Ute Luxem - Town Council

UTE LUXEM - Town Council
23 Ross Road

Occupation: Commercial Loan Officer

Education:  German Education in Banking --Granite State College; Bachelor in Banking and Business Administration

Years as Durham Resident:  19 Years

Previous Service on Governmental/Community/Civic Boards, Commissions, Committees, or Organizations: --Durham Economic Development Committee, 2009-2015 (served as Chair 2012-2015) --Town Council, Nov 2015-present; --Strafford Regional Planning Commission, 2010-present (serving on the Economic Development District Advisory Board); --Rotary Club of Dover, 2011-present (Board member, Jun 2015-present);  --Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce, 2011-present (Government Affairs Committee member and Ambassador for 28 business members of the Chamber)

Reason for Interest in Running for Elected Office. Durham is a great community which has been home to my family for 19 years. We moved here from Germany with our three young children. The welcoming – and academically excellent – environment of the Oyster River Cooperative School District, natural areas and conserved lands made Durham a wonderful place to call home.

Now that my children have grown up, it’s time to give back!  Serving on the Town Council will be a continuation of my years of commitment to the town. I want to preserve what makes our community special while recognizing that many of the significant fiscal challenges we faced just a few years ago have changed due to the development Durham has experienced.  I want to build upon the work of the current and past town councils to balance community goals with the fiscal realities that all towns face throughout our state.

Some of my priorities and focus as a Town Councilor will be on the following:

• Work to attract new development to the Downtown that is not reliant on student housing and is attractive and beneficial to Durham’s 6,000 permanent residents.
• Protect the character of Durham’s rural gateways. Examine the zoning along Mast Road beyond the existing water and sewer infrastructure to determine if the commercial zoning should be removed.
• Be fiscally conservative and disciplined to keep property taxes as low as possible with the goal to reduce the need to expand commercial development outside of downtown and currently commercially zoned areas.
• Move forward on the deferred capital improvements that adversely impact our fire, police services, and downtown parking.
• Continue my work with UNH on projects and programs that are mutually beneficial to the University and Durham.
• Recognize that Durham’s traditional downtown neighborhoods are vital to Durham’s character and require unique services and focus due to their proximity to the University.

Thank you for considering me for the Durham Town Council.

Additional background information not included in responses above, if applicable.  N/A