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 NEWS AND HAPPENINGS ...
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Friday,
February 24, 2012
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Aerial photograph
taken on January 1, 2012 of the 619-bed
Cottages of Durham student housing
development under construction on Technology
Drive.
Courtesy
Capstone Development, LLC
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Hopefully residents have had a good
week. The weather for a short time on
Thursday seemed like late spring with 50'
temperatures and full sun … followed by
April-like showers.
Many of us in Durham have observed
hundreds of Canada Geese flying back and
forth daily over downtown Durham and the
University of New Hampshire. We believe that
they may be traveling between
the Great Bay Estuary and the Moore
Field area, but do not know why. If
anyone could provide any information on this,
we would appreciate hearing from
you!
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HOW DOES DURHAM’S SNOW REMOVAL
BUDGET LOOK THIS
YEAR?
The snow
removal budget for 2012 is $203,921. To date
(1/1/12 – 2/23/12) we have spent
$57,777 or 28.3% of the budget. Traditionally
at this time of year we would have spent
approximately $102,000 or 50.1% of the
budget.
Most communities purchase their salt in
bulk, meaning they have already paid for a
large amount of salt which will not be
utilized until the next year. Durham employs
a "just in time" procurement process as part
of its LEAN efforts and buys salt as
needed. This means that Town monies for
salt will remain unexpended unless required.
This strategy should save Durham
approximately $18,685 in
2012.
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Town-owned
gravel pit located at Packers Falls
Road.
Courtesy
Dept. of Public Works
WITH LITTLE SNOW, WHAT HAS THE PUBLIC
WORKS DEPARTMENT BEEN
DOING?
The
Department of Public Works employs
twenty-two staff members, all of whom work a
40 hour week completing required tasks. None
of those daily tasks include snow
plowing/removal. When it snows, nine or more
staff members from various divisions are
responsible for all components of the Towns
snow removal program. With a warm winter
comes less snow and those nine staff members
resume their regular
duties.
Of the
twenty-two staff members, five operate the
Wastewater Treatment Plant and Sewer
Collection System. Two staff members comprise
the Engineering Division. Four staff members
collect all residential trash and
recyclables, process and market those items,
and operate the transfer station. One staff
member maintains all Town vehicles with the
exception of the fire department equipment.
One staff member operates and maintains the
water system. Two staff members maintain all
Town facilities and public properties. One
staff member maintains the entire
infrastructure related to motor vehicle
safety and traffic control devices, street
signs, etc. One staff member manages the
office including all payroll, accounts
payable, residential concerns, DPW office
customer service, etc. Three staff members
maintain all roads, bridges, sidewalks, storm
water infrastructure, dams, and
vegetation. One staff member
plans/supervises the operational schedule of
the Solid Waste, Highway, Buildings and
Grounds and Water Departments, manages
supplies, and coordinates addressing citizen
concerns. And finally, one staff member
is the director of the entire
department.
This year’s warmer weather has
allowed some staff members to accomplish
additional tasks that would normally not
occur during a colder, more typical New
England winter:
- Roadway Sweeping – The DPW has
continuously swept the urban areas of the
Town. This enhanced sweeping keeps dust
down, produces a cleaner more attractive
streetscape, and most importantly helps the
Town meet its federal stormwater permit
requirements through the entire
year.
- Roadside brush trimming – With
the lack of snow, the DPW has been able to
access and cut back a substantial amount of
roadside vegetation. With the traditional
3ft tall snow bank we would see in
February, access for vegetation control is
typically very, very limited during the
winter months.
- Processing Construction Materials -
The third wintertime project DPW has been
working on is the processing (excavating,
screening, & stockpiling) of various
construction materials at the Town’s
gravel pit located on Packers Falls Road.
These materials (sand, gravel, and stone)
will be utilized by DPW for all of our
planned construction projects scheduled
this summer. These materials typically
would be purchased from area processing
plants at a cost of
$20,000.
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NUMEROUS
HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE VIOLATIONS FOUND IN
OFF CAMPUS STUDENT HOUSING IN ALLSTON, MA AS
PART OF BOSTON INSPECTION EFFORTS FOLLOWING
SERIOUS
FIRE
A Durham resident forwarded along an
article from the Boston Globe this week
following a three-alarm fire last month which
left a college student in serious
condition. Boston-area inspectors
consequently choose to conduct an aggressive
sweep of Allston neighborhoods occupied by
college students in order to ensure occupancy
was safe and up to code. Inspectors
found malfunctioning smoke detectors, rodent
infestations, faulting heating systems, and
numerous other safety violations in rental
properties. Boston officials indicate
they plan to continue to inspect buildings in
the neighborhood and hand out brochures
informing students of their rights and
responsibilities. As you know, the
development of a comprehensive inspection
program for rental properties to address
health and safety violations here in Durham
has been discussed on numerous occasions in
the past. To read the article, go
to
http://articles.boston.com/2012-02-18/metro/31071946_1_safety-violations-fire-department-officials-apartments
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Courtesy
Durham Fire Department
DURHAM FIRE
DEPARTMENT CONDUCTS ANNUAL ICE RESCUE
TRAINING
Recently, members of Durham's Fire
Department conducted an annual ice
rescue training at the UNH outdoor
pool. They practiced several rescue
techniques to be used for retrieving victims
who may fall through the ice. The
photograph above shows two members of the
department's “A” shift
practicing a rescue of a simulated
“victim”. The remainder of
the shift personnel are on shore (outside of
the photograph) tending the safety
ropes.
A reminder for everyone to use caution
when venturing onto ice as the recent
fluctuating high temperatures have made the
ice very thin and brittle in most areas,
especially over moving water. The
safest situation for all involved is to stay
off the ice.
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ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT SEEKS
ALTERNATE
MEMBERS
The Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) is
now down to five full members, as two of its
alternates have moved from Town for at least
part of the year and one alternate has had to
resign for personal reasons. Having
five members is fine if no one is sick or
traveling, or cannot attend for some other
reason, but unfortunately this is seldom
the case. In two of the Zoning Board's
last three meetings only three members of the
Board attended. This reduced number is
not always appropriate for the applicants,
since they need three votes of approval to go
forward, and it is obviously easier to get
three out of five votes than it is to get a
unanimous three for three.
Given this situation, the Town is looking for
a couple of smart, civic-minded, fair-minded
people to help the Zoning Board make the
often difficult decisions in the gray area
between zoning requirements and property
rights. The ZBA is the middle ground,
enforcing zoning regulations but giving
relief to property owners when warranted.
There is a legal framework that helps to
guide ZBA decisions, but Zoning Board
decisions are not always easy and
straight-forward, and they do have the
possibility of transforming an entire
neighborhood for years to come; variance
approvals travel with the property and,
except in limited extraordinary
circumstances, once given cannot be
undone.
The requirements for the Board include
attending one meeting per month (the second
Tuesday of each month) and some preparation
time to both become familiar with the legal
framework for zoning boards in New Hampshire,
and to review the requests that are presented
that month. The Zoning Board typically
likes to have five full-time members and
three alternates, given the normal routine of
business, sickness, and travel that can often
prevent a member from attending a particular
meeting.
Present ZBA members have all found their time
on the Board to be interesting and impactful,
and a good way to meet neighbors and learn
more about the Durham community.
Several of the present ZBA members are
serving on the Board for their second or
third three-year
term.
Sitting on the ZBA satisfies any
childhood or continuing desire to be a
judge! You often have to choose between
the arguments presented by dueling
attorneys. From goat and chicken
ownership, to construction projects that will
determine the character of the Town for years
to come, there are interesting and important
questions to be decided, and the citizens of
Durham owe it to their neighbors to weigh
their requests in a fair and rationale
manner.
Residents having an interest in or
questions about becoming a member of the ZBA,
please contact ZBA Chair, Roberta (Robbi)
Woodburn at robbi@woodburnandcompany.com.
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WATER/SEWER
CONNECTION FEE
UPDATE
The Engineering Division recently
completed an extensive study to compare
water/sewer connection fees of neighboring
municipalities with Durham's fees to
determine whether an adjustment is warranted.
The analysis considered the cost of
installation, relative system operational
costs, and the value of system assets. To
view the summary of the background proposed
changes with examples of initial assessment
calculations, click HERE.
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Courtesy Loren
Selig
DURHAM'S CUB SCOUT PACK #154 VISITS
TOWN HALL
On Monday, February 13, 2012, Cub
Scouts of Den #5, Pack #154 visited the Town
Hall. The scouts were working on their
Citizenship merit badges. Scout leader and
Durham resident Emily Slama organized the
visit wihich included a visit to the Town
Council chambers and a scavenger hunt in the
Town Hall. Above, Administrator Todd Selig
has a discussion with the scouts and answers
questions about how Durham's government
works.
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DURHAM POLICE
DEPARTMENT REVIEW OF PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS IN
THE DOWNTOWN
AREA
The Durham Police Department has
prepared an updated list of all reported
pedestrian accidents in the downtown area
between the railroad overpass easterly to the
intersection of Main Street and Route 108.
The matrix identifies where the pedestrian
was located at the time of collision and the
factors that may have contributed to
the event. All of the pedestrians were
injured to varying degrees with two
fatalities occurring in 2004 and
2008.
While initially developed in 2003, this
information is updated periodically to
maintain an accurate portrayal
of accidents involving pedestrians
between the years of 1996 and
2011. To view the document,
click HERE.
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DURHAM POLICE
DEPARTMENT 2011 ANNUAL PARKING
REPORT
The Durham Police Department has
prepared its parking revenue report for the
calendar year 2011, which includes statistics
since 1997 when a parking strategy was first
developed that has resulted in the revenue
articulated in the report. Prior to 1997
there was little, if any, parking program,
and since then the department has maximized
and tracked parking data and
revenue. To view the document,
click HERE.
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TOWN AND SCHOOL ELECTIONS
- MARCH 13,
2012
The 2012 Town and
School Elections will be held on Tuesday,
March 13, 2012 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. To view the Town
Election Warrant, click HERE.
The following is a
list of citizens that have filed for
Durham elected
offices:
Town Council, 3
positions (3-year terms): Diana Carroll, Robin Mower, David
Howland, Leslie
Schwartz
Library Board of
Trustees, 2 positions (3-year
terms): Robin Balducci, Douglas
Bencks
Library Board of
Trustee, 1 position (2-year
term): Ann
Windsor
Moderator, 1 position
(2-year term): Christopher
Regan
Supervisors of the
Checklist, 1 position (6-year term):
Roni Pekins
Trustees of the Trust
Funds, 1 position (3-year term): George
Frick
___________________________
Below is a list
of individuals that have filed for the
ORCSD elected
offices. To view the candidate
questionnaire and responses from these
candidates, click HERE.
Moderator - Richard
Laughton
School Board, 3 positions, one each
from Durham, Lee, and Madbury (3-year terms)
and 1 At Large position (1-year term): Maria
S. Barth and Henry Brackett (Lee opening);
Peter Macdonald and Tom Newkirk (At Large
opening); Allan Howland (Durham opening);
Edwin Charle and James Kach (Madbury
opening).
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Ballard's
Restaurant in downtown Durham.
Courtesy Susan
Doucet,
The New
Hampshire
AROMA JOE'S COFFEE TO REPLACE BALLARD'S
RESTAURANT
After 41 years of owning and at least
part operating a bar on 72 Main Street, Jesse
Gangwer is selling the location where the
building that housed Ballards Restaurant
currently sits. Aroma Joe's, a coffee shop
described as hip and upbeat, will occupy
one-third of Ballards and has a target
opening date of May. To read the complete
article published in The New Hampshire, click
HERE.
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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 the agenda for the meetings
listed below, please click HERE.
Historic
District
Commission - Thursday,
March 1, 2012.
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.
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DURHAM PARKS & RECREATION
PROGRAMS AND
EVENTS
Spring is
just around the corner! The Annual Egg
Hunt will be held on Saturday, April 7, 2012
beginning at 11:00 AM at Durham's Town
Landing by the pedestrian bridge. For more
information, click HERE.
Journey Dance - Begins Saturday,
February 18, 2012. For more information,
click HERE.
To view the schedule of upcoming winter
classes, click HERE.
For more information contact Parks
& Recreation Director Sandy Devins at
recreation@ci.durham.nh.us,
817-4074.
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COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND
EVENTS
Lamprey Rivers Film
Festival, Sunday, February 26, 2012,
3:00-5:00 PM, Durham Recreation Department
Community Room. Free to the public. Films
include: The Lamprey River Through History,
Connecting Lives on the Lamprey River, Spring
Into Vernal Pools, and Wiswall's Mill.
Co-sponsored by the Lamprey River Advisory
Committee, Lamprey River Watershed
Association, and the Durham Historical
Association.
Oyster River Taxpayers
Meeting - Tuesday, February 28,
2012, 7:00 PM, Council Chambers at Town
Hall
On Belay Outdoor Winter
Program, Sunday, March 4, 2012, 9:00
AM - 3:00 PM, Plymouth State University. On
Belay provides unique adventure-based
programs that build community among children
9-19 with Cancer. Programs are free for
participants. For more information and to
register, click HERE.
Durham Democrats Meet to Choose
Local Leaders, Monday, March 5,
2012, 7:00 PM, Community Conference Room of
the Durham Police Department. All registered
Democratic voters in Durham are invited to
attend and participate in the caucus. For
more information contact Tim Ashwell at
durhamnh@comcast.net or telephone
603-868-3775.
"Best Friends/Worst Enemies:
Friendship Development, Popularity and Social
Cruelty in Childhood", Tuesday,
March 6, 2012, 7:00 - 9:00 PM, ORHS
Auditorium. Presented by Dr. Michael
Thompson, consultant, author, and
psychologist specializing in children and
families. Hosted by Mast Way PTO, Moharimet
PTO, ORMS PTO, ORHS PTO, The Alliance for
Better Childcare, Oyster River Parents and
Preschoolers.
Movement Heals for On
Belay, Saturday, March 10, 2012,
9:00 AM-1:30 PM, The Gables Apts B Community
Center, UNH. Classes taught by Durham
resident Ruth Abelmann as well as Kathy
Kerrigan and guest instructors. For more
information, click HERE.
Museum of Art,
UNH Exhibitions Through April 4,
2012 (closed March 9 –
18)
Chris Jordan: Running the
Numbers features 14 large-scale digital
images that explore contemporary mass culture
from a variety of photographic and conceptual
perspectives. Free. Paul Creative Arts
Center,
UNH.
What's New: Recent Additions to the
Collection showcases 20 recently acquired
drawings, paintings, prints, and sculpture by
renowned regional and national artists. Free.
Paul Creative Arts Center,
UNH.
For
more information call (603)862-3712, or
visit http://www.unh.edu/moa/.
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DURHAM PUBLIC
LIBRARY ON THE MOVE LAUNCHES YOUTH VIDEO
CONTEST
Durham Public Library on the Move
(DPLOTM) announces its Oyster River Youth
Video Contest: “What My Library Means
to Me", in which students highlight what
libraries mean to our community. The contest
is open to all Oyster River Middle School and
High School students and Durham, Madbury and
Lee residents age 10 - 18.
The goal of the DPLOTM Video Contest is to
create a collection of inspiring videos
showcasing what the library means to our
community and to make these videos available
to the public through http://www.facebook.com/DPLOnTheMove
as a means to further the educate our
community about the importance of our public
library.
The contest asks high school and
middle students to produce 30-second to
3-minute videos illustrating their answer to
the contest's theme. A panel of librarians
and professional filmmakers will judge the
entries, and the top five contestants in the
middle school and high school age groups will
each win a prize. Prizes will also be awarded
for the Most Inspiring, Most Creative, and
Judges' Choice. Winning videos will be
featured on DPLOTM's Facebook page and
YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/DPLonTheMove).
Video submissions are due by midnight,
February 28, 2012, and the winner will be
announced by March 7th. To learn more or
submit an entry, visit http://www.facebook.com/DPLOnTheMove.
Sponsors include: Artemis
Creations, Big Bean
Cafe, Crackskull's Coffee and
Books, Indoor Ascent, Moe's Italian
Sandwiches, Panzanella's Italian Pizzeria and
Restaurant, Raider Laser, Rocky's Famous
Burgers, Silver Moon Creperie, and The Last
Environment.
About Durham Public Library on the
Move: The new Durham Public Library is an
investment in the quality of life in our
town, and a gift to future generations. After
more than a decade in what was intended to be
a “temporary” storefront location
at the Mill Plaza, the Durham Public Library
(http://www.durhampubliclibrary.org/)
is about to make the long-awaited move to a
facility that more appropriately reflects our
citizens’ values and needs. The new
library project, including improvements to
the existing house on the site and
construction of an attached two-story
addition, will create a total of 10,500
square feet of space, with off-street parking
for up to 50 vehicles.
Contact: Renee Capicchioni Vannata, DPLOnTheMove@yahoo.com (603)
781-4074.
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DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND
EVENTS
Please don't
miss this last round of opportunities to
support local businesses and the Durham
Public Library's New Library Campaign at the
same time. For more information,
click HERE.
Wonderful news:
We have surpassed our fundraising goal of
$900,000. As of February 19, 2012, we
have raised $1,058,186.00 for the new
library. A great big THANK YOU to all
of our donors! All told, the Trustees
and donors will contribute at least $2.2
million as the private portion of the project
costs. The Library’s Board of Trustees
and campaign volunteers are still continuing
to fundraise with the intent of surpassing
the goal and bringing down the bond as much
possible!
No Storytimes this week
(Feb. 28-March 3) due to Oyster River
vacation week. There will be a
Make-it-Take-it craft in the Children’s
Room all week.
Alex the Jester performs
- Thursday, March
1st, 10:30 a.m., Oyster River High
School Multi-purpose room. Join the
Durham, Lee, and Madbury Libraries for this
fun all ages school vacation
performance.
Build Your Own Website for the
Technically Literate - Week 6:
Weds. Jan. 25th, 6:15-8:00 p.m. - Dates
beginning consecutive Wednesdays from Jan. 25
to Feb. 29. Interested in designing your own
website for your business or blog? Not sure
how to start? This free 6-week course will
focus on everything you need to know,
including Web Server Basics, HTML Basics,
Formatting & Styles, JavaScript, and
Guided Development. This course is limited to
8 to 10 participants. David Sietz has been an
IT software developer for 11 years.
Lego Club does not meet this
week due to Oyster River Vacation
week. We will meet again on Thursday,
March 8th from 3:45-4:45 p.m. - Like to build
with Legos? Join the library's Lego
Club for 1st - 5th graders. We will
meet for 6 Thursdays. Dates are Feb. 9,
Feb. 16, Feb. 23 (no meeting March 1st due to
Oyster River Vacation Week), March 8
(no meeting March 15 due to UNH Spring
Break), March 22 and March 29.
Raccoon Readers, 2nd-4th
grade book group, Tues. March 6th, 6:00 p.m.
- Join us for this fun book group. This
month we are reading “Stuart
Little” by E.B. White and/or
“Which Witch?” by Eva
Ibbotson. All are welcome.
Young Adult Writing/Blog
Group, Tues. March 6th, 7:00 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".
The Art and History of Porcelain Doll
Making presented by Priscilla Keene
Nickerson, Doll Artisan Guild Grandmaster of
Dollmaking, Tues. March 6th, 6:30-8:00 p.m. -
Priscilla Nickerson, Doll Artisan Guild
Grandmaster, will present a program detailing
the history of porcelain doll-making and
present a hands-on demonstration of
casting greenware using liquid porcelain slip
and plaster molds.
Friends Book
Discussion, Weds. March 7th, 10:30
a.m. Please join the book discussion of
Interpreter of Maladies, by Jhumpa Lahiri,
led by Jennifer Lee. Books are available at
the library now. Jhumpa Lahiri's
prize-winning first book, a collection of
short stories Interpreter of Maladies (1999),
paints vivid pictures of the lives of
ordinary immigrants, expatriates, and
first-generation Americans of Indian (India)
descent as they navigate between Boston and
Bombay.
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.
Need a reading
buddy? UNH tutors are
available through Seacoast Reads at the
library for your child in 1st through 3rd
grade. Sign up for the second
semester!
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.
Need tax forms? Durham
Public Library will receive one complete set
of forms and instructions, which should be
available in late February; these can be
copied here for 10 cents a page. Need
them now? Go to:
irs.gov. All forms are available
for download.
Attention Museum of Fine Arts pass
users! Museum of Fine Arts
passes are now available
again!
Check out the library's website,
www.durhampubliclibrary.org,
for more
information.
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FROM
“DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE A HISTORY
–
1900-1985”
Business (1960-1985): "The last
major expansion of the business district was
completed in 1979 when the developers added
the second line of stores to the shopping
center on Mill Road, as had been planned in
their original design. This brought two banks
to Durham, a branch of Dover Federal Savings
and Loan and the New Hampshire Federal Credit
Union, as well as Louise's Sport Shop; Tom
Crosby's Century 21 Real Estate office; the
Uppercut (hair stylists); and Wellwood,
billed as 'today's answer to the 5 & 10.'
Wellwood has since been replaced by a surplus
outlet store, and Wilderness Trails has moved
from Pettee Brook to one of the
spaces." Published
in 1985 by the Durham Historic
Association.
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Have a good 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
Everyone can
tackle climate change. How can you reduce
your carbon
footprint?
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