“FRIDAY
UPDATES”

Friday,
October 1, 2010

 

 

Grill masters Neil Niman, Bill Cote,
Jerry Gottsacker, and Doug Clark were hard at work during this year’s Durham Day
event at Wagon Hill Farm.

Courtesy Todd
Selig

 

Durham Day at Wagon Hill Farm was
held on Sunday, September 26^th, and despite a rather chilly day, was
well attended. To read the Foster’s Daily Democrat article on the event, go to:
http://fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100930/GJNEWS_01/709309689

 

 

                       

Courtesy Jon
Coulp-yu

 

UNH
CIVIL ENGINEERING STUDENTS HELP WITH Thompson-Valentine Stream Restoration
Project

On September 17^th and
18^th, ten UNH Civil Engineering students from the UNH Chapter of the
American Society of Civil Engineers volunteered to assist the Department of
Public Works in completing a stream restoration project near the corner of
Thompson Lane and Valentine Hill Road.  The stream’s flow had been blocked
for years by a failed culvert that would regularly cause a number of back yards
to flood during heavy rains. The DPW crew removed most of the old culvert and
then created a new stream bed with a natural like meander around the old
culvert.  The volunteer students put the finishing touches on the job by
hand placing a variety of large and small river stones to reinforce the new
stream banks, and then installed live dogwood and red maple stakes that will
hopefully re-vegetate the area in next Spring.  The same volunteers also
helped DPW restore another culvert outlet at the head of the same brook near
McGrath
Rd.

 

Update
on Durham’s
Section 401 Water Quality Certificate, Lamprey River Protected Instream Flows,
and the Status of the Town’s
and UNH’s Water Supply and Demand

At the Town Council meeting on
Monday, October 4, 2010, Town Engineer David Cedarholm will provide information
relative to continued concerns by citizens involving the Town’s Section 401
Water Quality Certification (§401) and give a presentation on the status of the
UNH/Durham Water System’s (UDWS)
drinking water supply and demand and the Lamprey River Protected Instream Flows
(PISFs).  Bureau Chief Paul Currier of the New Hampshire Department of
Environmental Services (DES)
Watershed Management Bureau will be in attendance to provide details on New
Hampshire's §401 program and answer questions about Durham's §401, as well as
the PISF. 

 

Since the §401 was originally
required as part of a wetlands permit associated with the Lamprey River
Transmission Main project in 2000, it has continued to generate questions and
concerns from Administrator Selig, residents, Board members, and Town Councilors
about its legal applicability and appropriateness and its impact on the
UDWS.  The complex circumstances that originally brought about the §401 and
the very confusing federal and state regulations that make it nearly impossible
to understand why it was required, are further complicated by 10 years of the
seemingly unresolved questions. 

 

In response to queries from the Town
regarding the applicability of the restrictions on the water system, Town
Counsel Walter Mitchell concluded on October 4, 2006 “. . . we see no valid legal objection to the
condition imposed through the [401] Water Quality Certificate, nor do we see any
legal basis upon which to challenge this condition.  The town certainly may
attempt to modify the condition by providing evidence that it is unnecessary to
protect the environment, as I understand it is attempting to do at this
time.” 

 

All these factors have severely
clouded the fact that the §401 will very soon expire. The §401 will become null
and void when the Lamprey River Protected Instream Flows (PISFs) are finalized
in the coming months.  What is most important today is that the Town and
UNH remain engaged in the review
and comment process involving the PISF Water Management Plan that is actively
being developed today. 

 

The basis of most of the controversy
over the has §401 revolved around specific conditions that limited the allowable
drawdown of the water in the Wiswall Reservoir to ½-inch per day and a total
drawdown of 6-inches.  Town and the UDWS has since amended as part of a
flow monitoring plan that DES
recently approved allowing the UDWS to draw the reservoir down by a total of
18-inches (increased from 6-inches) and up to 1-inch per day (increased from
½-inch per day). The amendment allows for more than 35 to 40 days of continuous
use of the reservoir during extreme low flow conditions. The UDWS successfully
implemented this flow monitoring plan during the withdrawal from the Wiswall
Reservoir over the recent drought this year.

 

To view the complete Council packet
material with detailed information and backup concerning the 401 Certificate,
PISF, and Supply and Demand information, click HERE.

 

If residents have questions they
would like to see addressed during Town Engineer David Cedarholm’s presentation,
please email jberry@ci.durham.nh.us. 

 

DISORDERLY
HOUSE ORDINANCE ENACTED

On Monday, September 27, 2010, the
Town Council, after a lengthy deliberation, adopted the Disorderly House
ordinance. To view the adopted Disorderly House document, click HERE.

 

To view the Foster’s Daily Democrat article, go to: http://fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100928/GJNEWS_01/709289877. 

 

The Town of Plymouth is also facing issues associated with disturbances
and disruptive behavior of college-aged individuals within residential
neighborhoods around Plymouth State University. To view the Manchester Union Leader article on this
subject, go to:  http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=PSU+partying+gets+new+twist+with+texting&articleId=eaea3428-ccc4-45fe-9585-759f87670898

 

Discussion
Regarding the Concept of Developing a Property Maintenance
Code

At a recent Rental
Housing Commission meeting, members of the Commission discussed the idea of
developing a property maintenance code to address neglected/deteriorated
properties throughout the community.  It was agreed that discussion for
such an ordinance would be more appropriate at the Town Council level.
  

 

A property
maintenance code could establish minimum maintenance standards for residential
and non-residential structures, basic equipment, light, ventilation, heating,
sanitation, fire safety, and external aesthetic issues such as grass, weeds,
etc. 

 

Administrator Selig
does not recommend moving forward with such a program for Durham.

 

Discussion
Regarding Police Enforcement Efforts Relative to Student Behavior
and Stepped-up Zoning/Trash
EnforcemenT EFFORTS in anD Around Durham’s Central Core

Councilors had
asked that this item be placed on the September 13^th Town Council
agenda for the Council’s general discussion with regard to the Durham Police
Department’s efforts in the downtown area relative to student behavior. However,
due to the lateness of the hour, this item was moved to the September
27^th Council meeting. Subsequent to September 13^th, it was
also requested that the Town Council discuss the Town’s efforts, undertaken at
the request of the Rental Housing Commission, residents, and Town Councilors, to
more actively enforce the zoning and trash regulations presently in
place.

 

This item was placed
on the Town Council agenda for the September 27, 2010 meeting, however, due to
the lateness of the hour, it was postponed to the October 4, 2010 Town Council
meeting.

 

Police Chief
David Kurz and Code Enforcement
Officer Tom Johnson will be present
to give the Council an overview of efforts undertaken to date this
fall.

 

DESIGN
STANDARDS FOR DURHAM?

On Thursday, October 7, 2010, the
Durham Historic District Commission will be reviewing its design standards and
discussing how this could be incorporated into guidelines for the Downtown Core
Business district of the Town of Durham. The beginning of this meeting will be
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC for comment. To view the design standards of the
historic district contained within Article XVII “Durham Historic Overlay
District” of the Durham Zoning Ordinance, click HERE.

 

Budget
Advisory Committee Composition and Charge

 

Purpose:
The purpose of this committee is to
become educated about the ORCSD budget and provide a budget recommendation to
the School Board that meets the needs of the students and is fiscally
responsible to taxpayers.

 

Charge:

1.   May
conduct an in-depth analysis on spending and best practices in specific areas
such as technology, transportation, facilities maintenance/management, insurance
etc. and make recommendations on cost savings.

2.   May serve as
a resource to the School Board on budget issues.

3.   May
recommend methods to improve financial reporting.

4.   May
recommend process to communicate the budget to the community.

 

Committee
Composition:

•    
Minimum of five members and a maximum of seven
members

Community members will
be selected by the School Board, at least one each from Madbury, Lee
and    Durham respectively. Lists of possible
interested candidates can be supplied by the selectmen or town councils of the
three towns.

•    
Members should attend most budget deliberation meetings of the District and the
School Board Meetings.

•    
Committee may meet as an entity on select occasions with the Superintendent
and/or his designate to discuss expenditures in a specific section of the
budget.

•     A
chair will be elected by the committee at the first meeting.

•    
All meetings are open to the public and will comply with current Right to Know
Laws.

 

a
Council-Initiated Zoning Ordinance Change That Would Amend Article XIX
“Conservation Subdivisions”, Section 175-107 (B) “Applicability”, to Add ORLI
and MUDOR Zoning Districts to the List of Zones to Which
Conservation Subdivision Regulations
Apply

On July 12, 2010 the
Durham Town Council approved a motion (6 to 2) to amend the  Zoning
Ordinance  to allow single family-homes and duplexes in the Office,
Research & Light Industry (ORLI) Zone as a conditional use and to allow
single-family homes in the Multi-Unit Dwelling/Office Research (MUDOR)
Zone as a conditional use. (The amendment addressed Article XII, Zone
Requirements, Section 175-53 “Table of Uses.”)

Immediately
thereafter, a unanimously approved motion followed, stating that any new
single-family homes in the ORLI and MUDOR zones should be subject to Article XIX
of the Zoning Ordinance: Conservation Subdivision Regulations. The motion
included the recommendation that this change be forwarded to the Planning Board
for its consideration. 

The Planning Board
held discussions and a Public Hearing on this suggestion and on September 15,
2010 voted 5 to 2 not to support the zoning change which would extend the
Conservation Subdivision Regulations into the ORLI and MUDOR
Districts.

 

As of July 10, 2010,
Conservation Subdivision Regulations were applicable only in the Residence A,
Residence B, Residence Coastal, and Rural Districts. However, Article XIX
175-107. Conservation Subdivisions begins with the statement: "The Town of
Durham’s Master Plan 2000 recommends that conservation subdivisions, in which a
substantial portion of the site is set aside as permanent, common open space, be
the primary form of residential development in the
community.” 

 

It has been argued
that the intent of the community is for Conservation Subdivision Regulations to
be applicable to residential subdivisions wheresoever they are allowed. Indeed,
these regulations have been required in all zones where single-family subdivisions
were allowed by the zoning ordinance. Now that ORLI and MUDOR allow
single-family homes, this proposal argues that it is a reasonable conclusion
that single-family home subdivisions in these districts, albeit they are
commercial districts, should also be subject to Conservation Subdivision
Regulations. 

 

On October 4^th, the
Council will review and consider a proposed Council-initiated ordinance amending
Article XIX Conservation Subdivisions, 175-107 (B) Applicability, to add ORLI
and MUDOR zoning districts to the list of zones permitted to be developed as
conservation subdivisions.

 

Property
Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Program – A Presentation for the Town Council by
Chair of Durham
Energy Committee on October 4th

Earlier this year, the New Hampshire
State Legislature adopted House Bill 1554 (one of whose sponsors was Senator
Amanda Merrill at the Town of Durham’s request), “allowing municipalities to
establish energy efficiency and clean energy districts.” Among other measures,
the Bill authorizes “a procedure for enabling property owners, on a voluntary
basis, to finance such improvements and make repayments in the form of special
assessments on their property tax bills or municipal service bills.” Thus, it
enables New
Hampshire communities for the first time to consider the
Property Assessed Clean Energy Program (PACE) a viable potential public policy.
PACE allows property owners to finance energy efficiency and renewable energy
improvements, whether retrofits or new technology, using low-interest bonds
arranged by the municipality. The bonds are repaid through separate property tax
assessments paid over the life of the improvement—15 to 20 years—by whomever
owns the property during that assessment period. (Property tax obligations
transfer with property when it is sold.)

 

If Durham adopts this program, it will become the first town
in New
Hampshire to do so. The Energy Committee believes that
this pioneer move could be the first in a number of initiatives to brand
Durham as
forward-thinking vis-a-vis energy resources.

 

To learn more about the PACE
program, tune in to Monday’s Council meeting.

 

Administrator
Selig to Attend ICMA’s 96th Annual Conference in San José, California

Administrator Selig will be
attending the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) annual
conference this year in San Jose’, California from October
16 – 20, 2010.  Each year, ICMA continues its tradition of offering an
array of educational, information-sharing, and networking tools to help city
manager’s across the country address challenges within their communities in
today’s complex environment.

 

In addition to four daily keynote
sessions, more than 60 concurrent educational and Solutions Track sessions, 30
roundtable discussions, 32 ICMA University workshops, 6 forums, and field
demonstrations, there will be numerous demonstrations of technology applications
which can be used by communities. 

 

Specific courses Mr. Selig will take
include: Baldrige: A Model for Excellence and High Performance in Local
Government; Engaging Citizens in Selecting Public Art; Commitment to Innovation
and Sustainability - Adobe Systems; Inspiring Creativity - a tour of Googleplex
(Google’s offices); Toward Sustainability – a tour of San José’s LEEDing City
Hall.

 

Mr. Selig departs October
15^th and returns early in the morning on October
21^st.  During his absence, Business Manager Gail Jablonski will
serve as “Acting Administrator.”

 

To learn more about ICMA, go to www.icma.org. 

 

 
           

 

Pettee
Brook Pilot a Success in Calming Traffic

The
reconfiguration of Pettee Brook
Lane has received an official stamp of approval from
the Traffic & Safety Committee. Over the summer and early fall, the pilot
evolved in response to residents’ feedback into its current design, which will
remain in place for the near future. (No, we haven’t forgotten about the two-way
traffic pattern recommended by B. Dennis Town Design.) Tweaks may yet occur. For
example, the Durham Public Works Department is evaluating different options to
better delineate the roadway.

 

Residents
may recall that a primary goal of the reconfiguration, consistent with the B.
Dennis Report, was to calm traffic. Speeding along Pettee Brook Lane
has, indeed, been reduced, as data shows.

 

The
Strafford Regional Planning Commission conducted “before” and “after” speed and
volume measurements along Pettee
Brook Lane. The first series of measurements were
made in June 2010 before Pettee
Brook Lane was reconfigured to one lane. The second
and third series of measurements were made in early and late September 2010
while UNH was in session. The data shows that the peak traffic hours on Pettee
Brook lane while UNH is in session occur between 9AM and 8PM on weekdays. The
traffic volumes range between 400 and 700 vehicles per hour during this “Peak
Period.”

 

The Traffic
& Safety Committee reviewed the data and reached the following
conclusions:

Ø     
Excessive vehicle
speeds have been reduced considerably – The percentage of
vehicles exceeding 25 MPH during the Peak Period decreased 43% during the trial.
(45.5% of vehicles exceeded 25 MPH before the trial and 25.9% exceeded 25MPH
during the trial. The percentage of vehicles exceeding 30 MPH decreased nearly
60% during the trial.)

Ø     
Traffic has not
been impeded – The data showed that the average
speed during the trial decreased only slightly. During the Peak Period it takes
the average motorist only four additional seconds to traverse Pettee Brook Lane.
Additionally, no traffic back-ups or significant delays have been noted even
during the most challenging periods (including UNH move-in
day).

Ø     
Added parking
spaces – Consistent with the
recommendations of the B. Dennis Report, the Traffic & Safety Committee
concluded that the traffic-calming effects of the single lane plus the parking
spaces were very positive outcomes to this
experiment.

Ø     
Encouraging
Bicycle use – The new designated bicycle lane
supports the Town Council goal of making Durham more
bicycle-friendly.

Ø     
Pedestrian-friendly – The
corridor has become more highly utilized by users of the downtown core.

 

DURHAM
Police Department Almost Back to Full
Complement

This week, the Durham Police
Department took a big step toward having all vacant positions filled and being
ready once again to respond and more fully meeting the needs of the community.
The three officers hired in April completed the 12-week police academy and have
been in Field Training (FTO) status since their return in August.  While
successfully completing the New
Hampshire Police
Academy curriculum grants them
certification to be a police officer in the state, Durham’s structured FTO program provides the officers with
specific training on the nuances and uniqueness of policing in Durham.  The
department’s policies, procedures, computer and radio systems as well proper
completion of police reports are all part of the focus of the FTO training.

 

During this period the new officers
accompany more senior officers who are specifically trained and certified to
accomplish this phase of instruction.  Each trainee is guided and evaluated
daily regarding their progress.  The Durham police administration has long
recognized that well-trained officers are generally better prepared to act
decisively and correctly in a broad spectrum of situations.  Secondly,
training results in greater productivity and effectiveness of personnel and
finally, a comprehensive training program fosters cooperation and unity of
purpose throughout the entire organization and with the broader
community.

 

As they approached the conclusion of
their FTO period, each of the three officers, Nick Glowacki, Pam Donley and
Jonathan Lavoie, have successfully passed a written examination and have now
been assigned to a patrol shift to work by themselves.  

 

Alcohol
Compliance Checks – ALL DURHAM
PURVEYORS PASS!

Many citizens may not be aware that
the Durham police routinely conduct “compliance
checks” of business establishments that are licensed to sell alcoholic beverages
in Durham at
least three times annually.  The department is fully aware that it must
remain vigilant regarding the sale of alcohol, especially within a community
where there is such a young population. 

 

Chief Kurz has stated many times
that virtually every criminal action the Durham Police Department investigates
has some basis in the consumption of alcohol.  Consequently, it is critical
that the department ensures that businesses are properly confirming the age and
identity of those persons attempting to purchase alcohol.  Each alcohol
vendor in Durham
is acutely aware of the problem illegal alcohol possession, consumption, and
intoxication poses to this community and it is the goal of the department to
confront this issue on multiple levels.  While summons are issued to those
vendors failing to comply with the laws governing the sale of alcohol, the
Durham Police go one step further by sending “congratulations’ letters to each
business that is found to properly reject the illegal attempt to purchase
alcohol. 

 

Last Friday evening another exercise
was performed with an underage student working in conjuncture with the
police.  This underage person is trained and certified by the New Hampshire
Liquor Commission to ensure that there is consistency and that no deception is
being used that would or could be construed as involving trickery. The young
person uses his/her own credentials if asked to produce identification from the
clerk that confirms they are in fact under 21 and he/she does not lie about
their age if asked.  Additionally the Durham police provide all funds that are used
for the purchase.  Ultimately, it is the police department’s goal to
confirm that the business is properly requesting the young person’s
identification and when provided, ensuring that the identification confirms they
are in fact of legal age to purchase alcohol.

 

The Police Department is pleased to
report that last Friday evening’s compliance checks revealed that all thirteen
establishments were attentive in verifying identification and appropriately
refused sale to the young person. Congratulations to our business community for
their diligence and alertness to this community
issue.

 

Volunteers
Needed for the Master Plan Advisory Committee
(MPAC)

The Town of Durham is preparing to
update the Master Plan and we need of help.  We are looking for five (5)
citizens to volunteer and join the Master plan Advisory Committee and help get
the visioning process underway this fall.  The visioning process will be
the first step toward updating several chapters of the Master Plan including the
Commercial Core chapter, Land Use Regulations chapter, Environmental/Cultural
Resources chapter, Tax Stabilization (Economic Development) chapter, and a new
Energy Chapter.  This effort will be led by the MPAC in conjunction with
the Planning & Community Development Department and we will be working with
the UNH Cooperative Extension.  The Town was successful in securing a grant
from the Extension and their staff will be helping facilitate the Master Plan
visioning process.

 

To help those interested in
volunteering, it will be helpful to explain meeting/time commitments.  We
are hoping to have a kick-off meeting of the MPAC in early to mid October. 
The full MPAC will then meet once a month through the beginning of next year,
which would be around four (4) meetings. These meetings will most likely be
around two (2) hours long. The MPAC members will also be asked to work on
one of two subcommittees. The first subcommittee will be working on setting
up the visioning forum.  The visioning forum will be a public forum that
will allow citizens to provide their vision for a variety of topics that will be
related to the chapters being updated after the visioning process has been
completed.  The second subcommittee will be working on the citizen
survey.  We would like to create a user-friendly web-based survey (hard
copies will also be available) to allow for citizens to provide their opinions
on a variety of topics helpful for planning the future of Durham.  These
subcommittees may meet biweekly and will meet until about mid November. 
You should estimate another 6-8 meetings for the subcommittees and these
meetings may be an hour or two (2).  All meetings are open to the
public.

 

This is going to be a very exciting
process that will eventually lead to the updating of the Master Plan chapters
and we will be hiring a consultant to help in that next phase.  If you have
any questions, would like any additional information, or would like to
volunteer, please do not hesitate to contact the Director of Planning &
Community Development, Jim Campbell, at 868-8064 or jcampbell@ci.durham.nh.us so we can
get the visioning process underway.

 

TOWN
OFFICES CLOSED - COLUMBUS DAY HOLIDAY

All Town offices will be closed for
the Columbus Day holiday on Monday, October 11, 2010, and will reopen for
business on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 at 8:00 AM. Please note that there will be
NO CHANGE to
the refuse and recycling collection. All items must be out by 7:00 AM.

 

DUrham
Trick-or-Treating

Trick-or-Treating in Durham will be held on
Saturday, October 30^th, between the hours of 5:00 and 7:30 PM.

 

Wood
Chips

The Town has a surplus of wood chips
due to the past year of storms.  Due to this excess of material, residents
will be given the option of having some wood chips delivered to their address or
picked up with the help of DPW personnel loading their vehicle.  This event
is offered to Durham residents only. 

 

Residents will have the option to
have either a 5 or 10 yard load delivered to their residence.  Someone must
be home to accept the delivery and the delivery location must be in a dry stable
area easily accessible by the Town’s dump truck.  The Town will not be
responsible for any damage caused by the delivery, and the actual location and
safety of area will have to be approved by the driver. 

 

This will be a first come first
served scenario as only so much can be delivered in one hour.  There will
be two delivery slots of time, an AM slot between 8:00 AM and noon, and a PM
slot between 1:00 and 4:00 PM. Residents are strongly encouraged to come to the
Transfer Station and Recycling Center themselves on October 8^th to
pick up chips in their own vehicles. DPW staff will load the chips. 
Residents who will be picking their own chips may do so between the hours of
9:00 AM to noon and 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Residents desiring to have chips delivered must call
the Department of Public Works on or before Wednesday, October 6^th,
at 868-5578. 

 

 

Stage
2 Water Conservation Alert Continues

The managers of the UNH/Durham Water
System are closely watching the remnants of tropical storm Nicole, but
unfortunately most of the rain has skirted to the west of the New Hampshire
seacoast.  The local rivers remain at critically low levels, and the water
level in the Wiswall Reservoir (upstream from the Wiswall Dam) has dropped about
1 foot since the Water System began drawing from the Lamprey River 16 days ago.
We are hoping for at least some of Nicole’s remnants to drop the rain needed to
bring the rivers back to their normal flows.  Until that happens, the
UNH/Durham Water System remains at a Stage 2 water conservation
alert.   Stage 2 calls for mandatory water conservation measures which
includes a ban on vehicle washing and filling of swimming pools (the UNH Outdoor
Pool is now officially closed), and shut-down of non-essential water cooling
systems.  Limited watering of lawns and gardens is allowed only between
6am-8am and 6pm-8pm.  Thank you for your assistance with helping to provide
adequate water supplies during this unusually dry
spell.

 

Green
Buildings Open House: Saturday, October 2

Get a
behind-the-scenes look at sustainable technologies and renewable energy
solutions, and see how they’re saving your neighbors lots of green. The New
Hampshire Sustainable Energy Association’s annual Green Buildings Open House
(GBOH), part of the largest sustainable energy event in the Northeast, will take
place on October 2, 2010 from 10 AM to 4 PM.  On this day, homes,
businesses, and schools invite the public inside to investigate the renewable
technologies and green building features being employed on site.  Last
year, more than 16,000 people toured some 500 sites in the Northeast, and this
year’s event is expected to be even bigger.

 

Durham will
showcase three very different houses, including those of two Durham Energy
Committee members—Kevin Gardner and Peter Ejarque. The third is the home of
Melinda Salazar and Kevin Beane, the first Durham participants in SEAREI's volunteer
cooperative solar panel "raising." To get a list of locations in our area (or to
learn more about building features or fuel types) go to http://www.nhsea.org/gboh and search the
NHSEA GBOH database.

 

At host
sites, participants will be able to talk with homeowners, ask questions, and see
how their renewable energy technologies actually work. GBOH also connects
building owners and managers with professionals who can provide them with
sustainable energy services or energy efficiency
retrofits.

 

As host
sites register, detailed information and photos of the buildings' innovative
energy features are posted, providing an ongoing educational tool. If you’re
thinking of investing in energy efficiency and/or clean energy measures, this
event may be the one to get you going.

 

 

UNH
HOMECOMING WEEKEND

UNH Alumni Association invites all
alumni, family, and friends back to campus for Homecoming Weekend 2010, October
8-10, 2010. The weekend will be packed with a wide range of events and
activities for everyone. Kick off Homecoming Weekend by wearing UNH blue and
white to show your spirit. UNH Almuni Association and CommUNHiversity will be on
the prowl to award prizes for creativity. For an updated list of activities,
visit www.alumni.unh.edu/homecoming.

 

TWO
NEW BUSINESSES OPEN IN DURHAM

The Douglass
Group at Keller Williams recently opened an office at 1 Madbury Road, Durham.  The Douglass Group will hold a
Grand Opening on Thursday, November 4, 2010 from 4:00 – 7:00 PM. For more
information, call 603-610-8900.

 

Health Spirit Center. Janna Stevens recently returned to
Durham with her wellness business, Health Spirit Center, located at 13 Jenkins Court, Suite
220. Her business supports proactive and preventative
health care through therapeutic massage, Nutraceuticals (supplements), and
weight management.  For more information, call
603-868-1555.

 

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, October 4,
2010.  To view the complete Council packet for this meeting, please click
HERE

Historic District Commission –
Wednesday, October 7, 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

 

ORCSD
ADVISORY BUDGET COMMITTEE – SEEKING VOLUNTEERS

The ORCSD Board of
Education is seeking volunteers to fill up to seven positions on the board’s
Advisory Budget Committee. Listed below is the charge of the committee. The
volunteers are asked to attend as many of the board’s budget session as they
can. The dates 10/13/10, 10/27/10, 11/5/10, 11/10/10 and 12/8/10 are budget
meeting attentively set. Other dates will be set in the near future. Please send
an email or letter of interest and background information to the school board:
orcsdsb@orcsd.org
or 36 Coe
Drive, Durham, NH 03824.

The volunteers will be
selected at the Oct. 18^th meeting. The members will have staggered
terms up to three years in length.

 

Tour
Bayou New
Hampshire on Saturday, October
9th

Join the Parks & Recreation
Department for a guided nature tour at Bayou New Hampshire.  Bayou
New Hampshire,
the name Town Councilor Julian Smith has given to the property he and his wife
purchased in 1968, contains meadows, woods, marshes, spring-fed swimming holes,
beaver ponds, and a brook with a series of granite waterfalls.  On
Saturday, October 9th at 10:00am, Smith will be having an open house on his
property and invites Durham residents and visitors to join him as he
gives a guided tour of his trail system.  On the tour you will see many
ponds and the huge glacial erratics known as the Handkerchief Rocks. Those
participating should arrive at 246
Packers Falls Road by 10:00am or slightly
before.  For more information contact P&R Director Michael Mengers at
817-4074, mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us.  (Rain date is Saturday, October 16th
at 10:00am.)  For a map of Bayou New Hampshire, click HERE.

 

The
Coyote Club is coming to Durham Parks &
Rec

The Coyote Club is a youth
recreation program focused on “instilling a sense of wonder, responsibility and
stewardship for the natural world through ecological studies and primitive
skills exploration.”  The Coyote Club already has programs established in
Stratham, Exeter, Newington, North Hampton and Greenland.  Program content focuses on naturalist
studies, survival skills and environmental education.  This 6-week program
will meet on Monday afternoons at Wagon Hill Farm from 3:45pm to 4:45pm,
starting November 15^th.  The program is open to children in
grades 1sth through 5^th.  The cost is $55 per participant. For
more information, click HERE.  Contact P&R Director Michael Mengers at
mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us, 817-4074 with questions or to
register.

 

The
Parks & Recreation Nature Note – College
Woods

College Woods is a 250
acre outdoor recreation area managed by the UNH Office of Woodlands &
Natural Areas.  The land was donated to UNH by Benjamin Thompson, Jr. upon
his passing in 1891.  Today, College Woods is used for many purposes
included academic instruction, orienteering competitions and cross-country
races.  The designated Natural Area (see map) is perfect for hiking,
jogging and bird watching.  Outside of the Natural Area high impact
activities such as mountain biking and horseback riding are allowed.  The
trail system is well maintained and offers several crossings of the Oyster River.  Durham residents without a
UNH parking permit will find it is easiest to access College Woods via a small
dirt turnout on Mill
Road right across the street from Hemlock Way. 
For a map of College Woods, click HERE.
 

 

Durham
Public Library Programs and Events

Special Storytime
this week during Fire Prevention Week, Tues. Oct. 5th and Thurs. Oct.
7^th at 10:30 a.m. - The Durham Fire Department will visit with their
Fire Trucks. Come meet our Firemen, hear stories, climb aboard the fire trucks,
and make a craft.

 

Join the Ripped
up Rat Readers, a book discussion group for 2^nd-4^th
graders on Tues., Oct. 5^th at 6:00
p.m.  This month’s book is “Chasing Vermeer” by Blue
Balliett.  We will discuss the book, solve some puzzles and mysteries, and
make a craft.

 

Granite Earth “Healthy Child,
Healthy Planet” 7-week series meets again on Tues. Oct. 5th, 7:45-9:15 pm. 

 

The patch
program, our reading incentive program for children aged 2-12 years has
started.  Children earn patches for minutes read or
being read to as well as a Durham Library book bag.  If new to the program,
stop by and register.

 

Registration for
UNH Reading Buddies through Seacoast Reads has started.  Would your child in grades
1^st through 3^rd benefit from a UNH Reading Buddy? Then
sign up at the library for your child to be partnered with a student trained by
the UNH Education Department’s Seacoast Reads
program.

 

Registration for
Tales for tails has started.  Have a young reader who could use some
non-judgmental encouragement for reading aloud?  A Delta Therapy dog is
waiting for your child.  Sign up now at the library for 4 week sessions
beginning in October.

 

Young adults
interested in writing a review of a book, play, movie,
event? 
Email the children’s librarian at ekleinmann@ci.durham.nh.us  or
stop by the circulation desk and we’ll put you in contact with our partner, YA
author Megan Frazer, who is helping us with this blog. Visit our website at www.durhampubliclibrary.org for
more information. 

 

COMMUNITY
EVENTS

§        
Saturday, Oct 2^nd - UNH’s first-ever
Know the Coast Day. This is a free
open house at UNH’s three marine labs. Two of the facilities are in Durham – Jackson Estuarine
Laboratory at Adams Point and the Chase Ocean Engineering Lab on campus. For
more information, visit: http://www.unh.edu/news/cj_nr/2010/sep/bp20ktc.cfm.
The event Web site is at www.unh.edu/knowthecoast.

§        
Sunday, Oct 10^th, 1:00 PM, Museum of Art, Paul Creative
Arts Center - A new series of public programs,
the Sunday Salon Series, will
begin. The programs will examine the past development of the Department of Art
& Art History at UNH, current exhibitions, and future initiatives of the
Paul
Creative Arts Center. The first program, Embracing the
Past: The Birth of the Art Department, UNH. For more information,
visit: http://www.unh.edu/moa.

§        
Wednesday, Oct 13^th, 1:00 PM,
Museum of Art, Paul Creative
Arts Center – Gallery Talk presented by three exhibiting
studio facility artists from UNH, Department of Art and Art History. The
artists, Richard Fox (painting) and Maryse Searls McConnell (sculpture) will
discuss their works currently on view in The Artists Revealed: 2010 Studio Art
Faculty Exhibition. The presentations are offered as part of the Museum of Art’s ArtBreak series of programs and are
open to the public free of charge. For more information, visit: http://www.unh.edu/moa.

§        
Saturday, Oct 16th, 6:00 – 10:00 PM, The Barn at
Winecellar Farm, 21 Winecellar
Road, Durham –
ORYA Live and Silent Auction. This
adult only event will raise much needed money for programming, coach’s training,
equipment, and scholarships. For more information, contact Nick or Mike at ORYA,
868-5150.

§        
Saturday, Oct 30^th, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM and
Oct 31^st, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM, Durham Community Church – Fair Trade
Products Sale. You can make a
difference in the lives of families in developing countries that under extremely
harsh conditions make high quality, distinctive arts and crafts in order to
support their families.  By purchasing these handmade items, one can
support micro-economic businesses which provide income to families who have no
other means of support. Unique items will be for sale from Afghanistan, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Nepal, Niger, Panama, and Uganda. 
Fair Trade coffee, tea, and chocolate will also be available. 
 

§        
Friday, October 22^nd, 8:00 – 11:00 PM,
Jessie Doe Hall, UNH Campus - Haunted
House. Admission is $3, or 3 canned goods, or some combination
thereof. Monetary proceeds and canned goods will go to Cornucopia Food Pantry at
Waysmeet
Center and towards the
holiday food baskets.

 

ON
BELAY – UNIQUE OUTDOOR ADVENTURE PROGRAM

On Belay, a Durham-based non-profit,
is hosting its first Family Day Program for children at YMCA Camp Lincoln on
Saturday, October 2, 2010 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. On Belay offers youths (ages
9 to 19) who are living with or who have lost a family member to cancer or other
life-threatening illness. Every program is free for participants. For more
information, please contact On Belay at 1-866-44-BELAY or email info@on-belay.org. To register a child for a
program, please visit the On Belay website at www.on-belay.org.

 

Weekly
Police Arrest Report

Week –
31                                                    
14 UNH (45%)           17
Other (55%)

*2010/11 Academic Year –
182                
113 UNH (62%)         69 Other
(38%)

Calendar Year –
608                                   
348 UNH (60%)         246 Other
(48%)

 

*This data represents the 2010/11
Academic year report which began August 27th when UNH dormitories officially
opened and students begin arriving in Durham.

 

Historical data
for the same week

	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Week	65	39	42	21	35	31
Academic Year	350	222	199	178	256	182
Calendar Year	909	725	770	693	802	608

 

FROM
“DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE A HISTORY –
1900-1985”

“Although the first zoning ordinance
was passed in 1934, the importance of zoning became particularly apparent in the
1950s and 1960s, as can be seen from the following activities. In 1950 the town
adopted one of the first zoning and subdivision control plans in New Hampshire. The zoning
ordinance was revised in 1952, and the subdivision regulations adopted that year
were revised in 1965 and amended in 1966. In 1958 the building regulations were
amended. A mobile home ordinance was adopted in 1963; a sewer ordinance in
1966.” Published in
1985 by the Durham Historic
Association.

 

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

 

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Town of Durham
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