“FRIDAY UPDATES”

Friday, March 6, 2009

 

 

Durham District Court Building

 

On Wednesday morning of this week my family awoke to notice something very strange in our yard on Nobel K. Peterson Drive.  Numerous deer tracks along the length of our arborvitae hedge…but unfortunately, our hedge was only half of what it had been Tuesday evening!  At least the deer had a good breakfast.

 

Spring Forward – Daylight Saving Time Begins

Don’t forget to “spring” forward this weekend. Daylight Saving Time (DLT) begins for most of the United States at 2:00 AM this coming Sunday, March 8^th.

 

Town Election/School Elections

A final reminder that elections for the Town and School officers, as well as for the Oyster River Cooperative School District annual budget, will be held next 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.

 

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.

 

Zoning Board of Adjustment – Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Durham Conservation Commission – Thursday, March 12, 2009

DCAT Governance Committee – Thursday, March 12, 2009 (PD Community Room, 7:00 PM)

Economic Development Committee – Friday, March 13, 2009 (7:30 AM)

 

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 

 

Annual Appointments of Citizens to Fill Vacancies on Various Town Boards

On April 30, 2009, terms on various Town boards, commissions, and committees will expire. In mid-April, the Town Council will begin the process for making its annual appointments/reappointments to Town boards, with appointments to take effect May 1, 2009. The Durham Town Council is seeking interested residents of the Town of Durham who have the ability, desire, and time needed to fill these vacancies. Citizens interested in board appointments should contact the Town Administrator’s office at 868-5571 and ask for a board application form,  or stop in at the Town Clerk’s office located on the first floor of the Town Hall, 15 Newmarket Road, and complete an application.  Applications are also available on the Town’s web site at: www.ci.durham.nh.us under the heading “Features” at the bottom of the page. Completed applications may be mailed to the Town Administrator’s office, or submitted via email to jberry@ci.durham.nh.us. Deadline for receipt of completed applications is Friday, March 27, 2009.

 

Churchill Rink at Jackson’s Landing Advisory Committee (1 vacancy)

Conservation Commission - (2 regular vacancies; 2 alternate vacancies)

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

Durham Energy Committee (1 vacancy)

Economic Development Committee – (1 regular vacancy; 2 alternate vacancies)

Historic District Commission - (2 vacancies)

Integrated Waste Management Advisory Committee - (2 vacancies)

Parks and Recreation - (2 regular vacancies)

Planning Board - (2 regular vacancies; 2 alternate vacancies)

Strafford Regional Planning Commission & MPO Policy Committee - (1 vacancy)    

Zoning Board of Adjustment - (2 regular vacancies; 1 alternate vacancy)

 

Application for Elderly Exemptions  

Eligible citizens may apply for an Elderly Exemption or other exemptions/credits (Veterans Credit, Blind Exemption, Solar, etc.) by the deadline of April 15, 2009 for the 2009 spring tax bill. An application may be obtained from the Planning, Zoning, and Assessing Office located on the first floor of the Town Hall, 15 Newmarket Road.  Questions regarding these exemptions can be directed to the Planning, Zoning, and Assessing Office at 868-8064. Current criteria and exemption amounts for the elderly are as follows:

 

Income Criteria

            Single net income:                            Not more than $28,077.00

            Married, combined income:             Less than        $37,647.00

 

Asset Criteria

            Net assets:                                         Not in excess of $150,000.00

 

Age Eligibility Criteria                                  Exemption Amount

            65 years up to 75 years:                   $  96,000.00

            75 years up to 80 years:                   $128,000.00

            80 years or older:                              $175,000.00

 

HEAVING HAULING REGULATION ON CLASS V ROADS

The Town of Durham's ordinance regulating heavy hauling will be in effect from Sunday, March 15, 2009 at 12:01 AM, until Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 11:59 PM.  Please be on the lookout for posted signs indicating the beginning of the restricted areas. The ordinance restricts hauling over six (6) tons on specific Class V roads within the Town of Durham.   The roads affected are: Back River Road, Bagdad Road, Bay Road, Bennett Road, Canney Road, Dame Road, Durham Point Road, Emerson Road, Longmarsh Road, Mill Road, Packers Falls Road, Watson Road, Wednesday Hill Road, Winecellar Road, and Wiswall Road.  Details are listed in the Durham Town Code, Chapter 153, Section 153-45 “Schedule XIII: Vehicle Weight Limits”, subsection B “Posted Roads”. To view Section 153-45, please click HERE.  Questions regarding heavy hauling can be directed to the Durham Public Works Department at (603) 868-5578.

 

Main Street West Project

Seven people attended the Main Street West Public Informational Meeting held on Friday, February 20^th.  A large part of the discussion was regarding bike lanes.   All seven residents were pleased and enthusiastic about the project. 

 

SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL GRANT

Public Works Officials and Oyster River Cooperative School District Officials met with the Strafford Regional Planning Commission on Friday, February 27^th to discuss a State grant program called Safe Routes to School (SRTS).  The grant is available for planning, conducting surveys, holding meetings, and installing or repairing infrastructure surrounding elementary and middle schools for the purpose of improving safe passage for children traveling to and from school.  Public Works personnel are in the process of evaluating the program for sidewalk maintenance and installation, new school zone signage, improved traffic markings such as crosswalks, improved bike lanes, etc.  They plan to submit an application for the grant in 2009.    

 

Annual Todd’s Trot 5K Road Race/Walk

The 5th annual Todd's Trot 5K Road Race/Walk will be held on Saturday, April 11, 2009, at the Oyster River High School. Registration begins at 8:30 AM, and the race/walk begins at 10:00 AM. This event was organized to commemorate Peter Todd Heuchling, an Oyster River High School graduate who succumbed to heat stroke while running with the Marathon Team at the United States Military Academy at West Point. The proceeds benefit an annual high school scholarship in his name. The race is hosted by Friends of Oyster River Track, is sanctioned by USA Track and Field, and is open to runners and walkers of all ages and abilities. The course map, sponsors, and online registration are available at www.toddstrot.org.

 

TOWN PARKS AND WINTER ACTIVITIES

As we have been inundated with yet another snow storm, the Parks and Recreation Committee would like to once again suggest some cross-country skiing for this weekend.  As a sport, cross-country skiing is one of the most difficult endurance sports, as its' motions use every major muscle group and it (along with running, rowing, and swimming) is one of the sports that burn the most calories per hour in execution.  Durham has many parks that encourage cross-country skiing.  One park in particular, Doe Farm on Bennett Road, is often groomed by a local cross-country skier.  The Doe Farm trails also link up to the Lamprey River.  The river, when sufficiently frozen, provides wonderful views and a long, open trail to ski.

PARKS AND RECREATION BROCHURE
The Parks and Recreation brochure is now available as a pdf document that can be downloaded on to your computer.  To print a copy of the document, legal-sized paper (8-1/2 x 14) will be required.  To view the brochure, please click HERE.

 

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 Gardens for All

On Sunday, March 8, will be the second general meeting of those interested in developing community gardens for Durham and Lee residents. It will be held in the conference room just inside the front door of Thompson Hall on the UNH campus. The meeting will start promptly at 3:00 PM and it will end before 5:00 PM. Everyone interested in gardening is welcome to attend. The purpose of this meeting is to describe the three places that are potentially available for community gardening this summer and make plans for their use.  If you can not come, but are interested in having a garden plot with the group, send a note to Dennis Meadows describing your interest (lataillede@aol.com) or Dennis Meadows, P.O. Box 844, Durham, NH 03824. 

 

THIS WEEK AT THE MUSEUM OF ART - UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

NEW – Saturday, March 7, 1:30 - 3 p.m.
Museum of Art, Paul Creative Arts Center
Art in the Afternoon: Gallery Talk & Behind-the-Scenes
Scott Schnepf, professor, Department of Art and Art history discusses works on view in the current exhibition Renewal: Printmakers from the New Northern Ireland, and provides a “behind-the-scenes” studio look at the art of printmaking. Museum of Art, Paul Creative Arts Center, 30 Academic Way, Durham, NH 03824 www.unh.edu/moa

 

COMMUNITY CELEBRATION OF RHYTHM AND DANCE

Moharimet Elementary School students and staff invite all Durham residents and their friends to a FREE Community Celebration of Rhythm and Dance on Tuesday evening, March 10, 2009 at 6:30 PM in the Granite State Room on the second floor of the UNH Memorial Union Building (MUB). Moharimet received a grant from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts to bring in two professional artists, Steve Ferraris and James Marshall, for a three-week West African drumming and dance residency at the school. This program helps tap the resources that professional artists bring to the educational process. The residency is part of the School's larger curriculum theme of exploring cultural diversity during the school year.

 

ORYA SPRING BASEBALL REGISTRATION

Oyster River Youth Association (ORYA) registration for spring baseball is now open. For more information, please visit the ORYA web site at www.oryarec.org.   Please sign up early! Other sports include: Softball, LAX, Tennis, Track & Field, Soccer, and Hip-hop Dance.

 

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 raffle include:

• 4 Red Sox Field Box tickets to a home game.  Winner will select date based on availability. $5 for 1 chance, $10 for 3 chance. 
• March raffle calendars for $10 per calendar. Drawing date will be on 3/26.
• 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.

 

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

 

Ballard's Restaurant Social Evening

Parents of Oyster River High School's 2009 seniors are organizing a social evening at Ballard's Restaurant on Main Street in Durham on Thursday, March 19, 2009, from 5:00 PM onwards.  Drop in with family and friends for dinner, drinks, or appetizers. Come and meet other ORHS parents and enjoy a fun evening on the Town.  Thank you to the Ballard's who will be donating a generous percentage of the evening's revenue to Projection Graduation 2009. Raffle items will be on sale at this event too. Contact Francoise Meissner at mfm@meissners.us or 868-3041 for more information.

 

Weekly Police Arrest Report

Week – 27                                         18 UNH (67%)           9 Other (33%)

*2008/09 Academic Year – 596     390 UNH (65%)         206 Other (35%)

Calendar Year –119                         84 UNH (71%)           35 Other (29%)

*Commenced September 1, 2008 

 

Historical data for the same week

Year	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Week	15	22	33	33	27
Academic Year	671	809	665	552	596
Calendar Year	134	147	162	111	119

 

FROM HISTORY IN AN OYSTERSHELL – 1600 – 1976

“1899 – ‘To see if the Town will vote to light the streets of Durham village.’ In 1900 $367 was paid Newmarket Electric Light, Heat and Power Co. for street lights. Each year thereafter a petition appeared in the warrant to light some new area of the town.”

 

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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