“FRIDAY UPDATES”

January 22, 2010

 

 

Because of the recent increase in snowfall, DPW has been able to try out the new commercial snow blower. So far the blower has worked excellently and should provide reliable snow removal for the next 25 years.  Courtesy DPW

 

2009 Town Report

The 2009 Durham Annual Report has been delivered to the printer. Once the published reports are received back from the printer, copies will be placed in the Town Clerk-Tax Collector’s Office and the Durham Public Library. The report will also be placed on the Town web site at www.ci.durham.nh.us. Click on “Departments” at the top of the page, then “Administration”, “Town Administration”. The 2009 report, along with previous reports, will be located on the far right-hand side of the page. Production of the Annual Report is a major undertaking. A thank you is extended to all contributing writers and Administrative Assistant Jennie Berry who coordinates the production of this annual publication.

 

DURHAM RESIDENT OWNERS ASSOCIATION

The Durham Resident Owners Association (DROA), created in 2006 by the Cowell Drive neighborhood, is seeking to expand to all neighborhoods in Durham. The Association was established with the purpose of fostering harmony among neighbors and protecting property values by preserving and improving the residential character of Durham. In the past several months, other townspeople have come together with the same goal in mind and many ideas have been discussed and progress made. The Association would like to open this discussion up to all homeowners who wish to have a voice in Durham’s future. A meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, January 26, 2010 beginning at 7:00 PM at the Recreation Department (Old Courthouse - between Irving Station and Town Office). All Durham homeowners are invited to attend.

 

UNH TOWN/GOWN COMMUNITY DISCUSSION

The Durham Resident Owners Association (DROA) has requested a community meeting with UNH, focusing specifically on Town and Gown issues. Unlike the Rental Housing Commission, which primarily focuses on solving problems with rental properties in Town, the DROA would like this meeting to stay focused on higher-level UNH/community issues. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 27, 2009 from 3:30 to 4:30 PM at the Memorial Union Building, Room 330. The objective of the meeting is to begin the process by which Durham residents, Town government, and the University can partner to discuss proactive solutions and strategies, rather than reactive responses to known challenges within the community. All Town residents, Town government officials, and community businesspeople are invited to attend.

 

DEPOT ROAD

The 60 % design for the culvert repair project at the Depot Road parking lot has been completed.  Plans are being reviewed at NHDES and the project is still scheduled for construction in summer 2010. 

 

JACKSON’S LANDING BOAT RAMP

Department of Public Works personnel met with NHDES Wetlands Bureau representatives regarding modifications to the end of the boat launching ramp at the Jackson’s Landing recreational area.  Both parties will get together again in the spring after the winter conditions clear up and will look at the possibility of further minor improvements to the area. 

 

future wastewater improvement projects

Department of Public Works and UNH personnel recently met to discuss current and future wastewater improvement projects.  The discussions identified the following projects that will be looked at during the 2010 construction season:

§         Replacement of a section of the wastewater collection system in the Meadow Road/Strafford Avenue area.

§         Collection system repair in the area behind the New England Center.

§         Sewer manhole replacement projects in the Woodside/Madbury Road and Madbury Court areas.

§         Collection system upgrades in Main Street near the field house (which will increase the capacity of the west end upwards to 80%).

§         Woodman Road area collection system upgrades.

Funding for these projects, per agreement with UNH, will be funded two-thirds by UNH and one-third by Town wastewater system users.    

 

Wastewater Treatment Plant Aeration Blower Replacement

The WWTP aeration blower replacement project was awarded to Penta Corporation and the project is scheduled to start in the very near future. 

 

Dover Road Pump Station

The Town is in the process of awarding the bid for the Dover Road Pump Station rehabilitation and anticipates that construction will begin this coming spring. 

 

Churchill Rink at Jackson’s Landing

The Department of Public Works is pleased to report that the Churchill Rink at Jackson’s Landing has provided a profit for the 3^rd consecutive year. DPW continues to make safety and operational improvements such as a water conditioning system, entrance way, new score board, and new bleachers. 

 

Wiswall Bridge

Construction started this week on the second set of footings and abutments at the Wiswall Bridge. The project is continuing on schedule and completion is anticipated in 2010. 

 

Main Street West REHABILITATION PROJECT

The Main Street West rehabilitation project, which is a joint project with UNH as well as a project that received American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus monies, was awarded to Busby Construction.  It has started with some minor off road construction and is scheduled to move forward 100 % on the day after UNH graduation with a completion date anticipated for summer 2010. 

 

ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION BLOCK GRANT

The Department of Public Works Director has been busy applying for an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block grant from the New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning, a newer grant derived from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act program. The proposed grant monies will be used to change out the lighting component of the street light fixtures along Main Street to an LED application. The energy savings forecasted in this change will take the current 175 watt bulb and replace it with an LED panel that will use only 38 watts. Also, the current lamps last approximately 2-3 years whereas the life expectancy of the LED component is 16-17 years. 

 

SHORELINE EROSION IMPROVEMENTS AT WAGON HILL FARM

This week Parks and Recreation Director Mike Mengers and Public Works Director Mike Lynch met with consultants regarding shoreline erosion improvements at Wagon Hill Farm.  The discussion centered on environmentally sensitive applications of erosion control methods such as the “living shoreline” versus traditional hard-scape structures (i.e., retaining walls and large boulders) to combat erosion.  This is a relatively new approach to protecting and restoring coastal shoreline.  In the past, hard structures such as rip-rap and seawalls, have been used to prevent coastal erosion.  Research has shown however, that these structures often increase erosion and limit the ability of the shoreline to carry out natural processes.  The “living shoreline” technique uses more natural materials or a mix of soft and hard materials.  This approach may be suitable for the shores along Wagon Hill Farm to prevent further erosion and begin to restore the salt marsh.  Funding would be the next step in the process and the State of New Hampshire has shown interest in Wagon Hill Farm as an area to assist.    

 

Assistant Engineer

The Department of Public Works is advertising for an Assistant Engineering position. The goal of this position is to do more engineering tasks in house thereby eliminating the need to pay premiums for outside consulting. The individual hired for this position will be inspecting development projects, and the hope is that the charges from these inspections will help offset the cost of their salary.  DPW is seeking a highly motivated individual with a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering to assist the Town Engineer in the design, construction, and inspection of Public Works projects. The successful candidate must have strong communication, written, analysis, water, wastewater, stormwater, GIS, and CAD skills.  A minimum of one year professional civil engineering experience is required.  Possession of an Engineer-in-Training Certificate from the State of New Hampshire is required within six months of hire. Compensation is $21.46 / hour plus extremely competitive benefits.  Send cover letter, Town application, and resume to Michael Lynch, Director of Public Works, 100 Stone Quarry Drive Durham, New Hampshire 03824 no later than February 8, 2010. 

 

Town Election - March 9, 2010    

The 2010 Town Election will be held on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at the Oyster River High School.  Polling hours are from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

 

Filing Period for ELECTED OFFICES

The filing period for Town offices is currently open and will close at 5:00 PM on Friday, January 29, 2010. The following is a list of citizens to date that have filed for the Durham elected offices.

 

Town Council , 3 positions (3-year terms):                         Peter Stanhope

Library Board of Trustees, 3 positions (3-year terms):     Julian Smith and Jenna Roberts

Town Moderator, 1 position (2-year term):                         None

Supervisor of the Checklist, 1 position (6-year term):       Judith Aiken

Trustee of Trust Funds, 1 position (3-year term):              None

 

Drawing Names of Candidates for Order of Listing on Town Election Ballot

At the Durham Town Council meeting on Monday evening, February 1, 2010, Town Moderator Christopher Regan and Town Clerk-Tax Collector Lorrie Pitt will be present at the beginning of the meeting to draw names of individuals running for elected offices to determine the order of names on the Town’s March 9^th Election ballot.  In 2007, the Town Council adopted a resolution discontinuing the Town’s previous practice of listing candidates alphabetically on Town election ballots as outlined in Article 2, Section 2.6 of the Durham Town Charter and adopting the method of listing candidates on Town election ballots by the Town Clerk, under the supervision of the Town Moderator of drawing candidates’ names out of a hat and listing them in the order by which they are drawn.

 

PUBLIC MEETING SCHEDULE

The following public meeting is scheduled for the coming week in the Town Council chambers at the Durham Town Office. To view the agenda for the meeting listed below, please click HERE.  All meetings recorded on DCAT are available on DVD at the Durham Public Library for checkout and viewing. 

 

Planning Board – Wednesday, January 27, 2010

 

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

 

DURHAM PARKS AND RECREATION PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

 

§         January Parks & Recreation Reminder: Stay up-to-date on all of Park & Recreation’s current classes and programs.  Click HERE to view the January 2010 Reminder. Check out a new class being offered starting in February: Introductory Art – Drawing & Sketching.

§         Saturday, February 6^th, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM: Winter Carnival and Chili Cookoff. CHANGE IN VENUE! Due to an expected large turnout, the Chili Cookoff will now be held at Mill Pond. For those interested in submitting a chili into the Chili Cookoff, please read the official entry guidelines and complete the registration form by clicking HERE. All registrations must be received by Friday, January 20^th. Contact Michael Mengers at mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us, 817-4074 with any questions.

 

                        Courtesy Jenna Roberts

 

WILD RUMPUS ROOM

Babies, toddlers, moms and one dad from Oyster River Parents and Preschoolers had a ball at the Parks & Recreation space this week.  Parks and Recreation Director Mike Mengers and Jenna Roberts from ORPP worked to put together a new weekly event--Wild Rumpus Room.  The first week was a huge hit with 15 children attending.  There were bouncy balls, music, tunnels, toys, and a parachute for the children to enjoy.  If you are a member of ORPP or a resident of Durham, you are invited to RSVP to this free event with your child (open to ages 5 and under).  Wild Rumpus Room is held on Tuesday mornings between 10:30 AM and 12:00 noon at the Parks & Recreation building (parking is next to the building or in the Town Hall lot).  Space is limited to 15 children.  RSVP to Jenna Roberts at: jennajroberts@yahoo.com.

 

NEW HAMPSHIRE TRIVIA & TIDBITS

In May 1939, the U.S.S. Squalus submarine, built at the Portsmouth (pop. 20,784) Naval Yard, sank in nearly 250 feet of water during a test dive. Thirty-three of the 59-member crew who survived were rescued from the sub with the McCann Rescue Chamber, a revised version of a diving bell, despite nail-biting setbacks that included a tangled guide cable. AmericanProfile Magazine – first appeared: 11/29/2009

 

Have a good 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 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.