Friday, September 23, 2011

Administrator Todd Selig took a few minutes out of his schedule to pose with Arthur Herbert "the Fonz" Fonzarelli while attending a recent International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Conference held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin..."Aaay"

The Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown, Wednesday September 28, 2011. 

AN ARCHITECTURAL TOUR OF UNH FOR DURHAM RESIDENTS

On Sunday, September 25, 2011 beginning at 1:00 PM join the Durham Public Library for a tour of the University of New Hampshire campus, led by UNH Architect and Durham Public Library Board Chair Doug Bencks.

Parking is available at the Visitor Parking Lot on the corner of Main Street and Edgewood Road (next to the pool and NH Hall). Participants will meet in the lobby of New Hampshire Hall which faces directly onto Main Street at the traffic light intersection with College Road.There will be a presentation in Room 208 before the tour begins. The entire session should be about 90 minutes.

The Dairy Bar has generously agreed to provide 20 free small ice cream cones to participants - first come, first served.

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE DAY - SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2011

The 2011 annual Household Hazardous Waste Day will be held at the Department of Public Works facility located at 100 Stone Quarry Drive on October 15th.  As in the past, all hazardous waste will be collected by appointment only.  To register, you must call the Department of Public Works at 868-5578. Remember, the maximum collected per resident is five gallons. 

Common Household Hazardous Waste

NO EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS, RADIOACTIVE WASTE, ASBESTOS, SILVEX OR INFECTIOUS/BIOLOGICAL WASTE WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Consider reducing your purchase of products with hazardous ingredients; read labels thoroughly.

Use and store products containing hazardous substances carefully to prevent any accidents at home. Never store hazardous products in anything other than their original containers and never remove labels.

Never mix HHW with other products. Incompatible products might react, ignite, or explode, and contaminated HHW might become un-recyclable.

Remember to follow any instructions for use and disposal provided on product labels.

Typically, hazardous waste is categorized as toxic, ignitable, corrosive, reactive or otherwise hazardous. Please check the manufacturer’s label.

NEW RESTAURANT OPENS IN DOWNTOWN DURHAM – THAI SMILE-2 - Courtesy Todd Selig
A new restaurant has opened at 13 Jenkins Court in downtown Durham.  Thai Smile-2 (Thai & Sushi) has just opened in the former Franklin Theater/Wings Your Way location across from What a Croc and Clemento's Pizzeria. The staff is extremely courteous, the restaurant clean and welcoming, and the food quite good.  No MSG is used and numerous gluten-free options are available.  Open Monday – Sunday.  For more information, go to http://www.thaismile2nh.com/

MASTER PLAN SURVEY RESULTS AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW
The Master Plan Survey results are in. Charlie French, a staff member of the UNH Cooperative Extension, worked closely with the a Survey Subcommittee of the Master Plan Advisory Committee to create the survey earlier this year and the survey was released to the public in May and closed in June. Mr. French then tabulated the results of the survey in June with final edits made over the summer.

The tabulated results consist of four documents: A brief summary booklet document; a summary overview of the findings including basic frequency statistics; a question by question summary with bar charts and frequencies; and a summary of the responses to the open ended questions.  They can all be viewed on line at the Town’s home page at http://www.ci.durham.nh.us/ under “News”.
 
A total of 467 individuals responded to the survey (397 full responses and 70 partial responses).  52% of respondents were female; 48% were male.

MAJOR FINDINGS:

• Protecting Durham’s natural amenities and water resources, including Great Bay, is a high priority for respondents.
   
• 93% of respondents indicated that having an attractive natural setting was very important or somewhat important to making Durham a place where they want to live.
   
• At the same time, respondents support policies to stabilize or reduce the property tax rate, including expanding commercial development outside of the downtown core.
   
• 61% strongly disagree or somewhat disagree that a tax rate with similar rates as the past is acceptable.
   
• 92% indicated that access to the Seacoast was very important or somewhat important.
   
• Respondents overall support policies to make the downtown more pedestrian-friendly, including improving bike lanes, sidewalks, and crosswalks.
   
• 55 respondents identified the intersection of Madbury Road and Main St. as a hazard to pedestrian safety, and 31 identified the intersection of Main St. and Mill Rd. as a hazard.
   
• 74%, 73% and 68%, respectively, strongly agree or somewhat agree that improving bike lanes, sidewalks, and crosswalks are important to improving the downtown.
   
• Overall, respondents support a diverse mix of housing, to include affordable options for working individuals and families, young families and seniors.
   
• 84% strongly agree or somewhat agree the town should do more to preserve historic structures, but only 41% want to see the Historic District Boundary expanded.
   
• 83% of respondents indicated that the quality of Oyster River schools is very important or somewhat important to making Durham a place where they want to live.
   
• 91% of respondents indicated that they strongly agree or somewhat agree that joint UNH-Durham projects to promote economic Development should be pursued.
   
• 69% indicated that a recreational center for people of all ages would enhance Durham residents' quality of life.
   
• 91% strongly agree or somewhat agree that they would spend more money downtown if more retail and professional services were available.
   
• 89% strongly agree or somewhat agree that Durham should continue to facilitate the re-development of existing structures, and 85% strongly or somewhat agreed that Durham should facilitate new construction.
   
• 84% strongly agree or somewhat agree that economic development options outside of the downtown should be pursued (e.g. office parks, light industry, etc.).
   
• 71% strongly support or somewhat support making more land available for commercial development.
   
• 71% strongly agree or somewhat agree that a downtown performing arts center would benefit economic development.
   
• 96% of respondents indicated protecting drinking water sources was very important or somewhat important.
   
• 96% indicated that protecting coastal streams and water bodies leading to Great Bay was very important or somewhat important, while over 90% indicated that protecting the watershed for recreational and ecological purposes was very important to somewhat important.
   
• 92% of respondents strongly agree or somewhat agree that the Town should take action to implement additional energy conservation measures for municipal facilities and 85% said the Town should develop alternative energy sources for municipal facilities.
   
• 88% strongly agree or somewhat agree the town should support the production and sale of local agricultural products while 82% feel the town should adopt policies to protect agricultural lands for current or future food production.

2012-2021 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN DEVELOPMENT
In conjunction with the annual budget development process, a draft Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is prepared in accordance with the Town Charter.  Section 5.8 states that the Administrator, after consultation with the Planning Board, shall prepare and submit to the Council a CIP at least one (1) month prior to the final date for submission of the budget.  The CIP must contain a list of capital improvements, including major replacements, which are proposed to be undertaken during the next six fiscal years.

Over the course of the last eleven budget cycles, Administrator Selig has expanded the required six-year timeframe to a ten-year window to provide a better sense of Durham's long-term needs.  In addition, rather than is the case in many other communities, we have fully integrated the CIP into the actual budgetary document submitted to the Council such that all items ultimately recommended by the Administrator for the next fiscal year are actually included within the Capital Budget submitted to the Council. 

All items contained within the CIP are made part and parcel of the ten-year fiscal forecast that is generated by the Business Office as part of the budget process. The result is a streamlined budget and CIP development process that connects requests made with actual financial and projected tax rate implications. To facilitate this process, the Town Council is provided in September with the initial draft CIP outlining all requests made for capital improvements by departments, boards, and committees which is discussed with the Planning Board. After meeting with the Planning Board, the Administrator with the assistance of the Business Office and other departments, hones the plan, and ultimately transmits a final proposed document along with the Annual Budget to the Council prior to November 1st.

On Wednesday, September 14, 2011, Business Manager Gail Jablonski, DPW Director Mike Lynch, and Todd Selig met with members of the Planning Board to introduce the CIP.  A subsequent follow up meeting to discuss the document further with the Planning Board will take place on October 5, 2011. 

Please note the date change as the September 28th Planning Board meeting has been postponed to October 5th in deference to the Rosh Hashanah holiday.

2012 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT UNDER WAY
The 2011 budget review process is revving up to full swing.

Business Manager Gail Jablonski and Todd Selig have begun meeting with representatives from the Durham Public Library Board of Trustees, Planning Department, DCAT, Fire Department, Police Department, Zoning, Code Enforcement, and Assessing Office, Town Clerk/Tax Collector, MIS, and Public Works Department to discuss budget proposals for 2011. Members of the Council have been invited to participate in these meetings and have been forwarded dates and times for each group.
 
The one-on-one budget meetings are done each year in an effort to gain a better understanding of each department's priorities and needs early on in the budget development process prior to any budgetary decisions being made.

It is overtly recognized that we are operating in the midst of a very difficult economic environment for residents.  Proposals brought forward to the Council in November by the Administrator will be reflective of this reality.


Upon finalizing the budget development process in late-October, the proposed 2012 budget will be submitted to the Town Council, along with the proposed 2012-2021 Capital Improvement Program in accordance with Section 5.2. of the Town Charter, which states: "At such time as may be requested by the Administrator or specified by the Administrative Code, each officer or director of a department shall submit an itemized estimate of the expenditures for the next fiscal year for the departments or activities under his control to the Administrator. The Administrator shall, based on these estimates and other data, prepare a recommended budget which he shall, together with these department estimates, submit to the Council no later than the last workday prior to November 1 of the current year." 

The Council then has until the last workday in December to adopt a budget or the budget as recommended by the Administrator becomes the adopted budget.


Please note that time spent on this intensive process often results in delays in responding to other items from the Administrator’s office.  We appreciate your patience over the next two months. 

NEW TRAIN STATION MAP INSTALLED TO SUPPORT DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES - Courtesy Todd Selig
In connection with the new RR Trestle advertising panels installed along the boarding platform area at the Durham/UNH Train Station, a new “Welcome to Durham: Home of University of New Hampshire” map has been installed in order to help inform and direct visitors not only around campus, but also to downtown Durham establishments.  Appreciation is extended to UNH for collaborating with Durham in the production of this informative map. 

TNH EDITORIAL REGARDING IMPLICATIONS OF STUDENT HOUSING IN DURHAM

UNH Dean of Students Anne Lawing and Administrator Todd Selig provided a letter to the editor in The New Hampshire in an effort to help educate students regarding the realities of living off campus in Durham.  To view this letter, click HERE.

PUBLIC HEARING ON LAND USE CHANGE TAX PROCEED DISTRIBUTION
On Monday evening, September 26th, the Town Council will hold a public hearing on a resolution regarding the distribution of Land Use Change Tax proceeds and more specifically, whether they should be allocated 100% toward the conservation fund as is presently the case, or whether these funds should instead be diverted for a limited time period to the Town’s general fund due to challenging budget circumstances. The Council meeting will be held in the Council chambers at the Town Hall and will begin at 7:00 PM

PUBLIC MEETINGS: SCHEDULE AND VIDEO ON DEMAND

The following public meetings are scheduled for the coming week  All meetings begin at 7:00 PM and are held in the Council chambers at the Durham 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.

VIDEO ON DEMAND: Meetings can also be viewed via Video on Demand. Interested viewers can access the streaming site from the Town’s website at http://www.ci.durham.nh.us/ by clicking the DCAT on demand logo, or directly at http://dcat.pegcentral.com/.

Town Council - Monday, September 26, 2011. To view the complete packet for this meeting, click HERE.

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.

SEPTEMBER IS "NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH"

As part of the Durham Police Department’s continuing partnership with the Health & Safety Council of Strafford County during the month of September, the department is continuing in its series of messages as it participates in a Joint Information Virtual Exercise (JIVE). The theme this week is the word “CONNECT”.

People need to stay in touch with family members during disasters. No one will feel secure until everyone is accounted for. Families should agree ahead of time how to stay in contact. Each person should carry an emergency contact list.

A good way to connect during an emergency is to have someone in another state act as the family emergency contact. If family members are separated when an emergency occurs, everyone will know to call the family emergency contact if they can't reach each other directly. Sometimes during disasters, local phone circuits are disrupted but long distance service is not affected. The out-of-state contact can relay messages to family members.

In an emergency, some communication tools may be working while others are not. Be ready to try different ways of reaching each other. Sometimes you may not be able to place a cell phone call, but you may be able to send a text message or access the internet from your phone. Make sure you and all of your family members know how to send and receive text messages and access the internet on their phones, if possible.

Connect also means staying in touch with neighbors and members of your community. By checking on an elderly relative down the street or volunteering with a community organization, you will be reinforcing New England's tradition of looking out for each other and helping to build strong communities.

It is also important to pay attention to disaster warnings. The National Weather Service (NWS) provides watches and warnings for weather-related emergencies. NWS operates a network of VHF radio stations that constantly broadcast local weather information. Real-time weather information is also available on the Internet and on the news. Other emergency information is provided by the Emergency Alert System, which is carried by all broadcast stations in New Hampshire.

To start making your family communication plan, use the checklist and template included in this brochure. (link to:

http://www.nh.gov/readynh/documents/readynh_stay_leave_connect.pdf

DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

With your support, the Durham Public Library will open its new doors in the summer of 2013. We are eager to welcome you in our 10,500 square foot, eco-friendly, dynamic, state-of-the-art community library at 49 Madbury Road. Our goal is to raise $900,000 before a bond vote in March 2012. To date more than $500,000 has been raised from private sources. But we still need another $350,000. You can help by making your own pledge; volunteering to host an event; volunteering to talk to friends and neighbors about the project and ask for pledges directly; and volunteering to help get out the vote in March 2012. Visit our website http://www.durhampubliclibrary.org/durham/ for details. Sign up to volunteer at NewLibraryVolunteer@gmail.com and thank you for your support.

Tour of UNH Campus - Sunday, September 24, 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m., lobby of New Hampshire Hall.

Preschool Storytimes - Tue., Sep. 27th and Thu., Sep. 29th, 10:30 a.m. This week: Superheroes/Heroes.. All are welcome to enjoy stories, songs, fingerplays, feltboard, and a craft.
Pajama Storytime begins on Tue., Sep 27th at 6:30 p.m. Join ORPP and the library for our pajama storytime. All are welcome, The theme this month is Superheroes/Heroes. We will read stories about superheroes and heroes and make a superhero craft. 

Raccoon Readers (2nd -4th grade Book Club will begin on Tue., Oct 4th, 6:00-7:00 p.m. This month’s book is Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Florence and Richard Atwater We will discuss the book(s), author(s), play games, and make a craft.  Books are available at the library.
Young Adult Writing/Blog Group, Tue., Oct 4th, 7:00-7:45 p.m.  Like to write?  Join us for this Young Adult writing/blogging group that will meet once a month.
Authors Toby Ball and Kristin Duisberg to speak, Wed., Oct 5th, 6:30 p.m.

Join our Lego Club, Thu., Oct 6th, 3:45-4:45 p.m. for 1st-5th graders.  Like to build Legos?  Come to the Lego club in the Children’s Room to start constructing.
All Together Now For the Durham Public Library, Sun., Oct 9th, 3:00-7:00 p.m. Beatles tribute band "All Together Now" performs at the Mill Plaza as we kick off the Durham Public Library's new library building campaign. Come enjoy the Beatles timeless music and show your support for the Library. This concert is free and open to all.
Registration for Tales for Tails has begun. 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 in September for a session beginning late Sep.
Sign-ups have started for Seacoast Reads (UNH Reading Buddies).  Have a child in 1st through 3rd grade who could use some help reading?  Sign your child up for a UNH Reading Buddy.  Weekly sessions hope to start mid-October.
Join the Patch Program, our reading incentive program for children aged 2-12 years. 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.  Thanks to the Friends of the Durham Public Library for their continued support of this program.  We have new patches!

Thanks to the children/families who signed-up this summer to have a Japanese Pen Pal.  All 18 Japanese students have been assigned to Durham Library children/families and have started receiving their letters.  If you are unable to continue writing please let Miss Lisa know at ekleinmann@ci.durham.nh.us.

Check out our website www.durhampubliclibrary.org for more info.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS 

Forging the Link Workshop - Fri., Sep 30, 2011, 12:30 - 2:15 PM, Hugh Gregg Coastal Conservation Center at the Great Bay Discovery Center at Sandy Point, 89 Depot Road, Greenland. This is the latest curriculum from the Universty of New Hampshire Stormwater Center and is a workshop about how low impact development can improve a community's economic well-being, water quality, and resilience to storms. Refreshments will be served. FREE of charge, but pre-registration is required.

For directions, visit: http://www.greatbay.org/visit/index.htm.

To register, visit: https://www.events.unh.edu/RegistrationForm.pm?event_id=8642

To learn more, visit: http://www.unh.edu/unhsc/workshop/forging-link-training-ftl

Oyster River Clean-up - Hosted by the Oyster River Watershed Association, Sat., Sep 25, 2011, 9:00 AM. Meet at Durham Landing (via Old Landing Road, off of Route 108 [Dover Road]). Coffee will be available.

Volunteers will be supplied with gloves, trash bags, and tally sheets. This is intended to be a family-friendly event. Wear old clothes and boots. For more information, contact Dick Weyrick, 868-2862, dweyrick@comcast.net.

One World Language School - French, Spanish, German, and Chinese classes begin on September 28th. There is still room in some classes for children of ALL AGES. For information, contact Julie Reece at julie.reece@oneworldlanguageschool.org or (603) 866-0364.  You can also learn about our programs at http://www.oneworldlanguageschool.org/.