Friday Update July 10, 2009

“FRIDAY
UPDATES”

July
10, 2009

Lluvia d’oro (Shower of Gold).

Taken near the dead-end portion of
Old Landing
Road just south of Three Chimneys
Inn.

Courtesy Frank
L. Pilar

The shimming of Madbury Road is
scheduled to begin next Tuesday, July 14^th, as long as the weather
cooperates!

Governor
and Executive Council Coming to Durham

On Wednesday, July 15, 2009, the
Governor and Executive Council will hold a breakfast meeting at the Three
Chimneys Inn beginning at 8:00 AM.  Representatives from the Town of
Durham will be in attendance to talk about
Durham, and in
particular economic development initiatives that are underway. Following
the breakfast meeting, the Governor and Executive Council will conduct their
monthly business meeting in the Piscataqua Room of Holloway Common on the
University of
New Hampshire campus. These
meetings are open to the public for observation only.

Bond
Referendum Necessary for Federal Stimulus Funds - Dover Road Pump
Station  Rehabilitation Project

As you know, the Town of
Durham proceeded
with an application to the New Hampshire Clean Water State Revolving Fund
(SRF) Loan Program for $1,231,055 to help fund the Dover Road Pump Station
Rehabilitation Project.  This application was necessary to secure the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) Funds offered to the Town
on March 20, 2009 by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
(NHDES).   NHDES is distributing ARRA funds through its SRF
Loan Program based on a principal forgiveness equal to 50 percent of the value
of the SRF loan amount rather than through an up front lump sum
straight cash disbursement to communities.  This equates to an ARRA
grant to Durham in the amount of
$615,527.  The total project cost is estimated
at $1,500,000.   

The original
Council resolution accepting the ARRA funds from
June, #2009-15 ,  inadvertently defined the SRF loan amount as
$750,000, assuming that the ARRA grant would cover the remaining $750,000 of the
project cost. But, since the ARRA grant is based on 50 percent of the SRF loan,
it was prudent to apply for the greatest SRF loan amount possible to
maximize the ARRA grant.    Since the Town has already bonded
$268,945 for the Dover Road Pump Station Rehabilitation Project, the maximum SRF
loan available to the Town is $1,231,055 .  Therefore, the original
resolution #2009-15 needed to be rescinded and replaced
with Resolution #2009-18 which the Council approved on July
6th. 

In processing this application,
Durham's Bond Counsel has pointed out over the last few days out that the Durham
Town Charter, Section 5.12(A) “Borrowing procedure” states:  “Subject to
the applicable provisions of state law and the rules and regulations provided by
ordinance in the Administrative Code, the Council, by resolution, may authorize
the borrowing of money for any purpose within the scope of the powers vested in
the town and the issuance of bonds of the town or other evidence of indebtedness
therefore any may pledge the full faith, credit and resources of the town for
the payment of the obligation created hereby, provided that no bonds shall be
issued by the Council in excess of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00)
per issue except by a two-thirds vote of the Council, and not exceeding one million
dollars ($1,000,000.00) except by a two-thirds vote of the Council and a
two-thirds vote at a regular town election or special ballot called by the
Council. “ 

Although the net fiscal impact to
the Town will not exceed the $1,000,000 threshold imposed by the Charter,
since the total amount borrowed through the SRF will ($1,231,055), it
will
be necessary to schedule a Town-wide bond referendum special ballot vote in
order to proceed with the application.  This item will need to be discussed
with the Town Council at its upcoming meeting on July 20th and coordinated with
Durham's
election officials should there be a desire to proceed with the bond
referendum.

UNH
Outdoor Pool Remains Closed--Scheduled to Reopen Late Next
Week

The University of New Hampshire outdoor swimming pool
remains closed due to a damaged filter. Crews are expected to work through the
weekend to make the repair once parts arrive Friday and the pool is tentatively
scheduled to reopen later next week. The university’s indoor pool in the Field
House on Main
Street and Mendum’s Pond will continue to be
available for all swimmers with an outdoor pool pass. Swimming lessons will
continue as scheduled at the indoor pool. The University regrets any
inconvenience. Any updates regarding the outdoor pool can be viewed at the UNH
web site, www.unh.edu.

PARKS
& RECREATION
PARK PICNIC
CHANGES
Due to the mechanical problems at
the UNH Outdoor Pool, we will be changing the date of the Swim-under-the-lights
event we are co-sponsoring with UNH Campus Recreation. The event at the
pool will now be held on Wednesday, July 22nd, with Durham residents receiving
$2 off admission between 5:00 -7:00 PM.  (The event runs until 9:00
PM)  As a result, the Parks and  canceling the Park Picnic at Jackson’s Landing on
Thursday, July 23^rd. Food, games and activities will be offered at
the pool.  Join us for the best pool party of the
season!  Please contact us at //us.mc369.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=durhamparksandrec@yahoo.com" href="http://us.mc369.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=durhamparksandrec@yahoo.com" target="_blank" ymailto="mailto:durhamparksandrec@yahoo.com">//us.mc369.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=durhamparksandrec@yahoo.com">durhamparksandrec@yahoo.com
with any questions.

Downtown
Hotel Discussions Continue

Representatives from the Town have
continued to participate in discussions with representatives from Pro Con
Construction and the Kane Company regarding their interest in locating a new
hotel facility with conference capabilities in Durham’s downtown Central Business District
(CBD). It is anticipated that this hotel would contain approximately 100 rooms,
In addition, there would be conference capability and retail on the ground
floor, and the possibility of an upscale restaurant. A facility of this size and
scope will require parking. To this end, the Administrator has initiated
conversations with representatives from the University of New
Hampshire to begin a dialogue revolving around
whether existing parking patterns in the community could be refined to better
accommodate parking needs. It is anticipated at this time that the hotel
proposal will begin to move through the planning process in the
fall.

Refining
Mass Transit Routes Within Durham

This week, the Traffic Safety
Committee (TSC) met with representatives from the University of New
Hampshire to discuss the existing Wildcat transit system and the
UNH community connector bus system within the Town of Durham. Many residents may
not know that UNH has the largest mass transit system in the State of New Hampshire, which is open to Durham residents. In an
effort to meet the Durham Energy Committee’s goal of reducing our carbon
footprint, as well as the Council’s desire to increase sustainability practices
within the broader community, discussions are taking place revolving around
whether Durham’s UNH campus connector system could possibly be refined/expanded
to include more routes along Madbury Road and Edgewood Road, and possibly
servicing the Canney Farm and Fitts Farm developments in order to maximize
opportunities for UNH students, faculty, staff, as well as Durham residents, to
utilize the UNH bus system in order to access campus/downtown locations, or to
utilize the UNH’s Wildcat transit system with daily runs to Newmarket, Dover,
Newington, Portsmouth, and Exeter. Over the years, UNH has moved to new bus
technology utilizing compressed natural gas or biodiesel resulting in buses
being much quieter than in the past and not presenting the same types of exhaust
fumes as typical diesel mass transit buses. Given these factors, we hope to find
ways to make the route as efficient and user-friendly as possible for the entire
community. We are also working with the University on the topic of locating a
bus shelter in an opportune location along Madbury Road for use by students and
residents alike who desire to take the bus rather than their car and need
shelter during inclement weather.

BUDGET
ISSUES STEMMING FROM BIENNIAL STATE BUDGET

As a result of the passage of the
biennial state budget, municipalities across the state stand to lose significant
funding in the area of shared revenues, as well as increased costs and
contributions to the New Hampshire State Retirement System (NHRS). In Durham, the community will
lose approximately $163,000 in shared revenues. It will also have to increase
its contribution to the NHRS for the second six months of FY 2009 by $17,000.
Meals and room distributions are scheduled to increase by approximately $40,000
leaving a net negative impact of approximately $140,000. The Town has also lost
rent monies associated with the Durham District Court facility of approximately
$30,000. All tolled this represents a $170,000 shortfall for the community for
calendar year 2009, and potentially a greater loss for FY 2010. At this time,
the Business Office is carefully reviewing budgetary expenditures, as well as
revenue projections compared with actual receipts to determine whether any
budgetary adjustments need to be made at this juncture to accommodate losses in
state revenue.

RFP
For the Productive Reuse of The Grange (H.A. Davis
Building)

The Town recently solicited
proposals for the productive reuse/redevelopment of the parcel and structure
known as The Grange (H.A.
Davis Building) located at 37 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824 (Tax Map 5, Lot 1-5).  One proposal was received, submitted by
Douglas Greene, a former Durham resident and member of the Durham
Planning Board. To view Mr. Greene’s proposal, including architectural
renderings, click HERE.

RESIGNATION
OF TOWN ASSESSOR

We have received notification from
Town Assessor Robb Dix that after
almost eight years of employment with the Town, he will be leaving on August 3,
2009, to pursue other endeavors. We all wish Robb the very best as he embarks upon the
next chapter of his life. At this time, the Administrator is considering how to
move forward with Town’s assessing efforts in the
future.

PART-TIME
RECREATION DIRECTOR POSITION

The selection process for a new
part-time Recreation Director for the Town of Durham is underway. After advertising the
position, the Town received 44 applications and a selection committee was formed
comprised of Director of Public Works Mike Lynch, former Town Councilor and
Parks & Recreation Committee member Cathy Leach, Parks & Recreation
Committee Chair Sara Badger-Wilson, Parks & Recreation Committee member Amy
Cunningham, and Town Administrator Todd
Selig. Of the 44 applications received, the committee chose
seven individuals to interview. Interviews were held on Thursday and Friday of
this week. It is anticipated that the group of seven will be further narrowed
down over the course of the next few days. More information will be forthcoming
as the process progresses.

DURHAM
DAY 2009

Durham Day 2008 has been set for Sunday,
September 20, 2009 from 12:30-4:30 PM at Wagon Hill Farm. Residents interested
in assisting with this annual event should contact Durham Day Coordinator,
Nicole Moore, at 868-6775 or e-mail durhamday3@yahoo.com

POLICE
OFFICER KATHRYN MONE PROMOTED TO SERGEANT

Kathryn Mone has been promoted to
the rank of sergeant.  A number of officers vied for the position through a
very comprehensive promotional process that involved a written response to a
challenging scenario, a timed one-hour in-box exercise that addressed five
management challenges a sergeant would be expected to address, a written test
developed by an outside vendor on a variety of police management topics, and an
oral board interview consisting of command personnel from several area police
agencies.  In addition, there was a comprehensive review of each
candidate’s performance evaluations which are completed twice annually. In her
role as sergeant, Kathryn will oversee a patrol shift of personnel. 
Sergeant Mone is a graduate of UNH holding a BS in Public Policy and was hired
as a full-time officer in 2002.  She was also a member of the Explorer Post
while a student at Oyster River
High School.  She is
the daughter of Richard and Eleanor Lilly of Durham. 

Chief
Kurz meets with the Durham Landlords
Association

Earlier this week, Police Chief Kurz
attended a Durham Landlords Association (DLA) meeting with the goal to maintain
the solid working relationship that has been forged over the past number of
years. The DLA is a very active group that coordinates security programs,
provides model leases, and works in concert to be responsive to tenants and the
community.  The Durham police, working with the DLA, developed
a program whereby every time police respond to a rental property, an email from
the police is sent to the property owner allowing them to be proactive, working
in association with the police to contain issues before they become significant.
Each quarter the Durham police compile a report that correlates
all calls for service during this period to all rental properties in the
community.  The resulting report reveals those properties which are
demanding more services than others, thereby allowing the police to approach the
landlord to address their problem properties.  Ironically, police data is
demonstrating that those professionally-managed properties, which are often
comprised of large multiple unit complexes, are routinely not the properties of
concern.  More often they are single-family homes housing students with an
absentee landlord not actively involved in the community.

This meeting also addressed how the
DLA could assist the police department in gaining the attention of these
absentee landlords who are not members of the DLA, yet could clearly benefit
from the association.  The DLA plans to make a presentation to the Durham
Town Council in the near future about their organization and the collaborative
opportunities that may exist.

Federal
Reserve Bank of Boston Coming to Durham

On Monday, July 13,
2009, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s New England Community Development
Advisory Council will be holding a Community Forum & Luncheon on the Green
Economy and Community Development.  The forum will be held at the
New England
Center.

Campus
Emergency Notification System to Be Tested at UNH on July
22

On Wednesday, July 22, 2009 at 12:00
noon, the UNH will conduct regular testing of its outdoor notification system.
The test will include the siren, a “canned” message and a recording signaling
the end of the test. The entire exercise will take less than 10
minutes

Dogs
in Vehicles

When the outside
temperature is in the high 70's and 80's, a parked car quickly becomes
dangerously hot inside within minutes.  Leaving the vehicle in the shade
and even with the windows left open a few inches does not provide the needed
ventilation for a dog. If the car is parked in the sun, the inside temperature
can quickly reach 160 degrees. Leaving the air conditioner on in an idling car
may result in a laboring engine which can quickly shut down. It is a fact that
in just 5 minutes, the temperature inside a car, even with the windows cracked,
can reach 100 degrees or more.  We often forget that a dog has a fur coat
that is designed to retain heat, and they cannot perspire when overheated. As
the inside temperature rises, so does the dog's!  If not rescued, a dog
will suffer heatstroke, leading to collapse, brain damage, and ultimately, a
very agonizing death. 

While this is gratefully a rare occurrence in
Durham, a dog in
a locked vehicle may experience overheating. Several danger signs to look for
include: obvious distress, staggering, heavy panting that may appear to be
struggling to breathe, excessive drooling, vomiting, glassy eyes, dark red to
blue or purple gums and tongue, collapse, seizures, and coma.

If you see a dog alone in a parked
car on a hot day, copy the license plate and try the nearest store and ask the
manager to page the owner of the car. If this is unsuccessful, call the Durham
Police to free the dog as soon as possible.  While we love having our pets
with us, if you plan on being away from the car, do your pet a favor and leave
it at home.

DCAT
COORDINATOR CRAIG STEVENS RECEIVES ROTARIAN
AWARD

The Rotary Club of Dover, NH and The
Rotary Foundation of Rotary International have named Craig J. Stevens a Paul
Harris Fellow.  This award is bestowed in appreciation of tangible and
significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and
friendly relations among peoples of the world. The award was given at last
week’s Dover Rotary Club meeting with Craig’s wife Ilese, and daughter Rachel in
attendance.

DURHAM TEEN DIRCTING
HAIR IN CONCERT AT PRESCOTT PARK

Sixteen year old Bridget Regan of
Durham is making her directorial debut with
HAIR in
Concert at Prescott Park on Monday, July 20. That
performance will begin at 8:30 PM and is free to the public, although donations
are accepted.  It will be followed by a second performance at the Seacoast
Repertory Theatre the following Monday, July 27, at 7:30 PM.  Durham residents Camden
Brown and Randy Blake are playing the lead roles of Berger and
Claude. 

The show is produced by Black Box
Theater, an age 21 and younger production company operating under the umbrella
of Seacoast Repertory.  If The Repertory is successful in purchasing
the Mill Pond Center,
it intends to run Black Box out of the Durham site.

MAST
WAY PRINCIPAL SEARCH COMMITTEE HOLDS A “PRINCIPAL
TEA”

The Mast Way Principal Search
Committee has completed its process of selecting a finalist for the position of
principal at Mast
Way Elementary
School.  Please join the community for a
Principal Tea, Monday, June 13, 5:00-6:30pm, at Mast Way Elementary
School.  Questions should be directed to the
Oyster River School District SAU office or  www.orcsd.org "

Wiswall
Road Bridge
Replacement Project to Start in July

The Department of Public Works
anticipates access across Wiswall bridge to close on Monday, July
20^th.  Dismantling the Bailey Bridge is expected to take 5 to 6
weeks. The Wiswall
Road bridge was permanently damaged during the
Mother’s Day Flood of 2006 and selection of a contractor to construct the new
bridge will hopefully be completed by August 1st. The construction of the new
bridge will take about a year, and during that time the public will not be
allowed to access the bridge. A detour will be established to route through
traffic coming from the east in a north/south direction on Packers Falls Road,
and traffic coming from the west will be routed north/south on Lee Hook Road in the
Town of Lee. Please contact Town Engineer Dave
Cedarholm, 868-5578, dcedarholm@ci.durham.nh.us, if you
have questions or need more information.

Planning
Board

On Wednesday, July 8, 2009, the
Planning Board met and conducted the following business: 

·     
Approved a Site Plan Application for St. George’s Episcopal
Church at 1 Park
Court for the renovation and expansion of the
existing church and function hall (Dallas Hall), to redesign the parking area,
and to make improvements the drainage to their parcel and Park Court.

·     
Approved a Site Plan Application and Conditional Use
Permit for the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship located at 20 Madbury Road for
the renovation of the existing main building and the removal of the existing
garage and breezeway and the building of a new addition for an octagonal
congregation area and lobby.  There will be a mixed use of class rooms for
use by the fellowship and leasable professional offices are proposed.

·     
Approved a Site Plan
Application for 6 Jenkins
Court to amend a previously approved Site Plan
for a mixed-use
building consisting of commercial space on the first floor with parking
underneath the building and adjacent to the commercial space with 10 proposed
apartments on the upper two floors.  The upper floors did not change with
the proposed amendment.  However, the applicant proposed removing the
parking under the building and increasing the commercial space, creating some
outdoor seating, and providing an eight (8) foot pedestrian
walk-way.

·     
Opened a public hearing on an amended Site Plan
Application for Elderly Housing
Perley Lane (part of the Fitts Farm development) to
allow for the flexibility of single-family dwellings instead of just
duplexes.  The total number of units will not exceed fourteen.  The
public hearing was continued until July 22, 2009.  A site walk was
scheduled for July 18, 2009 at 9 AM.

BICYCLE
SAFETY

While bicycle and vehicle safety is
a two-way street (pardon the pun), bicyclists are also responsible for a host of
actions such as:

·       
Obey Traffic Signs and
Signals -
Bicycles must drive like other vehicles if they are to be taken seriously by
motorists.

·       
Don’t Weave Between Parked
Cars - Don't
ride out to the curb between parked cars unless they are far apart. Motorists
may not see you when you try to move back into
traffic.

·       
Don’t Pass on the
Right -
Motorists may not look for or see a bicycle passing on the right. Learn to scan
the road behind you while riding. Look back over your shoulder without swerving,
or use a rear-view mirror

·       
Never Ride with Headphones; Wear a
Helmet -
Always wear a helmet. Never wear a headphone while riding a
bike.

·       
Make Eye Contact with
Drivers-
Assume that other drivers don't see you until you are sure that they do. Eye
contact is important with any driver which might pose a threat to your
safety

·       
Use Lights at
Night - The
law requires a white headlight (visible from at least 500 feet ahead) and a rear
reflector or taillight (visible up to 300 feet from
behind).

·       
Keep Bike in Good
Repair -
Adjust your bike to fit you and keep it working properly. Check brakes and tires
regularly. Routine maintenance is simple and you can learn to do it
yourself.

DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY
EVENTS

Second Chance to See Geocaching for
Families on DCAT

If you missed the Durham Public
Library program, Geocaching for Families presented by Larry Vannata on June
27^th , you’re in luck! The program was recorded and will be shown on
Durham Cable Access Television (DCAT), Channel 22 on Sunday, July
12^th at 8:30 PM.

Friend’s
Corner

The Friends of the Durham Public
Library is a non-profit group of volunteers from the community who are
passionate about the Library and all it has to offer our town. Friends meet
every third Wednesday of the month at 1:30 PM at the Durham Public
Library.

Next meeting: July 15

Wildlife
Encounters Zoo

On Thursday, July 16, 2009 at 10:30
AM, naturalists
from the Wildlife Encounters Zoo will present a program that will feature
rainforest animals including the Macaw, Eclectus, red-eyed tree frog, and
Iguanas. The program will take place at the ORHS Multipurpose Room. Co-sponsored
by the Durham,
Madbury, and Lee libraries.

ORYA
FOOTBALL

The Oyster River Youth Association
has begun registration for its football program. Registration deadline is
Thursday, July 16, 2009. For more information, please click HERE.

PUBLIC
MEETING SCHEDULE

The following public meetings are
scheduled for the coming week in the Town Council chambers at the Durham Town
Office and will begin at 7:00 PM unless otherwise indicated
below.

Source Water Protection Subcommittee
– Tuesday, July 14, 2009 (8:00
AM)

Zoning Board of Adjustment –
Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Parks and Recreation Committee –
Thursday, July 16, 2009

To view the agendas for the meetings
listed above, please click HERE.  All meetings
recorded on DCAT are available on DVD at the Durham Public Library for checkout
and viewing. 

To view the Oyster River School Board meeting schedule,
please click HERE. 

The Durham Public Library Board of Trustees
meet every third Thursday of the month at 7:00 PM at the Durham Public
Library.  All are welcome to attend. To view the Trustees meeting schedule,
please click HERE.

The Friends of the Durham Public Library is a
non-profit group of volunteers from the community who are passionate about the
Library and all it has to offer our town.  Friends meet every third
Wednesday of the month at 1:30 PM at the Durham Public
Library. 

DURHAM CABLE ACCESS
TELEVISION PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE

To view a listing of the DCAT
programming schedule, please click HERE 

SUMMER
ART CAMP OFFERED AT THE MUSEUM OF ART, UNH

The Museum of Art, University of New
Hampshire, is offering week-long summer art classes
for children on Monday through Friday during the weeks of August 3-7 and August
10-14, 2009. Children in grades 4 – 9 have a wide variety of classes to choose
from and may sign up for classes during the morning (9 am – noon) or afternoon
sessions (1 – 4 pm) or both. The cost per session is $125 per session or $225
for two sessions during the same week. Classes include the cost of basic
materials. Lunch is not provided, but children are welcome to bring their
lunches to enjoy in the Paul Creative
Arts Center. Supervision is provided during the
lunch hour. Pre-registration is required by July 10, 2009. For more information,
visit www.unh.edu/moa.

FROM
HISTORY IN AN OYSTERSHELL – 1600 – 1976

“1920 – A pageant was presented at
the Town Landing “In Celebration of the 200^th Anniversary of the
Founding of the Durham Congregational Church,” in 3 episodes – “Pioneers,”
Founding of the Church,” and “The Revolution.” The cast of characters comprised
a virtual roster of Town and Campus.”

Have a nice
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