Friday Update March 26, 2010

“FRIDAY
UPDATES”

Friday,
March 26, 2010

A duck takes off from a
large temporary backyard pond created
by the recent heavy rainfall.

Courtesy Stephen
Roberts

EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT SEEKS FLOOD DAMAGE INFORMATION

The N.H. Division of Homeland
Security and Emergency Management is seeking the public’s help in identifying
uninsured damage to private property caused by the recent flooding in the March
14 rain storm. That includes property that was destroyed or suffered major
damage. The information will be used to support the state’s application for
federal disaster aid. Property owners should report damage to the state by
calling 211, New
Hampshire’s information and referral hotline, 24 hours a
day. The information should be reported no later than Friday, March 26,
2010.

Wind
Storm Brush and Woody Debris Collection

The Department of Public Works
finalized and mailed the bid request for tree companies to conduct a town-wide
residential curbside brush collection due to the wind storm on February
25^th. DPW worked with FEMA preparing the bid package should FEMA
decide to reimburse communities for damages caused by this event. It is
anticipated that collection will begin on April 12, 2010 and be completed by
April 30, 2010. The bid opening is scheduled for Tuesday, April 6, 2010 at 2:00
PM.  The bid invitation was advertised in the local paper on Thursday,
March 25^th and reads: 

The Town of Durham invites qualified
bidders to submit sealed bids for Curbside Residential/ Roadside Brush/ Debris/
Hazardous Tree and Hanger Removal resulting from the February 25-26, 2010
Wind/Rain Storm.  Request for Bid Proposal 2010-02 is available Monday
through Friday between the hours of 8 AM -12 Noon and 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM at the
Durham Department of Public Works, 100 Stone Quarry Drive, Durham NH 
03824. Questions should
be directed to Doug Bullen, Assistant Director of Operations, at (603)868-5578.
To be eligible for consideration, all bid proposals must be submitted in a
sealed envelope, clearly marked "RFP 2010-02 CURBSIDE
RESIDENTIAL/ROADSIDE/BRUSH/ DEBRIS/ HAZARDOUS TREE AND HANGER REMOVAL and
include contractor’s complete name and contact information, by 2:00 PM, EST,
Tuesday, April 6, 2010.

Spring
Cleanup

Spring Cleanup will be held on
Monday, May 3, 2010. All items should be out curbside no earlier than Saturday,
May 1^st and no later than 7:00 AM on Monday, May 3^rd.
There will be a flyer in the mail to all residents detailing the cleanup within
the next two weeks.

LAST
CHANCE TO PURCHASE Compost Bins and Rain Barrels

The Department of Public Works is
participating in the Northeast Resource Recovery Association’s (NRRA) annual
compost bin sale.  Within the past year, the DPW has received many
inquiries regarding the rain barrels, so the department agreed to also offer
this product to interested parties.  A sample compost bin and rain barrel
can be seen in the lobby of the Town Hall and have information sheets attached
to them.  Anyone desiring to purchase one of these items can complete an
order form and either drop off or mail both the forms and a check to Durham
Department of Public Works, 100
Stone Quarry Drive, Durham
NH 03824, no later than April 1st, 2010.  Checks
must be made out to NRRA.  Compost bin:  $42 - Rain barrel: 
$60.  A pickup will be scheduled for late April once it has been
coordinated with the NRRA.  Order forms can be requested via e-mail at publicworks@ci.durham.nh.us,
picked up at the Town Hall and Public Works buildings, or obtained by clicking
HERE.

UPDATE
ON THE Waysmeet
Center of the United Campus
Ministry to UNH

The Waysmeet Center of the United Campus Ministry to
UNH (UCM) at 15 Mill
Road is undergoing the remediation process as a
result of finding low levels of bacillus anthracis (the bacteria that produces
anthrax) in the building in late December.  The process and post testing
will take 2-3 weeks, and it is expected that the UCM to UNH, its organization,
services, and residents will be able to reoccupy the building after this is
completed.  The work is being done by CYV Environmental Services of
Stoughton, Massachusetts, and Dover, NH, and
being overseen by the NH Department of Environmental
Services.

The costs of the remediation are
being borne by the UCM, and will be approximately $52,000.  In addition,
they will lose about $15,000 in valuable books, artwork, furniture, piano,
guitars, and computers, and also have some testing and legal expenses.  The
total process will cost in excess of $90,000.  Unfortunately, the insurance
carrier, Church Mutual Insurance, has denied coverage of any aspect of the
situation or loss.  The UCM is currently fund-raising to meet the expenses
of remediation and related costs.

The UCM currently has temporary
offices on campus, and the Cornucopia Food Pantry which it operates, currently
has a temporary location at the Church of St. Thomas
More at 6 Madbury Road, and is open from 4-5:30
p.m. on Wednesdays.  For more information about UCM and/or the situation,
you can contact the UCM Chaplain and Executive Director, Reverend Larry
Brickner-Wood, at 603-862-1165 or Larry.Brickner-Wood@unh.edu. 

FY
2009 Audit

Auditors from the firm of Plodzik
and Sanderson will be conducting the FY 2009 audit for the Town of Durham during the week of
April 5-9, 2010. A presentation will be made to the Town Council once the final
audit report is received.

Courtesy Todd
Selig

Durham’s
Kaizen Initiative – LEAN TRAINING COURSE

As part of Durham’s Kaizen
(continuous quality improvement) initiative, Durham Police Chief David Kurz,
Public Works Director Michael Lynch, Deputy Fire Chief Steve McCusker, and
Administrator Todd Selig spent this week in Augusta, Maine at an intensive
five-day training course organized by the State of Maine enabling participants
to more effectively work with leaders, managers, supervisors, team leaders, work
teams, work units, etc., interested in moving their organizations to
Operational Excellence using Lean/Total Quality Management principles,
methods, and interventions.

The training is intended for those
individuals interested in and committing to actively working with groups engaged
in various system/process improvement activities; coaching sponsors, managers,
and team leaders in appropriate continuous improvement and problem-solving
methodologies, tool selection, implementation, and oversight strategies;
ensuring appropriate documentation, measurement, and reporting of results; and
providing broad Bend the Curve
(BTC)/Lean expertise and
consultation.  

Entering this training constitutes a
minimum 24-month commitment to fulfilling the responsibilities of a Continuous
Improvement Practitioner, including periodic regularly scheduled day-long
development work sessions and the active development, facilitation, and
follow-up of improvement interventions in conjunction with the Maine State
Department of Labor. 

                                                           
Courtesy
Detective Frank Weeks

DPOA
PANCAKE BREAKFAST A SUCCESS

Despite having to be rescheduled due
to the power outage in February, the pancake breakfast fund-raiser held by the
Durham Police Officers’ Association (DPOA) on March 20^th at the
Durham
Evangelical Church was very successful. The
fund-raiser helped to raise money for the Chief Ray Burrows Scholarship Fund,
offered every year to an Oyster River High School Senior who is interested in a
career in public service.  The scholarship is in memory of Chief Ray
Burrows, Durham’s first full-time Police Chief from 1960
to 1979. The DPOA was able to raise enough money to fund the scholarship for two
more years.  Thank you to everyone who attended for their support;
especially the Durham Fire Department and their families for their
assistance.   

ORCSD
Strategic Plan Oversight Committee Update

The ORCSD Strategic Plan Oversight
Committee has been working through several phases of developing a strategic plan
for the district.  The pre-planning phase has been completed which included
defining the process, creating a website, identifying the Working Group
responsibilities, and creating toolkits for each group. The Working Groups have
been in the data collection process since October and have collected a variety
of data as well as completed surveys. The Working Groups are Community, Physical
Plant and Operations, and Student achievement, and they anticipate finishing
data collection by April 8, 2010. The Oversight Committee is finalizing ideas to
gather community input for the Situation Assessment phase. This input may be a
survey, focus groups, or a forum.  Please stay tuned for upcoming details
regarding your participation in this important piece of the process.  Also,
if you would like further information about the committee’s work, please contact
co-chairs, Jocelyn O’Quinn (board member) or Paula Roy (Teacher, ORMS) or,
please visit http://orcsdstrategicplan.wetpaint.com/.
The final phases of the process include Analysis, Strategy Development and
Commitment and the Oversight Committee is seeking to have a completed plan by
July 2010.

Tour
the First LEED Designed Building in Durham: Saturday, April
17

An 18-month renovation of UNH’s
elegant but aged James Hall has produced a striking building that is Smart, LEED
certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) (certification
expected to be granted in 6 months) and uses energy, water and other resources
wisely and innovatively.

Durham residents are invited to tour the
building with the Project Manager, Brenda Whitmore, who has worked on this
renovation from the first ideas brought forth to the move in of faculty,
staff and students and who will continue to be the point person for the
building.

There is so much to see, learn and
experience from the basement to the green, garden rooftop that there will be 2
different tours given:

9:00 – 10:30
will be a
general tour of how the building works

10:30 – 12:00
will be a
technical tour for those who want to learn how the specific technologies
work

To sign up for the tour, please
email jberry@ci.durham.nh.us. To learn more
about the James Hall renovation, please click HERE.

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. 

Zoning Board of Adjustment –
Tuesday, March 30, 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

DURHAM PARKS AND RECREATION
PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

§        
March Parks & Recreation
Reminder: Stay up-to-date on all of Park & Recreation’s
current classes and programs.  Click HERE
to view the March 2010 Reminder.

§        
Saturday, April 3, 10:00 AM, Durham Town Landing:
Annual Easter
Egg Hunt. The Durham Parks and Recreation Committee and Oyster
River Parents and Preschoolers will hold their annual Easter Egg Hunt. There
will be free refreshments, pictures with the Easter Bunny, and much more. Bring
your basket and be prompt…the eggs will go fast.

§        
Saturday, April 24, 10:00 AM – Noon, Great Lawn at
UNH, near Thompson Hall: World Tai
Chi Day Event. Join Durham Parks & Recreation and instructor
Lin Lin Choy for a morning of Tai Chi demonstrations and instruction.  This
free event is FREE.

§        
Saturday, May 8, 9:30 AM – Noon, Durham Parks & Recreation Building:  Introduction
to Digital Photography Program. Professional documentary
photographer Audrey Gottlieb is coming to Durham P&R to teach you how to
take that perfect photo with your digital camera. The class is $25 per person or
$40 for a family. 

§        
Youth Summer
Safari – Registration Now Open.  The focus will be on fun as participants
explore a diversity of natural habitats right here in Durham!  From small
to sensational to scientific, the Summer Safari is perfect for youth interested
in science and the outdoors.  All experiences will be hands-on and
interactive.  Ages 8-10 and 11-14. 

To register for any of the above
classes please contact Durham P&R Director Michael Mengers at 817-4074 or mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us.

COMMUNITY
EVENTS

§        
Saturday, March 27, 8 – 11:00 AM, Moharimet Elementary School: Moharimet Pancake Breakfast. Come celebrate
the maple sugaring program at Moharimet with a breakfast of pancakes, sausage,
and (of course) maple syrup. The Oyster River Middle School Jazz Band will
perform from 9:45 to 10:30 and the Moharimet sugar house will be open to
visitors throughout the breakfast.  $3.00 per adult, $2.00 per child, with
a maximum of $10.00 per family.  Please join us for music, mingling and
merriment with your friends and neighbors.  All are
welcome!

§        
Wednesday, March 31, 7:00 PM, Durham Public Library: Race and Remembrance: The Shaw Memorial Monument by Augustus
Saint-Gaudens. Standing
on the edge of Boston Common, the Shaw Monument depicts a Civil War scene of the
men of the 44th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the first regiment
of free black soldiers recruited in the North, and their commander, Colonel
Robert Shaw. Art historian Rebecca Schwartz discusses this iconic piece of
American Sculpture by Cornish, New
Hampshire artist St. Gaudens.

§        
Wednesday, March 31, 7:10 PM, 115 Murkland Hall, UNH
Campus:  Water Rights Activist Maude
Barlow To Speak. Maude Barlow, national chairperson of the
Council of Canadians and chair of the board of Washington-based Food and Water
Watch, will present a lecture called “The Global Water Crisis and the
Coming Battle for the Right to Water,” is part of “Tap In,” a series of events
exploring water issues sponsored by the UNH Office of Sustainability and Food
& Water Watch.

§        
Wednesday, April 7, Museum of Art, Paul
Creative Arts Center,
Noon: ArtBreak: Discussion
Al
Porsche, M.Ed., counselor, Vet
Center, Manchester, NH, discusses mythical vs. sensory issues
associated with warfare. Offered in conjunction with the current exhibition,
War and Remembrance. Free. For more information, please contact
(603) 862-3712,
www.unh.edu/moa.

§        
Thursday, April 8, 7:30 PM, UNH Elliott
Alumni Center:  Panel
on Iraq, "Iraq after the
Election: A Discussion", sponsored by the NH Chapter of the Fulbright
Association with the support of the World Affairs Council of NH. Free and open
to the public. Refreshments. For more information, call (603) 868-5294 or go to
www.fulbright.org and click on "chapters," then
"NH.

§        
Saturday, April 10, 2010, Oyster River High
School: 7^th Annual Todd’s Trot 5K Road
Race/Walk. Registration begins at 8:30 AM/ Race/walk begins at 10:00
AM. This event was organized to commemorate Peter Todd Heuchling, an
Oyster River High
School graduate who succumbed to heat stroke while running with
the Marathon Team at the United States
Military Academy at West
Point. The proceeds benefit an annual high school scholarship in his
name. The race is hosted by Friends of Oyster River Track, is sanctioned by USA
Track and Field, and is open to runners and walkers of all ages and abilities.
The course map, sponsors, and online registration are available at www.toddstrot.org.

§        
The Durham/Madbury/Lee Republican Committee
meets the first Thursday of every month at 7:00 PM at the Oyster River High
School. All interested parties are welcome to
attend. For more information, contact the committee chair, Warren Smith, for
more information at 674-2227or warren.smith@comcast.net.

NEW
HAMPSHIRE
TRIVIA & TIDBITS

“The annual snow-sculpting contest
in Jackson (pop.
835) is a qualifying event for national and international snow-sculpting
competitions. Over three days in January, sculptors perform their artistic magic
in teams of three on columns of snow 8 feet tall and 4 feet in
diameter.”

AmericanProfile
Magazine – First appeared: 11/16/2008

Have a good
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
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