Friday Updates - March 26, 2021

Friday, March 26, 2021

Durham Firefighter Scott Campbell assists Danielle Ades, PEA nurse and volunteer for the Strafford Health Coalition, with administering COVID-19 vaccinations at the ORHS on Wednesday this week. Courtesy Durham FD

OYSTER RIVER SCHOOLS VACCINATION POD IN DURHAM – A report from Wednesday’s Covid-19 efforts on Coe Drive.

Vaccinations took place between 8AM-4PM at the Oyster River High School on Wednesday of this week. School Resource Officer Michael Nicolosi reports we had over 50 volunteers and over 10 teams administering shots. Michael is still awaiting an exact number, but we estimated that 760+ people were vaccinated on Tuesday. We were also able to vaccinate Durham Library Staff and DPW workers. 

DPW’s Sam Hewitt and his team did an amazing job with the layout of the cones and signs. Everyone really appreciated DPW’s help in making the vaccination route easy to follow. Organization was a key component to the Vaccination Pod’s success, and it made the team’s job easy that day. The same traffic layout will be beneficial on April 19th.

There was only one medical issue throughout the day. An individual felt faint and was assessed by McGregor Memorial EMS. McGregor’s staff determined that the person’s ailments had nothing to do with an allergic reaction, but because of a fear of needles. 

Traffic was smooth aside from the first vaccination time slot, where 170 + students came to the High School for SATs. 

Over the course of the day organizers had one instance where the vaccination volunteers realized that we had run out of Vaccination Cards. Someone had to drive to Dover to pick them up. Once the Vaccination Cards were filled out, we emptied the parking lot quickly, with minimal traffic buildup, thanks to the help of Troy Pickering from Strafford County. After the students finished SATs, the High School administration helped assist with sending traffic towards the Middle School to keep the vaccination site from being overburdened with traffic. 

Kudos to everyone involved from the hard working staff at ORCSD, to the Strafford County Public Health Network, Durham Fire, Durham Police, McGregor Memorial, Durham Public Works, and everyone who helped to make the day a success.  

The Planning Board recognized Michael Lambert for his service to the community as a member of the board at its meeting on Wednesday. Paul Rasmussen, Planning Board chair (on the right), is presenting a certificate of appreciation.  Many thanks to Michael for his contributions over the past few years.

INITIAL MEMORIAL DAY PLANNING FOR DURHAM WITH THE PANDEMIC

There is ongoing conversation about how to honor Memorial Day this year with the pandemic still present and the desire to avoid large in-person gatherings in town. While this is still a work in progress, Parks & Rec. advises at this point the suggestion is to not have the parade but plan for a modified in-person ceremony at Memorial Park. This would include closing down main street for the ceremony and allowing folks to gather (masks and social distancing required). The feeling is that without the parade the gathering downtown would be on the smaller side where social distancing could safely maintained, but where we could also safely honor the holiday.  The holiday is still very much a work in progress in terms of planning.

DURHAM'S BUDGET/FISCAL OUTLOOK LOOKING OKAY AT PRESENT

In evaluating the FY21 budget and consistent with December 2020 budget deliberations with the Council, Business Manager Gail Jablonski and Admin. Selig see no reason why we can’t move ahead with the hiring of the GIS and Engineer position as planned/budgeted for later this year. The budget is in line with where it should be at this point in time.

BEE HIVES COMING THIS SPRING TO WAGON HILL FARM - At the WHF Community Garden.

The board of directors of the Wagon Hill Farm Community Garden requested and was granted permission by Admin. Selig to place one or two hives at the WHFCG beginning this spring. 

The plan is to place the hive(s) in the west corner inside the fenced in area. Additional fencing and inside gate would create a fence enclosed area of approximately 10’ x 10’ to safely locate the hive(s). A member of the WHFCG board is an experienced beekeeper and the owner of the hive will be the primary keeper.

The hives are able to be moved at the end of the 2021 growing season if the WHFCG board and/or Town decide not to continue with this activity.

Please keep in mind that seasonal permits may be obtained through the site for Category I and Category II burn permits. Seasonal permits must be renewed annually and are valid until December 31st of that year.  

The meeting ended with Chair Michael Williams requesting the process be accelerated.  He felt that April 21 was too late to make a decision for parents and staff. He asked that the administration and teachers be prepared to present a model that begins to make recommendations at the meeting on March 31st, in order to prepare for a Board decision, perhaps as soon as April 7th. The Board agreed to the additional workshop and to the accelerated timeline.

The Board will meet again next Wednesday, March 31, 2021, in a workshop format, at 7:00 PM. The meeting will be live-streamed. 

SPRING CLEANUP BULKY WASTE DAYS AT THE TRANSFER STATION!  

Due to the continued COVID-19 pandemic and concerns about viral contamination which could potentially be transmitted with the handling of bulky materials brought curbside, the Town has elected to manage the bulky item disposal program this season similar to last spring’s collection. The Transfer Station will be open for Spring Cleanup with extended hours and days as listed below. All participants will be required to practice social distancing and wear masks as they drop off items. On the days listed below, facility users with Resident/Tax payer permits may enter the Transfer Station to dispose of BULKY WASTE ITEMS ONLY (Bulky waste items include mattresses, box springs, upholstered chairs, couches, painted or stained decking, rugs/carpeting/padding, and pressure treated wood) at No Charge and will NOT require coupons.

Wednesday, May 12th and Thursday, May 13th between the hours of 7:30AM- 7:30PM

Wednesday, May 19th and Thursday, May 20th between the hours of 7:30AM- 7:30PM

Wednesday, June 2rd and Thursday, June 3rd between the hours of 7:30AM- 7:30PM

Residents will have to unload their own material. The Transfer Station attendants will be monitoring activities to ensure capacity will allow for social distancing at each vehicle drop off point. Please Note, electronics items (such as refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, computer monitors, televisions, laptops and water coolers) still require a $15 electronics sticker which may be purchase with check or cash at DPW or with check only at the Transfer Station. Metal items (such as Bicycles, rolled wire fencing, metal pipe, cast iron sinks and tubs, aluminum screen doors/windows without glass, lawn mowers (fluids removed), bed springs, washers/dryers, empty paint cans, fitness machines) should be separated and put in the metal pile.  

Durham Public Works asks that all regular trash and recycling and “regular” transfer station activities be limited to regular Transfer Station hours, Tuesday and Saturday, 7:30am- 3:00pm.  

WHY IS PET WASTE A PROBLEM? - Do Your Part, Scoop the Poop!

Stormwater Protection

Rain or snow runoff can carry pet waste directly into waterways or storm drains, which usually empty without any treatment into a stream, river, or estuary. Untreated fecal matter can be a source of harmful bacteria and nutrients. Just as we don’t want human sewage in our water, it is important to prevent pet waste from being carried into our waterways.

It isn’t just water quality that can suffer. Leaving pet waste on the ground, especially in public areas like parks or playing fields, may pose a risk to children, adults, and even pets.

Consider This …

Pet waste carries disease causing organisms such as Giardia and Salmonella which can make water unsafe for drinking or swimming; to protect the public from illness, swimming beaches and shellfish beds can be shut down due to bacterial contamination, and pet waste can be a cause of that contamination. Pet waste left on playing fields or in parks can be unhealthy and messy. 

Let’s work together to keep pet waste out of our water resources and recreational areas.

Do Your Part: Scoop the Poop!

Scooping your pooch’s poop isn’t just a courtesy for those walking behind you; it’s the healthy and environmentally sound thing to do. Picking up after your dog is not only easy, in Durham it’s the law!

The Conservation Commission thanked Ellen Snyder for her outstanding service to the community at its meeting this past Monday. Ellen is retiring now from her position as Land Stewardship Coordinator. Commission member Walter Rous shared these photographs of Ellen hard at work.

CALEA ASSESSORS HOLD A VIRTUAL ON-SITE ASSESSMENT OF DURHAM POLICE

The Durham Police Department is scheduled for a virtual on-site assessment as part of a program to achieve accreditation by verifying it meets professional standards.  

A team of Assessors representing the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), will confirm the Durham Police Department's ability to comply with state of the art standards in four basic areas: policy and procedures, administration, operations, and support services. The team will consist of Major John Clifton of Johns Creek, Georgia and Deputy Chief Robert VanNieuwenhuyze of Smithfield, Rhode Island.

As part of the virtual on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session on Tuesday, March 30, 2021, at 6:00 PM. The session will be conducted by calling 603-397-2123.  

Agency employees and the public are also invited to offer comments by calling: 678-474-1580, on Wednesday, March 31, 2021, between the hours of 1PM and 3PM. Comments will be taken by the Assessment Team.

A copy of the standards is available at the Durham Police Department. Local contact is Captain Jack Dalton at 603-868-2324.

Any person wishing to submit written comments about the Durham Police Department's ability to comply with the standards for accreditation may send them to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), 10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100, Fairfax, Virginia, 22030-2201.

PART-TIME TRANSFER STATION ATTENDANT

The Town of Durham is looking for a part-time Transfer Station Attendant. The position is part time, non-benefits. Applicants must be comfortable dealing with public and have a Solid Waste Operators License, level 1 minimum or the ability to obtain license within 2 months of hire. Duties include: checking in residents, ensuring materials are disposed of in proper locations, ability to operate a loader and skid steer, maintenance and cleaning of facility. Pay $14-$17/Hr based on experience. Hours will be Saturday from 7am-3:30pm, potential for more hours. Valid driver’s license, background check will be performed. Applications accepted through Wednesday, March 31st.   

Applications are available at the Public Works Office, contact below:

Janice Richard

Assistant to the Director

100 Stone Quarry Drive

Durham, NH 03824

868-5578

GOOD CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS AT OYSTER MIDDLE MIDDLE SCHOOL

Construction is in full swing at the new Oyster River Middle School with completed work projected at 46% by the end of March. Work has been ongoing for 11 months with another 17 months to go before completion. The goal is to have students attending school in the new building after winter (February) break 2022.

A dozen trades are currently working alongside each other with 80 to 100 workers in the building on a given day. This number will increase to around 150 as more finish trades begin working but there is plenty of space for social distancing inside a 145,000 sf building plus the areas around its perimeter.

Great progress is being made on piping, ductwork, conduit, and wiring installation and many of the major air handlers and boilers have arrived and been installed. Interior wall framing is almost complete and most of the exterior walls have received their spray foam insulation. Insulated wall panels are being installed over the base layer weather barrier and are then receiving a second barrier over them to create a drainage plane behind the siding. These weather barriers are either black or orange depending on the type of siding (metal tiles or composite panels) that are scheduled for various locations on the plans.

Masons will begin installing wall cavity insulation over the next few weeks in preparation of the masonry veneer. The building will feature two colors of ground face CMU’s as well as brick as part of the exterior cladding system. This work will be staring later in April and will be followed by the other siding types in May.

Inside, installation of sheetrock has begun and installation of metal door and window frames is continuing. All paint-on and spray-on fireproofing work is scheduled for completion by the end of this month. Stair railings are being installed in the remaining stair towers and should be completed in early April.

The inside of the building is really taking shape and it is much easier for visiting staff and students to get a good sense of the spaces that will make up their new learning environments.  Excitement continues to build amongst all of the participants in this fantastic project!

Interested members of the Town Council will be touring the building (with hard hats and masks) at 2 PM on April 2nd.  

DURHAM DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE CAUCUS

Durham Democratic Committee is holding its caucus and election in a virtual meeting on Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at 7 PM. Any registered Durham Democrats are entitled and encouraged to participate. In addition to the election, our State Representatives will provide a legislative update. For the Zoom link, please call committee chair Susan Roman with your name and email address at 603-868-2293 or text the same to 603-534-0157. 

SCRAP METAL RECYCLING

The Durham Public Works Department’s scrap metal contractor recently hauled 51 tons of assorted metal from the Raymond A. LaRoche Sr. Transfer Station and Recycling Center. Unlike other commodities, metal can be recycled repeatedly without altering its properties. At the recycling facility, magnets and sensors are used to separate the various metals, some of which can be sorted by material color and weight. Each metal is then melted in a large furnace, cooled, and solidified. During this phase, each material is specifically shaped (i.e. bars or logs) before being shipped to a factory for re-use in new items.

VOLUNTEERS AT THE DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY

Three members of the National Honor Society from Oyster River High School volunteered their time for an afternoon this week at the Durham Public Library. Kathy McEwan, Clio Grondahl, and Amelia Nott completed a spring clean-up of the grounds including raking, hand sweeping, and tree branch removal. We sincerely appreciate their efforts and willingness to participate in our Spring grounds maintenance program. We look forward to having them back for future community service projects!

DURHAM/UNH WATER SYSTEM WORKING TO ASSIST PROPERTY OWNERS AT LEE TRAFFIC CIRCLE DUE TO CONTAMINATED GROUNDWATER - LEE WATERLINE EXTENSION AND DURHAM/UNH WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS PROJECTS - OUT FOR PUBLIC BID

The Lee Traffic Circle water system extension project is being implemented by Durham/UNH/NHDES/Lee to provide safe, potable drinking water to the Irving gas station and to surrounding properties at the Lee Traffic Circle that are currently in violation of the 13 micrograms per liter (ug/L) maximum contaminant level (MCL) drinking water standard for MtBE and warrant connection to a water supply. 

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Service (NHDES) MtBE Bureau will fund the connection of these properties to the Durham/UNH Water System as part of this project. The cost of the water line extension is approximately $3M. The project is currently out for public bidding, bids are due in early April, and construction is expected to begin this summer. Additionally, the Durham/UNH Water System has secured $1M in funding towards the construction of the new UNH water treatment plant. 

The 7,000 LF water main extension will originate at Durham's well site in Lee (the so-called Lee Well) and then be installed cross-country toward Route 4, before extending west along the north side of Route 4 to the Lee traffic circle. 

While the initial extension would be constructed to serve only the affected MtBE contaminated properties, other residential and commercial property owners in Lee along the new water line route could request a connection to the water system, pay a connection fee, and become a Durham water user. Applications for water service connections beyond what is built initially would come to the Durham-UNH Water/Wastewater Committee for review and recommendation to the Town Council as required and will be subject to the available remaining water volume entitlement for the Town of Lee.

In order to determine the impact to the Durham/UNH water system, NHDES contracted directly with Weston and Sampson engineers to perform a water system modeling study. Results of this study identified 3 deficiencies in the distribution system (Strafford Ave, South Drive and Main St/Route 155A, which would need to be improved. NHDES will also fund the design and construction of these distribution system improvements including the upgrade of the PRV/Booster station at Technology Drive as part of the Lee Waterline Extension project. Construction of these improvements will also be completed this summer through this fall 2021.

The Durham-UNH water/wastewater/stormwater committee has held multiple meetings with the representatives from the Town of Lee, Weston and Sampson Engineers, Underwood Engineers, Mike Juranty and Tal Hubbard at NHDES MtBE Bureau as well as Rick Skarinka, NHDES Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau.

The Town Council approved the Lee water main extension of the Durham-UNH Water System to the MtBE Contaminated Sites at the Lee Traffic Circle on Monday January 7th 2019. 

DPW TUNES UP LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT IN ANTICIPATION OF GROWING SEASON

The Durham Public Works Department’s Buildings and Grounds Division completed their annual Spring maintenance and tune-up of the Department’s fleet of landscaping equipment. Zero-turn and walk-behind lawn mowers, string trimmers and backpack blowers were cleaned and serviced in preparation for a busy season. In addition to three full-time crew members, the Buildings and Grounds Division employs four seasonal personnel each year to help with the maintenance of 40 town-owned parks, facilities, and cemeteries.

OBTAIN A DOG LICENSE BY APRIL 30, 2021 AND AUTOMATICALLY ENTER THE 2021 TOP DOG RAFFLE

The Town of Durham is proud to announce the 2021 Top Dog raffle. This raffle was created to motivate and remind dog owners to license their pets every year by April 30, as state law requires. Residents automatically register for the Top Dog raffle when they obtain a dog license before April 30, 2021. The winner of the Top Dog raffle will receive a gift basket donated by the clerk’s office.  The gift basket contains a fleece dog blanket, KONG-brand durable tennis balls, disposable dog waste bags, a high quality dog leash, and dog treats.

Rules & Regulations

• Contestants will automatically be entered into the raffle when they register their dog(s) before April 30 (only open to Durham residents).
• Residents who DO NOT want to be included in the raffle may opt out by writing, calling, or emailing the clerk’s office.
• Contestants must be 18 or older and be the owner of the dog on file with the clerk’s office. Town of Durham employees and elected officials are not eligible.
• The contestant must have a 2021 Town of Durham dog license by April 30. A current rabies vaccination will be required to obtain the license.
• The raffle winner may submit a digital photo and brief biography of their dog. Photos of the 2021 raffle winner’s dog will be included in the Durham Friday Update.
• The winner will be drawn at random by clerk’s office at a Town Council meeting in May 2021.

DURHAM FIRE DEPARTMENT PERFORMS SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE TESTING OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

Redline Gear Cleaning, based in Marlborough, Massachusetts, recently teamed up with the Durham Fire Department to perform advanced cleaning and safety inspections of the fire department’s protective clothing inventory. On March 22nd and 23rd, 2021 Redline brought their staff and equipment onsite to streamline the process that otherwise would require costly multiple shipments of bulky gear to offsite companies.

The advanced cleaning and inspection services are compliant with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard requirements. The standard is designed to identify critical safety deficiencies that may cause injury to a firefighter as well as to limit a firefighter’s exposure to the chemicals and carcinogens that build up over time in the fabric of the gear which ordinary laundering cannot eliminate.

Identifying deficiencies in gear requires specialized testing equipment and training in addition to dedicated laundering and sanitizing equipment for different components. This makes companies like Redline an extremely valuable resource to aid in fire service safety.

Each set of fire gear (PPE or turn out gear) consists of 10 components or pieces that are individually inspected, tested, washed, and dried before it is reassembled for use. In total, 49 complete sets of gear (or approximately 490 pieces) were serviced and cleaned in two days. Of those, only 10 critical safety deficiencies requiring repair and remediation were found. Mike Matros, President of Redline Gear Cleaning complimented the limited number of deficiencies as a testament to Durham Fire Department’s safety culture.

The department wishes to extend its appreciation to the community for their commitment in supporting a standard of excellence for firefighter safety. The department also extends its sincere appreciation to Firefighter Barry LaVigne for his ongoing efforts in coordinating this important and critical service to protect our members.  

NRCS IS INTERESTED IN CONDUCTING A CONSERVATION WILDLIFE PROJECT ASSESSMENT ON THE EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL ON DURHAM FOREST LANDS

The Natural Resource Conservation Service is interested in supporting a project to deploy an Autonomous Recording Unit along with date collection and vegetation metric recordings focusing on the Eastern Whip-poor-wills, a nocturnal aerial insectivore that has experienced a 69% reduction in its population since 1966. Currently, there is little to no research on how whip-poor-will occupancy relates to forest management, microhabitat, and landscape composition at a large regional scales throughout its breeding range. The scientists involved will be initiating an NRCS Conservation Effects Assessment Project that will monitor whip-poor-will occupancy using Autonomous Recording Units at forested sites, primarily early-successional communities created through NRCS and program partners.  

ARU’s are small recording devices (slightly smaller than a cell phone) that are programmed to record for approximately 1.5 hours at night and 1.5 hours in early morning. Once an ARU is programmed, a project technician will visit the property site in April to secure the ARU to a tree within a young forest patch. They will then return to collect the ARU in late June/early July and spend 1-2 hours conducting a vegetation survey. The ARU recordings will be processed to determine the presence of whip-poor-will. The ARUs will also detect other wildlife that vocalize such as owls, woodcock, turkey, grouse, songbirds, and amphibians. Future projects may process the recordings to determine the presence of these additional species. 

The Land Stewardship Subcommittee will be discussing at its upcoming meeting.