“FRIDAY
UPDATES”

Friday
September 17, 2010

 

 

Canadian geese at Town
Landing

Courtesy Aislin
and Brecken Khleif

 

At the autumnal
equinox, September 22^nd, 1:09 PM EDT, the sun appears to cross the
celestial equator, from north to south, thus marking the beginning of autumn in
the Northern Hemisphere.

 

Sundown this evening
represents the
start of the Jewish High Holy Day Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement,
ends at nightfall on Saturday, September 18^th.

 

Durham
Trick-or-Treating

Trick-or-Treating in Durham is always held the
day before Halloween, or October 30th. This year, Trick-or-Treating will be held
on Saturday, October 30th, between the hours of 5:00 and 7:30
PM.

 

Fire
Station/Parking Garage Round 1 Feasibility Work
Update

Last year, the Town engaged the
services of Lemay Wilcox Erickson Architects to evaluate three potential fire
department locations which included Stone Quarry Drive, B Lot, and a
Madbury
Road location opposite Woodman
Avenue.  This summer, we asked the firm to
evaluate C-Lot located on Mill
Road across from the MarketPlace Plaza for a combined fire
department-parking garage.  The initial draft layout indicates that such a
combination would be feasible at this site (see above preliminary/draft
image).  However, the entire concept needs to be refined such that
structured parking serves both downtown and UNH.  To view the plan of this site, click
HERE.

 

The red lines in the plan illustrate
the existing boundary of the paved portion of the UNH-owned C-Lot.  The
fire station here is pictured along Mill Road (opposite MarketPlace Plaza) with a parking structure behind
along Quad
Way (the plan pictured shows only one deck of
parking).  Ideally, we would like to see a more fully integrated structure
with parking garage access and walk ability off Mill Road -- or
perhaps a parking structure along Mill Road with the Fire Department along
Quad
Way.  We will be refining the possibilities in
the coming weeks.

 

 

Parking
Structures Do Not Have to be Ugly - Image from Staunton, VA

Durham residents Joe and Maggie Moore were
recently traveling in Staunton, VA.
While they were there, their hosts pointed out that the
community's new parking garage has apparently won several
awards.  Maggie took a picture of it for the Town in case it
might come in handy for future discussions.  A nice image of what a parking
structure can potentially be.

 

Speed
Table Examples on Quad
Way

Residents who have an interest in
speed tables may want to take a drive down Quad Way on the UNH campus to experience
two of them which are in place along that roadway.  Quad Way is at the
intersection of Main
Street and Pettee Brook Lane next to Holloway
Commons.

 

National
Take-Back Initiative

On Saturday September 25, 2010, the
Durham Police in cooperation with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) will work
collaboratively to remove potentially dangerous controlled substances from our
community’s medicine cabinets. On that date, the Durham Police Department’s
front lobby will be open from 10:00 a.m. through 2:00 p.m. to provide an
opportunity for the public to surrender expired, unwanted, or unused
pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications.  As we have
highlighted through previous Friday Updates, these drugs are a potential source
for illegal use and an unacceptable risk to public health and safety. 

 

This one-day effort is intended to
bring national focus to the issue of increasing pharmaceutical controlled
substance abuse. 

 

§        
The program is totally anonymous and no one
depositing these items in a specially designed container at the Durham Police
Department’s front lobby will be asked to provide any form of
identification.

§        
Prescription and over-the-counter solid dosage
medications (i.e., tablets, capsules, as well as liquids in a secure container,
are readily accepted.

§        
Please do not bring any intra-venous solutions,
injectables and/or needles.

§        
Illicit substances such as marijuana or
methamphetamine are not a part of this initiative.  

§        
The items collected will not be scanned, reviewed, or
investigated in any manner but are destined for destruction without
delay.

 

 

Additional
Water Conservation Efforts Needed
Despite the recent rain, flows in local rivers
remain at critically low levels and there is no significant rain in the
forecast.  Those conditions make it necessary to declare a Stage 2 water
conservation alert.   Stage 2 requires that mandatory water
conservation measures be implemented.  Those measures include bans on
vehicle washing and filling of swimming pools (including the UNH Outdoor Pool),
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
period.

 

The UNH/Durham Water System started
withdrawing from the Wiswall Reservoir on the Lamprey River
Tuesday morning and as a result opened one of the Wiswall Dam gates
approximately one inch to help maintain downstream flow as required by the State
of New
Hampshire. A small amount of flow has continued over the
dam spillway.

 

2011-2020
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN DEVELOPMENT

In conjunction with the annual
budget development process, a draft Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is prepared
in accordance with the Town Charter.  Section 5.8 states that the
Administrator, after consultation with the Planning Board, shall prepare and
submit to the Council a CIP at least one (1) month prior to the final date for
submission of the budget.  The CIP must contain a list of capital
improvements, including major replacements, which are proposed to be undertaken
during the next six fiscal years. 

 

Since 2001, Administrator Selig has
expanded the required six-year timeframe to a ten-year window to provide a
better sense of Durham's long-term needs.  In addition,
rather than is the case in most communities, we have fully integrated the CIP
into the actual budgetary document submitted to the Council such that all items
ultimately recommended by the Administrator for the next fiscal year are
actually included within the Capital Budget submitted to the Council. 

 

All items contained within the CIP
are made part and parcel of the ten-year fiscal forecast that is generated by
the Business Office as part of the budget process. The result is a streamlined
budget and CIP development process that connects requests made with actual
financial and projected tax rate implications. To facilitate this process, the
Town Council is typically provided in September with the initial draft CIP
outlining all requests made for capital improvements by departments, boards, and
committees which is discussed with the Planning Board. After meeting with the
Planning Board, the Administrator with the assistance of the Business Office and
other departments, hones the plan, and ultimately transmits a final proposed
document along with the Annual Budget to the Council prior to November
1st. 

 

This week, Business Manager Gail
Jablonski and Todd Selig met with members of the Planning Board to introduce the
CIP.  We'll follow up with a subsequent meeting to discuss the document
further with the Planning Board on September 29,
2010.

 

2011
BUDGET REVIEW AND DEVELOPMENT

The 2011 budget review process is
revving up to full swing. Beginning in the near future, Business Manager Gail
Jablonski and Todd Selig have begun meeting with representatives from the Durham
Public Library Board of Trustees, Planning Department, DCAT, Fire Department,
Police Department, Zoning, Code Enforcement, and Assessing Office, Town
Clerk/Tax Collector, MIS, and Public Works Department to discuss the proposed
2010 budget. Members of the Council have been invited to participate in
these meetings and have been forwarded dates and times for each group. 
Councilors should let Gail know in advance if they are interested in attending
any of the sessions so that we can have a sufficient number of copies of
documents for everyone. The one-on-one budgets meeting are done each year
in an effort to gain a better understanding of each department's priorities and
needs early on in the budget development process prior to any budgetary
decisions being made.

 

Upon finalizing the budget
development process, the proposed 2011 budget will be submitted to the Town
Council, along with the proposed 2011-2020 Capital Improvement Program in
accordance with Section 5.2. of the Town Charter, which states: "At such time as may be requested by the
Administrator or specified by the Administrative Code, each officer or director
of a department shall submit an itemized estimate of the expenditures for the
next fiscal year for the departments or activities under his control to the
Administrator. The Administrator shall, based on these estimates and other data,
prepare a recommended budget which he shall, together with these department
estimates, submit to the Council no later than the last workday prior to
November 1 of the current year." 

 

2010
Surplus VehicleS BID

The Department of Public Works will
be placing its annual surplus vehicles bid advertisement in the newspaper next
week. This year, the following items are up for
bid:

 

1.  1995 GMC Sierra
3500                              
VIN# 1GDHC34KXSE539296

2.  1997 Crown Victoria                                   
VIN # 2FALP71W3VX165981

3.  2001 Crown Victoria                                   
VIN # 2FAFP71W91X158   

4.  Ranger Pick-up Cap – dark
blue

 

Interested parties must submit a
sealed bid to the Town of Durham, Department of Public Works, no later
than 2:00 PM, Wednesday, September 29, 2010.  The envelope must be clearly
marked “SURPLUS VEHICLE/EQUIPMENT BID, VEHICLE/EQUIPMENT #” indicating the
corresponding number, above, for each bid.  Use only one envelope for each
vehicle/equipment item and each corresponding bid.  All items can be viewed
at the Department of Public Works, 100 Stone Quarry Drive, Durham, M-F 8AM- 3:30PM.  Vehicle Bids
must be at least $100 to be considered.  The Town of Durham reserves the right
to reject any and all bids, to investigate the qualifications of any bidder, and
to waive or not waive any and all informalities in any bid when making an
award.

 

Acronym
mix-it-up! Energy and Economic Development Committees to meet
jointly

On Monday evening, September 20, the
Economic Development Committee will meet in the Town Hall at 7:00 PM,
and the Durham Energy Committee will meet at the old Courthouse at 7:30 PM.
 At approximately 8:30 PM, members of the DEC will join the EDC in a
discussion about energy-related options for the Town. Potential topics include:
branding Durham as a town on the forefront of energy efficiency; solar energy
options for Town buildings; the PACE program for Durham’s businesses; creation
of a heating district for downtown; and inviting the Oyster River Cooperative
School District to discuss ways to save energy, such as working with Revolution
Energy, a winner of UNH’s Green Launching Pad 2010 competition.

 

To view the agenda for
the DEC, click HERE. To view the
agenda for the EDC, click HERE

 

Cable
Franchise Agreement Renewal Process – PUBLIC
HEARING

The Town of Durham is currently in the
process of negotiating a renewal of its cable franchise agreement with Comcast,
the incumbent cable operator. The renewal process is an opportunity for the Town
to ascertain the future cable-related needs and interests of the community and
to negotiate with Comcast to meet these needs in the renewal franchise
agreement.

 

As part of the process, the Town
will be holding a public hearing a public hearing to ascertain the future
cable-related needs and interests of the community on Tuesday, September 21, 2010 beginning at
7:00 P.M. The hearing will be held
in the Town Council Chambers at the Durham Town
Hall located at 15 Newmarket Road. Residents are encouraged
to attend the hearing and provide input relative to this important process.
Written comments may also be submitted to Administrative Assistant Jennie Berry
at jberry@ci.durham.nh.us.

 

In order to provide information to
the Town Cable Franchise Review Committee, a list of questions was provided and
sent to various Town organizations and departments to answer and submit for
consideration by the committee. To view these questions, please click HERE.

 

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. 

 

Economic Development Committee –
Monday, September 20, 2010

Durham Energy Committee – Monday,
September 20, 2010 (7:30
PM-beginning at Durham Courthouse
building)

Cable Franchise Renewal
Ascertainment Public Hearing – Tuesday, September 21,
2010

Wiswall Drawdown Public Information
Meeting – Wednesday, September 22, 2010 (6:30
PM)

 

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

 

Portable
Climbing Tower Coming to Durham Day!

Durham Day just got a
lot bigger!  Thanks to the Parks & Recreation Committee this year
Durham Day will have a 24 foot high, four person rock climbing tower.  The
tower will be at Durham Day on September 26th from 12:30pm to 4:00pm.  All
ages and abilities are encouraged to give it a try.  The tower can cycle
through nearly 80 participants an hour, so everyone will get a chance to get a
view of the Little Bay from above!

 

Entertainment
Schedule for Durham Day – Sunday, September
26th

12:30pm        
Free Resident Barbeque  (runs
until 3:30pm.)

12:30pm        
Antique Car Show (NE Region Nash
Car Club of America)

12:30pm        
Vertical Dreams Rock Climbing Wall (runs until
4:00pm)

12:30pm        
Live Performance by
FLING

1:30pm          
Storytelling with
Shawn

2:00pm          
Wagon Hill Nature Walk with the Conservation
Commission

2:15pm          
Live Performance by
FLING

3:00pm          
Tai Chi Demonstration by the Durham Parks & Rec
Clan

 

Please direct Durham Day questions
to P&R Director Michael Mengers at 817-4074,
mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us.

 

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
Parks & Recreation Nature Note – West Foss
Farm

West
Foss Farm is a 90 acre recreation area that has been maintained by UNH since
1923 when the land was acquired from the Boston & Maine Railroad
Company.  An extensive trail system runs through open fields, wooded areas
and by two small ponds.  The area is a great recreation spot for running,
biking, hiking, snowshoeing and cross country skiing.  At the southern
portion of West Foss Farm the trail crosses the LaRoche Brook into Thompson
Farm, another recreation area open to the public and managed by UNH.  
It is best to access West Foss Farm from Mill Road.  A dirt parking area is
located on the south side of Mill
Road where a small bridge crosses the railroad
tracks.  For a map of West Foss Farm visit http://www.ci.durham.nh.us/COMMUNITY/recreation/westfossfarm.pdf

 

Last
Chance to Register for Sound Beginnings – P&R Youth Music
Class

This is your last chance to sign up
for Sound Beginnings, a creative music class for children between the ages of 6
months and 6 years. For more information, click HERE. To
register contact P&R Director Michael Mengers at mmengers@ci.durham.nh.us, 817-4074.

 

COMMUNITY
EVENTS

§        
Friday, Sep 10th, 5:00 – 7:00 PM,- Museum of Art, UNH
– Preview reception of a new
exhibition, The Artists Revealed: 2010 Studio
Faculty Exhibition, featuring 97 recent works created by 13 art
studio faculty members of the Department of Art & Art History at the
University of New Hampshire (UNH). This multi-media exhibition features drawing,
ceramics, furniture design, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture.
It will remain on view from September 11 through October 17, 2010. The preview
reception, exhibitions, and accompanying educational programs are all open to
the public FREE of charge.

§        
Wednesday, Sep 22nd – UNH Sixth Annual Local Harvest Feast. This
event is open to the public. During the event, breakfast is served at Stillings
Marketplace (7:15 – 10 a.m.), lunch at Elements at Philbrook Hall (11:30 a.m. –
1:30 p.m.), and dinner at Holloway Commons (4:30 – 9 p.m.), all on the UNH
campus in Durham. The Local Harvest Feast is offered to
all students on the UNH meal plan as well as to the general public (breakfast
$9, lunch $12, dinner $16, plus tax). For information and menus, visit http://www.unh.edu/dining/inform_local_harvest.html.

 

Durham
Public Library Programs and Events

Preschool
Storytime, Tue., Sep 21st and Thu., Sep 23rd at 10:30 AM - Join
us for stories, fingerplays,
feltboard, songs and a craft. 
This week, Fall Leaves.

The Serendipity
& Snags of Genealogy, The Durham Historic Association presents Hal
Inglis, Tue., Sep 21st, 6:30 – 8:00 PM. Hal Inglis is the
president of the NH Society of Genealogists and the Strafford County
Genealogical Society. He will share his enthusiasm for genealogy and some very
interesting stories. For more information email DurhamHistoricAssn@comcast.net

Bookeaters,
Middle School Book Club, Wed., Sep 22nd, 2:45 – 4:00 PM. The
book this month is "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner. Pick up your copy at the
library. Enjoy pizza donated by Mama Lena's of Stratham. Ruth Wharton-McDonald
facilitates this group.

NHHC Book
Discussion, Lord Jim, Fri.,
Sep 24th, 10:30 AM – 12:00 noon. The Friends of the Library present a New Hampshire
Humanities Council sponsored book discussion of the Joseph Conrad novel Lord
Jim. Laurie Quinn will be our facilitator.

Granite Earth
“Healthy Child, Healthy Planet”. This seven week series begins Tue., Sep 21st, 7:45
– 9:15 PM. To Register and for more information call the library.

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
1st through 3rd 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. 

 

Weekly
Police Arrest Report

Week –
49                                        
35 UNH (71%)           14
Other (29%)

*2010/11 Academic Year – 126
    84 UNH
(67%)           42 Other
(33%)

Calendar Year –
552                       
333 UNH (60%)         219 Other
(42%)

*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	55	42	54	56	57	49
Academic Year	213	140	119	115	174	126
Calendar Year	772	643	690	630	720	552

 

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

“In the early years of the twentieth
century the town used the university’s sewage system. In 1935 a $10,000 bond
issue for sewer line construction indicated the growing need for such
services.…It soon became evident that the town needed sewage collection and
treatment facilities beyond those provided by the university’s small plant on
the Oyster River. The advisory committee initiated a program in 1963 to seek
financial aid for a new wastewater treatment plant. The new plant (constructed
on the old site) and two pumping stations became operational in 1965.”
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

 

The
Town of Durham
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and type the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line.