“FRIDAY
UPDATES”
April
17, 2009
Beavers have been very busy working
on these trees located across from the SAU on Coe
drive.
Courtesy Loren
Selig
Wednesday, April 22nd is
Earth Day. Last year in celebration of Earth Day, Town Engineer Dave Cedarholm
led a small enthusiastic group of volunteers from Lee and
Meeting
with Mill Plaza Owner
Last week the Administrator
spent time with the owner of the
FY
2008 Audit
Auditors from the firm of Plodzik
and Sanderson were present this week at the Town Office to conduct the FY 2008
audit for the Town of
COLASANTE
PARCEL SITE WALK
The Conservation Commission held a
site walk this week with the Administrator and the Town Engineer to evaluate Tax
Map 13-13-2 which abuts the Spruce Hole to the west. The Town has been
approached concerning purchasing this parcel. The parcel has potential
value to the community as whole by providing additional buffer to the Spruce
Hole and
TOWN
COUNCIL GOAL SETTING PROCESS
The Town Council held a special Council
work session on Monday, April 13, 2009, to discuss and begin developing its 2009-2010
Council goals. The Council Chair and Administrator met earlier today
to compile and refine suggestions made by Councilors on Monday evening.
To view the current draft of this document click HERE.
In March of this year Administrator
Selig recommended to the Town Council that it extend the Purchase and
Sales agreement for the
2009
ROAD PROGRAM
The 2009 approved Capital Fund
Budget includes an appropriation of $153,648 for this year’s road-resurfacing
program, which is part of the Department of Public Works’ 14-year
road-resurfacing plan. The annual road program typically is budgeted at
$300,000 to $350,000 per year but given the recessionary environment, the
program was substantially reduced this year to maintain spending within desired
levels by the Administrator.
The 2008 Capital Fund Budget also
included $27,000 for the topcoat of asphalt for the improvement project at
On March 20, 2009 DPW rebid the 2009
road program without the
A thank you is extended to Oyster
River High School Principal Laura Rogers who coordinated a clean-up
project by high school students along
The Town is working to
resolve a number of outstanding issues revolving around the Durham District
Court. As you may know, the Town of
For
For the
last several biennial contract renewal cycles, we
have collectively worked to protect
In the recent past, a
number of issues have come about which have impacted the presence of the
District Court in Durham: 1) Long-time Durham District Court Judge
Gerald Taube retired last fall after many years of honorable
service and his position will remain unfilled by the District Court System
as a cost savings measure; 2) Justices from Dover are now covering the Durham
Court on an as needed basis; 3) State budgetary challenges are putting
added pressure on the District Court System's budget; 4) The secretarial
staff at the Durham District Court were transferred to Dover in
mid-February 2009.
In an effort to work collaboratively
to resolve the future of the Durham District Court, we have organized a
meeting on Monday, April 20, 2009, at 2 p.m. in the Town Council
chambers with representatives from the District Court System, the State
Bureau of Administrative Services, Representative Janet Wall, and officials from
Lee, Madbury,
Memorial
Day Parade Planning
The Bourgoin-Reardon Unit 94 of the
American Legion Auxiliary has requested that the Town assume primary
responsibility for planning and organizing the 2009 Memorial Day Parade.
To this end on Thursday evening, April 16, 2009, the Administrator and the
Parks and Recreation Committee met and decided to move forward with taking on
this traditional
Parks
and Recreation Director
The Town is moving forward with the
creation of a new part-time Parks and Recreation Director position. On Thursday
night of this week the Parks and Recreation Committee discussed a draft job
description for the position. In the near future, the Town will move
forward with advertising for the opening. The Parks and Recreation
Director will be responsible for planning, organizing, and
coordinating parks and recreation programs and services for the Town
and will work closely with the Parks and Recreation Committee and the
Public Works Department in support of parks and recreation programs
and services.
Many residents who have visited
Jackson's Landing this spring have indicted that they have enjoyed the
improvements which were made there late last fall ranging from additional
parking across from the skating rink to new landscaping along the
waterfront. And the improvements are not yet complete as addition
landscaping will not be possible for a few more weeks. The property is
well worth the visit.
COMCAST
SERVICE CHANGES
Comcast, the Town of
DPW
SUMMER HOURS
In accordance with the agreement
between the Town of
Officers Stephen Misek and Michele
Montville will now enter their next phase of training designed to focus upon the
nuances of delivering law enforcement services to the
COMPARISON
OF FIRST QUARTER POLICE RESPONSE TO RENTAL
PROPERTIES
The Durham Police Department has been
collecting data over the past four years in order to analyze police responses,
as well as comparisons, to rental properties throughout the community. As
this initiative continues, additional annual data will enhance the department’s
ability to form conclusions about problematic properties, as well as recognize
those that have undertaken initiatives to improve behavior and negate the
need for police response. To view the information which represents
·
Responses to fraternities and sororities to
demonstrate a marked decrease from 10 calls in 2006 to a leveling of 2 calls for
this quarter during the last two years.
·
No rental property had more than 2 occasions to which
an officer responded.
·
Calls to
SPECIAL
BRUSH COLLECTION SCHEDULED
There will be a special brush
collection on Monday, April 27. 2009, concluding by May 8, 2009, to help
residents dispose of the surplus debris from the December ice storm. Two
contracted crews will be hired to do the town-wide collection as part of the
FEMA reimbursement for the December 2008 ice storm disaster. All brush and
limbs must be neatly stacked and out by 7:00 AM, Monday, April
27th--no exceptions. Please take caution to not block
sidewalks. If items are put out after the date and the collection is
missed, crews will not be able to return to pick them up. Limbs
must be less than 10 inches in diameter to be collected since they will be
chipped. If collection is missed, or if residents want to bring items to
the Transfer Station instead, they must abide by the 5 inch by 5 foot maximum
and bring them on Tuesdays or Saturdays between 7:30 AM and 3:15 PM.
Federal FEMA grant funds are largely offsetting the cost of this
collection.
Spring
Cleanup
The annual bulky waste collection
will be held starting Monday, May 11th, all items out by 7:00
AM. This is the Spring Cleanup where residents may put out their bulky
waste for collection instead of bringing it up to the Transfer Station with a
coupon. Remember that electronics will still need to have their stickers
attached in order to be collected. The details for the collection are in
the Spring Newsletter which residents should have received.
GATE
VALVE EXERCISING AND
The Town of
PUBLIC
HEARINGS
RSA 79-E,
Community Revitalization Tax Relief Incentive Program
On Monday, April 20, 2009, the
Durham Town Council will hold a Public Hearing relative to the adoption of RSA
79-E, the Community Revitalization Tax Relief Incentive program. The meeting
will begin at 7:00 PM and will be held in the Council chambers at Town Hall,
On Monday, May 4, 2009, the Durham
Town Council will hold a Public Hearing to receive input regarding options
for repairing, replacing, or removing the Oyster River Dam at the Mill Pond
located along Route 108/Newmarket Road in
PUBLIC
MEETING SCHEDULE
The following public meeting is
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.
Economic Development Committee –
Friday, April 24, 2009
To view the agenda for the meeting
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.
To view a listing of the DCAT programming
schedule, click HERE
In an effort to inform, update, and
develop community action regarding energy conservation and environmental issues,
the Durham Energy Committee has developed the DEC E-Newsletter, with up-to-date articles
and practical information. The spring 2009 edition of the DEC E-News/etter is now available. To view
the newsletter, click HERE.
ADOPT-A-TRAIL
PROGRAM
Parks & Recreation Committee is
looking for people interested in taking part in the "Adopt-a-Trail" to begin in
May. Details will follow, but basically the committee is looking for
people who enjoy
Celebrate National Library Week,
April 13 - 18.
View the library’s scrapbook display
commemorating the Durham Public Library's history.
Friday, April 24, 2009, 10:30 AM
- Please
join the discussion of A Stranger in the Kingdom by Howard Mosher at the DPL
facilitated by Jennifer Lee.
Wallace Stegner said of Mosher's writing: "Howard
Mosher is a new regional voice and a strong one, full of invention, people,
humor, country, energy, lingo, ebullience." The setting
is
Thursday, April 23, 2009, 10:30
AM.
There will
be no Preschool Storytime today because
NH Teens Vote in
April
- 7th and
8th graders, vote for your favorite nominee for the Isinglass Award; 9th - 12th
graders, vote for your favorite nominee for the Great Stone Face Award.
Ballots can be turned in at the Circulation Desk until April
30th
United
Campus Ministry Benefit Concert
On Thursday, April 30, 2009, from
6:00-9:00 PM, the United Campus Ministry (UCM) to the
will have an
evening of local acoustic music at the Community Church of Durham,
On Saturday, May 16, 2009, at 12:30
AM (rain date: May 17, 2009—no activities), Oyster River Womenade will hold
its first Oyster River QuackFest – A Rubber Duck Race down the Oyster River
at the Durham Landing. This is a fun family event with a BBQ, Kaleide-scoop
Ice Cream, activities for kids and of course, the excitement of cheering the
ducks down the river.
LEE
CHURCH CONGREGATIONAL 18TH ANNUAL PLANT
On
Friday, May 15, 2009 from 4:00-7:00 PM, and on Saturday, May 16, 2009 from 9:00
AM to 12:00 noon, the Lee Church Congregational, located in the center of Lee on
Route 155, will hold its 18th Annual Plant Sale. Over 2,000
perennials, trees, shrubs, and shade plants--many of them field grown--will be
offered. Vegetables including tomatoes, peppers, and herbs will be
offered. Fresh plants for Saturday sales. Featured this year are 4 year-old
kousa dogwood trees, hardy deep gold forsythia shrubs, and dwarf lupines.
A beef stew, macaroni and cheese, salad bar supper will be held concurrently
with the Friday evening sale from 5:00-7:00 PM. Breakfast will be
available on Saturday morning. Strafford County Master Gardeners will be
on hand to answer gardening questions. For additional information, please
contact Barb Wauchope at 659-8857.
UNH
ART AND ART HISTORY NEEDS TABLES FOR PUBLIC ART
PROJECT
Monday, April 27 through Thursday,
April 30, 2009, the UNH Art and Art History department will hold a public art
project, Green Art and the Growing Divide, on the UNH campus from the Murkland
Hall courtyard to the back of Dimond Library. The department is seeking wooden
tables of any size for this event. Wooden tables and chairs can be nicked,
have stains, even be fake wood. Someone from the Art History department can
pick up the tables, or they can be dropped off. Please call Amy at 862-0309 or
email discovery.program@unh.edu with any
questions.
ON
BELAY – UNIQUE OUTDOOR ADVENTURE PROGRAM
On Saturday, June 13, 2009 from 9:00
AM to 4:00 PM, the University of New Hampshire Browne Center will hold its
spring On Belay program. On Belay is an organization committed to helping
young people (ages 10-18) discover their own power to face the extraordinary
challenge of living with a loved ones’ diagnosis of cancer or other life-changing
illness. To register for the spring program, visit www.on-belay.org. For more
information, please contact Executive Director, Sasha Eisele, at 1-914-643-3345
or email sasha@on-belay.org.
Free
On Saturday, April 18, 2009, from
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, at the McConnell Center located at 61 Locust Street,
Dover, the Dover Cassily Community
Garden and the Dover Energy Commission have teamed up to bring an array of
speakers and presenters together for a day of free garden and energy workshops,
information sharing, and fun. Speakers will include
PUBLIC
INFORMATIONAL MEETING ON SENATE BILL 168
On Tuesday, April 28, 2009, a legislative
informational meeting on Senate Bill SB 168 will be held in the Council chambers
at the
On Saturday, April 18, 2009 from
7:00 AM – 12:00 noon, the Durham Fire Department and Durham Professional Fire
Fighters Association Local 2253 will hold a pancake breakfast benefit
fund-raiser at the
Active
Retirement Association
On Sunday, April 19, 2009, 3:30 PM,
at the
ORMS
Jazz Band Upcoming Performances
The Oyster River Middle School Jazz
Band will be performing throughout the month of April into the first of May
at the events listed below. For more information, contact Emma Bricker at
862-2355, or go to the
Jazz Band web site at www.debbiehodge.typepad.com/orms_jazz_band
Sun, 4/26, 3:00
PM - Jazz Through the Miles 5K Fund
Run/Walk. Begins and ends at the
Sat, 5/9, 9:30-11:00
AM – Oyster River Festival at the OR High
School behind the library.
Weekly
Police Arrest Report
Week – 13
9 UNH (69%) 4
Other (31%)
*2008/09 Academic Year – 689
443 UNH (64%) 246
Other (36%)
Calendar Year
–212
137 UNH (65%) 75 Other
(35%)
*Commenced September 1, 2008
Historical Data for the same
week
Historical data
for the same week
Year |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
Week |
35 |
22 |
25 |
34 |
13 |
Academic
Year |
848 |
926 |
774 |
691 |
689 |
Calendar
Year |
311 |
264 |
271 |
250 |
212 |
FROM
HISTORY IN AN OYSTERSHELL – 1600 – 1976
“1907 – The deplorable condition of
the Sullivan graveyard was discovered by Rev. Beard and his mother. The Woman’s
Club raised money and obtained volunteer labor. The wall was built by Dan
Chesley and the metal gates donated by the Dover DAR. Many dignitaries attended
the dedication.”
“1907 – Lucien Thompson built a
special post office building, which he rented to the government. It had steam
heat, electric lights, and a flagpole. It still stands, but is a residence.
R.F.D. was established in 1902, previously being handled from
Have a good weekend. The Boston
Marathon will be on Monday, April 20th.
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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