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Red barn on Church Hill next to the Town Hall. Courtesy Todd Selig
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A final reminder that all Town offices will be closed for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Civil Rights Day holiday next Monday, January 21, 2019.
Although the Town offices are closed, there will be NO CHANGE to the regularly scheduled refuse and recycling routes. As always, residents are asked to please have all items out by 7AM on their respective collection days.
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A significant storm will move northeast on Saturday, spreading snow across the Durham-Portsmouth-Dover-Rochester region Saturday night. By Sunday, this system will track along the southern New England coastline and through the Gulf of Maine. This is anticipated to result in heavy snow with potentially widespread areas with double digit snowfall. Along the coastline, a brief period of sleet or freezing rain may fall during the day Sunday.
Durham DPW reports it is ready to deal with the storm. One of our staff members, Sam Hewitt, has a degree in meteorology. Sam’s knowledge gives the department better sense of how a storm system may track locally.
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CONSIDERING A CHANGE IN HOURS FOR THE TOWN CLERK/TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE
The Town Clerk-Tax Collector's Office is considering a change in its hours of operation. Currently, the office is open from 8AM - 5PM Monday thru Friday. As the office does not close for a “lunch hour” it is available to the public for a total of 45 hours weekly. This is a two and one-half person office with meetings, training, vacations, sickness, etc., and there are times only one clerk will be on duty and may not finish servicing customers that are in the office until well after 5PM. Afterward the clerk then has to balance and process necessary payments that can take an additional 30 to 45 minutes.
The Clerk's Office is considering closing the office to customers at 4:30 PM to allow time to complete the necessary daily balancing and processing that must occur at the end of each work day. This change amounts to 2 ½ hours, the office will still be open 42-1/2 hours weekly.
Durham the FY 2019 budget development process, the Town opted not to allocate additional staffing toward this function in deference to keeping spending increases for 2019 as low as possible.
If the idea moves forward, we'd be looking at a March 1st implementation date.
Feedback concerning the proposal can be sent to Town Clerk/Tax Collector Lorrie Pitt at lpitt@ci.durham.nh.us.
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RIGHT-TO-KNOW LAW PRESENTATION INFORMATION
A Right-to-Know Law presentation was held on Tuesday, January 15, 2019 from 7:00-9:00 PM in the Council chambers at Durham Town Hall for newly appointed Chairs, Vice Chairs, and Secretaries, as well as new members to the various town boards and committees. Town attorney Laura Spector-Morgan gave the presentation. The information she provided at the presentation can be viewed HERE.
The recorded session can be viewed on DCAT on Demand HERE.
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PLACEMENT OF REFERENDUM QUESTION ON THE MARCH 12, 2019 TOWN ELECTION WARRANT asking residents if they are in favor of raising and appropriating not more than $2,680,000 for the construction of a new Dover Road Pump Station force main -- UNH to pay 2/3 of this cost, the residual paid for solely by Durham sewer system users, not the general tax base.
The Durham Town Council will meet on Monday, February 4, 2019 beginning at 7PM. The following Public Hearings regarding the the placement of a referendum question on the March 12, 2019 Town Election Warrant relating to bonding for the construction of a new force main at the Dover Road Pump Station.
Hold Second Public Hearing in accordance with 33:8-d II (b), for the placement of a proposed referendum question on the March 12, 2019 Town Election ballot asking residents if they are in favor of raising and appropriating the sum of $2,680,000 for the purpose of constructing a new Dover Road Pump Station force main, with said sum to be in addition to any federal, state or private funds made available therefor, and of authorizing the issuance of not more than $2,680,000 of bonds or notes in accordance with the provision of the municipal finance act, RSA Chapter 33, and authorizing the municipal officials to issue and negotiate such bonds or notes and to determine the rate of interest thereon? The Council unanimously recommends this appropriation. By Agreement, two-thirds (2/3) of the annual payments are to be paid by UNH, and one-third (1/3) of those payments will be paid for by Durham sewer system users. 2/3 ballot vote required.
Hold Public Hearing in accordance with Section 5.12(A) of the Durham Town Charter and Vote on a Resolution to incur debt of $2,680,000 for the purpose of constructing a new Dover Road Pump Station force main, with said sum to be in addition to any federal, state or private funds made available therefor, and of authorizing the issuance of not more than $2,680,000 of bonds or notes in accordance with the provision of the municipal finance act, RSA Chapter 33, and authorizing the municipal officials to issue and negotiate such bonds or notes and to determine the rate of interest thereon? The Council unanimously recommends this appropriation. By Agreement, two-thirds (2/3) of the annual payments are to be paid by UNH, and one-third (1/3) of those payments will be paid for by Durham sewer system users. 2/3 ballot vote required.
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Dover Road/Route 108 Pump Station. Courtesy DCAT Studios
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$2.68 MILLION DOVER ROAD FORCE MAIN PROJECT PROPOSED REFERENDUM TO BE PLACED ON THE MARCH 12, 2019 TOWN ELECTION BALLOT - UNH to pay 2/3 of this cost, the residual paid for solely by Durham sewer system users, not the general tax base.
At the January 7, 2019 Town Council meeting, the Council held a public hearing as required by RSA 33:8-d II (a) on a referendum question to be placed on the March 12, 2019 Town Election Ballot to authorize the issuance of not more than $2,680,000 of bonds or notes, issued in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Finance Act (RSA 33), for the construction of a new Dover Road Pump Station force main.
A second Public Hearing will be held on the referendum question for Monday, February 4, 2019, per RSA 33:8-d II (b). as well was a Public Hearing in accordance with Section 5.12(A) of the Durham Town Charter.
Per the current Town of Durham/UNH Water and Wastewater agreement, funding for this project is split 2/3rd UNH and 1/3rd Town sewer users, so the Town’s sewer users are responsible for 1/3rd share of $893,333.
The Town of Durham owns, operates and maintains 17 miles of sanitary sewer, including the existing 3,000-foot Dover Road Pump Station force main. The 18-inch asbestos-cement (AC) force main was originally installed in 1967 and conveys all the Town’s wastewater flows to the Durham Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF). Because of the location and age of the force main, coupled with no immediate backup provisions, and the fact that it is a single point of failure, the existing force main was recommended for upgrade. The purpose of this project is to replace the existing force main with a new pipe located upland of the high tide line, along an accessible alignment.
The selected force main alignment will be routed along the shoulder of Route 108 (Dover Road) for approximately 400 linear feet, and then continue within the paved travel-way of Old Piscataqua Road. Old Piscataqua Road dead ends approximately 1,500 feet east of Dover Road. The sewer alignment will continue in an easterly direction through a short stretch of Town-owned property before entering NHDOT’s extended Route 4 road right-of-way. The force main alignment will parallel Route 4 and be approximately 100 feet south of the centerline of Route 4. West of the WWTF property, the force main alignment will turn and continue in a southerly direction. The force main alignment will cross a private property owned by UNH before entering the Town-owned WWTF property. The alignment ends at the southern side of the WWTF property where the force main will connect to the existing Headworks building.
The total anticipated length of the new future force main piping is approximately 3,400 linear feet of 20-inch HDPE.
The existing force main will remain in service to provide redundancy to the system. Following the completion of the construction of the new force main the Town will investigate the interior condition of the existing force main to determine if any modifications or improvements need to be made.
To take advantage of the cost-savings associated when combining projects, the 2019 CIP also includes $350,000 to design and construct a replacement water main within the same contract as the force main replacement project. To design and construct the water main in a stand-alone project could cost the Town anywhere from $750,000 - $1M.
The Council unanimously supported the project on January 7th.
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FILING PERIOD FOR DURHAM ELECTED OFFICES FOR MARCH 12, 2019 TOWN ELECTION
The filing period for local Durham elected offices for the March Town Election is Wednesday, January 23, 2019 through 5:00 PM Friday, February 1, 2019. There is no filing fee required.
Citizens who might choose to become involved in Durham Town government may file for one of the positions below at the Town Clerk-Tax Collector's Office during the filing period noted above. Questions may also be directed to that office by calling 603-868-5577 or emailing Town Clerk-Tax Collector Lorrie Pitt at mailto:lpitt@ci.durham.nh.us
Residents interested in learning more about any of these positions are invited to contact the Administrator's Office at 603-868-5571 or write to mailto:tselig@ci.durham.nh.us.
The 2019 Town elections will take place on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 at the Oyster River High School. Polling hours will be from 7AM to 7PM.
Town Council, 3 positions (3-year terms)
Library Board of Trustees, 3 positions (3-year terms)
Trustees of the Trust Funds, 1 position (3-year term)
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Left: American Flag constructed by Durham resident Mark Houle.
Right: Members of Durham Fire Department with flag (l-r): Inspector Matt Wilder, FF Artie Boutin, Assistant Chief Randall Trull, Captain Gary Kustra, FF Evan Crafts, FF Devon Skerry, FF Barry LaVigne, Deputy Chief John Powers, Call FF Tom Richardson, Town Councilor Andy Corrow, Creator Mark Houle, and Chief Dave Emanuel
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AMERICAN FLAG PRESENTATION
Durham resident Mark Houle graciously constructed an American flag from out of service Durham fire hose which he and Town Councilor Andy Corrow delivered and presented to the Durham Fire Department on Thursday afternoon. The flag will be on display at the Durham Fire Department and community members are invited to stop by the station to see this spectacular work of craftsmanship. The flag reflects the department’s American pride and the entire department is grateful to Mr. Houle for his hard work in repurposing Durham’s out of service hose.
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OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL DISTRICT IMPORTANT BUDGET AND SCHOOL MEETING DATES TO REMEMBER
January 8th - Budget Public Hearing - ORHS Auditorium - 7PM - Snow Date: January 9th
Town Meetings for School District Budget Overview
January 7th - Durham Town Council Meeting - 7PM - Durham Town Hall
January 14th - Lee Selectmen Meeting - 6:30 PM - Lee Safety Complex
February 4th - Madbury Selectmen Meeting - 7PM - Madbury Town Hall
January 23rd thru February 1st until 5PM - Filing Period for School District Openings (No filing fee required)
1 Moderator, 1 year term
2 At large School Board positions, 3 year terms
February 5th - Annual Meeting Session I - Deliberative - ORHS Auditorium - 7PM - Snow Date: February 7th
February 12th - Candidates' Night - ORHS Room C-120 - 7PM - Snow Date: February 13th
March 12th - Annual Meeting Session II - Voting Day - Vote in Town of residence:
Durham - ORHS - 7AM - 7PM
Lee - Lee Safety Complex - 7AM - 7PM
Madbury- Madbury Town Hall - 11AM - 7:30 PM
Report of the District February 2019 Edition - Available the end of February at: SAU Office, Town Halls, Libraries, Schools, and posted on the ORCSD website.
If unable to pick up a report, please contact Wendy at 603-389-3286 or via email mailto:wdifruscio@orcsd.org
BUDGET INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON DISTRICT WEBSITE AT:
http://www.orcsd.org/ QUICK LINKS/BUDGET FY 19-20
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Durham Town Councilor Wayne Burton
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TOWN COUNCILOR WAYNE BURTON HAS WRITTEN A BOOK ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCES SERVING IN VIETNAM
During a nine-month tour in Vietnam, Wayne Burton wrote letters to his wife nearly every day. Some 50 years later, those letters are the backbone of “Wayne’s War,” a book that explores how the Vietnam Conflict inspired him to a career in public higher education and later to public service.
View the article in Foster’s Daily Democrat about Councilor Burton’s new book HERE.
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DRIVEWAYS, FIRE DEPARTMENT ACCESS, FIRE FLOW, AND WATER SUPPLY
There have been a lot of questions surrounding new projects in town, as it relates to the need to provide wider and stronger roads and drives to buildings being constructed. Others have wondered, “Why is this happening?” and “What gives you the authority?” We would like to take this opportunity to explain.
Two tenants of the New Hampshire State Fire Code that are pertinent to new construction are:
- If a new structure is going to be built, fire department access to the site with fire apparatus is required; and
- Fire flow calculations must be performed to determine how much water will be needed to extinguish the fire and where that water coming from.
The adopted State Fire Code requires that fire department access be provided for “every facility, building, or portion of a building hereafter constructed or relocated”. This includes single family homes. There are provisions within the code that allow the fire department to modify the prescribed requirements if not more than two homes are served by the fire department access road or lane. However, the fire department may pursue additional dialogue when such a driveway or road is hundreds or thousands of feet long.
One challenge is when new construction on a common driveway increases the total number of homes serviced via the common access from two homes to three or more. The Town has encountered a few projects in recent months where a third or fourth home was being proposed off a shared driveway or road. The adopted state fire code does not have any provisions that will allow the fire department to reduce the prescribed access requirements locally. A variance through the state fire marshal was recently pursued to resolve this fire department access requirement in a recent case. The variance was granted with conditions to construct and maintain fire department access with a surface able to sustain the weight of the fire apparatus, as well as an area where two fire trucks could pass one another on the private drive.
It is the fire department’s intent to provide this information as early in the planning and construction process as possible, as to provide the owner or developer with information to make informed decisions about their project. When a project is presented to us during a technical review group meeting that fits the criteria, we inform the applicant of these requirements.
There have been times where a site plan was approved decades ago, but the owner now chooses to build. The adopted state fire code requires that fire department access be provided per today’s code upon such time that a new building is constructed, and plans representing how the requirements would be met are required to be reviewed and approved prior to construction.
The fire department strives to work with property owners and developers to guide them through the process and provide recommendations and alternatives to support them with their projects when appropriate.
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SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS ORDINANCE
The Planning Board will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, January 30, to continue its review of the proposed Solar Energy Systems ordinance. A revised draft was presented for a public hearing in September and many comments were submitted. The public hearing on the document is closed so the board will not be taking any more comments now. Once the board completes its review, it will likely hold another public hearing on new revisions.
View the current proposed ordinance HERE.
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NEW ARRIVAL AT DURHAM POLICE
Officer CJ Young and his wife Jessica welcomed their first-born child, Cole James, into the world on November 29, 2018. Cole weighed in at a healthy 7lbs. and 7oz. at 11:45PM, wanting to make sure that he was born before midnight! Dad is Clifford James and he wanted to have another CJ so Cole James worked out just right!
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UPDATES FROM DEPARTMENTS
DPW Director Mike Lynch and Town Councilor Wayne Burton traveled to the State Legislature in Concord on Thursday to testify in favor of a bill that would restore state aid for municipal sewer projects. Durham has a number of projects that would potentially qualify for such assistance.
The UNH-Durham Water System was recognized and received an award on Thursday by the state for the high quality of our water, and in particular the fluoride that we add to the system.
The annual Right-to-Know Law forum went well this week. Residents who may have missed it can view on DCAT On Demand.
Comcast will be moving forward with the installation of new fiber from the renovated Police Department to the Town Hall to allow for video broadcast capability and as an indirect ancillary benefit, internet connectivity. This was a negotiated item within our franchise agreement with Comcast.
The N.E. Patriots are scheduled to play Kansas City this weekend in the semi-final game leading to the Super Bowl. If the Patriots win, Durham and UNH will begin to plan for the Super Bowl. Having local teams like the N.E. Patriots and the Boston Red Sox are both a blessing and a curse for a college town.
The Durham Agricultural Commission continues to work on proposed revisions to the zoning ordinance to bring it into line with the new state definition of agriculture and the potential expansion of agricultural activity into additional zoning districts.
The Fire Department is in the process of hiring for a vacant part-time administrative assistant position and a vacant full time firefighter position. The firefighter vacancy was created when Andrew Brenner left to take a position with the Manchester Fire Department.
The Fire Department is interested in working with the Code Office and DPW on ways to streamline the building permit process between departments.
UNH students will begin to return to Durham this weekend following the Christmas break. Meanwhile with a cold snap anticipated for early next week, UNH Facilities is working to ensure there are not pipe freeze ups on campus within older buildings.
Assessor Jim Rice is working with IT Director Luke Vincent on pulling together an RFP for our FY 2019 GIS parcel layer development and tax map overlay project.
Next week is the start of the Superior Court case between a grouping of towns (including Durham as part of what is essentially a class action case) and Northern Utilities concerning their assessments dating back over a period of 5 years.
Administrative Assistant Jennie Berry is working to finalize the Annual Report for 2018.
UNH is in the process of planning for construction work during summer 2019 and has included the Town in its discussions. This is sincerely appreciated. Durham and UNH work closely together on many such initiatives.
The Assessing Office is also in the process of reviewing elderly exemption recipients to ensure that our files are up to date with the latest information, making sure property owners who have qualified in the past continue to qualify. To learn more about Durham’s exemption and tax credit programs for qualifying residents and whether you might be eligible, check out our web site HERE.
One of our part-time electrical inspectors, Ron Tasker, will be retiring in the coming year. To this end, Code Officer Audrey Cline is in the process of preparing for the transition. Ron retired from UNH about 10 years ago and has been working with Durham’s code office on a part-time, as needed basis since that time. Ron is absolutely terrific and will leave big shoes to fill!
DPW will be undertaking repairs on a number of the chairs with torn seats in the Town Council chambers. These are the old chairs with black rubber seats, which the public uses. They had come over to the new facility from the Town Offices at 15 Newmarket Road. Luckily, black electrical tape does the job fairly inexpensively!
DPW is also lining up projects for the upcoming construction season in summer 2019. DPW and UNH Facilities are in close contact to coordinate efforts. One of the major projects on the list is the planned resurfacing of Main Street from Pettee Brook Lane west to the traffic circle. Per our new financial agreements with UNH, this work will be managed by Durham and paid for by UNH.
There have been a number of retirements this year at DPW, which has caused a cascading impact of posting for positions, applications from within the department for promotion/transfer, and reposting new vacant positions. All in all, we have been fortunate to have had very good staff, and are looking to replace them with equally qualified and committed individuals.
The Police Department is in the process of closing out the police station renovation/addition project. We’re all very proud of the results. A great project brought in on budget (even a bit below!) with many extra elements that made this a better project than initially conceived. Kudos to our outstanding construction team: Architects (and Durham residents) Walter Rous, Bill Schoonmaker, Police Chief David Kurz, Bauen's Andre H. Kloetz, the Durham Business Office, and the entire staff at the DPW who have patiently worked through over a year of construction without complaint, and with many good ideas and suggestions along the way. We plan to release retainage for the project shortly.
The Business Office continues to work on closing out FY 2018 and beginning FY 2019. Durham’s fiscal year is the calendar year.
We anticipate issuing W-2’s shortly, followed by a compilation and posting of year end gross earnings for anyone paid by Durham in 2018 on the Town’s web site.
Town Clerk-Tax Collector Lorrie Pitt is busy balancing and reporting for FY 2018. We also plan to begin charging $5 for Notary work for out of town people who utilize our services. The Town Clerk’s Office performs Notary and Justice of the Peace services for residents. Admin. Selig is also a Justice of the Peace and can fill in with undertaking Notary work or marriages as needed.
Library Director Rose Bebris notes that the DPL has restarted a variety of winter programming, story time, Lego club, etc. and that she and her staff are busy with annual year end reporting for the state.
Finally, the damage those nutty squirrels caused to the solar panels atop the DPL were repaired by ReVision Energy this week. ReVision also has also reported that due to tree growth around the Library and the Churchill Rink, the solar panels are underproducing. The Town will be working with ReVision to identify which trees need to be cut/trimmed to bolster productivity.
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NEW "BOY SCOUT" TROOP FOR GIRLS
The times are changing for the Boy Scouts of America, and for our local Cub Scout Packs and Boy Scout Troops. Cub Scouting is already open to girls in grades K thru 5. Effective February 1st, Boy Scouts will be known by its new name, Scouts BSA, and will be forming new troops for girls ages 11 thru 17. Durham’s Troop 154, founded in 1923 and home to over 100 Eagle Scouts, will be joined by its new sister Troop 154G for girls and young women. The program and advancement system will be identical to existing BSA scout troops. Girls will be able to take part in all existing BSA activities including National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT), trips to the four major national scout camps, and summer camp at the 3,500 acre Griswold Scout Reservation here in NH. Most importantly, girls will now be eligible to attain the highly respected life time rank of Eagle Scout.
Pack 154, Troop 154B and Troop 154G are sponsored by the Community Church of Durham and are open to all age appropriate youth, regardless of faith, orientation, ethnicity, nationality, and financial means.
The new Troop 154G has it’s adult leadership established and will start holding weekly troop meetings at 7 PM on Wednesday, Feb. 6 at the Community Church, 17 Main St., Durham. Troop 154G will hold an outdoor get acquainted event from 1 to 3 PM on Saturday, Jan. 26 at the Moharimet School “Sugar Shack”, 11 Lee Rd, Madbury, NH 03823. Activities will include a rope bridge, Klondike Derby sleds, fire building, lashing, hot chocolate, s'mores, and Q&A for girls and parents. Please dress for the weather. At this time, Troop 154G will be the only female troop in the immediate area. All girls from all area communities are welcome and encouraged to participate, pending the establishment of additional troops for girls. For contact information, please visit us on Facebook at ”BSA Troop 154 for girls.”
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Venus and Jupiter over Great Bay. Courtesy Richard Dawson
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ORCSD KINDERGARTEN AND NEW STUDENT REGISTRATION 2019-2020 - MAST WAY AND MOHARIMET ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Kindergarten & New Student Registration Week is scheduled for February 4th through 8th, 2019
Monday from 10:00 a .m. until 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.
If your child will be age 5 on or before September 30, 2019, he/she will be eligible for our Full Day Kindergarten Program
Materials needed at the time of registration:
- Proof of Residency in the Mast Way Elementary School or Moharimet Elementary School catchment of the Oyster River School District by providing a current, dated utility bill or lease, mortgage, or deed with the parent's or guardian's names and address. Please note that residency is required for all incoming Kindergarten students, including those with siblings already enrolled in our elementary schools.
- A copy of your Child's Birth Certificate
For further information, please call:
Mast Way Elementary School
Mrs. Seaman
603-659-3001
Moharimet Elementary School
Mrs. Ficker
603-7 42-2900
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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY - FIREFIGHTER/AEMT
The Town of Durham, NH is accepting applications for the position of Firefighter/AEMT.
The full job posting and Town of Durham application may found on the Town of Durham website.
Please submit a cover letter, resume and Town of Durham application by e-mail in .pdf format as one document. Submit to mailto:fire@ci.durham.nh.us and include your last name, date and firefighter/AEMT in the title of your .pdf document. Submit application materials by January 19, 2019 at noon. Position to remain open until filled.
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FREE WINTER SAND/SALT MIX AVAILABLE TO DURHAM HOUSEHOLDS
The Department of Public Works has winter sand/salt mix available for RESIDENTIAL USE ONLY at the Public Works department located just outside the gate near the mailbox. As many may recall, this used to be in the old Town Hall parking lot until the property was sold and the Town Hall moved.
Residents may fill a few pails as needed for their homes throughout the winter. This is NOT FOR COMMERCIAL USE.
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DURHAM HISTORIC ASSOCIATION HOSTS "UNEARTHING THE CLUES AT THE BURNHAM GARRISON - Saturday, January 26th at 1PM in the Durham Town Hall Council Chambers
How did residents of the Oyster River Plantation live during the 1600s and what articles did they use in their homes? Archaeologist Meghan Howey will share some surprising discoveries about life in Durham more than three centuries ago. Professor Howey and her crew have been surveying the Burnham Garrison site, one of the fortified houses on the Oyster River that withstood many attacks, including the French and Indian attack of 1694.
Dr. Meghan Howey is the James H. Hayes and Claire Short Hayes Professor of the Humanities at UNH and her research involves “A Deep Time, Multi-Archive Narrative of the Anthropocene in the Great Bay”. In this capacity, she is the Director of the Great Bay Archaeological Survey (GBAS), a community-engaged and interdisciplinary archaeology program. Refreshments will be served. Snow date is Sunday, January 27th. Visit the DHA on Facebook.
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Alena Yuryna Connolly from the University of Leeds, UK speaks with town department heads about Cryptowall research. Courtesy Todd Selig
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DURHAM WORKS WITH UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS ON MALWARE STUDY
The Durham Police Department’s computer system was put into lockdown mode after one of the officers opened an attachment contained within what appeared to be a legitimate e-mail. It was an attack by the malware Cryptowall.
What the malware does is attach to the files of the infected computer and then encrypts the files. The user cannot open them, see them, or work with them. A “ransom,” typically of $500 to $1,000, is demanded in order to open the files up for use again. Because Durham had a robust backup system in place, no ransom was paid, files/computers were purged, and clean data from backup was reloaded onto computers by the Town’s IT department.
Since that time, Alena Yuryna Connolly from the University of Leeds, UK has been undertaking research about incidents of malware and reached out to Durham to learn from our experience.
In her study she explores cryptoransomware incidents in organizations with the purpose to develop an all-inclusive framework of organizational measures to combat these attacks. Twenty purposely-selected organizations participated in this research, adding up to twenty-six cryptoransomware incidents due to secondary victimization.
This week, IT Director Luke Vincent organized a video conference call between Durham’s Leadership Team and Dr. Connolly. We expect the results of the study, which includes several quotes and situations gleaned from Durham’s Cryptowall experience, later this year.
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TOWN COUNCIL APPROVES EXTENSION OF DURHAM/UNH WATER SYSTEM TO LEE TRAFFIC CIRCLE TO ADDRESS MtBE CONTAMINATION – Project will bring safe, potable water to Lee Circle properties
The Lee Traffic Circle water system extension project is being implemented by Durham/UNH/NHDES/Lee to provide safe, potable drinking water to the Mobile gas station and to 6 surrounding properties at the Lee Traffic Circle that are currently in violation of the 13 micrograms per liter (ug/L) maximum contaminant level (MCL) drinking water standard for MtBE and warrant connection to a water supply.
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Service (NHDES) MtBE Bureau will fund the connection of these properties to the Durham/UNH Water System as part of this project. The cost of the water line extension is approximately $1.5M. Additionally the Durham/UNH Water System has secured $1M in funding towards the construction of the new UNH water treatment plant.
The 7,000 LF water main extension will originate at Durham's well site in Lee (the so-called Lee Well) and then be installed cross-country toward Route 4, before extending west along the north side of Route 4 to the Lee traffic circle.
While the initial extension would be constructed to serve only the affected MtBE contaminated properties, other residential property owners in Lee along the new water line route could request a connection to the water system, pay a connection fee, and become a Durham water user. Requests for water line extensions beyond what are built initially for this project would be come to the Durham-UNH Water/Wastewater Committee and Town Council for approval and will be subject to the available remaining reserve.
In order to determine the impact to the Durham/UNH water system, NHDES contracted directly with Weston and Sampson engineers to perform a water system modeling study. Results of this study identified 3 deficiencies in the distribution system which would need to be improved. These deficiencies are currently in the Town’s Capital Improvements Plan as specific projects to be funded by the water users. NHDES will also fund the design and construction of these distribution system improvements including the upgrade of the PRV/Booster station at Technology Drive as part of the Lee Waterline Extension project. These system improvements total approx. $750,000.
The Durham-UNH water/wastewater/stormwater committee has held multiple meetings with the representatives from the Town of Lee, Weston and Sampson Engineers, Underwood Engineers, and Gary Lynn and Tal Hubbard at NHDES MtBE Bureau as well as Rick Skarinka, NHDES Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau.
Extending water service to the 13 MtBE-affected properties in Lee will return a net-positive revenue to the Town of Durham based on current rates. This assumes a capital reserve payment, operational costs, and labor costs for expenditures and connection fees and water use fees for revenue.
The Town Council approved the Lee water main extension of the Durham-UNH Water System to the MtBE Contaminated Sites at the Lee Traffic Circle on Monday evening, January 7th. Appreciation is extended to UNH, NHDES, the Town of Lee, and project lead Town Engineer April Talon for their close collaboration and being open to out of the box solutions to addressing this complex issue. It’s quite unusual for four government entities to work together so seamlessly.
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Climate change future marker for Durham project. Courtesy Todd Selig
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DURHAM TO BE A TRAIL BLAZER - A GLIMPSE AT WHAT SEA LEVEL RISE MAY LOOK LIKE LOCALLY … IN THE FUTURE
Back in August 2018, we reported that the Strafford Regional Planning Commission (SRPC) had been in contact with a professor at Northeastern University about a very unique art project that would seek to install a handful of markers that would represent flooding/climate change events that happened in the future (it has to do with time travel!). We’ve ween working with SRPC since that time on bringing this innovative idea to reality in Durham. This week, representatives from SRPC and UNH Cooperative Extension met with Durham’s Leadership Team to develop a list of potential sites/scenarios that realistic approximations of Durham’s climate change future.
The project – in summary – is to work with a community (Durham) and identify locations where around 10 markers could be installed that would show a flooding or other climate change event that happened years from now. It’s supposed to represent a new way of looking at potential flooding, storm events, the impact of global warming, etc. as a future that has already happened.
The Northeaster professor has the funding to do the project and a handful of graduate students who are working on the online website and phone app that would go along with the effort.
The SRPC felt Durham might be a candidate for this project. Durham staff took a look at the project and decided to move forward as part of it. Cambridge, MA is also participating in the project. UNH Cooperative Extension/SeaGrant plans to integrate this initiative into their outreach with the Oyster River School District 5th grade classes this coming spring as well.
The professor and his team already have the funding allocated and have begun work on the digital applications, and are ready to work directly with a community as soon as possible. There would be no cash cost to the community – just participation.
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KING TIDE SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 22ND
On Tuesday, January 22nd around 12:30-1:00PM, there will be a king tide event in the Seacoast. The tide predictions call for close to an 8.2ft high tide at the Dover Point tide gauge. For reference, this is close to 2ft higher than an average high tide. If it's a nice day out and residents are out and about, be sure to check out impacts at the Old Landing.
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FORD MOTOR COMPANY CLEARS CRUISER
Last week Chief Kurz reported about an officer who experienced a carbon monoxide incident in one of the Ford Explorer vehicles. The officer is fine and has returned to work but the vehicle had been at Dube Ford awaiting engineers from Ford Motor Company to conduct an inspection. That was finally accomplished this week and while they report no definitive findings, it was suggested and has now been accomplished, that our carbon monoxide detector be relocated closer to the vehicle operator’s head. The vehicle is now back in service.
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ROTARY CLUB OF DURHAM-GREAT BAY WILL HOST DURHAM/UNH FIREWORKS IN 2019
On Wednesday, July 3, 2019, the Rotary Club of Durham – Great Bay will present The Durham Great Bay Fourth of July Fireworks at Wildcat Stadium in conjunction with the University of New Hampshire and the Town of Durham.
In 2019, in partnership with the University of New Hampshire, Rotary is breathing life into this important community effort. Rotary is seeking support from businesses in the area to help make this event a huge success. This is a wonderful community event that draws families from all surrounding communities including Lee, Madbury, Barrington, Newmarket, Dover, and beyond thus building a stronger community.
Both residents and local businesses can become a sponsor and most importantly, join Rotary for a fun evening of fireworks and celebrating our Nations 243rd birthday. We plan to have food, fun and games for children. Last year the Food Trucks and Bouncy Area were big hits. We will be working with Durham Recreation Department again for a great children’s fun area.
For more information, contact Durham-Great Bay Rotary President Tom Broisvert at mailto:tports@comcast.net.
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DPW working on installation of generator at the Town Hall. Courtesy Todd Selig
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INSTALLATION OF TOWN HALL EMERGENCY GENERATOR UNDER WAY
The long-awaited emergency backup generator for the Durham Town Hall was delivered before Christmas and is now in the process of being installed. It is a Caterpillar 80 Kw generator for $34,000 that will run on natural gas. Installation should be complete in the near future, weather permitting…
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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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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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FAMILY SWEETHEART DANCE - FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019
6-8pm at the Oyster River High School MPR
Join Durham Parks & Recreation at the Oyster River High School MPR for our annual Family Sweetheart Dance! The whole family is invited to join in on an evening of dancing, FUN and to celebrate Valentine’s Day!!
Ticket prices include one professional 5x7 photo; hors d’oeuvres, kid-friendly drinks and professional DJ.
$20/couple (2) or $30/family (5)Add a person-$5
Purchase tickets online at: http://durhamrec.recdesk.com.
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COME JOIN THE DURHAM LIBRARY AND ORPP FOR PRE-SCHOOL EXPLORERS GROUP
Explore the many aspects of STEM with your young scientists!
This month's theme: Engineering & Architecture
Thursday, Jan. 24th at 6:00 pm
All are welcome!
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*Academic year commences the third week of August through graduation at UNH in May.
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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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1893 - N.H. College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts, created under the Land Grant Act of 1862, was moved from Hanover. Four buildings had been constructed - Conant, Nesmith and Thompson Halls and the Shops. Three graduated the first year from a total student body of 64.
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If you know of others who would find the weekly "Friday Updates" of interest, please pass them along. Folks can sign up on the Town's web site HERE on the left side of the page. Click on "Friday Updates" then enter your email address and first and last name.
Have a very nice weekend.
Todd
Todd I. Selig, Administrator
Town of Durham, NH
T: 603-868-5571
tselig@ci.durham.nh.us
https://www.ci.durham.nh.us
Everyone can tackle climate change. How can you reduce your carbon footprint?
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