Friday Updates - June 9, 2023

Friday, June 9, 2023

A fierce beast appeared over the Durham Town Hall sign lintel last weekend. We still do not know who placed it there or how it was placed without anyone noticing. Courtesy, Todd Selig

Congratulations to all of the students and families of the Oyster River High School Class of 2023! Graduation has moved to the Whittemore Center - Friday, June 9. The doors will open at 5pm and the ceremony will begin at 6pm. Families do not need tickets. 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.

Last day of school for Oyster River School District is June 16 with an early release.

Durham's Farmers' Market is now open (!) in the lot at 66 Main Street on Mondays from 2:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Durham Historic District/Heritage Commission members and others will be cleaning out the old farmhouse at Wagon Hill Farm this Monday, June 12. Everyone is welcome to help. Please come by any time after 9:00 am. Wear old clothes and bring work gloves.

OYSTER RIVER HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2023 TOP 10 STUDENTS

The Oyster River Cooperative School District wishes to recognize and congratulate the top 10 students in the Oyster River High School Class of 2023. Valedictorian Kelly Zhang (Durham), Salutatorian Katherine McEwan (Madbury), Maya Ajit (Durham), Henry Hagen (Madbury), Chloe Hawkes (Lee), Haley Pickering (Lee), Zoe Selig (Durham), Siddharth Srivatsan (Lee), Devon Wasiewski (Lee), and Grace Webb (Durham).

A full feature on each student is available on the Oyster River High School's website HERE.

Every five years, the Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP) — a collaboration funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and housed at the University of New Hampshire — brings together all the water quality monitoring data and analysis from around the region to come up with what is essentially a doctor’s report on the health of the Great Bay estuary.

Spoiler alert: the diagnosis is mixed! There are some positive trends, some negative ones, and a whole lot of indicators that are cautionary. But there’s one story above all others that deserves celebration: municipal wastewater plants.

There are 17 wastewater treatment facilities in the communities whose rivers flow into the Great Bay estuary, and several of them — like Durham, Exeter, Newmarket, and Portsmouth’s Peirce Island plant — have made significant investments and operational improvements in recent years. Other communities like Dover, Newington, and Rochester have also made improvements so that collectively, wastewater plants now discharge a fraction of the pollution to our rivers and bays that they did just a few years ago. The new PREP report confirms the levels of harmful nitrogen pollution coming from wastewater facilities is lower now than it’s been since we started measuring it in 2003. That’s good news!

On many other fronts, the news isn’t as good. The amount of stormwater pollution flowing off roads, parking lots and buildings every time it rains is higher than ever as communities continue to encourage new housing and business development and ever so slowly pave over the Seacoast landscape. The new report confirms that stormwater runoff is now the leading source of nitrogen pollution in our waterways.

Can this problem be corrected to give the estuary a shot at recovery? Absolutely. It will take the same level of commitment, people power, and investment to turn the tide on stormwater pollution as it took to address wastewater pollution. What is needed are planning boards, conservation commissions, municipal staff, voters, businesses, and residents across the Seacoast to manage stormwater more effectively, to protect wetlands, to reduce pesticide and fertilizer use, etc.

Melissa Paly, the Great Bay Piscataqua Waterkeeper, writes: “We need to stop granting variances to development projects that chip away at the vegetated buffers that protect our waterways. We need to support our region’s land trusts that protect important landscapes for habitat, water quality, farmland and recreation. We know how to reduce stormwater pollution, but we need political will to make it a priority.” Melissa is right.

A short list of highlights from the 2023 State of Our Estuaries Report, taken from the Executive Summary, include:

• Nitrogen loading from non-point sources increased from the previous period by 15%, influenced in part by increased precipitation in 2017 and 2018. Given forecasts for continued extreme weather, this emphasizes the need to continue improving stormwater management.
• New contaminants of emerging concern are being found in blue mussel tissue at multiple sites in our estuaries; impacts on ecosystem and human health are currently being investigated.
• Since 2017, 16 more NH communities have adopted more protective stormwater management standards; overall 35 out of 52 communities in the Piscataqua Region Watershed have some level of stormwater standards. (Durham has been a leader in this area.)
• Nitrogen loading from point sources such as wastewater treatment facilities is at its lowest level since PREP began regular reporting of this metric in 2003.
• Starting in 2014, eelgrass acreage in the Portsmouth Harbor region has continued to increase.
• There were 5 million oysters at six natural reefs in the Great Bay Estuary in 2020 and 2021. The last time there were more than 5 million oysters was 1998. The region’s oyster aquaculture industry has never been more vibrant; it produced nearly a million oysters in 2021, and 30% of those were used for restoration efforts.
• Propelled by the dam removal in Exeter, total migratory fish returns in the watershed are the highest seen since 1992. 

The 2023 State of Our Estuaries report is an impressive document that provides a detailed diagnosis about the health of our region’s waterways. Check it out HERE.

TIDELINE PUBLIC HOUSE FULLY OPEN TODAY!

Tideline Public House opens its indoor taproom and retail store today, June 9, to accompany the already operating food trucks.

There is an excellent article on Tideline Public House in today's Foster’s Daily Democrat written by Jane Murphy in a Special to Foster’s. The former Town Office building is now open as well so everyone can stop by to check it out when they have an opportunity.

To read this article, click HERE.

Parks & Rec Director, Rachel Gasowski, and Assistant Parks & Rec, Kellie DeSimone at Durham Day June 3. These two individuals just do a great job! Courtesy, Todd Selig

DURHAM'S NEW ASSESSED VALUES TO BE MAILED TO PROPERTY OWNERS BY FRIDAY, JUNE 16th. - Generally speaking, values in town have increased by about 50%.

In accordance with standards set forth by the State of NH Department of Revenue and Assessing Standards Board, Municipal Resources, Inc. the Town of Durham, has completed a reassessment of all properties within the community to equalize assessments at fair market value as of April 1, 2023. Notices regarding the new assessments of residential and commercial/industrial properties will be mailed the week of June 12, 2023. At this point, these revised assessments are preliminary only, as they have not yet been approved by the Town Council.

The Town of Durham engaged the services of two companies to perform the revaluation of all property assessments in Durham. Municipal Resources, Inc. (MRI) updated the assessments of the residential, commercial, and industrial properties. George Sansoucy, PE, LLC is currently updating the assessments of the utility properties, which should be completed by August 1st. The University property assessments were revised in-house by assessor Jim Rice, CNHA. Both companies have been working in conjunction with the Durham Assessor’s Office.

The revised assessments reveal the following preliminary information:



There are a few things to keep in mind when you receive your revised assessment:

1) Unless you’ve made improvements/demolition, your current assessment reflects market value as of April 1, 2018, which is when all assessments in Durham were last updated.

2)  Your revised (new) assessment reflects market value as of April 1, 2023.

3) The real estate market has changed significantly due to market trends over the last 5 years.

4)   Do not use the current tax rate to calculate your property taxes. Based on the Town’s budget and revised assessments, a new tax rate will be determined by the NH Department of Revenue Administration sometime in September in preparation for the December tax bill. Due to the overall increase in property assessments, it is expected that the new tax rate will decrease proportionally.

Once you have reviewed your revised (new) assessment and would like to discuss it in greater detail with a representative from MRI, you may do so by scheduling an appointment on-line or by calling the phone number on the preliminary notification. Instructions will be on the preliminary notice. The meeting place for these appointments will be held at Durham Town Hall, 8 Newmarket Road. Please note, MRI Office staff will not be able to discuss your valuation or answer questions regarding your revised assessment when you call to schedule the appointment. 

If you are unable to attend the meeting, you may send a relative or family member in your place to speak for you; OR you may send a professional representative (lawyer; real estate agent; tax consultant; appraiser, etc.) in your place with a letter of authorization signed by you. If you will not be in Town during the times available and wish to speak to someone regarding your assessment, please call the number and special arrangements will be made to accommodate you. Please do not call the Durham Assessor’s Office to discuss your assessment or to schedule appointments.

Each year, a small group of senior local government managers meet to study the leadership lessons of Gettysburg.  The leadership lessons of the battle of Gettysburg, the leadership styles of those in command as well as those on the battlefield, and the aftermath or disaster recovery of the town of Gettysburg after the battle of 1863 form the core of this site-specific leadership institute offered in conjunction with the Gettysburg Foundation and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). 

Assigned reading for the course has included The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara, a novel about the four days at Gettysburg, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1975.

Mr. Selig has been ordered to report for duty in Gettysburg on June 14, 2023, where rendezvous for transport to the battlefield has been arranged!  

ANNUAL UNH EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM TO BE TESTED MONDAY, JULY 3, 2023

Regular testing of the University of New Hampshire’s Durham campus outdoor notification system will occur Monday July 3, 2023, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The test will include the siren, a “canned” message and a recording signaling the end of the test. The entire exercise will take less than 10 minutes.  

In addition, the university will also simultaneously send test messages through its alert system to registered Durham campus cell phones, and e-mail accounts.

The outdoor notification system is designed to not only alert the campus community when there is imminent danger but also follows up with voice instructions. This two-step approach, called Alert and Inform, helps reduce confusion and restore order. 

Sirens are located on the roof of the MUB, the roof of Morse Hall, A-Lot and the dirt parking lot near the equestrian facility. The system reaches nearly a mile in all directions.  

Contact UNH Police Chief Paul Dean at 862-1427 for more information or with any questions. 

DAME ROAD IS NOW A DESIGNATED SCENIC ROAD

On June 5, 2023 the Town Council voted on a Resolution to designate Dame Road as a Scenic Road. Durham already has 4 scenic roads - Packers Falls Road, Bay Road, Durham Point Road and Bennett Road.

To view the Town's policy on scenic roads, please click HERE. To view State policy on scenic roads, please click HERE.

You're invited! The Durham Historic Association is hosting its annual picnic on Saturday, June 24th, at 5:30pm at the Nutter House, located at 14 Newmarket Road. Adjacent to the Oyster River Dam and Mill Pond, the Nutter house is one of Durham's oldest, circa 1720-1740. In the picture detail it is the yellow house on the right with the center chimney. (Rain date Sunday, June 25th).

Bring your chair and picnic supper to the expansive backyard to meet property owners, DHA’s new Director Myrta Janosz and her husband, Tom. What a grand opportunity to see and enjoy the sound of the water flowing over the dam and to learn of the latest research by DHA’s Vice President Janet Mackie about this historic property.

Parking is available at the Town Hall, on one side of Mill Pond Road, and at the Landing off Old Landing Rd. It is possible to park in the breakdown lane temporarily to unload passengers, chairs, and picnic baskets, before finding a permanent parking spot. This promises to be an enjoyable evening!

Officer Noah Young and Officer Jasdeep Kaur assisted with the cruiser display for Special Olympic athletes and their families. The Special Olympics was held June 3rd at the UNH Whittemore Center. Courtesy, Sergeant Brett Pestana

WITH SMOKE FROM WILDFIRES IN CANADA, SOME RESOURCES FOR POOR AIR QUALITY DAYS IN DURHAM

Many will have seen news reports of poor air quality impacting much of the Northeast these past few days. So far, New Hampshire has not been as directly affected as other regions. However, that could change due to persistent Canadian wildfires that are the primary source of the smoke. Here are some resources which may be helpful to members of the community:

1.     The CDC provides information on reducing the risk of poor air quality caused by wildfire smoke at their website HERE.

2.     Current air quality conditions can be viewed by visiting the AirNow website HERE.

3.     New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services publishes a once-a-week forecast of air quality which can be accessed HERE.

4.     The EPA publishes a smoke and air quality map for the entire region HERE.

While even healthy people can expect to experience symptoms (shortness of breath and nose, throat, and eye irritation) on particularly poor air quality days, those most at risk include young children, older adults, expectant mothers, or those with pre-existing lung or heart diseases.

The Be SMART for Kids table at Durham Day, June 3. Courtesy, Todd Selig

PLANNING BOARD UPDATE - Continued Public Hearing on the Climate Action Master Plan on the next agenda.

The Planning Board is meeting this Wednesday, June 14. The agenda includes a presentation by Brandon Kelly about plans for the large facility at 121 Technology Drive, a public hearing about the Climate Action Master Plan, a conceptual review of a carwash at 28 Dover Road, and continued review of changes to the Definitions section of the Zoning Ordinance. The agenda can be found by clicking HERE. The Planning Board will meet again the following week on June 21. The Board will not meet on June 28 due to the Muslim holiday, Eid al-Adha,.

DID YOU KNOW? - Eliminating Single-use Plastics

Are you looking for expert advice on how to get single-use plastics out of your life? Check out this video link HERE for three easy things you can do to cut back on your disposable plastic use. Please note: the video expert mentions the use of compostable utensils and items. It is true that compostable items cannot be recycled, but if composted properly through our commercial composter, Mr. Fox, it works!

Source: Northeast Resource Recovery Association

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

Durham Human Rights Commission table at Durham Day, June 3. Courtesy, Todd Selig

THE 1ST ANNUAL ROTARY SUMMER FEST IS COMING UP - June 17, 2023. Noon - 6pm.

To be held at UNH's Boulder Field.

There will be:

• Food Trucks & Vendors available the whole time.
• Live Music: Wheel of Awesome, Jordan K, Monkey Fist, and Good Trees River Band
• Cornhole Tournament Starts at 1pm with $1000.00 grand prize
• Bubble Giveaway at Kids Club hosted by Service Credit Union
• Kids Club will also include Giant Jenga Competition, Bouncy House & Giant Slide, Temporary Tattoos and more.
• Visit Artisans and Organization in the Vendor Area 
• Touch-A-Truck in Vendor's Area. 
• Sensory Fidget Making Hosted by Twenty One Senses
• Drawing for a 50/50 Raffle

Durham Public Works, in collaboration with their contractor, Apex Construction, is making significant progress on the construction of the new water booster pump station located on Technology Drive.

Notably, during the past week, a crucial phase of the project was completed with the successful installation of water piping and hydrant assemblies. This milestone will ensure a reliable water supply to the newly constructed station. DPW and Apex Construction carefully coordinated the excavation, trenching, and positioning of the water piping system.

The strategic placement of hydrant assemblies will ensure that the new station is well-equipped for firefighting purposes and facilitates efficient maintenance operations. 

EDGEWOOD ROAD SEWER RELINING PROJECT UPDATE – Construction to Commence Monday June 12th

Durham Public Works has recently awarded a contract to Green Mountain Pipeline Services, Inc. for the Edgewood Road Sewer Lining Project. A CCTV inspection conducted last year between Strafford Avenue and Madbury Road identified various deficiencies in the pipe and manhole structures.

Following a thorough evaluation by Durham Public Works and their consultant, Wright-Pierce, it was determined that lining the pipeline segment and manhole structures would be the most suitable repair approach. This cost-effective solution involves applying a new lining to the existing sewer lines, reinforcing their structural integrity and extending their lifespan. By utilizing this lining process, the project eliminates the need for extensive excavation, resulting in reduced costs, minimal service disruptions, and minimized environmental impacts.

Construction is scheduled to commence on Monday, June 12th, and is anticipated to conclude within a three-week time frame. Vehicular traffic disruptions will be kept to a minimum, with alternating one lane traffic implemented in the immediate work area.

Durham Public Works, in collaboration with their contractor Pichette Brothers Construction, is set to commence Phase II of the Emerson Road Watermain Replacement Project on Monday, June 12th.

As part of the preparatory measures for this phase, a temporary water service has been installed between Edgewood Road and the Western entrance of Littlehale Road. This temporary service will facilitate the utilization of the existing water main trench for the installation of the new piping, resulting in cost savings by reducing the need for extensive ledge removal. Furthermore, this strategic approach will significantly expedite the overall project completion time.

By leveraging the pre-existing infrastructure trench, Durham Public Works and Pichette Brothers Construction can optimize resources and minimize disruptions to the residents along that corridor. 

BENEFITS OF REMOTE WATER METERING TECHNOLOGY BEING EXPLORED BY DPW

Durham Public Works' Water Division and Administrative staff engaged in an informative presentation this week delivered by Everett J. Prescott, Inc. and Sensus USA, Inc. The session revolved around the advantages of implementing a FlexNet Communication Network to enhance water usage tracking capabilities.

The presentation provided in-depth information around the myriad of benefits associated with incorporating this advanced technology into Durham’s water infrastructure. By adopting the FlexNet Communication Network, the town stands to gain substantial improvements in metering accuracy, efficiency, and data management. The system's remote capabilities enable real-time monitoring and tracking of water consumption, empowering the Water Division and its customers to promptly identify any anomalies, leaks, or unauthorized usage.

Moreover, the Flexnet system offers enhanced data analytics and reporting functionalities, providing valuable insights for effective water resource management and conservation initiatives. The system's robust infrastructure ensures secure and reliable communication between meters and the central data management platform, guaranteeing the integrity and privacy of sensitive information.

In a collaborative effort between Durham Public Works and the Durham Police Department, new signage was installed this week on the parking kiosks throughout the Downtown corridor. The primary objective of this initiative is to communicate the provision of a complimentary first-hour of parking within these designated areas.

The signage features retro-reflective coloring, carefully selected to enhance visibility and legibility. By employing retroreflective technology, Durham Public Works and the Durham Police Department aim to maximize the effectiveness of the signage, ensuring that motorists are promptly informed about the free first-hour parking policy.

This approach enhances user convenience while reducing potential confusion or disputes regarding parking fees.

FLUSHING HYDRANT ASSEMBLY INSTALLED AT LEE WATERLINE EXTENSION PROJECT SERVING LEE CIRCLE

Durham Public Works and its contractor, Apex Construction, installed an automatic flushing assembly at the terminus of the Lee Waterline Extension Project. This automatic flushing assembly plays a critical role in ensuring optimal water quality and uninterrupted access to clean and safe water for customers on that side of the distribution system. The assembly is designed to activate whenever low levels of disinfectant are detected within the piping network. By swiftly initiating the flushing process remotely, it effectively eliminates any water impurities, thereby upholding the high-water quality standards of the UNH/Durham Water System.

MEMORIAL BENCH INSTALLED AT DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY

Durham Public Works installed a memorial bench at the Durham Public Library this week which recognizes the Durham Garden Club. The bench, crafted from sturdy granite, was carefully positioned on concrete footings to ensure a stable foundation and to restrict any potential movement. The bench was strategically placed alongside the storywalk and adjacent to the rain garden located at the rear of the facility. This placement will provide library visitors with a serene seating area to appreciate literature while being surrounded by the captivating beauty of the rain garden. The installation of this memorial bench serves as a lasting tribute to the Durham Garden Club's significant contributions to the community.

Recently a tour was given to residents of the RiverWoods community in Durham. The residents learned about the history of the treatment facility and a tour gained an understand of how each process throughout the facility operates. The tour generated many great questions from the residents, and all enjoyed the tour.

The Durham wastewater team always welcomes anyone who wishes to tour the facility! 

Following an extensive construction phase and start-up testing, the two new odor control units are up and running at the Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The two carbon absorption units, located at the solids holding tanks and at the solids processing building, will ensure minimal odors at the treatment facility while providing an improved workspace and extending equipment longevity. 

Officer Noah Young and Officer Jasdeep Kaur assisted with presenting metals to this year’s Special Olympics athletes Courtesy, Sergeant Brett Pestana

DURHAM POLICE CALEA ACCREDITATION - PUBLIC COMMENT PORTAL POSTED ON TOWN WEB SITE

The Durham Police Department is an Advanced level CALEA (Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies) agency.

As part of its re-accreditation process with CALEA, Durham Police Chief Rene Kelley would like to announce the availability of the CALEA public access portal.

For those interested, this portal allows commenting on the performance of the Durham Police Department.

The link HERE is provided as an opportunity for comments, commendations, and other information regarding the agency’s quality of service or other information relevant to the accreditation process.

If you have any problems with the website, please contact Captain Jack Dalton at: jdalton@ci.durham.nh.us.  

DURHAM POLICE CAUTION RESIDENTS ABOUT A SCAM INVOLVING SUSPICIOUS PHONE CALLS - Durham resident Todd Selig was targeted this week concerning a suspicious package from Mexico containing $10,000!

Recently, the Durham Police Department received information about a common scam tactic.

A prevalent theme used by scammers is to claim that the person being called, or a family member may be involved in suspicious or criminal activity. Primarily these scammers seek money or other sensitive information for additional fraudulent activity. However, claims like these are always a scam as law enforcement will never contact members of the public over the phone demanding payment or requesting you to provide sensitive information in relation to criminal activity.

The Durham Police Department urges anyone who receives a suspicious phone call that they believe may be “spoofed” or a scam to remember the following tips to avoid becoming a victim:

• Never share personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother's maiden names, passwords or other identifying information in response to unsolicited phone calls.
• Avoid answering unknown phone calls and don’t return calls from numbers you can’t identify. If the call is important, they’ll leave a message.
• If someone calls you claiming to be from a law enforcement agency and you aren’t sure whether it is a scam, hang up and follow up directly with the law enforcement agency at their official phone number found on their webpage.
• Resist the urge to act impulsively or respond to pressure over the phone. Scammers in these situations often rely on a ruse that attempts to make you act impulsively out of self-preservation.

These scam calls can happen to anyone! Administrator Todd Selig reported to the Durham Police Department a similar scam call. Prior to providing any information, a call was made to the Durham Police Department to verify the information, which was confirmed to be a scam!

Don’t hesitate to call the Durham Police Department to help verify a phone call you receive that you believe could be a scam. 

Sergeant Greg Ruby standing by to provide a tour of a Durham police cruiser during the Durham Day Celebration, this past Saturday. Courtesy, Sergeant Brett Pestana

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 #23

Well summer is just around the corner and Smokey wants you to be safe when you’re outdoors, don’t forget to protect your skin from the sun and heat. For a helpful link with more tips click HERE.

The Durham Historic Association table at Durham Day, June 3. Courtesy, Todd Selig

NOTES FROM THE OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL BOARD

The Oyster River School board met on Wednesday and began by saying thank you and goodbye to two amazing people. ORMS Principal, Jay Richard, has accepted a job as the principal of the Concord Middle School and will be leaving Oyster River. Mr. Richard has done a tremendous job and will be missed. Paige Burt, the student representative to the school board, is graduating and will be attending NYU next year where she will focus on Women’s Studies. Paige has been an invaluable member of the board providing advice and commentary from the student perspective. Good luck to both Paige and Mr. Richard!

The end of the year brings lots of activities and lots of fun. The rising 5th graders from both Moharimet and Mastway will visit the Middle School on June 9th. They will spend the day learning about their new school and eat lunch in the cafeteria. It is a fun and exciting day.

The board listened to an excellent presentation by Ella Higginson (Class of 2024) about her extended learning opportunity (ELO) in the marine biology and laboratory science field. ELOs offer experiences for students to focus on areas of interest outside the offered curriculum. The program is coordinated by Sean Peschel and any students interested in more information should contact him.