Friday Update June 11, 2010

“FRIDAY
UPDATES”

Friday,
June 11, 2010

 

 

Can you identify the crossing guard
in the photograph above taken in 1974?

 

For motorcycle enthusiasts, Laconia
Motorcycle Week begins tomorrow, Saturday, June 12^TH, kicking off a
week filled with “summer thunder” as tens of thousands of motorcyclists flock to
the Granite
State.

 

 

Durham's
Promotional Video - Spread the Good Word about Durham!

In the summer of 2009, the Town of
Durham produced a short promotional
video highlighting the many attributes which make Durham a fantastic place to
live, work, and play as part of our economic development efforts to broaden the
local tax base.  The film was forwarded to local realtors, placed on the
home page of the Town website, showcased on Channel 22-DCAT, premiered to the
Governor and Executive Council, and was utilized by UNH as part of last year's
orientation for new students.  The promotional video is still relevant
today.  If you know of people or prospective businesses interested in
Durham, please
send them the link at http://ci.durham.nh.us/COMMUNITY/PromoVideo.html. 

 

THE
DURHAM BAZAAR –
THIS SATURDAY FROM 9AM – 1PM

The Durham Bazaar, a
flea market for residents of the Oyster River Community, will be taking place on
Saturday, June 12^th from 9am – 1pm at the Churchill Rink.  There
will be over 30 residents selling their wares.  Come down and shop for
ceramics, jewelry, comic books, photography, baked goods, clothing and much
more!  Enjoy live music by Durham’s very
own Fling as you shop.  Contact Michael Mengers, 817-4074 with any
questions.

 

“THANK
YOU” TO THE DURAM PUBLIC LIBRARY TRUSTEES FOR MEMORIAL DAY TREASURE
HUNT

In
addition to thanking all those who participated in Durham’s 2010 Memorial Day
Parade, we would also like to thank the following volunteers who supported the
Durham Public
Library Trustees with the Treasure Hunt held after the parade: Jennifer Lee,
Luci Gardner, Doug Bencks, Charlie Clark, Lisa Pfeiffer, Jean Olsen, The
Community Church, The Historic Association, Dick Lord, Zelda and David Moore,
Sibylle Carlson, Doug and Becky Karo, Jane Carbonneau,  Steve Burns, Sara
Mayer, Deborah Mayer, Mary Bencks, Joyce Sheffield, Doug and Mary Maclennan,
Susan Roman, Frank Windsor, and The Treasure Hunt Committee: Andrea Bodo,
Sibylle Carlson, Dudley Dudley, Ed Valena, and Ann
Windsor

 

Winter
Storm 2010 Debris Collection Report

The total amount of winter storm
damage debris (trees, branches, stumps) that was collected as part of our
curbside pickup this spring and shredded into wood chips was 2,187 cubic yards
(of chips) which cost the Town $37,179 to pick up and shred.  In addition,
another 4,297 (chipped)cubic yards of tree debris was brought to the Packers
Falls Pit by residents costing the Town another $34,376.  Because of the
good work of the Public Works Department, the vast majority of these costs will
be covered through Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance funds which
will reimburse the community for this cost.

 

Oyster
River School
Board Chair Resigns

On Monday of this week, the Chair of
the Oyster River Cooperative School Board resigned.  To view a series of
three Foster's Daily Democrat
articles and an Editorial dealing with this topic,
visit:

 

Oyster River School Board chair
resigns, citing “backroom deals”

http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100608/GJNEWS_01/706089884/-1/FOSNEWS0102

 

Oyster River School Board won’t release e-mails: Cites attorney/client
privilege:

http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100609/GJNEWS_01/706099881/-1/FOSNEWS0102

 

Vote for new Oyster River School
Board chair delayed until Wednesday: http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100610/GJNEWS_01/706109712/-1/FOSNEWS0102

 

Editorial: OR School Board has much
to explain

http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100610/GJOPINION_01/706109821/-1/fosopinion

 

In addition, Councilors should be
aware that a "blog" is in existence on the web which focuses
specifically upon the ORCSD at http://oysterrivercommunity.blogspot.com/. 

 

NEW
SITE FOR DURHAM
PUBLIC LIBRARY

As noted in last week’s “Friday
Updates”, the Town has entered into a Purchase & Sale
Agreement with Dr. Arthur DiMambro, a local resident, retired physician,
and well-known artist to purchase a 3-acre site to be the new home of the Durham
Public Library. The site is located at 49 Madbury Road, well within walking
distance of the Oyster River Middle
School and downtown Durham.

Dr. DiMambro expressed enthusiasm
that his property can be used for a library. This is an exciting development for
the Town which has been searching for years for an ideal site that is close to
the schools and to the downtown business area, has plenty of parking, and is
large enough for a library. This site meets all those criteria and
more.

 

A Public Hearing to receive input relative to
this proposed site has been scheduled for the Durham Town Council meeting on
Monday, July 12, 2010.

 

To view the Purchase and Sale agreement between the Town of Durham and Dr. Arthur
DiMambro, please click HERE.

 

RFP
for Town-Wide Market Analysis in Durham

The Town ultimately received
eleven (11) proposals to perform the market analysis.  Director of
Planning & Community Development Jim
Campbell will be mailing the proposals to members of
the Economic Development Committee today for review.  He
will then coordinate with EDC member and subcommittee chair Chris Mueller
to organize a meeting to discuss the proposals and narrow them down to three (3)
companies to bring in for interviews.

 

2009
Abatement Application Status Update

New Hampshire RSA 76:16 describes
the process by which municipalities either grant or deny abatement
applications.  If a municipality does not grant an abatement by July 1st,
that application is automatically denied -- although communities may grant
applications after that date.  All Durham 2009 abatement applications
received are currently being reviewed and processed by the Town's contract
assessor from Cross Country Appraisal; however, due to the volume of work
in the Assessing Office, and due to our cost reduction efforts resulting in the
contract assessor being present only 1 day per week (versus 3 days per week in
2008 and 2009), recommendations will not be completed and ready to bring forward
to the Town Council for consideration and action prior to July 1st.  The
Town's contract assessor is continuing to move forward with the 2009 property
tax abatement process (as well as appeals from the 2008 revaluation statistical
update) and applicants will be notified once a final determination has been made
regarding their abatement request(s).  Following a meeting on Tuesday of
this week with Administrator Selig, our contract assessor anticipates that the
process will be complete by July 30th.  Every effort will be made to ensure
that is the case.  Abatement decisions by a municipality may be appealed to
the N.H. Board of Tax and Land Appeals (BTLA) or Superior Court in
accordance with the procedures outlined in RSA 76:16-a and RSA 76-17. 
The deadline to file
and appeal with the BTLA or Superior Court for 2009 abatement applications is
on or before September 1,
2010.

 

                                                               
Planned Pilot Reconfiguration of
Pettee Brook
Lane

 

PETTEE
BROOK LANE
PILOT TRAFFIC CHANGES PLANNED FOR JULY 1ST

In an effort to move forward aspects
of the B. Dennis Strategic Plan involving making downtown Durham more
pedestrian-friendly, Administrator Selig asked the Public Works Department to
develop a test/pilot program for implementation this summer along Pettee Brook
Lane which would involve narrowing the traveled way utilizing paint and cones
from two lanes to one, adding a designated bicycle lane, and including an
additional 10 - 20 parking spaces to support downtown businesses along the
left-hand side of the roadway. If the configuration is successful, we would
hope to continue it into the fall and possibly make it a permanent addition to
Durham's
downtown.

After much discussion, the following
reconfiguration of Pettee Brook
Lane has been approved by Administrator Selig with a
target implementation date of July 1st:

·  
The roadway will consist of 17 new
parking spaces all on the southern side of Pettee Brook.  Between the
egress of Store 24 and Jenkins
Court – 3 spaces; between Jenkins Court and
the southern egress to the Pettee Brook permit lot – 4 spaces; between the
egress into the southern portion of Pettee Brook lot to the egress to the Ocean
Bank – 10 spaces

·  
The roadway configuration will
consist of (south to north) parking spaces that will be 10’ wide with a single
12’ travel lane and finally a 6’ bicycle lane for a total of
28’.

·  
Signage at the intersection of
Madbury
Road will consist of a yield for vehicles entering
Pettee Brook from the north, a merge advisory sign, and a temporary electronic
billboard that will be placed on the Store-24 parking lot advising travelers of
the traffic pattern change.

·  
There will be no fees associated
with this trial parking period.  The immediate goal is to determine if this
pattern will function safely and appropriately.

 

DURHAM AND DOVER MUNICIPAL MANAGERS WASH NEWMARKET FIRE
TRUCK

On Friday, June 4, 2010, Town
Administrator Todd Selig and Dover
City Manager Michael Joyal rolled up their sleeves to wash one of the Town of
Newmarket’s fire
trucks as a result of the March 2010 Census-friendly challenge between the three
communities. The “event” took place at the Newmarket Fire Station located at
4 Young Lane,
Newmarket, N.H.

 

The challenge, established to kick
off the 2010 Census in March of this year, was to see which of the communities
could produce the largest mail-in response. Newmarket won the contest with a 71% return while Dover (69%) and Durham (68%) finished second and third
respectively. To read the Foster’s Daily
Democrat article, please click HERE.

 

           
Courtesy Dave
Cedarholm

 

WISWALL BRIDGE

The Wiswall Bridge Contractor, R.S.
Audley, is nearing final completion of the new bridge and the Department of
Public Works is planning a grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony for Monday,
June 21, 2010 at 11:00 AM on the east side of the bridge. The bridge railings
were installed last week and the approach guard rails should be done by the end
of today.  Audley’s road crew has been busy grading the side slopes and
installing the protective rock revetment on the slopes near the abutments. 
Final paving, line striping, and installation of signage are schedule for next
week.   

 

BABY
BRAGGING AT THE DURHAM FIRE
DEPARTMENT

Fire Captain David
Emanuel, wife Maria, and big brother Cole welcomed Graham on Monday, June
7^th at 10:22 PM. Graham weighed in at 8 pounds. Congratulations to
the Emanuel family.

 

Garden
at the Smith Chapel

We would like to extend a thank you
to everyone who donated their plants and time to create the gardens at the Smith
Chapel.  Plants were donated by Cathy Ferrar, Mark Henderson, Eleanor Lily,
and the UNH
Thompson School.  We are very pleased and
appreciative of any residents who dedicate their time and supplies to enhance
our community.  Great job done by all
involved!

 

TRANSFER
STATION CLOSED JULY 3^RD

The Transfer Station and Recycling Center will be closed on Saturday, July
3^rd for the holiday.  The Transfer Station will resume regular
operating hours on Tuesday, July 6^th, 7:30 AM – 3:15 PM. 

 

          

Running in today’s Law Enforcement
Torch Run for Special Olympics are Jennifer
Johnson, Jennifer Kelly,

and Kristina Mitchell representing
the Durham PD; Nate Liebenow, Newfields PD; and Sinthy Kounlasa, UNH
employee

 

Special
Olympics in Durham This
Weekend

The Special Olympics of New
Hampshire will be arriving for their summer games at UNH this weekend. 
Preceding the games is the Law Enforcement Torch Run, which is one of the
largest Special Olympics fundraising events in the State.  Every branch of
state, municipal, county, and Federal law enforcement has participated in the
Torch Run and raised more than one million dollars since the inception of the
program. In a series of 22 “legs” members of the law enforcement community have
run relays that cover more than 850 miles of New Hampshire roadways. The runners, carrying
the Special Olympics “Flame of Hope”, will arrive in Durham Friday afternoon, enjoy a barbeque hosted by the
Durham and UNH Police, and then run with the
flame into the Opening Ceremonies of the Summer Games held at the University of New Hampshire later Friday evening. 
The opening ceremony will also have a fireworks display at Cowell Field. 
All weekend there will be athletic competition for children and adults with
mental challenges supported by a host of volunteers. 

 

Rash caused
by Lyme disease

 

Biology
and Management of Ticks in New HampshirE –
EXTREMELY USEFUL READING FOR DURHAM
RESIDENTS

June is the riskiest time of year
for Lyme disease. New
Hampshire now ranks 3rd in the nation in the incidence
of Lyme disease. This is based on the number of cases reported per 100,000
people. The University of
New Hampshire Cooperative Extension has
published new information on tick species in New Hampshire, the diseases they can carry,
management options, pesticide choices, and new repellents. This publication,
Biology and Management of Ticks in New Hampshire, can be viewed at http://extension.unh.edu/resources/resource/528/Biology_and_Management_of_Ticks_in_New_Hampshire 

 

PUBLIC MEETING
SCHEDULE

The following public meeting is
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
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, June 14,
2010 (4:00
PM)

 

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 current with all Durham P&R
programs by viewing the June Recreation Reminder, please click HERE.  Also, visit our website at
http://www.ci.durham.nh.us/COMMUNITY/recreation.html
or on Facebook - search ‘Town of Durham Parks.’ 

 

To register for any of the classes
below, please contact Durham P&R Director Michael Mengers at 817-4074, mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us, or visit
the Town Clerk’s Office.

 

§        
Saturday, June 12, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM – The Durham Bazaar. Reserve your spot
today!

§        
Wednesday, June 16, Noon to 1:00 PM -
Free Yoga at Wagon Hill
Farm

§        
Thursday, June 24, 1:00 PM – Line Dancing begins. Pre-registration
required.

§        
Thursday, July 1 – Individual/Family Tennis Lessons. 
Call to schedule a lesson.

§        
Saturday, July 10 - Children’s Summer Safari
begins!

 

      
Courtesy Mike Mengers

 

GREEN
THUMB GANG AT WAGON HILL FARM

On Saturday, June 5th the Parks
& Recreation Department's Green Thumb Gang planted their plot at the
Wagon
Hill Community Gardens.  Members of the Green Thumb
Gang are Alex Rothstein, Jenna Howland, Jeremy Howland, Allison Howland, Katie
Schmitt, Abby Schmitt, Audrey Duvall, Taylor Perkins and Sara Perkins. 
Special thanks to the UNH Greenhouse and Blue Bell Nursery for generously
donating the plants and Master Gardener Susan MacLennan for working with the
Gang.

 

COMMUNITY
EVENTS

 

§        
June 11, 6:00 PM, ORHS Multipurpose Room: 
Drama Club Murder Mystery Dinner.
Tickets are $10 or $5 with a dish to pass.

§        
July 5-9, 8:30 – Noon, UNH Paul Creative
Arts Center:  Music For Youth. Designed for band
students entering 5^th and 6^th grades in the fall. Daily
instrumental lessons are taught by experienced UNH music education majors. For
more information, contact Sarah DeTurk at sarah.deturk@gmail.com.

§        
August 2-6 and August 9-13, Museum of Art, UNH Paul
Creative Arts Center:  Summer Art Camp. For complete
description of classes or to register on-line, visit www.unh.edu/moa or contact Catherine A. Mazur
at Catherine.mazur@unh.edu,
862-3713.

§        
Raffle to Benefit UNH Sailing Centre.
For more information, visit www.unh.edu/sailing-club/ or contact
Coach Diana Weidenbacker at 868-5189, dianaw46@comcast.net.

§        
9^th Annual ORYA Golf
tournament
is being held at Wentworth by the Sea Country Club on Monday June
21^st.  Registrations forms are available at www.oryarec.org.

 

Durham
Public Library Programs and Events

Visit our website
at www.durhampubliclibrary.org for
more information.

 

§        
Tue., June 15:  Summer Reading Registration
begins for “Make a Splash, Read.  Make Waves At Your Library”, a fun 5-week
reading program for children and teens which begins on June 29^th
running through July 29th.

§        
Wed., June 16, 6:00 – 8:30 PM:  McGregor
Memorial EMS CPR and AED Certification class

 

SEACOAST WATER GARDEN
CLUB 2010 TOURS

The Seacoast Water Garden Club is
dedicated to sharing knowledge and information about all aspects of backyard
water gardening. On eight Sunday afternoons throughout the summer, different
club members will open their ponds for public viewing. Tours will be held rain or
shine and run from June 20 – August 15, 2010. Proceeds to benefit “The York
Center for Wildlife”, www.yorkcenterforwildlife.org.  
For more information, visit the Seacoast Water Garden Club website at www.seacoastwatergarden.org.

 

NEW
HAMPSHIRE
TRIVIA & TIDBITS

“In 1916, some 300 motorcyclists
gathered at Weirs Beach on Lake
Winnipesaukee, thus establishing “Motorcycle Week,” a tradition
still observed here in late June every year.” AmericanProfile
Magazine – First appeared:
4/1/2001

 

Please drive carefully this week
during Motorcycle Week.

 

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.