Friday, April 27, 2012

Courtesy Dennis Meadows

Durham resident Filson Glanz carries wood chips (provided free by the town) for use in mulching the paths between the raised beds in the community garden at Wagon Hill Farm. In the background is a volunteer from Timberland Corporation.

We are trying something new and quite interesting beginning this week. Durham resident Nathaniel Campbell has offered to create videos to complement the "Durham, New Hampshire A History" section found at the end of each weekly update. To view Nathaniel's video for this week's segment relative to the Durham Post Office, click HERE, and keep an eye out for future videos!

HONOR FLIGHT NEW ENGLAND TAKES DURHAM WWII VETERAN TO WASHINGTON, DC

Durham resident Bill Drapeau reports that on Sunday, April 22, 2012, Honor Flight New England completed its 20th trip of taking WWII veterans to Washington, DC to see their WWII and other memorials. Since 2009 Honor Flight New England has taken 573 WWII veterans to Washington, DC at no cost to the veterans.

On this Sunday's trip, the oldest WWII veteran (at age 95) was Durham resident Dr. Robert (Bob) Wear who resides at The Sprucewoods Inn. To read more about Honor Flight New England, visit http://www.honorflightnewengland.org/.

HOW CAN RESIDENTS PRODUCTIVELY ENGAGE WITH RESPECT TO PRESERVING THE HISTORIC UNH OUTDOOR POOL?

Over the course of the last week, I have received many, many emails from concerned residents regarding the future of the UNH Outdoor Pool in light of the draft UNH Master Plan presently being discussed.  The 2004 UNH Master Plan also showed the extension of the Snively Arena over the UNH Outdoor Pool despite the Town's strong objections at the time. 

UNH Campus Recreation works hard to make the most of their limited resources to meet the needs of undergraduate students.  Campus Recreation staff are dedicated employees and do an excellent job.  They are good partners with the Town and there is little doubt that they need more resources to meet the needs of undergraduate students on campus.  (In fact it is well known that the University as a whole deserves more resources, yet it has sustained a 50% funding cut this past year from the N.H. Legislature.) 

My impression over time is that Campus Recreation staff, who have charge of the Snively Arena and the UNH Outdoor Pool, as well as talented and hard working University planners and facility personnel, look out to the UNH Outdoor Pool area and view it as inactive, unproductive space for the majority of the undergraduate academic year … and therefore conclude it is of little value for their purposes or for UNH as a whole.  

It is beyond the capacity of individuals not intimately connected with the broader community or the summer experience in Durham and at UNH to understand that the pool represents an important, a critical social asset for both the University and Durham. 

Many of the pool users are Durham residents; but they are also faculty, staff, graduate students, and undergraduates of the University.  The pool creates an important social connection between these populations and helps to inextricably link them together.  There is active utilization of the pool by summer camps for children of all ages, particularly for those enrolled in UNH summer athletic and academic programs, and others extending to our collective community's senior population and beyond, all of whom can be seen on any given hot summer day or early evening partaking of the Franklin D. Roosevelt WPA-era cement pond — the only one of its kind left in the nation.  The outdoor pool is more akin to a small lake in the midst of Durham's and the University's urban built environment. 

How does one convince individuals focused on undergraduate survey data (in which students repeatedly express the desire for more campus recreational space) of the profound social value of the pool to generations of UNH and Durham families as their children transition from minnow to perch to shark?  How does one convey the oasis of peace and respite that the pool is within the broader context of a sometimes unfriendly and often topsy-turvy world?  I believe the answer lies in residents, faculty, and staff patiently and cordially telling the story of the outdoor pool again and again and again to individuals at UNH. 

On Tuesday evening, a well-attended session by townspeople (many of whom were also UNH faculty and staff) at Holloway Commons conveyed the importance of the UNH Outdoor Pool to UNH planners in attendance.  In the long-term, I continue to believe reason and appreciation for this unique resource will prevail. 

Will the pool need repairs or costly improvements in the future to keep it going?  It absolutely will.  In such a circumstance Durham will have the opportunity to stand with UNH in accordance with our Durham/UNH Outdoor Pool Agreement. 

If UNH one day moves to a system where undergraduates are present in large numbers for academic purposes during the summer months, perhaps the staff at UNH Campus Recreation, University planners, and others will then realize how far sighted and prudent the collective community was in retaining the outdoor pool.

To provide feedback regarding the UNH Outdoor Pool or any aspect of the UNH Master Plan, write to cmp.ideas@unh.edu.  

Jim Campbell, Director of Planning & Community Dev.

ROCHESTER HIRES DURHAM PLANNER
The Lilac City has hired Durham’s planner – Director of Planning and Community Development Jim Campbell.  As reported recently, Rochester’s Chief Planner (and long-time Durham resident), Michael Behrendt, will be coming to Durham to assume Mr. Campbell’s position. 

This development should be of no surprise as both individuals are well respected within the planning field. 

A “swap” of staffing between communities is certainly not the norm.  But then again, we are living in a new normal post the Great Recession and communities must strive to operate more like businesses in order to meet the needs of residents amidst scarce resources. 

The Town of Durham and the City of Rochester will be working together in partnership to effectuate a smooth transition. 

There is a nice article in Foster’s Daily Democrat which can be found at http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120423/GJNEWS_01/120429872

Courtesy drawing. This is an artist's rendering of a four-story building

to be located at 10 Pettee Brook Lane. Courtesy Foster's Daily Democrat

PETTEE BROOK LANE REDEVELOPMENT KICKS OFF JUNE 1ST

Summer will kick off with the start of a major construction project along Pettee Brook Lane, the site of the former Don Thompson Real Estate Office, where a mixed-use facility will be built to provide additional retail/office/commercial space, parking, and a residential component.

To learn more about the project, read about it in today’s Foster’s Daily Democrat at http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120427/GJNEWS_01/704279953/-1/FOSNEWS.

Former People's Bank at 8 Newmarket Road - Courtesy Todd Selig

DURHAM MOVES TO ACQUIRE FORMER PEOPLE’S UNITED BANK LOCATION AT 8 NEWMARKET ROAD – LETTER OF INTENT EXECUTED THURSDAY

The former Durham branch of People’s United Bank, located at 8 Newmarket Road, Durham, NH, has been put up for sale with a listing price of $769,000.

The Town has conducted due diligence with regard to the site as a potential future Town Office location and has concluded that the 8 Newmarket Road location with renovations and an addition would meet the space needs and functional requirements for the Durham Town Offices.
 
The bank site is a handsome colonial-style building in the midst of Durham's historic district, it is in excellent condition, and is equipped with two safes that would ideally meet the Town's needs in preserving historical records. The current Town Office has long been recognized as being deficient in a number of critical areas to include:

• Noncompliance with ADA (handicap accessibility).
• Lack of short-term and long-term temperature controlled storage space for day-to-day and critical historical records.
• Inadequate filing and workspace.
• Inadequate meeting space.
• Lack of security for staff and very inefficient mechanical and HVAC systems.
• Inadequate stair widths, riser and tread dimensions, and myriad other building and life safety code violations.

In order to secure the bank site to ensure the Town Council has the option of moving forward with a purchase of the property, Administrator Todd Selig initiated negotiations with the bank in early April.
 
Both the Town of Durham and People’s United Bank have executed a Letter of Intent to Purchase as of 4/26/12.  The Town Council will have thirty (30) working days to execute a Purchase and Sale Agreement.

Architect Kelly Davis of Port One Architects, Inc., Portsmouth, NH is working with the Town to develop a conceptual build out of the bank site as the future Durham Town Offices and estimated pricing for renovations and addition. 

Mr. Davis was engaged in 2006 to conduct a Space Needs Assessment for the Durham Town Office facility.  

 
At the Town Council meeting on Monday, May 7, 2012, the Town Council will receive a report from Administrator Selig regarding the potential acquisition of the former People's United Bank site complete with architectural analysis and estimated pricing.

The acquisition of the bank site would likely trigger the outright sale of the existing 15 Newmarket Road Town Office location for development purposes.

In 2008, Durham had the Town Office site appraised and at that time the most probable "as is" market value of the property, in fee simple, was $650,000 as a stand alone parcel.  At that time, a local developer had discussed paying upwards of $1,000,000 - $2,000,000 if the Town Office parcel could be integrated with adjacent parcels and developed as a pharmacy.  

The overt goal of Administrator Selig is to facilitate a transition to the new site in a manner that is tax neutral for Durham.

PREP OFFERS RESOURCES FOR INTERESTED DURHAM RESIDENTS
The Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP) has recently highlighted the support in neighboring communities for several initiatives leading to cleaner water resources. The entire region is facing similar challenges and it is good to know that a some other towns beyond Durham are also stepping up. To view the most recent PREP newsletter highlighting these efforts, go to http://prep.unh.edu/index.html.

USNH PRESIDENTS WILL REPORT DIRECTLY TO BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Under intense scrutiny by the N.H. Legislature, the Board of Trustees of the University System of New Hampshire on April 19 approved a resolution intended to increase the authority of college and university presidents vis-à-vis the board and chancellor’s office in most areas, including academics and student affairs, finance and administration.

The four college and university presidents will report directly to the system board of trustees, rather than through the chancellor, and will be evaluated by the board on their success in advancing the missions of their respective institutions according to broadly defined parameters.

The system office will focus more narrowly on coordinating service and benefits operations, and providing a central treasury. It also will provide the board with data to assist in the evaluation of the success of the schools’ plans and activities over the long-term.

The resolution also stated the board would engage a management consultant to advise in the implementation of its intention to decentralize, offering specific guidance as to how to maximize financial efficiencies and effective policy-making.

The Grange building under reconstruction, spring 2012

Courtesy Bridget Finnegan

THE SCAMMEL GRANGE  - HISTORY ON MAIN STREET

Durham resident Bridget Finnegan, along with Carrie Sherman (UNH Editorial and Creative Services), has published another article in a recent issue of UNH Today featuring the history of the Scammel Grange currently under reconstruction by owner Peter Murphy. Readers may remember that an earlier "Friday Updates" featured a slideshow and story published by Bridget on Durham's Red Tower Estate. To view the story and slideshow, click HERE.

DURHAM SELECTED FOR MUNICIPAL LEADERSHIP AWARD BY NH WORKFORCE HOUSING COALITION FOR GRANGE PROJECT
Durham was notified by the NH Workforce Housing Coalition about the Town’s being selected to receive this year's Municipal Leadership Award for creating workforce housing as part of the Grange project.  Grange owner Peter Murphy will also be recognized for the Grange Project.  The meeting will take place on the evening of June 7th from 5 – 7:30 PM at The Three Chimneys in Durham.

DAVIS COURT APARTMENTS CHANGE HANDS
The Town was informed this week that long-time resident and owner Rob Watson has closed on his Davis Court properties. It sold for $4.15 million. The $4.15 million sale price was greater than the Town's assessed valuation of the parcels. 

The buyer is Golden Goose Development, LLC. At least one of the principals of the new ownership group is Mr. Barrett Bilotta who also owns 57 Madbury, 26 Strafford,  12 or 14 and 21 Edgewood Road. 

On behalf of the Town, I would like to extend the very best of wishes to Mr. Watson as he has been an outstanding student housing manager in Durham for decades.  His Davis Court apartments, located diagonally across from the new Library site, are always maintained in pristine condition, there are rarely, if ever, student disturbances there, and he has been an active part of town affairs for many, many years.

UPDATE ON WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT PERMITTING – DURHAM OFFICIALS MEET IN BOSTON WITH EPA REGION 1

On Monday of this week, Public Works Director Mike Lynch, Town Engineer David Cedarholm, consulting engineer Peter Atherton, and Administrator Selig traveled to the US EPA Region 1 offices in Boston to discuss point source WWTP and MS-4 permitting for Durham/UNH.  We had a tremendously productive meeting.  The large room was crowded with EPA officials from various divisions all interested in learning more about Durham's innovative ideas and our willingness to be collaborative partners with EPA in addressing nitrogen issues associated with the Great Bay Estuary. 

The EPA has an interest in working with Durham to create a nationally applicable case study for adaptive management collaborative approaches within impaired watersheds. US EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe was in the facility Monday and a number of the staff in attendance at our meeting were present so as to be able to describe our ideas directly to the Deputy. 

The Durham delegation returned to find an email awaiting us from one EPA official who wrote:   "He (Deputy Administrator Perciasepe) was encouraged to hear about your thinking so far and agreed it would be great to have some models of communities that are approaching this integrated planning proactively. … Thanks again for making the trip to Boston."

Courtesy Peter and Margie Smith

LOOK WHO CAME FOR BREAKFAST AT THE SMITH RESIDENCE!
At about 8 AM this past Saturday Peter Smith called to his wife Margie Smith (residents of Piscataqua Road) and said, "There's a moose on our lawn."  Knowing that could not be true Margie said, "Moose or goose?"  "Moose", he replied, so Margie deigned to look and moose it was! The Smiths called NH Fish and Game and a conservation officer arrived quickly along with a Durham police officer. 

Meanwhile, neighbors Jere Lundholm and Harriet Forkey joined their little watch party since such an occasion was not likely to be repeated.  The four legged visitor stayed for about an hour.  His right rear leg was injured and bleeding and he seemed hesitant to go down the steep bank to get to the river.  The Fish and Game officer approached him from behind to encourage him to move towards the conservancy land across Route 4.  Meanwhile, the Durham police officer was positioned to stop traffic at the appropriate time. 

The plan worked smoothly, the moose crossed the road, and walked up Bunker Road with the officers following.  The moose continued until he was deep into the woods.  The officers climbed a ridge in order to watch him and insure that he was moving in a safe direction.  By 9:30 AM the morning excitement had subsided.
 

Newly installed fish ladder at Wiswall Dam. Courtesy Theresa Walker

WISWALL FISH LADDER RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY - MAY 3

An official ribbon cutting ceremony for the Wiswall Fish Ladder will be held at the Wiswall Dam on Thursday, May 3, 2012 at 10:00 AM. Please come and celebrate this historic transformation of the Wiswall Dam.  The river herring  (primary Alewives) are not waiting for May 3rd however.  The volunteer fish counters and NH Fish & Game have estimated more than 5,000 Alewives passed the Wiswall Fish Ladder, which is the first time in more than 250 years!  If anyone is interested in helping with the Wiswall fish count, please contact the Department of Public Works at 603-868-5578 or send an email to publicworks@ci.durham.nh.us.

25 MPH SPEED LIMIT ADJUSTMENT PROPOSED FOR DOWNTOWN CORE

At the February meeting of the Traffic Safety Committee, there was general consensus that the speed limits of roadways within the downtown area and commercial core should be designated 25 MPH due to traffic demands combined with pedestrian and bicycle activity.  Additionally, the committee was informed that the University of New Hampshire is adjusting its speed limits within interior UNH campus roads.  Consequently, the committee has recommended that it is an appropriate time to coordinate and stabilize speed limits throughout the downtown and campus core. 

The Durham Town Code (the technical name for all ordinances adopted by Durham) assigns all roadways to be 30 MPH unless otherwise specified.  In other words, if the Code is silent regarding speed a speed limit on a roadway, by default it is 30 MPH.

The Traffic Safety Committee is an administrative committee organized by the Town Administrator to advise him regarding traffic safety matters.  Members include the police chief, fire chief, public works director, planner, and code enforcement officer.  A Planning Board representative also attends, as do some members of the Town Council regarding topics of interest to them. 

At this time, an amendment to the Code is scheduled for presentation and first reading before the Council on June 4th.

To view the collection of roadways impacted by this change, click HERE.

MASTER PLAN UPDATES

The Master Plan subcommittee is currently working on the Energy Chapter and has also been working on the Commercial Core Chapter with Economic Development Committee (EDC) and Planning Board members. The subcommittee hopes to have a complete draft of the Commercial Core Chapter to send to the Master Plan Advisory Committee (MPAC) in the near future. The Energy Chapter will then follow.

The subcommittee is about to start on the Economic Development Chapter and at the April 23, 2012 EDC meeting members began discussing some of their goals for that chapter. The EDC would like a representative from UNH to attend the committee's next meeting to participate in the discussions.  The Conservation Commission has gotten underway with the Environmental Chapter as well and a mapping for that chapter is underway. 

All of these meetings are open to the public.  Eventually the Planning Board will hold public hearings on the updated chapters after working its way through the MPAC process.

PLANNING BOARD

Peak Campus Properties is coming to the Planning Board at the May 9, 2012 meeting for a Conceptual Consultation to discuss their proposed project located on 155A/Mast Road.  This is a non-binding discussion and will be a good opportunity for the Planning Board and the applicant to discuss the project before any formal application.  The conceptual plan has 145 (425 +/- beds) apartment units consisting of 1, 2, and 4 bedroom units with a mix of 2 and 3 story buildings.  They are also planning a Clubhouse, surface parking, and an area for an outdoor amenity area.  They are also showing a proposed sidewalk to an existing UNH bus stop on the West Edge Lot.  The Planning Board will also be discussing the draft Commercial Core Chapter of the Master Plan at the May 9th meeting.

The Planning Board has scheduled a public hearing for May 23, 2012 at 7 PM to hear from the public on the draft Zoning Ordinance Amendments to the Commercial Core Zoning Districts that are being brought forward as a result of the Commercial Core Strategic Plan.  The Board has been working on these amendments for over a year now. A summary of the changes will be provided to the public that will appear in the "Friday Updates” in the two weeks prior to the meeting.  Copies of the summary will also be available in the Planning & Community Development Department when the summary is completed.  With tremendous development interest focusing on Durham at this time, it is important that these changes be brought forward in the near future such that new projects/construction meet the goals as outlined by the community during the B. Dennis process resulting in the Town's Commercial Core Strategic Plan.

The Water Resource Protection Subcommittee of the Planning Board met on Friday, April 20, 2012 and discussed proposed amendments to the Aquifer Protection Overlay District.  One of the major changes will be to the areas that will be fall under this overlay district.  We will be concentrating on actual water source areas that are important for protection rather than just blanket areas that are not, and will not be, a water source area.

OTHER PLANNING NOTES

The Director of Planning & Community Development received a call from Lisa Henderson, Executive Director of the Workforce Housing Coalition, stating that the Town of Durham will be receiving a Municipal Leadership Award at a June 7th ceremony.  In addition, they will be honoring developer Peter Murphy for his work on the Grange building and making workforce housing part of that re-development.  They will be forwarding us more details in the near future.

The Town received notice for a Traffic Impact Scoping Meeting from the NHDOT for a project being proposed by Campus Crest Student Housing for a possible housing project off Stone Quarry Drive.  The proposal calls for 600 + bedrooms.  The scoping meeting will be held on May 3rd at 10 AM at the NHDOT Bureau of Traffic Conference Room and Durham Town Staff will be in attendance.  The Traffic Engineer that has been hired by the applicant is Stephen G. Pernaw, P.E., PTOE, from Stephen G. Pernaw & Company, Inc. 

The meeting is for NHDOT to let the applicant know what the traffic impact study should include.  The proposal will also need to receive a use variance for the multi-unit use, which is currently not allowed in the OR108 Zoning District, some setback variances, and a variance to allow surface parking as a principal use on one of the lots off Stone Quarry Drive.  The application is available for review in the Planning & Community Development Office.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (EDC)

The EDC met on Monday, April 23, 2012 and welcomed a new member, Anthony Raimondo.  The committee also held officer elections. Ute Luxem is the new Chair and Tom Elliot is the Vice-Chair. The EDC also received a presentation by Jim Lawson highlighting community and economic information derived from the tax assessment database.  Councilor Lawson will be providing a similar presentation to the Town Council at its next meeting on May 7th.  The EDC also held a discussion about the projected 2012-2017 Town Budget, revenues, and tax rates over the next five years.  EDC members also discussed developing goals for the Economic Development Chapter of the Master Plan update. 

The UNH Football Team recently volunteered to assist Durham DPW

Courtesy DPW

UNH FOOTBALL TEAM ANNUAL CLEAN UP DURHAM PROJECT

This past weekend the University of New Hampshire's Football team completed their annual Clean up Durham project, in honor of Earth Day. The football team split up and was able to assist with multiple projects; at Jackson's Landing, Schoolhouse Lane Cemetery, and the Route 4 Cemetery. These projects included clearing all brush and trash from the cemeteries and spreading stone for the landings walkways. The Town and Public Works Department appreciate these student athletes giving up their Saturday to help out the community.

BRUSH WILL BE TEMPORARILY ACCEPTED AT THE TRANSFER STATION ON SATURDAY - APRIL 28TH 

Due to the rain experienced on Sunday/Monday, the Transfer Station was unable to burn brush, but will be accepting brush again this weekend. Thank you to residents for their patience during the ban that has been in effect for the last week or so.

However, lifting of the ban is temporary as there is not significant rain forecasted in the near future. This will cause the Transfer Station to once again halt acceptance of brush. As always, residents will be kept informed.

SPRING CLEANUP

The annual bulky waste pickup BEGINS THIS COMING MONDAY, APRIL 3O, 2012.  Please place materials curbside NO EARLIER than Saturday, April 28th and NO LATER than 7AM on April 30th.  Remember that items that require an electronics sticker still do during curbside collection, they can be purchased at the Public Works office for $10.  This is not the time of year that we collect brush and leaves, that is during Fall pick up.  If you put out brush and leaves, they WILL NOT BE PICKED UP. To view the newsletter, click HERE.

MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY SCHEDULE 

The Transfer Station and Recycling Center will be closed on Saturday, May 26th, for the Memorial Day Holiday. The regular Town offices will be closed on Monday, May 28th for the holiday. There will be NO COLLECTION OF TRASH AND RECYCLABLES ON MONDAY, MAY 28TH.  All routes will be pushed ahead one day for example if you are normally collected on Monday, you will put your items out by 7am on Tuesday, if you normally are on Tuesday, you will put out on Wednesday, etc.  There will be no commercial collection on Friday, June 1st. 

PART-TIME CLERK OF THE WORKS POSITION

The Town is seeking a responsible person to oversee the construction of its new 10,000+ square foot library.  This individual will monitor the new construction of the library and site development, anticipate and observe the library construction, track contract progress, procedures, workmanship, schedules, overall job safety, and provide seamless coordination between the Design & Build Team, Town officials, library staff, and the Building Committee.   Interested qualified party’s may send a cover letter, references, and resume by Friday, May 4th to Michael Lynch, Director of Public Works, 100 Stone Quarry Drive, Durham, NH 03824.  PH: 603-868-5578, e-mail: mlynch@ci.durham.nh.us. To view the full job description for this positions, click HERE.

DOG LICENSES

A reminder that it is time for residents to renew their dog licenses.  All 2011 dog licenses will expire April 30th.  A late penalty of $1/month will be added to license fees beginning in June.

ADVANCE PROPERTY TAX PAYMENTS

Residents may not be aware that there is another option for paying their 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 a family's budget, residents can start making prepayments January 1st, in any amount, at anytime they wish. They need only to identify themselves as the owner and identify the specific property they desire the payment to be applied. It’s that easy. Questions concerning advance property tax payments can be directed to the Town Clerk-Tax Collector's office at 603-868-5577 or email lpitt@ci.durham.nh.us.
 
*Interest is not paid on prepayments.
 

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CONSERVATION COMMISSION REGARDING THE AMBER ACRES PROPERTY

The Conservation Commission will hold a special meeting on Thursday, May 3 in the Council Chambers at Town Hall, starting at 7pm, to discuss terms of a proposed conservation easement on the property known as Amber Acres, located on Mast Road adjacent to the Oyster River. A site walk was held on April 18, and a public hearing is currently scheduled for the next regular meeting of the Commission on Thursday, May 10. Please refer to the Friday Updates of April 13, 2012 for additional details on the project. To read the Town's Guidelines for Acquiring Legal Interest in Conservation/Open Space Land  (originally adopted by Town Council on May 3, 2004, and revised by Town Council on May 19, 2008), click HERE.
 

Should the Commission decide to move forward with the project, it would subsequently request from the Town Council authorization to accept an executory interest in the easement. The Council would then hold a public hearing as part of its own deliberation on that request.
 
The property’s most significant conservation values include approximately 27 acres recognized as important productive farm soils and more than 3,000 feet of frontage on the Oyster River, a public water supply shared by Durham and UNH. In addition, the property is identified by the NH Wildlife Action Plan in its highest rank for wildlife habitat and is across the river from the proposed Sprucewood Forest conservation project.
 
The Southeast Land Trust would hold the easement and seek to put the land into active food production by either selling or leasing the land to a farmer. The Town of Durham would hold executory interest (become the backup easement holder, with enforcement authority).

BOY SCOUT TROOP 154 TO PLACE AMERICAN FLAGS ON GRAVES OF VETERANS

In keeping with it's long standing tradition of community service the Boy Scouts of Durham's Troop 154 will again place American Flags on the graves of all veterans of our countries wars.  If you are aware of a veterans grave that has not been properly honored with a flag please contact the troop at   Troop_154@yahoo.com  with the name of the veteran and the location of his or her grave.  This honor is provided to all of the known veterans buried in Durham that have served The United States or the colony of New Hampshire.

ORCSD SEEKING COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO FILL VACANCIES ON THE ADVISORY BUDGET COMMITTEE

The ORCSD is currently seeking interested community members to fill the following openings on the Advisory Budget Committee:  Two (2) – 1 year terms to May 2013 and Two (2) -  3 year terms to May 2015.

Residents interested in serving on this committee should submit letter of interest which includes your qualification and experience for this position to Maria Barth, ORCSD School Board Chair at mbarth@orcsd.org by May 9th, 2012.

Please refer to the District website http://www.orcsd.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=103&Itemid=203 for additional information. Board Chair will nominate individuals for appointment at the May 16th School Board Meeting.

The charge for the Advisory Budget Committee (as adopted by the School Board on 8/17/11) is as follows:

1. May conduct in-depth analyses on spending best practices and local and national trends in specific budget areas.
2. Will serve as a resource to the School Board and Administration on budget issues.
3. May recommend methods to improve financial reporting.
4. May recommend process to communicate budget to the community.
5. Will provide periodic summations on budget areas as they are discussed and provide a written report at end of the budget process including any process and/or reporting.

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 agendas for the meetings listed below, please click HERE.

Rental Housing Commission - Wednesday, May 2, 2012 

Conservation Commission - Thursday, May 3, 2012 

Historic District Commission - Thursday, May 3, 2012 (Town Administrator's Office)

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://ci.durham.nh.us/  by clicking the DCAT on demand logo, or directly at http://dcat.pegcentral.com/.

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

2012 Memorial Day Parade Announced  

The 2012 Memorial Day Parade will take place on Monday, May 28th at 10:00am, beginning at the Town Landing on Old Landing Road.  Town committees, commissions and civic organizations, as well as all service men and women, past and present, are encouraged to march.  Those groups interested in marching should contact Parks & Recreation Committee member Michael Mengers at michaelwmengers@yahoo.com, 969-8973.

Recreational Happenings in May!

May 19th - If you've ever wanted to learn to Fly Fish here's a great opportunity! From 9-11am Mark Foley will provide a lesson and fun activities around Fly Fishing at Wagon Hill Farm. For more information, click HERE.

May 25th - Enjoy a Kayak Tour from your own backyard. May 25th from 4:30 - 6:30pm you can enjoy a tour of Oyster River's diverse Eco-system. For more information, click HERE.

For more information about any of our Recreation Programs or to register please contact Sandy Devins, Parks & Recreation Director at sdevins@ci.durham.nh.us or 817-4074.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

QuackFest, Saturday April 28, 2012, 10:00 AM-2:00 PM, Durham Landing. Ducks will be launched at 12:00. Proceeds from the event will benefit Growing Places and the Durham-Great Bay Rotary.

UNH May Day Carnival, Saturday, April 28, 2012, 1:00-9:00 PM, UNH C-lot. Family hours are 1:00-3:00 PM. $5 per person for an entry fee; all rides and games are free. Free parking is available in B-lot.

Criterium Bike Race, Sunday, April 29, 2012, for children age 4-6 and 6-9, UNH Campus in the B Lot area. Registration is 9am – 11 am, race will begin about 11:45 depending on other races. This event is hosted by the UNH Cycling team for the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference. For more information, click HERE or visit http://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/2012/02/unh-cycling-brings-championship-durham.

Pruning Lilacs at Oyster River Park, Wednesday, May 2, 2012, 2:00 PM (rain or shine). Jon Hart, professor of Horticulture Technology, will demonstrate how to prune lilacs to his pruning class and interested others. Please join us with your pruning tools and help reshape the lovely lilac bushes that border Oyster River Park. Durham DPW will remove the brush. Please contact Jean Olson, jbolson1@comcast.net, with questions.

Lamprey River Cleanup, Saturday, May 5, 2012, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM (rain or shine). Sponsored by Great Bay Trout Unlimited. Volunteers meet at the Wiswall Dam park area. Trash bags will be provided. Complementary BBQ for cleanup volunteers will follow. Contact greatb3@greatbaytu.org, 603-743-9080.

Let's Talk About Water, Tuesday, May 8, 2012, 6-9:00 PM. The Governor's Water Sustainability Commission is partnering with NH Listens to convene public conversations about the future of our state's water with the goal being to gather ideas, experiences, and recommendations from a wide range of NH residents. Registration required. To obtain registration information and locations for meetings, click HERE.

Oyster River High School Presents Chicago, May 10, 11, 12 (Thu, Fri, Sat), 7:00 PM. Box Office hours: 12-5 PM; open May 2,3,4,7,8,9,10. Tickets: $9; students and seniors, $6. For more information contact Armida Geiger, 603-868-7156, armidageiger@comcast.net.

Bobcat Bolt, Saturday, May 12, 2012, 9:00 AM, Oyster River High School. Will be featuring a Kids Fun Run right after the 5k and 10k, which will again lead right into the festivities at the Oyster River Festival.  Details are up on the Bobcat Bolt web page, so if you haven’t signed up already, hop on-line and sign-up now at http://bobcatbolt.com/wp/?page_id=63. For more information, click HERE.

ORCSD Educational Technology Learners Showcase, Tuesday, May 15, 2012, 5:30-7:00 PM, Mast Way Elementary School. Will highlight creative uses of technologies across the district for parents and community members. For more information, go to http://www.orcsd.org/ or click HERE.

Lamprey River Family Fun Celebration, Sunday, May 20, 2012, 1-4:00 PM, Mary Blair Park, Rte. 27, W. Epping, celebrating the river's first anniversary in the NH Rivers Management and Protection Program, an acknowledgment by the State of New Hampshire that the Lamprey is a valuable asset for nature, history, recreation, and clean water. With removal of the Bunker Pond Dam in W. Epping and the completion of a fish ladder at Wiswall Falls in Durham, fish in the river can now potentially travel from Great Bay all the way to Northwood. This is the first year in about 250 years that fish can make their journey home to historic spawning grounds. Games, nature activities, history walks, crafts, live animals, water science, and rubber duck raffle and race. FREE to the public. Plenty of parking. Sponsored by the Lamprey Rivers Advisory Committee, Epping Recreation, the Epping Historic Society, and the Lamprey River Watershed Association.
Programs at St. George's Church: Mondays, 5:15 PM: Women in Dignity AA meeting (closed); Tuesdays, 1:00 PM: Durham Bridge Group; Tuesdays, 7:30 PM:Overeaters Anonymous meeting; Thursdays, 7:00 PM: Durham AA meeting (open). Call 603-868-2785 for more information on these programs.

FRIENDS OF THE DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY SPRING BOOK SALE

The Friends of the Durham Public Library Spring Book Sale kicks off at the Durham Public Library on Thursday, May 17th from 6pm to 7pm with an Early Bird Preview--admission to this special one hour event is $10 for best selection!
 
The sale opens to everyone from 7pm to 8:30pm Thursday evening. The sale will continue on Friday, May 18th, from 10am to 5pm and on Saturday, May 19th from 10am to 5pm.
 
Come browse quality books and a great selection! Pick up your summer reads while supporting the Durham Public Library. All proceeds from the Friends Spring Book Sale support Library programs.

DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

Help Durham Public Library Trustees Go Green -  Campaign donors who have not received any recent email communications from the Trustees, please consider sending your email address to dplibraryboard@gmail.com. Your address will not be used for any purpose other than communication from the Trustees. To be green and economical and to keep donors informed, the Trustees are compiling as many donor email addresses as possible. Trustees of the Durham Public Library thank all donors for their support of the new library building campaign.
Storytimes Tues. May 1st and Thurs. May 3rd at 10:30 a.m. – This week:  Bugs!  Join us for stories, fingerplays, feltboard, songs and a craft.  All are welcome!
Raccoon Readers, 2nd-4th grade Book Club, Tues. May 1st, 6:00 pm.- Join us for this 2nd-4th grade book group.  This month's book(s) are " Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by Roald Dahl, “Half Magic” by Edward Eager, "Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley and me, Elizabeth" by E.L. Konigsburg or a book of your choice.  We talk about the story(s), author(s), play some games, do some puzzles and make a craft.  All are welcome.  Copies of the book(s) are available at the library.
Young Adult Writing/Blog Group, Tues. May 1st at 7:00-7:45 p.m. - Interested in writing?  Join us for this monthly writing/blog group. Post a book review, poem, movie review, fiction story, music lyrics, travel logs...  on our blog "Write Away".
Carol & Crew Puppet Show, Sat. May 5th, 10:30 am - Join us for this fun Puppet show with Carol and Crew.  Carol will entertain children with her colorful puppets and tales.  All ages and all are welcome!  Don't miss it!
Grail Mania: 21st Century of Retelling of 12th Century Heresy, Weds. May 9th at 6:30 p.m. - The Troubadours sang of it; courtly knights quested for it; Monty Python laughed at it. In this talk and retelling we get to understand why the young knight Perceval’s quest for the grail has as much meaning today as when the story was first told centuries ago.

Babysitting 101, Sat. May 12th from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. - McGregor Memorial EMS offers this certification program. To register, call 862-3674 or cprregistration@megreorems.org. Cost is $20.
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 at the library for the last session in May.
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. 

Check out the library's website at http://www.durhampubliclibrary.org/durham/ for more information.

FROM "DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE A HISTORY - 1900-1985"
Communications-Durham's Post office: “For many years Frank Morrison, livery stable owner, had the contract for mail messenger. This meant meeting all the trains stopping in Durham each day and transporting mail between the depot and the post office. Whenever Frank felt he needed a raise in salary, he would resign. Then the job would be opened for bids, and he would arrange for friends to put in offers much high than what he named and thought he should be getting. With his bid being the lowest, he always got the job at the salary he wanted.” Published in 1985 by the Durham Historic Association.

Have a nice weekend.

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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