“FRIDAY
UPDATES”

February
5, 2010

We received two photographs of the
unusual circular ice formations from this past week shown above. The photo at
the left was submitted by Steve Burns and was taken at the Oyster River dam. The photograph at the right was
submitted by Don Brautigam, taken at the Lamprey River
just below the Packers Falls bridge.

Because the formations above are
unusual, we would like to have a "caption" contest to see what kind of humorous,
interesting, or quirky kinds of captions we might receive to describe the
photographs. We will then choose the best caption and publish the winner in the
next week's edition of the "Friday Updates". Caption contests will be done
periodically. So, if you are up for a little fun, we look forward to hearing
from you! Please submit caption entries to jberry@ci.durham.nh.us.

PARKS
& RECREATION WINTER FESTIVAL & CHILI COOKOFF – AT MILL
POND

The Durham Parks & Recreation
Department Winter Festival & Chili Cookoff will be taking place this
Saturday, February 6^th from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM at the Mill Pond in Durham. 

The Winter Festival will include a
fire pit tended by the Durham Fire Department with free smores, free ice skate
usage, a performance by UNH’s Alabaster Blue, activities and games provided by
the Durham Public Library and Oyster River Parents and Preschoolers and much
more.

Nine Durham businesses and eight Durham residents will have their finest chili recipes on
the line, vying for the honor of ‘Durham’s Best Chili.”  A $5 donation will
get you an opportunity to sample them all.  Get there early, as the chili
will go fast.  All proceeds of the Cookoff will go directly to renovating
the Smith Chapel, one of Durham’s oldest and most historic
landmarks. 

Please come out and join us on
Saturday!  Parking is available at the Durham Town
Hall, the Durham Community Church and Ocean Bank (after
noon).

UNH
Strategic Plan

On Tuesday of this week, UNH
President Mark Huddleston provided an overview of the University's strategic
plan through the year 2020 entitled.  To view the plan, go to
http://www.unh.edu/strategicplanning/images/TheUniversityofNewHampshirein2020.pdf. 

2009
Year End Gross Wages

The Town of Durham has released its
year end gross wages and taxable benefits for 2009.  To view this
information go to the Town web site at http://ci.durham.nh.us/DEPARTMENTS/admin/gross_earnings2010.html or view a related Foster's
article at http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100205/GJNEWS_01/702059921/0/FOSNEWS.

Durham
Business Association Candidates Forum

On Tuesday, February 23, 2010,
beginning at 7:00 PM, a Candidates Forum for Town Council and Library Trustee
candidates will be held in the Council Chambers of the Town Hall located at
15 Newmarket
Road. The forums are being planned and hosted by the
Durham Business Association (www.durhambusinessassociation.org),
moderated by Town Moderator, Chris Regan, and will be broadcast on Durham Cable
Access Television (DCAT), Channel 22.

The public is
invited to attend and to participate by submitting questions
for Town
Council and Library Trustee candidates who are running for these elected offices
at the March 9, 2010 Town Election. Questions may be submitted by email to the
Durham Business Association at durhambusinessassociation@gmail.com
by Monday, February 15, 2010.

Please
Note: The
Durham Business Association is a 501 (c) (6) nonprofit and does not promote or
endorse any specific political candidates.

DOG
LICENSING

Dog tags for 2010 are available at
the Town Clerk’s office.  All dogs are required by state law to be
licensed.  Licenses must be renewed annually by April
30^th.  Late fees of $1/month are added to the license fee
beginning in June.  A valid rabies vaccination is required to register your
dog.  If your dog has had a recent rabies vaccination, please bring the
certificate with you so that we can update our
records.

FEBRUARY
AUTOMOBILE REGISTRATION RENEWAL NOTICES

Those residents who renew their
automobile registrations in February have probably noticed that they have not
received the renewal notice the Town Clerk’s office usually sends at the end of
January.  The office is in the process of making changes that will allow
the use of one check to pay both Town and state fees. Unfortunately, notices
were not able to be mailed out on Monday, February 1^st as originally
anticipated. Renewal notices have been printed with the one check information
and will be mailed out Wednesday, February 10^th.  The one check
system will be in place beginning Thursday, February 11^th. 
Please feel free to come in or register online prior to February 11^th
if it is more convenient for you.  Two checks will be required prior to
February 11^th.

Durham
Resident/Taxpayer Permit Stickers—Changes in 2008 Permitting

A reminder that residents can obtain a “Durham Resident/Taxpayer Permit” at
no cost. Residents can acquire the permit (sticker) at the Town Clerk’s office
at the Town Hall or the Department of Public Works. The sticker entitles
residents to FREE access to enter the Transfer Station. The sticker also allows residents/taxpayers who
display the sticker an additional hour of parking in the existing downtown
one-hour, non-metered spaces for a total of two hours. Call the Town Clerk’s
office at 868-5577 with any questions. Permit holders will need to purchase
bulky waste coupons which allow them to drop off one item or up to a pickup
truck load of non-recyclable bulky waste items per coupon. 
Bulky waste
coupons are only sold at the Public Works facility as follows: $10 for the first coupon, $15
for the second coupon, and $65 for any additional coupons purchased after the
initial two. Durham Public Works
office hours are 8AM-12, 12:30-4:30PM, M-F at 100 Stone Quarry Drive.  Check or cash
only, no credit cards.  Bulky Waste coupons are also available by mail when
requested.  Call Public Works at 868-5578 with any questions. The 2010
Durham Resident/Taxpayer Permit stickers are YELLOW.

Town
Election - March 9, 2010

The 2010 Town Election will be held
on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at the Oyster River
High School.  Polling
hours are from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Voters will park in reserved spaces along the
front of the school and use the Multipurpose Room entrance.

Morgan
Way
Intersection

The Department of Public Works is
soliciting letters of interest and qualifications statements to provide
engineering services for the improvements of the Morgan Way / US
Route 4 intersection in Durham, NH.
The scope of engineering work will include engineering design and construction
drawings, bidding services, shop drawing reviews, and full-time construction
administration services for construction projects scheduled for the summer of
2010.  The project will add a left-hand turning lane for eastbound vehicle
traffic on Route 4 enabling a safer turning motion into Morgan Way for
eastbound motor vehicles.   Interested parties should submit two
copies of a letter of interest and a qualifications statement to Michael Lynch,
Director of Public Works, 100 Stone
Quarry Drive, Durham, NH 03824, before February 11, 2010. 
The letter of interest and qualifications statement combined should not exceed
12 pages (including resumes and marketing leaflets).  If you have any
questions, or would like to discuss aspects of the project as you prepare your
letter of interest, contact Michael Lynch, Director of Public Works or Town
Engineer David Cedarholm at (603) 868-5578, mlynch@ci.durham.nh.us, dcedarholm@ci.durham.nh.us.

Update
on Discussion With the Trust
for Public Land
for Preservation of the Spruce Forest Area and
Potential Development Opportunities for the Central Business District

In May 2009, Gregg Caporossi of the
Trust for Public Land (TPL) attended the Town Council meeting and provided
Councilors with a presentation regarding the TPL’s interest in conserving
approximately 171 acres of land located off of Mill Road known as
Spruce Wood.  At the Town Council meeting on Monday, February
1^st, the Council held a discussion to consider further
whether the Town is interested in pursuing the proposal submitted by
the TPL. After almost 1.5 hours of public feedback and lengthy discussion
by Councilors on Monday evening regarding the pros and cons of the project, Mr.
Selig will follow up with TPL to work through specific project
elements in anticipation of further Council conversation on February 15th
or March 1st.  To view the TPL present proposal for this property,
click HERE, or visit the
Town web site at www.ci.durham.nh.us.

Assistant
Engineer

The Department of Public Works is
advertising for an Assistant Engineering position. The goal of this position is
to do more engineering tasks in house thereby eliminating the need to pay
premiums for outside consulting. The individual hired for this position
will be inspecting development projects, and the hope is that the charges from
these inspections will help offset the cost of their salary.  DPW is
seeking a highly motivated individual with a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil
Engineering to assist the Town Engineer in the design, construction, and
inspection of Public Works projects. The successful candidate must have strong
communication, written, analysis, water, wastewater, stormwater, GIS, and CAD
skills. A minimum of one year professional civil engineering experience is
required.  Possession of an Engineer-in-Training Certificate from the State
of New
Hampshire is required within six months of hire.
Compensation is $21.46 / hour plus extremely competitive benefits.  Send
cover letter, Town application, and resume to Michael
Lynch, Director of Public Works, 100 Stone Quarry Drive Durham, New Hampshire
03824 no later than
February 8, 2010. 

Compost
Bins and Rain Barrels

The Department of Public Works will
be taking place in the annual Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA)
compost bin sale.  Orders for compost bins ($42) and rain barrels ($60)
will be taken through the end of March. A display of the rain barrel and bin
will be placed in a Town facility in the coming month.  More information
and order forms to follow in the coming weeks.  Interested parties may
contact Janice Hoglund at the Department of Public Works, 868-5578, publicworks@ci.durham.nh.us. 

Telephone
Solicitation

This past week a number of residents
have contacted the police department regarding telephone solicitations that
mention the Durham Police.  The solicitation is legitimate, BUT has nothing to do with the Durham
Police in anyway and none of the funds will benefit the department.  The
organization sponsoring the solicitation is the New Hampshire Police Association
(NHPA).  Residents should be aware that the Durham Police Department is not
affiliated with this group nor is any Durham police officer a member of this
organization.  After contacting the leadership of the NHPA, Chief Kurz was
assured that not only was the reference to the Durham Police not authorized, but
they would assure him that there would be discussions with the solicitation
company.

UNH
Green Launching Pad: Could it come to downtown Durham?

On February 3, Governor Lynch and
UNH President Mark Huddleston announced the launching of a a competitive
“green” energy technology commercialization program, which is accessible to New
Hampshire entrepreneurs, businesses, and innovators and initially funded by
$750,000 from Federal stimulus funds. The concept of the Green Launching
Pad is to connect entrepreneurs and private industry with technical, scientific
and business faculty and students at UNH, and statewide to launch new green
businesses. The Durham Energy Committee Chair Kevin Gardner, a member of the
Green Launching Pad founding team, met with the Durham Economic Development
Committee recently to encourage the EDC to consider ways that Durham might coordinate
with this program (e.g. identifying office space for teams and new
businesses).  Anyone interested in possibly applying for funding or
getting involved in any way are encouraged to visit the website, contact any of
the working group members, come to the public information sessions, and
subscribe to the mailing list for the Green Launching
Pad. 

The seminar and information session
open to the public will be held at the UNH MUB on Friday, February 12, from 1p
to 3pm. Go to the website www.greenlaunchingpad.org to learn
more. (Thanks to UNH Media Relations for portions of this
text.)

Tap
In: UNH series about water issues

This spring promises to be wetter
than usual at the University of New
Hampshire, when Tap In, a series of films and a
lecture about water issues, begins to flow Feb. 16, 2010. The series will
explore issues of water privatization, access, quality and even the spiritual
significance of water with four award-winning documentary films (Feb 16 and 22,
March 22, April 20) and a lecture by water rights activist Maude Barlow on March
4.

“Tap In,” sponsored by the UNH
Office of Sustainability along with Food & Water Watch, offers these events,
all free and open to the public. To learn more, please go to http://www.unh.edu/news/cj_nr/2010/feb/bp01water.cfm.

PUBLIC
MEETING SCHEDULE

The following public meetings are
scheduled for the coming week in the Town Council chambers at the Durham Town
Office. To view the agendas 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. 

Durham Energy Committee – Monday, February
8, 2010 (7:30
PM)

Zoning Board of Adjustment –
Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Planning Board – Wednesday, February
10, 2010

Conservation Commission – Thursday,
February 11, 2010

Economic Development Committee –
Friday, February 12, 2010 (7:30
AM)

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 HISTORIC
ASSOCIATION
MUSEUM OPEN ON
SATURDAY

The Durham Historic Association
Museum will be open tomorrow, Saturday, February 6^th, from 12:30 to
4:00 PM. Attendees of the Winter Carnival and Chili Cookoff at the Mill Pond are
invited to come to the museum to warm up and to see more information on the
history of the Smith Park Chapel.

DURHAM PARKS & RECREATION
FEBRUARY REMINDER

Stay up-to-date on all of Park &
Recreation’s current classes and programs.  Click HERE to view the February 2010 Reminder. Check
out a new class being offered starting in February: Introductory Art – Drawing
& Sketching.

COMMUNITY
EVENTS

§        
Saturday, February 6, 2:30 PM, Community Church of Durham:
Haiti Benefit Concert. Donations will go to the
Red Cross to help the survivors of the Haiti
earthquake.

§        
Sunday, February 7, Community Church of Durham: Resources and Support for Parents Caring for
Teens, sponsored by Oyster River Teen Initiative (ORTI). 4:30
PM: Refreshments and informal conversation. 5:00 – 6:00 PM: Guest
facilitator, Gary Faucher, plus time NH (with time for questions and small group
discussion). For more information, contact ORTI Chair, Mary Westfall,
868-1230.

§        
Monday, February 8 – March 6, 2010, University Museum in Dimond Library: Darfur: Photojournalists Respond Exhibit. Features thirty photographs by
eight photographers, all of whom participated in the book Darfur: Twenty Years of War and Genocide in
Sudan. Opening remarks
(6:00 PM, DeMeritt Hall Auditorium) by two special guests, the Honorable Ezekiel
Lol Gatkuoth and Roger P. Winter. For more information, contact (603)
862-1081.

§        
Friday, February 12, 7:00 PM, 7:00 PM, Community
Church of Durham:  “An Evening of the
Arts for Haitian Relief” For more information, contact (603)
743-1813, brynb07@comcast.net.

§        
Saturday, February 13, (storm date: Feb 20), 4:00 PM,
Jeremiah Smith Grange, Lee:  Afternoon
of Traditional Native American Stories hosted by the Lamprey
River Advisory Committee. Free to the public and all ages are encouraged to
attend. For more information, contact Suzanne Petersen, rgrims@gwi.net,
749-7552.

§        
Saturday, February 13, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, Moharimet Elementary School:  Moharimet Winter Carnival. The school will
sell Certified Organic seeds as a fund-raiser for the Moharimet Pumpkin Patch
Project. For more information, contact Annalisa Miller, 603-988-4658, phoenixbodywork@yahoo.com.

§        
Wednesday, February 17, 12:00 noon, Museum of Art, Paul Creative
Arts Center: ArtBreak:
Gallery Talk Exhibiting Maine Artist Tom Paiement. For more information, contact (603)
862-3712, www.unh.edu/moa, museum.of.art@unh.edu.

§        
UNH Office of International Students and Scholars:
Cultural
Connections Schedule of presentations by international students.
Open to the public. For more information, contact Leila Paje-Manato, 862-3491,
Leila.Paje-Manalo@unh.edu.

Weekly
Police Arrest Report

*Commenced September 1, 2009 

Historical data
for the same week

This data represents the 2009/10
Academic year report which begins anew each August

when UNH students begin arriving in
Durham.

NEW
HAMPSHIRE
TRIVIA & TIDBITS

“Alstead (pop.
1,944) was one of the towns that wavered in its allegiance after the
Revolutionary War. Town leaders decided to join Vermont in 1781, but returned to New Hampshire authority
early the next year. “ AmericanProfile Magazine – first
appeared:
6/28/2009

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.