“FRIDAY UPDATES”

Friday, November 5, 2010

 

 

This alternative windmill design located in San Jose, California is viewed locally as a form of public art.

Courtesy Todd Selig

 

Okay…let’s try this again. J  Daylight Saving Time officially ends this coming Sunday morning, so don’t forget to turn your clocks back one hour before going to bed on Saturday evening!

 

VETERAN’S DAY HOLIDAY

A final reminder that all Town offices will be closed in observance of Veteran’s Day on Thursday, November 11, 2010. Town offices will reopen for business on Friday, November 12^th at 8:00 AM. There will be NO CHANGE TO THE REFUSE AND RECYLING SCHEDULE. All items should be out on their regular day by 7:00 AM.  

 

2010 “OFFICIAL” TAX RATE

The Town has received its “official” tax rate for 2010. Below is information comparing the tax rates between 2009 and 2010.

 

	2009 Tax Rate	2010 Tax Rate (Official)	$ Difference	% of Total Tax Rate
Town	$6.52	$7.12	$0.60	26%
County	$2.30	$2.54	$0.24	9%
Local School	$16.11	$15.43	($0.68)
State School	$2.07	$2.19	$0.12	65% [total school]
Total	$27.00	$27.28	$0.28 /1.03% increase

                                                                                                                 

Administrator's Proposed 2011 Town Budget and 2011-2020 Capital Improvement Plan

On November 1^st, the proposed budget, as well as the proposed 2011-2020 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), were presented to the Town Council. To view the budget summary letter which accompanies the FY 2011 budget and CIP, click HERE.  Per the Charter, "The budget shall be adopted not later than the last workday of the preceding fiscal year [December 31, 2010]. 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." To read the Foster’s Daily Democrat article, visit http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101101/GJNEWS_01/711019905.

 

Copies of the proposed budget and CIP documents will be available for viewing in the foyer of the Town office, in the Business Manager’s office on the second floor of the Town Hall, and at the Durham Public Library located in the Mill Plaza Shopping Center. Questions regarding these documents may be addressed to Business Manager Gail Jablonski at 868-8043, gjablonski@ci.durham.nh.us.

 

The proposed budget and CIP are also available on the Town web site. Go to www.ci.durham.nh.us, “I want to” on the far right side of the page.

 

A Public Hearing on the proposed FY 2011 budget will be held at the regular Town Council meeting on Monday, November 15, 2010. This meeting will be broadcast live on Channel 22 as well as taped for rebroadcast.

 

DURHAM GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS – OFFICIAL

Governor

John Lynch – 2719               

John Babiarz - 118

John Stephen - 849

 

U.S. Senate

Paul Hodes - 2311

Chris Booth - 65

Ken Blevens - 51

Kelly Ayotte - 1266

 

U.S. Congress

Carol Shea-Porter - 2510

Philip Hodson - 94

Frank Guinta - 1089

 

Executive Council

Bev Hollingworth - 2343

Christopher Sununu - 1198

 

State Senator

Amanda Merrill - 2383

Peter Angerhofer - 1187

 

State Representative (Vote for not more than 6)

Timothy Horrigan - 2028

Naida Kaen - 2138

Jenna Roberts - 2189

Judith Spang - 2086

Janet Wall - 2931

Phil Ginsburg - 2117

David Childs - 1080

Ann Lane - 1337

Amos Townsend - 1053

 

Sheriff

Wayne Estes - 3133

 

County Attorney

Thomas Velardi -2446

 

County Treasurer

Pamela Arnold - 2425

 

Register of Deeds

Leo Lessard - 3049

 

Register of Probate

Kimberly Wood - 3017

 

County Commissioners (Vote for not more than 3)

Robert Watson - 2849

Paul Dumont - 2064

George Maglaras - 2806

Catherine Cheney - 1120

 

Durham is 1st Community in New Hampshire to Adopt “PACE” Enabling Legislation

At the Council meeting on October 4, 2010, Durham Energy Committee Chair Kevin Gardner presented an overview of the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program in conjunction with a Council Communication of that date prepared earlier by Councilor Robin Mower. The enabling legislation, RSA 53-F, details the creation of an “energy efficiency and clean energy” district and the authority of the Town over that district. Among the Town’s new financial authorities—strictly controlled by RSA 53-F—would be the ability to facilitate such programs as PACE. Although not mentioned by name in the legislation, PACE is a strong example of the kind of program that the Energy Committee believes the Town could move forward under the provisions of RSA 53-F.

 

The enabling legislation states:

“The purposes of this chapter are to authorize municipalities to establish such a procedure and to set forth requirements to ensure that its use will achieve the intended purposes of improving the social and economic well-being of New Hampshire communities and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

 

The provisions of RSA 53-F are consistent with the goals of the Town as articulated by this year’s Council goals to encourage sustainability by taking advantage of the public benefits of reducing the cost of energy use and the risks associated with future escalation in energy prices, encouraging investment in the development and implementation of energy conservation and efficiency, and clean energy improvements.

 

On November 1st, the Town Council, unanimously approved Resolution #2010-18 adopting the provisions of RSA 53-F and designating the Town of Durham in its entirety as an “energy efficiency and clean energy district.” 

 

This action makes Durham the 1st community in NH to adopt the new PACE enabling legislation. 

 

Over the last several months, the Energy Committee has solicited expressions of interest from residents or businesses which may want to take advantage of the PACE program.  The Energy Committee will be evaluating these applications as well as developing appropriate evaluation criteria to screen them in the coming weeks.

 

ORCSD SUPERINTENDENT HOWARD COLTER WILL NOT SEEK CONTRACT RENEWAL

Oyster River School District Superintendent Howard Colter recently informed the School Board that he would not be renewing his contract with the district when his current contract expires in June 2012. To read the Foster’s Daily Democrat article, go to:
http://fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101105/GJNEWS_01/711059927

 

Durham Landlord Association Requests that New Disorderly House Ordinance be Withdrawn or Suspended

The Durham Landlords Association (DLA) sent a letter this week to Sam Flanders, Chair of the Durham Rental Housing Commission, regarding the recently adopted “Disorderly House” ordinance.  The letter states, in part, “The membership . . . voted to respectfully request that the RHC appeal to the Town Council to formally withdraw the current ordinance or, at the least, obtain a stay of implementation to allow a re-write.”  To view the DLA letter in its entirety, click HERE.

 

Durham Landlords Association Files Right to Know Request on Capstone Student Housing Development Application

This week the Planning Office received a right to know request on behalf of the Durham Landlord Association (DLA) in regard to the Capstone student housing development project which came before the Planning Board for a conceptual consultation on October 27, 2010.  The Capstone project is anticipated to be a 600 – 650 bed student housing development located on the 40-acre Woodward parcel located off Technology Drive between Goss Manufacturing and the Durham Cemetery.  To view the Right to Know Law request, click HERE.

 

Durham Police Selected for $22,172.00 Homeland Security Grant

In late September 2010, as a result of notification from the New Hampshire Department of Safety (NHDOS), the Durham Police Department applied for grant funding to provide upgrading and maintenance costs associated with the security camera system that had been installed in 2005.  The existing cameras provide daylight/lowlight perimeter and interior monitoring of the police facility.  The upgrade of the existing camera system located at the police facility was scheduled to occur in 2011 with funds originating from Durham’s General Fund.  This grant funding originates from Federal funds allocated to the State of New Hampshire as part of their 2010 Strategy for Homeland Security.  The cost of upgrading cameras, software and Digital Video Recorder (DVR) is estimated to be $22,172.00 with the grant from NHDOS covering 100% of this cost, with no matching funds needed from the Police Department’s budget.   In the coming weeks, the Council will be asked to take action with regard to accepting these grant funds and authorizing expenditure of them for the intended purpose.

 

Durham Economic Development Committee Provides Update to Town Council

On Monday evening of this week, November 1, 2010, the Chair of the Durham Economic Development Committee gave the Town Council an update relative to the ongoing work of the committee.  To view a one page bulleted description of the EDC’s efforts, click HERE.

 

Depot Road Parking Lot Proceeds Channeled to General Fund to Offset Revenue Loss

The Town of Durham took possession of the contaminated Craig Supply property located on Depot Road adjacent to the Durham/UNH R.R. Station and Whittemore Center Arena through a property tax lien/deed process in 2004. Utilizing funds from Federal Brownfields Grants the Durham Public Works Department completed remediation of the property and successfully created a municipal parking lot to allow for day and overnight parking.

 

In October of 2006 the Town Council adopted Resolution 2006-20 establishing the Depot Road Parking Lot Fund and restricting all revenues collected for the purposes of long-term maintenance and environmental cleanup of the parking lot pursuant to RSA 31:95-c. This Fund has been averaging revenues in the amount of $55,000 yearly and currently has a fund balance of $210,939.

 

In an effort to offset General Fund Revenue losses in FY 2010 and 2011 the Town Administrator recommended a transfer of $50,000 from this Fund to the General Fund which was approved by the Town Council in Resolution 2009-32 approving the FY2010 General Operating Budget.

 

As the Depot Road Lot is a Special Revenue Fund, an amendment to the Depot Road fund itself was also required to change the percentage of income which is placed in this fund. On November 1^st, the Council voted to allow 90% of the yearly revenues (estimated at $50,000) to be transferred to the General Fund with the remaining 10% to be used for the long-term maintenance and environmental cleanup of the Depot Road Parking Lot.  At such time General Fund revenues stabilize, we anticipate once again allocating 100% of the Depot Road Lot funds toward future contamination remediation.

 

Town Engineer David Cedarholm Provides Update to Council on Multiple Issues Surrounding the Durham/UNH Municipal Wastewater System

On November 1st, Town Engineer David Cedarholm provided the Durham Town Council with an update on the status of the capacity of Durham’s wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) and collection systems and the regulatory and financial challenges expected in the future.

 

The Durham Wastewater System is operated by the Town, however, however all the infrastructure on the UNH is operated and maintained by UNH. The Town operates the wastewater treatment plant, the town and UNH together maintain variously jointly owned pieces of infrastructure, and the two entities work together operating and maintaining the various separately owned pieces of infrastructure.  Some of the wastewater infrastructure is worn and has limitations and conditional issues that the Town and UNH are actively working to address.

 

The following are subjects that were covered during the presentation:

 

o       Past, present, and future wastewater treatment plant and collection system upgrades

o       Permitting and regulatory issues

o       Regional Wastewater Issues – Great Bay Impairment, the Southeast Watershed Alliance and stormwater management

o       Annual system maintenance

o       Infiltration and Inflow (I/I) and its effect on system capacity

o       Wastewater Facility Plan Update

o       Durham Sewer Ordinance

 

Of particular interest during Monday’s presentation was the fact that Durham’s wastewater treatment plant provides the highest treatment levels (and the cleanest discharge) of any municipal facility in the Great Bay region (Durham, Dover, Rochester, Somersworth, Portsmouth, Exeter, Newmarket). 

 

To view the full Council communication on this topic, click HERE or tune into the replay of the November 1st Council meeting on Durham Community Access Television (DCAT).

 

3rd Quarter Durham Financial Report

In compliance with Section 5.6 of the Durham Town Charter, Business Manager Gail Jablonski recently provided the Town Council with a financial report for 2010 through September 30th.  Highlights of this report follow:

 

General Fund:

Revenues:

Durham’s motor vehicle permit fees continue to fall below estimates with approximately 70% of the estimated revenue being collected. In addition our interest on investments is only at 25% of the $25,000 estimated.

 

As stated in the second quarter report, the semi-annual payment received from UNH for the children residing in UNH Housing and attending Oyster River School system is much lower than we had estimated. Prior years there have been an average of 20 students in the system, however in the fall of 2009 this number dropped to only 8 students.  We are currently awaiting the enrollment count for the fall of 2010.

 

Expenses:

Durham’s expenditures as of September 30, 2010 show a total expenditure of $7,423,829 or 71.2% of the total approved budget. This amount does not take into account the majority of debt principal and interest payments which are made in December.

 

As outlined in the second quarter financial report some of the unanticipated expenses which we are attempting to fund with budgeted monies include:

 

o       The Code Enforcement Office has brought on board two part-time employees for assisting the Code Enforcement Officer in plumbing and electrical inspections at the numerous construction sites around town and doing plan reviews, as well as limited assistance regarding rental housing issues.

 

o       The MIS Department has been fortunate enough to have a part-time employee who worked for us last year return to assist with the upgrading of the Durham web site. The funds for this individual were not budgeted, however, this individual has aided us in bringing this project closer to an implementation date.

 

o       The drainage and vegetation account is overspent due to the February storm which required extensive vegetation clean up and removal. We have applied for FEMA funds and are anticipating we shall be receiving those over the next few months. Once we have determined how much we will be receiving we shall request the Council appropriate the amount, as well as approve the acceptance and expenditure of the federal funds.

 

o       In addition, the legal services line of $50,000 has been fully expended. We have had additional expenses this year with the start of cable contract negotiations, the prosecution of a property owner for zoning violations, as well as numerous ZBA appeals.

 

Other Funds:

The Town’s Water, Parking, Capital, Depot Road, Churchill Rink, and Library Funds are all performing as expected with nothing abnormal to report.

 

UNH TYE-DYE FESTIVAL SPONSORED BY THE DURHAM BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AND DURHAM LANDLORDS’ ASSOCIATION 

On Friday, November 19, 2010 from 5:00-9:00 PM in the UNH Granite State Room at the MUB, the Durham Business Association and Durham Landlords’ Association will be sponsoring the UNH Tye-Dye Festival.

 

The purpose of the Durham Tie-Dye festival is to tie the Durham and UNH communities together through a fun, laid-back, and family-friendly event that will strengthen the ties between Durham and UNH.

The mission of the Durham Tie-Dye festival is to provide the Durham/UNH community with a leisure experience they can share with family and friends and offer a safe environment with fun and friendly individuals.

The vision of the Durham Tie-Dye festival is to serve the Durham/UNH community and emulate fun community involvement from community members and college students at this affordable, accessible event.

Overall, the students would love to have the opportunity to strengthen ties between Durham and UNH due to the current strains that have come along with the noise ordnance. Having members of the community come onto campus and interact with students will help UNH students realize Durham is a large support of the University. They are also hoping that community members will see the UNH students in a brighter light.

 

BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS THE MASIELLO GROUP FOOD DRIVE

Better Homes and Gardens The Masiello Group Durham office is having a food drive to fill the shelves of Durham’s local food pantry located at St. Thomas More Church. Non-perishable food items and canned goods are gratefully accepted.

 

Drop off locations:  10 Pettee Brook Lane, Durham Marketplace, Durham Town Hall lobby.

 

BABY BRAGGING

Chief Kurz is pleased to announce that the newest member of the department arrived on October 22^nd at 6:15 AM.  Sergeant Kathryn Mone has given birth to Michael Farrell Mone who arrived weighing in at 6 pounds 15 ounces.  Recognizing that his mom is the midnight shift supervisor, Michael apparently didn’t see the difference between labor and patrol work and decided this was as good a time as any to make his appearance.  Father, Tim Mone, is an investigator with the New Hampshire Liquor Commission so the career choices for Michael seem somewhat narrowed.  Proud Grandparents are Dick and Eleanor Lilly of Durham and Mike and Sheila Mone of Dover.

 

Marijuana and Teens

Drugs can be found everywhere and it may seem like everyone's doing them. Lots of teens are tempted by the excitement or escape that drugs seem to offer.

 

But learning the facts about drugs can help you see the risks of chasing this excitement or escape.  Marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug in the United States. It is a dry, shredded green/brown mix of flowers, stems, and leaves of the plant Cannabis sativa. Often called pot, herb, weed, grass, Jane, reefer, dope, and ganja, marijuana is typically smoked in cigarettes called joints or in pipes.  The short-term effects come from the main active chemical in marijuana called THC. When smoked, THC passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which transports it to the brain and other organs. When it reaches the brain, THC connects with a certain type of receptor on nerve cells in areas that affect coordination, thought, memory, concentration, sensory and time perception, and pleasure. This causes the marijuana "high" that creates short-term effects such as difficulty in thinking and problem solving, problems with memory and learning, and loss of coordination.

 

However, there may be long-term implications that research has detected when using marijuana frequently over a long period of time that may include:

·        Changes in the brain. Marijuana can affect the areas of the brain that play a part in response to stress, motivation, and reward.

·        Fertility implications. Animal studies suggest that heavy users may experience disruptions in ovulation or produce less sperm. So it’s possible people who use a lot of marijuana might have difficulty having children as they get older. Studies also show that babies born to women who use marijuana when they are pregnant may be more likely to have developmental and behavioral problems.

·        Respiratory problems. People who smoke marijuana have more respiratory problems — such as having more mucus, a chronic cough, and bronchitis.

·        Changes in blood pressure. Over time, continued use of marijuana can lead to decreased blood pressure, which may cause dizziness. Some studies detected impairment for the body's ability to fight off infections and some other diseases.

·        Emotional problems. Heavy users are more likely to report symptoms of depression than nonusers. They can also feel more anxiety, have more personality disturbances

 

People who try to give up marijuana after using it frequently over a period of time may experience withdrawal symptoms. These can include irritability, sleeplessness, anxiety, depression, and lack of appetite. As with caffeine addiction, symptoms of marijuana withdrawal are usually worse a day or two after someone stops using marijuana. They gradually decrease and are usually gone a week or two after the person no longer uses the drug.  If you or someone you know would like to kick the habit, talking to a counselor can help.^[1]

 

Winter Parking Ban

Some frequently asked questions about the Winter Parking Ban that went into effect on Monday November 1st:

 

When is the Winter Parking Ban?  Winter parking ban begins every November 1st and ends April 1st the following spring. 

What are the hours of the Winter Parking Ban? 1AM – 6AM from November 1st through April 1st. 

Where can’t I park during the Winter Parking Ban? No vehicle may be parked on any Durham road or town-owned parking lot between 1AM and 6AM, November 1 through April 1. 

Does the Winter Parking Ban apply even when it is not snowing or is icy?

The winter parking ban is effective regardless of prevailing weather conditions. 

I was working for a downtown business after 1:00 AM. Why did I get a ticket?  During Winter Parking Ban, no vehicle may be parked on any Durham road or town-owned parking lot between 1AM and 6AM, November 1 through April 1. There are no exceptions.  

I parked overnight and my car got towed. How much is this going to cost, and when can I get my car?  The Town of Durham uses local towing services to tow cars that are interfering with snow removal. The cost varies between tow companies but is generally around $120 payable to the tow company. However, if you leave your car at the tow yard for more than 24 hours, you could also be charged a storage fee of about $25 per day. You can get your car from the towing company during their normal business hours. If you’re not sure who towed your car, call the Durham Police Department at (603) 868-2324.

 

                        Courtesy Todd Selig

 

New Speed Table on Edgewood Road

This week the Department of Public Works installed a speed table on the northeast end of Edgewood Road.  This was one of several requests the traffic safety committee had for traffic calming within a neighborhood.  The recommended speed to drive over the table is 15 MPH.  This is a pilot table that we will monitor for effectiveness.  The total cost of the installation was $2,654.94. 

 

NH Sustainable Energy Association’s Home Energy Conference 11/20

Saturday November 20, 2010—Located at the Grappone Center in Concord, NH Sustainable Energy Association’s Home Energy Conference is an opportunity for people of diverse backgrounds and interests to spend a day together and use our collective intelligence to bring NH further into the new energy economy, by learning about energy efficient design and the use of sustainable technologies.

 

NHSEA and friends will present workshops providing in-depth information about geothermal, wood boilers, wind, pv, and solar thermal, as well as increasing energy efficiency in and around the home, up and coming public policy issues relating to sustainable energy, working to promote community-wide energy solutions, and much more. For more information, see the show’s website at http://www.nhsea.org/home-energy/.

 

Carpool to the show: Durham Energy Committee member Peter Ejarque plans to head up in the morning and return in the afternoon. Call him at 603-509-2907 to make arrangements.

 

Fall Cleanup – NOVEMER 8th

A final reminder that Fall Cleanup will begin on Monday, November 8^th at 7:00 AM. Leaves should be placed in paper leaf bags (remember, plastic bags are not recyclable).  Paper bags can be purchased at several local stores such as Town and Campus and The Durham Marketplace as well as Home Depot, Lowes, etc.  Loose leaves will not be accepted but may be brought to the Transfer Station & Recycling Center on Durham Point Road on Tuesday or Saturday.  Brush should be placed in one direction, bundled and tied with string (no wire please).  Brush and limbs must be no greater than 5 feet in length and 5 inches in diameter. No stumps will be accepted. The amount of brush and limbs is limited to one truckload per household.  All items must be out by 7am that Monday to guarantee collection.  If you cannot have your items out on time or have more than one truck load, you may bring them up to the Transfer Station and Recycling Center with your regular permit on Tuesdays or Saturdays between 7:30am and 3pm.  Please refer to the Fall Newsletter that was mailed out in September, or click HERE.

 

DURHAM WORKS TO MITIGATE BENNETT ROAD FLOOD IMPACTS FOR STRANDED NEIGHBORHOODS

The Department of Public Works Engineering Division submitted an application this week for FEMA Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant funding for a future flood mitigation project on Bennett Road. During the recent storm events dozens of Bennett Road and Cold Spring Road residents have been stranded when flood waters wash out parts of Bennett Road. This FEMA application process was very time consuming and required extensive backup documentation to show that the costs and potential funding can be justified. Public Works is hopeful that the grant application will be approved.

 

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. Application forms may be obtained by:

 

Ø      Going to the Town web site, www.ci.durham.nh.us, under the heading “I WANT TO” on the right-hand side in the blue box.

Ø      Emailing Administrative Assistant Jennie Berry at jberry@ci.durham.nh.us and requesting an application form.

Ø      Stopping in at the Town Clerk’s office located on the first floor of the Town Hall, 15 Newmarket Road and completing an application form.

 

Completed applications may be mailed to the Town Administrator’s office, or submitted via email to jberry@ci.durham.nh.us.

 

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

Durham Energy Committee (2 vacancies)

Integrated Waste Management Advisory Committee (2 regular vacancies and 1 alternate vacancy)

Planning Board (1 alternate vacancy)

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

Zoning Board of Adjustment (1 regular member vacancy)

 

Durham Fire Department EMS Boot Camp

On November 10^th and November 18^th residents and students may see a Frisbie Hospital ambulance driving around town and throughout the UNH campus.  This ambulance is in town as part of an intensive two-day in-house Emergency Medical Training program or “Boot Camp” being conducted for all Durham Fire Department personnel. 

 

The firefighter EMTs will be increasing their familiarity with and knowledge of ambulance operations by taking turns driving/operating the ambulance as well as practicing basic and advanced life support skills/procedures on simulated patients in the rear of the unit.  Personnel will be rotating through various EMS classes throughout both days, including trips to Wentworth Douglas Hospital to practice on the hospital’s $40,000.00 computerized patient simulator, or “Sim-Man”.  This robotic patient is able to simulate real-world signs and symptoms, responding either positively or negatively to the treatment he receives based on established treatment protocols.  The goal of this first of its kind program is provide new and different avenues of training and exposure to the most current technology and updated treatment options available.

 

New Webcam at Main Street and College Road

The UNH Alumni Association has launched the new webcam project in an effort to provide a connection between alumni and the Durham campus.  It cost $5,000 to install and was funded by a grant from the Getz Charitable Trust Foundation.  The webcam can be accessed any time of the day, both on the computer and on iPhones by going to https://www.alumni.unh.edu/unh_webcam.

 

PUBLIC MEETING SCHEDULE

The following public meetings are scheduled for the coming week in the Town Council chambers at the Durham Town Office. All meetings begin at 7:00 PM and are held in the Council chambers at the Town Hall unless otherwise indicated below. To view the agenda for the meetings listed below, please click HERE.  All meetings recorded on DCAT are available on DVD at the Durham Public Library for checkout and viewing. 

 

Town Council – Monday, November 8, 2010 (budget work session)

Durham Energy Committee – Tuesday, November 9, 2010 (old Courthouse/parking at Town Hall)

Zoning Board of Adjustment – Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Planning Board – Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Conservation Commission – Thursday, November 11, 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

 

SEACOAST CANINE OWNERS OUTREACH PROGRAM (SCOOP)

Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation, a non-profit organization located in Portsmouth, NH has developed a pet waste outreach program called SCOOP, or Seacoast Canine Owners Outreach Program. The SCOOP Program hopes to achieve four main goals before summer 2011:

 

1.      Educate the public on the bacterial health hazards found in pet waste left behind on our coastline.

2.      Create a sense of ownership shared by town representatives, schools, local businesses, and the general public in decreasing the hazard in our communities.

3.      Provide a series of presentations in the media and through community-action events that will encourage the public to take action on this issue.

4.      Have as much fun as possible tackling all of the above-listed items.

 

For more information regarding this effort, visit www.blueoceansociety.org.

 

Parks & Rec On The Ball holiday mini session begins on Tuesday, November 16th 

Join Parks & Recreation and Instructor Pam Faltin for a holiday session of On the Ball. This stability ball based class offers low impact training in a high energy cardio burning class. On the Ball begins Tuesday, November 16th.  The class will also meet on 11/30, 12/7, and 12/14.  All classes will take place at Durham Parks & Rec at 6:00pm.  The 4-week session is $30.  Contact Michael Mengers at 817-4074, mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us.

 

The Parks & Recreation Nature Note – Wagon Hill Farm

Most seacoast residents know Wagon Hill Farm due to its breathtaking landscape when viewed from Route 4.  However, only Durham locals know it is one of the few areas around to offer access to rolling meadows, forest trails, rocky shorelines, grassy areas, and a sandy beach.  Great views of the Little Bay abound the139-acre recreation area.  Wagon Hill is home to Durham Day, Parks & Recreation’s Bands by the Bay and the Durham Community Garden. And of course…Wagon Hill is great for sledding!  Wagon Hill is located on Route 4 near Emery Farm.  For a map of Wagon Hill click here http://durham.nh.us/COMMUNITY/recreation/wagonhill.pdf.

 

FABULOUS FALL BOOK SALE

There are still great bargains at the Friends of the Durham Public Library book sale.  Most items are priced between $.50 and $2.00.  Visit the sale at the Durham Public Library on Friday, November 5, from 10am to 5pm, and on Saturday, November 6, from 10am to 2pm.   For more information, contact the Library at 868-6699.

 

Durham Public Library Programs and Events

Preschool Storytime Tues. Nov. 9th at 10:30 a.m. - This week: Fairy Tales and Dragons! Join us for stories, fingerplays, songs, feltboard and a craft.  No storytime next Thursday (Nov 11). The library will be closed.

Lyme Disease Support Group, Tues. Nov. 9^th, 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Bibliotherapy Book Group, Weds. Nov. 10^th, 7:00-8:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome to discuss "Maisie Dobbs" by Jacqueline Winspear. Copies are available at the circulation desk. This novel is set in WW1 era, and is a glimpse into the life of class distinctions, courage, and the triumph of intellect over societal prejudice. Maisie is a woman before her time...

Veteran’s Day - The Library is closed Thursday, Nov. 11^th.

Special Family Programming - World Tales with Shawn the Storyteller! Sat. Nov. 13^th at 10:30 a.m. Join us for this fun program for all ages.  Talented, local storyteller Shawn Middleton will tell us “Tales from Around the World”.  Shawn’s stories are very interactive and fun.  Don’t miss it.  This event kicks off International Education Week at the library.

The patch program, our reading incentive program for children aged 2-12 years has started. Children earn patches for minutes read or being read to as well as a Durham Library book bag. If new to the program, stop by and register.

Registration for Tales for tails. Have a young reader who could use some non-judgmental encouragement for reading aloud? A Delta Therapy dog is waiting for your child. Sign up now at the library for 4 week sessions beginning in October. There will be a new session in November and another one in December.

Young adults interested in writing a review of a book, play, movie, event? Email the children’s librarian at ekleinmann@ci.durham.nh.us or stop by the circulation desk and we’ll put you in contact with our partner, YA author Megan Frazer, who is helping us with this blog. Visit our website at www.durhampubliclibrary.org for more information.

 

COMMUNITY EVENTS

§         Friday, November 5^th, 7:00 PM, Fellowship Hall, Lee Church Congregational – Dr. P.T. Vasadevan will present “Energy-the-not-so-Bottomless Oil Well and the Alternatives”. Free and open to the public. Questions and discussion are welcome. For more information contact Sid White, 659-2883.

§         Saturday, November 6^th, 7:00 – 11:00 PM, Huddleston Hall, UNH campus – Growing Places Annual Auction

§         Museum of Art, UNH, Opens Two New Exhibitions - The Shape of Color: Carol Aronson-Shore and Fusion: Merging the Arts in PCAC, are opening beginning November 6, 2010. The Shape of Color presents recent paintings inspired by two New England locations, Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Monhegan Island off the coast of Maine. Fusion spotlights 50 years of fine and performing arts studies, exhibitions, performances, and events which have taken place within the University’s cultural center, the Paul Creative Arts Center. A preview reception will be open to the public on Friday, November 5, 2010 from 5-7 p.m. in the Museum of Art. Both exhibitions will be on view through December 16, 2010 (closed November 11 and 24-28). The Museum of Art and its programs are open to the public free of charge.

§         Thu., Fri., Sat., Nov 18^th, 19^th, and 20^th, 7:00 PM - Oyster River High School presents Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons”. Tells the story of a man who hastily sold defective airplane parts to the Army, which caused the crafts to crash, killing 21 men. His crime, which he long had deflected by blaming his business partner, comes back to light as his son plans to wed the partner's daughter. Tickets: $8.00/adults; $5.00/students.

§         Saturday, November 20^th, Lee Church Congregational – Holiday Festival.  Will begin at 7:30 AM with “Breakfast With Santa” at the Lee Safety Complex on George Bennett Road followed by a ride with Santa in a horse drawn wagon. Shopping at the Lee Church Congregational, Route 155, Lee, is from 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM. 

 

Weekly Police Arrest Report

Week – 58                                         30 UNH (52%)           28 Other (48%)

*2010/11 Academic Year – 399     227 UNH (57%)         172 Other (43%)

Calendar Year – 825                        476 UNH (58%)         349 Other (42%)

*This data represents the 2010/11 Academic year report which began August 27th when UNH dormitories officially opened and students begin arriving in Durham.

 

Historical data for the same week

	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Week	30	26	12	27	26	58
Academic Year	540	378	340	365	446	399
Calendar Year	1099	881	906	880	992	825

 

FROM “DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE A HISTORY – 1900-1985”

“In 1972 the town purchased a wooden building next to the old brick Town Hall and moved the town offices into it. The police department and the Durham District Court shared the vacated rooms. When a second office building was added to the first, the department expressed a desire to move into it to gain more space. Before a formal decision could be made, a fire in the old Town Hall at midnight on February 20, 1979, gutted the courtroom and badly damaged police headquarters.” Published in 1985 by the Durham Historic Association.

 

And lastly…

 

We hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween. Judging by the photograph submitted to us below by resident Tom Merrick, It appears that resident Todd Selig of Nobel K. Peterson Drive definitely got into the spirit for the evening!

 

 

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.