Friday Update June 8, 2012

"100%" class="c4">

"http://staticapp.icpsc.com/icp/loadimage.php/mogile/832637/a7b0678ad73b88fbf2a2c0a2dd8aafac/image/jpeg"
width="260" height=
"41" />NEWS AND HAPPENINGS ...
   

class="c4">

 

"true"> "http://staticapp.icpsc.com/icp/loadimage.php/mogile/832637/35a65e2342ab85b07b4a9a586677ebde/image/jpeg" />

Venus
Transit Across the Sun

visible here
in Durham - Courtesy Andy
Smith

 

"c19">For those who wonder what makes Durham
such an amazing communtiy, here is an
example...

 

"c19">Above we have a photo of the Venus
transit across the Sun. Look for
Venus--the small dark dot in the circle
(upper left). The other dark dots are sun
spots.

 

"c19">Noticing the clouds had disappeared at
about 7pm, Mark and Simon Popecki grabbed
their telescope and headed to the only sunlit
area in the neighborhood, Carolyn and Sam
Shore's front lawn. There the telescope
projected the sun's image onto a piece of
paper captured here by Andy Smith's
photograph.

 

"c19">Where else but Durham do so many
talented people live and work together to
accomplish such amazing things!
 (The photo was submitted by Carolyn
Singer.)

 

class="c4">

"c19"> "c22">OYSTER RIVER RECOGNIZED AS PART
OF 19TH ANNUAL “ED”ie
AWARDS
The NH
Sunday News annually reports on the results
of the New Hampshire Excellence in Education
(“ED”ie) Awards.  This year,
as part of the June 3, 2012 issue of the
paper, two Oyster River schools were
recognized.  The excepts from the NH
Sunday News follow:

 

"c20">Oyster
River Middle School
The “ED”ies Middle School
Selection Team selected the Oyster River
Middle School in Durham as its 2012 Middle
School Finalist.  At Oyster River Middle
School, the faculty strives to provide
students with a variety of learning
opportunities and a rigorous and intense
curriculum.  Teachers utilize best
practices to keep their students engaged into
their classrooms.  Learning experiences
are made meaningful for the students through
a curriculum that encourages active
involvement from them.

 

"c19">The Oyster River Middle School
Principal is Jay Richard.

 

"c20">Oyster
River High School
The New Hampshire Excellence in Education
(“ED”ies) Board has named the
Oyster River High School as one of two
finalists for the Secondary School
Representative of Excellence for 2012. 
The school was recognized for its safe,
positive and respectful culture that fosters
high expectations for all
students.

 

"c20">Oyster River High
School offers a heterogeneous grouping model
for the entire student body.  All
students have the opportunity to engage in
meaningful learning activities that address
individual needs.  The school promotes a
safe and nurturing community where uniqueness
of each member is
valued. 

 

"c19">The Oyster River High School Principal
is Todd Allen.

 

"c19">Congratulations to the Oyster River
School District, the School Board, the
faculty, staff, administrators, volunteers,
and students of the middle school and high
school for these
accolades. 

 

class="c4">

"c22">FUTURE OF THE
UNH OUTDOOR POOL - IN THE NEWS THIS
WEEK

"c19">There were two articles this week in
the Foster’s Daily Democrat concerning
the UNH Outdoor Pool.  They can be read
online at:  Nearly 600 People Sign
Petition to Save UNH Outdoor Pool
"http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120607/GJNEWS_01/706079676/-1/FOSNEWS0102&template=GreatBayRegion"
class=
"c24">http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120607/GJNEWS_01/706079676/-1/FOSNEWS0102&template=GreatBayRegion

"c19">and UNH Outdoor Pool Does Not Meet
“Modern Safety
Regulations

"http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120608/GJNEWS_01/706089945/-1/FOSNEWS0102&template=GreatBayRegion"
class="c24"> "c19">http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120608/GJNEWS_01/706089945/-1/FOSNEWS0102&template=GreatBayRegion

 

"c19">In addition, on June 7, 2012, UNH
issued a press release concerning the pool as
follows:

 

"c20">The Future of the
Outdoor Pool

 

"c20">The outdoor pool at
UNH was built in 1938 through the Works
Project Administration and has been a fixture
in the Durham community for many years. In
recent master planning sessions the community
has expressed concern about preliminary plans
to alter or replace the existing facility.
However, planners believe now is the time to
begin planning for the day when repairs will
no longer be possible and health and safety
are potentially compromised.
 
We do not know how much longer we can sustain
the operation of the historic pool. It does
not meet modern health and safety standards
for water circulation, filtration or basic
construction. Nearly every summer, there are
incidents that require UNH to close the pool
for days at a time for health and safety
reasons. The circulation systems are located
under the pool, making it difficult to
address deficiencies. The depth of water in
the deep end and the darkness of the water at
certain locations make it difficult for
lifeguards to view the pool bottom clearly
throughout the day. The pool does not meet
current accessibility standards. At some
point in the future, these deficiencies will
no longer be tolerable to the community or
public health officials. Regrettably,
there  is no funding source for a full
renovation of the existing pool, nor do we
believe a renovation at such scale would be
desirable or sustainable. UNH will be faced
with decisions about the size and
configuration for a replacement facility that
meets community needs, addresses present day
safety and health regulations, and can be
funded.
 
University officials are proposing to
establish a working group to include
representatives of the town, UNH staff in
Campus Recreation and Campus Planning,
students, and others. This working group
would make recommendations to the
administrators who will decide the scope of a
renovation or replacement project and how to
raise the necessary funds.
 
The university’s current draft master
plan reflects a need for more indoor
recreational space for students. While
alternative locations will continue to be
explored, the preferred option at this time
is to expand the Hamel Recreation Center,
directly adjacent to the outdoor pool. The
outcome of this planning effort would need to
cohere with any plan for an outdoor pool at
the current location.

 

class="c4">

"c22">PUBLIC
HEARING ON APPEAL OF ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION
RELATIVE TO PETITION SUBMITTED BY ATTORNEY
CHRISTOPHER A. WYSKIEL ON BEHALF OF GEOFF
SAWYER CONCERNING A MARCH 23, 2012 LETTER
FROM ZONING ADMINISTRATOR TOM JOHNSON
REGARDING THE USE OF A PROPERTYCONTINUED TO
JULY
MEETING

"c19">The petitioner on behalf of Geoff
Sawyer has requested a continuance of the
above noted item presently listed on the June
12, 2012 Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting
until the July meeting of the ZBA.  The
property involved is shown on tax Map 6, Lot
11-7, is located at 27-35 Newmarket Road, and
is in the Residence Coastal Zoning District.
Individuals interested in this matter need
not attend the upcoming June 12th ZBA meeting
as it will not be heard at that time.
 

 

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Courtesy
DPW

 

"c22">2012 ROAD
PROGRAM

"c19">This week we began the 2012 paving
program in several areas.  Attached
photo shows reclamation work on the east side
of Wiswall Road to the bridge, which is the
portion of the road included in this
year’s
program.   

 

class="c4">

"c22">GARRISON
AVENUE TEMPORARY TRAFFIC PATTERN
CHANGE

"c19">Effective Monday, June 4th and
continuing through Friday, August 17th,
vehicle travel on Garrison Avenue will be
one-way from Main Street toward Madbury Road.
All traffic coming from Madbury Road will be
detoured onto Rosemary
Lane.

 

class="c4">

"c20"> "c22">CITIZEN PETITION RELATIVE TO
ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH
THE COMMERCIAL CORE STRATEGIC
PLAN

"c19">A citizen-initiated petition addressed
to the Durham Planning Board has been
created in response to Durham draft
Zoning Ordinance amendments. The petition
reflects the comments of citizens who
attended the May 23 Planning Board public
hearing. Petition language is noted below.
Citizens interested in signing this petition
may do so by going to "http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/durhamordinance/"
class=
"c24">http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/durhamordinance/.
 The text of the citizen-initiated
petition follows.

 

"c20"> "c19">************************************

 

"c20">"PETITION IN RESPONSE
TO DURHAM DRAFT ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS, MAY 16,
2012 (GROUP I) - May 31,
2012

To
the Durham Planning
Board:
 

"c20">We, the undersigned
residents of Durham, New Hampshire, support
the redevelopment and revitalization of our
downtown, a downtown that presents many
opportunities for improvement. Specifically,
we envision buildings of size, mass, and
scale that are appropriate to the available
space and supportive of a livable, walkable
community, with gathering spaces and the
aesthetics of a New England
town.

In
the spirit of aligning the proposed zoning
amendments with the values we hold dear, we
urge the Planning Board to incorporate into
the proposed zoning amendments the thoughtful
recommendations made at the public hearing on
May 23, listed below:

• "c19">Implement design standards (not
  guidelines) addressing architectural design
  elements.
• "c19">Allow buildings no taller than 30 ft.
  (3-story) along Main Street, Madbury Road,
  and the south side of Pettee Brook Lane to
  avoid a canyon effect.  (No 5-story,
  50 ft. buildings as permitted in the
  proposed zoning
  changes!)
• "c19">Amend definition of retail store to
  reduce square footage. The current proposal
  of 40,000 square feet, with 20,000 on each
  of two floors, would result in a retail
  establishment out of scale with the
  streetscape.
• "c19">Retain the following current zoning
  language: “Any use that is not listed
  as a Permitted Use or a Conditional Use in
  the Table of Uses is
  prohibited.”
• "c19">Maintain conditional use as tool
  appropriate for specific
  purposes.
• "c19">Remove Coe’s Corner from the
  definition of Commercial
  Core.
• "c19">Treat each commercial zone uniquely
  to preserve its distinct character and
  historic buildings.
• "c19">Require greater building setbacks
  from the street to allow for wider
  sidewalks, public or other open spaces, and
  vegetated plantings. These features enhance
  a sense of community and better set off
  buildings visually.
• "c19">Allow parking only to the rear of
  buildings; parking along the side of
  buildings should be allowed only when there
  is no alternative and only with an
  appropriate vegetative buffer. Make subject
  to the Conditional Use Permit
  process. 

"c20">In addition, we urge
the Planning Board to provide additional
opportunities for public input during this
review process."

 

class="c4">

"c19"> "c22">WATER METER UPGRADE
PROJECT
The Department of Public Works held a public
informational meeting on Tuesday, June 5,
2012 to provide details about the Water Meter
Upgrade Project and to answer any questions
from residents or businesses on the water
system. The Town has hired EJ Prescott as the
contractor for this project.
 
This work will include mandatory inspections
of all existing water meters and, if
necessary, replacement of older and
incompatible water meters in addition to
installing externally mounted radio modules
to transmit water meter data to a secure Town
operated radio system. Customers that do not
need their water meters replaced will be
retrofitted with a new radio module
only.
 
EJ Prescott and their installation
subcontractor USI Services will be
responsible for scheduling appointments and
performing the necessary work to upgrade all
water meter services. Residents will receive
letters in the mail with information on how
to schedule appointments with USI Services.
This work is scheduled to begin in July 2012
and is anticipated to be completed by October
2012. The program, once completed will
improve the efficiency and accuracy of water
meter reading and billing operations and
significantly reduce unaccounted for water
use. We request the cooperation of residents
and businesses connected to the water system
as we implement this important program for
the Town.
 
Questions may be directed to the Public Works
Department at
603-868-5578.
 

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"c20"> "c22">DURHAM’S FRIDAY
DEALS
This program was run in the weekly "Friday
Updates" last summer and is intended to
give local merchants an opportunity to
encourage residents to shop
locally. 

 

"c19">Wildcat
Fitness, 397-3200

"c19">Use the gym 4 Free on Fridays
(Expires 8-31)
Located at the far end of the Mill
Plaza   
 

"c19">Village Pizza,
868-5300

"c20">$5 Wrap or Large Salad (add $2 for
steak or chicken on
salad)      

"c20">Located at 45 Main
St. 

"c19">Red Carpet Florist,
868-7021

"c20">$5 bouquets of flowers every
Friday
Located at 56 Main
St.   
 
Mino’s Roast Beef,
397-5261

"c20">$6.50 Chicken Kebob Salad (Regular
Size) on Friday
Located in the Mill Plaza

 

"c19">Domino’s Pizza,
868-6230

"c20">$5 Small Cheese Pizza every
Friday

"c20">Located in the Mill
Plaza

 

"c19">Uppercut Hair Salon,
868-7363

"c20">20% off all hair care products every
Friday

"c20">Located in the Mill
Plaza

 

"c20">Money spent locally stays local.
Support Durham business.

"c20"> 

"c20">If your business has a Friday deal to
offer please send it to
Ken Entz at "mailto:sentz@comcast.net" class=
"c24">sentz@comcast.net.

 

class="c4">

"c22">DURHAM
HISTORIC DISTRICT/HERITAGE COMMISSION REVIEWS
APPLICATIONS FROM ORION UNH, LLC FOR
PROPERTIES ALONG MAIN
STREET

"c19">At its meeting on Thursday, June 7,
2012, the Durham Historic District/Heritage
Commission reviewed two applications for
Certificate of Approval from Orion UNH, LLC.
One application was to construct new
west covered entry portico and replace the
entry doors at 10 Main Street, Map 4, Lot
54-3. The second application was
to demolish five buildings and construct
one new residential building.  The
properties involved are at 25-27, 29 and 35
Main Street, Map 5, Lots 1-8, 1-7 &
1-6.

 

"c27">Concerning the proposal by ORION to
demolish five buildings and replace them with
a four story structure, significant public
concern and feedback was offered as to
whether the application proposed was
appropriate for the site and whether the
application was complete.  The HDC
tabled the application.
 

 

"c27">The HDC approved the appliation from
ORION to constuct a new west covered entry
portico and replace entry doors at 10 Main
Street.

 

"c19">Below is a schedule of replay dates for
this meeting. The meeting may also be viewed
on DCAT on Demand located on the Town web
"c24">www.ci.durham.nh.us.

 

"c19">Historic District Commission Meeting
6/7:  Replay on DCAT
Sunday @ 3:00 PM
Monday @ 7:00 AM
Tuesday @ 1:00 PM

 

class="c4">

"c22">PUBLIC
MEETINGS: SCHEDULE AND VIDEO ON
DEMAND

"c19">The following public
meetings are scheduled for the coming
week  All meetings begin at 7:00 PM and
are held in the Council chambers at the
Durham Town Hall unless otherwise indicated
below. To view agendas for the meetings
listed below, please click "http://ci.durham.nh.us/generalpdfs/agendas.pdf"
class=
"c24">HERE.

 

"c31"> "c20">Agricultural
Commission - Monday, June
11, 2012.

"c31"> "c20">Zoning Board of
Adjustment - Tuesday, June 12,
2012

"c31"> "c20">Planning
Board - Wednesday, June 13,
2012

"c31"> "c20">Conservation
Commission - Thursday, June 14,
2012

 

"c19">All meetings recorded
on DCAT are available on DVD at the
Durham Public Library for checkout and
viewing.

"c19"> "c29"> 

"c19">VIDEO ON
DEMAND "c29">: "c29"> Meetings can also be viewed via
Video on Demand. Interested viewers can
access the streaming site from the
Town’s website at "http://ci.durham.nh.us/" class=
"c24">http://ci.durham.nh.us/  by
clicking the DCAT on demand logo, or directly
at class=
"c24">http://dcat.pegcentral.com/.

 

"c20">Oyster River School Board meeting
schedule, please click "http://www.orcsd.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=113&Itemid=18"
class="c24">HERE. 

"c20">Durham Public Library Board of Trustees
meeting schedule, please click "http://www.durhampubliclibrary.org/durham/trustees.asp"
class="c24">HERE.

"c28">DCAT Programming Schedule, please click
"http://ci.durham.nh.us/COMMUNITY/channel_22/channel_22.asp"
class="c24">HERE.

 

class="c4">

"c22"> "" src=
"http://staticapp.icpsc.com/icp/loadimage.php/mogile/832637/817ff1bafac63fdae29e14172cd16b29/image/jpeg" />

 

"c23"> "c19">NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES SHOW CAR AT
MILL ROAD PLAZA - THURSDAY, JULY
12TH

"c19">As part of its sponsorship of the
NASCAR Nationwide Series, Nationwide
Insurance is bringing the high-speed action
to its local agents. Area Nationwide
Insurance agent Maritza Bagnall of The
Bagnall Insurance Agency, Durham NH will host
the NASCAR Nationwide Series show car in
Durham at the Mill Road Plaza on Thursday,
July 12, 2012 from 12:00 noon to 6:00 PM,
providing customers and race fans the
opportunity to see the excitement of NASCAR
first-hand. "c20">Guests will have the
opportunity to see a real NASCAR stock car.
Guests can take a spin around the track in
the Nationwide racing simulator and spin the
prize wheel for a chance to win great NASCAR
prizes.

 

class="c4">

"c20"> "c22">DURHAM PARKS & RECREATION
PROGRAMS AND
EVENTS

"c19">Music by the Bay Series
Launches June 14th at Wagon Hill
Farm. Durham Parks & Recreation
Department will sponsor BLISS, the all female
quartet, on Thursday June 14th from 5 - 8pm
by the Bay. Bring chairs and picnics for
family fun!

 

"c19">For more information about any of our
Recreation Programs or to register please
contact Sandy Devins, Parks & Recreation
Director at "mailto:sdevins@ci.durham.nh.us" class=
"c24">sdevins@ci.durham.nh.us or
817-4074.

 

class="c4">

"c33"> "c28">COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND
EVENTS

"c19"> "c19"> "c20"> "c29"> "c19"> "c19"> "c19"> "c20"> "c29"> "c19">Silent Film
Night: Sherlock Jr. and the Adventurer,
accompanied by the Oyster River Middle
School Jazz Band, Saturday, June 9,
2012, 7:00 PM, Portsmouth Music Hall. $15
(general
admission).

"c19"> "c19"> "c20"> "c29"> "c19"> "c19"> "c19"> "c20"> "c29"> "c19">Great Bay Rowing Club
- Registration
for summer session beginning June 11th is now
open as well as 2012 Youth & Adult
(Masters) Learn to Row and new Sculling
Camps. Camp registration is limited.
To
learn more about programs being offered or to
register, click "http://ci.durham.nh.us/generalpdfs/great_bay.pdf"
class="c24">HERE  or visit "http://www.greatbayrowing.org/Home.html"
class=
"c24">http://www.greatbayrowing.org/Home.html

"c19"> "c19"> "c20"> "c29"> "c19"> "c19"> "c19"> "c20"> "c29"> "c19">NH Seacoast Mac User's Group
Meetup, Tuesday, June 12, 2012,
6:15-9:00 PM, Idea Greenhouse in Durham. This
month's main topic: "Back to the Basics Part
2 of 2" for new users and seasoned
users.

"c19"> "c19"> "c20"> "c29"> "c19"> "c19"> "c19"> "c20"> "c29"> "c19">Growing Places Ground Breaking
Party to kick off construction of
1200 square foot addition -Saturday, June 23,
2012, between 3:00-6:00 PM, 56 Pinkham Road,
Lee.

"c19"> "c19"> "c20"> "c29"> "c19"> "c19"> "c19"> "c20"> "c29"> "c19"> "c19"> "c19"> "c20"> "c29"> "c19"> "c19"> "c19"> "c20"> "c29"> "c19">Going Paces Second Annual
Race, Sunday, October 21, 2012
(Newburyport Half Marathon and Relay) to
raise funds for Growing Places. Training for
run in Newburyport, MA on October 12, 2012.
For more information click "http://gallery.mailchimp.com/deba17da4e719ecc58b7f7f59/files/running_letter_2.2012.pdf"
class="c24">HERE or contact "mailto:suechase@growingplacesnh.org" class=
"c24">suechase@growingplacesnh.org.

"c19">UNH Memorial Union Building
Summer Series with movies (including
one in 3-D!), a mini-carnival, an outdoor
movie, and more.  For the full printable
schedule click "http://ci.durham.nh.us/generalpdfs/MUB_Summer_Series.pdf"
class="c24">HERE.

 

class="c4">

"c23"> "c28">DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND
EVENTS

"c19">Special Horse Storytime with
UNH Rider & Horse: UNH Museum “The
Literary Horse”, Tues. June
5th at 10:30 a.m. (rain date Tues. June 12th
at 10:30 a.m.) - Join us for this special
Horse storytime in conjunction with the UNH
Museum exhibit "The Literary Horse". 
For more information check out the
website  "http://theliteraryhorse.com/" class=
"c24">http://theliteraryhorse.com/. All
ages welcome.

"c19">CPR & AED
Training, Tues. June 5th, 6:00-8:30
p.m. - McGregor Memorial EMS offers the
two-year certification through the American
Heart Association.  To register, call
862-3674. Cost is $20.
Friends of the Library Monthly
Meeting, Weds. June 6th, 1:30-3:00
p.m. - The Friends of the Durham Public
Library meet on the first Wednesday of the
month. The public is welcome.
Durham Public Library Building
Committee Meeting, Fri. June 8th,
9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., at the Council
Chambers, Durham Town Office - The DPL
Building Committee will meet with
representatives from SMP Architecture and
Bauen Corporation to discuss plans for the
new library building. The public is
welcome.
Summer Reading Registration,
“Dream Big, Read!”
begins Tues. June 12th. Our 5-week
program will run from June 26th through July
27th.  Prizes, performers, animals,
storytimes, wii night, astronomers, and
games. More details coming soon! 
Ages 12 & under and all are
welcome!
Adult Summer Reading Fun
this year (ages 13 and up), “Reading
Under the Covers”.  Read, hand in
book reviews and be entered in a raffle
drawing for a fabulous prize!  This
program will run alongside the
children’s 5-week program from June
26th  through July
27th.
 

"c19">Check out the library's website at
"http://www.durhampubliclibrary.org/durham/"
class=
"c24">http://www.durhampubliclibrary.org/durham/ for
more information.

 

class="c4">

"c20"> "c31"> "c22">FROM "DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE A
HISTORY -
1900-1985"

"c19"> "c29">Communications-Durham's Post
office: “In 1949 the post office
advanced to first-class. This classification
provided for a postmaster, at a salary of
$3,000 a year, as well as for an assistant
postmaster. Mrs. Eldredge was appointed to
the latter position. Four clerks and three
substitute clerks ere also authorized at that
time. The next ten years brought many changes
in the personnel and functioning of the
Durham post office. Due to fiscal
difficulties in the Post Office Department
and decreased train service, mail was no
longer delivered to Durham by train, and the
local messenger service was discontinued.
Beginning in 1957, a truck transported the
mail between Durham and Portsmouth. Home
deliveries were cut from two to one a day. In
response to a petition signed by residents of
Piscataqua, Dover, Back River, and Canney
roads, this route became part of Durham's,
rather than Dover's, rural delivery
service.” Published
in 1985 by the Durham Historic
Association.

 

class="c4">

"c19">Have a nice weekend.  Perhaps
we'll have some sun?

 

"c28">Todd

"c28"> 

"c28">Todd I. Selig,
Administrator

"c28">Town of Durham, New
Hampshire

"c28">T: 
603-868-5571    F: 
603-868-5572

"c28">tselig@ci.durham.nh.us     class=
"c24">http://www.ci.durham.nh.us

 

"c20"> "c28">Everyone can
tackle climate change. How can you reduce
your carbon
footprint?