|
|
Before the snow melted, visitors enjoyed skiing, snowshoeing, and fat tire bike riding on one of the well-blazed trails at Doe Farm. Courtesy Ellen Snyder.
|
_________________________
|
Mild temperatures have allowed DPW crews to get a jump start on roadside cutting and vegetation removal. Over the last few weeks, crews have been out on Dame road removing roadside brush and smaller trees. We will have a tree crew in next week to perform some larger removals of hazardous trees long the edge of the roadway. Being fully staffed and lack of snow storms has allowed us to ramp up several operations such as roadside vegetation. It appears the mild weather will be with us for at least another week!
|
FILING PERIOD FOR ELECTIVE OFFICES CLOSED AT 5PM TODAY
The Town and ORCSD elections will be held on Tuesday, March 10, 2020 at the Oyster River High School. Polling hours will be from 7AM to 7PM.
The filing period for local elective offices in the Town of Durham ends today. As of 5PM, the following individuals listed in red have filed for the noted positions.
Durham Town Council: Three (3) positions with 3-year terms - (Katherine Marple, Sally Tobias, Sally Wood Needell)
Library Board of Trustees: Two (2) positions with 3-year terms - (Anne Knight, Robin Glasser)
Moderator: One (1) position with 2-year term (Christopher Regan)
Supervisor of the Checklist: One (1) position with 6-year term (Ann Shump) and one (1) position with 4-year term (Christian Kuhn)
Town Clerk-Tax Collector: One (1) position with 3-year term - (Lorrie Pitt)
Town Treasurer: One (1) position with 3-year term (Karl Van Asselt)
Trustee of the Trust Funds: One (1) position with 3-year term - (William C. Cote)
|
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION ON FEBRUARY 11TH
We still need quite a few volunteers for election day (Feb. 11). If you are interested in helping, contact the Town Clerk’s office either via phone (868-5577) or email mailto:lpitt@ci.durham.nh.us and someone will get in touch with you. We especially need help with registering new voters and with checking voters in. These two jobs require some training. However, there are other jobs that do not require training. Please consider helping out!
|
FROM THE SUPERVISORS OF THE CHECKLIST
The Presidential Primary is only 11 days away (February 11)! The Supervisors are very busy preparing the checklist so that it will be as complete as possible on election day. If you are not registered yet, please do so before the deadline of February 4. If you wait any longer than that you will have to register at the polls where you may have to wait in a long line. You may register at the Durham Town Hall any time they are open, which is 8:00 – 4:30 every business day. Whether you register there or at the election, please bring proofs of identity (photo ID), age (must be 18 by election day), citizenship (passport/passcard, birth certificate, naturalization papers), and domicile (driver’s license, lease, car registration, mail, etc.). If you do not have one or more of these, affidavits are available to sign under oath.
The Supervisors will be present in the auditorium at ORHS Tuesday February 4 from 6:30 – 7:00 just prior to the school deliberative session for voter registration. This will be the last possible time to register before Primary Day.
|
INFORMATION FROM THE OYSTER RIVER COOPERATIVE SCHOOL DISTRICT
The annual School District Deliberative Session is February 4 at 7:00 in the High School auditorium. This is an opportunity for all residents of Lee, Madbury, and Durham to learn about, discuss, and modify parts of the ballot before town and school elections on March 10. The main subjects will be the proposed middle school bond, the 2020-2021 operating budget, and a new 5 year contract between the school district and teachers' guild.
On February 4 before the Deliberative Session, the School Nutrition department will provide a FREE community dinner from 5:00-6:15, with a concert from 6:15-6:45. Child care will be provided during the deliberative session. If you plan to attend the supper or if you would like child care during the deliberative session, please sign up online HERE.
Kindergarten registration for Fall 2020 is February 3-11 at Mast Way School (603-659-3001) or Moharimet School (603-742-2900). Registering early helps the schools plan more effectively for next school year. Call either school office for more details.
|
MAKE SURE YOU REGISTER TO VOTE FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY BY FEBRUARY 4TH; OTHERWISE YOU’LL HAVE TO REGISTER SAME DAY AT THE POLLS
From the Supervisors of the Checklist: The Presidential Primary is only 2 ½ weeks away (February 11)! The Supervisors are very busy preparing the checklist so that it will be as complete as possible on election day.
If you are not registered yet, please do so before the deadline of February 4. If you wait any longer than that you will have to register at the polls where you may have to wait in a long line. You may register at the Durham Town Hall any time they are open, which is 8:00 – 4:30 every day.
Whether you register there or at the election, please bring proofs of identity (photo ID), age (must be 18 by election day), citizenship (passport/passcard, birth certificate, naturalization papers), and domicile (driver’s license, lease, car registration, mail, etc.). If you do not have one or more of these, affidavits are available to sign under oath.
Besides registering with the Town Clerk or at the polls on election day, the Supervisors will also be available at the following times:
- Wednesday January 29 from 11:00 – 1:30 at UNH at Holloway Commons;
- Tuesday February 4 from 6:30 – 7:00 in the auditorium at ORHS just prior to the school deliberative session.
|
CHIEF KURZ ANNOUNCES HIS PENDING RETIREMENT
At the Durham Police Department’s annual planning session meeting, Chief Kurz announced his retirement planned for July of this summer. While July is 4 months distant, transitions in police department’s or any close knit organization can often be a difficult period. Dealing with the change was lessened when Town Administrator Todd Selig announced to the department personnel that he had decided to promote Deputy Chief Rene Kelley to Chief upon Chief Kurz’s retirement. Deputy Chief Kelley then announced that he was promoting Captain David Holmstock to Deputy Chief and that a formal process to identify the next Captain would be accomplished with the assistance of Municipal Resources Inc. of Meredith, NH.
Chief Kurz came to Durham as police chief in January of 1996 appointed by then Town Administrator Larry Wood.
View an article in Seacoast Online regarding Chief Kurz's retirement HERE.
|
JOIN US FOR A WINTER TRAIL TROMP - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH, 10 AM – 1 PM
Join Oyster River Cycle & Sport, Durham Parks & Recreation, and local civic groups and businesses for a Winter Trail Tromp, Saturday, February 8th from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. A Winter Trail Tromp is a way to get outside and explore--at your own pace and by your preferred means: walk, ski, run, snowshoe, or bike--four amazing Town conservation areas and earn great deals from participating businesses. Volunteers will be stationed at the four sites—Spruce Hole Bog, Doe Farm, Stevens Woods, and Thompson Forest—to greet participants and stamp a passport. Then, visit participating downtown businesses with your passport to collect your reward. This is a family friendly event! Passports and maps will be available at participating businesses starting February 4th. For more information contact Brian Keegan at mailto:info@oysterrivercycle.com or Ellen Snyder at mailto:ellensnyder1@gmail.com.
|
WAGON HILL FARM PLACED ON THE NH REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
We are pleased to note that Durham’s Wagon Hill farm property has been placed on the New Hampshire Register of Historic Places. The NH Division of Historical Resources stated in its press release, “Durham’s Wagon Hill Farm remained an active farm for nearly 300 years. Its circa 1804 2½ story farmhouse is a Federal style building with later Greek Revival details that retains interior woodwork and fireplaces. The surrounding 139 acres extend from the Oyster River across the highway to the Madbury town line and include more than 50 acres of open fields, stone walls, farm roads, wells and a family burial ground.” The Town hired consultant Lynne Monroe of Preservation Company to prepare a detailed inventory of the site in preparation for submitting the nomination. We paid for her work through a grant we received from the state. You can see the numerous properties in Durham that have been specifically recognized for their historic or architectural significance HERE.
|
HELP BUILD A NEW PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE ON THE MERRICK EASEMENT
Tom and Mary Merrick conveyed a conservation easement on their 23-acre property to the Town of Durham in 2006. The Merrick family continues to own and manage their property, while the easement protects their land in perpetuity from further development. A network of public trails connects the entrance off Bagdad Road, near the Oyster River High School, with an entrance and small parking area off Canney Road, close to the new Riverwoods complex. The trail entrance off Bagdad Road runs through a wet section of the property and despite several attempts to cross this wet section with wood bridges or stepping stones in the past, they have not lasted. Our plan is to build a solid, decked bridge that would allow water to flow underneath and cross the wet, muddy stretch of trail. Our goal is to raise $2,500 for the cost of materials by May 1, 2020 so that we can complete the project with volunteers by September 1st. You can read more about the project HERE and find a pledge form HERE.
|
2019 YEAR END GROSS WAGES COMPILED FOR DURHAM
We have compiled and uploaded the 2019 year end gross wages for Durham on our web site as we do every year. This information can be accessed at: https://www.ci.durham.nh.us/administration/employee-gross-earnings
Business Manager Gail Jablonski has prepared a brief comparison review for personnel costs, full time, part-time, and overtime wages by functional area that can be viewed HERE. This year we don’t see any trend or significant change which would cause the Town concern. We knew early on that overtime was running high at the Fire Department to cover full time vacancies due to injury, illness, etc. for some extended periods. 2019 was pretty much business as usual with wage expenditures coming in consistent with our expectations as part of the budgeting process for 2019, which took place back in 2018.
|
DURHAM ENERGY COMMITTEE MEETING - Special Architects Presentation of Middle School Plans February 5
The Durham Energy Committee is proud to announce a presentation of the plans for Durham's new middle school at its meeting on Feb 5, 2020 in the Council Chambers. Ron Lamarre, Principal Architect at Lavallee Brensinger and Todd Allen, ORCSD Assistant Superintendent, will give a presentation regarding energy-related details of the proposed “Net Zero” Oyster River Middle School. The half-hour presentation will open the 7:00 p.m. meeting, with a question-and-answer period to follow, and will focus on energy-related details of the building.
The public is warmly encouraged to attend this meeting. For those unable to be there in person, the meeting will be broadcast live on DCAT Cable Channel 22 and will be available afterward in the Energy Committee section of the DCAT website. Please join us for a great opportunity to learn about the building and to ask questions.
|
TWO DURHAM WOMEN NAMED TO 40 UNDER 40 LIST BY UNION LEADER
Since its inception in 2002, the New Hampshire Union Leader's annual 40 Under Forty awards have honored more than 720 outstanding Granite Staters making a difference in their communities and professions. Nominations are gathered from across the state and are followed by a reception in March. Candidates should have already contributed significantly to their field, their community and/or the state and should have the potential to do much more in future years. They must not turn 40 before February 1, 2021 and have lived in the state for the past three years.
This year, two women from Durham were recognized:
Katherine (Lilly) Mone, now the Police Chief in North Hampton and Sara Wrightsman, Executive Director of the Workforce Housing Coalition of Strafford County. Chief Mone spent the first portion of her career with the Durham Police Department. Learn more about Chief Mone HERE.
Ms. Wrightsman currently volunteers locally as a member of both the Planning Board and the Economic Development Committee. Learn More about Ms. Wrightsman HERE.
Congratulations Katherine and Sarah!
|
ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT MEMBERS NEEDED
The Durham Town Council is seeking interested residents of the Town of Durham who have the ability, desire, and time needed to fill three vacancies on the Zoning Board of Adjustment: One (1) regular member vacancy and two (2) alternate member vacancies.
The Zoning Board of Adjustment, a quasi-judicial board, has the duty to hear and decide appeals in the enforcement of the Zoning Ordinance. The duties of the Zoning Board of Adjustment are outlined fully in RSA 674:33 and 674:33(a). The four categories of hearings that are brought before the Zoning Board of Adjustment are special exceptions, equitable waivers of dimensional requirements, appeals on an administrative decision and variances.
The Zoning Board meets the first Tuesday of each month at 7PM in the Council chambers at Town Hall.
Applications are available on the home page of the Town’s web site, at the top of the home page under “Helpful Resources”, then “Town Documents”, then “forms and applications”, then “Application for Appointment”.
Further questions regarding the Zoning Board may be addressed to Zoning Administrator Audrey Cline at 603-868-8064 or via email mailto:acline@ci.durham.nh.us
Completed applications may be mailed to the Administrator’s office, or submitted via email mailto:jberry@ci.durham.nh.us.
|
DURHAM’S NEW HOUSING COMMITTEE - A subcommittee of the EDC seeks members.
The Town of Durham’s Economic Development Committee has created a subcommittee to study housing affordability, diversity, and supply and ensure Durham’s future housing needs are met. As Durham is part of a greater region facing a housing crisis, the EDC wanted to explore and analyze Durham’s current housing stock and future housing needs. Durham’s new Housing Committee is modeled after Exeter’s Housing Advisory Committee (learn more about that HERE. Like Exeter’s committee, the Durham committee will inform town leaders serving on Town Council, Planning Board, Zoning Board, and other town boards and committees, as a valuable resource. The new Housing Committee, which will function as a subcommittee of the Economic Development Committee. It will spend 2020 collecting data, drafting a report to town leaders, and crafting recommendations for steps forward.
If you're interested in joining the committee and being part of this process, please complete an application today by clicking HERE.
Link to the overview of the new Housing Subcommittee on the Celebrate Durham web site by clicking HERE.
View the charge of the new Housing Subcommittee by clicking HERE.
|
A PROFILE OF KEN YOUNG
Most everybody in Durham has enjoyed eating at Young’s Restaurant, Durham’s oldest restaurant, occasionally or on a regular basis. We are pleased to share this profile of proprietor Ken Young, the man behind the scene. View Ken's complete profile HERE.
|
2020 AGE OF CHAMPIONS HEALTH FAIR OPEN TO DURHAM COMMUNITY MEMBERS
Members of the Durham community can head over to UNH and take in the Age of Champions Health and Wellness Fair from 10 AM to 1 PM on April 26, 2020, in the Lundholm Gymnasium at UNH. This free community event celebrates healthy aging across the lifespan. Their motto is “It’s never too soon to age well!” Come and enjoy a day of fun and facts about how to get and stay well as we grow older. There will be free demonstrations, a pickle ball tournament, Car Fit (get seated safely in your vehicle), a cycling clinic led by Northeast Passage, and multiple vendor tables where participants can engage with knowledgeable experts in a host of areas including mental well-being, physical well-being and creative well-being. There is something for all ages at the Fair. Bring the whole family out for a day of healthy living.
Age of Champions is an annual FREE health fair hosted by the Center on Aging and Community Living that endeavors to raise awareness of and promote healthy aging from a holistic perspective. This is an interactive event with assessments, raffles, demonstrations, and movement exercises. There are several information and resource tables from local and state organizations at the health fair for people to visit.
For more information, contact Bridget Drake at mailto:Bridget.Drake@unh.edu or visit the Center on Aging and Community Living website HERE.
|
UPCOMING 2020 COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION & MANAGEMENT PLAN PUBLIC DISCUSSION INPUT SESSIONS FOR THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY HOSTED BY PREP
The Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP) is updating the region’s Comprehensive Conservation & Management Plan – a guiding document that addresses current and emerging issues impacting the water quality and environmental health of our estuaries – Great Bay and Hampton-Seabrook. PREP invites members of the public to join them for one of two open house sessions in February for discussions of how PREP is working to preserve, protect, and enhance our estuaries. Interested in reviewing the document and providing comment? Please visit: https://prepestuaries.org/ccmp-public-comment-period-open-dec-23-mar-13/
Sessions are free and light refreshments will be provided.
- Feb 10, 2020 5:00-7:00 PM, Hugh Gregg Coastal Conservation Center 89 Depot Road, Greenland, NH
- Feb 13, 2020 6:00-8:00 PM, St. James Masonic Lodge 77 Tide Mill Road, Hampton, NH
|
HANDS-ON FRUIT PRUNING MENTORSHIP THROUGH THE DURHAM AGRICULTURAL COMMISSION
Starting in February, Bryan Cassidy of the Durham Agricultural Commission will be pruning fruit trees in Durham and Lee and is welcoming anyone who wishes to join in to learn techniques, advice, and fun outside. Blueberry, Peach, Apple, Pear, Raspberry, and yes, restoring old apple trees as well. Bryan hopes by sharing and connecting with community members others may feel empowered to care for their own fruit trees, maybe their neighbors, or begin planting anew. Bryan will be pruning within the months of February and March. Please write in for more details, questions or interest to learn from Bryan at mailto:bryancassidy77@gmail.com
|
ALZHEIMER'S/DEMENTIA CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP AVAILABLE
Please join Meghan Wentworth, Memory Care Manager, and Officer Holly Malasky, of the Durham Police Department, for an Alzheimer’s/Dementia Caregiver Support Group. The group takes place every second Wednesday of the Month, from 6pm to 7:30pm, in the UNH Room at Brookdale Spruce Wood. Our caregiver support group creates a safe, confidential, and supportive environment. It gives a chance for participants to develop informal mutual support and social relationships. It also educates and informs participants about dementia and helps participants develop methods and skills to solve problems. This group encourages caregivers to maintain their own personal, physical, and emotional health as well as optimally care for the persons with dementia. For more information and to register please contact Meghan at mailto:meghan.wentworth@brookdale.com or by telephone at 603-841-6068.
|
LUNCH AND LEARN ORGANIZED FOR TOWN STAFF AT POLICE DEPARTMENT
At a Kaizen meeting in the Town Hall about a year ago, IT Manager Luke Vincent suggested hosting a series of “Lunch and Learn” sessions during the lunch hour at the Town Hall or in other facilities a few times during the year for staff to come over in small groups and obtain additional training concerning how to utilize some of the many electronic operating systems we employ more efficiently across Durham operations.
This week he nailed down our first event. A.J. Herrman and Darren Tyrell of the Salem Microsoft Store hosted a Teams and Office 365 session in the DPD Ray Burrows Community Room on January 29th at 12:00PM. There were 15 slots open and Luke was on hand to assist.
|
PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT REPORT
Chief Kurz has been tracking pedestrian accidents in Durham since 1996 and has provided Town Administrator Selig with the updated report that includes the outstanding news that there were NO reported pedestrian accidents that occurred in 2019. Over this period there have been 90 accidents in Durham with a surprising 74% occurring when the pedestrian was within a crosswalk.
View the complete report HERE.
|
BICYCLIST ACCIDENT REPORT
Along with pedestrians, Chief Kurz has been tracking bicycle accidents in Durham since 2002 and has provided Town Administrator Selig with the updated report that includes the addition of one bicycle accident that occurred in 2019. Over that period there have been 52 accidents involving bicyclists in Durham.
View the complete report HERE.
|
INFORMATION FROM ORCSD SUPERINTENDENT JAMES MORSE RE-CORONAVIRUS
Dr. Morse has written a letter to parents and guardians concerning an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is closely monitoring this situation and currently has no confirmed cases of the illness in New Hampshire.
View Dr. Morse's letter regarding this matter HERE.
|
COMPARISON OF YEAR END POLICE RESPONSE TO RENTAL PROPERTIES 2017-2019
The Durham Police Department tracks responses for calls for service at addresses which are off-campus student rental properties. These responses occurred between the dates of January 1st and December 31st. Because the department continues to build its data base from the past several years enabling an analysis of police response as well as comparisons during the same time periods, staff there are able to form conclusions about problematic properties as well as recognize those locations that have undertaken initiatives that will improve behavior and negate the need for police response through coordination with the Town’s Problem Oriented Police (POP) officer.
This was a very positive year as police responses to rental properties dropped by 10% from data assimilated in 2018. The more bleak data surfaced in 2016 when 548 calls were required to quell disturbances. Since then there has been a 33% decrease! In large part, significant credit must go to the Durham Police Department and the professional on-site management teams at the large complexes with their collaborative approach to working with the Town and our POP Officer.
Routinely scheduled meetings with the large complexes occur so that there is a collective understanding of the police and landlord needs and issues all designed to lessen the necessity for police services.
View the full report HERE.
|
STOPPING FOR SCHOOL BUSES IS A STATE LAW IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
Recently, someone brought to our attention that they have seen on a number of occasions vehicles not stopping when school buses stop to drop off or pick up kids along their routes. In particular, the stop on Dover Road at Bayview Road. They said they have witnessed cars drive right past when the school bus drops off students around 3:30 PM and the parents are there waiting for their kids.
A reminder to motorists that New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated (RSA) 265:54 Overtaking and Passing School Bus, paragraph one states: “The driver of a vehicle upon a way upon meeting or overtaking from either direction any school bus … which has stopped on the highway for the purpose of receiving or discharging school children shall stop his or her vehicle before reaching such school bus at least 25 feet away from such school bus. The driver shall not proceed until such school bus resumes motion, or until flashing red lights cease to operate.”
While some motorists may find it inconvenient to be positioned behind a school bus making frequent stops, passing a school bus that has its red lights flashing and its stop signs extended is illegal – and creates a very dangerous situation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
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.
|
DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY UPCOMING EVENTS
Saturday, February 1st, at 10:30 am, Take Your Child to the Library Day!
The Mariposa Museum will be here for a special program "World Games Day"
Also, drop by to the Library between 11:30 and 2:00 for a scavenger hunt and craft, decorate a bookmark.
Tuesday, February 4th, at 6:00 pm, Local author talk,
The Sketches of Lee Collection: Volume Two"The Colored Folks Ain't Gonna Make It" A Black New Hampshire Experience with Michael Cameron Ward
Join DPL for a window into a local family's existence as the "Index of Integration" in rural New Hampshire from the late 50's until the present time. Ward's stories will make you reflect on the commonality of the human experience.This program may contain mature language. Open to all. No registration required. Books will be available to purchase.
Monday February 10th, 7:00-8:00 pm, Mindful Meditation with Jiong Jiong Hu. This month's focus:When things fall apart
Each session invites you to tune inward, explore the secret power of self-care and healing through gentle inquiry, mindful breathing and reflection. This opportunity provides time and space for you to learn tools to calm and balance your body and mind in midst of life's challenges.No registration required! All are welcome!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*Academic year commences the third week of August through graduation at UNH in May.
|
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."
________________________
1960 - Each fall mayoralty campaigns were a campus tradition. Two weeks prior to Home Coming ambitious candidates vied with each other with fantastic promises and public exhibitions. The only official duty was to host the half-time of the game with high jinks and hilarity.
|
Have a very nice weekend.
|
Todd
Todd I. Selig, Administrator
Town of Durham, NH
a: 8 Newmarket Rd., Durham, NH 03824 USA
t: 603.868.5571 | w: www.ci.durham.nh.us
He/him/his pronouns
Everyone can tackle climate change. How can you reduce your carbon footprint?
---
|
|
|
|
|
|
