Friday Update June 18, 2010

 

“FRIDAY
UPDATES”

Friday,
June 18, 2010

 

 

The above photograph of a
Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) in Durham was taken by
resident Jeanne Wishengrad.
The Blanding’s Turtle has been ranked as an endangered species in
the State of New
Hampshire. To read more about the Blanding’s Turtle,
visit the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department web site: http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wildlife/Nongame/turtles/blandings_turtle.htm

 

Summer officially begins on Monday,
June 21^st, at 7:28 AM.  It is also supposed to FEEL like summer
this weekend, with temperatures reaching the 90’s.

 

           
    
Courtesy Robin
Mower

 

Bicycling
to Town Hall? Look for the new bike rack
location!

If you thought there was no place to
park your bike at Town Hall, that may be because you had a hard time finding it.
(For years a bike rack was tucked up against the building on the grass near the
back-door access ramp.) The Durham Energy Committee and the Department of Public
Works have come to the rescue!

 

The parking space closest to
School House
Lane and the Town Hall was identified by the
Committee and the Administrator as a better option for the existing bike rack.
This location provides safety for cyclists and reminds visitors that the Town
encourages the use of alternative forms of transportation. The new space hosted
three bikes at the same time on its very first day—a record
use!

 

The Energy Committee reminds
residents that bike racks may be also found at the Police Department and the
Department of Public Works. UNH hosts racks at the Amtrak train station (among
many other locations) and the Durham
Mill Plaza hosts a rack near the library and Wildcat Fitness Center.

 

 

Wiswall
Bridge
Grand Opening - RESCHEDULED

The Grand Opening ribbon-cutting
ceremony for the new Wiswall Bridge has been rescheduled for Tuesday, June 22, 2010 at 10:00 AM on the
east side of the bridge. The bridge contractor, R.S. Audley, completed
installation of the approach guard rails last week. The side slopes have been
seeded and mulched, and the protective rock revetment near the abutments is
complete. Also, the new signage is installed, and final paving was completed
yesterday.  A few minor details remain to be completed today and the plug
joints on the ends of the bridge deck pavement are to be installed on
Monday. 

 

DPMMA
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNIT AGREEMENT RENEWAL

On Monday
evening, June 22, 2010, the Town Council will be asked to ratify the Collective
Bargaining Unit Agreement between the Town of Durham and the Durham Professional Mid-Managers
Association (DPMMA) that will extend January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2013.
Administrator Selig recommends passage of the DPMMA Collective Bargaining
Agreement as presented. As part of the negotiated changes to the Collective
Bargaining Agreement, the base annual salaries for each employee in the unit
will be adjusted in the following years of this Agreement as follows:

 

January 1, 2010 - 0%
COLA

January 1, 2011- 2%
COLA

January 1, 2012 – 2%
COLA

January 1, 2013 – 2%
COLA

 

POOL
VOUCHERS ARE STILL AVAILABLE!

The UNH Outdoor Pool is now open and
pool vouchers are available for Durham youths ages 2-17 and senior citizens 62
years and older to receive a $45.00 discount off the full price of a season
pass. There are currently 219 vouchers remaining. Vouchers can be picked up at
the Town Clerk’s Office located in the Town Hall from 8:00 AM-5:00 PM,
Monday-Friday. Pool pass vouchers must be picked up BEFORE purchasing a
pool pass.

 

Pool passes are sold at the Front
Service Desk at the Hamel
Student Recreation Center, located next to the Whittemore Center on the UNH campus.  When purchasing pool
passes be sure to ask about the great value you can receive on a family
membership package. This is NEW and is being run on a trial basis. If
successful, the University may consider offering it in future years. The rates
are listed below.

 

	2010 UNH POOL FEE	TOWN SUBSIDY (Voucher)	NET FEE (For Durham Residents)
YOUTHS (2 to 17 yrs)	$82.00	$45.00	$37.00
SENIOR CITIZENS (Age 62 or over)	$82.00	$45.00	$37.00
FAMILY MEMBERSHIP (4 family members maximum with no vouchers)	$250.00	NONE	$250.00
-- 4 family members with 1 voucher		$45.00	$205.00
-- 4 family members with 2 voucher		$45.00	$160.00
ADULTS (18-61 years)	$93.00	NONE	$93.00
5 VISIT PUNCH PASS	$25.00	NONE	$25.00
10 VISIT PUNCH PASS	$50.00	NONE	$50.00
DAILY PASS  (Under 3 years)	FREE	FREE	FREE
DAILY PASS  (Over 4 years)	$7.00	NONE	$7.00
DASH PASS  (Adults only – good for swimming after 5:00 pm M-F and all weekends)	$70.00	NONE	$70.00

 

Town
Offices Closed for Independence Day

The Town Offices will be closed in
observance of the July 4^th holiday on Monday, July 5, 2010. All
offices will reopen for regular business hours on Tuesday, July 6, 2010 at 8:00
AM.

 

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

 

JULY
FOURTH CELEBRATION

The Durham-Great Bay Rotary Club and
the Town of Durham will be sponsoring a gala Independence
Day celebration with fireworks on Sunday, July 4^th with a rain date
of Monday, July 5^th to be held at Cowell Stadium on the UNH campus.
Activities will begin at 6:30 PM. In addition to music, activities are also
planned for children. The food court will also be open and serve great food
throughout the fireworks display. Donations will be accepted at the gate.
Fireworks will begin at dusk (9:00-9:15 PM). UNH provides this venue at no cost
to the community.

 

New
England
Center
Closes

The New England Center is scheduled to close on Wednesday,
June 30, 2010 after 41 years of operation.  To read more about the
New England
Center, visit: http://unh.edu/news/campusjournal/2010/Jun/09nec.cfm

 

PRIMARY ELECTION – TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14^TH

The New Hampshire state
Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, September 14, 2010. The following is a
list of candidates who have filed for office to represent District 7 within
the NH House of Representatives in Strafford County and District 21 within the
NH Senate in Strafford County:

 

State
Representatives

Judith T.
Spang

Jenna
Roberts

Timothy
Horrigan

Anne
Lane

Phil
Ginsburg

 

Delegates to the Republican
Convention

Roger
Arnoldy

Pete
Chinburg

Charles
McLean

Warren W.
Smith

 

To view a complete listing
of candidates who have filed for the Primary Election, visit http://www.sos.nh.gov/filingperiod--2010.htm. 
Durham is in
Congressional District #7. 

 

COUNCIL DISCUSSION WITH SCHOOL BOARD
REPRESENTATIVE(S)

In an effort to improve upon
communication and build a strong, positive working relationship between the Town
of Durham and the Oyster River Cooperative School District, Jocelyn O’Quinn,
Durham’s representative on the school board, has been invited to attend the June
21, 2010 Town Council meeting to provide the Council with an update on school
issues. 

 

Oyster
River School Board
RELEASES E-MAIL CORRESPONDENCE

On Wednesday this week, following a
special board meeting on Tuesday night, members of the Oyster River School Board
voted unanimously to waive the attorney/client privilege and release e-mail
correspondence involving the former School Board Chair. To view this article,
visit:

http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100617/GJNEWS_01/706179709 

 

PUBLIC HEARING ON ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS TO ORLI
AND MUDOR ZONING
DISTRICTS

On Monday, June 21, 2010, the Town Council will hold
a Public Hearing on an ordinance to amend Chapter 175 “Zoning”, Article XII
“Zone Requirements”, Section 175-53 “Table of Uses” to allow single-family homes
and duplexes in the ORLI zone as a conditional use and to allow single-family
homes in the MUDOR zone as a conditional use.

 

“ASKING YOUR FIRE AND POLICE CHIEFS THE RIGHT
QUESTIONS”

On Wednesday this week,
Administrator Selig attended a work session at the New Hampshire Municipal
Manager’s Association conference in Portsmouth titled “Asking Your Fire and Police
Chiefs the right Questions”. Local government managers have to make policy
decisions based on information received from different departments.
Two  important agencies from which to obtain accurate, measurable
information are the police and fire departments. Police and
fire  departments have their own jargon—and few  people
outside these vocations have training in emergency services management.
This session focused on asking the right questions in order to get quality
information. Questions posed included: How many police and firefighters do you
really need? How well are your public safety departments performing? Are
"officers per 1,000" and "number of calls" really meaningful measures?

 

 ADMINISTRATOR SELIG PRESENTS AT 6^TH ANNUAL EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS CONFERENCE IN MANCHESTER “LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE ANTHRAX
RESPONSE

On Thursday of this week,
Administrator Selig presented a session titled “Lessons Learned From the Anthrax
Response” at the 6^th Annual Emergency Preparedness Conference held in
Manchester relative to a rare report of gastrointestinal
anthrax
that occurred in December 2009. The session examined the clinical manifestations
of anthrax and its exceptionality as a naturally-occurring disease as well as a
Category A bioterrorist agent. 

 

State officials who were
involved in the investigation and response also spoke and provided information
about what was special to this case investigation. Objectives of the session
included learning about the implications of a reported case of anthrax; learning
how the Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) partnered with Homeland
Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) and the Town of Durham in a case and
contact investigation involving a potential bioterrorist agent; discussing how
the state's response affected the local community; and learning what state and
local responders identified as needed improvements in future
responses.

 

Other presenters included
Christine Adamski, RN, MSN, Acting Chief, Communicable Disease Control Section,
Division of Public Health Services, NH Department of Health and Human Services
and Christopher M. Pope, Director, NH Homeland Security and Emergency
Management.

 

NEW
UNH ENERGY-EFFICIENT BUS ON DISPLAY AT TOWN
HALL – JUNE 21  AT 6: 00 PM
PRIOR TO TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

 On Monday evening, June
21^st at 6:30 PM prior to the Town Council meeting, the UNH
Transportation Division has arranged to have one of its new, quiet,
energy-efficient buses on display at the Town Hall parking lot. Residents are
encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to personally view one of these
buses.

 

For more than ten years, the Town of
Durham has
enforced an ordinance that prohibits large buses on Edgewood Road. 
During this time, the University of New
Hampshire has acted as a good neighbor by not
operating bus routes along either Madbury or Edgewood Roads even though they
have buses that are considerably under the weight limit of this ordinance.

 

As times are changing and traffic is
ever increasing throughout the community, there is a strong
desire expressed by the Council to seek ways that Durham can take steps to
lessen use of vehicles while keeping an eye on sustainability.  These goals
are supported by the Durham Energy Committee and B. Dennis Town Design, the
consultant team that had been retained by the Town to focus on revitalizing
downtown. An energy-efficient, quiet, small bus connecting neighborhoods and the
University could be one of those steps.  With these thoughts in mind, the
Town initiated discussions with UNH to explore the possibility of expanding bus
routes that would address these concerns and lessen traffic pressures on many of
Durham’s
neighborhood streets.  These discussions dovetailed with UNH’s desire to
have a fleet consisting of smaller buses fueled by compressed natural gas that
are highly efficient and significantly quieter than any buses in the existing
fleet.  The Durham Traffic Safety Committee agrees that these
buses would complement a transportation system which is efficient while
respectful of the neighborhoods.   

 

The buses will also be running
through the Madbury/Edgewood corridor every 2-3 hours on June 21st to give
residents a sense of how they sound and
smell. 

 

 

Vacancies
on Various Town Boards

The Durham Town Council is seeking
interested residents of the Town of Durham who have the ability, desire, and time
needed to serve on the Town boards and/or committees listed below that currently
have vacancies. Citizens interested in board appointments should contact the
Town Administrator’s office at 868-5571, or email Jennie Berry at jberry@ci.durham.nh.us and request an
application form. Interested residents may also stop in at the Town Clerk’s
office located on the first floor of the Town Hall, 15 Newmarket Road,
and complete an application. Applications are also available on the Town’s
web site at: www.ci.durham.nh.us under the heading
“Features” at the bottom of the page. Completed applications may be mailed to
the Town Administrator’s office, or submitted via email to jberry@ci.durham.nh.us.

 

Parks and Recreation Committee (1
alternate vacancy)

Planning Board (1 alternate
vacancy)

Rental Housing Commission (1 tenant
representative; 1 student organization
representative)

Durham Cable Access Television
(DCAT) Governance Committee (1 regular vacancy; 1 alternate
vacancy)

Durham Energy Committee (2
vacancies)

Strafford Regional Planning
Commission & MPO Policy Committee (1 vacancy)

 

 

Paving
Update

Town crews are performing drainage
improvement work on Wednesday Hill
Road in preparation for paving.  This year’s
paving contractor, Suburban Paving, is shimming Strafford Avenue and
Mill Pond
Road today.  After the roads are shimmed,
structures such as water gaits and manholes will be adjusted.  The top coat
of asphalt is applied after this work is completed and will most likely be
installed in 3-4 weeks. 

 

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. 

 

Town Council – Monday, June 21,
2010.  To view the complete Council packet for this meeting, please click
HERE

Rental Housing Commission –
Wednesday, June 23, 2010 (4:00
PM)

Planning Board – Wednesday, June 23,
2010

Parks and Recreation Committee –
Thursday, June 24, 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

 

 

                                               
Courtesy Jenna
Roberts

 

Ribbon-Cutting
for the New Sensory Garden at Jackson Landing
Playground

Durham Parks & Recreation
members Jenna Roberts and Jean Olsen planted the idea of a children's sensory
garden at Jackson Landing last fall.  That idea took root.  After
months of planning, weeks of building and a day of planting, the Sensory Garden at Jackson Landing has
blossomed.  Members of the community are invited to come to a
ribbon-cutting ceremony to formally unveil the garden.  As you take in the
sights and smells of the garden, you are also invited to touch and taste and
even hear the unique plants and herbs.  The garden engages all 5 senses:
see, hear, taste, touch and smell.  On Friday, June 25th at 2:00 PM at the
Jackson Landing Playground, tours will be given to introduce and explain the
unique plants, herbs, and vegetables.  A flower-making craft will be
available for children of all ages and light refreshments will be served.
 Bring your family and let your senses be delighted. 

 

Special
Thanks:

Monetary support:  Jackson Landing Playground
Committee, Parks & Rec Committee, ORPP

 

Garden design advice and plant
selection from: Wendy Fogg from Misty Meadows, Lee; Gael Grant, Master Gardener,
LeeSusan McLellan, Master Gardener, Durham

 

Garden bed builders: Jerry Olsen
& Tom Bebbington

 

Assistance
with site and water access:   Mike Lynch, Durham Public
Works

 

Garden
Installation and Planting Volunteers: Sue Haskell and her children Charlie and
Sam; Kate Ruml and her daughter Julia; Tanya Vlasenko and her daughter, Tom
Bebbington and Jenna Roberts and their children Miles and Eva; Jean and Jerry
Olsen, Beth Pescosolido

 

           
   
Courtesy Hilary
Niles

 

Grand
Opening and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony at the Durham Farmers'
Market

Now that more food and flowers are
coming into season, the Durham Farmers' Market will hold a ribbon-cutting
ceremony as part of its "grand opening" to celebrate the new season and our new
location in the Mill Road
Plaza. Diana Carroll, chair
of the Durham Town Council, will perform the ribbon-cutting ceremony, joined by
others from the community. A special Market Info Booth will also be open to
answer general questions about the market and to let the public know about
opportunities for local groups to get involved with this local food
resource. The ceremony will be held on Monday, June 21, 2010, promptly at
2:15 PM. The Farmers’ Market is open until 5:30 PM every Monday, rain or shine,
in the parking lot of the plaza located at 7 Mill Road.

 

A
Band by the Bay – Live Folk Music and Guided Trail Walk at Wagon Hill Farm on
Friday, July 23^rd

Join the Parks &
Recreation Department for an evening of great music, family, friends, and a
fantastic view of the Little Bay.  At 6:00 PM Durham’s very own Clearly
Related String Band will perform their unique style of “Old Timey Music from the
Northern Appalachians” that is rich with Folk, Country, and Bluegrass
style.  So come on down and bring a picnic, a blanket, a lawn chair, and
your dancing shoes.  Before the show, at 5:00 PM, enjoy a guided trail walk
of Wagon Hill Farm organized by the Conservation Commission.  Member Malin
Clyde will discuss shoreline habitat, identifying wildflowers, looking for signs
of wildlife, and an overview of Appalachian oak-pine habitat.  The walk
will meet at the Wagon Hill parking lot.  The concert and trail walk are
free, with donations accepted and going to the band.  Contact
Michael
Mengers, mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us, 817-4074
with any questions. Please click HERE for more
information.

 

DURHAM HISTORIC
ASSOCIATION – PICNIC & ANNUAL MEETING

On Tuesday, June 22, 2010 beginning
at 6:00 PM, the Durham Historic Association (DHA) will hold its annual meeting
and picnic at the historic Sullivan House. The MacLennans have graciously
offered to host our picnic this year and will share some of the history of their
famous house.

 

The Sullivan House is situated at
21 Newmarket
Road and limited parking is available at the house.
If possible, please park across the river at the parking lot on the Old Landing Road.
There is a footbridge across the river and pathway that leads to the house.
Please contact DurhamHistoricAssn@comcast.net for more information.

 

Seacoast
Water Garden Club - tour of Bayou New
Hampshire

The Seacoast Water Garden Club is
sponsoring a tour of Bayou New Hampshire, a collection of spring-fed manmade
ponds (and several beaver ponds) at 246 Packers Falls Road in Durham from noon to four
on Sunday, June 20th.  Admission is two dollars to benefit the York Center for Wildlife.  Sunday may be
hot, so visitors who would like to swim should bring suits and towels. For a
schedule of other tours, see www.seacoastwatergarden.org.  To view a self-guided tour
map, please click HERE. 

 

Help
Prevent Pollution, Poisonings, and Drug
Abuse--Dispose of your Unneeded Medication

 

Six Steps to
Safety: 

1.   Pour medicine into a
sealable plastic bag.

2.   If the medicine is a
solid, add a small amount of water to dissolve it.

3.   Add any undesirable
substance (such as dirt, coffee grounds or kitty litter) to the liquid medicine
in the plastic bag.

4.   Seal the bag and
immediately dispose of it in the trash for regular pick-up.

5.   Use marker to black
out any personal contact information on the empty medicine container prior to
disposing of it in the trash.

6.   For more information,
consult www.nh.gov/medsafety.

 

Do NOT flush medicine down the
toilet unless accompanying product information instructs that it is safe to do
so. Don't keep unneeded medications in the home. For more information or in case
of an accidental poisoning, call the poison center at
1-800-1222.

 

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 or mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us or visit the
Town Clerk’s Office.

 

§        
Wednesday, June
23, 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.

§        
Thursday, July
8, 5:30 PM – Thursday Evening
Yoga. Pre-registration
required.

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

§        
Friday, July 23,
5:00 PM:  A Band by the
Bay. The Clearly Related String Band and a guided trail walk of
Wagon Hill Farm.

 

COMMUNITY
EVENTS

§        
June 26, 11:30
AM, Portsmouth
High School: 
AmericaSpeaks in partnership with
the Carsey Institute at UNH and Portsmouth Listens announces a town hall meeting
event: Our Budget, Our Economy. Register at:  www.USABudgetDiscussion.org.
Visit www.Americaspeaks.org for more
information.

§        
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.

§        
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.

§        
Sat., June 26,
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM:  McGregor Memorial EMS babysitting certification
class. 

 

 Don’t forget that Sunday is
Father’s Day. Have a great Father’s Day 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.