“FRIDAY
UPDATES”
July
10, 2009
Lluvia d’oro (Shower of Gold).
Taken near the dead-end portion of
Courtesy Frank
L. Pilar
The shimming of
Governor
and Executive Council Coming to
On Wednesday, July 15, 2009, the
Governor and Executive Council will hold a breakfast meeting at the Three
Chimneys Inn beginning at 8:00 AM. Representatives from the Town of
Bond
Referendum Necessary for Federal Stimulus Funds -
As you know, the Town of
The original
Council resolution accepting the ARRA funds from
June, #2009-15 , inadvertently defined the SRF loan amount as
$750,000, assuming that the ARRA grant would cover the remaining $750,000 of the
project cost. But, since the ARRA grant is based on 50 percent of the SRF loan,
it was prudent to apply for the greatest SRF loan amount possible to
maximize the ARRA grant. Since the Town has already bonded
$268,945 for the Dover Road Pump Station Rehabilitation Project, the maximum SRF
loan available to the Town is $1,231,055 . Therefore, the original
resolution #2009-15 needed to be rescinded and replaced
with Resolution #2009-18 which the Council approved on July
6th.
In processing this application,
Durham's Bond Counsel has pointed out over the last few days out that the Durham
Town Charter, Section 5.12(A) “Borrowing procedure” states: “Subject to
the applicable provisions of state law and the rules and regulations provided by
ordinance in the Administrative Code, the Council, by resolution, may authorize
the borrowing of money for any purpose within the scope of the powers vested in
the town and the issuance of bonds of the town or other evidence of indebtedness
therefore any may pledge the full faith, credit and resources of the town for
the payment of the obligation created hereby, provided that no bonds shall be
issued by the Council in excess of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00)
per issue except by a two-thirds vote of the Council, and not exceeding one million
dollars ($1,000,000.00) except by a two-thirds vote of the Council and a
two-thirds vote at a regular town election or special ballot called by the
Council. “
Although the net fiscal impact to
the Town will not exceed the $1,000,000 threshold imposed by the Charter,
since the total amount borrowed through the SRF will ($1,231,055), it
will
be necessary to schedule a Town-wide bond referendum special ballot vote in
order to proceed with the application. This item will need to be discussed
with the Town Council at its upcoming meeting on July 20th and coordinated with
UNH
Outdoor Pool Remains Closed--Scheduled to Reopen Late Next
Week
The
Due to the mechanical problems at
the UNH Outdoor Pool, we will be changing the date of the Swim-under-the-lights
event we are co-sponsoring with UNH Campus Recreation. The event at the
pool will now be held on Wednesday, July 22nd, with
Downtown
Hotel Discussions Continue
Representatives from the Town have
continued to participate in discussions with representatives from Pro Con
Construction and the Kane Company regarding their interest in locating a new
hotel facility with conference capabilities in
Refining
Mass Transit Routes Within
This week, the Traffic Safety
Committee (TSC) met with representatives from the
BUDGET
ISSUES STEMMING FROM BIENNIAL STATE BUDGET
As a result of the passage of the
biennial state budget, municipalities across the state stand to lose significant
funding in the area of shared revenues, as well as increased costs and
contributions to the New Hampshire State Retirement System (NHRS). In
RFP
For the Productive Reuse of The Grange (
The Town recently solicited
proposals for the productive reuse/redevelopment of the parcel and structure
known as The Grange (
RESIGNATION
OF TOWN ASSESSOR
We have received notification from
Town Assessor
PART-TIME
RECREATION DIRECTOR POSITION
The selection process for a new
part-time Recreation Director for the Town of
Durham Day 2008 has been set for Sunday, September 20, 2009 from 12:30-4:30 PM at Wagon Hill Farm. Residents interested in assisting with this annual event should contact Durham Day Coordinator, Nicole Moore, at 868-6775 or e-mail durhamday3@yahoo.com
POLICE
OFFICER KATHRYN MONE PROMOTED TO SERGEANT
Kathryn Mone has been promoted to
the rank of sergeant. A number of officers vied for the position through a
very comprehensive promotional process that involved a written response to a
challenging scenario, a timed one-hour in-box exercise that addressed five
management challenges a sergeant would be expected to address, a written test
developed by an outside vendor on a variety of police management topics, and an
oral board interview consisting of command personnel from several area police
agencies. In addition, there was a comprehensive review of each
candidate’s performance evaluations which are completed twice annually. In her
role as sergeant, Kathryn will oversee a patrol shift of personnel.
Sergeant Mone is a graduate of UNH holding a BS in Public Policy and was hired
as a full-time officer in 2002. She was also a member of the Explorer Post
while a student at
Chief
Kurz meets with the
Earlier this week, Police Chief Kurz
attended a Durham Landlords Association (DLA) meeting with the goal to maintain
the solid working relationship that has been forged over the past number of
years. The DLA is a very active group that coordinates security programs,
provides model leases, and works in concert to be responsive to tenants and the
community. The
This meeting also addressed how the
DLA could assist the police department in gaining the attention of these
absentee landlords who are not members of the DLA, yet could clearly benefit
from the association. The DLA plans to make a presentation to the Durham
Town Council in the near future about their organization and the collaborative
opportunities that may exist.
Federal
Reserve Bank of
On Monday, July 13,
2009, the Federal Reserve Bank of
Campus
Emergency Notification System to Be Tested at UNH on July
22
On Wednesday, July 22, 2009 at 12:00
noon, the UNH will conduct regular testing of its outdoor notification system.
The test will include the siren, a “canned” message and a recording signaling
the end of the test. The entire exercise will take less than 10
minutes
Dogs
in Vehicles 
When the outside
temperature is in the high 70's and 80's, a parked car quickly becomes
dangerously hot inside within minutes. Leaving the vehicle in the shade
and even with the windows left open a few inches does not provide the needed
ventilation for a dog. If the car is parked in the sun, the inside temperature
can quickly reach 160 degrees. Leaving the air conditioner on in an idling car
may result in a laboring engine which can quickly shut down. It is a fact that
in just 5 minutes, the temperature inside a car, even with the windows cracked,
can reach 100 degrees or more. We often forget that a dog has a fur coat
that is designed to retain heat, and they cannot perspire when overheated. As
the inside temperature rises, so does the dog's! If not rescued, a dog
will suffer heatstroke, leading to collapse, brain damage, and ultimately, a
very agonizing death.
While this is gratefully a rare occurrence in
If you see a dog alone in a parked
car on a hot day, copy the license plate and try the nearest store and ask the
manager to page the owner of the car. If this is unsuccessful, call the Durham
Police to free the dog as soon as possible. While we love having our pets
with us, if you plan on being away from the car, do your pet a favor and leave
it at home.
DCAT
COORDINATOR CRAIG STEVENS RECEIVES ROTARIAN
AWARD
The Rotary Club of Dover, NH and The
Rotary Foundation of Rotary International have named Craig J. Stevens a Paul
Harris Fellow. This award is bestowed in appreciation of tangible and
significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and
friendly relations among peoples of the world. The award was given at last
week’s Dover Rotary Club meeting with Craig’s wife Ilese, and daughter Rachel in
attendance.
Sixteen year old Bridget Regan of
The show is produced by Black Box
Theater, an age 21 and younger production company operating under the umbrella
of Seacoast Repertory. If The Repertory is successful in purchasing
the
MAST
WAY PRINCIPAL SEARCH COMMITTEE HOLDS A “PRINCIPAL
TEA”
The Mast Way Principal Search
Committee has completed its process of selecting a finalist for the position of
principal at
The Department of Public Works
anticipates access across Wiswall bridge to close on Monday, July
20th. Dismantling the Bailey Bridge is expected to take 5 to 6
weeks. The
Planning
Board
On Wednesday, July 8, 2009, the
Planning Board met and conducted the following business:
·
Approved a Site Plan Application for
·
Approved a Site Plan Application and Conditional Use
Permit for the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship located at 20 Madbury Road for
the renovation of the existing main building and the removal of the existing
garage and breezeway and the building of a new addition for an octagonal
congregation area and lobby. There will be a mixed use of class rooms for
use by the fellowship and leasable professional offices are proposed.
·
Approved a Site Plan
Application for
·
Opened a public hearing on an amended Site Plan
Application for
BICYCLE
SAFETY
While bicycle and vehicle safety is
a two-way street (pardon the pun), bicyclists are also responsible for a host of
actions such as:
·
Obey Traffic Signs and
Signals -
Bicycles must drive like other vehicles if they are to be taken seriously by
motorists.
·
Don’t Weave Between Parked
Cars - Don't
ride out to the curb between parked cars unless they are far apart. Motorists
may not see you when you try to move back into
traffic.
·
Don’t Pass on the
Right -
Motorists may not look for or see a bicycle passing on the right. Learn to scan
the road behind you while riding. Look back over your shoulder without swerving,
or use a rear-view mirror
·
Never Ride with Headphones; Wear a
Helmet -
Always wear a helmet. Never wear a headphone while riding a
bike.
·
Make Eye Contact with
Drivers-
Assume that other drivers don't see you until you are sure that they do. Eye
contact is important with any driver which might pose a threat to your
safety
·
Use Lights at
Night - The
law requires a white headlight (visible from at least 500 feet ahead) and a rear
reflector or taillight (visible up to 300 feet from
behind).
·
Keep Bike in Good
Repair -
Adjust your bike to fit you and keep it working properly. Check brakes and tires
regularly. Routine maintenance is simple and you can learn to do it
yourself.
Second Chance to See Geocaching for
Families on DCAT
If you missed the Durham Public
Library program, Geocaching for Families presented by Larry Vannata on June
27th , you’re in luck! The program was recorded and will be shown on
Durham Cable Access Television (DCAT), Channel 22 on Sunday, July
12th at 8:30 PM.
Friend’s
Corner
The Friends of the Durham Public
Library is a non-profit group of volunteers from the community who are
passionate about the Library and all it has to offer our town. Friends meet
every third Wednesday of the month at 1:30 PM at the Durham Public
Library.
Next meeting: July 15
Wildlife
Encounters Zoo
On Thursday, July 16, 2009 at 10:30
AM, naturalists
from the Wildlife Encounters Zoo will present a program that will feature
rainforest animals including the Macaw, Eclectus, red-eyed tree frog, and
Iguanas. The program will take place at the ORHS Multipurpose Room. Co-sponsored
by the
ORYA
FOOTBALL
The Oyster River Youth Association
has begun registration for its football program. Registration deadline is
Thursday, July 16, 2009. For more information, please click HERE.
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.
Source Water Protection Subcommittee
– Tuesday, July 14, 2009 (8:00
AM)
Zoning Board of Adjustment –
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Parks and Recreation Committee –
Thursday, July 16, 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,
please click HERE.
The Durham Public Library Board of Trustees
meet every third Thursday of the month at 7:00 PM at the Durham Public
Library. All are welcome to attend. To view the Trustees meeting schedule,
please click HERE.
The Friends of the Durham Public Library is a
non-profit group of volunteers from the community who are passionate about the
Library and all it has to offer our town. Friends meet every third
Wednesday of the month at 1:30 PM at the Durham Public
Library.
To view a listing of the DCAT
programming schedule, please click HERE
SUMMER
ART CAMP OFFERED AT THE
The
FROM
HISTORY IN AN OYSTERSHELL – 1600 – 1976
“1920 – A pageant was presented at
the Town Landing “In Celebration of the 200th Anniversary of the
Founding of the Durham Congregational Church,” in 3 episodes – “Pioneers,”
Founding of the Church,” and “The Revolution.” The cast of characters comprised
a virtual roster of Town and Campus.”
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
The Town of