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 NEWS AND HAPPENINGS ...
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The LaRoche chicken flock. Courtesy Theresa Walker
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The LaRoche chicken flock joins the Durham Agricultural Commission in inviting you to join us at LaRoche Farm on Bennett Road tomorrow, Saturday, August 16, 2014, for the 2nd Annual Durham Farm Day from 10am to 4pm. Four generations of the LaRoche Family welcome you on their farm where you can visit with the chickens, cows, goats, and even some sheep visiting from neighboring Liberty Hall Farm. There will be tours of the maple sugar shack, hay rides, and lots of farm equipment on hand and in use. A wide range of activities will be taking place on other farms across town as well, including: self-guided tours of the Community Gardens at Wagon Hill Farm from 10am to noon, cow rides at Emery Farm from noon to 2pm, an open house at Linden Woods Farm and horse stable on Packers Falls Road from noon to 2pm, and a self-guided tour at the UNH Fairchild Dairy during milking time from 3pm to 4:30pm. Emery Farm and Tecce Farm will have cold drinks and locally grown food. A full schedule of activities is available HERE.
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PRIMARY ELECTION - TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2014
The New Hampshire Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, September 9, 2014. In Durham, the election will be held at the Oyster River High School, Coe Drive. Polling hours are from 7AM to 7PM.
Absentee ballots
Absentee ballots are now available at the Town Clerk's Office, 15 Newmarket Road, between the hours of 8AM and 5PM, Monday-Friday. Completed absentee ballots can be returned to the to the Town Clerk in person no later than 5:00 PM on Monday, September 8, 2014. If completed absentee ballots are being returned by U.S. mail, they must be received by the Town Clerk no later than 5pm on Election Day, Tuesday, September 9, 2014.
To view ballots, click HERE.
Please contact the Town Clerk's Office at 603-868-5577 with questions.
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VACATIONS IN THE TOWN ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE
Due to vacation schedules, the Town Administrator's Office will be closed next week, August 18-22, 2014. Business Manager Gail Jablonski will serve as Acting Town Administrator during that time.
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There will be no publication of "Friday Updates" on Friday, August 22nd. The next publication is scheduled for Friday, August 29, 2014
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Durham's department heads get a lesson in kayaking during their monthly Leadership Team meeting on Tuesday this week. Courtesy Michael Behrendt
LEADERSHIP TEAM TAKES KAYAK TOUR OF OYSTER RIVER
At this Tuesday's Leadership Team meeting, consisting of the Town's various department heads, Parks and Recreation Director Stefanie Frazee organized a kayak tour of the Oyster River from Jackson's Landing to the vicinity of Wagon Hill Farm. So much of Durham's history revolves around the Oyster River yet Town staff seldom have an opportunity to see it by water. The weather was beautiful and everyone who was able to participate learned a lot from the experience.
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BLASTING AT ORION CONSTRUCTION SITE
Blasting has commenced at the Orion construction project on Main Street, on Church Hill. A loud signal is blown prior to each blast. The signal is audible at some distance from the site, so should you hear this, please do not be alarmed.
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TOWN OFFICES CLOSED FOR LABOR DAY HOLIDAY
All Town Offices will be closed on Monday, September 1, 2014 for the Labor Day holiday.
There will be NO CHANGE to the regularly scheduled refuse and recycling routes next week. As always, please have all items out by 7AM. There will also be NO CHANGE to the Transfer Station hours. It will be open on Saturday and Tuesday from 7:30 AM to 3:00 PM.
To view the 2013/14 recycling Holiday Schedule, click HERE.
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Durham resident Alvin Mars demonstrates how easy it is to operate the new parking meters in downtown Durham. The first hour is FREE! Courtesy Craig Stevens
ON MAIN STREET AND IN STORE 24/SAMMY'S LOT, THE FIRST HOUR OF PARKING IS FREE WITH RECEIPT FROM PAY AND DISPLAY METERS, SECOND HOUR FREE FOR DURHAM RESIDENTS WITH A VALID RESIDENT/TAXPAYER STICKER
A reminder to residents that the parking spaces along Main Street and in the Store 24/Sammy's Lot that had previously been limited to 1 hour of free parking still provide the first hour of parking for free with a receipt from the new parking meters. A second hour is also free for Durham residents with a valid resident/taxpayer sticker (available at the Town Clerk's Office or at DPW) on their front window. Out of town residents can purchase a second hour for $1.
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UNH HOSTS ANNUAL UNIVERSITY-WIDE FALL OPEN HOUSE
On Saturday, September 27, 2014, the University of New Hampshire will host its annual University-wide Fall Open House.The doors for the event open at 8:30 AM, with the actual event to begin at 9:30 AM.
Close to to 3,000 visitors are anticipated for the day! UNH is excited about the event and wanted to share this with the businesses of Durham, as it is expected that downtown should get quite a bit of visitors to the local businesses throughout the day.
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The Yield sign has been moved from the Pettee Brook Lane side of the street to its new location on the Main Street side of the street. As one enters from Pettee Brook onto Main, the traffic coming from the UNH side of Main Street will be yielding. Courtesy Craig Stevens
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FOUR WEDDINGS AT DURHAM POLICE!
As Durham residents know, the summer season is often a time for taking a deep breath and enjoying the many wonderful attributes of the community while UNH is on break! It is also the time that Chief Kurz encourages his staff to take vacation and recharge their batteries as they prepare for the academic season to commence once again in September. Four officers of the Durham Police took his advice to heart and used their time wisely to marry their fiancés!
Patrol Officers Nick Glowacki married Jessica, Tom Kilroy married Erika, CJ Young also married a Jessica and David Skelly married Chelsea.
Congratulations to all the newlyweds!
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Durham Patrol Officer Nick Glowacki and wife Jessica
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Durham Patrol Officer Tom Kilroy and wife Erika
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Durham Patrol Officer CJ Young and wife Jessica. Courtesy Kyle Hoffman Photography
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Durham Patrol Officer David Skelly and wife Chelsea
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UNH AUTOMATED PAY AND DISPLAY METERS BEING INSTALLED
UNH selected pay station vendor, Cale and is in the process of installing the first of 17 pay stations on campus with expected activation date of mid-September. The Pay stations will be coin and credit card format. Pay stations will be replacing the majority of UNH on-street coin meters. C-Lot will become pay station only. Other visitor lots with attendants will feature Pay stations as well – for convenience and for better coverage of the 7am-6pm enforced parking hours.
UNH is also adjusting the hourly rate for parking on campus as follows:
$1.25/hr. for all spaces east of tracks and Field House
$1.00/hr. for Visitor Center ($10/day)
Maintaining current maximum times (generally 2h with some 1 and 4h on street zones and 3+ hours in visitor lots)
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HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE DAY - Morning of Saturday September 13, 2014
The 2014 Household Hazardous Waste Day will be held at the Department of Public Works facility located at 100 Stone Quarry Drive. As in the past, all hazardous waste will be collected by appointment only. To register, you must call the Department of Public Works at 868-5578 or e-mail publicworks@ci.durham.nh.us.
Remember: The MAXIMUM COLLECTED PER HOUSEHOLD IS FIVE GALLONS. Below are some details:
Common Household Hazardous Waste:
NO EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS, RADIOACTIVE WASTE, ASBESTOS, SILVEX OR INFECTIOUS/BIOLOGICAL WASTE WILL BE ACCEPTED
Consider reducing your purchase of products with hazardous ingredients; read labels thoroughly. Use and store products containing hazardous substances carefully to prevent any accidents at home. Never store hazardous products in anything other than their original containers and never remove labels. Never mix HHW with other products. Incompatible products might react, ignite, or explode, and contaminated HHW might become un-recyclable. Remember to follow any instructions for use and disposal provided on product labels.
LATEX AND OIL BASED PAINTS , MOTOR OIL, AND ANTI-FREEZE ARE NOT ACCEPTED AT HAZARDOUS WASTE DAY! These items can be brought up to the Transfer Station with your permit throughout the year. Latex paints must be dried out first, motor oil, anti-freeze and oil based paints can go up as is. Typically, hazardous waste is categorized as toxic, ignitable, corrosive, reactive or otherwise hazardous. Please check the manufacturer’s label.
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NEW TOWN HALL PROJECT
Construction of the new counters at the Town Clerk/Tax Collector’s area. Courtesy Craig Stevens
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C&J BUS LINES TO DISCONTINUE OPERATION TO DURHAM/UNH
On Friday August 1, UNH received notice that C&J will not be providing bus service to UNH/DURHAM this academic year.
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MAIN STREET WEST BUS PULLOUTS
Construction on this project will begin on Monday, August 11th and is expected to encompass no more than two weeks with minimal road impacts due to the installation of LED crosswalk flashers followed by sidewalks on UNH property. Unfortunately the project cost more than expected so there will be no bus shelters or supplemental path lighting at this time.
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UNH/DURHAM RAIL STATION STUDY
UNH is looking to expand the platform area at the station which serves both campus and the broader Durham community. Customer and constituent interviews/meetings were completed last week. Officials met with Pan Am, Amtrak, Town department heads and others to gather input. Consultants will be working on conceptual designs over the next two months.
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Durham Farmer's Market at its new location on Monday this week - Churchill Rink at Jackson's Landing. Courtesy SGA
DURHAM FARMERS' MARKET --Thank You, Durham! Loving the new spot at Jackson's Landing
The Durham Farmers’ Market made its move to the parking lot across from the Churchill Ice Rink at Jackson's Landing on Monday, and the new spot is a great fit. Thanks to everyone who came out to support the move.
Mark your calendars for these upcoming events at the Durham Farmers’ Market:
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August 18th – Fire Prevention Bounce House with Durham Fire Department, hosted by the Durham Parks and Recreation Department
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August 25th – Salsa Contest (you still have 2 weeks to think up your winning recipe…)
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September 1 – Market closed in honor of Labor Day holiday
More details on the salsa contest coming in next week’s newsletter. The entire events calendar can be found on the Durham Farmers' Market web page.
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HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION HOLDS DISCUSSION WITH SCOTT MITCHELL -- Redevelopment of Current Town Office Site at 15 Newmarket Road as a Drug Store with Drive Through
At its meeting on July 10, the Historic District Commission held an informal discussion with Scott Mitchell, prospective developer of the current Town Office site at 15 Newmarket Road.
Mr. Mitchell presented a preliminary site plan at this stage. He discussed the basic layout of the site and possible ideas for the architecture, but no building designs have been submitted as yet. Mr. Mitchell hopes the HDC will provide some guidance on what it would like to see in terms of design for the redevelopment.
Under Mr. Mitchell's proposal, the site would be redeveloped as a drug store. A drug store use garners the highest economic sale value for the Town of Durham at $1.3 million. The proceeds from the sale of the current Town Office site are part of the fiscal plan that was developed to finance the new Town Hall presently under construction at 8 Newmarket Road. If the current Town Office site cannot be redeveloped as a drug store, the sale price will be significantly less.
At present, Mr. Mitchell is working with Rite Aid for the redevelopment of the site but if Rite Aid is ultimately not interested, he is able to work with other drug stores that have also expressed interest in the parcel.
The HDC will review any proposed designs carefully. It has authority to approve or deny the proposal to demolish the current building and to erect a new drug store. If the HDC after extensive review ultimately approved a redevelopment, the project would then also need site plan approval from the Planning Board, as well as a variance from the Zoning Board of Adjustment to allow a drive through as Durham's Zoning Ordinance only allows drive through uses for financial institutions such as banks and credit unions.
The next meeting of the HDC/HC is Thursday, September 4, 2014.
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Sally Ann Baker, PT
DURHAM PHYSICAL THERAPY CELEBRATES 25 YEARS
Congratulations to Durham Physical Therapy, and Sally Ann Baker PT, celebrating 25 years of caring attention to Seacoast residents. With over thirty-five years of experience, Sally is a specialist in orthopedics and sports therapy. She is pleased to announce that she is now a Tricare provider. Durham Physical Therapy is located at 331 Packers Falls Road. Call 603-868-1900 for an appointment.
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ZONING ORDINANCE CHANGE RELATIVE TO PLACEMENT OF ELECTION SIGNS AND USE OF SNIPE SIGNS
With the Primary and Mid-term elections fast approaching, prospective candidates may be interested to know that the Town Council recently adopted an ordinance that would amend three sections of Durham’s Zoning Ordinance relative to the placement of political signs and use of snipe signs. The ordinance change is intended to bring the Zoning Ordinance in compliance with current state statutes and allow the Town to be more efficient with its enforcement while allowing for expression of political speech.
To view Ordinance #2014-06, click HERE.
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MEETINGS: SCHEDULE AND VIDEO ON DEMAND
The following public meetings are scheduled for the coming week All meetings begin at 7:00 PM and are held in the Council chambers at the Durham Town Hall unless otherwise indicated below.
Town Council - Monday, August 18, 2014. To view agenda and other information, click HERE.
Economic Development Committee - Tuesday, August 19, 2014. To view agenda and other information, click HERE.
Integrated Waste Management Advisory Committee - Tuesday, August 19, 2014 (Durham PD Community Room - 4:30 PM). To view agenda and other information, click HERE.
All meetings recorded on DCAT are available on DVD at the Durham Public Library for checkout and viewing.
VIDEO ON DEMAND: Meetings can also be viewed via Video on Demand. Interested viewers can access the streaming site from the Town’s website at http://ci.durham.nh.us/ by clicking the DCAT on demand logo, or directly at http://dcat.pegcentral.com/.
Durham Public Library Board of Trustees meeting schedule, please click HERE.
DCAT Programming Schedule, please click HERE.
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PARKS AND RECREATION PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
Durham Parks and Recreation, its Director and Committee, strive to offer a wide range of quality programs, parks, and facilities that encourage all community members to participate in healthy, fun, and enriching activities. Together, they celebrate the essential role public recreation plays in fostering a cohesive and vibrant community.
Kevin and Heather Rosholt from Berwick, ME, arrived at Jackson’s Landing by Jet Ski for this week’s Farmers Market. The couple was happy with the new location, and even brought bags along to tote their purchased goodies. Several Durham residents also made their way to the market by kayak, and will continue to visit each week. Courtesy Stefanie Frazee
Camp REACH
During ARTastic week, campers put on their creative hats, and made dream catchers, collages, leaf art, dream catchers, necklaces, bottle bottom pendants, and even a trash-to-treasure sculpture! To learn more about upcoming adventure trips or camps, click HERE.
Today’s Adventure: Outdoor Climbing and Rappelling (Pawtuckaway State Park)
Next Week’s Adventure: Kayaking and Overnight Camping (Wagon Hill Farm – Great Bay and Oyster River) - For those who didn’t get enough during our Full Day Kayaking, this one’s for you! We’ll leave from Jackson’s Landing, and paddle all the way to Wagon Hill Farm where we’ll spend the night roasting marshmallows, playing camp games, and learning primitive skills! We’ll wake up to a delicious pancake breakfast and view of the Bay. Want to join us? Sign up HERE.
Stay FIT This Summer: Please note that some class times and locations have changed for the summer. View our weekly calendar and class descriptions HERE!
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Save the Date:
Music by the Bay Summer Concert Series –
Studio Two - The Beatles Tribute (August 28th)
Camp R.E.A.C.H. – July 14 – August 22nd
Durham Day – Saturday, Sept. 27th. Click HERE to participate in Durham Day 2014
The Farmer’s Market had its first day at the new Jackson’s Landing location this week. According to Market Manager Krysti Battistelli, in the ten minute span from 2:35-2:45, the market saw a record number of 48 visitors. The new location also has electricity available, allowing the market to serve ice cream; a big hit! Courtesy Stefanie Frazee
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COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
Growing Places Open House, Thursday, August 21, 2014, 3 - 5:00 PM, 60 Strafford Avenue, Durham. Games and activities, light refreshments and fun on a newly renovated playground. Bring friends and family. All welcome. For more information, call 603-868-5674 or visit http://growingplacesnh.org/
Hike It, Bike It, Like It- Final Activity, August 24, 2014 10AM-noon. Join the Lamprey River Advisory Committee to “like” the end of summer with a guided visit to Mary Blair Park in Epping. Study aquatic invertebrates, learn about floodplain mishaps, and explore the recently installed history trail. For the real kids at heart, play on the new natural playground. Meet at 10:00 at Mary Blair Park, just off Route 27. Please wear sneakers or sandals that can get wet: no flip flops. For questions, please contact spetersen.lrac@comcast.net.
Echo Thrift Shop will have reduced hours during the month of August. Echo will be open Wed.- Sat. from 10AM - 2PM.
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DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
On display in the Durham Public Library gallery on the 2nd floor: A Selection of Works by Nicholas Isaak, Jr. (1944-2011). Etchings, drawings, and oil paintings span from his student days in the Boston University MFA program to later in life. We invite you to view this collection of smaller pieces from the private collections of his son and daughter, Durham residents Nick Isaak and DPL Librarian, Nicole Isaak Moore.
Peace Corps Information Session, Tuesday August 19 @ 6:00-7:00PM - Serving in the Peace Corps is a great way to immerse yourself in a new culture, learn a new language, and have the experience of a lifetime. Join us at the Durham Public Library for an information session to learn about volunteer experiences, have your questions answered, and gain tips to guide you through the application process. Contact: Robert Orton 617-412-9587 rorton@peacecorps.gov
McGregor Memorial EMS CPR Course, Tues. August 19th, 6:00-8:00 p.m. - Visit cprsafe.org for information and to register. Fee is $20.00
Fall programming will start in September. Check our calendar soon for details.
Summer Readers! Stop by the Children’s Desk to pick up your reading certificates, Bagel Works certificate and prize books!
Please save the date of September 23, 10:30 am and join the Friends' book discussion of “Frankenstein”; or, “The Modern Prometheus# by Mary Shelley led by Jennifer Lee. Your copy awaits you.
Join the Durham Public Library Birthday Book Club. Celebrate a child’s birthday in a unique way with a gift of a book to the library. Talk to the children’s librarian at the children’s desk for more details.
Visit the DPL website www.durhampubliclibrary.org for more information.
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FROM "HISTORY IN AN OYSTERSHELL - A BRIEF HISTORY OF DURHAM, NH, 1600 - 1976 written by Philip A. Wilcox and members of the Durham Historic Association
1817 - "To Joseph Richardson, Dr.--To expences of his Excelency James Munroe Esq. President of the United States of America with Selectmen and other Gentlemen--$30,000." Pres. Munroe was on a tour of the country, traveling by chaise, and stopped here at noon between Dover and Concord.
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