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 NEWS AND HAPPENINGS ...
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21 Madbury Road, formerly a private home, fraternity, Dental Office / Egg Clearing House / offices, and at least two more fraternities, was torn down this week. The ongoing demolition of 17-21 Madbury Road makes room for one corner of the new Madbury Commons project, extending from Madbury Road to the Pettee Brook and including a new pedestrian bridge across the brook to the Town’s Pettee Brook Parking Lot. Courtesy Tom Richardson
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"Summer Thunder" has arrived in the Lakes Region and across New Hampshire with the celebration of Motorcycle Week. The event begins tomorrow and concludes on Sunday, June 22nd.
And remember, Sunday is Father's Day.
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DURHAM LISTED AS ONE OF NH’S MOST EXCITING PLACES
Durham has topped a recent list of the “top ten most exciting places in New Hampshire.” Movoto, a real estate brokerage based in California, started out with a list of the most populated places in the state that had more than 10,000 people. Due to the state’s smaller size, that only left 15 cities.
Next, Movoto used the 2010 U.S. Census and business listings to evaluate eight categories — nightlife, live music venues, active life options, arts and entertainment, fast food restaurants, percentage of restaurants that are not fast food (the higher the better), percentage of young residents aged 13-34 (the higher the better), and population density.
All categories were ranked from one to 15, with one being the best score.
Next, the scores were averaged together to create the final list. Durham was ranked as fifth in the state, with nearby cities Dover and Portsmouth coming in at third and first place, respectively.
To learn more, click HERE.
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DURHAM MAKES NBC NEWS DUE TO MALWARE VIRUS TAKEOVER OF POLICE DEPARTMENT COMPUTERS
Last week, a malware virus called Cryptowall infected the computers at the Durham Police Department. The incident brought national and international attention to the Town including mention in British and Far East publications.
A report from NBC news can be found HERE.
The staff at the Durham Police Department and Luke Vincent, Durham’s Manager of Information Systems, did a very good job containing the malware virus and eradicating it, and then reloading information onto DPD computers from our backup system.
Interesting, a NH citizen saw Mr. Vincent being interviewed on WMUR Channel 9 and sent him the following note:
“Hello, I saw on TV that you are the IT manager for Durham. Do you do home systems or just companies? I figure if the police department trusts you, then I could! “
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MARGARITAS COMING TO MAIN STREET DURHAM
The Town has received a building permit application for a Margaritas owned Restaurant to be located in the former JP’s/MamaMac/Mex space next to Durham House of Pizza on Main Street. The store is a new type venture for corporate and not the traditional Margaritas (more takeout/fast food). They hope to be open by end of August.
The company plans on gutting the existing space and installing new seating area, décor and a new kitchen layout.
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Fire trucks pass through Durham Main Street's new traffic configuration on Thursday
afternoon en route to an emergency call in another part of town. Courtesy Todd Selig
MAIN STREET COMPLETE STREETS PILOT PROGRAM IMPLEMENTED
The Town implemented the Main Street Complete Streets Initiative pilot program on Thursday morning and immediately noted that while the new street markings in front of Young’s between the curb cuts for Mill Road worked on the traffic engineering plans, in practice, they created a great deal of unnecessary confusion. By mid-morning on Friday, the markings in that location had been removed and traffic was flowing much more efficiently.
Unfortunately, because of the on again, off again rain overnight on Wednesday into Thursday morning, not all of the street markings could be applied because of paint adhesion problems. The remaining markings should be in place by the end of the day on Tuesday, 6/17/14.
DPW Director Mike Lynch reports that while striping the new traffic pattern Wednesday night, the department was actually able to accommodate an additional 22 new parking spaces versus the 19 that had been projected.
It’s important to stress that the Main Street Complete Street Initiative is a pilot program intended to test in the field a plan that our external traffic engineers and our internal Traffic Safety Committee believes will be successful. Our staff have been and will continue to carefully evaluate the changes and make improvements based on those observations.
As part of the Town's preliminary analysis of traffic speed along Main Street in the days leading up to the traffic pattern change, we evaluated the radar speed of cars on Main Street. It’s striking how fast cars travel there. Common speeds were around 35 MPH (25 MPH is the posted speed limit for our downtown roadways) with a few notable motorists speeding through at 42 MPH. Higher speeds of 46 MPH were also captured. These speeds are excessive for an area intended to be welcoming to all forms of transportation as part of a complete streets initiative that considers pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, trucks, busses, and other forms of transportation.
Finally, while there will certainly be (and has already been) substantial discussion in Durham about converting a portion of Main Street to one lane, it is important to convey one point. From a planning perspective, one way streets with multiple travel lanes in a downtown are simply not ideal and do much to create a vehicle-centric, racetrack atmosphere rather than a human, pedestrian, community-oriented experience.
Durham, Dover, and Rochester all have them. Decisions were made decades ago to focus almost exclusively on vehicles at the expense of the human beings and businesses that use the downtown. Michael Behrendt, Durham’s Director of Planning & Community Development, poses the question, "Is there any traditional downtown anywhere in the world that we like that was built this way?" Main Streets are ideally supposed to be two lanes, one in each direction, with parallel or diagonal parking on both sides.
If, at least for now, converting the downtown to two-way traffic is not practical, which we have in fact concluded due to financial constraints, then converting from two lanes to one lane - where workable - is the right thing to at least test as part of a pilot program such as ours.
While ther will no doubt be many perspectives on the new configuration, please know that everyone involved is earnestly trying to create the best possible solution for Durham with the resources at hand.
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Aerial rendering of the new project at 1 Madbury Road. Courtesy Nick Isaak
WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE CORNER OF MAIN STREET AND MADBURY ROAD? A New Project Breaks Ground at 1 Madbury Road
A number of residents have asked what is happening at the corner of Madbury Road and Main Street as the site has been cleared and is now being readied for construction. This property is owned by long-time property owner and former Rental Housing Commission Chairman Mark Henderson. The project was actually one of the first new projects approved by the Historic District Commission/Planning Board more than five years ago but it is only now moving forward with the construction phase. The approvals predate today’s architectural standards that were put in place following the construction of 9-11 Madbury Road.
This is an infill project with frontages both on Main Street and Madbury Road. The grey historic building on the corner will remain. The new three-story development will be a combination of 25,340 first floor commercial space and underground parking (the underground parking will be along Madbury Road proximate to Wildcat Pizza) with housing on the two upper stories.
To see additional pencil sketches of the project, click HERE.
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ZONING BOARD APPROVES VARIANCE FOR REDEVELOPMENT OF CUMBERLAND FARMS SITE - Project Connected to Town Office Site Redeveloment
On Tuesday the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) granted a variance request by Scott Mitchell's company for a reduction in both the number of required parking spaces and amount of landscaping at the former Cumberland Farms site. Mr. Mitchell, the individual who has entered into a Purchase & Sale Agreement with the Town for the redevelopment of the Town Office site as a pharmacy, is hopeful of working with the owner of Durham Village Garage to move that business across Dover Road/Route 108 to the Cumberland Farms site. The space upon which Durham Village Garage presently sits, in that scenario, would then become a new access wait into the Town Office site. Mr. Mitchell will is planning to meet with the Historic District Commission in July to begin discussions relative to a design for the Town Office site.
A CONVERSATION ABOUT A CHANGING DURHAM - Resident & Planning Board Member David Williams Interviews Administrator Todd Selig Regarding Various Changes Taking Place in Durham
"Town Conversations: Change or Be Changed”, Saturday & Sunday @9:00 AM and 6:00 PM - Run time: 49:00
Join your host David Williams as he chats with interesting people in our community, this is the first in a series of conversations about Our Town. The premier episode has David in frank conversation with Durham Town Administrator Todd Selig.
Listen as Administrator Selig draws a picture of the challenges and opportunities facing Durham.
Periodically, Town Conversations invite a clearer understanding of who we are as a Town, how we arrived at where we are, and what direction(s) we might go in the future.
Facilitated by David Williams, Planning Board Secretary.
Questions may be referred to David via email, home14@comcast.net. This program is also available Town’s On Demand site by clicking HERE.
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CHIEF KURZ INVITED TO US SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
Police Chief David Kurz was invited by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, Chair of the Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight, to speak with the Senate committee on the topic of “Campus Sexual Assault: The Administrative Process and the Criminal Justice System” on June 19th.
The purpose of the roundtable is to bring together stakeholders representing a variety of interests and organizations to discuss the respective roles of the university-based administrative process and the criminal justice system in addressing sexual violence.
Chief Kurz and Administrator Selig analyzed the efforts and cost for the Chief to attend this meeting and decided that while we see significant value to the efforts of the Senate committee, it was difficult to justify the expenditure of scarce Town resources for Durham to participate in discussions in Washington, D.C.
That said, both Chief Kurz and Administrator Selig concur that our decision is purely a financial decision and that Durham Police and the entire University of New Hampshire community are very committed to enhancing the delivery of law enforcement services to victims of sexual assault and look forward to the paper that will be developed as a result of the Senate committee's efforts.
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Emery Farm, Durham. Courtesy Beryl Harper
THIRD ANNUAL FARM-A-Q AT EMERY FARM - JUNE 29TH
The the third annual Farm-a-Q will take place this year on June 29th at Emery Farm in Durham, NH.
A joint effort of Slow Food Seacoast and the Heirloom Harvest Project, Farm-a-Q is a picnic-style bounty of heirloom and heritage foods grown on local farms and prepared by some of the area's best restaurants. The afternoon features an incredible buffet, showcasing the abundance of delicious locally grown products and the talent of local chefs.
This year's participating restaurants include:
Black Trumpet Bistro, Black Birch, Beach Pea Baking Company, Buttermilk Baking Company, Cava, Demeter's, The District, Joinery, The Kitchen on Islington, Moxy, and When Pigs Fly! It doesn't get any better than this....
Farm-a-Q runs from 12:00 – 4:00 pm with food served from 1:00 – 3:00. Enjoy workshops, live music, demonstrations, tastings hay rides, kids crafts and activities all afternoon. Tickets are $25 general admission, $20 for Slow Food members, $15 for Youth age 13-20, $5 for Children age 3-12, and children under 3 are free.
Emery Farm is one of the oldest continuously farmed properties in the country. They grow a wide selection of fruits and vegetables at their farm stand as well as meats and other products from area farms. Enjoy the taste of summer at this relaxing, family-friendly event!
A full schedule of events can be downloaded HERE.
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CONSERVATION COMMISSION FIELD TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES ANNOUNCED
The New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissions recently announced its first-ever Conservation Commission Field Training Series in partnership with UNH Cooperative Extension. These workshops are aimed at those who serve on their town's conservation commissions, but are open to the public and all are welcome to attend.
Sessions include:
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Engaging Youth with your Conservation Commission - Kingston, NH
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Wetlands Applications and Permitting - TBA
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Mobile Technology for Mapping - Albany, NH
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Wetlands Identification - Lyme, NH
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Learning to Live with Beavers - Merrimack, NH
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How to Lead an Invasive Plant Work Day - Newmarket, NH
Sessions are free although there is a $10 suggested donation to help defray the costs of running these workshops.
Click HERE for more details. Please feel free to print or email the flyer to distribute to those who may be interested in attending.
Click HERE to register. If you have any questions, please contact Emily Lord at EmilyLord@nhacc.org.
The Town will reimburse for the cost of attendance for members of our various boards and committees.
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ORHS BizGen Team: From the left, Lisa Dufresne, coach; team members Sam Brooks, Tim Bartos, Louis Dufresne, and Parker Strong; Heather Healy, HS teacher and coach
OYSTER RIVER HIGH SCHOOL BIZGEN TEAM COMPETES AT UNH PAUL SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Last weekend the Oyster River High School BizGen team competed at the UNH Paul School of Business. Twelve teams from area high schools participated in a "shark tank" like pitch contest with their original business ideas. The winning team received $5,000 and the second place team $3,000. Although the ORHS team did not win, they gained valuable insights into the process and plan to go ahead with their idea, the SnoFone.
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DETECTIVE SERGEANT FRANK DALY'S LAST DAY AT DURHAM POLICE DEPARTMENT
The Durham Police Department was very sad last Friday as it marked the end of sixteen (16) year employment tenure where Sergeant Frank Daly gave his all to make Durham a better place to live and Durham PD a very skilled organization for his presence.
Frank has long held the desire to follow in his Great-grandfather’s and Grandfather’s footsteps by working for the Lawrence, Massachusetts Police Department. He has been given that opportunity and will begin this new segment of his career later in the month.
Frank’s is the consummate professional who has long held a commitment to learning as much as he could about the law enforcement profession which has been evident by the training seminars he has volunteered to attend. Often these courses enabled Frank to become a trainer himself sharing his expertise to the staff of the department. He was a “Use of Force” instructor providing his experience and insight to the nuances of using lethal and non-lethal weapons all governed by his compassion for people and the sanctity of human life. His promotion to Sergeant supervising a patrol shift was highlighted by high activity and detailed attention to the job at hand.
His assignment as Detective Sergeant, overseeing all major felony investigations, is highlighted by numerous complex investigations most recently by the arrest of an arsonist who is charged with setting several fires in the downtown area and along Church Hill. This case highlights Frank’s determined and persistent investigative persona where often little evidence is present until his relentless and tenacious pursuit of the case ends with enough evidence and probable cause to make the arrest!
Although no one person is irreplaceable to an organization, it is recognized that Frank comes close and his contributions and work ethic will have lasting impacts upon the Durham Police. While saddened at his resignation from the department we are very pleased that he is fulfilling his life-long dream to follow the legacy of his family at Lawrence. Best of luck Frank!
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Patrol Officer Steve Misek paid a visit to Young's this morning while out walking the beat. Courtesy Craig Stevens
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NEWLY APPOINTED POLICE SERGEANT
Conducting a promotional process is a stressful event for any police agency. Several co-workers compete for the same position and only one can be selected. In a smaller agency like Durham with 20 police officers, promotions are infrequent and a keen interest is focused upon this rare event resulting in some organizational anxiety. Chief Kurz attempts to lessen much of the anxiety by having a clear promotional policy that is validated, fair, and relevant with defined steps and measurable objectives so that all of the highly skilled officers have equal opportunity and ultimately respect the outcome.
In anticipation of replacing Frank Daly’s Sergeant vacancy (described above), a promotional process was recently initiated. The process consisted of a written test purchased from a national company that constructed an examination testing candidates' knowledge in critical law enforcement areas of supervision. Each candidate was provided with text material from which the questions were derived and given a month to study the material.
After the written examination, where each candidate’s score sheets were returned to the vendor for scoring, an “in-basket” exercise focused upon 15 simulated emails all presenting a problem or challenge that needed to be addressed.
Several weeks later, an Oral Board consisting of police managers from Dover Police, Strafford County Sheriff’s Office, and Exeter Police interacted with the candidates and rated their responses.
Finally a review of previous performance evaluations pertaining to each of the candidates was reviewed by command staff and a recommendation made to Chief Kurz.
All of the aforementioned steps were scored, evaluated, and ultimately ranked with the conclusion that Officer Johnathan Lavoie will be promoted to the rank of Sergeant commencing June 9th.
Sergeant Lavoie will accompany several senior Sergeants gaining insight and nuances to supervising a patrol shift in Durham. After several weeks he will be assigned a patrol shift to supervise.
Congratulations to all the candidates for their outstanding efforts and desire to serve Durham, and congratulations to John upon his promotion.
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Durham resident Catherine Geiger, who has
authored a new book, "The Witch Market".
DURHAM RESIDENT AUTHORS BOOK "THE WITCH MARKET"
Eighteen year old Durham native Catherine Geiger, daughter of Armida and Brian Geiger, will be appearing at the locations listed below to present her new book "The Witch Market".
The Witch Market tells the story of a society of people living beneath the futuristic city of BostonMaxia in the year 2090 and follows the lives of four young adults: Cleophas, Quillan, Dana, and Blathnat.
Catherine will talk about the artist whose music inspired and supported her throughout the writing and how she selected the woman who created the artwork of her characters.
Author Appearances:
June 19, 7 pm, Durham Public Library Madbury Rd., Durham, NH
June 22, 4 pm River Run Book Store, 142 Fleet Street, Portsmouth NH
August 23, 12-2pm Main Street Makery, 42A Main Street, Durham, NH
September 10, 6 pm Rochester Public Library, 66 South Main Street, Rochester, NH
To learn more about her book, visit Catherine Geiger on Facebook
Book is available at River Run Bookstore, at all appearances, and on Amazon.
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DRIVEWAY PERMITS
Tis’ the season for re-doing driveways!
A friendly reminder that anyone who wishes to modify (by moving a driveway entrance, paving of an existing gravel drive, or repaving of an existing paved drive) or construct a new driveway from a Town controlled road cannot do so without a written permit issued by the Department of Public Works.
An application for a driveway permit can be obtained from the Public Works Department or by printing the attached PDF. The application fee is $100.
Questions should be directed to Durham Assistant Town Engineer April Talon at (603)-868-5578.
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FOSS FARM WATER TANK REHABILITATION PROJECT GETS UNDERWAY
The Foss Farm Water Tank Rehab Project will get underway next week. For those residents in the Foss Farm neighborhood please be aware that some noise from the contractor’s equipment and work vehicles may be experienced. Painting steel structures requires specific temperature and humidity conditions. When these conditions occur, the Contractor may be working longer hours, including some Saturdays, in order to take advantage of the favorable conditions. This will in the end reduce their overall time on site.
Water pressure in the UNH/Durham Water System will continue to be maintained using the Edgewood Road Water Tank and the Beech Hill Water Tank while the Foss Farm Water Tank is offline for the duration of the project, which is schedule to be completed by the third week of August.
If you have any questions or concerns about the project please do not hesitate to contact either April Talon, atalon@ci.durham.nh.us or David Cedarholm, P.E. Town Engineer dcedarholm@ci.durham.nh.us, 603-868-5578.
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PROPERTY TAX BILLS
First half 2014 property tax bills went out May 27, 2014, and are due July 1, 2014. New taxpayers, if your taxes are in escrow, your mortgage company may hire a tax service to retrieve the billing information directly from the tax collector’s office; however, some mortgage companies will require the taxpayer to send them the bill. If you are unsure which situation applies to you, contact your mortgage company in order to avoid any delay in payment.
REMINDER: If you are unable to make the full payment, it is to your advantage to pay as much as you can, as often as you need, verses waiting until you have the full amount to make payment.
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WATER/SEWER BILLS
The spring water/sewer bills went out May 14, 2014, and are due June 14, 2014. Postmark is accepted as payment date.
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DOGS, DOGS, DOGS!
Dog licenses are OVERDUE! There are still 557 dogs that need licenses renewed. Please, license your dog(s) immediately to avoid additional late fees and civil forfeiture fees. State law requires the Town Clerk to insure compliance, this means additional costs to the town for certified mailings and even sending the police to deliver notices in hand.
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Them Travelin' Birds will perform at the Durham Farmers' Market on Monday, June 16th.
STORYTELLING AND MUSIC AT THE DURHAM FARMERS' MARKET
On Monday, June 16th join the Durham Farmers’ Market for storytelling by The Coyote’s Inkwell, hosted by Durham Parks & Recreation Department. Durham storyteller Michael Lang began The Coyote’s Inkwell in 2011. Whether telling an original tale or putting a new twist on an old favorite, his stories entertain, educate, and inspire.
Storytelling will run from 3-5pm, with stories starting at 3:30, 4:00, and 4:30.
There will also be live music at market this week! Them Travelin' Birds is a rambling acoustic folk duo from Oakland, California who have been on the road for the past 8 months, traveling from town-to-town sharing their music all across the continental US.
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FARMERS' MARKET BUZZ: IT'S BEE APPRECIATION DAY!
See all the delicious apples, tomatoes and summer squash at the farmers' market? Bees make it all possible. And bees are having a tough time of it these days. That's why the Seacoast Growers Association is celebrating bees and all of their excellent work with Bee Appreciation Day at the Durham and Exeter Farmers' Markets.
Bee Appreciation Day at the Durham Farmers' Market takes place on Monday, June 23 from 2:15-6pm in the parking lot behind the Town Office Building. Special guest Carol Tuveson from the Durham Agricultural Commission will be setting up a portable hive to give market visitors a closer look at our local honey bees.
"The observation hive is about 2 feet long," she describes, "with frames of bees in the bottom out of sight, and one frame of bees in the top 'story' behind plexiglas that can be observed." It is a closed hive with the bees secured inside, giving curious viewers the incredible opportunity to get as close as they want to these fascinating insects.
"What people will see is a bee colony bustling around, moving from the top to the bottom," says Tuveson.
Next, Bee Appreciation Day at the Exeter Farmers' Market takes place on Thursday, June 26 from 2:15-6pm along the Swasey Parkway. This time, regular vendor Coombs Farm will bring an empty hive to explore. Market visitors can see what it's really like inside those familiar, drawer-like white boxes full of honeycomb. Victory Bees will be at market selling local honey and honeycomb, ready to answer all kinds of bee questions.
"We're also hosting a Pollinator Photo Contest," explains SGA Market Manager Krysti Battistelli, "because it isn't just the honey bees doing all the pollinating!" Battistelli encourages market patrons to take photos of bees and other pollinators (think ants, moths and even hummingbirds) and post them on the Durham and Exeter Market Facebook pages. All photos submitted by June 22 will be displayed at the SGA market booth during each Bee Appreciation Day, and the public will be able to vote on their favorite. The winning entry will receive $10 in Market Money gift certificates.
For more information on the markets, Bee Appreciation Day, and links to the market Facebook pages, visit www.seacoastgrowers.org.
Busy entrance to an active hive. Courtesy Victory Bees
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PEASE AIRPORT NOISE COMPATIBILITY STUDY COMMITTEE – A Contact Number to Report Airplane Noise Concerns or to Learn More about Scheduled Flight Activity
Many years ago a Pease Airport Noise Compatibility Study Committee was formed to address noise issues within and around communities surrounding the airport at Pease. Durham’s representative to the committee is Durham resident Lee Seidel who resides in Canney Farms.
A website has been set up to log noise concerns at http://peasedev.org/. Once on the website click on contact us then click on noise complaints located on the left side of the page.
Residents can also leave a message on the noise line at 603-436-6333 to report concerns.
Pease also has a recorded line that the public can call to receive information on the daily transient activity scheduled at the airport. The scheduled transient activity number is 603-433-0032.
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Work continues at the new Town Hall with the start of the new window installation. This photo is of the 3 new windows located on the second story along the Mill Pond Road side of the building.. Courtesy Craig Stevens
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THE LATEST PRODUCTIONS FROM DCAT STUDIOS
Helping a New England Native: The New England Cottontail Rabbit, Saturday & Sunday @ 10:30 AM and 8:30 PM - Run time: 1:50
Young forests provide essential homes for a large variety of native wildlife and we are losing both at a rapid rate in New Hampshire. Among the species that are sufering is the New England cottontail, the region’s only native rabbit. We can take action to reverse the decline. Come learn about upcoming efforts on nearby NH Fish & Game lands to provide habitat for New England cottontails and nearly 65 other young forest wildlife. Also learn how some of your own neighbors are making an essential contribution in maintaining our wildlife legacy on their lands and how you can help too. Together, we can make sure that New Hampshire’s diverse array of wildlife survives for future generations to enjoy while providing people more opportunities to hear and see all of our treasured wildlife. This video is also available on the Town’s On Demand site.
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“Town Conversations: Change or Be Changed”, Saturday & Sunday @9:00 AM and 6:00 PM - Run time: 49:00
Join your host David Williams as he chats with interesting people in our community, this is the first in a series of conversations about Our Town. The premier episode has David in frank conversation with Durham Town Administrator Todd Selig, listen as Administrator Selig draws a picture of the challenges and opportunities facing Durham. Periodically, Town Conversations invite a clearer understanding of who we are as a Town, how we arrived at where we are, and what direction(s) we might go in the future. Facilitated by David Williams, Planning Board Secretary. Questions may be referred to David via email, home14@comcast.net. This program is also available Town’s On Demand site.
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Chief Kurz: Community Discussion Regarding Drugs in our Schools, Saturday & Sunday @ 4:30 PM - Run time: 1:12
Join Durham Police Chief David Kurz & School Resource Officer Holly Malasky as they discuss the current situation of drugs in our schools and what we can do as parents, community members to reduce drug use in our community. Sponsored by ORCSD Cross School Committee Parent Group. This video is also available on our On Demand site.
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These videos are also available for viewing on the Town’s On Demand site.
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Each year, early in May, beautiful Baltimore Orioles migrate through Durham. Resident Carden Welsh caught these two at his feeder this spring.
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MEETINGS: SCHEDULE AND VIDEO ON DEMAND
The following public meetings are scheduled for the coming week All meetings begin at 7:00 PM and are held in the Council chambers at the Durham Town Hall unless otherwise indicated below.
Town Council - Monday, June 16, 2014. To view an agenda and other information, click HERE.
Economic Development Committee - Tuesday June 10, 2014. To view an agenda and other information, click HERE.
All meetings recorded on DCAT are available on DVD at the Durham Public Library for checkout and viewing.
VIDEO ON DEMAND: Meetings can also be viewed via Video on Demand. Interested viewers can access the streaming site from the Town’s website at http://ci.durham.nh.us/ by clicking the DCAT on demand logo, or directly at http://dcat.pegcentral.com/.
Durham Public Library Board of Trustees meeting schedule, please click HERE.
DCAT Programming Schedule, please click HERE.
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LAMPREY RIVER RECREATION - Hike It, Bike It, Like It
The Lamprey River is a great place to pursue many recreational activities. This summer, the Lamprey Rivers Advisory Committee will lead participants on three low-impact, family-friendly activities. The first will involve exploring the human and natural history of the Wiswall Falls area in Durham on June 22.
The Wiswall Falls area is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This now quiet place once served as an industrial hub in Durham. Come learn the rich history of the site and how the site continues to be relevant today. After the short history walk, explore some of the natural features of the area and enjoy a nice picnic lunch by the Lamprey River.
Meet June 22 10:00-noon at the Wiswall Falls parking lot on Wiswall Road. Bring your own lunch and blanket. If you plan to explore the area’s natural features after the history walk, please be aware that poison ivy is present. Please contact spetersen.lrac@comcast.net if you have any questions.
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UNH SUMMER CAMPS
There are still openings in some UNH summer youth programs:
SYMS (Summer Youth Music School) – deadline June 15
Art Camps (some sessions are full)
Writer’s Academy (some sessions are full)
Athletic Camps (some sports are full)
Camp Wildcat (limited spots in Session II only)
NH 4-H Teen Conference
Project SMART (Science Institute)
Sailing and Kayaking at Mendums Pond
Theatre & Dance (some programs are full)
Aquatics programs (swim lessons)
Online programs – Reading, Writing and Storytelling with Harry Potter
and Investigating Homicide
Visit the summer youth program website at http://www.unh.edu/youth-programs/ for more information and to register today!
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One of the ponds created by Julian Smith at his property on Packers Falls Road. Courtesy Monica Smith
TOUR OF PONDS AT BAYOU NEW HAMPSHIRE
The Seacoast Water Garden Club will begin its annual tour of local water gardens this Sunday, June 15th, at "Bayou New Hampshire", 246 Packers Falls Road in Durham. Over the last forty-five years, resident and Town Council member Julian Smith has created marshes, wetlands, and more than a dozen ponds, some with the help of beavers, in what was once the bottom of a meadow ditched and drained for several centuries.
The ponds are connected by mown paths, footbridges, and a level crushed stone path across the top of a beaver dam. The tour is free between nine and noon and after four, but from noon until four, admission is four dollars, all proceeds to benefit the York Center for Wildlife.
Smith will be available to give guided tours starting every hour on the hour--and maps with descriptions are available for self-guided tours.
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PARKS AND RECREATION PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
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.
On The Go!: Adventure Trips for Active Adults
June 25th – Cirque Du Soleil Varekai & Portland Pie Company
July 31st – Boston Duck Boat Tour, Prudential Center, & Legal Sea Foods.
Ready to get UP and GO? Find out how HERE
Music By The Bay Summer Concert Series Kickoff – June 21st. Join us for the first, FREE show of the 2014 Summer Concert Series! BLISS will be playing at Wagon Hill Farm from 6pm to sundown on Saturday, June 21st. Did we mention this is also the first official day of summer?! Bring a picnic, bring a friend, bring the family, and celebrate with us!
R.E.A.C.H. Summer Camp 2014 – Sign Up Today!
Ropes Course (Browne Center)
ARTastic
Attitash Mountain Adventure (Attitash)
Broadway Stars
Outdoor Experience
Kayaking and Overnight Camping (Wagon Hill Farm)
Mad Science – Mad Machines & Crazy Contraptions
Outdoor Rock Climbing & Rappelling (Pawtuckaway State Park – Lead by UNH Outdoor Education Artificial Wall Manager, Nate Fitch!)
The Hunger Games – Archery (Lead by Archery In Motion!)
Unlikely Sports
Water Country
View the camp schedule and register HERE
ORMS students gave a presentation this week to the Parks & Recreation Committee of the draft signs they designed for the Interpretive Trail. Courtesy Stefanie Frazee
Expeditionary Learning Project Update - ORMS students presented drafts of the signs they’ve designed for the Interpretive Trail to the Parks & Recreation Committee this week. Come join us next Wednesday, and see for yourself what they’ve been up to! You’ll learn about wetlands/grasslands, The Davis Garrison and farmhouse, gundalows, oysters, shurbs, the wagon, and MUCH more! Students from the Osprey and Crow teams will be leading tours starting at 11 and 12:30!
On your next visit to Wagon Hill Farm, please be mindful of where you and your pets are walking. Stay within the designated areas, and leave only footprints! The Interpretive Trail initiative is a progressive project, aimed at creating more awareness of the historical significance, ecological diversity, and conservation issues of the past, present, and future at Wagon Hill Farm.
Fitness for Life: View our weekly calendar and class descriptions HERE!
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Save the Date:
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Music by the Bay Summer Concert Series - Kick off June 21st with BLISS! - Find out more HERE
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Camp R.E.A.C.H. – 7/14 – 8/22
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Durham Day – Saturday, Sept. 27th
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COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
The ORMS Jazz Band will perform at the Portsmouth Muic Hall on Saturday, June 14th. See more information below. Photo provided by Kellie Schroeder
SAVE THE DATE: 2nd Annual Durham Farm Day, Saturday, August 16th, 10am-5pm. Organized by the Durham Agricultural Commission.
Main Street Makery Offering Community Classes. The Main Street Makery, located at 42A Main Street, is offering a number of community classes for the month of June. To view the schedule of classes, click HERE.
Durham Farmers' Market - Every Monday from 2:15 - 6:00 PM at the Durham Town Hall
Father's Day sale at Echo Thrift Shop. All men's clothing is half off until June 14.
Boy Scouts of America Pack 154 EVENT POSTPONED UNTIL FRIDAY, JUNE 20TH: 6:30-7:30pm, ORMS field. Cub Pack 154 will hold its annual bottle rocket end-of-year celebration and invites boys (1st–5th grade), who are thinking of joining next September, to come along and join the fun. More information, contact Muriel Kelly Murielkelly@mac.com.
ORCSD Community Picnic, Saturday, Jun 14, 2014, 12:00 noon - 4:00PM, ORHS. To benefit End 68 Hours of Hunger Oyster River
Silent Film Night at Portsmouth Music Hall, with the ORMS Jazz Band and Studio Orchestra, under the direction of award winning New Hampshire music teacher David Ervin, Saturday, Jun 14, 2014, 7:00 PM. Safety Last is a romantic comedy as well as a gripping thriller. Tickets/$15 can be purchased by calling or visiting the Music Hall Box Office: 603-436-2400, 28 Chestnut Street, Portsmouth, NH. Online purchase at http://www.themusichall.org/
Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University (FPU) Class, Durham Evangelical Church. Each Monday evening beginning Jun 16, 2014, 6:30-8:30 PM. FPU is a 9 week course that covers the basics of personal finance from how money affects relationships, budgeting and cash flow management to retirement and college planning. Free and open to the public. Registration and materials are required and can be obtained through the Dave Ramsey Website. More information, contact Jean-Paul Gauthier, financialpeace@durhame.org.
One World Language School. Chinese, French, German, and Spanish classes for children ages 3 and up; using a fun, activities-based approach to engage children at every level. Classes: Thursdays at Moharimet starting in October. Information session: Thursday, Jun 19th, Moharimet, 5:00-6:30 pm. Registration for 2014-2015 year begins week of Jun 9th. Contact Julie Reece, julie.reece@oneworldlanguageschool.org, 866-0364. Website
Bobcat Bolt 5K Run/Walk benefiting the ORHS Josh & Nate Hary Awards, Saturday, Jun 21, 2014, 9AM, ORHS ($30 entry). 10:15AM Kids Fun Run ($10 entry). Register HERE.
Oyster River Festival, Saturday, Jun 21, 2014, 9AM - 1:30PM, ORHS. Free music concert featuring ORMS Jazz Band & Rockspring (local rock-grass band). Free kids activities, Festival BBQ, local business exhibitors. Proceeds benefit OR youth initiatives. More information HERE.
Fundraiser/Mixer Hosted by the Oyster River Alumni Association, Saturday, Jun 21, 2014, 8 - 11 PM, Libby's Bar & Grill. Open to the public. Live music and free appetizers. Cash Bar. $10 suggested at the door. Donation benefits the ORAA Scholarship for Oyster River Community Organizing and the Oyster River Mini Grant Initiative. More information HERE.
Vacation Bible School, Community Church of Durham, UCC - Sunday, June 22nd 10:00-11:30 am; Monday to Thursday; Jun 23rd-26th, 9:00 am -12:00 noon. Each day will include crafts, Bible stories, and activities focusing on environmental themes. Open to all community children. For more information contact Paula Norbert, 603-868-1230 or email cedirector@CCDurham.org.
Garden Plots Available at Saint George's Episcopal Church. Four organic 4'x4' raised beds and one organic 4'x8' raised bed available. Use fee (reimbursement for town water) is $10 for a 4'x4' bed and $20 for a 4'x8' bed. For more information contact Laura Williford at stgeorgesgardens@comcast.net or the church office at 603-868-2785.
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DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
A couple of young patrons enjoying the library sculpture! Courtesy DPL
Summer Reading Registration, “Fizz, Boom, Read!” continues this week! Our 5 week program will run from June 23rd through July 25th. Prizes, performers (science and magic), science experiments, 3-D printers, open mic night, animals, storytimes, xbox night, writing group, children’s museum, games… Don’t miss it. Check out our website for details. Ages 12 & under and all are welcome!
New Photography Exhibit at the Library! Patsy Pratt Photographs - You don't want to miss photographs of backyard critters from local award winning photographer Patsy Pratt's backyard. Chipmunks, wild turkeys, finches, dragonflies, bumble bees and more are on view during June on the gallery upstairs..
McGregor Memorial EMS CPR Course, Tues. June 17th, 6:00-8:00 p.m. - Visit cprsafe.org for information and to register. Fee is $20.00
Local Author Visit, Catherine Geiger, Author of “The Witch Market”, Thurs. June 19th, 7:00-8:00 pm. - Talented local author, Catherine Geiger visits the Durham Library. Join us as she talks about her new book "The Witch Market". Catherine's book will be available for purchase and signing.
River Runners Training, Thurs. June 26th, 7:00-9:00 p.m. - River Runners: Invasive Aquatic Plant Identification and Monitoring Workshop. 7:00-9:00 p.m. Help protect your favorite rivers and streams by learning how to identify and monitor invasive aquatic plants with the New Hampshire Rivers Council's River Runners citizen science project. Members of conservation commissions, Local River Management Advisory Committees, Volunteer River Assessment Programs, budding citizen scientists, paddlers, and everyone interested in their rivers are invited. Volunteers are asked to monitor one site at least one time between June and October. The workshop is free, but registration is required. For more information or to register, please contact the Rivers Council at info@nhrivers.org or (603) 228-6472. Our partner is PREP. http://www.nhrivers.org
Week 1 of Summer Reading
Family Movie Night, Mon. June 23rd, 6:00 p.m. – “The Lego Movie” (All ages, Oyster River Room). Popcorn is served.
Storytime, Tues. June 24th, 10:30 a.m.: Color and Lights (All ages, Story Time/Craft Room). We read stories, do fingerplays, songs, feltboard and a craft.
9-12 year old group. Tues. June 24th 6:30-7:30 p.m.: Gross Experiments: Get your hands dirty & do some gross experiments! (9-12 yrs.). We’ll also play some games and talk about what you are reading.
YA Writing/Crafting Group, Weds. June 25th, 4:00-5:00 p.m.: Decorate a journal & add to Write-Away blog. (10+ yrs. Sign-up at the Children’s/YA desk).
Music On The Library Lawn, Weds. June 25th, 6:30 p.m.! (All ages, outside*) Dan Walker Singer/Songwriter. Come hear this talented musician! Bring your blankets and lawn chairs. In case of rain we’ll be in the Oyster River Room.
3D Printing with Dave Langley, Thurs. June 26th, 10:30 a.m. (All ages) - Learn to create and print in 3D on a real 3D printer (All ages).
6-8 year old Activity Hour, Thurs. June 26th, 3:00-4:00 p.m. - Animals! Meet Cynder, an adorable Pet Partner Labradoodle (6-8 yrs.). We read books, play some games, do some puzzles and make a craft.
Xbox Kinect Gaming Night! (10+ yrs.), Thurs. June 26th, 6:30-7:30 p.m. – Come and test your skills. Refreshments are served and prizes won.
Summer Reading Kick-off celebration with “The Magic of Science”! , Friday, June 27th at 10:30 a.m. - Join us & learn the science behind some mystifying magic tricks! Lots of Science Fun. Don’t miss it! (All ages, Oyster River Room).
Join the Durham Public Library Birthday Book Club. Celebrate a child’s birthday in a unique way with a gift of a book to the library. Talk to the children’s librarian at the children’s desk for more details.
Visit the DPL website www.durhampubliclibrary.org for more information.
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FROM "HISTORY IN AN OYSTERSHELL - A BRIEF HISTORY OF DURHAM, NH, 1600 - 1976 written by Philip A. Wilcox and members of the Durham Historic Association
1792 - Off the Dame Road is a boulder, computed to weigh 60 to 70 tons. It was once so perfectly poised on another rock as to be easily moved by one finger. Some years ago curious visitors pried it off its balance. This is a matter of record in Jeremy Belknap's History of New Hampshire.
1792 - The Third Meeting House, financed by sale of pews, was built on site of 2nd House. It was 50' x 40' x 29' high, with balconies on 2 sides, steeple for bell, and spire for weathervane. Torn down in 1849, the lumber was used to build boarding houses at Great Falls.
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