Friday Update August 26, 2010

“FRIDAY
UPDATES”

Thursday,
August 26, 2010

 

 

The US Navy Blue Angels will appear
at the 2010 Boston-Portsmouth Air Show at the Portsmouth International Airport at Pease this weekend. Heavy
traffic is expected for this event. To read the Foster’s Daily Democrat article, go to: http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100824/GJNEWS_01/708249896

 

 

LABOR
DAY HOLIDAY

Monday, September 6^th is
Labor Day.  All Town offices will be closed for the Labor Day holiday.
However, there will be NO CHANGE
to the refuse and recycling collection routes during the holiday week. As
always, please have all items out by 7:00 AM. 

 

From
the Supervisors of the Checklist

On September 14, 2010, there will be
a State Primary Election. All registered voters may vote at this election,
whether Republican, Democrat, or Undeclared, unlike in some states. 
However, if you are registered as a Republican or a Democrat, you must vote
within that party at the Primary.  If you are registered Undeclared, you
may choose which ballot you want at
the Election. 

 

New voters may register (and choose
their party) any time up through September 7.  That evening there will be a
registration session at the Durham
Town Hall (as well as all other
communities in New
Hampshire) between 7:00 and 7:30 PM.  New
registrations will also be accepted at the polls on Election Day.  However,
NO PARTY CHANGES CAN BE MADE until after the September 14 election.  If you
enter the polling place as an Undeclared voter, you may sign a form at the
Supervisor’s table on your way out requesting to be changed BACK to
Undeclared.  Other party changes may be made at the Town Hall any time
after September 14.

 

 

WATER
CONSERVATION STATUS

Although we received a small amount
of rainfall in the past few days, it has only made a small impact on the drought
situation.  Town and UNH officials met on Tuesday and agreed that we are
still in need of keeping the Stage 1 water conservation alert active.  The
UDWS is operated jointly by the Town of Durham and UNH, and the system maintains a
Water Conservation Plan with 4 Stages of water conservation measures. 
Stage 1 is primarily about informing the System’s water users that the water
resources are beginning to be stressed and to be cautious about how and when
water is used. These are common sense measures such as watering your lawn
or garden early in the morning rather than the middle day, waiting until your
dishwasher is completely full, or doing only full loads of laundry instead of
partial loads.  The message of the day is to conserve water whenever
possible and don’t use water unnecessarily. 

 

To read the article published by the
University of
New Hampshire, go to: 

http://www.unh.edu/unhedutop/dont-let-rain-fool-you-stage-1-drought-conditions-remain-effect

 

To read the article published in the
Foster’s Daily Democrat, go to:
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100826/GJNEWS_01/708269769

 

HOUSEHOLD
HAZARDOUS WASTE DAY

Household Hazardous Waste Day has
been added to the fall agenda once again.  This year it will be held on
Saturday, October 9^th at the Public Works Facility.  Remember
that this is for residential household hazardous waste products only.  In
order to participate in the event, you must call the Public Works Department,
868-5578, and set an appointment time.  Appointments will be set between
8:30 and 11:30 AM. There is a five gallon maximum per household.  Remember
that latex and oil based paints DO NOT come to Household Hazardous Waste Day
since they can be brought to the Transfer Station throughout the year, latex
dried out first to bring up, oil based paints can be brought up to the Transfer
Station as is.  Please call with any questions and to set an
appointment.  To view details/instructions, please click HERE.

 

 

NEW
STREET SIGNAGE AT MAIN STREE/PETTEE
BROOK LANE

Despite Wednesdays heavy rain the
Department of Public Works was able to install the new main street signage
located on Pettee Brook
Lane. This signage replaces older signage that was
outdated. The new signage was designed to give clearer directions to the
downtown business district and UNH campus.

 

 

NEW
OBSERVATION PLATFORM AT JACKSON’S
LANDING

Pictured above is the new
observation platform located off one of the trails at Jacksons landing. This
platform allows increased viewing of the salt marsh area of the Oyster River. The observation platform was an
Eagle Scout project completed by Kyle Mullaney of Boy Scout Troop 154. Kyle
worked in conjunction with the Public Works Department and the Conservation
Commission to create the design and determine the location of the platform. This
project was the final piece of the two year long rehabilitation of the Jacksons
Landing recreational area.

 

 

Reduce,
Reuse, Recycle…Refurbish!

While each Town department is
responsible for the purchase of its own vehicles specific to that department’s
needs, the Department of Public Works is responsible for the routine
maintenance, reallocation, resale or trade of those vehicles. The DPW is
consistently asked by the Town Administrator to reuse equipment and maximize its
usable life. The DPW recently replaced the old fleet services 1995 GMC 3500 with
the 1998 Dodge 3500 Primary Rescue Truck from the Fire Department. The 1998
Rescue vehicle was outdated and no longer able to be relied upon for rescue
operations. After the transmission was rebuilt, rusty fenders replaced, and
substantial body work completed (including a new coat of paint) this vehicle was
able to become the “newest” refurbished addition to the DPW fleet—a good
illustration of how the department is  keeping with the philosophy of
reduce, reuse, recycle, and…refurbish!

 

More
Suspicious Activity

It is really too bad that criminals
could not put their ideas to legal enterprises but sadly, Durham citizens must
remain vigilant to scams of all kinds.  This week the Durham Police was
alerted by a resident that he had received a telephone call from a person who
identified themselves as an employee of the US Department of Finance and
Treasury.  This “employee” told the Durham resident that he had been awarded a
$25,000 grant for his family and that all he had to do is provide some personal
information and a check would be dispersed immediately.  Our alert resident
hung up immediately on the “employee”.  Residents are reminded NEVER to provide
personal data to anyone who calls you.  No reputable company works in that
matter.  Obviously if you call them, that is a different situation as you
know who you are talking too. 

 

Residents should immediately hang-up
and advise the Durham Police so that we may stay current with these scams and
the methods utilized so that we may share the latest scam techniques with our
citizens. 

 

 

ARREST
DATA

The Durham Police maintain arrest
data of all persons arrested within Durham by
Durham, UNH and
other law enforcement agencies.  The graph above depicts 2010 through the
first three weeks of August.  While seemingly commonsensical, it is
important for the police administration to provide the Town Administrator and
the Town Council with reliable data from which plans and operating strategies
can be developed.  The visual graph demonstrates what most understand about
the impact of the University of New Hampshire’s academic calendar has upon the
resources of law enforcement in Durham.  Additionally, it is important to
note that cold rainy weather is the police officer’s friend!

 

Thefts
from Parked Vehicles

The police also responded to
numerous reports of thefts from vehicles parked in and around the Wiswall Dam,
Packers
Falls, and Doe Farm
recreation areas.  Consequently the Durham Police Department initiated an
investigation designed to be preventative while making an arrest/s if possible.
While patrol officers have been directed to be highly visible in these areas
during hours of peak activity, Detective Sergeant, in cooperation with the
University of New Hampshire Police Department, deployed a "decoy" car in these
areas in an effort to identify and apprehend suspects.  While the initial
decoy vehicle did not attract attention, the Durham Police plan to continue the
patrols and decoy car operations throughout the remainder of the summer. 
Residents again are urged to report suspicious activity so that police can
respond and address the situation.

 

Cha,
cha, changes are coming to Durham Marketplace this
fall!

This coming fall at the Durham
Marketplace, the frozen food cases are going “green” with new LED lighting and
25% more space, so customers can expect to see more quick-fix meal options and
specialty frozen items. 

 

The Durham Farmers’ Market continues
outside Durham Marketplace throughout the harvest season with a bountiful
assortment of local products, and plans are already in the works for the Market
to return in the spring of 2011. Customers can welcome back the Marketfresh Meat
department at Durham Marketplace beginning September 7th, featuring all the old
favorites – rolled rib roasts during the holidays, sirloin tips, stuffed leg of
Easter lamb, and of course, Stonewood Farms all natural, free-range turkeys this
Thanksgiving.

 

ANNUAL
MUNICIPAL LAW LECTURE SERIES

Beginning in September, the 35th
Annual Municipal Law Lecture Series, sponsored by the New Hampshire Local Government Center and the Regional Planning
Commission, will be holding lectures in communities throughout the state. These
lectures are intended for municipal officials with an interest in, or
responsibility for, any aspect of municipal land use to include members of
planning boards, zoning boards, conservation commissions, and councils/board of
selectmen, as well as planners, building inspectors, and code officers. All
lectures are held on Wednesday evenings from 7:00-9:00 PM.

 

The schedule of lectures is as
follows: 

 

Lecture 1: Cell Towers: Managing the Approval Process to
Protect Municipal Interests and Comply with Federal
Law

Lecture 2: Conflict of Interest,
Disqualification and the Local Land Use Board Decision-Making
Process

Lecture 3: Administrative Decisions
in Planning and Zoning: How They’re Made, How They’re
Appealed

 

A registration form has been placed
in the mailboxes for Council, Planning Board, Zoning Board, Historic District
Commission, and Conservation Commission members. The registration form may also
be obtained through the LGC website at: http://www.nhlgc.org/attachments/trainingevents/MLLS_flyer.pdf.
Board and committee members interested in attending any or all of these lectures
are encouraged to do so. Please complete the registration form and return it to
Jennie Berry as soon as possible as space is limited. The Town will cover the
cost for all registration fees.

 

Parking
at UNH on AugUST 27 and 29

Every year more than a dozen cars
have to be towed from parking lots on campus so the lots can be used for
move-in. The university does not want to have to do this and makes every effort
to notify people, including posting signs in the affected lots.

 

PLEASE
NOTE the
following lots WILL BE CLOSED:
B-lot, E/E1 Lots, Forest Park South Lot, C-lot (off Mill Road), Health
Services Lots, Brook Way Lots, U-Lot, D-lot, H-Lot, Q-lot, and Ballard Loop.
(These lots will all re-open after 4 p.m. Aug. 27 to standard Friday parking
rules.)

 

Vehicles will be towed from the
above designated parking lots starting at 5 a.m. Friday August 27, 2010, and on
Sunday morning August 29, 2010.

 

VOLUNTEERS
NEEDED FOR FALL RESEARCH ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND SEA LEVEL
RISE

Several dedicated volunteers are
needed to help with field research in New Hampshire monitoring climate change and
sea level rise. The Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is putting out
the call for volunteers to assist in an intensive six-week period of field work
set to begin September 4, 2010. 

 

The research is possible because the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is loaning the reserve an
"RTK" (real time kinematic) GPS unit for a period of six weeks, beginning
September 4, 2010. 

 

The data collected with this unit
will be used to generate digital elevation models of three salt
marshes. These models will be used as part of a national monitoring project
measuring ecological impacts of relative sea level change associated with
climate change.

 

Two volunteers are needed to help
run this equipment each day. One individual is needed to sit with the base
station of the RTK unit. This is a non-physical volunteer role. The other
volunteer will accompany a staff member in the field (extreme field conditions
in a salt marsh environment) as they operate the roving unit. This project is
weather-dependent and will involve full field
days. 

 

If you are interested in
volunteering or learning more about this project, please contact the Reserve by
emailing Jay.Sullivan@wildlife.nh.gov or calling 603-778-0015. 

 

The work is part of the National
Estuarine Research Reserve System's Habitat Mapping and Change initiative, which
allows for long-term monitoring of ecological alterations, particularly those
associated with climate change. Integrating geodetic and tidal data with habitat
information will allow the Reserve to function as a sentinel site for climate
change research and provide tools to improve coastal resilience. It establishes
a framework long-term data set on which to rest multiple research and monitoring
activities, such as modeling effects of tidal inundation on local habitats and
human infrastructure.

 

The Great Bay National Estuarine
Research Reserve is a cooperative federal-state partnership between the New
Hampshire Fish and Game Department and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. Visit http://www.greatbay.org.

 

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. 

 

Historic District Commission –
Tuesday, September 2, 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

 

Zumba
– Pilates – Circuit Training – 20/20/20 – New Fall
Schedule

Registration is now open for Kathy
Kerrigan’s fall adult fitness classes at Durham Parks & Rec.  For a
current schedule, please click HERE. Some class times and locations have changed, so
stay up to date.  Classes are open to all ages and ability levels. 
Come and join us at class and have fun while getting fit!  Please contact
Kathy (kerrigan6@comcast.net) or P&R Director Michael
Mengers (817-4074, mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us) with questions or to
register.

 

Durham
Day Volunteers Still Needed

Durham Day is
scheduled for Sunday, September 26^th from 12:30 to 4:00 PM at Wagon
Hill Farm.  The Parks & Recreation Department is still looking for
volunteers to help cook/grill and serve the community barbeque.  Those
interested in volunteering or needing more information on Durham Day should
contact P&R Director Michael Mengers at 817-4074, mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us.

 

The
Parks & Recreation Nature Note – Milne
Property

A
gift to Durham
from the Keepers of the Swans.

 

There
isn’t a resident in Town who hasn’t visited Mill Pond
Park, but how many of you
have visited the Milne Property just down the road?  Margery and Lorus
Milne, affectionately known around Town as the Keepers of the Swans, bequeathed
this parcel of land to the Town of Durham to be preserved as an area for quiet
reflection.

 

The
Milne Property sits at the convergence of the Mill Pond, Oyster River and College Brook.  It is an
excellent spot to relax, bird watch or catch a glimpse of the beautiful
swans.  In the middle of the Park is the Milne Remembrance Stone, a large
granite monolith which serves as a memorial to the Milne’s.   The
garden surrounding the Stone is maintained by the Durham Garden
Club.

 

Milne
Park is now more accessible to visitors
with the Department of Public Works just completing a sidewalk that connects
Mill Pond Park and
Milne
Park.  The trails have
also been covered with woodchips making them easier to
traverse.

 

The
Milne Property is located just south of Mill Pond
Park on Mill Pond
Road.  Ample street parking can be found. 
The Property can be visited from dawn to dusk.  It is asked that this area
is only used for quiet reflection.

 

(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.)

 

COMMUNITY
EVENTS

§        
Aug 23 – 27, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Strawbery Banke Museum, 14 Hancock Street, Portsmouth:  Kid Filmmakers Summer Shoot 2010 (ages
10-15—child must be at least 10 years old by Aug 23). For more information,
contact Marianne Bornkessel, 603-534-3934, or kidfilmmakersnh@yahoo.com.

§        
Sep 11, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM – Durham Churches Hold Annual Family Yard
Sale. The Durham churches of
Durham Community Church and St. Thomas More Church will hold the annual family yard
sale. Come search for possible treasures in including clothing, ketch ware,
furniture, sporting goods, books, vintage items, linens, tools, and toys. Enjoy
barbecue foods. Bring a friend and shop, rain or shine.

 

Durham
Public Library Programs and Events

§        
Beginning Sep 7^th, Storytime, rat readers
( 2^nd-4^th grade book group), tales for tails, pajama
storytime, and the middle school book group bookeaters.  Check the library
calendar and website for details coming soon.

§        
Beginning Sep 1^st through May
31^st, The patch program (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.

§        
Young adults interested in writing
a review of a book, play, movie, event?  Email the children’s librarian at ekleinmann@ci.durham.nh.us  or
stop by the circulation desk and we’ll put you in contact with our partner, YA
author Megan Frazer, who is helping us with this blog. Visit our website at www.durhampubliclibrary.org for
more information.

 

DURHAM GARDEN CLUB
SEEKING NEW MEMBERS

The Durham Garden Club is looking
for new members to attend its first monthly meeting on Tuesday, September
21, 2010. The topic for this meeting will be CREATING BEAUTY WITH PLANTS AND
STONE BY THOMAS BERGER, STONE SCULPTOR. He will give some ideas for
incorporating art into your garden settings.  The Garden Club invites
residents for socializing and refreshments at 6:30 PM at St. George's Episcopal
Church, Main Street,
Durham. The meeting begins at 7:00
p.m.   We look forward to seeing some new faces.  Please call
Joanne Young at 659-8055 if you have any questions.

 

FROM
“DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE A HISTORY –
1900-1985”

“A study of the town’s water supply
was begun in 1924, and by 1929 the selectmen were authorized to arrange terms
with the university for the distribution of water from the university’s system
to town mains. Water was obtained from the university pumping station, which
brought the supply from a reservoir located northwest of the college barns.
Residents considered both the town and the college water supply superior to the
shallow wells formally used because they did not stain as did the high iron
content water of the latter.” 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

 

The
Town of Durham
has developed a list server. The server provides interested individuals with
updates and announcements concerning the community. Individuals interested in
subscribing should send an email to Town_of_Durham@ci.durham.nh.us
and type the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line.