Friday Updates - August 4, 2023

Friday, August 4, 2023

A photo of Spruce Hole Bog taken by Durham resident Jonathan Babon

DO YOU NEED TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN DURHAM OR CHANGE YOUR PARTY AFFILIATION?

The Supervisors of the Checklist will hold the following session for the purpose of accepting new voters and for making changes in party, address, or name:

Monday, August 21, 2023  7:00 – 7:30 PM     Durham Town Hall

Applicants for registration should bring with them proofs of identity, age, citizenship, and domicile (in Durham). Driver’s license and passport are helpful. Affidavits may be signed under oath if proofs are lacking. 

Keep in mind that our next election in Durham will be a primary (Presidential Primary). New Hampshire has not yet announced that date, but it could be as early as January. Party changes MUST be made before the filing period opens, which will probably be in early November. To check your current party registration, click HERE. You may get a frowny face but scroll down to find your party affiliation and polling place. You can easily change your party affiliation (Republican, Democrat, or Undeclared) by visiting the Town Clerk’s office and asking to fill out a “change of party” form or by coming to the above Supervisor Session.

If you are registered as Undeclared at the time of a Primary, you will be asked to choose either a Republican or Democratic ballot. You will then become a member of that party until you request to be returned to Undeclared. You will have a chance to do that as you leave the polls that day, or you may do it any other day in the Town Clerk’s office up until about 90 days before the next Primary.

This is also a good time for recent high school graduates to consider registering to vote if they think they will want to vote in Durham in 2024, either in person or absentee. You may register to vote AS LONG AS you will be 18 by the next election (Presidential Primary).

THE LAND STEWARDSHIP SUBCOMMITTEE NEEDS YOUR HELP! - Fill out a questionnaire on Wiswall Dam and John Hatch Park

Have you visited Wiswall Dam and John Hatch Park (outlined in purple on map above)? If so, please help the Land Stewardship Subcommittee learn more about your experience by completing a short questionnaire. You will find the link to the questionnaire at the website HERE.

Thank you! The Land Stewardship Subcommittee

DID YOU KNOW? - DISPOSING OF OLD PAINT

Are you ready to tackle some summer painting home projects? Some residents aren’t sure what to do with their remaining paint after their projects are complete.

How do I dispose of my old paint? 

The first step in safely disposing of old paint is to first figure out what TYPE of paint it is - water-based (latex or acrylic) or oil-based. 

Both water and oil-based paints must be brought to the transfer station for disposal. 

Before drop-off, water-based paints (latex or acrylic) must be dried completely before they will be accepted for disposal at the transfer station. Oil-based paints are considered household hazardous waste and do not need to be dried first. They can be handed over to a member of the transfer station staff as is.

There is no fee for dropping off either type of paint at the transfer station.

Brought to you by the IWMAC Committee

Questions about recycling or composting? Email us at Durhamrecycles603@gmail.com

Not sure if an item can be recycled? Check out this site to find out: www.recyclesmartma.org

Want to know more about the Swap Shop?  Find out HERE.

A photo of geese on Mill Pond Dam taken by Durham resident Janie Taylor.

PROPOSED OUTDOOR SEATING FOR SCORPION'S TO BE REVIEWED BY MINOR SITE COMMITTEE

There will be an on-site Minor Site Committee public hearing and review of an application from Scorpion’s for outdoor seating on the adjacent lot at 39-41 Main Street. Thursday, August 10 at 10:00 am. The committee will meet in the rear grass area behind the white building located to the left of Scorpion’s. The proposal is to have tables set up outside to serve food and drink from Scorpion’s Bar and Grill and Village Pizza. Contact Town Planner Michael Behrendt with any questions or comments at mbehrendt@ci.durham.nh.us.

The Durham Historic Association Museum doors are open to the public this summer every Saturday from 1:00 to 4:00pm. Explore Durham's 400-year history in eight chronological periods, from the 17th century to the present, in air-conditioned comfort. Come see the latest exhibits and improvements to this historic space. The museum is located above Parks & Recreation on the second floor of the old brick Town Hall/District Court building on the corner of Rt. 108 at the traffic lights.

WATER MAIN BREAK ON DAVIS AVENUE - Repairs were made within 4 hours

Durham Public Works completed an urgent repair of a water main break near 3 Davis Avenue this week. Digital Correlating Logger technology was employed to precisely identify the leak’s location, thereby reducing the extent of excavation needed and minimizing the duration of water service disruptions for residents. Subsequent excavation work revealed that a bell and spigot fitting had fractured due to soil shifting. The repair process involved the removal and replacement of the damaged pipe segment. The Davis Avenue neighborhood experienced a temporary water service interruption lasting 4 hours while this repair was carried out.

Durham Public Works and the Madbury Road Complete Streets Project Team completed 300 additional ledge probes this week to gather additional subsurface information to aid in the utility design phase of the project. Accurate utility design hinges on understanding subsurface conditions. Ledge probing contributes to precise cost estimation, resource allocation, and project scheduling, mitigating unexpected expenses and delays. Additionally, knowledge of the subsurface conditions will enable the Design Team to choose the most appropriate construction techniques.  

2023 ROAD AND SIDEWALK PROGRAM – Concrete Sidewalks to be Poured Next Week

Durham Public Works' contractor for its Road and Sidewalk Program, Continental Paving, continues to progress on the construction on the Sidewalk Program. This project consists of the continued phased reconstruction of sections of deteriorated concrete sidewalks with brick edging within the Downtown corridor. Construction improvements this summer include the sidewalk segment on Main Street that extends from Smith Park Lane down Newmarket Road to Mill Pond Road. The degraded concrete surfaces have been removed and the granite curbing recently reset. A new 4” thick concrete sidewalk will be poured next week, and truncated detectable warning plates will be installed at the road crossings. Weather permitting, it is the expectation that this project will be completed within the next two weeks.

RIGHT-OF-WAY VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM – Route 4 Developments Completed

The FY23 Budget contained funding for the procurement of a vegetation mulching head (VMH) for use in Durham Public Works’ Right-of-Way Vegetation Management Program. The hydraulic VMH is mounted on Durham Public Works’ Rubber-Tired Excavator and is capable of shredding vegetation up to 6” in diameter and is the most efficient way to increase sight lines along rights-of-way for motorists and pedestrians. Durham Public Works’ Highway Team has concentrated efforts this week on developments along Route 4. 

The Durham Public Works Highway team successfully carried out a complex, emergency repair of a large sinkhole at the junction of Cowell Drive and Madbury Road this week. During the excavation, it was found that a 5-foot segment of a corrugated metal drainage pipe had collapsed due to rust corrosion. The complexity of this repair stemmed from the presence of several concealed utility lines within the trench. The drainage network in this area will be completely replaced as part of the Madbury Road Complete Streets Project. 

PARKING LOT CONSTRUCTION AT PUBLIC WORKS – Binder Course Pavement Applied

The FY23 Budget includes funding for the comprehensive reconstruction of the parking lot and associated travel lanes at Durham Public Works. The nearly 27-year-old asphalt surface has encountered substantial issues in recent years, including alligator cracking, aggregate loss, and heaving, which has consequently led to the formation of uneven surfaces and modified stormwater conveyance patterns. Binder course pavement was installed recently and will remain in place until late Summer/early Fall to allow for proper compaction and field verification of storm water flow patterns before applying the final wearing course.

Previously, the Durham Public Works Team removed the existing asphalt and reestablished the appropriate grades to facilitate efficient water runoff away from the buildings. This project will involve the construction of stormwater bioretention ponds aimed at treating and managing the stormwater effectively. 

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS HIRING - DEPUTY CHIEF OF OPERATIONS AND TRAINING

The Durham Fire Department is accepting applications to fill an open vacancy for the position of Deputy Chief of Operations and Training.

The Deputy Chief of Operations and Training is third-in-command of the fire department and is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the department to ensure a constant state of readiness. The Deputy Chief is required to respond to emergency calls as necessary to effectively command and control the operational goals of the department. The primary function of the Deputy Chief position is to perform administrative, operational, technical, and supervisory work functions related to fire suppression, EMS, staffing levels, and training. The Deputy Chief may also assist with inspections and community risk reduction efforts, as needed.  

The complete position description and requirements, along with the Town of Durham employment application may be found on the Town’s website by clicking HERE.

The application deadline is Friday, August 11, 2023, at 5:00 pm. Position to remain open until filled. 

The Durham Professional Firefighters Local #2253 would like to introduce Smokey the Fire Dog. Smokey will give short tips on Fire Safety, weekly so Parents and guardians can generate conversation with their children about Fire Safety. Keep an eye out in the weekly updates These small questions and tips are a great way for you as a Parent to teach your kids about Fire Safety, the more they know the safer they will be.

WEEK #30

Bad weather is always a possibility in the summer. Here are some helpful tips for safety, click HERE.

CAR MEET TO BENEFIT THE OYSTER RIVER CLASS OF 2024

The Oyster River class of 2024 is hosting a car meet to fundraise for their upcoming graduation. This event is a chance for those with unique cars to come together to display their vehicles for all to see. The event will be held at the Oyster River High School on Saturday, August 5, from 12-4:00 p.m. The cost is $10 per person cash at the entrance, and kids under 3 are free. Restrooms available on site.

This family friendly event will have face painting for the kids, and many other activities! Come join us for some live music and a treat from The Kona Ice truck!

All the cool cars welcome!!

Thank you for supporting this cause to ensure our kids have a safe night after graduation.

OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL BOARD UPDATE

Registration for the school year is now open. You can go to your school’s web page and follow the links for PowerSchool to complete the forms. Please complete this process by August 16. If you have any questions, contact the school your student(s) will be attending. While you are on the website, please take a moment to complete the feedback survey.

Class placements for the elementary and middle schools will be sent electronically beginning early next week. The middle school will be holding a new student orientation on August 24th. See the website for details.

The high school will also be holding an orientation for incoming freshman and transfer students on August 25th from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For returning students, the school counselors will be returning on August 21st and are available for appointments to discuss schedules for the upcoming year.

Congratulations to Oyster River Middle School PE teacher Alida Carter, who was named the Interim Vice Principal for the upcoming school year.

The first day of school for all students is August 30th.