Friday Updates - June 2, 2023

Friday, June 2, 2023

A wreath was laid at the World War II Memorial at the Memorial Day Ceremony on May 29. Courtesy, Todd Selig

On Thursday, 6/1/2023, the Oyster River High School Girl’s Tennis Team won the State Championship. The Durham Police Department was able to celebrate with the team by providing them with an escort through town and back to the High School. Congratulations girls on a great and undefeated season!

UPDATE ON 2023 REVALUATION PROCESS

During the month of May, the Town’s consultants at Municipal Resources, Inc. (MRI) completed all callback appointments, database table adjustments, and field review drive-by inspections. While finalizing values, a variety of database reports were generated to help review valuation outliers and data inaccuracies. Additionally, MRI carefully reviewed the sales analysis reports, ensuring that property assessments have been updated to fair market value.

Town Approval & Informal Reviewing Hearings. MRI anticipates finalizing preliminary values to review with Assessor Jim Rice by the first week of June, allowing a few days to review before mailing preliminary value notices. Once preliminary values have been finalized and notices have been mailed, property value information will be published on the Town website and valuation books with value lists will be available at the Town Hall. Informal review hearings are planned for 6/24/23-6/30/23 with a mix of Zoom, phone or in- person hearings. In-person hearings will take place at the Town Hall Council Chambers. All hearings are conducted through MRI, not by the Town’s Assessing Department staff.

Town Council Chair, Sally Needell speaks at the Memorial Day Ceremony on May 29 with Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Corrow (Retired) and CAPT Lee Alexander (Retired) behind her. Courtesy, Todd Selig

EPPING WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT BY-PASS OPERATIONS OF PARTIALLY TREATED EFFLUENT INTO LAMPREY RIVER HALTED FOR TIME BEING

As of May 29, 2023, the Town of Epping's emergency bypass treatment system was shut off and Epping stopped bypassing partially treated effluent into the Lamprey River.

All influent is currently being treated.  

OYSTER RIVER MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL JAY RICHARD TO TAKE POSITION AS PRINCIPAL AT CONCORD MIDDLE SCHOOL NEXT NEAR

Mr. Richard informed the Oyster River Middle School (ORMS) staff that he has accepted the principal position at Concord's middle school. We all wish him the very best. He has served ORMS for well over a decade and will be missed.

Superintendent Jim Morse has indicated that the timing of Mr. Richard’s resignation, July 1, 2023, is not ideal to conduct a full principal search. Potential candidates will already have signed their contract for the 2023-2024 school year and, as a result, limit the candidate pool. To ensure continuity, Supt. Morse has decided to appoint Assistant Principal Bill Sullivan as interim principal with the understanding that the position would officially open in January 2024, at which point, the district will do a full search. 

Next year is also Supt. Morse’s last school year before retirement, so another advantage of starting a full search in January 2024 is that the District’s next Superintendent will be able to participate as part of the interview process.

Candidates will be evaluated by a full interview committee represented by teachers, support staff, parents, and board members. A process identical to other principal positions the District has previously filled at Moharimet, Mast Way, and ORHS. The goal is to have a full-time principal at the middle school for July 2024.

Supt. Morse has extended a thank you to the ORCSD community for supporting Mr. Sullivan and appreciates his willingness to be interim principal for the 2023-2024 school year. 

Scouts BSA Troop 154 is headquartered at the Community Church of Durham, but serves the youth population of Durham, Lee, Madbury and beyond. Founded in 1923, the troop is celebrating 100 years of continuous service, leadership and community building in our towns.

In honor of such a huge milestone, there have been several events planned to celebrate in the community and with families and friends.

A few quick facts about Troop 154:

• In 100 years, over 100 scouts have achieved Eagle, the highest rank in Scouting.
• In 2019 one of the first Girls’ troops in New Hampshire was started and in 2023 there is hope to honor the first female Eagle Scout.
• Service projects are continually done in the member towns. In Durham last year, there was participation in the Memorial Day ceremony, the putting of flags on veterans’ graves, and the building of wood duck nest boxes in Longmarsh, a bridge in the Stolworthy preserve, and an oyster crane at the Town Landing, to name a few.

If you were a member of Troop 154 in the past, please click HERE and contact the Troop. Troop 154 is looking to reconnect with former members, leaders and families, and they would love to see you at the annual picnic on June 14th.

If you have youth aged 11-17 and are interested in learning more, please check out the website HERE. Stop by and visit the Troop at Durham Day on June 3rd, or at Madbury Day on September 9th. 

Rebecca McEwan, Tom Richardson, Amy Keesee, Frank Taylor

Troop 154 Leadership Team

CAPT Lee Alexander (Retired) at the Memorial Day Ceremony, May 29 Courtesy, Todd Selig

DID YOU KNOW? - Recycling Bottles & Jars

You DO NOT need to wash those bottles and jars out before you recycle them!

Make sure you empty any standing liquid and give it a quick rinse to remove food residue (OR if you're conserving water and the jar had something thicker in it, like mayonnaise, you can just give it a wipe out instead!) and toss it into your recycling bin. That's it!

You don't have to scrub bottles and jars, you don’t have to remove the labels, you don't have to put them through the dishwasher, just dump, rinse (or wipe), toss - and you're done!

But what about the cap?

All caps should be put back on the containers before recycling - even if they are made of a different material.

Source: nrrarecycles.org

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

James Oshima, a student at Oyster River High School and member of scout troop 154, delivers the Gettysburg Address at the Memorial Day Ceremony on May 29 with Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Corrow (Retired) and CAPT Lee Alexander (Retired) behind. Courtesy, Todd Selig

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 #22

RIDE IN A SINGLE FILE ON THE STREET WITH YOUR FRIENDS.

By staying in a single line, no one is riding their bike in a traffic lane and it is much safer. For more information, click HERE.

Fire Chief Dave Emanuel on an antique fire truck at the Memorial Day Ceremony on May 29 Courtesy, Todd Selig

PART-TIME SEASONAL PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WANTED

The Durham, NH Police Department is seeking applicants for the part-time position of Seasonal Parking Enforcement Officer (PEO). Applicants selected to serve as the part-time PEO will enforce state and local parking laws and ordinances for our nationally accredited police department. This position works flexible hours during the University of New Hampshire academic school year. Part-time parking officers will not work holidays, summertime months, or any time the University is not in session. This position pays $16.00 an hour.

PEO duties will include state law and local ordinance enforcement, collection of parking meter monies, parking meter repair, traffic direction and control, some radio communications, maintaining access to meters during the winter, and other duties as assigned or as applicable. Training and uniforms will be provided.

Minimum qualifications for this position include a high school diploma or GED, the ability to walk and/or stand for a minimum of 8 hours each day, lift/carry a minimum of 50 pounds for short distances, and must read, write, and verbally communicate in the English language. Applicants must have a valid driver’s license. The qualified candidate will be subject to a background check and reference check.

Your Letter of Interest and Resume should be emailed to Sandra Hebert at: shebert@ci.durham.nh.us. This position will remain open until filled.

The anticipated starting date from this selection process is Monday, August 14, 2023. This date is subject to change.

Durham Police Color Guard at the Memorial Day Ceremony, May 29 Courtesy, Todd Selig

OYSTER RIVER HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR WEEK AND GRADUATION JUNE 5-9 - Congratulations, Bobcats!

The Oyster River Cooperative School District would like to recognize and celebrate the Class of 2023. High school Graduation will be held on Friday, June 9, at the Oyster River High School Stadium at 6 pm. The ceremony will be live streamed HERE. Water and flowers will be available for purchase and sold by the Red Cross Club and Sophomore officers. Rain date is Saturday, June 10, at 7:00 pm.

OYSTER RIVER HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE SHOWCASE MONDAY, JUNE 5

The community is invited to the Oyster River High School Library this Monday, June 5 between 6:00 and 7:30 pm to learn about the primary research Oyster River students have been doing over the course of the school year. This is an opportunity for anatomy and environmental science students to celebrate and share the fruit of their work with the community. Students will offer presentations, discuss their lab reports, and have posters to illustrate their research. Topics include sustainability, water quality, bio-mechanics, and the nervous system.

UNH SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMS HAVE OPENINGS STILL AVAILABLE!

UNH Summer Youth Programs are still open for enrollment. With offerings in the arts, athletics, STEM, and more, the Summer Youth Programs are a great way for your child to explore their interests, learn new skills, and have fun this summer. Program examples include:

• EPIC – a computing course for grades 4-7 designed to inspire the next generation of computing innovators by engaging young students in learning computational thinking skills and programming fundamentals.
• KEEPERS – a STEM program for grades 2-4 with an expanded curriculum including general science, technology, engineering, math and lots of ART!
• Sailing – an affordable sailing, kayaking, and stand-up paddle boarding program for students ages 5-18 of any sailing ability. This program is held at the UNH Community Sailing Centre at Mendum’s Pond.
• Writer’s Academy – a program for young writers to put their creative juices to work and improve their skills in a relaxed-yet-challenging environment.
• Theatre & Dance STARS Camps - day camps for students in Grades 1-12 that cover a wide variety of skills and genres: storytelling, musical theatre, drama, dance and much more! Camps culminate in a performance for family and friends.

Check out the rest of the programs and enroll today by clicking HERE.