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Lee Hook Road in Durham. Courtesy Bill Doucet
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During the heat of summer, don't forget that we have many fantastic Durham downtown businesses that count on your patronage! Kids love The Candy Bar, check out Solsistar Boutique, find something interesting at The Main Street Makery, at Town & Campus, or at Hayden Sports. Amy's Framing is a terrific framing business.
Have a delicious coffee/snack at The Works, Breaking New Grounds, The Bakers Corner, or at Saxby's. Hop and Grind (at Madbury Commons), Mei Wei, Young's, Bamee, Thai Smiles 2, Pauly's Pockets, Wildcat Pizza, Durham House of Pizza, JP's, The Soupery/The Juicery, the Dairy Bar, and more are all within our walking downtown. Sweetened Memories is coming soon to Jenkin's Court.
Even Better Now (on Jenkin's Court) has very cool games, furniture, and other items that have been completely (and expertly) restored/updated to meet the needs of the modern person. Have your bike fixed in the new bike store off Sammy's Lot, get your groceries locally at Hannaford, acquire your pharmacy needs at Rite Aid. You can work out at Wildcat Fitness. The U.S. Post Office is on Madbury Road.
We have many financial institutions in town, professional services (lawyers, counseling, etc.), expert real estate firms, and more.
You can even have clothing alternations done on Jenkin's Court at Stitches by Joann or copies/mailing needs met at Main Street Mailing & Copy.
The point is that Durham has an awful lot to offer in a safe, beautiful, walkable/bikable downtown setting. We're always working to identify strategies to attract even more interesting businesses to meet the needs of this unique college community on the shore of the Oyster River. On that note, some very exciting news ... we understand The Big Bean in Newmarket plans to open a Durham location on Jenkin's Court in the former Lexi's location sometime this fall.
Durham Job Opportunities: Durham Public Works currently has three positions open, Maintenance Worker IV, Sanitation (full time), Maintenance Worker IV Vegetation Control (full-time), and a part-time mechanic position. For further details or to request an application, please contact DPW at mailto:publicworks@ci.durham.nh.us or call 603-868-5578.
Paving Program: The 2019 paving program is 75% completed at this point.
Celebrate Durham Articles: While it might be summer, Celebrate Durham has been able to put out some interesting articles about Durham. There are posts about the museum, Smith Chapel, Durham Art, and the Park in Our Midst - the beautiful UNH campus! Check them out HERE.
Administrator Selig will be on vacation during the week of August 12th. During his absence, Business Manager Gail Jablonski will serve as Acting Administrator.
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DURHAM DAY 2019 - Cancelled due to WHF shoreline stabilization efforts/construction activities.
Due to the current efforts underway to restore and stabilize the shoreline at Wagon Hill Farm, this year's Durham Day event has been cancelled. Durham Parks and Recreation plans to have a big Trick-or-Treat event in October that should be of great interest. More details will follow in upcoming "Friday Updates".
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DURHAM NAMED 10th SAFEST COLLEGE TOWN IN AMERICA BY SAFEWISE
SafeWise has released its 4th annual Safest College Towns report and has ranked Durham #10 out of the Top 50 this year.
SafeWise researches security solutions and tests and compares home security companies, home safety products, and home automation gizmos to help find the right protection for homeowners.
View the complete report HERE.
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RULES OF THE ROAD -- Bicyclists & Motorists
Safety is on all our minds as we use the road. We may think it's the other person who doesn't know what he or she is doing as they drive or cycle on our shared roadways, but do we, ourselves, really know what's what?
The New Hampshire Department of Transportation has published a two-sided brochure that summarizes the rights and responsibilities of motorists and cyclists, as delineated and codified in the State statutes, the RSAs. This pamphlet has two sections, Bicycle Safety: What Every Cyclist Must Know and Sharing the Road: What Every Motorist Must Know. The brochure can be downloaded from the NHDOT website on Pedestrian and Bicycle Traffic or on the Town of Durham's website.
Please do take the time to read the brochure before you next head out. Also check out the NHDOT website to learn more about shared lane road markings ("sharrows"), which can be seen on Durham's Main Street and elsewhere in town.
A key point to remember: It’s the Law -- Bicycles Are Vehicles. New Hampshire law says bicyclists have the same rights and duties as drivers of motor vehicles.
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Left: Share the Road sign located on Mill Road
Right: Bike lane and crosswalk markings in downtown. Photos courtesy Todd Selig
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WHAT ARE THOSE MARKINGS ON THE STREET ("SHARROWS")? Durham's Main Street joins Daniel Street, Portsmouth — and other communities across the country — in encouraging a sharing of the road by motorists and bicyclists. The "sharrow" marking (a combination of "share" and "arrow") indicates lanes used by both cars and bicycles. Drivers and cyclists alike have the right to use the FULL sharrow lane.
Sharrow markings are often used when there is not enough space to allow for separate bike and motor vehicle travel lanes. They alert both drivers and cyclists to take extra care.
In Durham, you can see sharrows on Garrison Avenue between Madbury Road and Main Street — and more recently on Main Street in a couple of "pinch" areas or areas in which a bicyclist may make a left-hand turn from the right-hand lane on Main Street onto Madbury Road (in front of Libby's).
NH law (RSA Section 265:143) states that bicyclists and motorists have the same rights and duties under the rules of the road (with a few exceptions), as follows:
TITLE XXI - MOTOR VEHICLES
CHAPTER 265
RULES OF THE ROAD
Special Rules for Bicycles and Mopeds
265:143 Application of Motor Vehicle Laws to Bicycles. –
I. Every person propelling a vehicle by human power or riding a bicycle shall have all of the rights and be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle under the rules of the road, except as provided in paragraph II and as to special regulations in this subdivision and except as to those provisions which by their nature can have no application.
II. (a) Any peace officer, wearing a distinctive uniform, operating a bicycle during the course of his or her duties is exempt from the provisions of this subdivision, except as those provisions relate to driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages or drugs, if the bicycle is being operated under any of the following circumstances:
(1) In response to an emergency call.
(2) While engaged in a rescue operation.
(3) In the immediate pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law.
(b) This paragraph shall not relieve a peace officer from the duty to operate a bicycle with due regard for the safety of all persons using the public way.
Source. 1939, 164:1. RL 106:17. 1945, 188:1, part 20:17. RSA 250:17. 1973, 440:1. 1981, 146:1; 422:9. 2000, 63:1, eff. June 16, 2000.
The Federal Highway Administration for the first time included information about this signage in its 2009 edition of the "Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices" (MUTCD), the national standard for traffic signs and road markings.
According to the MUTCD, the sharrow assists cyclists with lateral positioning in a shared lane with on-street parallel parking in order to reduce the chance of a bicyclist's hitting the open door of a parked vehicle. It also assists bicyclists with lateral positioning in lanes that are too narrow for a motor vehicle and a bicycle to travel side by side within the same traffic lane. The sharrow may be used in addition to or in place of the "Bikes May Use Full Lane" sign.
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UNH CLUB TENNIS TEAM USING DURHAM'S WOODRIDGE PARK THIS SUMMER FOR TENNIS PRACTICES
While the University of New Hampshire tennis courts are under construction this summer, the UNH Club Tennis Team will be conducting its practices at Durham's Woodridge Park two to three times per week between the hours of 4 and 6PM.
There will be approximately 30 participants with an anticipated 8-10 vehicles at the park.
Go Wildcats!
NOTE: The Club Tennis team has been asked to leave 2 courts open for the public during the practices.
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UNH PRESIDENT JAMES DEAN HAS WRITTEN A NEW BOOK - The Insider's Guide to Working with Universities
Why do decisions in universities take so long and involve so many people? Why isn't growth a priority for colleges? Why can't faculty be managed like any other employees? How can alumni work more effectively with campus leaders? As leaders in higher education with years of experience working with business executives, governing boards, faculty, consultants, and alumni, James W. Dean Jr. and Deborah Y. Clarke have noticed that these questions often arise, revealing that many business-based partners have a limited understanding of academic institutions. This book offers practical guidance for those who seek to invest in and help enhance higher education.
Dean and Clarke advocate for the distinctive missions and structures that make universities unique among American enterprises. And while they acknowledge the challenges often faced when working with academic institutions, they argue that understanding institutional mission is essential to improving the effectiveness of business leaders who engage in higher education. Presenting numerous real-world insights and drawing from interviews with a range of stakeholders, Dean and Clarke chart a path for building and sustaining relationships that work to strengthen higher education.
To learn more, click HERE.
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LAROCHE FARM CELEBRATES 100 YEARS!
The LaRoche Farm on Bennett Road is celebrating 100 years as a diversified family farm and is a highlight of the 7th Annual Durham Farm Day on Saturday, August 17th! Make plans to visit the farm on Farm Day to take a hay ride, tour the maple sugar shack, watch sheep shearing and goat milking demonstrations, learn about bee keeping, and more. The Agricultural Commission will be serving steamed local sweet corn at noon! LaRoche Farm is just one of ten farms and gardens open to you on Farm Day and the full list of events is available HERE.
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NH FISH AND GAME DEPARTMENT PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THREE PROPOSED MARINE AQUACULTURE LICENSE APPLICATIONS
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department will hold a public hearing regarding three proposed marine aquaculture license applications on Tuesday, August 20, 2019, at 9:00 AM, 9:30 AM, and at 10:00 AM at The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department's Region 3 Office, 225 Main St., Durham, N.H. The public is welcome to attend and to offer comments on the proposed aquaculture plans.
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At 09:00 AM, Christopher Gallagher of Little Bay Beauties will be heard on his application to culture oysters, northern quahogs, soft shelled clams, and razor clams in a bottom culture operation on a 2-acre site in the shallows along the Durham shoreline of the Oyster River.
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At 09:30 AM, Joseph Rankin of Hidden Coast Shellfish will be heard on his application to culture oysters in a bottom/suspended culture operation on a 2-acre site in the shallows along the Durham shoreline of the Oyster River.
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At 10:00 AM, Brian Gennaco of Virgin Oyster Company will be heard on his application to culture oysters, northern quahogs, soft shelled clams, and razor clams in a bottom/suspended culture operation on a 2.1-acre site in the shallows along the Durham shoreline of the Oyster River.
Detailed plans for these projects are available for public review HERE listed under "Coastal Focus" or at the Department's Region 3 office in Durham.
Written comments on the proposed licenses may be submitted up until September 3, 2019, which is the end date for public comment. Written comments may be mailed to the Executive Director, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Dr., Concord, NH, 03301, faxed to (603) 271-5829, or mailto:robert.atwood@wildlife.nh.gov.
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Regular participant Davyanne Dippold demonstrates that there is always something good to find at the Durham farmers market! Courtesy Todd Selig
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DURHAM FARMERS' MARKET - Each Monday afternoon in the Sammy's downtown lot off Pettee Brook Lane
Be sure to stop by the Durham Farmers' Market being held on Monday afternoons at the Sammy's/Store 24 Parking Lot. A variety of locally produced farm products, prepared foods, and fine crafts will be available Mondays 2:15 - 6:00 PM.
There will be regular as well as guest vendors with an increasing variety of vegetables available as the season progresses.Beginning Monday August 5 there will be live acoustic music at the market so be sure to stop by!
One positive aspect is that folks can walk downtown to access the market and while they are there, shop/eat in other downtown establishments.
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LAUNCHES BACKPACK DRIVE
The New Hampshire Department of Education has launched its 4th Annual Backpack Drive to make it easier for Granite State students to go back to school in the Fall. The Department is asking people to donate new backpacks for students of all ages from now through August 16.
Drop off the new backpacks at the Durham Town Hall (Administrator's Office). The backpacks will be given to school nurses across the state, who will distribute them to students in need. Durham will arrange to transport backpacks to the Department of Education to facilitate donations.
In its first year, the Backpack Drive collected 170 backpacks. Last year, that grew to more than 500. For more information, contact Diana Fenton at (603) 271-3189 or mailto:Diana.fenton@doe.nh.gov.
So far, fifteen (15) !! backpacks have been dropped off at the Town Hall.
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REMINDER! HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE DAY - Morning of Saturday, October 26, 2019
The 2019 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, between 8 - 11:30 AM. To register, you must call DPW at 603-868-5571 or mailto:publicworks@ci.durham.nh.us. REMEMBER - THE MAXIMUM COLLECTED PER HOUSEHOLD IS FIVE GALLONS. NO EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS, RADIOACTIVE WASTE, ASBESTOS, SILVEX OR INFECTIOUS/BIOLOGICAL WASTE WILL BE ACCEPTED.
NOT ACCEPTED AT HAZARDOUS WASTE DAY - LATEX AND OLD-BASED PAINTS, MOTOR OIL, AND ANTI-FREEZE. These items can be brought up to the Transfer Station with a 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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Water fun on the Oyster River across the river from Wagon Hill Farm. Courtesy Todd Selig
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ITALIAN RESTAURANT TO OPEN IN DOWNTOWN DURHAM - Businesses on Jenkins Court remain open during construction!
In case you haven’t noticed, there is some dust flying on Jenkins Court these days. Construction on the building at the corner of Main St. and Jenkins Court is underway and once the dust settles an Italian restaurant will open its doors to the community.
We want to remind you that the businesses on Jenkins Court remain open during construction and welcome your patronage. Show your support and shop local.
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OPENING A BUSINESS IN TOWN? EXPANDING YOUR CURRENT SPACE? CALL CHRISTINE SOUTTER, DURHAM'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, FIRST
The Town of Durham wants to work with you early in the process to avoid surprises down the road. We welcome the opportunity to meet with potential businesses, building owners, developers and commercial realtors to discuss your ideas and go over any steps that may need to be taken during the buildout of the facility.
Simply reach out to Christine Soutter at 603-590-1387 or mailto:csoutter@ci.durham.nh.us and she will arrange an onsite meeting with representatives from the fire department, code enforcement, planning and economic development to go over your ideas.
No need to guess, wonder or assume--just contact us.
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The Wagon Hill Farm wagon got a much needed fresh coat of paint this week! Courtesy DPW
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TOWN COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE FOR MONTHS OF AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER
The Town Council will be meeting only once in both August and September.
The August Town Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 19.
The September Town Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 9.
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UNH EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM TO BE TESTED - AUGUST 14, 2019
Regular testing of UNH's outdoor notification system will occur Wednesday, Aug. 14, between 10 and 11:30 a.m. The test will include the siren, a “canned” message and a recording signaling the end of the test. The entire exercise will take less than 10 minutes.
In addition, the university will also simultaneously send test messages through its alert system to registered cell phones, pagers, BlackBerrys, PDAs and/or e-mail accounts and a directed communication to all UNH faculty, staff and students.
The outdoor notification system is designed to not only alert the campus community when there is imminent danger but also follow up with voice instructions. This two-step approach, called Alert and Inform, helps reduce confusion and restore order.
Sirens are located on the roof of the MUB and the roof of Morse Hall and in A Lot and the dirt parking lot near the equestrian facility. The system reaches a distance of nearly one mile in all directions.
Contact UNH Police Chief Paul Dean mailto:paul.dean@unh.edu for more information or with any questions.
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CHANGE TO STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE BUILDING CODE
The State of New Hampshire has approved the change in the State Building Code from 2009 to 2015 beginning September 15, 2019. All construction must conform to the 2015 building codes after that date. The Codes affected are the International Residential Code, the International Building Code, the International Existing Building Code, the International Mechanical Code, the International Plumbing Code, and the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code.
Copies of the 2015 codes can be reviewed in the Building Office at the Town Hall, 8 Newmarket Road. Copies for purchase can be found at http://www.iccsafe.org. Questions may be directed to Code Enforcement Officer, Audrey Cline, at 603-868-8064 or mailto:acline@ci.durham.nh.us.
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COMMUNITY CHURCH OF DURHAM ANNOUNCES PASTORAL TRANSITION - The Rev. David (Dave) Grishaw-Jones of Santa Cruz
The Community Church of Durham, UCC, will welcome a new pastor starting on Sunday, September 1. The Rev. David (Dave) Grishaw-Jones comes to Community Church from Santa Cruz, California, where he served for 17 years as pastor of Peace United Church of Christ. Consistent with United Church of Christ practice, the Community Church of Durham congregation voted to affirm the Rev. Grishaw-Jones as the church’s next pastor at a special business meeting held on Sunday, July 28.
Pastor Dave is a native New Englander and graduate of Dartmouth College and Union Theological Seminary. He has served churches in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Seattle and Denver as well as Santa Cruz. Dave and his wife, Kate, a pediatrician, have three daughters.
Pastor Dave brings to Community Church a wealth of experience from working with homelessness to establishing a jail ministry to developing initiatives around LGBTQ+ issues. He is deeply committed to social justice causes such as the environment, interfaith relations, and immigration. Dave also has a strong personal interest in poetry and music, with a special focus on jazz. He is passionate about bringing different and diverse experiences to worship.
Asked about his decision to come to Community Church, Pastor Dave responded, “I’m thrilled to be joining such a vibrant and generous community of faith! Time and again, the Community Church of Durham has put faith and heart into practice and offered hope when it’s needed most. In a fractured world, I believe it’s these bold and dynamic communities that show us all a better way forward!”
As the congregation prepares for Pastor Dave’s arrival, members will be saying goodbye and thank you to the Rev. Dr. Jill Small, the interim minister for the past two years. While working with church staff and lay leaders to shepherd Community Church through this interim period, Pastor Jill moved the congregation forward in important ways, from facilitating its tricentennial activities to advocating the creation of a new endowment fund. Pastor Jill’s final service at Community Church, on Sunday, August 11, will be followed by a special reception celebrating her ministry in Durham.
Community Church of Durham, a progressive, Open and Affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ, celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2018. It is located at 17 Main Street in Durham. More information is available at http://ccdurham.org.
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Historic Wagon Hill Farm farmhouse. Courtesy Todd Selig
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HISTORY INVENTORY OF WAGON HILL FARM COMPLETE - Learn about this local treasure
In June 2018 the Town of Durham was awarded a $5,000 grant from the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources, which covered the full cost of an inventory of Wagon Hill Farm. Lynne Monroe of Preservation Company, our consultant, has just completed the inventory (subject to minor adjustments before final submittal). The purpose of the project is to determine eligibility for possible placement of this outstanding Town property on the New Hampshire Register of Historic Places and/or the National Register of Historic Places.
In short, the farmhouse appears eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. The property as a whole appears eligible for the NH Register of Historic Places. Reconstruction of the barn a couple of years ago likely precluded our ability to list the entire parcel on the National Register.
Wagon Hill Farm had been in the possession of only a few families prior to the Town’s acquisition in 1989. In addition to the site’s architectural and archaeological importance, it is significant historically in terms of first settlements on the seacoast, the French and Indian wars, the development of the family farm from the 1600s, orchards and cider production, dairy farming, poultry framing, boarding house tourism, outdoor recreation, and the land conservation movement.
Kari Ann Laprey, who assisted in preparing the inventory said, “Wagon Hill Farm…survives today as a scenic reminder of the region’s history. Farmed continuously from the 1650s to the 1950’s, the 139-acre property remains in essentially the same form it had taken by the end of the eighteenth century. The open fields and overgrown pastures, early 1800s farmhouse, mid-nineteenth century ell, stable, and evidences of earlier structures, mark the landscape as documents of an agricultural past and of the history of this small New England town. The site’s identifying feature is the old wagon that was placed on the crest of the hill in the late 1960s to nostalgically remember an earlier way of life…The scenic value of the landscape is further enhanced by the topography of rolling hills, which abound with wildlife, and the more than 5,000 feet of frontage on the Oyster River, as it empties into Little Bay on its way to the ocean.”
You can see the complete document, which is full of intriguing information, HERE
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DURHAM POLICE SERGEANT JACK DALTON COACHING NH BASEBALL CHAMPIONS
Detective Sergeant Jack Dalton has been coaching little league baseball for a number of years and his teams do very well. Sgt. Dalton is on the left discussing strategy on the mound with several of his players. Jack has coached Dover Junior Legion Post 8 to the New Hampshire State Champions.
On Friday in Concord, the team will play for the New England Regional Championship against Rhode Island.
With his winning track record, Chief Kurz is very worried about losing Jack to a coaching offer!
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ORCHARD DRIVE WOODS CONSERVATION EFFORT - Consider making a donation to support the purchase/conservation of the Orchard Drive Woods property.
$100,000 still needed to be raised through donations by the end of August to purchase and conserve the Orchard Drive Woods Property!
Through a private fund-raising venture the Town of Durham has a chance to purchase this property, which has been offered for sale with house lots from the Oyster River Cooperative School District (ORCSD).
Buying it would keep the property undeveloped and add an important parcel for the greenbelt of protected land on the south of town. Acquisition of the land will also increase protection for hundreds of feet of Oyster River frontage. Because Thompson Lane is on the north side of Oyster River directly opposite the land, purchasing Orchard Drive Woods would make it possible to construct a new bridge for walking and biking across the river connecting the Faculty and Foss Farm neighborhoods.
Protecting Orchard Drive Woods would protect permanent public access to miles of hiking, biking, running, and skiing trails that already exist on 2,000 acres adjacent land, including the UNH MacDonald Lot. Durham has agreements with NH Fish and Game and UNH that would let the town extend the trail system from Orchard Drive Woods as far as Durham’s Doe Farm, which would be a tremendous benefit for both Durham and UNH in terms of easy access from downtown Durham and the UNH campus.
This addition to our trail network will create direct downtown to trails access for all of Durham to enjoy !
Find out more about the Orchard Drive property and how you can be a part of building a better Durham on the Celebrate Durham website HERE.
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Zip car at Madbury Road. Courtesy Todd Selig
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ZIPCAR IS HERE IN DURHAM AND AT UNH - A downtown alternative to car ownership...
Zipcar is a car-sharing company and a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group. Zipcar provides automobile reservations to its members, billable by the minute, hour or day; members typically have to pay a monthly or annual membership fee in addition to car reservations charges. UNH selected ZIPCAR several years ago for car-sharing purposes with the intent of reducing the need for private vehicles amongst its student and staff populations. In partnership with the University, Durham and UNH have moved one vehicle off campus to Madbury Road in front of Madbury Commons (perpendicular to Woodman Road). Additional ZIPCAR vehicles are located on campus on Depot Road by the Durham/UNH Train Station.
Residents may want to keep these alternative modes of transportation in mind for their personal or professional use, as appropriate.
Learn more HERE and HERE.
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DURHAM POLICE TO CONDUCT FIREARMS TRAINING DURING WEEK OF AUGUST 19th.
Durham residents in close proximity to the Durham Public Works facility on Stone Quarry Drive may hear periodic shooting the week of August 19th through 23rd as the Durham Police conduct their annual qualifications with their firearms. While there are significant portions of the annual training that involves practicums without the discharge of a weapon, there will be periods of active shooting. While Chief Kurz anticipates that some area residents will hear the actual discharge of the weapons, it is his hope that the leaves on the trees, the enhanced buffering of the area with the addition to existing berms, warmer weather and the day-time hours all may have a positive impact upon lessening the noise levels. Additionally, the significant buildings that comprise RiverWoods will also serve to dampen the discharge sounds as the range is directly behind the facility.
The Town of Durham and RiverWoods have an agreement that the Durham Police will not be utilizing the range after December 31, 2021. While Chief Kurz has been attempting to have Strafford County officials construct a county-wide firearms range, that effort has not fared very well with the County budget and has been pushed off.
Letters have been sent to abutters, or those who may be in earshot of the actual training, advising that the training is scheduled. If there are any concerns please feel free to contact the police department at 868-2324 or Chief Kurz at mailto:dkurz@ci.durham.nh.us.
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DURHAM FIRE DEPARTMENT HOUSING STANDARDS INSPECTION DATA 2nd Qtr. - You can't manage what you can't measure...so the DFD is working to measure.
The Town of Durham Housing Ordinance was adopted to provide a minimum level of safety and standards for rental housing properties. Routine inspections are conducted to verify compliance and certificates are provided once properties have successfully passed inspection. The following information shows statistics for rental housing inspections and violations in Quarters 1 and 2 of 2019.
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Photo 1 Caption: As part of their high school community service project, students Danny Nollkamper and Duncan Arthur help dig the post holes for the new kiosk at Doe Farm.
Photo 2 Caption: Volunteers Gale Carey and Carpenter Kevin Martin celebrate the nearly completed kiosk at Doe Farm.
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A NEW KIOSK AT DOE FARM
This week, Epping boat builder and carpenter Kevin Martin, with the help of volunteers and Land Stewardship Coordinator Ellen Snyder, built a new kiosk at Doe Farm. As part of their high school community service project, students Danny Nollkamper and Duncan Arthur helped dig the post holes for the kiosk. Volunteer Gale Carey assisted with the construction, which is now nearly complete.
Next week, the final roof shingles will be nailed on and oiled. The kiosk will soon host a trail map and other interpretive information about Doe Farm, which the Town has owned and managed since 1909.
Volunteer Janet Perkins-Howland, along with Danny and Duncan, also helped brush out the area around the kiosk and cleared a nearby trail of stumps and brush.
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DURHAM SEEKS INTERESTED LANDOWNERS WITH SEPTIC SYSTEMS FOR WATER QUALITY INSTALLATION PROJECT
The Town of Durham, in partnership with the Strafford Regional Planning Commission, received a watershed assistance grant from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. The funding is to install two permeable reactive barriers (PRB) within the Oyster or Lamprey River watersheds to address nonpoint source pollution from residential septic systems. PRB’s are relatively new technologies, which are now being piloted in the Great Bay watershed, and seek to control nitrogen with a formulation of wood chips, additives, and sand or gravel to transform inorganic nitrogen to nitrogen gas.
The Town is currently evaluating potential locations and is looking for private landowners, with septic systems, who are interested in participating as a pilot site for the project. There is no cost to the homeowner and the project is entirely voluntary.
If you’d like to learn more about the project before volunteering, please reach out to Kyle Pimental at mailto:kpimental@strafford.org. He is the project manager for this effort and can help answer any questions you may have.
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CHANGING ASSIGNMENTS AT DURHAM POLICE - Holly Malasky to be POP Officer; Tom Kilroy as SRO
Two officers at Durham PD have exchanged roles with Holly Malasky assuming the Problem Oriented Policing (POP) position and Tom Kilroy heading to the Oyster River Middle and High Schools as the School Resource Officer (SRO).
Officer Malasky will be focusing upon interacting with student residents of off-campus apartments to lessen police responses to loud parties and other disturbances. Additionally, Holly is extremely skilled in juvenile judicial procedures and will handle any juvenile prosecutions from the department.
Officer Kilroy, who has been a patrol officer, detective and the POP officer, will now bring is skill-set to mentoring, coaching and simply being a resource for the two schools in Durham. Tom’s first assignment is coordinating the Freshmen Orientation at the High School where the Durham Police serve pizza to the incoming high school freshmen!
Congratulations to both Holly and Tommy on their new assignments!
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NOTICE OF VACANCIES ON TOWN BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES
The Durham Town Council is seeking interested residents of the Town of Durham who have the ability, desire, and time needed to fill vacancies on several town boards, commissions, and committees.
Applications are available on the home page of the Town of Durham website at the top of the home page under “Helpful Resources”, then “Town Documents”, then “forms”, then “Application for Appointment”.
Completed applications may be mailed to the Administrator’s office, or submitted via email to Jennie Berry at mailto:jberry@ci.durham.nh.us.
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7TH ANNUAL DURHAM FARM DAY IS SATURDAY, AUGUST 17TH, RAIN OR SHINE!
Spend the day exploring farms and gardens across town and campus and see how good food is grown in Durham. Bring your own picnic to LaRoche Farm at noon and enjoy steamed local sweet corn provided by the Agricultural Commission.
View a full list of events HERE.
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2019 DURHAM HISTORIC TREASURE HUNT
The 2019 Durham Historic Treasure Hunt is open to Durham residents ages 8-17, and will run through the end of August.
View more details HERE.
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COME VISIT THE DURHAM HISTORIC ASSOCIATION MUSUEM - There are incredibly interesting historic artifacts to view from Durham's rich history.
The Durham Historic Association Museum doors are open to the public every Tuesday and Saturday 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. through Labor Day weekend.
Explore Durham's 400-year history in eight chronological periods, from the Abenaki settlement on the Oyster River to the present, in air-conditioned comfort.
BE OUR GUEST!
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LAMPREY RIVER ADVISORY COMMITTEE SUMMER 2019 NEWSLETTER
The Lamprey River Advisory Committee has published its 2019 summer newsletter which is available for viewing HERE.
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TOWN OF DURHAM FACEBOOK AND TWITTER ACCOUNTS
Did you know that the Town has a Facebook & Twitter account and frequently posts Durham & UNH news, happenings, and articles of interest in our area and the seacoast?
Like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.
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Wildcat Fitness is offering $1 for any fitness class and $0 to join in August. Wildcat Fitness is located in the Mill Road shopping plaza. 603-397-3200.
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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.
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DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY UPCOMING EVENTS
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Wednesdays, 12:30-1:00 pm
Midday Meditation Lunch Break with Mel Graykin
Join DPL for weekly midday, mini meditation sessions at the library! Led by DPL staff member and long-time meditation practioner, Mel Graykin. Open to all. No registration required.
Summer Readers!
You can still pick up your Bagel Works Gift Certificate and prize book Children’s/YA Desk. If you won a raffle prize you can pick it up there as well.
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HISTORY IN AN OYSTERSHELL - A Brief History of Durham, NH 1600 - 1976 (A little volume that was the Heritage Project of the Durham Historic Association Bicentennial celebration)
Preface - "Since before God made the first little green apples, oysters have probably been growin in the Oyster River; and some of the largest and juiciest to be found anywhere in the world are still growing here today. The following vignettes from rollicking history of Durham town on the Oyster River are therefore presented between the shells of an oyster."
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1923 - N.H. College functioned as a single administrative unit. Hoever, the variety of subjects being taught and the size of the school required a fundamental reorganization. A university pattern was adopted, with separate colleges for Agriculture, Liberal Arts, Technology and Graduate School.
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Tecce Farm has fresh corn. So does Emery Farm. Enjoy it while it lasts!
Have a very nice weekend.
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