Friday Updates - October 19, 2012

Friday, October 19, 2012

Early morning turkeys on the Mill Pond - Courtesy Andrea Bodo

Residents in Durham and  many other communities throughout New Hampshire and Maine were "shaken" on Tuesday evening when a 4.5 magnitude earthquake occurred; it's epicenter reported to have originated in Hollis, Maine. Fortunately, no significant damage was reported.

DURHAM MARKETPLACE HOPES TO REOPEN FROM SUNDAY’S FIRE THIS SATURDAY BY NOON - 10.20.12

This past Sunday at around 11:30 PM, a fire broke out at the Durham Marketplace within the international cheese cooler.  Fortunately the building’s sprinkler system detected the fire, discharged, and extinguished it saving the building.  However, the conflagration did cause extensive smoke damage forcing the building to be closed so as to undertake extensive smoke abatement, completely remove and dispose of inventory, professionally clean the facility, replace smoky ceiling tiles, and more. 

Proprietors Chuck and Betsy Cressy and their amazing staff have been doing yeoman’s work, 24-7, to get the store open to serve the community once again.  A professional fire/smoke abatement company, SERVPRO, has also been on site for days on end.  The Cressys have expressed that the safety of their customers is 100% their priority. 

Many residents have called the Town Office this week asking what, if anything, they might do to be supportive of the Durham Marketplace.  The answer is to patronize the establishment when it reopens! 

Mr. Cressy hopes to have the store open for business by noon on Saturday, October 20th.

Courtesy Amtrak Downeaster

AMTRAK DOWNEASTER - FREEPORT & BRUNSWICK INAUGURAL TRAIN WHISTLE STOP CELEBRATION - THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST

On Thursday, November 1, 2012, the Amtrak Downeaster Inaugural Train arrives for a fun-filled whistle stop celebration. The public is invited to attend and enjoy entertainment, giveaways, and great prizes including Downeaster tickets and gift certificates. This event is FREE.  http://www.amtrakdowneaster.com/

Event Schedule:

North Station Boston, 8:30 AM            Wells, ME, 11:12 AM

Haverhill, MA, 9:59 AM                        Saco, ME,, 11:34 AM

Exeter, NH, 10:24 AM                          Portland, ME, 12:02 PM

Durham-UNH, 10:41 AM                      Freeport, ME, 12:45 PM

Dover, NH, 10:51 AM                           Brunswick, ME 1:35 PM

GENERAL ELECTION - TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012

The General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 at the Oyster River High School. Polling hours are 7AM to 7PM. Volunteers are needed the day of the election. Residents interested in volunteering may contact Town Clerk-Tax Collector Lorrie Pitt, 603-868-5577, lpitt@ci.durham.nh.us; Supervisor of the Checklist Ann Shump, 603-868-1342, shump@comcast. net, or Moderator Chris Regan, 603-868-2414.

To view the election ballot or to obtain an absentee ballot for the General Election, click HERE.

PUBLIC FORUM ON PROPOSED TOWN HALL SITE AT 8 NEWMARKET ROAD - OCTOBER 29, 2912

On Monday evening, October 29, 2012, a public forum will be held in the Council chambers at the Durham Town Hall beginning at 7:00 PM. The purpose of this forum is to receive input and comments from residents relative to draft development plans for the 8 Newmarket Road site as the future location for the Town Hall. Architect Art Guadano will have three proposed schematics available for members of the public to view and provide comments. Residents are encouraged to attend this forum as their input will be very important moving forward with this project.

DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY NOMINATED FOR NATIONAL MEDAL FOR MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICE

The Durham Public Library has been nominated by Senator Kelly Ayotte for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. The National Medal is awarded by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the federal agency that supports and promotes museums and libraries. The Trustees and staff of the Durham Public Library are honored to be considered for this award and wish to thank Senator Ayotte for nominating the library. 

The National Medal is awarded to a library that provides exemplary service and has a positive impact on its community. According to the IMLS, “the National Medal honors outstanding libraries and museums that make significant and exceptional contributions to their communities. Selected institutions demonstrate extraordinary and innovative approaches to public service and exceed the expected levels of community outreach. These organizations have established themselves as community anchor institutions.”

The National Medal winners will be chosen in the spring of 2013. Trustees and library staff wish to thank the people of Durham for the support they have demonstrated over the years as the library provided service to the community under challenging circumstances.

DURHAM PARKS & RECREATION PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

Durham Parks & Recreation Presents: A Spooktacular Day in Durham!!

Come celebrate the autumn season with your family at scenic Jackson's Landing off of Old Piscataqua Road on Friday, October 26th from 3-5:00 PM. We will be set up to the right of Churchill Rink, beside the playground.

FREE event for all ages!  Activities will include:

• Pumpkin decorating
• Cookie decorating
• Face painting
• Make your own ghost
• Prizes...And much more!

Lace up your skates! Everyone who attends the Spooktacular Day will receive one FREE voucher to skate at Churchill Rink. (Valid during event: Friday, Oct. 26th, from 3:30-4:50 only)

 

For questions, contact Stefanie Frazee at: sfrazee@ci.durham.nh.us or 603-817-4074. 

WHEN IS TRICK-OR-TREATING IN DURHAM, LEE, AND MADBURY?

Durham Trick-Or-Treating will be held Tuesday, October 30, 2012, from 5-7:30 PM.  Lee and Madbury celebrate Trick-or-Treating on the same night.  

NEW BUSINESSES OPEN IN DURHAM

Over the last year, a large number of new businesses have opened in downtown Durham.  If you have not visited them, you may just want to do so.  A list follows.

Jenkins Quality Goods – men’s clothing – 7 Jenkins Court

Sol Sistar – women’s clothing – 9 Madbury Road

Better Homes & Gardens/The Masiello Group Realty – 9 Madbury Rd.

Froyo World frozen yogurt - 9 Madbury

Durham Bike Shop – Jenkins Court

Technical Repair Services – computers/electronics - 2 Jenkins Court

3 Bridges Yoga - at Grange

Two Strikes Barbershop - men’s hair cut and cigar shop - 13 Jenkins Court

Bella’s restaurant in Mill Plaza

The Candy Bar – candy – Main Street

Aroma Joe’s Coffee – Main Street

Mama Mac & More – macaroni and cheese – Main St.

The Works – formerly the Bagelry – Mill Plaza

What a Croc - soup, salad, cold plates - Jenkins Court

BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS UPDATE

The Durham Town Charter requires the Administrator to develop a budget document for presentation to the Town Council by the last workday in October.  The Council then has until the last workday in December to adopt a budget or the Administrator’s recommendation becomes the budget by default. 

Generally speaking, estimated revenues for 2013 are up 10.4% or $489,477, while requests that have been made to the Administrator by departments, boards, committees, and commissions are up 15.95% or $1,799,166. 

Items of interest include:

• An additional $460,000 in debt service costs from 2012 (new public library and other bonded items)
• Statistical Assessing Update - $85,000
• Additional day of contracted assessing - $15,000
• Traffic Analysis - $32,000
• DCAT FT position - $58,000
• Building Inspection PT position - $30,000
• 2 additional police officers - $149,244
• Addit. police special detail costs - $80,000
• 3 police cruisers - $90,000
• Additional fire inspector and PT Admin. Asst. - $104,000
• Fire/Police NHRS additional retirement costs from state - $100,000
• New health and welfare agency requests - $8,000
• Increase Parks and Rec. Director to FT position - $31,000
• EDC PT position - $32,000
• Library addit. operating hours and costs for new facility (6 mos.) - $31,000
• Additional Fire Dept. Equip. Reserve Fund contribution- $110,000

Please note that these and numerous other items have merely been requested for funding.  The Administrator has not yet decided which projects and priorities to formally recommend to the Council. Many final decisions will need to be made by the next week so plese excuse the delay if return calls from the Administrator's Office or Business Office are delayed.

Last year’s 10 year fiscal forecast projected a 6% increasing in spending for both 2013 and 2014.

PROPOSED ZONING ORDINANCE CHANGES REGARDING HOW AND WHERE POULTRY AND GAME BIRDS COULD BE RAISED IN TOWN - PUBLIC HEARING

The Durham Agricultural Commission will be presenting proposed changes to the Town's Zoning and Noise Ordinances to the Planning Board during a Public Hearing being held by the Planning Board on Wednesday, October 24th.  The meeting begins at 7pm in the Council Chambers of the Town Office.  The proposed changes would govern how and where poultry and game birds could be raised in Town.  The Agricultural Commission urges all residents interested in this issue to attend the Planning Board meeting next Wednesday evening.

A number of enforcement cases regarding complaints over the keeping of chickens by neighbors are being held in abeyance until the Agricultural Commission, Planning Board, and possibly Council determine whether to modify the existing restrictions contained within local zoning.  

Chicken owners and members of the agricultural commuity are very active in engaging on this issue.  If residents have concerns about the keeping of chickens and other poultry, they should be sure to follow this issue closely and make their views heard.

Feedback can also be emailed to Admin. Asst. Karen Edwards at kedwards@ci.durham.nh.us.  

ACTIVITIES / SERVICES AVAILABLE TO DURHAM RESIDENTS ON THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

At the Town Council meeting held on October 15, 2012, Director of UNH Media Relations Erika Mantz gave a presentation relative to the various activities, services, and opportunities available to Durham residents on the University campus. They included:

The University's weekly e-mail news update.

Anyone can subscribe at http://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/. It includes general news headlines as well as athletics and arts/entertainment. In addition, subscribers can see everything happening that day on campus. The calendar can also be viewed at any time at http://www.unh.edu/communityresources/

Parking information for visitors.

Parking information may be obtained by going to http://www.unh.edu/transportation/visitor/visitorparking.htm 

Wildcat Transit.

Another great bus option available to residents is Wildcat Transit which has routes that service Dover, Newmarket, Newington, and Portsmouth. All routes are open to the public, but these have a fare of $1.50 per ride. However, children under the age of 5 ride free, and passengers over the age of 65, or passengers with disabilities displaying a valid Medicare card, pay half. On the first of every month, Wildcat Transit is free for community residents thanks to University Transportation. For more information, visit http://www.unh.edu/transportation/wildcat/

Framers installing sheet metal covered plywood radiant floor panels in the library office area. Courtesy Walter Rous

DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Now that the project is “out of the ground” (a completed foundation and slab), a building is beginning to take shape!  This week, floor joists were set over the basement in the entry, circulation desk, back offices area.  The panels for the radiant floor in this area were also installed.  Because this area doesn’t have a concrete slab, the radiant floor is built into plywood panels that are covered in a sheet metal material with grooves to accept the radiant tubing.  The finish flooring will then go over these panels.  The rest of the library has the radiant tubes buried in the concrete slab.

The structural steel work also began this week with several columns and beams being erected.

The bases for the exterior light poles were set and conduit run to them, and final filling, grading and compacting for the driveway and parking lot was initiated.

There was a little excitement Wednesday evening when a town water main broke near the south driveway to the library site.  Thanks to Councilor Dave Howland for spotting the gushing water and many thanks to both the Durham Fire Department and dedicated Public Works crew for a swift and thorough response!

If the weather cooperates, the base course paving of the driveway and parking lot should take place next week.

This week structural steel columns and beams were placed in the central part of the library first floor. Courtesy Walter Rous

BEING ARRESTED IN THE DURHAM-UNH COMMUNITY

Several years ago, the Durham Police collaborated with the UNH Police and the Vice President’s office to develop a video, entitled “Choices Matter”. UNH has the video posted on their website and encourage all parents and students to view the Choices Matter video.  When the page displays, the video is to the right of the page. Click the video to view. The project was funded by the UNH Parents Association and highlights the consequences of violating alcohol and other drug-related rules and laws both on and off campus. Durham residents may be interested in one of the many initiatives that UNH has developed to address the issue of alcohol consumption/abuse by their students on and off campus.

To view the Choices Matter video, click HERE.

DURHAM’S FRIDAY DEALS
This program is intended to give local merchants an opportunity to encourage residents to shop locally. 

Wildcat Fitness, 397-3200, http://www.wildcatfitness.net/

$15 sign-up, $15 a month (billed to a checking account) 

Located at the far end of the Mill Plaza   

 

Red Carpet Florist, 868-7021, http://www.myredcarpetflorist.com/

$5 bouquets of flowers every Friday

Located at 56 Main St.   

 
Mino’s Roast Beef, 397-5261, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Minos-Roast-Beef/171148346284660

$6.50 Chicken Kebab Salad (Regular Size) on Friday

Located in the Mill Plaza

Domino’s Pizza, 868-6230, http://pizza.dominos.com/new-hampshire/durham/

$.99 Small Cheese Pizza every Friday

Located in the Mill Plaza

Uppercut Hair Salon, 868-7363 http://www.facebook.com/pages/UpperCut-Hair-Salon/226530887441101

20% off all hair care products every Friday

Located in the Mill Plaza

Mama Mac and More, 868-7449 http://www.durham-menus.com/mama_mac_menu.pdf

$5 for an 8" sub or salad (add $2 for chicken or steak on salad)

Located at 38 Main Street

Durham House of Pizza, 868-2224 https://www.facebook.com/durhamhouseofpizza

$4 for a small cheese pizza

Located at 38 Main Street

Candy Bar, 397-5154 https://www.facebook.com/thecandybarnh

Free dark caramel and sea salt chocolate truffle with every $10 purchase

Located at 44 Main Street

Bindy’s Boutique, 590-0044 http://www.bindysboutique.com/

20% off on Fridays when you mention this ad from the Friday Updates

Located at 42a Main Street

Wiswall House Antiques, 659-5106, http://www.wiswallhouseantiques.com/

20% off all antique and vintage table lamps

Located at 28 Wiswall Road

Perfect Tan, 868-3200, http://www.the-perfect-tan.com/

Buy a single session, get a single session free

Located at 13 Jenkins Court

SolSistar Boutique,  397-5229

25% off when you mention this ad on Fridays

Located at 9 Madbury Road

https://www.facebook.com/SolSistar

Money spent locally stays local. Support Durham business. If your business has a Friday deal to offer please send it to Ken Entz at sentz@comcast.net.

PUBLIC MEETINGS: SCHEDULE AND VIDEO ON DEMAND

The following public meetings are scheduled for the coming week  All meetings begin at 7:00 PM and are held in the Council chambers at the Durham Town Hall unless otherwise indicated below.

Rental Housing Commission - Wednesday, October 24, 2012 (4:00 PM). To view the agenda and other documents, click HERE.

Planning Board - Wednesday, October 24, 2012. To view the agenda and other documents, click HERE.

Parks & Recreation Committee - Thursday, October 25, 2012 (Parks & Rec Building). To view the agenda and other documents, click HERE.

All meetings recorded on DCAT are available on DVD at the Durham Public Library for checkout and viewing.

VIDEO ON DEMAND: Meetings can also be viewed via Video on Demand. Interested viewers can access the streaming site from the Town’s website at http://ci.durham.nh.us/  by clicking the DCAT on demand logo, or directly at http://dcat.pegcentral.com/.

Oyster River School Board meeting schedule, please click HERE. 

Durham Public Library Board of Trustees meeting schedule, please click HERE.

DCAT Programming Schedule, please click HERE.

TOWN COUNCIL TO CONSIDER SPRUCEWOOD FOREST CONSERVATION PROJECT

At the Town Council meeting scheduled for Monday, November 5, 2012, 7:00 PM in the Council chambers at Town Hall, the Town Council hold a public hearing on a request by the Conservation Commission asking the Town to accept fee title to the property known as Sprucewood Forest. The property abuts the UNH College Woods and includes over a mile of Oyster River frontage. If the proposal is approved, the Town would own the property subject to an easement held by the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Efforts to protect this 176-acre combination of woodlands and open fields began more than three years ago. During the intervening time, the Conservation Commission has worked in partnership with The Trust for Public Land (TPL). The Commission has ranked this project as its highest priority for the past few years, primarily for the protection afforded to two public water sources, both current (Oyster River) and future (Spruce Hole aquifer). On October 3, 2012, it voted unanimously to support the purchase of the property with $375,000 from the Conservation Fund.

NRCS is enthusiastic about the site's potential for providing habitat for the threatened New England cottontail rabbit. NRCS would provide majority funding for the project and become responsible for all costs related to the cottontail habitat restoration and to monitoring the easement.

Public access would include low-impact recreational uses, such as birding, fishing, hiking, and cross-country skiing. The property provides easy access from an abandoned forest road and affords significant opportunity for trails on the property itself and as part of a network of trails on nearby properties.

To download the Council Communication on this proposal and supporting documents, click HERE.  Those documents and others may also be downloaded from the Project page on the Conservation Commission’s website: https://www.ci.durham.nh.us/boc_conservation/sprucewood-forest-conservation-project-durham-nh.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

Fall Open House at 3 Bridges Yoga, 37 Main Street, Durham. Will be hosting 2 free classes, Saturday, October 20, 2012, 8:00 and 9:30 AM with special charity donation class at 11:00 AM for Oyster River Womenade. For more information, contact 603-590-0010 or visit http://3bridgesyoga.com/

Live Music by A capella Group "Earreverance", The Candy Bar (outside the store), Sunday, October 21, 2012, 11:30 AM-12:30 PM.

Annual Fair Trade Products Sale, Saturday, October 20, 2012 from 10AM-2PM; Sunday, October 21, 2012 from 11:15 AM-1PM, Community Church of Durham Fellowship Hall.

Parenting in These Times, presentation by Paula Norbert, Dir. of Educational Ministries, Sunday, October 21, 2012, 11:30 AM-12:30 PM, Community Church of Durham. RSVP cedirector@durhamcommunitychurch.org.

Writing the Sacred: A Psalm-Writing Journaling & Poem-Making Workshiop, Tuesday, October 23, 2012, Community Church of Durham, 7:00 PM w/a soup supper at 6:30 PM. Free and open to the public

Durham Garden Club, Tuesday, October 23, 2012, 6:30 PM, Madbury Town Hall. Great Bay-Piscataqua Waterkeeper Peter Wellenberger will talk about the current threats and issues facing the Great Bay Estuary.

Halloween Extravaganza, Thursday, October 25, 2012, 5:00-8:00 PM, Mills Hall, UNH. Child-friendly haunted house, games room, and hall full of trick-or--treating. For more information, contact ashley.kysor@unh.edu, 603-862-1111.

UNH MUB $2 Matinee Special, Friday, October 26, 2012, Theater 2, showing is Ice Age 4: Continental Drift in realD 3D. All are welcome. Visit http://www.unhmub.com/

Oyster River Parents & Preschoolers Halloween Party, Saturday, October 27, 2012, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Madbury Town Hall. Open to all Durham, Lee, and Madbury residents with at least one child aged 0-6. Come in costume if you like, enjoy a potluck lunch, crafts, games, etc. For more information contact Rebecca McEwan, rebecca@mcewan.com.

Harmony Homes Grand Opening Opening & Trick O' Treat Night, Monday, October 29, 2012, 4-7:00 PM, 1 Stagecoach Road. The ladies/gentlemen of Harmony Homes are also hosting a coat drive for those who wish to drop off  new or gently used coats.

Durham Trick-Or-Treating, Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 5-7:30 PM.

Addressing Nitrogen Issues in Great Bay, a 3-part series, Thursday, Nov 1, 8, and 15, Madbury Town Hall, 7-8:30 PM. For more information, click HERE.

Seminar: Going Deeper Into Our Soils, Sunday, November 4, 2012, 9AM-5PM, Waysmeet Center, 15 Mill Road, Durham. For more information and to preregister contact amyla44@juno.com.

Mast Way School Holiday Shopping Bazaar, Saturday, November 17, 2012, 9:00 AM-2:00 PM, Mast Way School. For more information contact Laura DiMeglio, lmdnh70@gmail.com.

FRIENDS OF DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY FALL BOOK SALE

The Friends of the Durham Public Library Fall Book Sale kicks off at the Durham Public Library on Thursday, November 1st, from 6pm to 7pm with an Early Bird Preview--admission to this special one hour event is $10 for best selection!

 

The sale opens to everyone from 7pm to 8:30pm Thursday evening. The sale will continue on Friday, November 2nd, from 10am to 5pm and on Saturday, November 3rd, from 10am to 2pm.

 

Come browse quality books and a great selection! Pick up your winter reads while supporting the Durham Public Library. All proceeds from the Friends Fall Book Sale support Library programs.

 

A big thank-you to Durham Fire Department for visiting the Durham Public Library's storytime last Tuesday, October 9th, during Fire Prevention Week. Courtesy DPL

DURHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

Preschool Storytimes Tues. Oct. 23rd and Thurs., Oct. 25th, 10:30 a.m. – This week:  Be an Artist/Colors! All are welcome to enjoy stories, songs, fingerplays, feltboard, and a craft.

That Reminds Me of a Story: Yankee Humor and the New England Storytelling Tradition, Tues. Oct. 23rd, 6:30 p.m. - Humorist Rebecca Rule will prime the pump with stories she's collected at small-town gatherings, often at historical societies and libraries, over the last ten years, plus a classic or two. 

Lego Club for 1st-4th graders, Thurs. Oct. 25th, 3:45-4:45 p.m. - Lego Club is back for 1st -4th graders.  Like to build with Legos?   Join us for 6 Thursday afternoons as we build with Legos.

Friends Book Discussion with Jennifer Lee, Weds. Oct. 31st, 10:30 a.m. - Please join The Friends' Book discussion of "Bella-Vista" by Colette. The discussion will be led by Jennifer Lee. The story is the next to last of the Collected Stories of Colette by Phelps and begins "It is absurd to suppose that periods of empty love are blank pages in a woman's life. The truth is just the reverse."  Books available at the library.

Pajama Storytime, Weds. Oct. 31st, 6:30 p.m. - Join ORPP and the Durham Library for our monthly Pajama Storytime. This month: Halloween! Come and hear Halloween stories, make a craft and have a snack. Wear your costumes and trick or treat at the library. We read stories, do fingerplays, songs, feltboard and make a craft. ORPP supplies a snack. All are welcome.

Register for Tales for Tails!  Have a young reader who could use some non-judgmental encouragement for reading aloud? A Delta Therapy dog is waiting for your child.  One slot left for our session starting Oct. 23rd through Nov 16th!

No Book Donations please for the last week in October as the Friends of the Library prepare for the Friends Fall Book Sale November 1, 2, and 3.

Check out the library's website at http://www.durhampubliclibrary.org/durham/ for more information.

FROM "DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE A HISTORY - 1900-1985"

"Farm Life in Durham: Located right in the village proper on Mill Road was the Samuel Hoitt farm. This homestead was once a very large part of Durham; in 1985 the house is the home of John and Maryanna Hatch. In 1891 the Hoitt acreage extended toward Thompson Hall to the edge of College Brook, south to Mill Pond Road, and west to the railroad tracks. The Hoitt farm was mainly a dairy farm, delivering milk by horse and buggy to the Durham railroad station for shipment to H.P. Hood in Boston. Gradually the land was sold to New Hampshire College; many of the present-day brick dormitories occupy Hoitt farmland." Published in 1985 by the Durham Historic Association.

And in honor of today's history piece, we offer some toddler cow humor:  How did the farmer count his/her cows? S/he used a cowculator!

Have a nice weekend.

Todd

Todd I. Selig, Administrator

Town of Durham, New Hampshire

T:  603-868-5571    F:  603-868-5572

tselig@ci.durham.nh.us    http://www.ci.durham.nh.us

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