Friday Updates - June 14, 2024

Friday, June 14, 2024

Durham Reservoir. Courtesy, Rick Ouellette

Tomorrow, Saturday June 15th, will be a beautiful day for a Revolution: 1774! The program starts promptly at 11 am on the banks of the Oyster River with the Star Spangle Banner by our very own Linette Miles. 

Remember to bring a beach chair, sunscreen and hat, reusable water bottle (well water awaits!). a carpool partner, a fistful of dollars for raffle and games tickets, comfortable shoes and your curiosity! 

Route 108 will be closed from Laurel Lane to Dover Road from 11:30 am to approximately 11:50 am for the reenactor parade. Please spread the word! 

Don’t wait a half-century for another chance to celebrate the first military action of the American Revolution! For more information, please visit www.revolution-1774.org

NH STATE PRIMARY ELECTION FILINGS

The following people have filed to run in the 2024 NH State Primary – House of Representatives. Durham did not receive any candidate flings for Delegates of the Republican State Convention. Durham did not receive any Republican candidate filings for NH State Representative.

District 10 (4) Dem

1. Gale Bailey
2. Tim Horrigan
3. Loren Selig
4. Marjorie Smith
5. Wayne Burton

District 20 (FL) (1) Dem

1. Al Howland 

*The Durham Town Clerk’s Office may only accept candidate filings for NH State Representatives and Delegates for the Republican State Convention that are domiciled in Durham, NH.  

**Delegates for the Democratic State Convention are managed by the Democratic State Committee. Filings for all other offices are completed through the NH-Secretary of State’s Office.

REFUSE AND RECYCLING SCHEDULE FOR JUNETEENTH WEEK

There will be NO changes to refuse and recycling collection on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.

The Raymond A. LaRoche Sr., Transfer Station and Recycling Center will remain open on Tuesday, June 18 and Saturday, June 22, 2024.

Nice to look at but don't touch! Poison ivy patch. Courtesy, Carol Birch

TOWN COUNCIL ADOPTS ANNUAL GOALS FOR DURHAM

At the Town Council’s April 1st meeting, Council members began discussing the process for the development of goals for the upcoming year. At the Town Council meeting on April 15, 2024, the Council was presented with a draft document including Council members’ suggestions for changes/additions to the goals. The discussion on the draft was continued until the Council meeting on May 6, at which time Councilors began to work their way through a consolidated document. 

Administrator Selig updated that document to reflect the May 6 discussion, and the Council reviewed it once again at the meeting on May 20th. Further revisions were then made based on Council suggestions, which were reviewed and modified at the June 3, 2024 meeting. 

Following discussion, the Council voted to adopt the goals. Council goals generally have a 1-3 year time horizon.

To download a copy of the newest approved Council goals, please click HERE.

Last week we received a really good question from a resident about what to do if you see a turtle either alongside the road or trying to cross the road. We reached out to the experts at UNH to learn more.  Dr. Jennifer Purrenhage from the UNH Natural Resources and the Environment Department graciously provided the following response…

“May-June is a particularly active time of year in this area to encounter turtles on roads. Snapping turtles and painted turtles spend most of their time in and around ponds, but the females must migrate after breeding to find good nesting sites. They move away from ponds across the land to find good spots to dig nests and lay eggs before migrating back to the ponds shortly thereafter. Other turtles in our area—Blanding’s turtles and spotted turtles—also migrate away from ponds to nest, but both males and females also spend much of the summer wandering among different kinds of ponds and wetlands and so we can sometimes see these species moving across roads for a longer period of time (not just in spring and early summer). 

As your resident David indicated, it is best (when possible to do safely) to help a turtle move across the road by moving it in the direction it is already heading. Sometimes, as David experienced, a turtle may turn around a head back, but there is really no way to prevent that other than moving the turtle as far off the road as possible. In other words, rather than moving a turtle across a road and leaving it just on the edge of the pavement, it’s great to move it to the grass/sand/forest floor ≥20 ft or so beyond the other side of the road (again, if it’s possible to do this safely).

For many of us, the impulse is to always pull over and walk into the road to help move turtles across, but the reality is that on some very busy roads during high traffic, that can be too dangerous. 

The question was about snapping turtles. Snapping turtles, as David noted, can be a bit intimidating to pick up. It’s always important to keep your hands at the shell behind the snapping turtle’s back legs (for your own safety) and to never pick up a snapping turtle by its tail (for the turtle’s safety—the tail is connected to the backbone and carrying a turtle by the tail can seriously injure the turtle). Snapping turtles’ necks are very long so folks should be mindful of staying by the hind legs/back of shell. For most snappers, I use the method David mentioned---pick it up by the back of the shell and carry it across. For the largest individuals, this may be untenable for some people to do without possible injury to themselves or to the turtle. If you’re on a smaller side road, you can sometimes put your blinkers on and act as a guide to alert other drivers to the crossing turtle and just wait patiently while it crosses at its own pace. Sometimes walking up behind a turtle will encourage it to move more swiftly on its own without the need to pick it up. 

I realize this message is approaching short-story length (be careful what you ask of turtle-nerds), but please feel free to reach out for any clarifications or with other questions and thanks for helping those turtles move across the busy landscape we’ve created.

One last note: We have a relatively new resource for injured turtles in our area … New Hampshire Turtle Rescue, based in Nottingham, NH (603-417-4944). Anyone who encounters injured turtles can call NHTR for rehabilitation of that turtle. If a female turtle is killed on roadway but is carrying eggs, the folks at NHTR may even be able to extract and incubate those eggs so the babies have a chance. Due to limited resources, they can typically only afford to extract and incubate eggs from our endangered Blanding’s turtles and threatened spotted turtles. But they are a great resource for your residents!

Happy belated World Turtle Day (May 23)!”

Karen Dyer found this cute little stuffed lamb yesterday late morning in the crosswalk at the top of Littlehale Road. If anyone’s little one lost it, you can contact Karen at kldyer8890@comcast.net

DHA ANNUAL PICNIC TO BE HELD ON SUNDAY, JUNE 23

Pack your picnic supper and join the Durham Historic Association on Sunday, June 23, at the Milne Nature Sanctuary from 4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. to explore this peaceful park on Mill Pond Road. Diana Carroll will share her recollections of her long relationship with Margery and Lorus Milne, the Keepers of the Swans, who gave this land to the Town. Parking is limited in the area to about 20 cars, so plan to carpool, contact a friend in Faculty Development to share their driveway, or walk from the Town Hall or Community Church parking lots.

DINE AT TIDELINE THURSDAY, JUNE 27, AND SUPPORT "SAVE OUR STEEPLE"

The Community Church of Durham is raising money to repair the church steeple. From 5:00 - 7:00 pm on Thursday, June 27, 10% of the proceeds from purchases at Tideline Public House will be donated to the Save Our Steeple Community Campaign. Thanks for your support!

UPDATE FROM DURHAM LAND USE BOARDS

Planning Board: The Planning Board is focusing on several zoning amendments now. It continues work on a Workforce Housing Ordinance. The proposal would create an overlay district in several parts of town where an affordable housing development could be built. There are many issues to address – density, percentage of units that would be affordable, levels of income to be covered (median, moderate, low-moderate), types of housing, whether to focus on the workforce or general population, amount of open space to be required, other uses to be allowed, etc.. The board is continuing work on a comprehensive review of the zoning ordinance. The ordinance is frequently amended as issues arise but it has not been substantially rewritten in a long time. This is a multi-year project. The board will be developing a Planned Unit Development ordinance soon in response to UNH’s plans for The Edge. At the moment the Planning Board has some time for these special projects since there are few development applications.

Conservation Commission: The Conservation Commission is reviewing a new draft Wetland and Shoreland Overlay District. Once it is completed, the commission will forward the document to the Planning Board for consideration. The commission reviewed plans on Monday for expansion of UNH’s Jackson Estuarine Laboratory at Adams Point. Land Stewardship Coordinator Sara Callaghan continues to provide excellent guidance to the commission and the Land Stewardship Committee for management of the Town’s outstanding collection of conservation lands.

Historic District Commission: The Historic District Commission recently approved modifications for several important properties – Durham Community Church, St. George’s Church, and 10 Newmarket Road (the distinguished federal-style house opposite Mill Pond Road from Town Hall being restored by owner Susanna Nichols). The commission finished overseeing roundtable discussions about new wording for the former Oyster River Massacre sign. It has been coordinating with Public Works on renovations to the Bickford-Chesley House at Wagon Hill Farm. Members are developing a historical plaque to be placed on the Old Brick Town Hall.

Housing Task Force: The Housing Task Force is planning to hold focus groups with various parties in town to discuss a range of strategies to provide more affordable housing and more housing choices for Durham residents. The task force completed an earlier outreach to employers and workers in town to learn more about housing concerns in general.

An evening at the Oyster River. Courtesy, Carol Birch

An increasing number of Durham residents are bringing compost to the transfer station each week.  Many of you are aware that all food items can be composted with Mr. Fox, the composting business that has partnered with the Town of Durham to pick up at the transfer station. 

In addition to composting food items, did you know there are many other items you can also compost with Mr. Fox at the transfer station? 

Here is a list of some of those additional items.

Compostable Items Mr Fox will accept:

• Brown paper napkins & towels
• Muffin wrappers
• Teabags (staples removed), ground tea
• Coffee grounds & brown coffee filters
• Wooden stirrers 
• Sugar packets
• Natural Corks (from wine bottles)
• Soiled pizza boxes 

Brought to you by the IWMAC Committee

Check us out on Instagram: sustainable.Durham.nh

Questions about recycling or composting: Email us at DurhamRecycles603@gmail.com.

Not sure if an item can be recycled? Check here: www.Recyclesmartma.org

Want to learn more about the Swap Shop? Click HERE

The Great Bay Rotary Club's Summerfest is scheduled for June 22 from 2:00 - 6:00 p.m. To download the full schedule of events, please click HERE.

SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL PROGRAM (SS4A) - Safety Acton Plan

The Town of Durham and Durham Public Works have been working closely with Strafford Regional Planning Commission (SRPC) in the development of a Safety Action Plan through a Federal Grant received by SRPC. This regional grant provides funding to develop a safety action plan for municipalities within the Strafford County region, along with other New Hampshire Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO’s). The Safety Action Plan will be designed to help the region make progress on achieving zero deaths on public roads. 

Following completion of the Safety Action Plan, the Town of Durham will be eligible to request implementation grant funding through the SS4A program.  Durham envisions the inclusion of several Town roadways in this evaluation, including Durham Point Road. Project Consultant, VHB Engineers, has developed a survey to collect direct experience from Durham residents, businesses and stakeholders with transportation safety issues. Your input will help the project Team develop goals and strategies as the project advances. The survey is designed to take up to 15 minutes to complete. Please take a moment to share your thoughts through the survey below. Please share this with anyone in Durham or the region you think would be interested. https://publicinput.com/mposafety.

Construction is underway at the Town of Durham’s Wastewater Treatment Facility as part of the 2023 Major Components Construction Capital Project.

This initial phase of the construction includes replacement of the original 1976 steel aeration piping and installing all new stainless-steel piping and control valves. This work is scheduled to be completed on each of the two aeration treatment trains prior to UNH fall session beginning, when wastewater flows increase substantially.

The next phase of construction includes rehabilitation of deteriorating concrete, areas of interior waste intrusion and the rehabilitation of the primary clarifiers with all new solids collecting motors, drives, and hardware being installed.

In the summer of 2025, both secondary clarifier’s solids collecting mechanisms will be removed and replaced along with stormwater system rehabilitation and site paving. 

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 #24

Now that the temperatures are rising, we all need to be aware of how the sun and heat affect our bodies.  For some helpful tips, click HERE.

FOUR-MILE RUN ON JUNE 15 TO CELEBRATE THE RETIREMENT OF MAST WAY'S MS. BAKER!

Oyster River School District is celebrating the retirement of many amazing educators this spring. Please join the Mast Way School community in a surprise four-mile run (or 1 mile child-friendly fun run) on Saturday, June 15, to honor the career of P.E. Teacher Cathy Baker, who is retiring after 36 years of teaching! Registration begins at 8:00 am at Mast Way School. Race kicks off at 9:00 am. Come join us for one last run with “Ms Baker”!

View from the Kenny Rotner Bridge. Courtesy, Carol Birch

NEWS FROM THE OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL DISTRICT

ORCSD Preschool Enrollment

The ORCSD Preschool Education Program (PEP) is accepting applications for the 2024-2025 school year. For information, please contact PEP Coordinator Diana Eisenhaure at deisenhaure@orcsd.org.

ORCSD Summer Hours

Summer hours are Monday, June 17, to Friday, August 23, 2024. The SAU office will be closed June 19 in observance of Juneteenth and July 5 in observance of Independence Day.

SAU Summer Hours: Monday to Thursday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Schools Summer Schedule:

• Mast Way School: Tuesday to Thursday, 9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.
• Moharimet School: Tuesday to Thursday, 9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.
• Oyster River Middle School: Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
• Oyster River High School: Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.