Friday, November 18, 2011

Longmarsh Road in Durham - Courtesy Diane Gallant

It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is coming up in less than one week! Please have a safe and joyous holiday.

NO "FRIDAY UPDATES" NEXT WEEK

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, there will be no "Friday Updates" next week.  The next publication will be on Friday, December 2, 2011.

TOWN OFFICES CLOSED FOR THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
All Town Offices will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday and Friday, November 24 and 25, 2011. All offices will reopen for business on Monday, November 28th at 8:00 AM.

Refuse and Recycling Schedule During Thanksgiving:

Residents who normally have their refuse and recycling picked up on a Thursday will be defaulted to Friday of Thanksgiving week. Please have all items out by 7AM as always. There will be no collection of the commercial recycling route on Friday, November 25th.

AMTRAK DOWNEASTER UPDATE

The TrainRiders/Northeast web page reports that the Senate/House Conference Committee has reported out a reconciled bill that preserves the Downeaster, as well as 14 other state-operated railroads, and continues Amtrak funding but at a lower level. All High Speed Rail monies were eliminated. The original House bill would have eliminated the state-operated railroads and reduced Amtrak funding to 'draconian' levels. The Senate bill has essentially prevailed. Now both houses of congress must approve the compromise bill and send it to the president for his signature.
 

To view The Portland Press Herald's coverage of this story, click HERE.  To view the TrainRiders/Northeast web page, go to: http://www.trainridersne.org/.

UNH WIND TUNNEL UPDATE

On October 27, 2011, representatives from the Town of Durham and the University of New Hampshire met to discuss the new UNH Flow Physics Facility (a.k.a., the FPF, or the UNH Wind Tunnel). Participants included Town Council Chair Diana Carroll, Town Councilor Julian Smith, and Administrator Todd Selig; Jan Nisbet, UNH Vice Provost and Durham resident; Joe Klewicki, former Dean of Engineering and now Professor of Mechanical Engineering, also a Durham resident; and Paul Chamberlin, Associate Vice President for Facilities and Energy.

Following that productive discussion,  Todd Selig and Joe Klewicki developed a Q&A covering in some detail the concerns addressed in that meeting. To see that Q&A ("A Conversation between Engineering Professor Joe Klewicki and Administrator Selig") click HERE.

According to UNH, operating the facility at full power over a long duration, such as occurred over the Columbus Day Weekend, is atypical.  To the contrary, the facility typically will operate within the lower spectrum of power operation which, according to UNH, generates a sound that is barely discernible beyond campus. 

Plans include limiting operating hours to weekdays during the day, when fewer residents might notice. In addition, the facility cannot function during cold weather, in essence itself going into hibernation for a few months over the winter.
 

UNH notes that from the outset a second phase of construction to enclose the facility was planned, federal funding for which was identified but unfortunately lost at the last minute. The University emphasizes that it is actively working with federal agencies and congressional staff to obtain alternative funding for that effort. In the meanwhile, UNH is willing and interested in pursuing funding for a baffling device to attenuate operational sound.
 

Residents are invited to attend an Open House scheduled for Saturday, December 3, 2011, beginning at 3 PM. Please check Friday Updates for further details.

REMINDERS FROM THE TOWN CLERK/TAX COLLECTOR’S OFFICE

• Civil Forfeitures will be issued for unlicensed dogs November 28, 2011.
• Water/Sewer bills were sent out November 2, 2011 and are due December 2, 2011.
• Property Tax bills will be mailed today (Friday, Nov. 18th) and will be due December 19, 2011.

ADVANCE PROPERTY TAX PAYMENTS

Residents may not be aware that there is another option for paying property taxes in July and December. State law allows property owners to make prepayments toward their anticipated bill.  After January 1st, property owners can make payments in any denomination, at any interval on any property they own.  These payments will be applied to their next property tax bill. Upon receipt of the actual tax bill due in July or December *prepayments will be deducted from the total bill and any remaining balance will show as amount due. 

If making payments would help your family budget, you can start making prepayments January 1st, in any amount, at anytime you want.  Simply make sure you identify yourself as the owner and the specific property you want the payment applied to.  It’s that easy.  If you have any questions, please contact the Town Clerk-Tax Collector's office at 603-868-5577 or email lpitt@ci.durham.nh.us. 

*Interest is not paid on prepayments.

WINTER PARKING BAN

The Winter Parking Ban commences November 1st through April 1st on all roadways throughout Durham.  Any vehicle parked on any street between the hours of 1AM and 6AM are subject to being ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense. If your vehicle is towed due to the need for snow removal, the vehicle owner/s is required to pay all towing costs AND the fine for the ticket issued before vehicle is released.  Residents and visitors are reminded that parking in any Town owned parking lot and throughout the downtown Main Street area between 1:00 A.M. and 6:00 A.M. is prohibited year-round.

Durham Book Exchange won first place in the "business" category during last year's lighting contest held by the Durham Business Association. Other first place winners were Kappa Delta, "Sorority" category, and TKO, "Fraternity" category. Courtesy Katie Muth, DBA.

DURHAM BUSINESS ASSOCIATION - 16TH ANNUAL LIGHT UP DURHAM LIGHTING CONTEST
The Durham Business Association presents the 16th Annual Light Up Durham Lighting Contest. The DBA is encouraging all businesses to light their business fronts and share in spreading the joy of the season.
  
This event is intended to benefit the entire Durham community, which includes Durham residents and businesses, as well as UNH faculty, staff, and students. This is an opportunity for everyone to get involved and to encourage local support for Durham businesses.
 
Judging will take place Thursday, December 1, 2011 from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.

The Contest is open to all Durham Businesses and recognized Greek fraternities and sororities.
 

Guidelines for judging include:

• The effectiveness of lights creating the display.
• The placement and uniformity of the lights.
• The use of design and color to create the decorations.
• The use of special lighted displays.
• The ingenuity, originality, and creativity exercised in the decorations.
• Holiday Lights are available for sale at Town & Campus and Rite Aid. Support Durham’s local businesses.

 For more information please contact the Durham Business Association at durhambusinessassociation@gmail.com.  

PEOPLE'S UNITED BANK - THIS WEEK'S FEATURED DOWNTOWN BUSINESS

This week's featured business is PEOPLE'S UNITED BANK. People's United Bank is located at 8 Newmarket Road and is managed by Christina Veziris/Lori Roy. Ms. Roy may be contacted via email at christina.vezeris@peoples.com or telephone at 603-868-1022. Web site: www.peoples.com.

People’s United Bank is a subsidiary of People's United Financial, Inc., a diversified financial services company with approximately $28 billion in assets. Peoples United Bank, founded in 1842, is the largest independent bank in New England and provides consumer, commercial, and wealth management services through approximately 375 branches in Connecticut, Vermont, New York, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts. Through additional subsidiaries, People's United provides equipment financing, asset management, brokerage and financial advisory services, and insurance services.

_______________________

Businesses interested in participating in the weekly feature should send their information, including location, contact information, web site, hours of operation, and a brief description of the business, to jberry@ci.durham.nh.us. Photographs of the business would also be welcomed.

PUBLIC MEETINGS: SCHEDULE AND VIDEO ON DEMAND

The public meetings listed below 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 these meetings, 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, November 21, 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.

DURHAM PARKS & RECREATION PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

FREE Parents & Preschoolers Exercise Class for Infants to 5 year olds along with a parent. Class begins soon and will be held on Thursdays 9am – 10am at the Durham Parks & Recreation Building.

Kid’s Yoga has a new session beginning  for ages 9 – 12. Class meets Wed. 4:30 – 5:30pm at the Durham Parks & Recreation Building. Cost is $40 for 8 weeks.

Think Snow! There is a new Snowshoe Group being formed. This group will meet on Wed. mid-morning (time to be announced) for an hour to have fun in the snow.

New Sessions beginning soon for Thursday Yoga classes.  Both classes will be held at the Durham Recreation Building. The cost for each class is $40 for 8 weeks. The "Early Bird" class will be held at 6am, the evening class will be held at 5pm. The Instructor for both classes is Sarah White who comes with great experience as a certified Yoga Instructor.
 

For more information on any of these events, please contact P&R Director Sandy Devins at 603-817-4074, sdevins@ci.durham.nh.us  Also check out our Facebook account on “Durham Rec”.

DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

New Library Campaign
The New Library Campaign has raised $755,657 of the $900,000 we’re committed to raising! But we still need your help to reach our goal. To find out how you can help, visit our campaign website http://www.durhampubliclibrary.org/durham/.

Thanksgiving Holiday Closing – The Library will close Wednesday November 23rd at 5 p.m. for Thanksgiving and will reopen Saturday November 26th at 10 a.m.

The Busy Beaver, Saturday, Nov 19th. Tours at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Town Council Member Julian Smith will lead tours of the beaver ponds on his property at 246 Packers Falls Rd., rain or shine. Open to all ages.

Storytimes, Tues., Nov 22nd – This week: Thanksgiving. Join us for stories, fingerplays, feltboard, songs and a craft.
Pajama Storytime, Tues., Nov 29th, 6:30 p.m. This month: Teddy Bear/Stuffed Animal Sleepover at the library. Bring your Teddy bear or stuffed animal to sleepover at the library.
New books for Raccoon Readers (2nd -4th grade Book Club) Tues., Dec. 6th. 6:00-7:00 p.m. This month’s book is still your Mystery choice. Read either “The Sherlock Files (#2): The Beast of Blackslope”, “The Sherlock Files (#3): The Case That Time Forgot” by Tracy Barrett or a Mystery book of your choosing.

Young Adult Writing/Blog Group, Tues., Dec 6th, 7:00-7:45 p.m. Like to write? Join us for this Young Adult writing/blogging group that meets once a month.
Classical Guitar Performance, Weds. Dec. 7th, 7:00 p.m. Local musician Dan Miner will perform classical guitar works by Villa-Lobos, Bach, Sor, Ponce and others in a relaxing musical evening.
Personal computer questions? Come ask Kyle on Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m.
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 at the library.
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!

Check out our website http://www.durhampubliclibrary.org/durham/ for more info.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

Oyster River High School Drama Department performs “The Importance of Being Earnest”, Thursday, Friday, Saturday (Nov 17, 18, 19), 7:00 PM. Tickets :$5.00/students, $8.00/ adults.

FREE Spaghetti Dinner, Saturday, Nov 19, 2011, 7:00 PM, St. Thomas More Parish, Durham. Event is being held by the UNH Recreation Management and Policy students of RMP557. Contact Brittany George, bey25@unh.edu, for more information.

Mast Way School 4th Annual Holiday Shopping Bazaar, Saturday, Nov 19, 2011, 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM, Mast Way School, Lee. Do you own a small home business, are a demonstrator for a Direct Sales Company, or a crafter looking for a way to sell your wares? Contact Dianne, 603-659-2057, amberpuppy@aol.com, for more information.

Lee Holiday Festival, Saturday, Nov 19, 2011, 7:30 AM, Lee Safety Complex on George Bennett Road. Will include a ride with Santa in a horsedrawn wagon, homemade goodies, unique crafts, and other items. For more information, contact Marian, 603-659-3996 or Barbara, 603-659-6428. See   http://www.leechurch.org/ for more details.

Boy Scout Troop 154 Holiday Tree Sale, Saturdays and Sundays, Nov 26 & 27; Dec 3 & 4; Dec 10 & 11; Dec 17 & 18. 9AM - 4 PM on all dates at the Mill Road Plaza in front of Baglery and Durham Marketplace. Trees are locally grown and freshly cut. For more information, call Scoutmaster Sam Pollard at 603-944-1153.

Durham Church's Annual Christmas Fair, Saturday, Dec 3, 2011, 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM. The tradition of the Christmas Fair at The Community Church of Durham, The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, St. Thomas More and St. George Episcopal Church is a long one. For years, our Fair traditions have taken root and grown.

3rd Annual Caution: Gingerbread House Construction Event, Saturday, Dec 10, 2011, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM, UNH MUB at the food court. Come join other families and enter your gingerbread house in the contest to win fun prizes. All money raised goes to On Belay a non-profit providing unique adventure based programs for young people who have or have had a family member with cancer. For more information, click HERE.

Launching the New Gundalow, Saturday, Dec 10, 2011, Portsmouth, NH, Pierce Island. 10:30 AM: Official remarks; 11:00 AM: Naming Ceremony and launching from Pierce Island. For more information visit http://www.gundalow.org/.

ECHO Community Thrift Shop - Durham Community Church, 17 Main Street, Durham. The economical and environmentally friendly way to shop. Hours: Wednesday 10 am-5 pm, Thursday 10 am-7 pm, Friday 10 am-5 pm, Saturday 10 am-2 pm. Offering clothing, accessories, small household items, and vintage. Gladly accepting donations of clean and gently used items during hours of operation. For more information contact: 603-868-1230 or office@durhamcommunitychurch.org. The Thrift Shop entrance is at the back of the Church in the lower parking lot.

WEEKLY ARREST REPORT

*Academic year commences the third week of August through graduation at UNH in May.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

Todd

Todd I. Selig, Administrator

Town of Durham, New Hampshire

T:  603-868-5571    F:  603-868-5572

tselig@ci.durham.nh.us    http://www.ci.durham.nh.us

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