Friday Updates - February 12, 2021

Friday, February 12, 2021

UNH sign at Main Street and Quad Way. Courtesy Todd Selig

TOWN AND OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL DISTRICT ELECTIONS - TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

The Town and ORCSD elections will be held on Tuesday, March 9, 2021 at the Oyster River High School. Polling hours will be from 7AM to 7PM.

UPCOMING CANDIDATE FORUM FOR TOWN COUNCIL CANDIDATES - 6 people have filed for only 3 seats.

In addition, please join the Durham Business Association and Town Moderator Chris Regan on Thursday, February 25th 2021, beginning at 7:00 PM, for a Town Council Candidates’ Forum to be held via Zoom, Live Streamed and broadcast LIVE on Cable Channel 22. The forum will address a broad range of questions affecting the Durham Community. Please pre-register at the link below to attend.

Interested residents are encouraged to submit questions for candidates to mailto:durhambusinessassociation@gmail.com by Monday, February 22nd. Moderator Chris Regan will review submittals and determine the final list of questions.

The following is a list of citizens that have filed for the Durham Town Council seats.

Town Council, 3-year terms (3): Nicholas B. Germain, James Lawson, Carden Welsh, Tyanne Sylvestre, Warren Smith, Charles Hotchkiss

Zoom preregistration is required: https://www.ci.durham.nh.us/boc_dcatgovernance/zoom-town-council-candidates-forum-22521

Watch DCAT LiveStream: https://durham.vod.castus.tv/vod

The Right-To-Know Law provides that most e-mail communications to or from School District employees regarding the business of the School District are government records available to the public upon request. Therefore, this e-mail communication may be subject to public disclosure. 

OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL DISTRICT CANDIDATES INFORMATION

Due to the number of candidates running for school board this year there are 2 planned public opportunities for the electorate to meet the candidates and for residents to share their thoughts:

Questionnaire: Submitted to candidates 2/12/2021. Responses required by 2/19/2021.

Questionnaire responses will be published in multiple public forums for inclusive accessibility. The Questionnaire was developed by Moharimet and Mast Way PTOs, with input from ORMS and ORHS PTOs

March 2 (3/2/2021) at 7pm: Q&A session for Madbury and At-Large Candidates, Virtual Call. Hosted and moderated by Moharimet and Mast Way PTOs.

March 4 (3/4/2021) at 7pm: Q&A session for Lee and Durham Candidates. Virtual Call. Hosted and moderated by Moharimet and Mast Way PTOs.

Mast Way and Moharimet PTOs are not associated with the ORCSD district or its employees. 

Further information regarding these two upcoming sessions should be directed to the ORCSD Superintendent's Office at 603-868-5100.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FEBRUARY 23 DATE WAS CANCELLED BY ORCSD DUE TO A CONFLICT WITH WINTER BREAK AND TO ALLOW MORE TIME PER CANDIDATE IN THE FORUMS LISTED ABOVE SPONSORED BY THE PTO’S.

VOTER REGISTRATION

The Town of Durham/ORCSD School Election will be held at Oyster River High School on Tuesday March 9, 2021. The polls will be open from 7:00 AM – 7 PM. You may register to vote at the Clerk's Office located in the Durham Town Hall during their regular business hours, Mon-Fri, 8AM to 4:30 PM. The last day to register to vote at the Clerk's office before that election will be on Friday, February 26, 2021.

The Supervisor's of the Checklist will hold a voter registration day on Saturday February 27, 2021 from 4:00 – 4:30 PM at the Durham Town Hall (this is officially the very last day to register). After that date, you may register in person at the polls before then voting. If you cannot make it in person to register, please call the Town Clerk's Office at 603-868-5577 for information about absentee registration. If you choose this method, please read instructions very carefully.

In order to register to vote, either at the Town Hall or in person at the election, you will be asked to show proofs of Identity, Age (18 by the next Election Day – March 9), Domicile/Residence in Durham, and U.S. Citizenship. Affidavits of Domicile and Citizenship may be signed under oath if proofs are lacking.

TESTING ACCUVOTE BALLOT COUNTING MACHINE AND PREPROCESSING & FINAL PROCESSING OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS FOR THE 2021 TOWN ELECTION

• Public notice is hereby given that the Town Clerk-Tax Collector and Town Moderator will conduct a test of the Accuvote ballot counting machine on Tuesday, March 2, 2021 at 9:00AM-11:00AM.  Testing will occur at the Durham Town Hall, located at 8 Newmarket Road, Durham, NH 03824.
• Public notice is hereby given that election officials will start to final process all absentee ballots at 8:00AM on Tuesday, March 9, 2021 at Oyster River High School in the Multipurpose Room, 55 Coe Drive, Durham, NH 03824. 
• Public notice is hereby given that election officials will conduct a preprocessing of absentee ballots from 10:00AM to 2:00PM on Saturday, March 6, 2021 at the Durham Town Hall, located at 8 Newmarket Road, Durham, NH 03824. 

Resident Jean McPeak provided this beautiful photograph of Thompson Forest this week. She indicated that the trail is well walked by people, as well as many animals. . . so many different foot, paw, and hoof prints. 

LOOSE DOGS ON TOWN TRAILS HARASS FAMILIES AND CHICKENS AT STEVENS WOODS AND ON OTHER TOWN LANDS

We received several reports this past week concerning dogs off leash in Stevens Woods and on other town land trails (not Wagon Hill Farm). Some loose dogs harassed children playing in their yards while others attacked pet chickens in a yard! 

This is unacceptable behavior. Please keep your dog on a leash at Stevens Woods and other town land trails. Also, stay on the official trails, such as at the Merrick Parcel.  It’s important to respect the properties through which a trail winds by staying on marked and blazed trails.

It is important to keep dogs on leash and on trails in order to protect wildlife, native plants, and water quality and to respect other visitors and neighbors. In addition, please be sure to pick up and carry out any dog waste.

MUFFIN MONSTER PUMP STATION GRINDER NEARLY ONLINE

The new channel grinder for the Dover Road wastewater pumping station is almost online. The mounting frame was installed by Apex Construction Inc., which required temporary by-passing of the sewage around the channel where the new grinder will be placed. All wiring and controls for the grinder have been installed and hooked up by Yates Electrical. The remaining item that has been scheduled is the grinder to be wired for alarms and incorporated into the PLC at the pumping station, which will occur next week. Once the alarms are tied in, the grinder will be set in place and put into operation.

REHABILITATION OF PRIMARY CLARIFIERS AT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT

Environmental Partners Group (EPG) engineering firm visited the wastewater treatment facility to assess the condition of the primary clarifiers including concrete and mechanical systems. The two clarifiers were installed in 1975, with some minor upgrades throughout the years. Due to the age of these concrete structures, they require some mechanical and structural repairs, which have been included in the 2021 wastewater capital program.

UNH PANHELLENIC AND INTERFRATERNITY COUNCILS SUSPEND GREEK IN-PERSON ACTIVITIES INDEFINITELY

The Panhellenic and Interfraternity Councils at UNH indicate they are committed to ensuring that Durham and the UNH remain a safe place for all those who live, learn, and work in the community. Members of the fraternity-sorority life community make up a substantial percent of the student body population. 

For this reason, they have decided it is in the best interest of the community as a whole to suspend all Greek in-person activity indefinitely. They will continue to actively assess the positive cases both on and off campus as this decision will stay in effect until the off-campus positive case load declines. Failure of member Greek organizations to comply will result in sanctions.

Agreed upon by: Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Phi, Alpha Sigma Phi, Alpha Tau Omega, Alpha Xi Delta, Chi Omega, Delta Xi Phi, Kappa Delta, Kappa Sigma, Lamda Chi Alpha, Phi Mu Delta, Phi Sigma Sigma, Sigma Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Beta, Sigma Chi, Sigma Nu, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Theta Chi.

MADBURY ROAD WATER MAIN BREAK ADDRESSED

On the morning of February 5th Durham Public Works crews responded to a water main break at the intersection of Madbury Road and Edgewood Road. The break involved an older 6” diameter pit cast iron pipe, which developed a longitudinal crack at the bell connection, possibly due to stress from pipe deflection over 70 years.  

The compromised pipe was removed and replaced with a new section of pipe and two dresser couplings. Crews were further challenged when snow began to fall requiring a winter weather emergency response by treatment and plowing crews!  Notwithstanding these difficult conditions, public works crews performed impressively and completed the repair and restored water to Durham customers by early afternoon. 

ROADWAY CRACK SEALING PROGRAM FOR 2021

Public Works is soliciting bids for the Town’s crack sealing program, which is a critical component to the pavement preservation strategy.  The crack sealing process involves identifying roadways that fall into the pavement maintenance treatment band and routing cracks, when necessary, to expand the crack to a ¼” wide, which creates a reservoir for the rubberized crack sealant to fill. This is followed by the cleaning of the crack removing debris using high pressure air.  The last step involves the installation of specially formulated crack sealant to fill the reservoir that has been created.

This rubberized material has the ability to seal the crack while staying flexible with the pavement’s movement. This is valuable especially for active cracks that continue to extend in size and severity over time. Crack sealing prevents water and debris from entering the crack and degrading the roadway with frost action and transport of road base materials, protecting the longevity of the pavement.

ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE SNOW FIGHTING STRATEGIES – “Blizzard Wizard”

Durham Public Works continues to refine the strategies it employs for the protection of the public and the environment during winter weather emergency responses. 

Public Works has put in place a new deicing material known as “Blizzard Wizard,” which is a performance enhanced treated salt that contains a mixture of deicing rock salt and a liquid treatment containing magnesium chloride (MgCL2) and an organic based performance enhancer (OBPE) in the form of sugar cane molasses.  

The material works effectively in temperatures as low as 0  degrees Fahrenheit requiring substantially less material than conventional road salt during extreme cold weather events.  

The Blizzard Wizard also acts as an enhanced anti-caking agent and natural corrosion inhibitor. The liquid treatment reduces bounce and scatter during application, which translates into longer lasting targeted treatments as compared to untreated salt. 

Congratulations to Danielle Pillet-Shore, this week’s winner of Restaurant Bingo. Danielle is taking home four gift cards to local restaurants. It’s not too late to start playing and a new winner is drawn every week through the end of February. Get your game board at any participating restaurant or the Town Hall. Completed cards can be turned in at Town Hall, the Freedom Café or the Three Chimney’s Inn. Courtesy DCAT Studios

A REPORT ON DPW’S WINTER WEATHER RESPONSES – 5 winter events in 2 weeks.

Durham Public Works Snow fighting crews have performed exceptionally well in responding to five winter weather events in the last two weeks. These storms have produced a combined 18” of snow, 10” of which occurred during a prolonged Nor’easter event. 

We anticipate this active weather pattern to continue with multiple emergency responses expected over the next week.

CARDBOARD RECYCLING INFORMATION FROM IWMAC & DPW

Did you know that cardboard can be recycled as many as five times before its fibers are too short to be reused? Durham Public Works processes close to 100 tons of cardboard each year through the Raymond A. LaRoche, Sr. Transfer Station and Recycling Center as well as its curbside recycling program. A friendly reminder that Styrofoam, waxed cardboard, plastic bags, packing peanuts, packing paper and inflated plastic cushions are not considered cardboard, so we kindly ask that these materials be removed from boxes before disposing of them. These types of contaminants are most commonly found within the boxes of televisions and other appliances. Recycled Cardboard is a recyclable commodity that the Town currently receives revenue for, however contaminated cardboard can lead to significant downgrading resulting in lost revenue and, sometimes even requiring the Town to pay disposal costs. Please help us to keep our cardboard contaminant free to maximize revenue and protect and preserve the environment! Thank you for your cooperation!

DURHAM POLICE DEPARTMENT PROGRAM NOTICE - Citizen Assistance Request Program during Covid-19 Pandemic

Chief Kelley would like to remind our citizens that the Citizen Assist Request Program remains active during the duration of the Covid-19 Pandemic. The purpose of this program is to provide assistance to elderly members of the community and other members that may be in need obtaining food or medication due to illness, medical condition or other needs not readily identifiable. Due to the nature of the Covid-19 Pandemic, private citizens and Durham Police Officers will coordinate efforts to procure and deliver needed services to community members.  

Citizen Requesting Services

• Call the Durham Police Department at 603-868-2324 between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm. 
• Provide your name, address and phone number, location of item to be picked up and indicate if it has already been paid for. 
• Wait for a volunteer or Durham Police Department member to contact you. Officers have been instructed to wait no longer than 30 minutes to contact a volunteer before calling you back and providing you direct assistance.

TOWN OF DURHAM- PART-TIME MECHANIC POSITION VACANCY

The Town of Durham is seeking a part-time mechanic to assist in performing equipment maintenance on the Town's fleet. Requires knowledge of regular fleet vehicles and heavy equipment repair, diagnosis of malfunctions utilizing test equipment and technical repair manuals. Employee will work 24 hours per week, flexible scheduling available. High School Diploma or G.E.D. and one year of formal training in fleet vehicles and heavy equipment repair or equivalent experience. Possession of a Class B CDL Operator's License and Certification to perform NH Safety Vehicle Inspections highly sought after. Hourly wage starting at $20/hour, higher possible depending on experience. Interested parties please send application/letter of interest/resume no later than Friday, February 26th to:

Rich Reine, Director of Public Works

100 Stone Quarry Drive

Durham, NH  03824

PLEASE SUPPORT THE DURHAM HISTORIC ASSOCIATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT

For the month of February 2021, the Durham Historic Association will receive a $1 donation from each purchase of the $2.50 reusable Community Bag at the Hannaford store located at 7 Mill Road, Durham NH.

The Durham Historic Association's mission is:

• To preserve the memory of events connected with the history of the Town of Durham, or of individuals who may have resided there;
• To serve as guardian of the town's history;
• To preserve the artifacts of the town's history;
• To inform and educate the citizens of Durham and others of the history of the town and how contemporary Durham arises out of its past.

MADBURY ROAD RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT ATTRACTS SIGNIFICANT ENGINEERING FIRM INTEREST

Durham Public Works held a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) pre-proposal site walk on Monday February 8, 2021.  Town Engineer April Talon and Director of Public Works Richard Reine provided an overview of the project and responded to various questions focusing on the design, costs, existing infrastructure, and funding options for the project. There was a great turn out as representatives from 12 consultant teams attended the site walk. RFQ packages are due at the end of February 2021, at which time a qualitative rating will take place to develop a short list of 3-4 firms to be interviewed.

OBTAIN A DOG LICENSE BY APRIL 30, 2021 AND AUTOMATICALLY ENTER THE 2021 TOP DOG RAFFLE

The Town of Durham is proud to announce the 2021 Top Dog raffle. This raffle was created to motivate and remind dog owners to license their pets every year by April 30, as state law requires. Residents automatically register for the Top Dog raffle when they obtain a dog license before April 30, 2021. The winner of the Top Dog raffle will receive a gift basket donated by the clerk’s office.  The gift basket contains a fleece dog blanket, KONG-brand durable tennis balls, disposable dog waste bags, a high quality dog leash, and dog treats.

Rules & Regulations

• Contestants will automatically be entered into the raffle when they register their dog(s) before April 30 (only open to Durham residents).
• Residents who DO NOT want to be included in the raffle may opt out by writing, calling, or emailing the clerk’s office.
• Contestants must be 18 or older and be the owner of the dog on file with the clerk’s office. Town of Durham employees and elected officials are not eligible.
• The contestant must have a 2021 Town of Durham dog license by April 30. A current rabies vaccination will be required to obtain the license.
• The raffle winner may submit a digital photo and brief biography of their dog. Photos of the 2021 raffle winner’s dog will be included in the Durham Friday Update.
• The winner will be drawn at random by clerk’s office at a Town Council meeting in May 2021.

SWAP SHOP TO REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO PANDEMIC

DPW officials recently met with a subcommittee of the Integrated Solid Waste Committee and coordinators of the Swap Shop to evaluate the possibility or re-opening. The consensus was to continue to keep closed. A poll was taken of the volunteers to determine if there was any interest in opening and found that concerns over Covid including possible spikes in the fall and winter remained and people felt it was a better approach to keep closed until spring. We will keep updating the community as things change.