“FRIDAY
UPDATES”

January
8, 2010

Officials from the Town, US
Environmental Protection Agency, NH Department of Environmental Services, and
the NH Division of Public Health provided details on Thursday afternoon
regarding the ongoing Anthrax investigation at the Waysmeet Center in Durham. Photos courtesy
Tom
Johnson

Anthrax
in Durham – An
Update

Durham Fire, Police, Health, and UNH
officials continue to work in close support of the state's efforts relative to
the Anthrax public health concern at the United Campus Ministry’s Waysmeet Center here in Durham at 15 Mill Road.  The United Campus
Ministry has been immensely cooperative as part of this very difficult public
health investigative process, and on behalf of the Town I would like to extend a
sincere thank you to the Rev. Larry Brickner-Wood and the United Campus Ministry
at this challenging time. 

On Thursday of this week,
individuals driving by the Waysmeet Center will have observed large
Environmental Protection Agency vehicles parked in C-Lot across the street along
with tents and testing drums next to the United Campus Ministry facility. 
These resources were utilized by staff from the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency to carefully test the building to determine the extent of anthrax spores
within the structure.  To date, the New Hampshire Department of Health and
Human Services-Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) has confirmed three
positive test samples for anthrax at the facility; one from an electrical outlet
and two from two separate drums stored at the Ministry building and utilized
during a December 4^th drumming circle
event.

Based on results of sample testing
from Thursday of this week, the EPA, N.H. Department of Environmental Services,
and DPHS will develop a building clean-up policy/procedure. 

The Strafford County resident who has been hospitalized
with naturally occurring anthrax is reported to be showing signs of
improvement.

There have been only 11 cases of
naturally occurring anthrax in the United States since 1957. The
samples found at the Waysmeet Center were naturally occurring
anthrax.  The last cases of anthrax that were diagnosed in New Hampshire were in 1957 when there were 9 cases (4
cutaneous and 5 inhalation) in employees of a textile mill in Manchester. One occurred
recently in New York City and one in Connecticut that
were related to animal hides.  Approximately 2000 cases of cutaneous
naturally occurring disease are reported annually worldwide.

For more information about anthrax,
visit www.emergency.cdc.gov/agent/anthrax/
or www.dhhs.nh.gov. Anyone with questions about
anthrax can call DHHS’ Division of Public Health Services at (603) 271-4496 or
the Centers for Disease Control at 1-800-CDC-INFO. 

Rental
Housing Challenges in Durham – Presentation to Council Monday Evening
& Composition of the Rental Housing
Commission

In recent months, the impact of UNH
students renting properties located within traditional residential neighborhoods
in and around Durham’s downtown core has again become a focus
for various Town departments, the Rental Housing Commission (RHC), and residents
living within affected neighborhoods. Also included as part of this ongoing
challenge are the matters of parking, noise, vandalism, and crime in
general.  At Monday night’s Council meeting (1/11/10), Police Chief
David Kurz, Fire Chief Corey Landry,
and Zoning and Code Enforcement Officer Tom
Johnson have been invited to educate the Town Council about the
challenges each of their departments face relative to enforcement. RHC Chair
Paul Berton will also be present to participate in the
discussion.

Issues revolving around student
housing are typically channeled to the Rental Housing Commission for
review.  In the summer and fall of 2009, the RHC, faced with challenges
associated with student rental properties, has met regularly and has been
working with Town departments, UNH, the Durham Landlords Association (DLA) , and
affected residents to research innovative strategies to address these
challenges.

The RHC believes that changing the
makeup of the Commission’s current membership would benefit the Commission and
the Town in their efforts to address these challenges, and members of the DLA
have agreed to the RHC’s recommended changes to the composition of the Rental
Housing Commission. The Commission recommends increasing the membership from ten
to twelve to be comprised of the following:

Landlords – 2; neighborhood
representatives – 2;  UNH representatives – 2; UNH student representative –
1; tenant representative – 1; Town Council representative – 1; and a
representative from the Durham Police Department, Fire Department, and Code
Enforcement Office.

At the present time there is only
one representative from neighborhoods in which student rental housing
exists.  In addition, there is not presently a formal Fire Department or
Code Enforcement Office representative to the Commission.

Town
Office Filing Period for March 9, 2010 Town
Election

The filing period for Town offices
for the March Town Election is Wednesday, January 20, 2010 through 5:00 PM,
January 29, 2010. The following positions will be available for citizens who
might choose to become involved in Durham Town government: 

Town
Council            
            3 positions
(3-year terms)

Library Board of Trustees
   3 positions (3-year terms)

Town
Moderator                   
1 position (2-year term)

Supervisor of the Checklist 1
position (6-year term)

Trustee of Trust
Funds          1 position (3-year
term)

Change
in Town Report Distribution Method

The Town Administrator’s Office
continues to be busily working these days on pulling together the Annual Town
Report for 2009. As a reminder, this year residents will have to pick up their
Town Reports at the Town Office or view them on line or at the Durham Public
Library.  As a cost savings measure and as a way to reduce paper use we
will no longer be mailing them to every property owner as has been done in the
past.

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

On May 18, 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 230 acres of land located off of Mill Road known as
Spruce Wood.  The TPL has been in discussions with Dave Garvey and Jack
Farrell, who have controlling interest in the property. This land was rezoned in
2008 to ORLI. The idea behind the possible project was to work toward conserving
several pieces of land, and as part of the process, to instead create new
taxable development where it would not otherwise have been created, intended to
broaden the tax base on another yet to be determined parcel(s) closer to or
within the urbanized area of Durham.  After a lengthy discussion, the
Council generally indicated interest in exploring the project further.

On December 21, 2009, The Council
received an additional update on the potential project from the TPL with
comments from Administrator Selig.  The ensuing Council discussion led to a
series of questions concerning the project and its various
complexities:

·       
what is the appraised value of
the Spruce
Forest area?

·       
what role would the potential
conservation of College Woods play as part of the project?

·       
how would The Grange structure
owned by the Town be utilized as a cash match toward the conservation of the
Spruce
Forest
area?

·       
what development project would
move forward within the central core of Durham as part of the plan and how much would
this project add to the Town’s tax base?

·       
how would the Town guarantee that
the conservation of the Spruce Forest area would be tied inextricably to the
creation of new taxable value which would not otherwise be created but for this
project, or would it?

·       
how will the conservation of the
Spruce
Forest area be funded and
from where will these monies be derived?

·       
who will be the development
partner that will create the new economic value downtown and what is their
timeframe?; etc.    

Since December 21st, the
Administrator has been engaged in ongoing discussions with the TPL and Messrs.
Farrell and Garvey concerning the project and questions raised by the
Council.  In addition, earlier this week the University determined that it
would take at least an additional twelve months to evaluate the College Woods
area before it could make any determination as to whether a conservation
easement of some type would be appropriate for further
consideration.

At this time, Mr. Selig has asked
TPL to develop a written description of the project as currently conceived and
to share this overview along with the appraisal which has been conducted on the
Spruce
Forest area by appraiser
Scott Dickman with representatives from the Town. 

It is the Administrator’s hope that
this can be accomplished in time for an additional, more informed discussion
relative to the potential project on February 1, 2010 with the Council. 

When
DOes the Durham Public Works DepARTMENT plow?

The Durham Department of Public
Works endeavors to keep roadways as clear as possible during inclement winter
weather.  Plowing operations are generally initiated after one to two
inches of snow have fallen and continue until the storm has ended.  It is
the intent of the department to use only sufficient salt to restore safe travel
conditions as soon as practical following termination of winter storms. 
For snow storms with a predicted accumulation in excess of two inches, plowing
usually begins after an initial pre-storm salt application has formed brine and
after one to two inches of snow has fallen (dependent on intensity of
snowfall).  Because salt is both costly and has a harmful effect upon the
environment, we have worked over the years to reduce the amount of salt utilized
in Durham. 

The winter maintenance program is
set up to perform the same level of maintenance for all roadways and/or
sidewalks. This level of maintenance includes six sanding/salting/plow trucks
for roadways and two sanding/salting/plow tractors for sidewalks. All routes are
set up for a 2-3 hour route; once completed this program is repeated
continuously until a storm ends and then one more round of treatment/clean up is
completed immediately after the storm. The following night after a storm most
snow is removed from the curb line to widen out the roadway and
sidewalks.

For winter plowing related
questions, please call DPW at 868-5578 or email them at jhoglund@ci.durham.nh.us. 

STEWARDSHIP
PLANS FOR WAGON HILL FARM, DOE FARM, LONGMARSH PRESERVE, AND WEEKS
PROPERTY

In the
spring of 2009, the Durham Conservation Commission, with the endorsement of the
Town Council, submitted a grant application to the Piscataqua Region Estuaries
Partnership, Community Technical Assistance Program, for the development of a
stewardship plan to better track, manage, and protect the ecological values of
Town-owned conservation lands. Subsequently, the DCC hired a Technical
Assistance Provider, Ellen Snyder, of Ibis Wildlife Consulting to develop
Stewardship Plans on four Durham properties:  Wagon Hill Farm, Doe
Farm, Longmarsh Preserve, and the Weeks Lot. These plans are available for
viewing on the Town web site:  www.ci.durham.nh.us.

DURHAM PROFESSIONAL
FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION – “TOYS FOR TOTS” GIFT DRIVE

The Durham Professional Firefighters
Association is pleased to announce that it was able to supply 175 children with
gifts for Christmas this year.  This would not be possible without the
generosity of the communities of Durham and UNH.  Thank you to all of the
kind people who donated to the “Toys for Tots” program.

HDC
CHANGE TO MONTHLY MEETING SCHEDULE

Beginning Tuesday, February 2, 2010,
the Historic District Commission will hold its monthly meetings on the first
Tuesday of each month. The meetings will still be held at 7:00 PM in the Town
Hall Council chambers.

PUBLIC
MEETING SCHEDULE

The following public meeting is
scheduled for the coming week in the Town Council chambers at the Durham Town
Office. To view the agenda for the meeting 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, January
11, 2010 (4:00
PM)

Durham Town Council – Monday, January 11,
2010

Integrated Waste Management Advisory
Committee – Tuesday, January 12, 2010 (7:30
AM)

Rental Housing Commission – Tuesday,
January 12, 2010 (4:00
PM)

Zoning Board of Adjustment –
Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Planning Board – Wednesday, January
13, 2010

Conservation Commission – Thursday,
January 14, 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

DURHAM PARKS AND
RECREATION PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

Stay up-to-date on all of Park &
Recreation’s current classes and programs with the all new Parks &
Recreation Reminder.  Click HERE to view the January 2010 Reminder.
Inside you will find information on Kathy Kerrigan’s new 2010 schedule, On the
Ball Fitness Classes, Tai Chi, after school child programs and special
events.  Please check it out!

§        
Saturday, February 6^th, 10:00 AM – 2:00
PM, Mill Pond & Smith Chapel:  Winter Carnival and Chili Cookoff. Mill
Pond will be turned into a winter wonderland.  There will be free ice skate
and snowshoe rentals, pickup hockey and family skating areas, a community
bonfire with smores, free hot chocolate, winter arts and crafts and much more.

The Chili Cookoff will be held at
Smith Chapel from 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM.  For a $5 donation you get an
opportunity to sample the best chili that Durham has to offer and you get to judge which
is best!  Get a chance to tour Smith Chapel, one of Durham’s oldest and most
historic landmarks.  All proceeds of this event go directly to renovating
the Chapel.

If you would like to donate a chili,
volunteer at the event or if you would like more information, contact
Michael Mengers at mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us,
817-4074. 

Let
the Wild Rumpus Begin!
Oyster River Parents and Preschoolers and the Durham Parks &
Recreation Department invite you to bring your young children to have a little
fun.  Parents may bring their children aged 6 and under to play, socialize
and snack.  Beach balls, tunnels and other age appropriate toys will be
provided.  ORPP will also provide a snack (or feel free to bring your
own).  This activity is open to all members of ORPP and all Durham
residents.

Who:     Children aged 0-6 (parents must remain
at all times)
What:    Wild Rumpus Playtime
Where: 
Durham
Parks & Recreation Center (the old courthouse near Irving
Station on Route 108)
When:   Every Tuesday morning starting January
19th from 10:30 a.m. to noon
Why:     Fun, of
course!

This is a free program but space is limited (15 children, not
including infants). RSVP on bigtent (for ORPP members) or to Jenna Roberts
at jennajroberts@yahoo.com.

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.

FROM
HISTORY IN AN OYSTERSHELL – 1600 – 1976

“1976 – President Gerald Ford ate
here! On campaign trail, he spoke to students in the Field House, but made
headquarters in UNH President Mill’s home, complete with body guards,
plainclothes police, beacon lights and tight security. His party was served food
prepared by the Navy Yard.”

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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