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Friday, October 18, 2019
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Representatives from the ORCSD and the Town at the closing for the Orchard Drive Woods parcel Thursday morning. Courtesy Todd Selig
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A reminder that this coming Sunday, October 20th, the Durham Fire Department will host an Open House from 9AM until 12:00 Noon at the Fire Station located at 51 College Road in recognition of National Fire Prevention Week.
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DURHAM ACQUIRES ORCHARD DRIVE WOODS PARCEL
After many months of private fund-raising efforts, the Town of Durham was finally able to acquire two parcels totaling 25-acres owned by the Oyster River Cooperative School District (ORCSD) located at the end of Orchard Drive for the purchase price of $150,000. Buying it will keep the property undeveloped and add an important parcel for the greenbelt of protected land on the south of town. Acquisition of the land will also increase protection for hundreds of feet of Oyster River frontage. Because Thompson Lane is on the north side of Oyster River directly opposite the land, purchasing Orchard Drive Woods would make it possible to construct a new bridge for walking and biking across the river connecting the Faculty and Foss Farm neighborhoods.
Protecting Orchard Drive Woods protects permanent public access to miles of hiking, biking, running, and skiing trails that already exist on 2,000 acres adjacent land, including the UNH MacDonald Lot. Durham has agreements with NH Fish and Game and UNH that would let the town extend the trail system from Orchard Drive Woods as far as Durham’s Doe Farm, which would be a tremendous benefit for both Durham and UNH in terms of easy access from downtown Durham and the UNH campus.
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ANNUAL LEAF RAKING FUND-RAISER BY THE STUDENT ATHLETIC TRAINING ORGANIZATION AT UNH
AATO, the Student Athletic Training Organization at UNH, will be doing their annual Leaf Raking Fund-raiser on Saturday, November 2nd and Saturday, November 9th. Students from SATO will be raking yards throughout the day in exchange for donations to their organization.
Durham residents interested in having members of this organization rake their yards should contact Melanie Lamar at (603) 401-9873.
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EVENTS SCHEDULE FOR 2019 INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' DAY IN DURHAM
There have been a number of events scheduled in Durham around the Indigenous Peoples' Day holiday. View the program of upcoming events HERE. View the Facebook page with events and other information HERE.
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DURHAM FIRE 3RD QUARTER STATISTICS
The Durham Fire Department Fire Prevention Bureau has compiled the Quarter 3 statistics for the period July 1 - September 30, 2019. The information below shows the 2019 Year to Date statistics for Incident Responses by Type.
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NOTICE FROM THE SUPERVISORS OF THE CHECKLIST
The Supervisors of the Checklist will meet on Friday, October 25, 2019, from 7:00 – 7:30 pm. This meeting will be the last date for party changes before the upcoming Presidential Primary. Remember that Undeclared voters may choose either a Democratic or a Republican ballot at the Primary. Registered Republicans must vote using a Republican ballot and registered Democrats must vote using a Democratic ballot. People who enter the polling place (Oyster River High School) as Undeclared and vote their party choice will then become members of that party until the voter requests to return to Undeclared. This can easily be done on your way out of the polls or any day after that (until 90 days before the next primary, i.e., until early June) at the town hall.
Prospective voters will be asked to show proofs of identity, age (18 by the day of the Primary), domicile/residence in Durham, and U.S. Citizenship. A driver’s license and a birth certificate or passport are useful. Affidavits may be signed under oath if proofs are lacking.
An updated Checklist is available at the Durham Town Hall as well as at the Department of Public Works, or you can check your party status at https://app.sos.nh.gov/Public/PollingPlaceSearch.aspx
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IT’S BUDGET SEASON, SO PLEASE EXCUSE THE DELAY IN MR. SELIG FOLLOWING UP ON EMAILS, VOICEMAILS, LETTERS, ETC.
Budget season is upon us in Durham and as such, Administrator Selig is actively working with the Business Office and our various department, boards, committees, and commissions in formulating a proposed budget for consideration by the Town Council. By Town Charter, Mr. Selig has until the last business day in October to propose a budget to the Council. The Council then has until the last business day in December to adopt a budget of its own, or the Administrator’s proposed budget becomes the FY 2020 budget by default.
At this time of year, Mr. Selig is in constant budget meetings, in additional to normal responsibilities, and as such responding to correspondence is typically delayed. Urgent matters should be sent to the attention of Administrative Assistant Jennie Berry, mailto:jberry@ci.durham.nh.us.
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REMINDER! HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE DAY - COMING UP SATURDAY 10/26- SIGN UP IF YOU NEED TO!!
The 2019 Household Hazardous Waste Day will be held on Saturday, October 26, 2019 at the Department of Public Works facility located at 100 Stone Quarry Drive. As in the past, all hazardous waste will be collected by appointment only, between 8 - 11:30 AM. To register, you must call DPW at 603-868-5571 or mailto:publicworks@ci.durham.nh.us. REMEMBER - THE MAXIMUM COLLECTED PER HOUSEHOLD IS FIVE GALLONS. NO EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS, RADIOACTIVE WASTE, ASBESTOS, SILVEX OR INFECTIOUS/BIOLOGICAL WASTE WILL BE ACCEPTED.
NOT ACCEPTED AT HAZARDOUS WASTE DAY - LATEX AND OLD-BASED PAINTS, MOTOR OIL, AND ANTI-FREEZE. These items can be brought up to the Transfer Station with a permit throughout the year. Latex paints must be dried out first, motor oil, anti-freeze and oil-based paints can go up as is. Typically, hazardous waste is categorized as toxic, ignitable, corrosive, reactive, or otherwise hazardous. Please check the manufacturer's label.
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PUBLIC WORKS - PART-TIME MECHANIC POSITION WANTED
DPW is in seek of a part time mechanic to assist in performing equipment maintenance on the Town's fleet. Requires knowledge of regular fleet vehicles and heavy equipment repair, diagnosis of malfunctions utilizing test equipment and technical repair manuals. Employee will work 15-30 hours per week, flexible scheduling available. High School Diploma or G.E.D. and one year of formal training in fleet vehicles and heavy equipment repair. Certification to perform NH Safety Vehicle Inspections highly sought after. Hourly wage starting at $20/hour, higher possible depending on experience. Interested parties please send application/letter of interest/resume TO:
Michael Lynch, Director of Public Works
100 Stone Quarry Drive
Durham, NH 03824
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A REMINDER THAT IT IS NOT OKAY TO DUMP YARD WASTE/LEAVES IN THE RIVER!
A resident in Durham let us know that they had seen some folks dump leaves from their lawn into the river last fall. Residents who live along the Oyster River or Lamprey River may be unaware that their actions are harmful for the river.
State law (RSA 482-A:3) “prohibits filling streams and wetlands with waste materials, including yard waste.” The law specifically states, “No person shall excavate, remove, fill, dredge, or construct any structures in or on any bank, flat, marsh, or swamp in and adjacent to any waters of the state without a permit” from the state.
Doing so causes decomposing yard waste to use oxygen that aquatic wildlife needs to live. It blocks sun and smothers plant life that’s food for animals including turtles, ducks, chipmunks and deer, the city reports.
Yard waste can also stimulate algae and other nuisance weeds that form foul-smelling, green mats on the water surface and degrade water quality.
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REPORT OUT FROM 2019 UNH SUMMER SUSTAINABILITY FELLOW - Funds for a graduate student assistant to be included as part of Mr. Selig's FY 2020 proposed budget
This past summer, Durham was awarded a UNH Sustainability Fellow. Over the summer, Fellow Justin Klinger worked on collecting information and data to complete a baseline assessment of resilience via a set of indicators and metrics across 5 sectors (termed “Capitals” by Second Nature): physical, natural, social, human, and financial. Justin worked with various individuals from the Town of Durham and was also mentored by Jennifer Andrews and Dr. Cameron Wake at UNH and by Administrator Selig.
Justin's report/recommendations has been completed and can be found HERE. The document represents a considerable effort and will be shared with the Energy Committee.
A CliffsNotes summary of the key findings has been inserted below...
Recommendations for Increasing Resilience
While our analysis suggest that Durham is more resilient than many communities across NH, more can and should be done to make the town more resilient in the face of a changing climate. In this endeavor, there is a great deal of opportunity and benefit in continuing to do so in collaboration with UNH. While the opportunities are numerous, the resilience assessment undertaken this summer suggest some immediate actions:
- Work with the UNH Sustainability Institute to complete municipal and community greenhouse gas emissions inventories;Adopt new procurement standards;
- Hire a sustainability coordinator;
- Consider additional strategies to raise money to address stormwater concerns; and
- Join the Global Covenant of Mayors, a coalition of cities that are working to cut GHG emissions and adapt to climate change.
The FY 2020 proposed budget will include approx. $13,000 in funding to work with the UNH Sustainability Fellowship Office to bring on a Graduate Student for the summer/fall 2020 semesters (with the intent of expanding to the full academic year in 2021) to continue/drive forward our sustainability work in Durham.
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DURHAM FIRE DEPARTMENT SUPPORTS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
In support of Breast Cancer Awareness month, the staff of the Durham Fire Department are wearing pink shirts for the month of October. Breast cancer awareness is an annual world-wide campaign that takes place in October each year to highlight the importance of breast cancer education and research. Statistics show that 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, except for skin cancers. Statistics also show that although less common, men also get breast cancer and the lifetime risk for men in the United States is about 1 in 1,000. By wearing pink shirts, the staff at the Durham Fire Department hopes to help bring awareness to this very important topic.
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THE SWAP SHOP IS AT THE RAYMOND LAROCHE, SR. TRANSFER STATION AND RECYCLING CENTER!
Volunteers have noticed a significant increase in the number of residents who visit the Swap Shop on Saturdays and Tuesdays. Please observe the hours to drop off items - 7:30 am-2:00 pm. Larger items should be dropped off in the morning to increase the chances of being taken. The Swap Shop has limited storage space.
Items being dropped off need to be in good working condition and clean (please check for mice nests!). Please speak to a volunteer when you have items you want to drop off.
Special thanks to some of the volunteers from the last couple of months; Eli, Dawn, Eileen, Joanna, Sally, Julie, Jane, Jerry, Daphne, Janet, Ro, Vinny, Bill, Cathy, Will, and Sally.
Swap Shop volunteers are appreciated! Why not become one? We need volunteers!
We have recently experienced difficulty filling both the morning and afternoon volunteering opportunities. There have been times when no volunteer has been available to help residents. This is not a good situation for the residents who want the Swap Shop to remain open to the community. Thank you for considering to at least give it a try!
It’s an easy commitment of 3 hours - as often as you want. Signing-up is easy!
Click HERE to sign-up to learn about volunteering! It’s neighborly, fun, and rewarding! Look for the “Shadow-New volunteers” option.
You can also call or text 603-969-4732 or mailto:foggdrive@yahoo.com
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DURHAM TOWN OFFICES HOLIDAY CLOSING SCHEDULE
Below is the Holiday closing schedule for the Durham Town Offices for the remainder of 2019 and beginning of 2020.
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FALL LEAF AND BRUSH CURBSIDE COLLECTION BEGINS ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH
All items must be out by 7am! During Fall Cleanup, Public Works picks up brush (natural material from trees) first followed by the collection of leaves. Fall Cleanup is separate from your regular curbside collection!
Leaves should be placed in paper leaf bags (remember, 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 Transfer Station & Recycling Center on Durham Point Road.
- 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.
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ADMINISTRATOR SELIG TO ATTEND UPCOMING ICMA CONFERENCE IN NASHVILLE, TN
The ICMA Annual Conference offers educational, information-sharing and networking opportunities to Town/City/County Managers from around the country and the world. This year's conference will be in Nashville. It is filled with educational opportunities, interesting speakers, and field demonstrations. Mr. Selig will attend classes from Oct. 19-23.
learn more about the ICMA Annual Conference HERE.
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TOWN OF DURHAM FACEBOOK AND TWITTER ACCOUNTS
Did you know that the Town has a Facebook & Twitter account and frequently posts Durham & UNH news, happenings, and articles of interest in our area and the seacoast?
Like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.
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BUYING SHOES AND PURCHASING PATRIOTISM: THE POLITICIZATION OF FOOTWEAR, 1760s-1770s
UNH History Professor Kimberly Alexander will take us from the ground up, in her presentation “Buying Shoes and Purchasing Patriotism: The Politicization of Footwear, 1760s-1770s” on Sunday, Nov 3, 2019, 1PM, Council Chambers, Durham Town Hall, 8 Newmarket Road. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Light refreshments will be served. November 3rd is the first day after Daylight Savings Time, so please remember to set your clocks back or you will arrive an hour early!
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Durham Parks and Recreation, its Director and Committee, strive to offer a wide range of quality programs, parks, and facilities that encourage all community members to participate in healthy, fun, and enriching activities. Together, they celebrate the essential role public recreation plays in fostering a cohesive and vibrant community.
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Members of the Durham Fire Department recently enjoyed visiting Storytime Hour at the Durham Public Library. DPL staff assisted fire department members in selecting some fantastic books to read to the little ones, including The Little Fire Truck by Margery Cuyler and The Fire Station by Aaron Carr. The preschoolers were delighted to have a tour of the fire truck and receive their own fire hats.
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DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY UPCOMING EVENTS
The Board of Trustees of the Durham Public Library is very pleased to announce Sheryl Bass of Dover, NH will be the new Library Director. She plans to begin work November 18, 2019. A full biography will follow soon.
Please join us for these programs this week!
Saturday, October 19th, 10:30 am - 1:30 pm - STEAM Saturday: Pumpkin Craft Stick Catapult Drop-in. All ages!
AND ...
The Capital Crime of Witchcraft with Margo Burns -Tuesday, October 22nd - at 6:00 pm
Margo Burns explores an array of prosecutions in seventeenth century New England. This program focuses on the Salem witchcraft trials of 1692 and 1693, but also examines a variety of other cases against women in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.
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*Academic year commences the third week of August through graduation at UNH in May.
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HISTORY IN AN OYSTERSHELL - A Brief History of Durham, NH 1600 - 1976 (A little volume that was the Heritage Project of the Durham Historic Association Bicentennial celebration)
Preface - "Since before God made the first little green apples, oysters have probably been growin in the Oyster River; and some of the largest and juiciest to be found anywhere in the world are still growing here today. The following vignettes from rollicking history of Durham town on the Oyster River are therefore presented between the shells of an oyster."
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1940 - Ed and Mary Scheier were sponsored by the N.H. League of Arts and Crafts and became teachers at UNH. As skilled potters their creations from Durham clay are collectors' items in museums world-wide. Fortunate are the many students who studied with this couple.
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Have a very holiday weekend.
... And if you find the weekly "Friday Updates" of interest, please pass along to a friend/neighbor and encourage them to subscribe. While the weekly publication is long (sorry!), the reality is that there is a LOT happening in this wonderful community and we work hard to let people know about it so they can become involved. Currently we have around 3,300 active subscribers plus those who view them on line and via social media. It also doubles as an integral part of our emergency broadcast system. In essence, the "Friday Updates" is Administrator Selig's weekly update to the Town Council that is also shared with the community. In Durham we try to be very open with what is going on so people can both understand issues and become involved if they choose to do so.
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