Friday Update January 28, 2011

 

“FRIDAY
UPDATES”

Friday, January 28,
2011

 

 

Intersection of Main
Street and Pettee Brook Lane - A dedicated bicyclist braves the cold weather

Courtesy Todd
Ziemek

 

Today marks the
25^th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster that killed
Concord High School teacher Christa McAuliffe and six other passengers. To read
the various articles on Challenger published in the Foster’s Daily
Democrat, go to: http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110128/GJNEWS_01/701289925

 

Durham
Master Plan Visioning Forum
TONIGHT

A reminder that the Town of Durham
Master Plan Update Forum will be held this evening, Friday, January 28, 2011, at the Oyster River Middle
School, beginning at 5:30 PM
with a FREE community dinner and childcare with youth activities.

 

All residents are invited to
participate in the forum to help structure the updating of Durham’s Master Plan.
Please refer to the information
below.                                                                   

_______________________________

 

Session Goal:         
The visioning session
will provide valuable input for the vision for the community as well as the
development

of the Durham
Master Plan. Ideas will be sought for addressing current issues and challenges
pertaining to various aspects of the community.

 

Please
Join Us:      
Friday, January 28, 2011 (Snow date: Saturday, January 29, 2011)

 

§ 
5:30 P.M. @ Oyster River Middle School
1 Coe Drive · Durham ·
NH

§ 
5:30 P.M. Free Community Spaghetti
Dinner (vegetarian option
available)

§ 
6:30 P.M.

o  
Childcare & Children’s Activities
Durham Public Library; Story Time & Craft Ages
Pre-K –

o  
Grade 2

o  
Art Activities; Ages 9-11

o  
McGregor Memorial EMS Babysitting and CPR/First Aid Classes; Ages
11 years old and up

 

Agenda:

§ 
6:30 Welcome & Introduction by
MPAC

§ 
6:40 What’s Happened Since Last Master
Plan Update

§ 
7:25 Small group meetings on following
topics:

1. Housing

2.
Recreation

3. Land Use and
Zoning

4. Community
Facilities, Infrastructure and Transportation

5. Natural and
Cultural Resources

6. Business and
Industry

 

§ 
8:45 Report-outs from each group on
their top priorities

§ 
9:00 Closing Remarks, Next Steps and
Adjourn

 

Strafford
County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Committee
(CEDS)

Strafford
Regional Planning Commission received funding from the U.S.  Department of
Commerce Economic Development Administration to create a Comprehensive Economic
Development Strategy for all 13 communities in Strafford County, and Wakefield
and Brookfield in Carroll County. The CEDS is a continuous regional planning
process addressing the economic opportunities and constraints of an area. 
The CEDS process involves bringing together private, nonprofit and public
sectors to create an economic road map to diversify and strengthen regional
goals and to craft a five year strategic plan of action that is updated
annually. The plan is submitted to the Department of Commerce, Economic
Development Administration (EDA) for review and certification.  Once the
CEDS plan is certified by EDA, the region and the communities may apply to
receive funding assistance for public works, planning, and technical assistance
projects related to economic development.  Administrator Selig and
DBA Executive Director Katie Muth are participating in the process as
committee members along with Bagelry owner Warren Daniel and Durham
Economic Development Committee member Ute Luxem. 

 

Blue
Light Proposal from UNH Student Senate

Last year Durham Police Chief
David Kurz was asked to participate during a UNH campus safety tour with UNH
officials and student representatives. This annual event occurs at night to
inspect the campus for any safety issues or deficiencies. The group walked along
Garrison Avenue, Strafford Avenue, and Madbury Road and inquired about the
potential of installing “Blue Light Telephones” in these off-campus locations.
The University is in the process of determining cost implications for these
installations. The UNH Student Senate recently passed a resolution asking the
Town of Durham to participate in extending the Blue Light system off
campus. 

 

Speed
Tables

The Durham Traffic Safety
Committee reviewed the community responses to date regarding the speed
table built on Edgewood Road late last fall.  While several have commented
that they have observed vehicles slow to traverse the table, others have
observed vehicles sharply brake and then rapidly accelerate as they approach the
other side. There has also been some discussion regarding fuel waste as vehicles
accelerate. A small minority of vehicle operators have been observed using
the speed table as some kind of “launch ramp”!  There is funding in the
2011 Town budget for three new speed tables…locations as yet
undetermined. Durham Planner Jim Campbell was asked to contact the
Strafford Regional Planning Commission to set a date to have a speed counter
device installed at the same location previous to the installation of the speed
table on Edgewood to determine the effectiveness of the installation of this
calming device utilizing objective speed and traffic count
data.

 

Downtown
Parking Strategy

As has been
noted in the past, Transportation Engineer and B. Dennis Team member Rick
Chellman has been retained to assist the Town with developing and implementing a
long-range parking strategy in downtown Durham. One determination is that
there should be a concerted effort to transition away from single meters to a
kiosk system that will accept various methods of payment including coins,
paper money, debit, or credit cards.  Currently we are awaiting
recommendations from Mr. Chellman that would allow Durham to focus
upon a specific brand of parking kiosk to consider purchasing.  Because
Portsmouth and Dover are currently in the midst of transitioning to this type of
parking control it would be prudent for Durham to make inquiries regarding their
experience.  The hope is that Durham may benefit and avoid some of the
pitfalls they experienced.  Additionally there may be an opportunity for
Durham to employ their Request for Proposal and benefit from their current
pricing structures. 

 

Durham’s
current concept is to employ as many as three stages of implementation to
include an initial focus upon Pettee Brook with three (3) kiosks installed at
calculated locations: Main Street in front of Huddleston Hall with two (2) and
possibly another two (2) kiosks controlling parking in front of the UNH
President’s residence.

 

The newly
implemented business permit parking system has resulted in the sale of
97 permits, well below the 125 that normally sell at the first of the
year. 

 

South
Drive Project (the fourth, as yet uncompleted spur off the new round-a-bout on
Main Street)

A
representative from the University of New Hampshire discussed and distributed
several documents to the Durham Traffic Safety Committee regarding the
$5.3M project to construct South Drive that would intersect with the
round-a-bout on Main Street and traverse southerly through the campus in the
area behind the football stadium to join the existing roadway at the railway
underpass built several years ago (in the vicinity of Gregg Hall).  The
University is appropriately looking to the Town of Durham to be a partner in the
process as UNH is working to secure funding although it is overtly
recognized that the Town would not be asked to contribute financial
support.  It is likely, however, that there would be a number of upgrades
to the Town's sewer and water systems, as part of the project which would
 be the partial (1/3) responsibility of Durham.  
 

 

Energy
Efficiency Systems RFQ Issued

The Town of Durham, New Hampshire is
soliciting qualification-based proposals (RFQs) for a firm or firms to assist
the municipality in providing assessment and consulting, system design and
development, financing and procurement, installation, and maintenance of
potential energy efficiency systems, as well energy procurement, for all aspects
of its municipal infrastructure utilizing best available technologies to meet
desired outcomes. 

 

In summary, Durham desires to:

 

§ 
Reduce total energy use and fossil
fuel emissions within municipal infrastructure;

§ 
Improve energy efficiency in
buildings, infrastructure, and other areas as determined by the community;

§ 
Procure energy commodities as cost
effectively as possible.

 

RFQ proposals must be received by Todd
I. Selig, Town Administrator, at 15 Newmarket Road, Durham, New Hampshire 03824,
no later than 4:00 pm on February 4, 2011.  Finalist(s) will
be invited to review their proposals in a meeting with the Town Administrator
and other representatives of the Town.  To view the RFQ, click HERE.

 

Town
Election - March 8, 2011    

The 2011 Town Election will be held on
Tuesday, March 8, 2011 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.

 

Filing
Period for ELECTED OFFICES

A list of individuals who have filed
for various Town elected positions will be sent out via our listserver after the
close of the filing period at 5:00 PM this evening.

 

Drawing
Names of Candidates for Order of Listing on Town Election
Ballot

At the Durham Town Council meeting on
Monday evening, February 7, 2011, Town Moderator Christopher Regan and Town
Clerk-Tax Collector Lorrie Pitt will be present at the beginning of the meeting
to draw names of individuals running for elected offices to determine the order
of names on the Town’s March 9^th Election ballot. 

 

In 2007, the Town Council adopted a
resolution discontinuing the Town’s previous practice of listing candidates
alphabetically on Town election ballots as outlined in Article 2, Section 2.6 of
the Durham Town Charter and adopting the method of listing candidates on Town
election ballots by the Town Clerk, under the supervision of the Town Moderator
of drawing candidates’ names out of a hat and listing them in the order by which
they are drawn.

 

Durham
Business Association Candidates Forum

On Tuesday, February
22, 2011, 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 forum is being planned and hosted by the
Durham Business Association (www.durhambusinessassociation.org and will be broadcast on the
Durham Cable Access Television (DCAT) channel, Channel 22.

 

DBA members and the
public are invited to attend and to participate by submitting questions for Town
Council candidates who are running for these elected offices at the March 8,
2011 Town Election.

 

Questions may be
submitted by email to the Durham Business Association at durhambusinessassociation@gmail.com by Monday, February 14,
2011

 

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

 

Downtown
Tax Increment Finance District – An Idea to be Discussed by the
EDC

At its
meeting scheduled for January 31, 2011, the Economic Development Committee will
receive a general presentation from Director of Planning and Community
Development Jim Campbell regarding Tax Increment Finance Districts (TIFs), what
they are, and how they are used in New Hampshire. 

 

Durham
presently has one TIF district which was established in 2007 for Stone Quarry
Drive.  Unfortunately the Town was unable to secure an adequate surety from
the developer with whom the Town worked at the time in order to protect the
interests of the community as part of this project.  The Town Council
therefore did NOT approve a Development Agreement with the developer which is a
prerequisite for this project to move forward.  The Town has NOT issued any
debt as part of this project and all phases are presently ON HOLD until a
Development Agreement is in place.  No additional taxable value has been
developed within the Stone Quarry Drive TIF to date. 

 

In late-2012,
Administrator Selig suggested the EDC might want to consider the merits of
talking about a TIF for Durham’s downtown commercial core to fund public
improvements and infrastructure (parking structure, roadway, traffic, sidewalk
improvements, etc.) necessary to retain, attract and advance desirable mixed use
development and private investment in the downtown / central business core. This
particular area of Durham has tremendous potential to contribute much more
significantly to the Town’s tax base, employment base, and quality of life
through expanded positive economic growth & development. The area has
remained largely unchanged over the past several decades and has experienced
some decline consistent with national trends for the commercial retail and
business office sectors to shift away from downtown centers. Stimulating mixed
use development and reinvestment in this area could provide needed taxable
assessed valuation, business revenue, employment opportunities, and public
amenities within the boundaries of a TIF district.  To learn more about
TIFs, go to http://durham.nh.us/DEPARTMENTS/planning/pdfs/eco.dev/Tax%20Increment%20Financing.pdf
.

 

Update
on The Grange RFP – Redevelopment Ideas for
Consideration

The Grange is
located within the heart of downtown Durham on the southerly side of Main Street
at the Madbury Road intersection directly across from the U.S. Post
Office.  It was originally constructed as a single-floor structure around
1880, with a second level added in 1897.  It has a gross building area of
approximately 2,945 +/= s.f.  Of that total, 1,674 +/- s.f. is first floor
space and 1,271 +/- s.f. is on the second level.  The unfinished basement
consists of 1,271 +/- s.f.  The construction is wood framing. 

 

Over the last
ten years, there have been discussions locally of selling the land and
improvements outright, moving the historic Grange structure to an alternate
location, or entering into a lease with a prospective new tenant to preserve
municipal ownership of the parcel while at the same time allowing long-term
productive reuse/redevelopment flexibility on the site and preserving the
historic character of the structure. 

 

The location
of the Grange site has been envisioned as part of the 2000 Master Plan and 2008
Mill Plaza Study Committee Report as a possible vehicular/pedestrian access
point to the Mill Plaza area located directly behind the Grange and as such the
building and/or building site could play a future part in the redevelopment of
the Mill Plaza or potentially part of a redevelopment of the older structures to
either side of the Grange.  There currently exists a paved walkway that
connects the Mill Plaza with Main Street allowing foot traffic only. 

 

The Grange
most recently housed the Durham Art Association and the infant and toddler site
for Growing Places Daycare, a non-profit organization, for many years until it
was vacated in February 2007.  It is listed in the National Register of
Historic Places as a contributing structure in the Durham Historic
District. 

 

From the
perspective of the Administrator, the Grange presents an opportunity for the
Town and a potential private development partner to fully utilize a downtown
municipal property resource in an effort to enhance Durham’s downtown, spur
economic development and retail activity, and enhance Durham’s sense of
community at no cost to Durham taxpayers.

 

One Durham
property owner, Peter Murphy, responded to the Grange RFP in a timely
manner.  His initial proposal suggested transforming the structure into two
floors of student housing, however, Mr. Selig did not believe this approach to
be consistent with the Town’s goals and with this feedback, Mr. Murphy worked to
develop a revised proposal to invest approximately $275,000 into the property to
create two high quality student apartments (which could later be turned into
workforce housing) and a 1,200sf commercial/retail space on the first floor
under a 15-year lease (three 5-year options) and where the Town could opt out of
the arrangement at 5 year intervals in case redevelopment around the property
occurs and it is deemed necessary to include the Grange. The Economic
Development Committee will discuss this project on January 31, 2011, and the
Historic District Commission/Heritage Commission on February 3, 2011. To
view Mr. Murphy’s most recent proposal, click HERE.

 

Oyster
River Cooperative School District Advisory Budget Committee (ABC)
Update

The final FY2011-2012 budget for the
Oyster River Cooperative School District has been posted via the District
website (www.orcsd.org) by the Advisory
Budget Committee (ABC).  The two links from the website take you to Google
Docs where you can view full budget data as well as visual graphs and charts of
the data.  Note that:

 

·     
These links can be shared with
anyone.

·     
You do not need Excel or Powerpoint to
view the documents online via Google Docs.

·     
You can download the documents as PDF,
Excel, Powerpoint, or OpenOffice.

 

In addition to the budget links, the
final report of the ABC (1/3/2011) to the School Board is posted under School
Board SubCommittees at http://www.orcsd.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=103&Itemid=203

 

The School District Meeting on the
February 8, 2011 at 7 PM in the High School Auditorium provides an opportunity
for citizens in the Oyster River School District to make comments and
recommendations for changes to the budget.  The ABC recommends reviewing
the posted budget documents in advance of the district meeting.  Voting
will occur March 8, 2011.

 

Contact the ABC by using the email
address abc@sau5.org about school district
budget matters.  An ABC member will respond to such emails.  Serving
on the ABC are Robert McEwan-Madbury: Jay Hilyard-Lee; Bill Bryon-Lee; Anne
Knight-Durham; Jenna Roberts-Durham; David Proulx-Durham; David Taylor-Durham
and Tom Merrick-Durham.

 

Mini-Charette
on Combined Fire Department/Structured Parking Site Feasibility Study on UNH
C-Lot

On Wednesday, March 2, 2011 beginning
at 7:00 PM, the Town of Durham will hold a Mini-Charette in the Council chambers
at the Durham Town Hall. The charette will be on a Site Feasibility Study on the
UNH-owned parking lot currently known as ‘C Lot’, located at Mill Road across
from Mill Road Plaza. This charette was originally scheduled for December 16,
2010, but because the lead architect had a sudden death in her family and was
not be able to attend, the charette was cancelled.

 

Discussion will center on developing
the parcel with a new Fire Department building and parking garage. This meeting
is open to the public and the Town is looking for input from all interested
parties.  We are hopeful that members of Durham’s downtown business
community will attend to provide input.

 

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. 

 

Rental Housing Commission – Wednesday,
February 2, 2011 (3:30
PM)

Master Plan Survey Subcommittee –
Wednesday, February 2, 2011 (5-6:30
PM)

Planning Board – Wednesday, February
2, 2011

Historic District Commission –
Thursday, February 3, 2011

 

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

 

§ 
Winter Carnival & Chili
Tasting, Feb
12^th from 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM at the Mill Pond. Residents and
businesses are welcome to provide a crock of Chili to share. Please contact the
Parks & Recreation Dept. at 817-4074 for more information.

 

Durham
Public Library Programs and Events

§ 
Town of Durham Master Plan Update
Forum, ORMS, Friday, Jan. 28^th,
5:30 - 9:00 p.m. - The Durham Downtown Master Plan will be discussed. The
library will be at the event with stories and a craft for children during the
meetings and there will be a free community dinner. All residents are invited to
participate in the forum to help structure the updating of Durham’s Master Plan.
Questions?  Call the Durham Planning Office.

§ 
Preschool Storytime, Tues.  Feb.1st and Thurs. Feb.
3rd at 10:30 a.m. - This week: Toys and Groundhogs. Join us for stories,
fingerplays, songs, feltboard and a craft.

§  Racoon
Readers, 2^nd-4^th grade book club,
Tues. Feb. 1^st, 6:00-7:00 p.m. -  Join us
for this fun book group.  This month we are reading “The Phantom Tollbooth”
by Norton Juster or “The Magician’s Elephant” by Kate DiCamillo.  Your
choice.  We talk about the books and authors, play some games and make a
craft.  All are welcome!

§  Something Old and Something New: An
Experiment in Discarded Goods, Weds.
Feb. 2^nd, 6:00-7:00 p.m. - Trash can be treasure, especially
when you find it at the Durham Swap Shop! Kelly L. Cullen, UNH associate
professor of environmental economics, furnished her entire house — from towels
to tea pots — with things she found at the swap shop and other local secondhand
stores. She spent only $1,000. Come hear how she did it, and get some tips from
her on being economical and resourceful in our own
neighborhood.

§ 
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.

§ 
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 now at the library for a 6
week session in January and February.

§ 
Registration for Seacoast Reads Second
Semester has begun.  Sign-up for a UNH reading
buddy for your child in grades 1^st through 3^rd. 
Sessions will begin in February.

 

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND
EVENTS

§ 
Friday, January 28^th, 7:30
PM, Community Church of Durham – Winter Organ Concert featuring Organist
Jim Bullock. Mr. Bullock will be playing Bach, Liszt, and Alain among
others.

§ 
Saturday, January 29^th,
9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Durham Evangelical Church – PC Clinic. Bring in
your “sick” PC and the DEC tech team will run basic diagnostics tests for
FREE. For more information, visit www.decITSupport.com.
 

§ 
Thursday, February 3^rd,
7:00-9:00 PM, Oyster River High School, Room C123 – Meeting of Republican
Committee of Durham, Lee, and Madbury. Call Mike
McClurken at 868-6525 if you have questions.

 

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

“During the Great Depression, the
federal government, in conjunction with the State of New Hampshire, developed a
state aid program many times greater than had ever before been undertaken. The
then gravel-and-dirt Madbury, Durham Point, and Mast roads, as well as others,
qualified for aid in getting the farmer out of the mud, by graveling and tarring
the surfaces for year-round use. Many of the older residents in Durham well
remember that, during mud season, it was almost impossible to go to Madbury by
Madbury Road; axle-deep mud holes were encountered beyond Dean Harold Scudder’s
house.” 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.