Friday Update August 13, 2010

$B!H(BFRIDAY
UPDATES$B!I(B

Friday,
August 16, 2010

A bullfrog enjoys a
tasty fish (bluegill)

Courtesy Cat
Dees

As part of Durham$B!G(Bs Kaizen (continuous quality improvement)
initiative, several department heads and staff members are participating today
in the last day of a two-day 2010 Lean Systems Summit held in Portland, Maine. Attendees discuss and learn how Lean
continuous improvement principles and methods are being used to improve
organizational effectiveness.

PACE
Energy Efficiency Program: Do You Want To Participate?

In the last few weeks, the Friday
Updates has introduced readers to the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE)
program, which allows property owners to finance energy efficiency and renewable
energy improvements using low$B!>(Binterest bonds arranged by the municipality. The
Energy Committee must hear from you by August
25 if you wish to participate in Durham's first round of the program,
anticipated for this fall. Thirty enthusiastic residents have already expressed
interest.

Here is the background:
Durham is
not there yet, but the Energy Committee is working with the Town Administrator
to make it happen.

This is how it works: Residential and commercial
property owners may opt in to the program to receive long-term financing (up to
20 years) for improvements. They then repay the loan through a separate property
tax assessment. This arrangement spreads the cost of clean energy improvements –
such as energy-efficient boilers, upgraded insulation, new windows, solar
installations, etc. – over the expected life of the improvement. The program
also allows for the repayment obligation to transfer automatically to the next
property owner if the property is sold.

Here's an example of how this
would work. Let$B!G(Bs say a homeowner receives PACE funding for a solar photovoltaic
installation. For a typical system of 3 kW, the net cost would be on the order
of $8,400 (assuming $6/watt installed, a $6,000 rebate from NH, and a 30% tax
incentive from the federal government). This system would be expected to produce
approximately 4,800 kW-h per year -- or about $720 of electricity per year,
assuming a constant electricity cost of 15 cents per kW-h. (This example uses a
3 kW system that produces about 13 kW-h per day, which is enough to run an
energy efficient house.) The loan repayment over 20 years would amount to
approximately $610 per year, depending on the interest rate on the
loan. 

You do the planning and the math for
your property under PACE. We would do the setting up of the program for the
town. 

Interested in
participating? Please send a brief note to the Chair of the Energy
Committee via this link dec@ci.durham.nh.us. Describe what kind of
energy efficient improvement you are considering. (Note: This is just a feeler,
to get a sense of community interest. Details on your anticipated installation
cost will be required before we proceed to the next step of setting up such a
fund.)  

Responses must be received
by August 25, 2010 for this first round.

TOWN
COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE

Due to the upcoming Labor Day
holiday, the Town Council meetings in September will be held on Monday,
September 13 and Monday, September 27.

Council meetings in October will be
the normal first and third Monday schedule with meetings to be held on Monday,
October 4 and Monday October 18.

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, August 16,
2010

Zoning Board of Adjustment –
Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Rental Housing Commission –
Wednesday, August 18, 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

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. Citizens interested in board appointments should contact the
Town Administrator$B!G(Bs office at 868-5571, or email Jennie Berry at jberry@ci.durham.nh.us and request an
application form. Interested residents may also stop in at the Town Clerk$B!G(Bs
office located on the first floor of the Town Hall, 15 Newmarket Road,
and complete an application. Applications are also available on the Town$B!G(Bs
web site at: www.ci.durham.nh.us under the heading $B!H(BI
want to$B!I(B on the right-hand side in the blue box. Completed applications may be
mailed to the Town Administrator$B!G(Bs office, or submitted via email to jberry@ci.durham.nh.us.

Durham Cable Access Television
(DCAT) Governance Committee (2 regular vacancies; 1 alternate
vacancy)

Durham Energy Committee (2
vacancies)

Parks and Recreation Committee (1
alternate vacancy)

Rental Housing Commission (1 tenant
representative)

Economic Development Committee (1
regular vacancy)

Integrated Waste Management Advisory
Committee (3 vacancies)

Planning Board (1 alternate
vacancy)

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

UNH
OUTDOOR POOL EVENTS AND INFORMATION

Pool hours change to Noon – 6:00 PM
on Monday, August 16^th. The pool will be open 7 days a week until
September 1^st.   Thank you for a great
summer!

Reggae
Night at Wagon Hill Farm – Friday, August 20^th – 6:00pm to
7:30pm

Join Roots, Rhythm
& Dub and the Parks & Recreation Department for Reggae Night at Wagon
Hill Farm on Friday, August 20^th from 6:00pm to 7:30pm.  Roots,
Rhythm & Dub is a reggae band from Southern
Maine.  Their music touches on Jazz, Blues, Latin Rock, R&B
and Folk all the while staying true to their Reggae roots.  Bring a picnic,
blanket and lawn chair and be prepared to enjoy beautiful views of the Little
Bay, great music and the company of family and friends.  Free admission. 

Monday
Evening Yoga with Ruth Abelmann begins September
13th

Parks & Rec is happy to announce
a new session of Monday Evening Yoga with Ruth Abelmann will begin on September
13^th at 5:00pm.  This 8-week yoga class will meet every Monday
at Durham Parks & Rec.  The entire program is $40.  Please
register with Michael Mengers, mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us, 817-4074.

Family
Dragonfly Day – Saturday, August 21^st – 2:00pm – John Hatch Park

Join
Suzanne Petersen of the Lamprey River Advisory Committee for a day of dragonfly
fun.  This free program includes a lesson on dragonflies, catching and
releasing specimens, species identification and more.  The program is for
children entering 3^rd through 6^th grade, but the whole
family is encouraged to attend.  Please RSVP Michael Mengers at 817-4074,
mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us 

Parks
& Rec Looking For Kite Enthusiasts

Parks
& Rec is looking for resident kite enthusiasts to help with a kite
construction and flying event.  If interested contact Michael Mengers at
mmenger@ci.durham.nh.us,
817-4074.

The
Parks & Recreation Nature Note – Packer$B!G(Bs Falls

With
the summer$B!G(Bs heat still in full effect take the opportunity to cool off in the
Lamprey River at one of Durham$B!G(Bs scenic swimming
holes.

Packer$B!G(Bs Falls,
located at the intersection of Bennett Road and Packers Falls Road,
was deeded to Captain John Packer in 1694.  Packer constructed a mill to
bring waterpower and industry to Durham$B!G(Bs earliest settlers.  Since 1985
the Falls have been maintained by the Town of Durham as a recreation area where residents can
stay cool in babbling rapids and calm pools as well as enjoy nature, fishing
(license required) and bird watching.

Foot
trails offer various water access to the Lamprey.  Take a look around for a
spot that is right for you.  At the Falls you will find spots in the river
to sit as water flows beside you or calmer areas that offer wading pools. 
At the bottom of the Falls the river calms and opens into a large pool where
swimming is possible.  The best fishing spot is said to be at the Big Rock
just along side of Bennett
Road.  History buffs will be interested in
seeing the old brick foundations of buildings that once stood on the
land.

Parking is available
in the marked lot on Bennett
Road.  Two additional parking spots are at the
dirt turnout on the north side of Bennett Road, just down the road from the
main lot.  NO ON
STREET PARKING IS ALLOWED.  Please note that
there are no lifeguards on duty.  Swimming is at your own risk. 
During periods of heavy rain the Falls flow very fast and entrance into the
water is not advised.

(Every week in the
Friday Updates the Parks & Recreation Department will be highlighting a
Durham natural
area to make residents aware of all of the great natural areas right here in
Town.  If you have a spot that you think should be highlighted email
mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us with your
location.)

DURHAM PARKS AND RECREATION
PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

$B!x(B        
Wednesday, August 18^th –
Free Yoga at Wagon Hill Farm – Noon to 1:00pm

$B!x(B        
Friday, August 20^th –
Reggae Night at Wagon
Hill – Roots, Rhythm & Dub –
6:00pm

$B!x(B        
Friday, August 21^st –
Family Dragonfly
Day – 2:00pm at John Hatch
Park

$B!x(B        
Monday, September 13^th –
Monday Evening
Yoga begins (5:00pm) – preregistration
required

$B!x(B        
Tuesday, September 14^th –
On the Ball
class begins (6:00pm) – preregistration
required

$B!x(B        
Wednesday, September 15^th –
Sound
Beginnings youth music program
starts

$B!x(B        
Saturday, September 18^th –
Walking to
Wellness begins (9:00am) – preregistration
required

$B!x(B        
Sunday, September 26^th –
Durham Day –
12:30pm to 4:00pm – Wagon Hill Farm

Durham
Public Library Programs and Events

$B!x(B        
Tuesday, September 7^th - Storytime, the
patch program, rat readers (our 2^nd-4^th grade book group),
tales for tails, seacoast reads, pajama storytime and the middle school book
group bookeaters will start.  Check our calendar and website for details
coming soon at www.durhampubliclibrary.org.

$B!x(B        
Young adults interested in writing a review of a
book, play, movie, event?  Email the children$B!G(Bs librarian at ekleinmann@ci.durham.nh.us  or
stop by the circulation desk and we$B!G(Bll put you in contact with our partner, YA
author Megan Frazer, who is helping us with this blog. Visit our website above
for more information.

FROM
$B!H(BDURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE A HISTORY –
1900-1985$B!I(B

$B!H(BVotes in the 1922 and 1923 town
meetings to construct sidewalks addressed a concern for the safety and
convenience of pedestrians and highway traffic. These sidewalks were to be on
Main
Street, from the junction of Madbury Road west to
the former Alpha Tau Omega house, and along Route 108, from Schoolhouse Lane to
the old Town Hall. In the same period, voters also approved a building code and
a fire precinct code.$B!I(B Published in 1985 by the Durham Historic
Association.

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

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Town of Durham
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