“FRIDAY UPDATES”

February 27, 2009

 

 

 

Candidate PROFILEs for Town Elected Offices

Citizens interested in learning more about the prospective candidates who have signed up to run for various Town elected offices in March may now view candidate profiles of each candidate. To view this information, click HERE.

 

Town Election/School Elections

Elections for the Town and School officers, as well as for the Oyster River Cooperative School District annual budget, will be held on Tuesday, March 10, 2009.  The polls will be open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM at the Oyster River High School Multi-Purpose Room located on Coe Drive in Durham.  To view a sample Town election ballot, click, HERE.  To view a sample School election ballot, click HERE.

 

TOWN ELECTION Absentee Ballots Available

Absentee ballots for the Town and School elections on March 10, 2009, are available at this time at the Town Clerk’s office, Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Absentee ballots may be obtained from the Town Clerk’s office in person or by written request and must be returned by 5:00 PM on Monday, March 9^th or received by mail on Tuesday, March 10^th.

 

DURHAM NEIGHBORHOODS ALLIANCE TO SPONSOR TOWN COUNCIL CANDIDATES FORUM

A final reminder that on Tuesday, March 3, 2009, beginning at 7:00 PM, the Durham Neighborhoods Alliance (DNA) will sponsor a Town Council Candidates Forum in the Town Council chambers of the Town Hall located at 15 Newmarket Road. The forum will be moderated by Mimi Becker, an associate professor of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy at UNH. Mimi has extensive experience with facilitation and mediation. The forum will address a broad range of issues affecting the Durham community. The public is invited to attend or watch the forum on Channel 22. Interested citizens may send questions to CitizensExchange@comcast.net, due by February 18.

 

Oyster River Mill Pond Dam – PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETING

A final reminder that on Wednesday, March 4, 2009, at 7:00 PM, the Department of Public Works will hold a public informational meeting in the Council Chambers at the Durham Town Hall to present information about the Oyster River Dam and Mill Pond and discuss available options concerning deficiencies with the dam.  The objective of the meeting is to present information on the options of how to resolve a multitude of complicated issues associated with the future of the dam and the Mill Pond, including:  1) structural problems with the dam, 2) environmental problems in the Mill Pond, 3) preservation of historic resources, 4) pros and cons of keeping the dam, and 5) funding. The inspection of the dam last fall revealed serious structural problems that need to be addressed. A memorandum that describes the problems and compares preliminary costs of rehabilitating or decommissioning the dam was prepared by the engineering firm who inspected the dam. To view this document, click HERE.

 

The Durham Historic District/Heritage Commission strongly encourages citizens to attend this meeting, in which presentations will be made by Town Engineer Dave Cedarholm, HDC/Heritage Commission, New Hampshire Fish & Game, Shellfish, Hydropower, Mill Pond Task Force, Dam Removal/River Restoration and Feasibility Study. There will be an opportunity for questions and answers following the meeting. The meeting will also be taped for later rebroadcast on Durham’s local cable channel, Channel 22.

 

 

ORPP TOWN COUNCIL “MEET AND GREET THE CANDIDATES” FORUM

A Town Council “meet and greet the candidates” forum, hosted by the Oyster River Parents of Preschoolers (ORPP), was held on Thursday evening, February 26, 2009 and broadcast live over Durham’s cable channel, Channel 22. To view a listing of rebroadcast dates and times for this forum, as well as other Town board, commission, and committee meetings, refer to the DCAT programming schedule below.

 

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.

 

Durham Energy Committee – Monday, March 2, 2009 (4:30 PM)

Town Council – Monday, March 2, 2009

Integrated Waste Management Advisory Committee – Tuesday, March 3, 2009 (7:30 AM)

Rental Housing Commission – Tuesday, March 3, 2009 (4:00 PM)

Candidates Forum sponsored by the Durham Neighborhoods Alliance – Tuesday, March 3, 2009     

Oyster River Dam at Mill Pond Public Informational Meeting Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Historic District Commission – Thursday, March 5, 2009

 

To view the agendas 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.

 

DURHAM CABLE ACCESS TELEVISION PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE

To view a listing of the DCAT programming schedule, click HERE 

 

SURVEY CONDUCTED BY DURHAM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

The Town of Durham prides itself on its' rural character and preservation of natural resources, but finds a challenge in balancing traditional values and economic interests. The Economic Development Committee (EDC) has enlisted the help of the Whittemore School of Business and Economics' Marketing Workshop class to do some research and develop an appropriate marketing campaign to help in its efforts. The EDC would like to know the opinions of Durham's full-time residents as part of our research, and invites all residents to take part in the survey at: http://wsbe.qualtrics.com/SE?SID=SV_b2Run5IYUE3TOq8&SVID=Prod. The survey will end on Monday March 2, 2009.

 

The Marketing Workshop class also invites residents to a focus group session in Room 334 at the UNH Memorial Union Building on Wednesday, March 4, 2009, from 5:30-6:30PM. Food and drinks will be provided. Please contact Stasha Fraser at sal26@unh.edu to sign up for the focus group. Due to the focus group format, participants will be limited to the first 10 residents.  

 

Economic Stimulus Update

The Department of Public Works officials submitted pre-applications this week to several New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Divisions for projects relating to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan of 2009 (economic stimulus).  Listed below are some of the projects that have had pre-applications submitted:

 

Spruce Hole well development

Spruce Hole well distribution system

West end sewer improvements phase I (bottleneck)

West end sewer improvements phase II (College Road/Old Concord Road Pump Station)

Strafford Ave./Meadow Rd. sewer improvements

Depot Road parking lot (Brownfields Remediation)

Wastewater Treatment Facility aeration system upgrades

Wastewater Treatment Facility sludge dewatering upgrades

Dover Road Pump Station rehabilitation

Dover Road Pump Station force main replacement

 

Route 108 and Main Street Pedestrian Traffic Signal Timing

The Department of Public works has fielded several questions regarding the timing of the signals at the intersection of Route 108 and Main Street in Durham. Public Works Director, Mike Lynch wrote a letter to DOT inquiring about the pedestrian timing.  The Traffic Engineer Administrator, William R. Lambert, P.E. sent a letter back with the following: “The traffic signal has nine phases, including the exclusive pedestrian phase. When the pedestrian button is pressed, you might have to wait up to 90 seconds before you get the walk light.” This assures that the intersection operates in the safest most efficient manner possible for the actual traffic conditions.

 

CHurchill Rink SCHEDULE

Public skating – times offered every day

Public skate times below will remain the same during school vacation week.

 

Mon., Wed., Fri.         2:00 - 3:20 PM

Tue., Thurs.                9:00 - 10:20 AM and 2:00 - 4:00 PM

Sat.                             2:30 - 4:20 PM

Sun.                            2:00 - 3:50 PM

 

For more information, call the rink at 868-3907, or visit our website at www.churchillrink.com

 

Durham Public Library Annual Appeal Continues

The Board of Library Trustees has decided to continue its Annual Appeal, begun last November, into the spring. This year's Appeal is dedicated to the library's collection of books and other materials. Library staff has been working diligently selecting and purchasing great new titles of adult and children's books, audio books, DVDs, and magazines for its patrons. During the last 30 days alone 385 new items have been added to the collection. It is the library’s mission to provide the best, most vibrant collection of materials possible so that patrons have access to the information or entertainment they are seeking. The library is asking for contributions toward its cause. Those persons who did not receive an Appeal letter in the mail may pick one up at the library's circulation desk. To see what the donations support, visit the library's catalog, select Visual Navigator, then select New Materials.

 

GROWING PLACES HOSTS CELEBRATORY CHILDREN’S ART SHOW

A final reminder that on Wednesday, March 4, 2009, beginning at 6:30 PM, Growing Places, Early Care, Education and Youth Recreation will host a celebratory children's art show at the Moharimet Elementary School.  (Snow date is Thursday March 5). A large variety of exhibits featuring the open, natural creativity of children, ages 6 weeks to 14 years, will be on display and refreshments will be served.  For more information please contact Susan Chase at 868-1335. 

 

FUND-RAISER FOR ORHS SENIOR CLASS

Parents of Oyster River High School's 2009 seniors are selling raffle tickets to raise funds for Project Graduation. Project Graduation is a parent-supervised event that provides seniors with a fun-filled, safe evening of activities to celebrate their high school graduation. Items for sale include:

·        A March raffle calendars for $10 per calendar. Drawing date will be March 26.

·        Chances to win a beautiful jewel-tone handmade twin-size quilt made by a mother of one of the high school seniors - $5 for 1 chance, $10 for 3 chances.

·        Four Boston Red Sox tickets to a home game. Four field box seats, $500 value. $5.00 for one chance, $10 for three chances. Visit the Red Sox web site for seating chart. Game date to be chosen by winner and is based on availability.

 

Participants in this fund-raiser will be at Durham Marketplace on occasional weeknights, and at Market Basket in Lee on Saturday, March 14th. Raffle tickets can be obtained through committee co-chairs, Diane Gallant (coyotemesa@yahoo.com) and Sheila Harding (smdh@comcast.net).

 

Weekly Police Arrest Report

Week - 8                                            7 UNH (88%)             1 Other (12%)

*2008/09 Academic Year -569       372 UNH (66%)         197 Other (34%)

Calendar Year –92               66 UNH (72%)         26 Other (28%)

*Commenced September 1, 2008 

 

Historical data for the same week

Year	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Week	17	18	17	13	8
Academic Year	656	787	632	519	569
Calendar Year	119	125	129	78	92

 

FROM HISTORY IN AN OYSTERSHELL – 1600 – 1976

“1896 – John Sullivan was honored by the erection of a monument in Durham and an obelisk in Elmira, in N.Y. Bearing his name are also a town and county bridge across the Piscataqua, a fort in Eastport, Maine and a 1929 2¢ stamp.”

 

 

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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