Friday Updates - November 1, 2024

Friday, November 1, 2024

The last of the colorful leaves for the season. Courtesy, Todd Selig

TOWN CLERK'S OFFICE CLOSED ON ELECTION DAY - All Employees will be at the polls.

Just a reminder that the Durham Town Clerk’s Office at the Town Hall will be closed on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, 2024, and won't re-open until 12:00 pm on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. Residents are not permitted to do motor vehicle registrations in other towns (many clerk offices will be closed on Tuesday), but payments may be left in the town hall drop box outside the main entrance to the Town Hall. Anyone looking to register to vote must do so at the polling location.

FORGOT TO REGISTER TO VOTE?

Voter registration is closed until Election Day, November 5. You may register at the polls in the Multi-purpose Room of the Oyster River High School and then vote in the Gym. Please Note: The line for registration will be long, especially if you wait until afternoon.

Applicants for registration should bring with them proofs of identity, age, citizenship, and domicile (in Durham). Driver’s license and passport are helpful. Affidavits may be signed under oath if other proofs are lacking.  However, the process will take longer.

A family of skeletons attended the Downtown Trick-or-Treat on Saturday, October 26. Courtesy, Todd Selig

Per the requirements of the Durham Town Charter, Administrator Selig has presented the Council with a proposed 2025 budget, which includes the General Fund, Water Fund, Sewer (Wastewater) Fund, Library Fund, Parking Fund, Depot Road Lot Fund, Churchill Rink Fund, and Downtown TIF Fund budgets, as well as the Administrator’s proposed 2025-2034 Capital Improvement Plan incorporating the FY 2025 Capital Fund budget utilizing a ten-year time horizon.  

Due to wage pressures driven by the post-pandemic environment, a high rate of inflation over the last three years, increasing healthcare and energy costs, and low growth in the tax base, this is intended to be a steady state budget to ensure Town operations stand ready to accomplish needed tasks as efficiently and effectively as possible for a community of our size, complexity, and demographics, taking into consideration the reality that Durham is host to UNH, the State of New Hampshire’s flagship public university.  



The development of the proposed budget was part and parcel of a rigorous, yet inclusive process. Staff within the various departments of the Town prepared and submitted thoughtful, responsible, and lean budgets. The Business Manager and Mr. Selig subsequently met with departments, evaluated, and modified as needed each budgetary line item in an effort to assure ourselves, and thereby the Council and the community, that requests are justified and reflect meaningful efforts on the part of our boards, committees, commissions, trustees, and departments, as well as our various external partners, to accomplish the broad objectives of the town.  

With few to no new assessed value beyond home improvements and superficial commercial updates taking place at present, we’re projecting an increase in the overall assessed valuation in 2025 of just 1% or $18,788,106. Last year as part of the FY 2024 budget development process, we had projected a valuation of $1,876,630,401 but the actual valuation came in $10,505,433 less at $1,866,124,968, so we begin the FY 2025 budget process with approximately $10.5 million less in overall assessed valuation than anticipated a year ago for tax rate setting purposes. As such, Mr. Selig notes for the record once again that without meaningful future tax base growth generated from new development and construction, significant TBD new efficiencies across operations, or a dramatic increase in non-property tax revenues, it will be increasingly difficult to hold the Durham tax rate in line with the rate of inflation without cutting services.  

Projected non-tax General Fund revenues are up by $2,508,630 for 2025. Revenues include a one-time transfer of $2,173,425 from unassigned fund balance to fully fund the cost of Option 2 improvements at the historic Wagon Hill Farm Bickford-Chesley House ($1,173,425) and $1 million toward Madbury Road Phase 3 improvements scheduled for FY 2025.  

A $135,000 transfer to the General Fund from the Municipal Transportation Fund will cover the cost of $40,000 in sidewalk improvements, $60,000 for 2 x 4-handled EV chargers, $30,000 for a RRFB crosswalk signalization on Mill Road at Hetzel Hall/The Works, and $5,000 to help support the UNH Cat Trax Program in 2025.

Revenues from the Parks & Recreation Department are estimated at $292,000, up by $82,000 over last year. This includes $130,000 from Youth School Year Programs, $28,000 for Adult Programs, $5,000 from Community Programs/Events, $110,000 from Summer Camps, and $5,000 for Miscellaneous P&R.  

Revenue projections continue to include an annual approx. $150,000 payment from UNH to compensate the community for the University’s financial impact upon the Town in the area of policing services, plus certain actual roadway costs associated with the upkeep and maintenance/resurfacing of Main Street running through the UNH campus between Pettee Brook Lane and the Rt. 155A intersection. UNH also supports 50% of the Fire Department operational and capital budgets, 2/3 of the cost of joint water and wastewater capital projects, and a pro rata (rolling 36 mo. average) share of the water and wastewater operating budgets for Durham and UNH, as outlined below:

A primary driver within Durham’s municipal operation are personnel-related costs, which account for 61.6% of total spending as part of the proposed 2025 budget. 

Fiscal Year 2025 Budgetary Proposal

This year’s budget cycle has resulted in a proposed 2025 General Fund budget totaling $22,679,171 -- a spending increase of $3,364,156.  Adjusting for the direct unassigned fund balance transfer of $2,173,425 mentioned above, this equates to an actual 6.16% increase in spending over FY 2024.  Increases are due to required wages and benefits as a result of employee collective bargaining agreements including the recently ratified police contract on 10/21/24 carrying a market-driven 6% COLA wage adjustment, market-driven mid-contract wage adjustments for firefighters to stem staff melt, a 3% COLA for non-union personnel, a 12.5% health insurance increase, energy/fuel cost increases, increases in various supplies, materials, and construction services, and other miscellaneous requests that will be discussed as part of the upcoming budget process.  

The twelve-month year-over-year, September to September change in Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) data follows for informational purposes:  

                                                                               2022   2023   2024

CPI-U Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH          8.2%   2.6%   3.4%

In total, this year’s budgetary proposal is projected to increase the 2025 local municipal portion of the tax rate by 45 cents to $6.20 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation, an increase of 7.71%. The 2023 and 2024 tax rate was held level at $5.75 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation. The tax rate remained at $7.37 (formerly $8.48 but adjusted due to 2018 statistical revaluation update) for 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. The proposed budget would cost the average Durham property taxpayer with a home valued at $500,000 an additional $225.00 in taxes for 2025 on the municipal portion of the tax rate.  

The proposed Water Fund budget carries an anticipated 2.9% increase in user fees (a rate of $10.92 per hundred cubic feet) for FY 2025.  

The proposed Sewer (Wastewater) Fund budget reflects a 3.4% increase in user fees in FY 2025 (a rate of $10.66 per hundred cubic feet).  

Some budget highlights include the following:

1. Bickford-Chesley House at Wagon Hill Farm. Funding is included for FY 2025 utilizing $1,173,425 from unassigned fund balance, which when combined with approximately $706,000 in funding already on hand comprised of existing capital funds (~$400,000), LCHIP Grant ($286,600) and Moose plate Grant ($20,000), will total $1,849,416.77 to support completing Options 1 and 2 at Wagon Hill Farm’s Bickford-Chesley House. This carries the scope laid out by the LCHIP documents plus additional scope needed to occupy the first floor and ell. It includes Exterior window replacement, handicap ramp, two ell bathrooms, complete sprinkler system, life safety electrical, rough wiring and plumbing of the second floor, rehabilitation of the basement and first floor, dehumidification and sump pump for the basement, front porch and exterior trim and siding repairs, exterior painting, new ell door, exterior grading and masonry repairs. Option 2 components include the scope outlined above plus all four of the ell bathrooms, full sprinkler system with life safety lighting and fire alarm, finishing the rehabilitation of the 2nd floor caretaker’s quarters, handicap ramp, insulation, and heating of the ell bathrooms, HVAC for the historic 1st and 2nd floors, historic window replacements, life safety and egress required for 3 -Season use of the unconditioned barn.
2. The Health Agencies and Hospitals budget will increase by $1,875 in 2025 to support the integration of Twenty-One Senses programming into various Town-sponsored activities, ensuring a peaceful refuge is available for individuals who may struggle with sensory challenges. The Town has generally adopted a policy of not accepting new requests for donation and holding existing contributions more or less at the status quo, yet the Human Rights Commission believes this to be an appropriate addition and I concur. Total budget for this functional area is $13,925.
3. The Direct Assistance/Welfare budget has been increased by $10,000 to a total of $50,000 to address increased caseloads supported by the Town’s general assistance policies that are based upon documented need.
4. The Library budget increase is approx. 1% over 2024 and represents a steady-state allocation.
5. The Assessing budget includes a one-time allocation of $37,000 to undertake a statistical update of all properties in 2025. Since the full revaluation two years ago, values in Durham have continued to increase at a high rate. The statistical update will capture those values and ensure fairness across assessments utilized. We estimate values in Durham will increase by another 5% - 6% as a result of the revaluation. It has not been our practice, however, to integrate this new value into tax rate projections.  
6. The Code Enforcement officer is budgeted full time for 6-mos. and part-time officer for 6 mos., taking into account the planned retirement of our current Code Officer in 2025, that individual’s interest in continuing on part-time in Durham, and reduced workload within the department due to a current slowdown in new construction.  
7. General Government Property/Liability Insurance costs are up $19,000.
8. Police Training is up by $8,000 and Police Accreditation costs are up $15,000 as 2025 is a full accreditation year for the department. One replacement hybrid Police Vehicle at $71,000 is included while a second cruiser request was cut.  
9. Fire Department Building Rent is up $33,000 to secure an additional 2,000 sq. ft. of space, Fire IT Hardware costs are up $20,000, Fire Uniform costs are up $15,000, Fire Equipment Maintenance is up $9,000, Fire Dispatch-LMR costs are up $9,400.  
10. Land and Mobile Radio Maintenance Contract costs are up between Police and Fire at $20,000.
11. Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) Crosswalk Signalization for Mill Road at Hetzel/The Works is included at $30,000.
12. Two 4-handled EV charging stations are included at $60,000, with funding as described above. We are hopeful grant funding will be secured to offset 80% of the cost but will proceed with installation regardless.
13. Continued support of UNH Cat Trax bikeshare program is included at $5,000, with funding as described above.
14. The Information Technology/MIS budget includes an allocation of $45,000 to support updating our municipal web site in 2025 due to technology changes that will no longer support the services we traditionally provide, $20,000 for public-facing Wi-Fi improvements at Town Hall, and $29,500 for general computer equip. replacement per normal multi-year cycle.  
15. $20,500 is included to purchase a modest inventory of LED cobra head street lights to enable DPW to continue to replace units as they fail over time. DPW’s reserve is depleted and it is increasingly difficult to obtain such lights on demand.  
16. The DPW Road Resurfacing budget will be $482,800 for the reclamation of Constable Road, Falls Way, Ryan Way, and Orchard Drive paid for utilizing cash. These roadways are experiencing significant rutting, alligator cracking, and aggregate loss/heaving resulting in uneven surfaces and altered stormwater conveyance patterns. Additionally, funding is included for a mill and overlay on Garrison Avenue from Main St. to Dennison Rd.
17. A new Zamboni at the Churchill Rink Fund is budgeted at $120,000, with funding offset from the Rink Fund.  
18. The Fire Capital Reserve Fund will be charged $12,000 for a new thermal imaging camera, $95,000 to replace the Chief’s Chevrolet Tahoe, $45,000 for facility improvements, $52,000 for personal protective equipment, $48,000 for LMR emergency backup power, $30,000 to replace self-contained breathing apparatus, $80,000 to replace hydraulic rescue tools. In addition, $100,000 is allocated to refurbish the 2012 Marian Tanker (Tanker 4) per normal cycle.  
19. Phase 3 of the Madbury Road Complete Streets project is budgeted at $3,120,900, with $1,000,000 of the total being charged to unassigned fund balance. Phase 3 will include construction improvements between Garrison Ave. and Edgewood Rd. See the CIP description for details.  
20. See the accompanying CIP plan for 2025 Water Fund and Wastewater Fund improvements. 
21. More community members are using the Durham Public Library (DPL) as they navigate their post-pandemic work environments. Attendance is up as well for programs serving both children and adults. Use of technology and print and digital resources are steady. The budget is largely business as usual for 2025.  
22. Parks & Recreation (P&R) has been instrumental in the development of new community events and activities that bring people together downtown, on our trails, and to our various recreational facilities and park spaces. Summer camps and afterschool programs have been expanded to help meet the demand in registrations. Programs downtown support our local businesses by driving potential customers downtown. Contracted services are up $86,700, offset with anticipated revenue to be generated.
23. Approx. $18,000 in funding to continue to partner with the UNH Sustainability Fellowship Office to bring on a Graduate Student for the spring ($4,500)/summer ($9,000)/fall ($4,500) 2025 semesters to continue/drive forward our sustainability efforts in Durham in support of the Energy Committee and Council goals, as well as our commitment to the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate Action and Energy initiative.  
24. $3,500 is once again included to support the planting of 6-10 shade trees as part of our Tree City efforts. Durham is the longest running Tree City municipality in NH.
25. $32,000 once again included within the Conservation Commission budget to support the part-time/contract Land Stewardship Coordinator position.  
26. $40,000 is allocated for the rehabilitation and replacement of existing sidewalks including curb ramps as crucial components of the Town’s multi-modal transportation network. Targeted sidewalk sections include the reconstruction of 245 lineal feet of concrete sidewalks with deteriorating brick banding on Main St. from Smith Park Ln. to 21 Main St. The existing asphalt sidewalks will be replaced, granite curbing reset, and ADA compliant ramps installed.  
27. The budget does NOT include funding to support Option 3 improvements at Wagon Hill Farm’s Bickford-Chesley House -- the complete scope, full occupancy- for a total of $2,030,572, an additional $181,154 over Option 2. This additional scope would cover the complete building, from the LCHIP scope, the historic section occupancy, along with finishing of the barn as a vanilla box, and additional two ell bathrooms, full fire alarm, full sprinkler, rated separations between the storage underneath the barn and the main floor, insulation and HVAC for the barn, added egress, and foyers for the barn.
28. The budget does NOT include the purchase of a second police department hybrid cruiser as scheduled for 2025. The additional vehicle had a cost of $71,000.
29. The budget does NOT include funding for a part-time 16 hrs./wk. Economic Development Director position. This had been eliminated in 2022. We would utilize contracted service funds if bringing on board professional assistance was deemed beneficial in 2025 for specific initiatives.  
30. The budget does NOT include the full $100,000 annual contribution (funded 50/50) between Durham/UNH to replenish our Fire Equipment Capital Reserve Fund intended to cover the cost of expensive equipment items at the DFD in a predictable, sustainable manner over time to avoid peaks and valleys in our funding reserve. As a cost savings measure, only $50,000 was allocated.
31. The budget does NOT include an allocation of either $1,643,000 or $4,350,000 for a new municipal solar array at either the Town’s capped landfill (506,391 kWh) or at the Depot Road (955,770 kWh) parking lot. More analysis needs to be undertaken to better understand the pro’s and con’s of such concept plans, how power generated at these sites would be used, whether the development of such new sites is in Durham’s interest, and many other outstanding questions.  
32. The budget does NOT include (and has not for several years) monies to subsidize the cost of membership for Durham residents to obtain a pass for the UNH Outdoor Pool.  
33. The budget does NOT include the addition of four Fire Department lieutenant positions ($600,000) (one additional person per shift) or a deputy chief for training ($187,700) to foster additional collaboration with surrounding communities to build resilience in the emergency service response system. These five positions and the cost of equipping them represented the most significant increase in the Fire Department’s requested budget for 2025. If the Council was amenable to increasing the budget beyond what has been formally presented (which already exceeds the rate of inflation and Council goals), I would recommend the addition of four firefighter positions in FY 2025, beginning one each on March 1st, June 1st, Sept. 1st, and Dec. 1st.  
34. The budget does NOT include funds ($34,272) for a part-time CALEA Police Accreditation Manager. My hope is that the new police labor contract stems the loss of personnel to other departments, thereby allowing existing staff to continue to address this important task.
35. We plan to modestly reduce hours the Town Clerk/Tax Collector's Office is open to the public in 2025 to enable the dedicated staff there, who are stretched thin, to keep up with a heavy workload. A reduction in hours will enable us to avoid increasing spending within the department, which would otherwise be required to bring on additional staff.

Details associated with the budget can be found within this FY 2025 budget book, the 2025-2034 Capital Improvement Program document, or within a separate informational booklet being prepared by the Business Office that will offer some high-level analysis concerning the proposal for Town Council and community information.  Online links to each of these documents can be found below:

Proposed 2025 Operating Budget HERE.

Proposed 2025 Budget Information Booklet HERE.

Proposed 2025-2034 CIP HERE.

Please note once again that the various departments of the Town brought forward lean budgets this season.

Milka shows off his nice orange vest while resting on a trail in Oyster River Forest. Courtesy, Patricia Cardarople

LEAF/BRUSH COLLECTION BEGINS NOVEMBER 12!

The annual curbside Fall leaf and brush collection begins on Monday, November 12 at 7:00am. During this curbside collection program, Durham Public Works crews collect brush (natural material from trees) first followed by the collection of leaves. It is important to note that this program runs independently from the regular curbside solid waste and recycling collection.

Leaves must be placed in paper leaf bags (plastic bags are not recyclable and will not be picked up). Paper bags may be purchased at Aubuchon Hardware and stores such as Lowe's or Home Depot. Loose leaves will not be accepted but may be brought to the Raymond A. LaRoche Sr. Transfer Station & Recycling Center on Durham Point Road during public open hours.

• Brush should be placed in one direction, bundled and tied with string (no wire please). 
• Brush and limbs must be no greater than 5 feet in length and 5 inches in diameter. No stumps will be accepted.
• The amount of brush and limbs is limited to ONE TRUCKLOAD PER HOUSEHOLD.
• Cutting off small limbs from branches will help maximize each load.
• Remember, backyard composting of your leaves and brush reduces the flow of waste, while at the same time, produces valuable organic matter for the soil. It improves your soil and the plants growing in it.

The UNH Dance Team helped hand out candy at the Downtown Trick-or-Treat this past Saturday. Many UNH organizations were present to help out during the event. Courtesy, Todd Selig

ABENAKI TRAILS IN COLLEGE BROOK RAVINE RECENTLY COMPLETED

UNH recently completed a wonderful project on the campus – the Abenaki Trails in the College Brook Ravine.  The website states:

"The area we know today as Seacoast New Hampshire is the traditional ancestral homeland of the Abenaki, Pennacook and Wabanaki Peoples past and present. Yet, there has historically been little acknowledgment of Indigenous peoples, despite the various ways the campus recognizes other peoples. The Indigenous NH Collaborative Collective has worked with the Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook-Abenaki People to identify and name trails and bridges throughout the College Brook Ravine (the area behind Hamilton Smith and Dimond Library). The College Brook Ravine has significant landscape features that are important to the Abenaki people, past and present, such as the College Brook, the surrounding wetlands (medicine gardens), and trees. This area is a well-traveled, busy part of campus that previously lacked identification of the various trails, bridges, and shortcuts throughout the space."

You can see information about the trails at this link on the university website HERE.

IMPORTANT NEWS FROM THE SWAP SHOP - No Halloween items wanted

The Swap Shop is:

●    not accepting Halloween items until October 2025. (We have no way to store them for a year.)

●    accepting Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah items. (Please come see what we have.)

●    closing on Saturday, December 14th and no new items will be accepted after noon that day. (The arrival of the first major snowstorm will also close the Swap Shop for the winter.).

●    not accepting furniture or any bulky/large items after Tuesday, December 3rd. (All large items not taken by 12/14 will end up in the landfill or recycled if they are metal.)

The shelves are full at the Swap Shop! Get a jump on your Christmas shopping and shop here first! We have sleds, skates, toys, books, kitchenware, small appliances, hardware, puzzles, games, LPs, and MORE.

This family decided to take advantage of the nice weather and go for a bike ride on Halloween! Courtesy, Craig Stevens, DCAT Coordinator

Did You Know?  Clothing Swap

It is important to keep clothing out of our landfill, where it contributes significantly to environmental pollution by generating harmful greenhouse gases like methane as the clothes decompose. Discarded clothing can also leach toxic dyes and chemicals into the soil and groundwater. 

By reusing or repurposing clothing, we cut down on pollutants that occur when new clothing items are produced.

LOCAL EVENT THIS SATURDAY!

If you have clothing and/or accessories that are in great shape, but have just been outgrown or not used, we have an opportunity for you!

Please join us on Saturday, November 2 from 10 AM to 2 PM for the first annual Oyster River Community Clothing Swap! It will be held at the Oyster River Middle School in Durham. 

Please see the details below.

Brought to you by the IWMAC Committee 

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

Check us out on Instagram: sustainable.durham.nh

Not sure if an item can be recycled? Check here: https://recyclesmartma.org/

Want to learn more about the Swap Shop? Click HERE for information.

In an enthusiastic effort to engage students in a fun school fundraiser, School Resource Officer Michael Nicolosi volunteered to take a pie in the face! This challenge aimed to encourage Oyster River Middle School students to sell delicious pies. Every dollar raised will directly benefit the school's clubs and field trips.

The student who sold the most pies had the chance to throw a lemon meringue pie at Officer Mike! Additionally, the top sellers were rewarded with ice cream. Great job, Bobcats!

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/Guardian to teach your kids about Fire Safety. The more they know the safer they will be.

WEEK #44

It’s that time of year again to set the clocks back. Daylight Saving Time ends every year on the first Sunday in November. This means it starts to get darker earlier. When you change your clocks, it's also a great time to check the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

These Trick-or-Treaters rode into Downtown on their trusty dragons! Courtesy, Liz Keenum 

DO YOU WORRY ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE? - Information from the Active Retirement Association

The Active Retirement Association (ARA) invites residents to a FREE presentation on “Climate Change in New Hampshire: Effects on Forests and Wildlife.”

The presenter is Lindsay Watkins, UNH Cooperative Extension Field Specialist, Forest Resources. She will discuss some of the expected ecological, economic, and cultural impacts of climate change on Thursday, November 14, 2024, 10:00 – 11:30 AM, at the Durham Community Church, 17 Main Street, Durham, and also via Zoom.

Pre-registration for this free event is required for non-members at seacoastara@gmail.com.

Please be sure to indicate whether you plan to attend in person or via Zoom. For more information about ARA please visit www.unh.edu/ara or write to arainfo1982@gmail.com. 

During election day on Nov. 5th, the senior class will be selling Krispy Kreme donuts to raise money for an awesome senior week filled with various events and activities!

OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL NEWS...

No School November 5

All ORCSD schools will be closed for a teacher workshop day on Tuesday, November 5. Please note that parent teacher conferences for students in grades 5-8 were rescheduled to January 27, 2025. Parents and guardians are encouraged to review their student(s)'s academic progress in PowerSchool and contact teachers directly with any questions or concerns.

Coffee House on November 7

Coffee House is an event hosted at Oyster River High School celebrating the quarterly launch of the award-winning student publication Mouth of the River (MOR). The $5 admission can be purchased at the door and is one of MOR's primary fundraising sources. Food and drink are included with admission. November 7, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., Multipurpose room at Oyster River High School (55 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824).

November 8 Veteran's Day Breakfast

The Oyster River Middle School (ORMS) will be hosting its third annual Veteran's Day Ceremony and Breakfast on November 8, 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. The ceremony will be held at 8:30 a.m. in the Morse Recital Hall followed by breakfast. Please RSVP HERE.

No School November 11

All Oyster River schools and the SAU office will be closed November 11 in observance of Veterans Day.

ORMS Announcements Club

Did you know Oyster River Middle School students broadcast daily news? Shown in every classroom on every school day, morning announcements are broadcasted in real-time from the recording studio located in the school’s library. The announcements production is entirely managed by students who operate all the equipment, from the cameras to the console. Photos and additional information are available HERE.

Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra Visited Mast Way

On October 23, the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra (PSO) Brass Quintet visited Mast Way School for a special assembly in the gym. Led by Adam Gallant, the PSO provided students with a free performance funded through a grant. Photos and additional information are available HERE.

Mast Way School's Spooktacular

On October 25, Mast Way School's PTO hosted its annual Spooktacular celebration. Thank you to the PTO, staff, volunteers, community members, the University of New Hampshire Dance Team who helped with decorating and cleaning up, Sweetened Memories Bakery and BarnZ's Cinemas for their generous donation of sugar cookies and popcorn. Photos and additional information are available HERE.

UNH Theater students present "How Democracies Die," a theatrical exploration of the New York Times best-selling book by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, October 30 - November 2 at 7:00 p.m. and November 3 at 2:00 p.m.

The play, devised by UNH students, will delve into the book’s examination of how we have arrived at this moment in our democracy. As stated in the Wall Street Journal’s review; “The authors argue, with good evidence, that democracies aren’t destroyed because of the impulses of a single man; they are, instead, degraded in the course of a partisan tit for tat dynamic that degrades norms over time until one side sees an opening to deliver the death blow.” The result of more than twenty years of studying the breakdown of democracies from the 1930s to the present, the book’s authors have provided an artistic springboard to understand how democracies die, and how ours can not only be saved, but thrive.

Each performance will be immediately followed by an audience discussion with featured panelists.

Click HERE for more information.

SEEKING HIGHLY MOTIVATED FATHERS FOR UNH PARENT-CHILD INTERACTION STUDY

Undergraduate psychology student, Alyanna Magsipoc, UNH professor Dr. Pablo Chavajay and graduate student Mercy Sulaiman are conducting a research study examining parent-child interactions in joint activities. They are interested in learning about the forms of interactions between parents and their first-grade children as they engage together in sharing a book. This study will help better understand the ways parents support children’s learning.   

This research study involves only one short session (~20 minutes) where parents will be asked to share a book with their first-grade children and at the end of this activity, parents will be also asked to respond to a few questions related to the activity just completed. The activity will be video and/or audio recorded to allow for free flow of conversation and interactions between parents and children. 

Currently, there is already a satisfactory sample of mothers, but the aim is to have a more balanced representation of both mothers and fathers. Sessions are able to be conducted at the UNH laboratory, but home visits for families unable to commute for whatever reason are available. For aiding in our research, participants will receive a $10 gift certificate.

If you have any questions, or are interested in participating, please fill out this short form HERE. Or please contact Alyanna at Alyanna.Magsipoc@unh.edu or 603-496-6688, or Dr. Pablo Chavajay at Pablo.Chavajay@unh.edu or 603-862-1882. 

THE NHAES INSPIRED AQUACULTURE RESEARCH REPORT - Highlighting research by NHAES scientists to support sustainable aquaculture in New Hampshire

The New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station (NHAES) at the University of New Hampshire has published the latest issue of the INSPIRED research report, focusing on aquaculture in New Hampshire. The report, released during October’s National Seafood Month, presents research findings that explore the opportunities and challenges facing the state’s aquaculture industry, with a focus on sustainable production practices and environmental resilience.

“Aquaculture is experiencing a revival in New Hampshire, driven by growing consumer demand and improved environmental policies,” said Anton Bekkerman, director of the NH Agricultural Experiment Station. “For decades, NHAES research has supported the state’s aquaculture industry, and we remain committed to advancing science-based practices that help farmers sustainably raise seafood products while maintaining the health of our local ecosystems.”

Research Topics Covered in the Report

The INSPIRED Aquaculture report includes research that spans multiple aspects of aquaculture management, environmental monitoring, and industry sustainability. Key studies featured in the issue include:

• Climate Change and Lumpfish Distribution: Investigating how warming ocean temperatures are shifting lumpfish distribution in the Gulf of Maine and what this means for sustainable aquaculture.
• First Documentation of Mating Blue Crabs in Great Bay: A study documenting the presence of blue crabs in New Hampshire waters, highlighting potential ecological impacts on native species and aquaculture.
• Tracking Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Northeast Oysters: Examining the presence of pathogenic Vibrio bacteria in local oyster populations, with a focus on understanding environmental factors that influence outbreaks.
• Pathogen Presence in Great Bay Estuary: Research on the implications of oyster diseases for restoration efforts in New Hampshire’s Great Bay.
• Lumpfish as a Biocontrol for Sea Lice: Evaluating the use of lumpfish as a biological control method for managing sea lice infestations in steelhead trout farms.
• Assessing Microplastic Pollution in New England’s Estuaries: A comprehensive study on the prevalence of microplastics in key estuaries, including Great Bay, and their potential impact on marine life and aquaculture.
• Oysters as Environmental Stewards: Investigating how oysters can help mitigate excess nutrients in coastal waters, contributing to improved water quality and ecosystem health.
• Human Dimensions of Aquaculture: Exploring the social and demographic aspects of New Hampshire’s aquaculture industry, including workforce challenges and gender dynamics.
• Oyster Farm Gear and Seaweed Biodiversity: A study on how oyster farm gear influences seaweed biodiversity and provides additional ecological benefits.

Each study offers insights into how New Hampshire’s aquaculture industry can grow sustainably while addressing environmental challenges such as climate change, pollution, and invasive species. To download the full report, click HERE.