Friday Updates - January 6, 2023

Friday, January 6, 2023

"In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary." Last sunset of 2022. Courtesy Bettina Sietz

Sunrise at Adams Point - Summer 2022. Courtesy Todd Selig

2022 YEAR-IN-REVIEW FROM ADMINISTRATOR TODD SELIG

Reflecting on this past year as we move beyond the Covid-19 pandemic, Town staff, elected, and appointed officials have worked to address community needs, maintain transparency, integrity, and respect for one another, maintain the municipality’s fiscal position despite competing pressures, and ensure long-term resilience. 

Our Independent Auditor’s most recent year-end audit (FY 2021) prepared by Melanson indicates strong financial health with no findings. In addition, Moody’s Investors Services indicates that the credit position for Durham is very high quality. Our Aa2 bond rating is a little stronger than the US cities median of Aa3. Notable credit factors include a robust financial position, a very strong wealth and income profile, and an adequate tax base. It also reflects a small debt burden. The financial position of the Town was robust and identified as relatively favorable in comparison to the Aa2 rating assigned. These indices are all indicative of measured success in realizing the Town’s fiscal goals.

Durham’s weekly “Friday Updates” continue to keep the Town Council and members of the community informed of news and happenings in Durham. Nearly 3,500 individuals subscribe to this weekly broadcast. Our goal is to keep residents informed of local affairs so they may become engaged when issues are of interest/importance to them. Durham also continues to utilize its web site, Twitter, and Facebook presence in order to meet the demands of residents’ changing preferences for information distribution. Look for a web site facelift in 2023.

Durham again received the top-ranking score in NH by the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equity Index relative to addressing LGBTQ concerns – 92 out of 100 points. We sponsored programming celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. The Human Rights Commission also organized training around the topic of implicit bias in 2022 to give our citizen volunteer board members and staff additional skills to help make the organization as inclusive as it can be.

Durham Public Works and the Madbury Road Complete Streets Project Team are in the design phase for construction improvements to the approximately 8,200 lineal foot Madbury Road corridor, connecting Main Street in downtown Durham to Route 4. The Design phase is scheduled to continue through 2022/2023 with the first phase of major culvert construction tentatively planned for the 2023 construction season. The Town was successful in obtaining substantial American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding totaling over $608,000 for these critical culvert and drainage improvements and continues to aggressively pursue funding for other project components, including water distribution system replacement, sewer collection system rehabilitation, and stormwater/ drainage system improvements. The project team has advanced the design to address several of the issues that have been raised during two separate public forums, which include two main alternatives to address issues such as traffic calming, pedestrians, streetscape, sustainable design, and multimodal transportation.

The Durham Town Council voted 7-2 on September 13, 2021, to award a Final Design Contract to Vanasse Hagen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB) for removal of the Mill Pond Dam. Subsequently, the Town Clerk on October 18, 2021, certified a referendum petition to put the approval of the VHB final design contract to a vote of the residents of the Town of Durham. On November 1, 2021, following receipt of the referendum petition, the Council rescinded the initial September 13, 2021 contract approval that triggered the petition, and then awarded the project again but this time contingent upon the outcome of a referendum vote at the annual Town election on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. The question (Question 2) put before the voters of Durham was: “Shall the Town reverse the action of the Town Council taken on November 1, 2021 to remove the Mill Pond Dam?” The final referendum vote was: Yes – 596 (26%); No– 1706 (74%). The total number of votes cast on March 8, 2022 was 2365. The average turnout for a Town annual election over the last 10-years has been 1081. Subsequent to the vote, Town staff began pursuing external grant funding opportunities to support the cost of dam removal, working with the US Army Corps of Engineers and the NH Division of Historic Resources, as part of a Section 106 historic mitigation review, and planning initial engineering. It is anticipated the historic mitigation, design, wetland permitting, and contract development will be undertaken in 2023 with dam removal commencing in 2024. 

As part of the 2021 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Durham approved a project to replace the Town’s public safety core Land and Mobile Radio (LMR) communication infrastructure because it exceeds its scheduled end of life. The 2021 CIP allotted $1,385,000 (Police - $665,000 and Fire - $720,000) in two lines for this project. The project was initially conceived as a direct replacement for the core infrastructure the Town purchased as part of transitioning dispatching service to the Strafford County Dispatch Center over a decade ago, but ultimately became a fully redesigned system to better suit Durham’s needs. We were notified on September 30, 2022, by the US Department of Justice that the Town’s application submission was approved, and funds were awarded under the COPS Technology and Equipment Program for the LMR project in the amount of $900,000. The $900,000 in Federal funding will ultimately offset a significant portion of the $1.3M overall project budget. The LMR project is now being built out over a twelve-to-eighteen-month period.

The Durham Police Department has long been certified by a professional external accreditation process through CALEA (www.calea.org) because it provides the Town with assurances that our department is engaged in providing best practices to Durham citizens as evidenced by ongoing inspections by an outside independent entity. CALEA accreditation also provides feedback from outside subject-specific professionals about new and innovative practices that may be applicable to the Durham community. With all of the national discussions surrounding police, we recognize locally that the delivery of services to the community must involve transparency and open opportunities for input and feedback. CALEA provides a comprehensive accreditation review providing a wide array of topical evaluations about the department’s use of force, police discipline, bias, community engagement, and more.

This was again a busy year for Durham Parks & Recreation where the department carefully balanced the goal of offering a regular line-up of events and programs while continuously adapting plans and efforts around the ongoing challenges associated with Covid-19. Despite the challenges the department faced, it once again had a very successful year both financially and with program registrations. Welcoming aboard our first full time assistant director, Kellie DeSimone, put the department on a path to long-term sustainability.

Oyster River School District Superintendent of Schools James Morse and I continue to work to remain in regular communication with one another regarding issues of mutual interest/concern and have developed a strong and positive relationship. Construction of the new net zero, LEED Certified Middle School was a top priority and area of focus again in 2022, a project for which Durham modified traffic patterns around the facility along Dennison Avenue, Coe Drive, and Strafford Avenue.

Much work has been undertaken by Town Councilor Jim Lawson, the Energy Committee, the Town Council, and the Planning Board to date on a revamp to our zoning ordinance with respect to the topic of solar energy systems. After literally years of review, public hearings, and revisions, the Town Council is poised to take up the most recent suite of draft changes to consider in January 2023. 

With the help of UNH Sustainability Fellows, Durham has completed our first Climate Action Plan (CAP), a requirement of the Town’s membership with the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. This plan outlines mitigation and adaptation actions, measure how much each action will contribute to Durham meeting its mitigation and adaptation goals and includes a plan for implementing the actions. Mitigation actions focus on reducing the Town’s greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), while adaptation actions focus on adapting Durham to climate change impacts. The plan establishes a clear course of action for local efforts toward a reduction in GHG emissions of 2019 levels by 42.8% by 2030 and achieving zero emissions by 2050. Strategies were based on local community input as well as research into best practices being pursued in communities across the state, region, nation, and the globe. The Town will report on progress and update the action strategies every two years. It is important to note that while UNH and the Town are making concrete efforts to reduce their GHG emissions, it is largely up to community members whether or not we meet our goals.

The Energy Committee and staff have also made numerous strides in our local sustainability efforts, in particular shepherding an initiative for the Town to join the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire (CPCNH) to work toward providing wider accessibility of green energy for our community’s residential and business electric utility customers and working to assist Durham residents and business owners make the built environment more energy efficient, thereby reducing overall emissions.

The Integrated Waste Management Advisory Committee (IWMAC) and our DPW staff are working on a variety of initiatives associated with reducing solid waste generation, increasing recycling participation, and supporting composting. As part of our upcoming planned DPW solid waste collection vehicle replacement program in 2024/25, we are contemplating a transition to a volume-based collection system in which each household would be issued a standard size solid waste collection container for trash and another for recycling. DPW would then accept solid waste -- limiting trash materials collected curbside to what can fit within the issued standard-size receptacle -- utilizing new collection vehicles equipped with hydraulic arms to grab and dump each container, thereby encouraging less solid waste household generation, enhancing recycling, and reducing employee exposure to potential lift, poke, and strain injuries. A new “Sustainable Durham” branding campaign spearheaded by the IWMAC but available for use for other sustainability-related initiatives is also under way for a 2023 launch.

A number of high-profile applications were concluded by the Planning Board in 2022: a new project at 74 Main Street was approved; a new subdivision off Gerrish/Ambler was approved, appealed, remanded back to the board, approved, and appealed again; the long-standing application for redevelopment of the Mill Plaza was denied; and a parking lot proposal on Church Hill at 19-21 Main Street was denied. Each of these projects has demanded significant time and energy by the Planning Board, citizens coming to express their perspectives, applicants, and staff – with three of the four involving court proceedings on appeal. 

Following the breaking of ties with Elliott Sidewalk Communities concerning the redevelopment of 66 Main Street, we currently plan in 2023 to think anew about how the Town might want to move forward with a redevelopment at this strategically placed downtown Durham parcel. 

The Housing Task Force has been working to identify, analyze, and advocate for a more balanced and diverse supply of housing in Durham. An initial set of recommendations was sent by the Task Force to the Planning Board for initial review, resulting in significant community engagement there. The Housing Task Force will continue to evaluate this issue and work to refine its recommendations.  

Plans are being developed for an historic renovation/refurbishment of the Bickford-Chesley Farmhouse at Wagon Hill Farm. Roof replacement and soffit work is planned in 2023. More significant historically-appropriate renovations are being developed to protect the entire building envelope from further water damage, improve deteriorating interior spaces, and create a caretaker apartment on the second floor with historic display and meeting space on the first floor. We also anticipate pursuing additional NH Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) funding in 2023 to support a portion of the total project cost with renovations likely in 2024. 

Durham completed work with the Strafford Regional Planning Commission (SRPC) in early-2022 utilizing NHDES funding to study the potential impact of sea level rise on fresh water private wells within the community. It was an interesting initiative focusing on an issue that, until now, has literally been out of site and out of mind. And ongoing work on the new Climate Adaptation Chapter of the Durham Master Plan and an update to our 2017 Hazard Mitigation Plan are also under way. 

Projected sea level rise will contribute, in the years ahead, to the gradual inundation of coastal areas. A new living shoreline (Phase I) at the Town’s Wagon Hill Farm was completed in late 2019, affording Durham 350 feet of shoreline re-graded, armored with natural hard and soft-scape materials, and planted to restore the salt marsh and tidal buffer that had eroded over time. It’s a project that took 4+ years of design and close collaboration between the Town, State/Federal regulators, the NHDES Coastal Program, the Harbor Master, the Strafford Regional Planning Commission, and UNH environmental researchers utilizing around $500,000 in local and state grant funds. It has become a regional demonstration project for living shorelines, and an additional $213,765 was targeted for 2021/2022 utilizing monies negotiated with Eversource, along with matching funds from a highly competitive National Fish & Wildlife Foundation grant, to continue to make shoreline stabilization enhancements at the property (Phases II and III) and beyond within the Great Bay region. We anticipate the next phase, utilizing some of the same pots of money, to take place within the 2023-25 timeframe. 

Durham is working closely with the City of Portsmouth to ensure Portsmouth’s access across Wagon Hill Farm to their water line crossing Little Bay is undertaken with as little disruption as possible to the property and the quiet enjoyment thereof by residents.

We have painstakingly worked over many years to create a municipal water system that is inherently resilient in order to reliably provide approximately 1.2 million gals/day of water to both town and campus. Together, Durham/UNH operate four water sources, one of which utilizes an artificial recharge system pumping raw water from the Lamprey River to our Spruce Hole Aquifer in Lee during times of plentiful flow, increasing our reserves for drought conditions. This, combined with a new $20 million Water Treatment Plant on the UNH campus (funded 100% by UNH) deploying state of the art technology – places the combined Durham/UNH community in a very sustainable position in the face of anticipated climate change. 

The Town and UNH, through the joint administrative Water, Wastewater, Stormwater, and Roads Committee, continue to address a multitude of Town/Gown items to include efficient operation of our water combined system as described above, focusing attention on water quality deficiencies within the Great Bay Estuary (nitrogen) as identified by the NHDES and the EPA, meeting EPA wastewater and stormwater MS-4 mandates under our EPA Total Nitrogen General Permit, maintaining a required NHDES backflow prevention program, general water/sewer infrastructure, the Lee water line extension in coordination with the NHDES (completed in 2022) to address MBTE contamination at the Lee Traffic Circle, and more. Residents should understand that on the front lines of our utility infrastructure both on and off campus, the Town and the University are joined at the hip and work seamlessly together. 

Through the efforts of Tom Brightman (who took the reins in early 2021 from Ellen Snyder), our part-time contract Land Stewardship Coordinator, and the Land Stewardship Subcommittee of the Conservation Commission, the Town continues to make significant inroads in actively managing the numerous lands and easements under the Town’s stewardship. The Council also established the Durham Town Land Stewardship Patron’s Trust back in 2018 to enable citizens or organizations to donate money to support our local conservation land management efforts, rather than relying solely on tax dollars for this purpose. These monies, as well as the Conservation Fund under the oversight of the Conservation Commission, have provided an ongoing source of modest funding to move targeted stewardship initiatives forward. Tom Brightman notified the Town of his upcoming departure from the position in December 2022 and Durham resident Sara Callaghan was contracted to take the reins from Tom beginning in January 2023. 

The State requires all real estate within a municipality to be reappraised (revaluated) at least every five years (per RSA 75:8-a) for property tax purposes, so assessments are at their full and true value. To keep in compliance with this law, we have contracted with Municipal Resources, Inc. (MRI) to reappraise all residential and commercial properties in Durham for tax year 2023. The project is being completed over a two-year period. There are five major phases to a full revaluation: Data Collection and Sales Review, Market Analysis, Valuation, Field Review, and Informal Hearings. During the summer of 2022, the data collection phase of the project began where staff members from MRI began to measure the exterior, and inspect the interior, of all structures in Durham to make sure the data regarding each property is accurate. A statistical update will be completed in 2023 to bring all properties with updated physical data to full and true market value. We greatly appreciate the cooperation of every property owner.

I would like to formally acknowledge our small but mighty Team of Town employees within public works, police, fire, planning, zoning, town clerk/tax collector’s office, informational technology, Durham Community Access Television, and more — all outstanding people, working hard with finite resources to meet the needs of a demanding citizenry with high expectations for exceptional service delivery at the local level. Our Town Council is comprised of thoughtful, hard-working, and dedicated individuals with varied backgrounds and perspectives. The Council, along with the benefit of ongoing public feedback and active involvement by dedicated citizens on local boards, committees, and commissions, all contribute to ensuring Durham remains a strong, vibrant, and welcoming community. It’s a Team effort.

On December 31, 2022 Artie Nutter Jr. and Max Driscoll retired from the Town of Durham. Artie is leaving after serving 34 years as Collection Equipment Operator and Transfer Station Attendant for Durham Public Works. Max also retires with 34 years of service, beginning with the Durham Public Works Department and becoming the Chief Operator at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. The Town of Durham wishes both men the happiest of retirements!

POSITIONS OPEN FOR MARCH 14, 2023 TOWN ELECTION - Filing period begins January 25.

The 2023 Town Election will be held on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at the Oyster River High School, Multipurpose Room, Coe Drive, Durham, N.H. The polling hours are 7:00am-7:00pm. 

Candidates interested in running for office should file their declaration at the Durham Town Clerk-Tax Collector’s Office starting on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, through Friday, February 3, 2023.

The following offices are open:

• Three positions for Town Councilor (3-year term)
• Two positions for Durham Public Library Board of Trustees (3-year term)
• One position for Durham Public Library Board of Trustees (1-year term)
• One position for Trustee of the Trust Funds (3-year term)
• One position for Town Clerk-Tax Collector (3-year term)
• One position for Town Treasurer (3-year term)

If you would like to learn more about any elective office, responsibilities, time commitments, etc. please give the Administrator's Office a call at (603) 858-5571 or write to kedwards@ci.durham.nh.us.

2023 Dog licenses are now available in the Durham Town Clerk-Tax Collector’s office. Durham offers dog licensing online HERE. All dogs must have a valid rabies vaccination to obtain a license, which may be uploaded online or emailed to clerk-collector@ci.durham.nh.us. Residents may also come into Town Hall to get a dog license during the clerk’s hours on Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm.

New Hampshire law requires all dogs aged 3 months and older be licensed every year. You must show proof that the dog has a valid rabies vaccination at the time of registration.  License fees are as follows:

• Unaltered Male or Female $10.00
• Spayed or Neutered Dog $7.50
• Senior Citizen Owner (65+) – 1st Dog $2.00

TOP DOG RAFFLE: The Town of Durham is excited to announce the return of the Top Dog Raffle. This raffle was created to motivate and remind dog owners to license their pets every year by April 30. Residents automatically register for the Top Dog raffle when they obtain a dog license before April 30. The winner of the Top Dog raffle will receive a gift basket donated by the clerk’s office and their dog’s biography will be featured in the Durham Friday Update. Hunter McCluskey was the lucky winner in 2022. Your dog could be the next Top Dog! 

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 2023 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 2023 raffle winner’s dog will be included in the Durham Friday Update.
• The winner will be drawn at random by clerk’s office in May 2023.

DURHAM SUPPORTS TWO CONGESTION MITIGATION AND AIR QUALITY (CMAQ) APPLICATIONS BEING SUBMITTED BY UNH

Public EV Charging

The Town of Durham has offered support shared UNH-Town application for Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funding for installation of campus and downtown destination electric vehicle charging.

UNH and Durham have a history of working together on planning, soliciting funding for, and installing public EV charge stations. In 2015, the first public EV charge station was installed downtown in a cooperative grant between UNH, the Town, and NHDES.  The station remains successful and has seen utilization increase with the rebound post COVID.

CMAQ funding will allow the Town and University to continue our coordinated strategy to install Level 2/2+ destination charging at destinations on campus and downtown. In early 2022, UNH and Durham provided the Strafford Regional Planning Commission with preliminary site locations for funding under the NEVI program. Unfortunately, some downtown and campus core locations fall beyond that program’s eligibility boundaries – making the CMAQ funding important for our overall system development.

Durham and UNH attract a commuter and visitor audience that is looking for destination EV charging. The Town will continue its financial support of grants for EV infrastructure in coordination with the University.

NH 155A Mast & Main Intersection

The Town of Durham also recently expressed support for the shared UNH-Town application for Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funding for improvement of the NH 155A Mast & Main Street intersection.  

The Town and University have a long history of shared maintenance and grant funding for the Main Street corridor.  Our existing agreements will include sharing of any local portion of the non-federal match to this project – in coordination with our NHDOT Highway Bureau partners.

This location has a significant accident history relative to other locations in the Town of Durham. As documented this fall and historically, peak hour traffic conditions at this location cause excess idle times, delayed transit service and unsafe conditions for drivers, transit passengers, and significant numbers of cyclists and pedestrians that pass through this location.

Durham supports improvements, which will ensure efficient, low emission travel options from the West Edge of campus to downtown – especially unsignalized design options (such as a roundabout), which will ensure efficient Campus Connector transit service.

CALL-BACK NOTICES BEING SENT TO DURHAM PROPERTY OWNERS FOR REVALUATION DATA COLLECTION

Municipal Resources, Inc. (MRI) has been hired by the Town of Durham to conduct a town wide revaluation, in accordance with the NH Constitution Part II, Article 6 and RSA 75:8a, for the 2023 tax year. The purpose of the project is to bring property assessments uniformly in line with market conditions as of April 1, 2023.

To date, most of the properties in Durham have been visited at least once. Call-back notices are currently being mailed to those properties where MRI was unable to verify the accuracy of the data on the assessment record card and asking the property owner to contact MRI to schedule an interior inspection or to verify the information by phone. Appointments may be scheduled with an MRI representative by clicking HERE or by calling their office at 603-279-0352 ext. 300. Monday through Friday, except holidays, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. through January 20, 2023. Appointments will take place the week of January 23, 2023.

Any questions regarding the project should be directed to the Durham Assessor’s Office at 603-868-8064. Updates regarding the project will be posted in the Friday Updates newsletter and through mailings. We greatly appreciate your cooperation throughout this project

The Town Council was presented with the proposed FY 2023 Budget at the end of October, which included the General Fund, Water Fund, Sewer (Wastewater) Fund, Library Fund, Parking Fund, Depot Road Lot Fund, Churchill Rink Fund, and Downtown TIF Fund budgets, as well as the Administrator’s proposed 2023-2032 Capital Improvement Plan incorporating the FY 2023 Capital Fund budget utilizing a ten-year time horizon. 

General Fund revenues were initially anticipated to be down by $99,655 from what was projected for 2022, representing a negative impact to the Town’s bottom line. Over the course of the last six weeks, however, given an additional two months of actual data to review from the date the proposed budget was finalized, the Council, working with staff, was able to increase revenue projections by $150,000 as follows: $15,500 in motor vehicle registrations, $19,500 in recreation programs, $50,000 from interest on investments, $45,000 from insurance dividends/reimbursements, and $20,000 from parking. This allowed for the addition of $150,000 to the Town's contingency line to account for unforeseen circumstances that might arise as we move into 2023 due to supply chain delays, price increases, and the impacts of inflation within a potential recessionary environment.

A primary driver within Durham’s municipal budget are personnel-related costs that account for 63.41% of total spending as part of the proposed 2023 budget. 

In total, this year’s approved budget is projected to increase the 2023 local municipal portion of the tax rate by 3% from $8.13 to $8.37, an increase of 24 cents. The tax rate had remained at $7.37 (formerly $8.48 but adjusted due to 2018 statistical revaluation update) for 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. The proposed increase would cost the average Durham property taxpayer with a home valued at $450,000 an additional $108 in taxes for 2023. 

The Sewer (Wastewater) Fund budget reflects a 6.58% increase in user fees in 2023 (a rate of $9.57 per hundred cubic feet). The total Sewer budget appropriation proposal is up 6.2% from $2,968,000 to $3,152,000 – an increase of $184,000. Impacts within the Sewer Fund include current and future Major Components replacement/refurbishments and upgrades, personnel, energy, and supply costs, sludge disposal due to increased regulation around PFAS, as well as a gradual shift in our pro rata (rolling 36 mo. average) cost share of the joint wastewater and water operating budgets for Durham and UNH. The Water Fund budget carries an anticipated 23.6% increase in user fees (a rate of $10.42 per hundred cubic feet) for FY 2023.The total Water budget appropriation is up 22.3% from $1,247,500 to $1,525,220 – an increase of $277,720. The biggest impact in the Water Fund is a loss of $21,630 in revenue annually due to the decommissioning of the Sprint/Nextel cellular node atop the Foss Farm tank, increase in operational pro rata share of water processing at the UNH Water Treatment Plant, personnel COLA increases, debt service, and energy and supply costs. 

The twelve-month September 2021 to September 2022 Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) numbers are: U.S. City Index – 8.2%, Northeast – 7.2%, New England – 7.4%, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH – 8.1%.

The placeholder capital project to pave Dame Road in 2027 was eliminated altogether from the Capital Improvement Plan by the Council following public comment expressing concern about the proposal. Note, the proposal to pave all or portions of the roadway was initially included in the long-range CIP plan several years ago as a result of requests from residents on the roadway.

All together, the Council approved the raising of $39,949,179.00 for the use of the various departments of the town government for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2023.

RECENT STORM SURGE CAUSED HIGH WATERS AT DURHAM’S OLD TOWN LANDING

The height of the pre-Christmas storm on 12/23/22 occurred during the high tide cycle at which time strong southeasterly winds had been piling up water in Great Bay for 6+ hours. According to DPW Assistant Director for Operations Sam Hewitt, who is also trained as a meteorologist, “Most impressive was the wind field from 0-5000’ above ground level which was close to 4-5 standard deviations above the climatological average for this time of year. Tides were higher than normal to begin with as the Winter Solstice feel just two days prior to the event.”

People who live, work, and recreate in New Hampshire’s coastal communities are already experiencing impacts from high tide flooding. High tide flooding occurs several times a year when tidal waters flow above the natural landscape onto roadways, driveways, and yards, and interrupt daily routines. These tides offer a glimpse into what daily water levels could be like in the future as sea levels rise.

The Rising Tides Photo Contest is a unique opportunity to use photography to learn how places are already being impacted by high tide flooding and will be affected by rising sea levels. This year, the Rising Tides Photo Contest will focus on documenting higher-than-normal tides and showcasing the area’s resilient ecosystems, economies, infrastructure, and communities.

What to Enter: Photos must be taken during the contest period along New Hampshire's tidal shoreline. For tips on where to go, explore the 2023 Rising Tides Photo Contest Map. Additionally, photos must be entered into one of four contest categories:

• Picturing Change: Atlantic Coast
• Picturing Change: Great Bay
• Picturing Resilience: Atlantic Coast
• Picturing Resilience: Great Bay

Examples of eligible images in each category and a list of communities in each geographic area are available on the CAW website.

How to Enter: Photo entries must be submitted via the online entry form available on the CAW website during the Contest Submission Period, January 21-24, 2023. Entries submitted via mail, email, or social media will not be accepted.

Prizes: One winning entry will be selected in each of the four Contest Categories through a public voting process. The entries that receive the most votes by the end of the voting period on February 2, 2023, at 11:59 PM ET will win a $50 gift card to a local restaurant of the winner’s choosing.

CAW is excited to host guided flood tours during the contest period. These events will provide a guided opportunity to take photos of high tide flooding and learn about the impacts of sea level rise in your community from lived and diverse perspectives. Volunteer boards and municipal staff, technical assistance providers, natural resource professionals, researchers and students, elected officials, interested residents, community leaders, and Rising Tides Photo Contest participants are encouraged to participate. Stay tuned for more information and event registration coming soon.

UPDATE FROM SCOTT LETOURNEAU ON TIDELINE PUBLIC HOUSE DEVELOPMENT AT 15 NEWMARKET ROAD

Site work and building renovations continue to progress nicely: food truck utilities are completed, and storm water system improvements to be completed this month. Renovations to the Salt Shed and food truck services building are progressing as well. Lots of interior work in the main building has been completed in the new taprooms, dining, lodging, mercantile, and food service areas, but there’s still a way to go. 

All 7 food truck pads have been reserved for when we open this Spring! Here is our planned “opening day lineup”:

• Up Street Food Truck (Comfort food)
• Radio Pizza (Detroit style)
• Tim’s Drunken BBQ and Tacos
• Friends 4 Oba (Asian fusion)
• Local Lunch Box (Burgers and more)
• DAHAB Falafel Co. (Middle Eastern)
• Cheese Louise (Artisan grilled cheese)

Most of these food vendors have established websites and/or social media accounts where you can find more information about their offerings and any current locations.

Updates and more information about the project and our food truck partners can be found at www.tidelinepublichouse.com and on Facebook and Instagram. 

Thanks for your support and patience! We are working diligently to open as soon as possible. 

NEW BUILDING APPROVED FOR 74 MAIN STREET - NH Democracy House to occupy a portion of the building.

Rendering of proposed future building at 74 Main Street

THE LAND STEWARDSHIP SUBCOMMITTEE NEEDS YOUR HELP!

Have you visited the Longmarsh Preserve Property and its trails? If so, please help the Land Stewardship Subcommittee learn more about your experiences by completing the Longmarsh Preserve questionnaire HERE. The map above highlights the trails in the preserve along with connecting trails.

Thank you! The Land Stewardship Subcommittee.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCAL DURHAM RESTAURANTS -

Local Restaurant Infrastructure Investment Program has been reopened until January 11, 2023

The application period for the Local Restaurant Infrastructure Investment Program has been reopened until Wednesday, January 11, 2023 at 4:00 PM. All local restaurateurs who continue to bear a heavy burden due to the COVID-19 pandemic are encouraged to apply. Under the Local Restaurant Infrastructure Investment Program, eligible New Hampshire restaurants can be reimbursed for eligible equipment, infrastructure, and technology purchases made because of, or in response to, the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial application period for the program closed on July 13, 2022. With unused funds still available to support the state’s local restaurants, the Executive Council encouraged and the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery responded by extending this program.

Examples of potentially eligible expenses for reimbursement include equipment or software to expand or adopt digital services such as online reservations, host-less check in, at-table payment systems, menus that help provide more flexibility and increase capacity, HVAC system updates to improve COVID-19 mitigation, and more. Applications are available through the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery and are due by 4:00 PM on Wednesday, January 11, 2023.

For more information on eligibility requirements and to obtain an application, 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 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 #1

DIAL 911 FOR AN EMERGENCY!!!!

Calling 911 for any emergency will bring people (Fire, EMS, Police) that will help you and your family. Some simple answers to questions you be asked by 911 are:

1.   What is your emergency?

2.   What is your address, street, and town?

3.   What is your phone number?

4.   What is your name?

CHRISTMAS WEEKEND MAJOR STORM EVENT - Durham Public Works Storm Recap

Weather forecast guidance alerted Durham Public Works on December 16th that a powerful event with significant impacts was possible in the days preceding the Christmas holiday. New England was set to be squeezed between a deepening area of low pressure across the Great Lakes region and a strong area of high pressure situated over Newfoundland/Labrador. Significant warm air advection on a South -Southeast wind would aid in tapping an atmospheric river of air at 5000’ above ground level whose speed was 4-5 standard deviations above the climatological average for this time of year. Wind gusts at the surface were scheduled to be on the order of 50-60mph and a higher-than-normal high tide situated around the Winter Solstice would result in storm surge in some areas as winds piled up water along the coast. Additionally, a sharp cold front was scheduled to cross the region at the tail end of the storm, creating potentially hazards driving conditions where liquid was still present on roadways and sidewalks.

The storm materialized as advertised and at the height of the event, over 1,250 or 33% of the customers in Durham were without power. Emergency responders closed as many at 15 roads for trees which had fallen and pulled down electrical utilities with them. The high tide observed was the highest in recent memory, with water overtopping Cedar Point Road and displacing/damaging the dock ramp at Jackson’s Landing. The force of the winds snapped a utility pole in the Metered Parking Lot which damaged a large decorative light pole when it fell.

Durham Public Works coordinated with the Durham Fire Department and Durham Police Department in the days leading up to event to review response procedures. Durham Public Works spent the last week and half cleaning up fallen debris within public right-of-ways.

The wastewater treatment facility managed the wind and rain storm event with minimal power disruptions. During the event a few minor power bumps requried some equipment to be reset. Sewage flows increaed signifcantly due to infilration and inflow reachg over 2.6 million gallons per day. Normal flows this time of year are in the range of 500,000 gallons per day. The facility managed quite well, however a loss of internal comunications through the facility’s computer system which monitors all equipment and analyzers throughout the facility, occurred on Christmas Eve. It’s undetermined if the storm and power outages contributed to this. Wastewater Division staff were requiered to physicaly staff the facility and monitor the plant systems until the morning after Christmas Day when SCADA controls contractator, Wilsons Controls was able to resolve the issue

ELECTRIC CAR CHARGING STATION IN METERED PARKING LOT ON PETTEE BROOK LANE TEMPORARILY OUT OF SERVICE

During the storm event on December 23rd 2022, a utility pole was compromised within the Metered Parking Lot resulting in extensive damage to some of the electrical infrastructure within the Lot. While a new utility pole was set, new electrical conduit still needs to be run from the pole to the meter pedestal which regulates the electricity feeding the charging station. Durham Public Works has a work ticket in with Eversource but was advised that it may be several weeks before service is restored.

NEW CHLORINE MONITORING SYSTEM AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT 

The wastewater treatment facility recently upgraded the facility's wastewater discharge chlorine monitoring system, replacing an obsoleter and dated system. A new HACH CL 17SC was installed to monitor the chlorine dose of the final treatment process prior to dischaging into the Oyster River. This new analyzer monitors the amount of chlorine residual 24 hours a day year round to ensure that proper disinfection of any pathogenic bacteria takes place prior to discharge. 

Durham Public Works crews responded to a water main break in the vicinity of 18 Emerson Road on Tuesday this week. Crews located a radial crack in a 6” cast iron pipe. The DPW team performed exceptionally well, locating, isolating, and repairing the break in three hours. This is the sixth water main break along this section of roadway in as many years. The water main along Emerson Road from Madbury Road to upper Littlehale Road is scheduled for replacement in 2023, along with roadway and sidewalk improvements.

USED MOTOR OIL STORAGE TANK AT RAYMOND A. LAROACHE SR. TRANSFER STATION AND RECYCLING CENTER REMEDIATED

Durham Public Works and its hazardous waste remediation contractor, Clean Harbors, recently completed the remediation and disposal of 500 gallons of contaminated used motor oil from the storage tank Raymond A. LaRoche, Sr. Transfer Station and Recycling Center.

The tank was contaminated with products such as antifreeze, gasoline, diesel, and cleaning solvents which resulted in a very costly remediation for the second time this year. For this reason, Durham Public Works will now require residents to sign a form when disposing of used motor oil to confirming that no unacceptable materials are present. Additionally, used motor oil will only be accepted in clear containers and may be subject to random contaminant testing.

Durham Public Works would like to thank residents for their cooperation.

As the colder season begins, it’s important to make sure that winter salt being applied to our driveways is being used in an environmentally safe way. Companies that are certified Green SnowPro professionals with the logo above are trained to remove snow and ice using practices that keep both the public and the environment safe. To find a list of Green SnowPro certified contractors, click HERE.

If you know that your snow removal contractor is Green SnowPro certified please share that information with us by emailing Town Engineer April Talon at atalon@ci.durham.nh.us! Thank you!

Residents are also reminded that a supply of a sand/salt mix is available at Durham Public Works located at 100 Stone Quarry Drive before the main entrance gate. This supply is made available for pickup by Durham residents only for use on their residential property for snow and ice control. 

DURHAM PUBLIC WORKS SEEKS PART-TIME TRANSFER STATION ATTENDANT

The Town of Durham in New Hampshire’s seacoast region is one of the most beautiful and desired locations in the State and is home to the University of New Hampshire. The Durham Public Works Department, a recognized leader in the Public Works field, is fully integrated and progressive using modern equipment and facilities to achieve its goals. The Department is seeking a highly qualified team member to join an exceptional team of Public Works professionals to serve in the role of Transfer Station Attendant.

The successful candidate will assist in the operation of the Raymond A. LaRoche, Sr. Transfer Station and Recycling Center during public open hours on Saturdays. The Transfer Station Attendant will frequently interact with residents to ensure that materials are placed in the proper receptacles and answers questions regarding solid waste and recycling. Additionally, the Attendant will perform general facility maintenance and cleaning as well as operates a skid steer and backhoe to transport/consolidate materials.

The salary for this part-time position is $17/hr.

The successful candidate will possess an NHDES Solid Waste Operator License or the ability to obtain within (6) months of hire.

Applications are available at the Department of Public Works Main office or online at www.ci.durham.nh.us/jobs.

Please send resume and completed application to Town of Durham, Department of Public Works, Attn: Shannon Shaw, Assistant to the Public Works Director, 100 Stone Quarry Drive, Durham, NH 03824 or by email to sshaw@ci.durham.nh.us.

OYSTER RIVER STRIKES GOLD - New Middle School Achieves LEED Gold Certification!

The new Oyster River Middle School Building has been LEED Gold Certified by the US Green Building Council. ORMS is the only LEED Gold certified school building in New Hampshire. Fewer than 800 school buildings in the US have achieved this distinction.

LEED-certified green buildings are generally better buildings. LEED provides a framework for healthy, efficient, carbon and cost-saving green buildings. LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement, and it is backed by an entire industry of committed organizations and individuals paving the way for market transformation.

How LEED works…LEED certified buildings generally save money, improve efficiency, lower carbon emissions, and create healthier places for people to work, learn, and live.

To achieve LEED certification, a project earns points by adhering to prerequisites and credits that address carbon, energy, water, waste, transportation, materials, human health, and indoor environmental quality. Projects go through a verification and review process by GBCI and are awarded points that correspond to a level of LEED certification: Certified (40-49 points), Silver (50-59 points), Gold (60-79 points) and Platinum (80+ points).

The Durham Town Hall is a LEED Silver Certified building. 

Congratulations to the Oyster River Cooperative School District Team for this significant achievement!  

OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL DISTRICT UPDATES

The annual Public Hearing on the proposed 2023-2024 Oyster River Cooperative School District budget is scheduled for Wednesday, January 11, 2023 at 7:00 pm in the Oyster River Middle School Concert Hall (will be held the next day in case of inclement weather). Following the public hearing, voters will have the opportunity to debate and modify the budget at the Deliberative Session scheduled for February 7 at 7:00 pm and final decision by voters on March 14 at local elections. The proposed school budget of $53,211,098 represents a 1.54% increase over the 2022-2023 budget.

Oyster River Middle School presents Seussical! Shows will be January 13, 7:00 pm, January 14, at 1:00 pm or 7:00 pm, and January 15, at 1:00 pm, in the Oyster River High School auditorium.

The ORHS Senior Class is hosting a Paint Night fundraiser on January 12, 6:00-8:00 pm. Participants will be guided through a winter theme by art teacher Maria Rosi. Cost is $30, including pizza and light refreshments. Recommended for ages 10 and up. For more info and registration click HERE.

K-5 Social-Emotional Learning coordinator Felicia Sperry is leading a 5-session series on the Open Circle curriculum for parents on Wednesdays in January. Another series will be offered starting in March on a different evening.

There is no school for Oyster River on January 16 or January 23.

The ORHS Girls and Boys Basketball Teams welcomes you to come and support your teams! $10 Season Pass, $3 per game, Seniors and Students Free.

All games are held in the Oyster River High School gymnasium at 55 Coe Drive, Durham, NH 03824. For more information and updated game schedules, please visit Oyster River High School (oysterriverathletics.org).