“FRIDAY UPDATES”

October 30, 2009

 

 

Daylight Saving Time officially ends at 2:00 AM on Sunday morning, so don’t forget to turn your clocks back one hour before going to bed on Saturday evening.

 

Administrator's Proposed 2010 Town Budget and 2010-2019 Capital Improvement Plan

The draft 2010 proposed budget and 2010-2019 Capital Improvement Plan are available for Council members to pick up in the break room/computer room on the second floor. This year’s budget cycle has resulted in a proposed 2010 General Fund budget totaling $10,324,489.00, a decrease of $82,211.00, or (.8%) compared to FY 2009. The FY 2010 budget represents the second consecutive year of a recommended spending decrease.  Due to a significant drop in state revenues, interest earnings, motor vehicle registrations, recycling revenues, and Parking Fund proceeds, non-property tax revenues are expected to again fall in FY 2010.  Revenue projections do include the infusion of an annual $200,000 payment from UNH to Durham which began in 2009 to compensate the community for the University’s financial impact upon Durham in areas such as roadways, traffic, and policing services.  These factors cumulatively resulted in a decrease in non-property tax revenues from $4,672,953.00 in FY 2009 to $4,556,314.00 in 2010, a drop of $116,639.00 or (2.5%).  Taking into account diminished revenues, a nearly flat tax base, maintaining $125,000.00 in Overlay due to the number of outstanding 2008 property tax abatement appeals pending with the Board of Tax and Land Appeals/Superior Court, no use of fund balance, and recommended expenditure reductions, this proposal is projected leave the estimated 2010 local municipal tax rate unchanged at $6.52.

 

To view the budget summary letter which accompanies the FY 2010 budget and CIP, click HERE.  In addition, complete copies of the budget will be available at the Town Office and Public Library for public review.  Per the Charter, "The budget shall be adopted not later than the last workday of the preceding fiscal year [December 31, 2009]. Failure by the Council to adopt a budget by the deadline established in this section will establish the budget as recommended by the Administrator as the adopted budget."

 

          

 

Smith Chapel Repairs

The Town-owned Smith Family Chapel (c1900) built by the Hamilton Smith family and located on Mill Pond Road is in need of significant repair.  After careful review of the structure, the Public Works Department and Trustees of the Trust Funds have received an estimate for the following work to be accomplished:  Replacement of the existing roof with a similar/improved roof system - $28,825; Repair of all components of the stain glass windows including lead and woodworking - $25,000; Various minor electrical repairs - $2,055; Painting exterior trim, door - $2,140; Exterior/interior masonry repair - $3,100; Mold/mildew removal - $5,000; Miscellaneous interior/exterior carpentry - $1,408.  Total estimated cost:  $67,528.  While there was a perpetual trust fund established when the property came to the Town years ago, only the interest may be expended which to date totals around $800.  In order to ensure the stained glass windows do not fall out in a heavy wind (which our evaluator has cautioned is a genuine likelihood), we will remove them for temporary storage and future repair, secure the structure, and place a tarp over the leaky roof until such time as a long-term financial plan can be developed through grant funding, private donations, or public expenditure (or possibly a combination).  Given the budgetary constraints faced by the community at this time, there has not been money included as part of the proposed FY 2010 budget to effectuate repairs.  For the history of the Smith Family Chapel, go http://www.archive.org/stream/receiptsexpendit1963durh/receiptsexpendit1963durh_djvu.txt from the 1963 Durham Annual Report. 

 

 

Wireless may expand to all of Main Street

The Town of Durham is considering the possibility of installing wireless technology on Main Street.  For an interesting TNH article on the subject, go to http://www.tnhonline.com/wireless-may-expand-to-all-of-main-street-1.830818.

 

     

Conceptual Town Center at Dover Rd./Jaques property       Conceptual Town Center at Madbury Rd./Gangwer property

 

Help Design Durham's Future - What Do You See? - Planning Charrette

Beginning November 5^th, residents of the Town of Durham will have a unique opportunity to plan for our future.   The Town invites all residents to join in a collaborative multi-day “charrette” next week from November 5 through 9 to create a collective vision for the future.  It will be held in Holloway Commons on the campus of UNH in the Squamscott Room, Cocheco Room, and Piscataqua Room. A design team lead by B. Dennis Town Design will facilitate the process and translate the community’s goals and interests into an action plan, including an illustrative master plan for the Central Business District and Durham's commercial core.  Additional information is available at www.ci.durham.nh.us, but to help inform residents and property owners of when they may be interested in attending, we have provided an easy to follow outline below. Specific comments may also be emailed to James Campbell at jcampbell@ci.durham.nh.us.

 

NOTE:  All of the meetings below are open to the public.

 

DAY 1	Thursday, November 5	3:00 – 4:30 PM	Team Session and project overview with Town staff and committees
		6:30 – 9:30 PM	Opening Presentation and hands-on community design workshop. Members of the public will be asked to provide input.
DAY 2	Friday, November 8	10:00 – 10:30 AM	Technical meeting #1 relating to Transportation. Members of the Town’s Traffic Safety Committee, as well as UNH and Strafford Regional Planning Commission will meet with the consulting team.
		10:30 – 11:30 AM	Technical meeting #2 with  Property Owners along the corridor extending from Main Street, Madbury Road, up Church Hill, down Route 108 to Coe’s Corner as well as interested representatives from UNH.
		2:00 – 3:00 PM	Technical meeting #3 with Elected Officials, Boards, Commissions, and Committees
		3:00 – 4:30 PM	Technical meeting #4 with staff from Police, Fire, and EMS
		6:30 – 8:00 PM	Illustrative Public Pin-Up and Review. Input that was provided from the prior evening’s public session, along with information provided by the various technical meetings held during the day, will be reviewed and further input will be gathered from members of the public.
DAY 3	Saturday, November 7	10:00 – 11:00 AM	Technical meeting #5 with members of the Durham Business Association and Durham Landlords Association
		6:30 – 8:00 PM	Illustrative Public Pin-Up and Review. Input that was provided from the prior evening’s public session, along with information provided from the day’s technical meeting #5, will be reviewed and further input will be gathered from members of the public.
DAY 4	STUDIO CLOSED
DAY 5	Monday, November 9	6:30 – 8:00 PM	Closing Presentation. The consultants will conduct a final presentation of results for members of the public on all information and input that has been accumulated throughout the 3-day Charrette.

 

Appointment of the School Resource Officer

The position of School Resource Officer was authorized in the Oyster River Middle and High Schools in 1999 and was initially funded by a Federal grant for the first three years.  Thereafter, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the District compensates the Town of Durham for the assignment of an officer full-time to the schools located in Durham.  Sergeant Ed Levesque has served in this capacity as the original and only SRO.  Under the MOU and the policies of the police department, Chief Kurz announced the vacancy within the department due to Sergeant Levesque’s retirement.  Through an assignment process Chief Kurz selected Officer Sean Dolliver to be the next SRO.  Officer Dolliver was hired in 1999 and is a graduate of Oyster River and has an AS degree in Law Enforcement.  He has served in a number of capacities including patrol, undercover assignment to the Regional Drug Enforcement Task Force, and as a detective.  Officer Dolliver previously acted as an assistant coach to the Oyster River Hockey team, a role he anticipates continuing with his new assignment.  Sergeant Levesque will spend his last week as a Durham Police Officer at the schools with Officer Dolliver making introductions and sharing his years of experience. 

 

Sergeant Ed Levesque Retires

On November 8, 2009, after 20 years of outstanding service and commitment to the community, Sergeant Ed Levesque will retire from the Durham Police Department. For the past several years, Ed has served as the School Resource Officer (SRO) at the Oyster River Middle and High Schools mentoring, teaching, and befriending hundreds of students from the communities of Lee, Madbury, and Durham.  His many friends will hold a celebration at the Three Chimneys Inn on November 12, 2009 from 5:30 - 7:30 PM, with hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar where we can all come and reminisce.  Please feel free to contact Chief Dave Kurz at 868-2324 for further details.

 

PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS – BEARDS CREEK IMPOUNDMENT & DRAWDOWN OF THE MILL POND

On Monday, November 9, 2009 beginning at 6:30 PM, a public informational meeting regarding the drawdown of the Beards Creek impoundment will be held at the Durham Police Station on Route 108 (Dover Road) in the conference room.  Immediately following the Beards Creek session, another public informational meeting will be held in the same conference room beginning at approximately 7:00 PM regarding the drawdown of the Mill Pond on the Oyster River. The Department of Public Works plans to temporarily drain the impoundments starting on or around November 12, 2009 in order to inspect, collect samples, and perform maintenance on infrastructure that are inaccessible when the impoundments are full.  The water will be released slowly over a 3 to 4 day period with the refilling starting on or before November 27, 2009.  Anyone interested in learning about these drawdown events is encouraged to attend the November 9th meetings. Questions and comments should be directed to Town Engineer David Cedarholm at (603) 868-5578.

 

Vacancies on Various Town Boards

The Durham Town Council is seeking interested residents of the Town of Durham who have the ability, desire, and time needed to serve on the Town boards and/or committees listed below that currently have vacancies. Citizens interested in board appointments should contact the Town Administrator’s office at 868-5571, or email Jennie Berry at jberry@ci.durham.nh.us and request an application form. Interested residents may also 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.

 

Economic Development Committee (1 regular vacancy; 1 alternate vacancy)

Planning Board (1 alternate vacancy)

Durham Cable Access Television (DCAT) Governance Committee (1 alternate vacancy)

Durham Energy Committee (2 vacancies)

Integrated Waste Management Advisory Committee (1 alternate vacancy)

Lamprey River Management Advisory Committee (3 vacancies)

 

APPOINTEE SOUGHT – SOUTHWEST WATERSHED ALLIANCE

The Town of Durham is seeking a qualified volunteer to appoint as its representative to the Southeast Watershed Alliance (SWA).  The SWA was recently enabled through Senate Bill 168 to encourage New Hampshire’s coastal communities to join together to solve the water quality problems that currently afflict the Great Bay estuary. Recent studies indicate that the waters of the Great Bay are being stressed by an overabundance of nutrients from a variety source throughout the watershed. The nutrient of concern is primarily nitrogen which becomes entrained in stormwater runoff from urban and rural areas and agricultural lands, wastewater treatment plants, and septic systems. Too much nitrogen in the Great Bay waters are believed to cause algae blooms and high concentrations of chlorophyll which clouds that water and make is difficult for eelgrass and oysters to continue to thrive.

 

The volunteer should have a good understanding of the complex issues impacting the Great Bay, as well as knowledge of the Town’s water, wastewater, and stormwater assets and regulatory responsibilities.

 

if you believe you possess these qualifications and are willing to devote the time necessary to represent the Town of Durham on the SWA, please contact the Town Administrator’s office at 868-5571, or email Jennie Berry at jberry@ci.durham.nh.us and request an application form. Interested residents may also 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

The appointee will be teaming with Town Engineer David Cedarholm to help represent the Town on the SWA. To view the final version of Senate Bill 168 visit http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2009/sb0168.html. To view an informational flyer prepared by NHDES, click HERE.

 

WINTER PARKING BAN NOVEMBER 1st

The Town of Durham’s “Winter Parking Ban” will go into effect beginning November 1^st continuing through April 1^st.  This means that parking on any public way or public parking lot between 1:00 AM and 6:00 AM during this period of the Winter Parking Ban will be in violation of Durham’s parking ordinances.  The penalties for these violations include a $20.00 parking ticket and the possibility of having your vehicle towed due to snow removal efforts.

 

Persons with paid parking permits for the Depot Road Parking lot should monitor their email addresses for notification regarding snow removal.  Please address questions concerning the Town of Durham Winter Parking Ban to Lt. Sean Kelly, Durham Police Department, at 868-2324.

 

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. To view the 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. 

 

Durham Conservation Commission & Parks and Recreation Committee subcommittee – Monday, November 2, 2009 (9:00 AM)

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

Pre-Charrette meeting for board, commission, and committee members – Monday, November 2, 2009 (6:00 PM)

Town Council – Monday, November 2, 2009

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

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

Planning Board – Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Historic District Commission – Thursday, November 5, 2009

Opening presentation of planning Charrette process – Thursday, November 5, 2009 (6:30 PM at Holloway Commons)

 

Oyster River School Board meeting schedule, please click HERE. 

Durham Public Library Board of Trustees meeting schedule, please click HERE.

DCAT Programming Schedule, please click HERE

 

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DURHAM PARKS & RECREATION PROGRAMS

 

§         Saturday, October 31, 2009, 5:30-7:30 PM, Jackson’s Landing:  Durham Spookfest. 

§         Sunday, November 1, 2009, 12:00 noon-2:00 PM, Oyster River Middle School Athletic Field: Pickup Ultimate Frisbee. Enjoy a relaxed, family-friendly game of pickup ultimate Frisbee.  Bring a light and dark colored shirt.

§         Durham Parks & Recreation Activities Room: Tai Chi. 6-week sessions start in mid-November. Morning session: Thursdays, 10:00 AM (begin 11/12).   Evening sessions: 6:15 PM (begin 11/16). Each 6-week session is $50.00.

§         Tuesday, November 10, 2009, 7:00 – 8:00 PM, Meet the Parks and Recreation Director and members of the Parks and Recreation Committee, and tour the Durham Parks and Recreation Facility (the old Durham Courthouse). Light refreshments will be served. For more information, please contact Sara Badger at badgernh@comcast.net.

§         Saturday, November 14, 2009, 1:00 PM, Centennial Celebration of Doe Farm. Meet at the Doe Farm parking area on Bennett Road for an informative walk of the Doe property.

§         Tuesday, November 17, 2009, Durham Parks & Recreation Activities Room:  On The Ball: Basic Stability Ball Training. Bounce your way to better health.  6-week sessions start in November.  One class meets at 2:00 PM and another meets at 5:30 PM. 

 

You can sign up for P&R classes at the P&R office, 2 Dover Road, or at the Town Clerk’s Office located in Town Hall. Contact Michael Mengers at 817-4074, mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us, for more information or to register. Follow the Town of Durham Parks & Recreation Department on Facebook.  Search “Town of Durham Parks”. 

 

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COMMUNITY EVENTS

 

§         Friday, October 30, 2009, 5:00-7:30 PM:  Durham Trick-or-Treating.

§         Saturday, October 31, 2009, 10:00 AM -1:00 PM, and again on Sunday, November 1, 2009, 11:30 - 1:00 PM, Community Church: Fair Trade Products Sale. 

§         Saturday, October 31, 2009, 11:00 AM, 7 Orchard Drive: Final Portion of a Photovoltaic (Solar) Energy Raising which is styled after the traditional barn raising. It is organized through the Seacoast Area Renewal Energy Initiative (www.searei.org).  Stop by to find out what we are doing and why you might want to consider having an energy raising of your own.

§         Saturday October 31, 2009, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM, Place Handprints on Environmental Mural in Downtown Durham, located on outside wall of The Outback and directly to the left of the Durham House of Pizza on Main Street.

§         Saturday, November 7, 2009, 6:30 PM, Huddleston Hall, UNH: Growing Places Fall Auction. For more information, contact Sue Chase, 868-1335, suechase@growingplacesnh.org.

§         Saturday, November 7, 2009, 7:00 PM, Stone Church, 5 Granite Street, Newmarket, On Belay event: Hypnotist Paul Ramsay and “When I Say the Word”. For more information or to make a reservation contact Sasha Eisele, Executive Director of On Belay, sasha@on-belay.org, or visit On Belay’s website www.on-belay.org.

§         Thursday, November 12, 2009, 7:00 – 8:30 PM; Friday, November 13, 2009, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; and Saturday, November 14, 2009, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Durham Public Library, 7 Mill Plaza: Friends of DPL Fabulous Fall Used Book Sale. For more information, contact the Library at (603) 868-6699.

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Weekly Police Arrest Report

Week – 11	8-UNH (73%)	3-Other (27%)
*2009/10 Academic Year – 420	264-UNH (63%)	156-Other (37%)
Calendar Year – 966	561-UNH (58%)	405-Other (42%)

*Commenced September 1, 2009 

 

Historical data for the same week

This data represents the 2009/10 Academic year report which begins anew each August

when UNH students begin arriving in Durham.

Year	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Week	19	11	28	25	11
Academic Year	510	352	323	338	420
Calendar Year	1069	855	894	853	966

 

 

FROM HISTORY IN AN OYSTERSHELL – 1600 – 1976

“1958 – A brick Federal building was dedicated to Dwight Eisenhower, the upper floor housing federal projects and the lower floor the post office. In 1975 our post office did $391,000 business, having 21 employees. In the lobby are historical murals, gifts of the Woman’s Club of Durham.”

 

“1958 – The Durham Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship began and was incorporated in 1962; 1972 – the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints consecrated their new Church; 1973 – The Durham Evangelical Church was started by 5 families from the Dover Baptist Church.”

 

Have a nice weekend and a safe and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

 

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 Durham has developed a list server. The server provides interested individuals with updates and announcements concerning the community. Individuals interested in subscribing should send an email to Town_of_Durham@ci.durham.nh.us and type the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line