Friday Update June 19, 2009

“FRIDAY
UPDATES”

June
19, 2009

Front Row
(l-r):  Todd Ziemek, DCAT; Sara
Wilson, Parks & Recreation, George Kachadorian, DCAT; Craig Seymour, Pease
Airport Noise Compatibility Study Committee  Stairs (l-r): John
Parry, Parks & Recreation; Bill McGowan, Planning Board; Jay Gooze, ZBA;
Eric Ingelfinger, HDC; Stephen Roberts, Planning Board; Robin Mower, Cons.
Commission (current TC member); Wayne Lewis, Planning Board; Leslie Schwartz,
HDC

On Tuesday of this week, the Town
hosted an appreciation evening to honor members of boards and committees whose
terms expired in April. The event was held at the Hickory Pond Inn and included
thank you comments from Town Council chair Neil Niman. Committee chairs were
present to say a few words about each resident being honored. We would like to
add our sincere thanks to all of the citizens who have given their time and
energy in service to the town. Volunteer efforts are what make small town
government tick. Thanks to you all!

Help
choose the new look of our website

Last week’s Updates notified
residents about the exciting work going into Durham’s web site redesign.  This week we
have glimpses of what the new site could look like.  We are asking for
“Friday Updates” subscribers to help us choose the new look. Please visit
http://ci.durham.nh.us/vote.php to
view two sample designs and vote on which one you would like to see the new site
modeled on. You can also leave a short comment about your choice for our
web team. Please remember the posted designs are general
guidelines. The site’s content, color pallet, and menu items are subject to
change.

Tax
Bill Information

It has been recently brought to our
attention that there is an error in the individual tax rate breakdown between
the local school, state school, town, and county components of the full tax rate
on the tax bill due July 1, 2009. The total tax rate is correct as well as
the figures that make up that
total for individual properties. All billing information was proofed prior to initial set-up. The
error occurred during the actual set-up of the new bill when the labeling of the
taxing entities was inadvertently switched by our subcontractor.  We
apologize for any confusion this may have caused. The correct labeling with the
corresponding individual rate is as follows:

                                
MUNICIPAL     
            $
3.26

                               
 LOCAL
SCHOOL       
$ 7.87

                                
STATE SCHOOL         $
1.13

              
                  COUNTY          
            $
1.08

                               
 TOTAL              
           
$13.34

This tax bill is the first bill
issued using a printing company. Mark Altman & Associates is the
company we have chosen to provide this service. Based on the information we
provide, they produce and mail our bills. In the future we will also use
them for water/sewer billing. The decision to outsource bill production and
mailing is an efficiency enhancement made to avoid the need to hire additional
staffing.

WHY
DOES MY PROPERTY TAX PAYMENT GO TO … MANCHESTER?

Many of you have noticed that your
bill now includes a return payment envelope addressed to Manchester. In an
effort to mitigate the need for additional staffing in the Town Clerk-Tax
Collector’s Office, we have begun using a “Lockbox” service. When you mail your
payments in the return envelope they go to a centralized processing center in
Manchester where
they are sorted, processed and deposited. We have chosen Centrix Bank to
provide this service. Payments are deposited in the Town of Durham’s account at Centrix
Bank and then transferred by ACH deposit to Citizens Bank. The payment file is
sent electronically to the Tax Collector’s office daily where the payments are
posted to the individual taxpayer accounts. You may use the return envelope
and send your payments to the lockbox in Manchester, you can mail your payments directly
to the tax Collector’s office at 15
Newmarket Road or you can make your payments in
person at the office.  If you have any questions or concerns, please fell
free to contact us at 868-5577.

dog
licenses

Dog licenses were due for renewal in
April.  The month of May is given as a grace period and late fees of
$1.00/month begun as of June 1^st.  RSA 466:14 requires us to
issue a $25.00 Civil Forfeiture on unlicensed dogs as of July
10^th.  We urge all dog owners who have not yet registered their
dogs for 2009 to comply as soon as possible to avoid any further action that is
required by the laws of the State of New Hampshire.

POOL
VOUCHERS

There are still plenty of pool
vouchers available at the Town Clerk’s Office. The vouchers are for Durham children and seniors
and offer a reduction in the seasonal pass rate.

DURHAM FIRE DEPARTMENT
CONDUCTS “LIVE FIRE” TRAINING

On Saturday June 20^th
2009 the Durham Fire Department will be conducting training at 261 Mast Rd. This
training will include live fire training of different scenarios and will
conclude with the entire structure being burned down. No road closures are
expected for this training for any length of time. There may be a short closure
on Mast
Road during the period of time when the entire
building is consumed. Most Fire Department apparatus will be parked in West Edge
lot, and any vehicles needed in front of the building will be parked off the
road. Please contact the Durham Fire Department at 868-5531 with questions
concerning the live fire training.

Bicycling
in Durham

A recent study in England
found that as the interest in cycling increases, bicycling accidents are
reduced. Due to the high price of fuel, cycling in London increased by 91%
over recent years while accidents and injuries reduced by 33% during the same
period.  It would be wonderful if there was a similar phenomenon in
Durham where
increased use of bicycles and walking, ultimately decreased accidents and close
calls. 

While we are on the subject of
bicycling, there is a bike-friendly way to get to Portsmouth: check out maps and routes at
Seacoast Area Bike
Route’s Web site http://www.seacoastbikes.org/SABR-Map-Ports-Dover-Durham.pdf.
The route takes you from downtown Durham to route 4, which, although busy with
traffic, has a nice shoulder that makes for good riding. Once you cross the
Scammel
Bridge to Dover Point, take
the right onto Dover Point
Road past Newicks where you can cross the old General
Sullivan Bridge over Little Bay where no cars are allowed. On the Newington side you will
take a right onto Shattuck
Way to Nimble Hill Road. A right onto Nimble Hill
leads to great biking in Newington. Take your next left onto Fox Point Road which
will lead to a short bike path onto Pease and Arboretum Dr., a left onto Arboretum leads
to the Pease Area and access to downtown Portsmouth via a bicycle bridge, or to Portsmouth Hospital area via Sherburne
Road.

After
Action Critique OF LAST WEEK’S
ARMED STANDOFF

Durham Police, assisted by UNH and
Lee Police Departments as well as the New Hampshire State Police, were
confronted with a stand-off with an armed man in close proximity to the
Littlehale, Madbury, and Emerson
Road neighborhoods. At the beginning of this event,
there was not much information immediately available to the officers on location
that would provide them with any insight as to why this man wanted to endanger
himself. Officers on the scene were initially only aware that his local police
department had issued an alert to all New Hampshire police personnel to check on his
well-being and that he could be
armed. Once he had stopped his motorcycle in Durham after a pursuit by Lee Police, it was
abundantly clear to the officers that he was extremely agitated and in-fact,
armed with two hand guns with which he was waving and threatening police. 

One of our immediate concerns was
the closeness of residences to this event, as well as the unpredictability of
the man’s behavior.  His proximity to the woods that separates Route 4 and
these neighborhoods was of great concern as the potential for his hiding or
possibly making his way into one of the residences was very real. Combining all
of these known factors, it was decided to ask a number of residents closest to
the incident to evacuate their homes for safety considerations. Durham Fire
Department personnel did a marvelous job in conveying this concern. 

In spite of significant negotiation,
sadly the police were unable to sway this man’s determination to end his own
life.  At the point of his death, the immediate situation becomes a crime
scene and there are a host of subsequent procedures that the police must
activate.  It was during this busy and stressful time that Chief Kurz
realized that there was no way of notifying all of the evacuated residents it
was now safe to return to their homes. Administrative Selig also received this
as helpful feedback from a family that had been
evacuated.

As is the department’s policy in the
aftermath of significant events, an after-action critique highlighted this flaw
and Chief Kurz has taken steps to ensure that if we are ever challenged with
such an event in the future that procedures are in place to acquire a contact
number for each individual evacuated. The Durham Police and Fire Departments
want to thank you for your cooperation during this traumatic event and hope that
the new procedures will never be needed in the
future.

PARKS
AND RECREATION COMMITTEE PICNIC – THURSDAY, JUNE
25^TH

Please join members of the Parks and
Recreation Committee at Wagon Hill Farm this coming Thursday, June
25^th, for the first “Thursday Night Park
Picnic”.

The
Parks & Recreation Committee will host a “Thursday Night Park Picnic” for
townspeople throughout the summer.  Every other Thursday, a location will
be selected where people can bring a picnic and any games, etc., they would like
to play or share. Games will be set up in advance, but feel free to bring your
favorites along as well.  It is intended to be a very casual event, with no
specified times or requirements beyond getting together after 5:00 PM and
meeting more of the members of our great community. You are encouraged to
come individually or in groups and join in the fun. Please contact the Parks
& Recreation Committee at durhamparksandrec@yahoo.com with
any questions or suggestions for other locations you would like to see utilized
for these gatherings. Given the venue, consider the event canceled if it is
raining.  Hope to see you there!

JACKSON’S LANDING WORK
SESSION

On Saturday, June 27, 2009 from 8:30
– 11:30 AM, the Jackson's Landing and Parks and
Recreation Committees will have a work session at Jackson's Landing to complete the trail work
that was begun last fall.  Volunteers are needed to haul wood chips and cut
and clear brush. If you are interested in helping you can contact John Parry at
jeparry3@comcast.net, or just meet at
the north side of the ice rink anytime that
morning.

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 outstanding 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 

Oyster
River
Watershed Association “River
Drive”

On Saturday, June 27, 2009 the
Oyster River Watershed Association will host a “River Drive” from
9:00 AM to 12:00 noon. For several years, the Oyster River Watershed Association
has hosted monthly “Riverwalks” as a means of becoming familiar with the river
and its tributaries, and to better understand the challenges of protecting and
managing the watershed. Now that the river is going through the nomination
process for inclusion in the New Hampshire Rivers Management Program, it is
appropriate to help stakeholders learn about some of the major features of the
river and the land through which it flows. The “River Drive” will
involve car pooling to visit several spots along the main course of the river
and tributaries to see the range of terrain and flow characteristics of the
river, as well as the water quality and quantity challenges. There are seven
years of water quality records that have been produced by volunteer monitors,
and these results will be discussed in terms of the locations along the river. A
fact sheet about the watershed and the river will be distributed and
discussed.

As part of the New Hampshire Rivers
Management Program application, the core group will need to resolve whether to
include only the fresh water portion of the Oyster River or to include the entire watershed,
including the salt water portion.

Meet at the lower end of Market
Basket Shopping Plaza at the Lee Traffic Circle, close to Pizza Spinners. All
are welcome. Prior registration is not necessary, but it would be helpful in
terms of managing the logistics of the tour. Call or contact Dick Weyrick,
868-2862, dweyrick@comcast.net for
registration, additional details, or information about possible weather
postponement.

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.

Planning Board – Wednesday, June 24,
2009

Economic Development Committee –
Friday, June 26, 2009 (7:30
PM)

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,
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,
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, click HERE 

UPCOMING
DURHAM PUBLIC
LIBRARY EVENTS

2009 Summer Reading
Program, for ages birth through 18: Registration begins the
week of June 22^nd. Read books, (or be read to,) record your titles or
minutes read on your reading log, and turn in your logs to win free books! 
Write book reviews of your favorite books and be entered in a drawing for even
more prizes. The program will run from June 23 through August 1.  DPL
Summer Reading Program events and programs flyers are available – fun for kids,
teens, and families.  DPL will also have reading lists with suggestions of
great books to read if you’re looking for something new and exciting, or just
want to keep up on your academic reading list.  Special thanks to the
Durham Library Friends of the Library for an excellent selection of Summer
Reading Program book prizes. 

A History of Quilts, Wednesday, June
24, 7:00 PM:
Quilt
Historian Pam Weeks will present a quilting program as part of the Library’s
“Picturing America” grant.  She will explain the stories of some of the
quilts featured in the “Picturing America” poster.  You are invited to
bring your family quilt and share stories as well.

Geocaching for Families, Saturday,
June 27, 1:00 PM:
Geocaching
is a fun, high-tech version of a treasure hunt, and is growing in popularity
with the development of personal GPS devices and the increase in these devices
being installed in cars. Durham resident and
Geocaching enthusiast, Larry Vannata, will present a brief power point on
several Geocaching trails that are available in the Great Bay area. After the presentation, you are
invited to find a walkable geocache to experience what this fun, family-friendly
activity is all about.  If you have your own GPS device, you are welcome to
bring one.  Please call the Library at 868-6699 to
RSVP.

STRING
SEXTET TO PERFORM AT ST. GEORGE’S EPISCOPAL
CHURCH

On Tuesday, June 23, 2009 beginning
at 8:00 PM, Durham native Ben Rous and his
Boston-based musician friends will perform an evening of string sextet music at
St. George’s
Episcopal Church. Currently serving as Assistant Conductor of the Phoenix
Symphony, Ben has dusted off the violin and teamed up with members of the
Arcturus Chamber Ensemble and A Far Cry Chamber Orchestra (appearing soon on the
UNH Celebrity Series) to perform works by Brahms and Strauss along with music
from the Renaissance. Admission is free (donations
accepted).

Oyster
River
Youth Association (ORYA) Golf Tournament

Final reminder that the ORYA Annual
Golf Tournament fundraising event is scheduled for Monday, June 22,
2009, beginning at 7:30 AM at Wentworth by the Sea. This represents
an opportunity to be a part of ORYA's major fund-raiser of the
year. Contact family or friends and play on one of the more
prestigious and difficult to get onto courses in the area. Register
through the ORYA office at 868-5150, or Click here
to register.

FROM
HISTORY IN AN OYSTERSHELL – 1600 – 1976

“1917 – The Student Army Training
Corps consisting of 1,269 men from N.H. and New York City took over the campus and town.
Townspeople fed, transported, entertained and comforted them. The Barracks
(dismantled in 1973), concrete sidewalks and flagpole were memorials to
them.”

“1917” – A small pipe-fenced area is
found just east of route 108 below Broth Hill. Enclosed is a 18” granite slab,
inscribed ‘Bennie Flanders, June 17, 1909, Sept. 11, 1917. Gone but not
forgotten.’ It has been determined that this is the grave of the Flanders’ pet dog.”

Have a nice weekend. Don’t
forget…Sunday is Father’s Day.

Todd

Todd I. Selig, Administrator

Town of Durham
15 Newmarket Road
Durham, New Hampshire 03824
Tel
(603) 868-5571
Fax (603) 868-5572
tselig@ci.durham.nh.us
www.ci.durham.nh.us

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