivities. Children can look for colorful turkey feathers along the way and all ages are welcome to enjoy hot chocolate and donuts beside the water. What a nice way to connect with our community and give the cook some much needed time alone in the kitchen!

 

durham public library – food for fines program

The Durham Public Library will be open for regular hours on Saturday November 29, 2008, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.  This is the last day to participate in our Food for Fines program.  Since this is the last week of the month, the library is accepting donations for the Friends of the Library book sales.  For a list of our programs, please visit  www.durhampubliclibrary.org and click on Calendar.

 

DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY Holiday Closing Schedule

Wednesday, November 26  -           5:00 PM Early Closing

Thursday, November 27       -           Closed for Thanksgiving

Friday, November 28            -           Closed for Thanksgiving

Reopen on Saturday, November 29 with regular hours, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

 

UNH Community Skating Party

The Annual UNH and Durham Holiday Skating Party "Holidazzle" will be held Thursday, December 4th at the Whittemore Center Area between 3:30 and 7:30 PM.   Durham residents are encouraged to enjoy a night of skating, activities, games, and food along with a silent auction in the sky box lounge.

 

Annual Light Up Durham Celebration

The annual “Light Up Durham” celebration, sponsored by the Durham Business Association, the Town of Durham, Durham It’s Where U Live (DIWUL), the New England Center, Colonial Durham Associates, Ocean National Bank, Wings Your Way and Federal Savings Bank, will take place Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, December 4, 5, and 6, 2008. Throughout the weekend the public is invited to enjoy the Downtown Merchant/UNH sorority and fraternity holiday light competition. The schedule of events is as follows:

 

Thursday Events

            10:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Evergreen Crafts Fair at the UNH Memorial Union Building

 

Friday Events

            10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Evergreen Crafts Fair at the UNH Memorial Union Building

            4:00 – 6:00 PM, Business Holiday Open House – Durham businesses

            4:30 – 6:00 PM, Wine and cheese party at the Three Chimneys Inn

            4:30 – 6:00 PM, Spaghetti dinner at Young’s Restaurant ($7/person; $5 under 12)

            4:30 – 5:30 PM, Huddleston Hall Events:  Visit with Mrs. Claus, Holiday Storytime, and Wayne from Maine

5:45 PM, Tree Lighting Ceremony with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Main Street stage (in case of inclement weather, Santa and the Main Street Stage events will take place at Huddleston Hall)

            6:00 – 6:30 PM, Main Street entertainment at the Main Street stage

            6:45-7:00 PM, Bonfire and dessert at the Mill Plaza

 

Saturday Events

            8:00 – 10:30 AM, Pancake Breakfast at Durham House of Pizza and JP’s Eatery ($5/person, children under 3 FREE)

            10:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Fair Day in Durham at area churches

            1:30 PM – Shawn the Storyteller in MUB Theatre 2

2:00 PM – Holiday Movie, “The Polar Express”, in MUB Theatre 2

 

Ornament Sales

This year’s limited edition ornament with 2008 artwork will be available for $10.00 at Ocean Bank(s), Durham Marketplace, Town Hall, The Outback, Emery Farms, Town & Campus, and Federal Savings Bank.

 

CHRISTMAS FAIR DAY

Saturday, December 6, 2008 is Christmas Fair Day in Durham.  The Fair runs from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and Durham's four downtown churches participate simultaneously in an ecumenical tradition which dates from 1958.  Fairgoers can visit St. Thomas More, St. George's, Community Church of Durham, and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.  Each venue features unique items.

 

Some Good News for Oyster Populations: Restoring oyster reefs in the Great Bay Estuary

Oyster populations in many coastal areas have suffered drastic declines in recent years. On Thursday, December 4, 2008 beginning at 6:00 PM in the Levenson Room at the Portsmouth Public Library (first floor), Dr. Ray Grizzel, Zoology Professor at the University of New Hampshire will give an update on the local oyster population and report on collaborative efforts making progress in the Great Bay Estuary. This event is open to the public and is free of charge. This is the fourth and final program in the Piscataqua Gundalow Fall Contemporary Coastal Issues Series. This series was funded by NHDES and NOAA’s office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management under the Coastal Zone Management Act in conjunction with the NH Coastal Program. For more information please contact the nonprofit Gundalow Company at (603) 433-9505 or info@gundalow.org

BOY SCOUT TROOP 154 ANNUAL CHRISTMAS TREE SALE

Durham Boy Scout Troop 154 will be selling Christmas trees and popcorn at the Durham Market Place plaza again this year.  Trees are available on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM each day.  This is Troop 154’s major fundraiser of the season.

 

FROM HISTORY IN AN OYSTERSHELL – 1600 – 1976

“1848 – Congregational Church on Main Street cost $3,325. Enlarged in 1893 and remodeled in 1923, adding Community House. Name changed to Community Church with 19 denominations as members. Brick Education Center built in 1963 and sanctuary remodeled and new organ in 1976.”

 

Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

 

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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