Friday Updates - July 14, 2023

Friday, July 14, 2023

Two pileated woodpeckers in Merrick Woods photographed this week by the Town's sabbatical-enjoying Administrator, Todd Selig!

DURHAM DAY DASH IS THIS SATURDAY! - Runners & walkers of all ages invited!

Durham Parks and Recreation and Growing Places invite you to run in the First Annual Durham Day Dash this Saturday, July 15th! The Mini Dash 1/2 miler and 1 miler fun runs will take place at 9am with the 5K starting at 9:30am. Runners and walkers of all ages and abilities are welcome to participate! The race will be run on a certified 5k course with the start and finish at the Oyster River High School. There will be a Mini Dash ½ miler and Mini Dash 1 miler for our younger runners and families.

Race day registration will take place at the Oyster River High School MPR from 7:30am-9:15am on Saturday, July 15th.

Awards, food, raffle and post-race social will take place at Tideline Public House. Awards will start around 10:50am. A $10 Tideline beverage voucher will be given to the first 130 5K registrants.

Public Works crews braved the heat to replace a fire hydrant in front of the Town Hall this past Thursday. Courtesy, Craig Stevens, DCAT Coordinator.

NEW HAMPSHIRE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE ADMINISTRATION (DRA) IS MONITORING REVALUATION WORK DONE BY MRI - DRA Rep visiting Durham the week of July 17th.

As part of Durham's 2023 property revaluation process, the NH Department of Revenue Administration (DRA) is monitoring the work completed by Municipal Resources, Inc., the company hired by the Town of Durham to perform the full revaluation.

One phase of the monitoring process is to randomly select property record cards and review them for data accuracy i.e. building dimensions, construction details, etc. 

During the week of July 17th, Allison Auger, Real Property Appraiser, and an assistant from the DRA will be visiting properties in Durham to perform this task. They will have photo identification and will be driving a State of NH vehicle (Black Ford Focus) that has the State of NH emblem on the side of the car.

If you have any questions, please contact the Durham Assessor’s Office at (603) 868-8064.      

Did you forget to license your dog this year? The deadline to receive a dog license without penalty was April 30th, but owners should still license their dog as soon as possible. 

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What Happens If I Don't License My Dog?

Failure to license your dog is a violation of NH State law (RSA 466:1). In addition to the annual license fee, you will be charged a late fee of $1.00 per month, per dog, for each month after June 1st. After August 1st, a S25.00 civil forfeiture fee will also be charged. If the forfeiture fee is not paid within the designated time, a summons to appear in court shall be issued. Owners could lose custody of their dog.

How do I License My Dog?

Dog licenses may be obtained at the town clerk’s office, by mail, or online by clicking HERE. The Durham Town Clerk’s office is located at 8 Newmarket Road. Business hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm, and until 6:00pm the first Monday of every month. All questions may be directed to the Town Clerk-Tax Collector, Rachel Deane, email: rdeane@ci.durham.nh.us or telephone: 603-868-5577.

What Do I Need To License My Dog?

You need a rabies vaccination certificate from your veterinarian or animal care provider, payment, and if you are registering for the first time, proof that the dog has been spayed or neutered. 

How Much Does It Cost?

• Puppy (ages 4-7 months) $7.50
• Neutered or spayed dogs $7.50
• Unaltered male of female dog $10.00
• Senior citizen dog $2.00 (owner who is 65 years old or older on the first dog only)
• Replacement tag $1.50

PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETING TO BE HELD JULY 19 ON PRELIMINARY DESIGN FOR INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AT US ROUTE 4 AND MADBURY ROAD

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) will hold a Public Informational Meeting on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at 6 pm at the Town Hall in Durham to present citizens and public officials with information regarding progress on the preliminary design for the intersection improvement project at US Route 4 and Madbury Road. This project is included in the NHDOT ten-year improvement plan with construction scheduled for 2025. The public will have an opportunity to ask questions and share their thoughts regarding potential improvements to ensure that the project decisions meet public transportation needs, community goals, and protect and enhance the environment. 

This project may have an effect on cultural or historic resources that are potentially eligible for or listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Individuals or organizations with a demonstrated interest in the potential impacts to historic resources have an opportunity to become Consulting Parties under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Additional information will be provided at the public informational meeting.

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, doors open at 5:30 pm, presentation begins at 6:00 pm. The meeting will be held at the Town Hall, 8 Newmarket Road, Durham NH as well as on Zoom. To access the Zoom invitation, please click HERE.

NHDOT Contacts:

Matthew D. Lampron, P.E., Project Manager, (603) 271-2296

Richard Arcand, Public Information Officer, (603) 271-6495 

Mark your calendar - August 19th is Farm Day, rain or shine! The Durham and Lee Agricultural Commissions invite you to the 10th Annual Farm Day, featuring farms across Durham and Lee. Free and family friendly activities, information on backyard food production, behind the scenes farm tours, and much more. Full list of events available soon. 

Sidewalk replacement in front of the Town Hall began this week. Courtesy, Craig Stevens, DCAT Coordinator

DID YOU KNOW? - PLASTIC FREE JULY

Single-use plastics pollute every part of our world, harming our environment.  As part of Plastic Free July, we challenge you to convert to a plastic-free shower.

How to make your shower plastic-free.

Several local shops and online businesses offer alternatives to traditional shower products. 

• Consider using bar soap instead of shower gel.
• Switch to a shampoo bar and a conditioner bar. They have become mainstream and are effective for all hair types.
• Use a facial bar and exfoliating sponge (compostable).
• Convert to a body scrub bar and moisturizing bar. They are easy to use right in the shower!

Places like the Replenish Refillery in Dover and We Fill Good in Kittery sell these products. A great online option is Lush.com. 

If you still want to stick with your liquid shampoo and conditioner, once you are done with the plastic containers, refill them instead of purchasing new ones! Both the Replenish Refillery and We Fill Good offer this option.

Brought to you by the IWMAC Committee

Questions about recycling or composting? Email us at Durhamrecycles603@gmail.com

Not sure if an item can be recycled? Check out this site to find out: www.recyclesmartma.org

Want to know more about the Swap Shop?  Find out HERE.

Last week, the Durham Police Department submitted this Friday Update about a solicitation alert as seen below. This week, with the help of a Durham resident, the Police Department learned that property owners can sign up online for free property fraud alerts. You can sign up for this service by visiting the website HERE. Thank you to our Durham residents for being vigilant!

Recently a Durham resident received this misleading purchase and sale agreement for their property in the mail. Please be aware that this is a solicitation. The cash purchase price is often significantly lower than the actual property/land value. This solicitation may be specifically targeting the elderly population or those facing financial difficulties. If you received this letter in the mail and have further questions, please contact the Durham Police Department, otherwise we recommend you shred the documents.

The Durham Professional Firefighters Local #2253 would like to introduce Smokey the Fire Dog. Smokey will give short tips on Fire Safety, weekly so Parents and guardians can generate conversation with their children about Fire Safety. Keep an eye out in the weekly updates These small questions and tips are a great way for you as a Parent to teach your kids about Fire Safety, the more they know the safer they will be.

WEEK #27

Holidays and summer fun mean Fireworks. For some helpful tips on staying safe, click HERE.

JOB OPENING FOR FIREFIGHTER/AEMT

The Durham Fire Department is accepting applications to fill an open vacancy and to create a hiring eligibility list for the position of Firefighter/AEMT. The hiring eligibility list may be active for up to eighteen months.

The full position posting and Town of Durham application may be found on the Town’s website by clicking HERE.

The application deadline is Tuesday, July 25, 2023, at 12:00 pm. Position to remain open until filled. 

INVITATION TO BID FOR BUILDING AND PURCHASE OF CUSTOM HEAVY RESCUE APPARATUS

The Town of Durham Fire Department will receive sealed bids until no later than 3:00 pm, prevailing time, August 17, 2023, at the Durham Fire Department Chief’s Office, Durham Fire Department, 51 College Road, Durham, New Hampshire for Contract #2023-DFD-Heavy-Rescue for building a custom heavy rescue truck to include all necessary labor, equipment, and materials as outlined in the full specifications for the Town of Durham Fire Department at the following link HERE.