“FRIDAY
UPDATES”

October
30, 2009

Daylight Saving Time officially ends
at 2:00 AM on Sunday morning, so don’t forget to turn your clocks back one hour
before going to bed on Saturday evening.

Administrator's
Proposed 2010 Town Budget and 2010-2019 Capital Improvement
Plan

The draft 2010 proposed budget and
2010-2019 Capital Improvement Plan are available for Council members to pick up
in the break room/computer room on the second floor. This year’s budget cycle
has resulted in a proposed 2010 General Fund budget totaling $10,324,489.00, a
decrease of $82,211.00, or (.8%) compared to FY 2009. The FY 2010 budget represents the second consecutive
year of a recommended spending decrease.  Due to a significant
drop in state revenues, interest earnings, motor vehicle registrations,
recycling revenues, and Parking Fund proceeds, non-property tax revenues are
expected to again fall in FY 2010.  Revenue projections do include the
infusion of an annual $200,000 payment from UNH to Durham which began in 2009 to compensate the community for
the University’s financial impact upon Durham in areas such as roadways, traffic, and
policing services.  These factors cumulatively resulted in a decrease in
non-property tax revenues from $4,672,953.00 in FY 2009 to $4,556,314.00 in
2010, a drop of $116,639.00 or (2.5%).  Taking into account diminished
revenues, a nearly flat tax base, maintaining $125,000.00 in Overlay due to the
number of outstanding 2008 property tax abatement appeals pending with the Board
of Tax and Land Appeals/Superior Court, no use of fund balance, and recommended
expenditure reductions, this proposal is projected leave
the estimated 2010 local municipal tax rate unchanged at
$6.52.

To view the budget
summary letter which accompanies the FY 2010 budget and CIP, click
HERE.  In
addition, complete copies of the budget will be available at the Town Office and
Public Library for public review.  Per the Charter, "The budget shall be adopted not
later than the last workday of the preceding fiscal year [December 31, 2009].
Failure by the Council to adopt a budget by the deadline established in this
section will establish the budget as recommended by the Administrator as the
adopted budget."

Smith
Chapel Repairs

The Town-owned Smith Family
Chapel (c1900) built by the Hamilton Smith family and located on
Mill Pond
Road is in need of significant repair.  After
careful review of the structure, the Public Works Department and
Trustees of the Trust Funds have received an estimate for the following
work to be accomplished:  Replacement of the existing roof with a
similar/improved roof system - $28,825; Repair of all components of the stain
glass windows including lead and woodworking - $25,000; Various minor electrical
repairs - $2,055; Painting exterior trim, door - $2,140; Exterior/interior
masonry repair - $3,100; Mold/mildew removal - $5,000; Miscellaneous
interior/exterior carpentry - $1,408.  Total estimated cost: 
$67,528.  While there was a perpetual trust fund established when the
property came to the Town years ago, only the interest may be expended which to
date totals around $800.  In order to ensure the stained glass windows do
not fall out in a heavy wind (which our evaluator has cautioned is a genuine
likelihood), we will remove them for temporary storage and future repair, secure
the structure, and place a tarp over the leaky roof until such time as a
long-term financial plan can be developed through grant funding, private
donations, or public expenditure (or possibly a combination).  Given the
budgetary constraints faced by the community at this time, there has not been
money included as part of the proposed FY 2010 budget to effectuate
repairs.  For the history of the Smith Family Chapel, go http://www.archive.org/stream/receiptsexpendit1963durh/receiptsexpendit1963durh_djvu.txt from
the 1963 Durham Annual Report. 

Wireless
may expand to all of Main
Street

The Town of Durham is considering the
possibility of installing wireless technology on Main Street. 
For an interesting TNH article on the subject, go to http://www.tnhonline.com/wireless-may-expand-to-all-of-main-street-1.830818.

Conceptual
Town Center at Dover Rd./Jaques
property       Conceptual
Town Center at Madbury
Rd./Gangwer property

Help
Design Durham's
Future - What Do You See? - Planning Charrette

Beginning November 5^th,
residents of the Town of Durham will have a unique opportunity to plan
for our future.   The Town invites all residents to join in a
collaborative multi-day “charrette” next week from November 5 through 9 to
create a collective vision for the future. 
It will be held in
Holloway Commons on the campus of UNH in the Squamscott Room, Cocheco Room, and
Piscataqua Room. A design team lead by B. Dennis Town
Design will facilitate the process and translate the community’s goals and
interests into an action plan, including an illustrative master plan for the
Central Business District and Durham's commercial core.  Additional
information is available at www.ci.durham.nh.us, but to help inform
residents and property owners of when they may be interested in attending, we
have provided an easy to follow outline below. Specific comments may also be
emailed to James Campbell at jcampbell@ci.durham.nh.us.

NOTE:  All
of the meetings below are open to the public.

Appointment
of the School Resource Officer

The position of School Resource
Officer was authorized in the Oyster River Middle and High Schools in 1999 and
was initially funded by a Federal grant for the first three years. 
Thereafter, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the District
compensates the Town of Durham for the assignment
of an officer full-time to the schools located in Durham.  Sergeant Ed Levesque has served
in this capacity as the original and only SRO.  Under the MOU and the
policies of the police department, Chief Kurz announced the vacancy within the
department due to Sergeant Levesque’s retirement.  Through an assignment
process Chief Kurz selected Officer Sean Dolliver to be the next SRO. 
Officer Dolliver was hired in 1999 and is a graduate of Oyster River and has an AS degree in Law
Enforcement.  He has served in a number of capacities including patrol,
undercover assignment to the Regional Drug Enforcement Task Force, and as a
detective.  Officer Dolliver previously acted as an assistant coach to the
Oyster River Hockey team, a role he anticipates continuing with his new
assignment.  Sergeant Levesque will spend his last week as a Durham Police
Officer at the schools with Officer Dolliver making introductions and sharing
his years of experience. 

Sergeant
Ed Levesque Retires

On November 8, 2009, after 20 years
of outstanding service and commitment to the community, Sergeant Ed Levesque
will retire from the Durham Police Department. For the past several years, Ed
has served as the School Resource Officer (SRO) at the Oyster River Middle and
High Schools mentoring, teaching, and befriending hundreds of students from the
communities of Lee, Madbury, and Durham.  His many friends will hold a
celebration at the Three Chimneys Inn on November 12, 2009 from 5:30 - 7:30 PM,
with hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar where we can all come and reminisce. 
Please feel free to contact Chief Dave Kurz at 868-2324 for further details.

PUBLIC
INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS – BEARDS CREEK IMPOUNDMENT & DRAWDOWN OF THE MILL
POND

On Monday, November 9, 2009
beginning at 6:30 PM, a public informational meeting regarding the drawdown of
the Beards Creek impoundment will be held at the Durham Police Station on Route
108 (Dover Road) in the conference room.  Immediately following the Beards
Creek session, another public informational meeting will be held in the same
conference room beginning at approximately 7:00 PM regarding the drawdown of the
Mill Pond on the Oyster River. The Department of Public Works
plans to temporarily drain the impoundments starting on or around November 12,
2009 in order to inspect, collect samples, and perform maintenance on
infrastructure that are inaccessible when the impoundments are full.  The
water will be released slowly over a 3 to 4 day period with the refilling
starting on or before November 27, 2009.  Anyone interested in learning
about these drawdown events is encouraged to attend the November 9th meetings.
Questions and comments should be directed to Town Engineer David Cedarholm at
(603) 868-5578.

Vacancies
on Various Town Boards

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

Economic Development Committee (1
regular vacancy; 1 alternate vacancy)

Planning Board (1 alternate
vacancy)

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

Durham Energy Committee (2
vacancies)

Integrated Waste Management Advisory
Committee (1 alternate vacancy)

Lamprey River Management Advisory
Committee (3 vacancies)

APPOINTEE
SOUGHT – SOUTHWEST WATERSHED ALLIANCE

The Town of Durham is seeking a
qualified volunteer to appoint as its representative to the Southeast Watershed
Alliance (SWA).  The SWA was recently enabled through Senate Bill 168 to
encourage New Hampshire’s coastal communities to join together to solve the
water quality problems that currently afflict the Great Bay estuary. Recent
studies indicate that the waters of the Great Bay are being stressed by an overabundance
of nutrients from a variety source throughout the watershed. The nutrient of
concern is primarily nitrogen which becomes entrained in stormwater runoff from
urban and rural areas and agricultural lands, wastewater treatment plants, and
septic systems. Too much nitrogen in the Great Bay waters are believed to cause algae
blooms and high concentrations of chlorophyll which clouds that water and make
is difficult for eelgrass and oysters to continue to thrive.

The volunteer should have a good
understanding of the complex issues impacting the Great Bay, as well as knowledge of the Town’s
water, wastewater, and stormwater assets and regulatory responsibilities.

if you believe you possess these
qualifications and are willing to devote the time necessary to represent the
Town of Durham
on the SWA, please contact the Town Administrator’s office at 868-5571, or email
Jennie Berry at jberry@ci.durham.nh.us and request an
application form. Interested residents may also stop in at the Town Clerk’s
office located on the first floor of the Town Hall, 15 Newmarket Road,
and complete an application. Applications are also available on the Town’s
web site at: www.ci.durham.nh.us under the heading
“Features” at the bottom of the page. Completed applications may be mailed to
the Town Administrator’s office, or submitted via email to jberry@ci.durham.nh.us

The appointee will be teaming with
Town Engineer David Cedarholm to help represent the Town on the SWA. To view the
final version of Senate Bill 168 visit http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2009/sb0168.html.
To view an informational flyer prepared by NHDES, click HERE.

WINTER
PARKING BAN NOVEMBER 1st

The Town of Durham’s “Winter Parking
Ban” will go into effect beginning November 1^st continuing through
April 1^st.  This means that parking on any public way or public
parking lot between 1:00 AM and 6:00 AM during this period of the Winter Parking
Ban will be in violation of Durham’s parking ordinances.  The
penalties for these violations include a $20.00 parking ticket and the
possibility of having your vehicle towed due to snow removal
efforts.

Persons with paid parking permits
for the Depot Road Parking lot should monitor their email addresses for
notification regarding snow removal.  Please address questions concerning
the Town of Durham Winter Parking
Ban to Lt. Sean
Kelly, Durham Police Department, at
868-2324.

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. To view the
agenda 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. 

Durham Conservation Commission &
Parks and Recreation Committee subcommittee – Monday, November 2, 2009
(9:00
AM)

Durham Energy Committee – Monday, November
2, 2009 (4:30
PM)

Pre-Charrette meeting for board,
commission, and committee members – Monday, November 2, 2009
(6:00
PM)

Town Council – Monday, November 2,
2009

Integrated Waste Management Advisory
Committee – Tuesday, November 3, 2009 (7:30
AM)

Rental Housing Commission – Tuesday,
November 3, 2009 (4:00
PM)

Planning Board – Wednesday, November
4, 2009

Historic District Commission –
Thursday, November 5, 2009

Opening presentation of planning
Charrette process – Thursday, November 5, 2009 (6:30 PM at
Holloway Commons)

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
& RECREATION PROGRAMS

§        
Saturday, October 31, 2009, 5:30-7:30 PM, Jackson’s Landing:  Durham Spookfest. 

§        
Sunday, November 1, 2009, 12:00 noon-2:00 PM, Oyster
River Middle School Athletic Field: Pickup
Ultimate Frisbee. Enjoy a relaxed, family-friendly game of pickup
ultimate Frisbee.  Bring a light and dark colored
shirt.

§        
Durham Parks & Recreation Activities Room:
Tai Chi. 6-week sessions start in
mid-November. Morning session: Thursdays, 10:00 AM (begin 11/12). 
 Evening sessions: 6:15 PM (begin 11/16). Each 6-week session is
$50.00.

§        
Tuesday, November 10, 2009, 7:00 – 8:00 PM, Meet the Parks and Recreation Director and
members of the Parks and Recreation Committee, and tour the Durham Parks and Recreation Facility (the old
Durham Courthouse). Light refreshments will be served.
For more information, please contact Sara Badger at badgernh@comcast.net.

§        
Saturday, November 14, 2009, 1:00 PM, Centennial
Celebration of Doe Farm. Meet at the Doe Farm parking area on
Bennett
Road for an informative walk of the Doe
property.

§        
Tuesday, November 17, 2009, Durham Parks &
Recreation Activities Room:  On The Ball: Basic Stability Ball
Training. Bounce your way to better health.  6-week sessions
start in November.  One class meets at 2:00 PM and another meets at 5:30
PM. 

You can sign up for P&R classes
at the P&R office, 2 Dover
Road, or at the Town Clerk’s Office located in Town
Hall. Contact Michael Mengers at 817-4074, mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us, for more
information or to register. Follow the Town of Durham Parks & Recreation Department on
Facebook.  Search “Town of Durham Parks”. 

**********************************************

COMMUNITY EVENTS

§        
Friday, October 30, 2009, 5:00-7:30 PM: 
Durham
Trick-or-Treating.

§        
Saturday, October 31, 2009, 10:00 AM -1:00 PM, and
again on Sunday, November 1, 2009, 11:30 - 1:00 PM, Community Church: Fair Trade
Products Sale. 

§        
Saturday, October 31, 2009, 11:00 AM, 7 Orchard
Drive: Final
Portion of a Photovoltaic (Solar) Energy Raising which is styled
after the traditional barn raising. It is organized through the Seacoast Area Renewal
Energy Initiative (www.searei.org).  Stop by
to find out what we are doing and why you might want to consider having an
energy raising of your own.

§        
Saturday October 31, 2009, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM,
Place Handprints on Environmental Mural
in Downtown Durham, located on outside wall of The Outback
and directly to the left of the Durham House of Pizza on Main
Street.

§        
Saturday, November 7, 2009, 6:30 PM, Huddleston Hall,
UNH: Growing Places Fall
Auction. For more information,
contact Sue Chase, 868-1335, suechase@growingplacesnh.org.

§        
Saturday, November 7, 2009, 7:00 PM,
Stone
Church, 5 Granite Street, Newmarket, On Belay event: Hypnotist
Paul Ramsay and “When I Say the Word”. For more information or to make a
reservation contact Sasha Eisele, Executive Director of On Belay, sasha@on-belay.org, or visit On Belay’s
website www.on-belay.org.

§        
Thursday, November 12, 2009, 7:00 – 8:30 PM; Friday,
November 13, 2009, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; and Saturday, November 14, 2009, 10:00 AM
– 1:00 PM, Durham Public Library, 7 Mill Plaza: Friends of DPL Fabulous Fall Used Book Sale. For more
information, contact the Library at (603) 868-6699.

**********************************************

Weekly
Police Arrest Report

*Commenced September 1, 2009 

Historical data
for the same week

This data represents the 2009/10
Academic year report which begins anew each August

when UNH students begin arriving in
Durham.

FROM
HISTORY IN AN OYSTERSHELL – 1600 – 1976

“1958 – A brick Federal building was
dedicated to Dwight Eisenhower, the upper floor housing federal projects and the
lower floor the post office. In 1975 our post office did $391,000 business,
having 21 employees. In the lobby are historical murals, gifts of the Woman’s
Club of Durham.”

“1958 – The Durham
Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship began and was incorporated in 1962; 1972 – the
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints consecrated their new
Church; 1973 – The Durham Evangelical Church was started by 5 families from the
Dover
Baptist Church.”

Have a nice weekend and a safe and
HAPPY
HALLOWEEN!

Todd

Todd I. Selig, Administrator

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

The
Town of Durham
has developed a list server. The server provides interested individuals with
updates and announcements concerning the community. Individuals interested in
subscribing should send an email to Town_of_Durham@ci.durham.nh.us
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