Friday Updates - February 23, 2024

Friday, February 23, 2024

February 2023 - Not quite the same as February 2024!

Thank you to all who participated in the Candidate Forum on Tuesday night! If you missed it, you can re-watch it HERE.

TOWN ELECTION -- MARCH 12, 2024

The 2024 Durham Town Election will be held on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Voting will take place at the Oyster River High School-Multipurpose Room from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. Sample ballots are available for viewing on the Town of Durham’s website, at the Durham Post Office, or in the Durham Town Clerk’s Office. Please click HERE for more information.

Absentee Ballots are now available for qualified voters that cannot make it to the polls on election day. Please note that New Hampshire does not offer mail-in voting, but rather “absentee voting,” which is limited to qualified voters that cannot appear in-person on election day. Applications for absentee ballots and information on absentee voting may be found on the Town of Durham’s website HERE, or you may pick up an application and absentee ballot at the Durham Town Clerk’s office between the hours of 8:00am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday.  

Please contact the Durham Town Clerk’s Office by email at rdeane@ci.durham.nh.us or by phone at 603-868-5577 if you have any questions about voting.

Michael Everngam was recognized at Monday evening's Council meeting for 30 years of service to the Town of Durham. For the past 12 years, Michael has been serving as a Trustee of the Trust Fund and a member of the Cemetery Committee. Previously Michael held the positions of Moderator and Assistant Moderator.

Michael has decided not to run for another term as Trustee of the Trust Fund. The Town wishes Michael all the best for whatever he chooses to do in the future!

Carden Welsh's last meeting as a councilor was this past Monday as he will be absent from the March 4 Council meeting. The Council thanked him for his 11 years of service to the Town of Durham as a Town Councilor.

SESSION BEING HELD FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACCEPTING NEW VOTERS AND FOR MAKING CHANGES IN PARTY, ADDRESS, OR NAME

Saturday, March 2, 2024    4:00 – 4:30 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. 

A new voter checklist has just been printed. There are two at the town hall, one in the foyer at the big square table, and one in the clerk’s office. This is an updated version from the primary election. Changes to party or name, or names of new registrations since January 23 will NOT show up until after March 2. Shortly after that date, a final checklist for use at the town election will be printed.

A person’s party is not important EXCEPT at a primary. The State Primary will be held early in September. The final date to change party for that election will be June 4, 2024. You may make these changes in the Town Clerk’s office during office hours, at the election on March 12, or at any of the Supervisors’ posted sessions. You may also register to vote at any of these times.

Jim Rice, Durham’s long-time assessor, is retiring after a 40-year career as a real estate appraiser and property tax assessor. His last day is Thursday, February 29. 

Jim began working for Durham as a contract assessor in 2009 and was hired full time in 2013. He oversaw three Town revaluations and worked with a consultant to fully update the tax maps in 2022. He helped Durham win a landmark case before the New Hampshire Supreme Court regarding the leasing of parking spaces, and he proposed and testified for a successful bill that now requires public entities to report on all leases annually, since many cover properties which may be taxable. This legislation has been tremendously valuable, especially for towns like Durham which host large state institutions.

Jim was a leader in the assessing industry in the state, having served as president of the New Hampshire Association of Assessing Officers (NHAAO) and chair of four NHAAO committees – the Education, Ethics, Finance, and Conference Committees. He received a number of awards for his service: the Sherry Vermilya Award from the Northeast Regional Association of Assessing Officers, the Lawton B. Chandler Award, and the NHAAO President’s Choice Award. 

Jim will continue serving as a member of the Board of Assessors in Laconia, where he lives with his wife Donna. He plans to do more traveling now, including a trip this August to the Dolomites and Cinque Terra in Italy. He looks forward to exploring the National Parks, doing volunteer work, and spending more time with his four grandchildren, Spencer, Abby, Izabelle, and Luke. He will also spend time biking, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, gardening, and reading good mystery novels.

Jim said, “It has been an absolute pleasure working for the Town of Durham. Little did I realize when I graduated from UNH that I would end up working for the Town and serving its residents who, for the most part, have been wonderful. I want to thank the Town Council and Todd Selig for their support. And it has been great working with such a talented and dedicated staff, who I will very much miss.”

PUBLIC HEARING ON ZONING AMENDMENTS FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING

The Planning Board is holding a public hearing this Wednesday, February 28 (The meeting starts at 7:00 pm) on a set of zoning amendments intended to facilitate the creation of workforce housing. The amendments include the rezoning of one parcel of land to a higher density district, the inclusion of a set of requirements for a workforce housing project, and specification where a workforce housing project would be allowed – in the four Research-Industry zones.

The subject parcel is a 117-acre lot located on the north side of Route 4 opposite Harmony Homes. Given its size, a large development could potentially be clustered and located so that it would be virtually not visible from the surrounding roads and handful of residences. Valuable natural resources on the property could be protected in perpetuity. You can see the proposed amendments HERE.

The proposal was prepared and endorsed by the Durham Housing Task Force. You can see information related to housing at the task force website HERE. The impetus for these amendments was a discussion with Dan Keefe, owner of the subject parcel, John and Maggie Randolph, proprietors of Harmony Homes, and Town Planner Michael Behrendt. If the zoning amendments are adopted, the property could be sold to any party for development of any use allowed in the zone. If the site is to be developed for workforce housing, the Randolphs are a likely candidate as they have experience creating workforce housing. John and Maggie Randolph have become noted advocates for workforce housing in the Seacoast region and across the state. The task force had an interesting discussion with them at their meeting on January 8 which can be viewed HERE.

Please contact the Town Planner Michael Behrendt with any questions or comments at: mbehrendt@ci.durham.nh.us

Why is it so important to recycle aluminum cans?

According to the U.S. EPA, recycling aluminum reduces the amount ending up in landfills by a significant amount.

In addition, recycling aluminum saves 95 percent of the energy that is required to make aluminum cans from virgin bauxite ore.

Most importantly, aluminum cans are the most sustainable beverage package on virtually every measure. Aluminum cans can be recycled infinitely. Each time an aluminum can is recycled, it takes approximately 90 days for the can to complete the process and end up back on the shelf refilled with a new beverage.

Should I crush my aluminum cans before recycling?

It’s important not to crush your aluminum cans before you recycle them. Crushed aluminum cans may fall through the spaces of the sorting equipment and can either be lost entirely or improperly sorted.

The Durham Transfer Station collects aluminum cans, and the town can make money by recycling them. The revenue is then put into the town’s General Fund.

To learn more about the importance of recycling aluminum cans, check out this quick, informative video: HERE.

Sources: 

The Northeast Resource Recovery Association, Aluminum.org & WasteCare Corporation

Brought to you by the IWMAC Committee 

Not sure if an item can be recycled? Check here: www.Recyclesmartma.org

The City of Portsmouth owns and maintains a 7 mile long, 24” diameter water main which conveys treated drinking water from its Madbury Water Treatment Plant to Portsmouth. This transmission main supplies close to 60% of the potable water and fire protection demands for this regional system. A portion of this line crosses Wagon Hill Farm through a 40’ wide utility easement granted to Portsmouth, before crossing Little Bay and eventually connecting to the Portsmouth Water distribution system at Fox Point in Newington. Due to the poor condition of the submerged sections of this water line and inoperable valving, Portsmouth has initiated the first phase of a rehabilitation and replacement project of this critical infrastructure. 

Due to the major impacts and disruption to the Wagon Hill Farm property, including impacts to the community gardens, trail system, main roadway, fields and wetlands, that would occur if the deeded easement alignment was utilized for construction access, the Town of Durham worked with Portsmouth to develop an alternate construction access with a temporary timber cribbing roadway, construction fencing, laydown area and temporary trail relocations which is significantly less impactful to the property.

On February 14, 2024, the Portsmouth Water Department coordinated a pre-construction meeting with Project contractor SUR Construction. The meeting was held to review contractual requirements, in advance of site work beginning at the project sites, including Wagon Hill Farm. It is expected that the contractor will be provided with a notice to proceed on or around March 4, 2024, at which time they will begin mobilization and installation of timber cribbing, fencing and erosion controls to establish the Wagon Hill Farm access road. Please visit the following website HERE for project information and periodic updates.   

UPDATE ON PROCESS FOR REMOVAL OF MILL POND DAM ON OYSTER RIVER - Contractor Prequalification Process

Durham Public Works is seeking to prequalify potential contractors for the removal of the Mill Pond Dam and associated restoration of the Oyster River. The prequalification process consists of submitting a Contractor's Prequalification Statement and providing the required additional supporting data to the Town for evaluation. The Town will then use these prequalification statements to determine if a contractor or contractor/subcontractor team is qualified to submit a bid. The prequalification process ensures that all potential contractors have the requisite skills, knowledge, and capacity to undertake this important project. Prequalification statements are due Friday March 15, 2024. A complete project bid invitation with construction plans and specifications is expected to be released later this Spring.

The full RFP can be found at the following link HERE.

MADBURY ROAD COMPLETE STREETS PROJECT UPDATE - Phase 1 Utility Work Bid Results (Water and Sewer)

Durham Public Works and the Madbury Road Complete Streets Project Team continue to advance the Complete Streets design for planned construction improvements beginning in 2024. This project involves the approximately 8,200 lineal foot Madbury Road corridor, connecting Main Street in downtown Durham to Route 4.

Phase I, water and sewer utility construction, between approximately Main Street and Edgewood Road, was advertised in early January and bids were opened Wednesday February 14th. Two contractors submitted bid packages – N. Granese and Sons Inc. and Joseph P. Cardillo, $2,725,651.91 and $2,281,044.95, respectively. The contract is expected to be awarded in early March. Design of the Phase I Roadway improvements, between Main Street and Garrison Road, is nearing completion with construction planned for the 2024/2025 construction season. The project involving the Rehabilitation/replacement of the culverts located on Madbury and Edgewood Roads has been awarded to Severino construction. Construction improvements of these two culverts, conveying Littlehale Brook, is scheduled to begin in spring of 2024 at which time Edgewood Road, near the project site, will be detoured.  

Durham Public Works Fleet Services Supervisor Mike McCrillis is seen in the photo completing repairs to the suspension system of a 2015 Freightliner curbside solid waste and recycling collection vehicle. This vehicle has faithfully served the community for the last nine (9) years and is scheduled for replacement this year as part of Durham Public Works’ conversion to automated curbside collection for both solid waste and recycling, using standardized containers.

The Department is currently in the due diligence and technical evaluation phase, working with the NHDES with regard to the acceptance of a Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) grant which will provide 45% of the funding required to procure a new split body, battery electric solid waste and recycling collection vehicle and DCFC charging station. It is anticipated that this program will be implemented in multiple phases over the 2024 and 2025 calendar years.

Officer Erik Burke will represent Durham PD in the CHaD Battle of the Badges hockey game on March 10th, at the SNHU Arena, at 1:00 pm. The game has police officers and firefighters from across New Hampshire face off for a great cause. All proceeds are used to help kids at Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock with critical services such as support when they are in pediatric intensive care and management of chronic illnesses, as well as patient and family support services. The game began in 2008 and has raised more than $3.1 million dollars. Officer Burke will be participating for the third year in a row. If you would like to learn more about the game or contribute towards Officer Burke’s fundraising efforts, please click HERE.

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 #8

Playing in the house is fun, but some areas that are not safe to play around are fireplaces or stoves, also if your outside stay away from fire pits and cooking devices.

DON’T PLAY AROUND FIREPLACES OR STOVES.

Fireplaces and stoves or any kind of cooking device have enough heat on the surface to cause burns. Along with the possibility of open flames to catch loose clothing on fire.

For a helpful link on this topic, click HERE.

OYSTER RIVER SCHOOLS NEWS

No School February 26 - March 1, 2024

All ORCSD schools will be closed February 26 - March 1. School will resume Monday, March 4. The SAU office will be closed Monday, February 26, in observance of Presidents Day.

Election Day March 12, 2024

Warrant article # 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 will be on the ballot in Durham, Lee, and Madbury. Supporting documents for the FY25 budget can be found HERE under the "Budget FY 24-25" tab. The February 6 Deliberative Session may be viewed HERE (presentation starts 9:36 minutes in) and an explanation of the warrants is available for download HERE.

Jennifer Horton Named Human Resources Director

Jennifer Horton was named as ORCSD's new Human Resources Director. Jennifer will start on March 4, 2024. 

High School Students Exhibiting at Durham Public Library

Eighteen Oyster River High School students were honored at the Scholastic Art Awards of New Hampshire ceremony on February 11 at Pinkerton Academy. Their artwork, along with the artwork of other students who submitted theirs, will be displayed at the Durham Public Library with an opening reception on March 6, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Oyster River Students Qualify for VEX IQ Robotics World Championship

Three of the 14 Oyster River Middle School teams who competed in the 2024 VEX IQ State Competition at Manchester Community College on Sunday, February 18, qualified for the 2024 VEX Robotics World Championship. The world championship will be held in Dallas, May 1-3, 2024. Congratulations to all participants for their remarkable performances. Additional information is available HERE.