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Friday, September 14, 2018
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Jessica and Chris Raspa demonstrate the importance of democratic participation for their daughter as they cast their ballots this week at the NH Primary in Durham. Courtesy Todd Selig
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The Durham Fire Department responded with Engine 1 and a full duty shift last evening to Lawrence, MA as part of our regional mutual aid system to provide support resulting from extensive structure fires attributed to the natural gas system in that city. Engine 1 and our staff were safely back at the Durham station at 6 AM today.
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CELEBRATE 300 YEARS WITH THE COMMUNITY CHURCH OF DURHAM
Within the church’s early history, the town’s civic leaders often held positions of leadership within the church. Familiar names of Griffiths, Thompson, Ffrost and Mathes are among the families that regularly attended Sunday services. As the town grew to include the University of New Hampshire, many of the university’s leaders also held positions within the church’s leadership. “Dad” Henderson. Carl Lundholm and Donald Babcock are familiar names within the university and church’s histories. The public is invited to join the church as it celebrate this milestone in our shared histories. The following events are free and open to all:
- Sunday, September 23 10:00 a.m. Tricentennial Service – Celebrate 300 years of faith, love and service during this special service that will honor the church's past. Reception to follow.
- Saturday, October 20 3:00 p.m. Historical Pageant “Our Church Story” - Written by Prof. Doug Wheeler, this dramatic narrative will feature Durham’s principal historical events and personalities in the church's 300th year history.
- Sunday, October 28th 4:00 p.m. Organ Concert - Raymond Nagem, Associate Music Director at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, NYC will play music selections that honor music within the church’s history. Reception to follow.
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DOE FARM ON BENNETT ROAD
Olinthus N. Doe bequeathed his 87-acre Doe Farm to the Town of Durham upon his death in 1909. Tucked between Bennett Road to the north and the Lamprey River to the south, Doe Farm offers beautiful woodland trails that lead down to the river and its backwaters. Although portions of Doe Farm were farmed at one time, since the 1920s it has been managed as a Tree Farm. In the early 1920s, the Durham Boy Scouts planted thousands of red pine, white pine, and Norway spruce seedlings in the remaining field areas. Periodically thereafter, logging has been implemented with guidance from UNH, Thompson School, Cooperative Extension, and in the last 20 years from consulting forester Charlie Moreno, under the leadership of the Trustees of the Trust Funds. Interest on funds generated from periodic, carefully planned timber harvests is used to maintain the family burial ground.
The Land Stewardship Subcommittee now provides guidance on Doe Farm stewardship. We are currently focused on two efforts at Doe Farm:
- controlling invasive plants to maintain a healthy forest of native shrubs and trees and to ensure a long term sustainable forest; and
- enhancing trails, bridges, and interpretive signage to improve public access and enjoyment and awareness of Doe Farm.
To reach these goals the stewardship subcommittee is seeking volunteers to help with trail improvements and donations to support building of trail bridges, new kiosk and signage, and related infrastructure. Two trail workdays are planned. If interested in helping, please sign up on Nature Groupie HERE.
- Saturday, October 6, 2018 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
- Saturday, October 27, 2018 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
In the next few weeks we will be sending out a request for donations to help improve Doe Farm, based on a similar successful effort to improve the trails at the Oyster River Forest. The trail upgrades will complement the 100+ years of forest management and careful stewardship of the Doe burial ground by the Town. For more information contact Ellen Snyder, Durham’s Land Stewardship Coordinator, mailto:ellensnyder1@gmail.com
View the map that shows proposed trail and infrastructure improvements at Durham’s 87-acre Doe Farm, under the guidance of the Land Stewardship Subcommittee HERE.
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Route of the proposed Eversource Seacoast Reliability Project. Courtesy Eversource
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PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR EVERSOURCE SEACOAST RELIABILITY PROJECT SCHEDULED FOR 10/11/17 AT PEASE
On October 11, 2018, from 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., the NH Site Evaluation Committee will hold a public statement hearing at the Department of Environmental Services, Pease Field Office, Pease Tradeport, 222 International Drive, Portsmouth, NH pertaining to the Eversource Seacoast Reliability Project. This hearing is NOT for intervenors such as the Town of Durham, UNH, the Town of Newington, the Conservation Law Foundation, etc. The Subcommittee will take written or oral statements from members of the public on the proposed project.
Eversource seeks the issuance of a Certificate of Site and Facility approving the siting, construction, and operation of a new 115kV electric transmission line between existing substations in Madbury and Portsmouth. The proposed transmission line will be approximately 12.9 miles in length. The Project is comprised of a combination of above ground, underground and underwater segments. The Project will be located in the Towns of Madbury and Durham in Strafford County, and the Town of Newington and the City of Portsmouth in Rockingham County.
Public information sessions and public hearings in this docket were held on July 14 and September 1, 2016, in Durham and on July 21 and August 31, 2016, in Newington.
To ensure the efficient conduct of the proceedings, if you would like to present an oral statement, please send an email no later than September 28, to Pamela Monroe, Administrator, mailto:pamela.monroe@sec.nh.gov. Please include the following information in your e-mail:
- Your name, email address, and the city or town where you live;
- Your position on the proposed project (support, oppose, no position);
The SEC Administrator will post a final roster and schedule of speakers with the amount of time allotted on the Site Evaluation Committee website in advance of the hearing date. To the extent that there is time remaining, members of the public that have not signed up in advance will be provided time to speak after those that have pre-registered.
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SYNOPSIS OF SEPTEMBER 6TH HISTORIC DISTRICT/HERITAGE COMMISSION MEETING
The Historic District/Heritage Commission held its regular meeting on Thursday, September 6, 2018. View a brief synopsis outlining the agenda topics that were discussed at the meeting HERE.
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LAND STEWARDSHIP & TOWN CLERK/TAX COLLECTOR BUDGET REQUESTS
Last week, Business Manager Gail Jablonski and Mr. Selig met in turn with Land Stewardship Coordinator Ellen Snyder and Town Clerk/Tax Collector Lorrie Pitt concerning their respective initial budget requests for FY 2019.
With Land Stewardship, an additional +/- $33,000 over FY 2019 has been requested for invasive plant control ($11,000), trail improvements ($5,450), trail mowing ($4,000), kiosk construction ($1,900), trail construction materials ($5,000), tools ($320), and interpretive/entrance/trail signage ($4,700). This combined with grant applications totaling around $9,000 and pledge money to support conservation work in 2019 of $4,000 would support the core appropriation of around $31,000 for the support of our Land Stewardship Coordinator position. The Conservation Fund has been the primary source of funding over the last year for stewardship efforts on Town open space lands. We anticipate that it will be again in 2019 and beyond working closely in conjunction with the Conservation Commission and the Land Stewardship Subcommittee.
In the Town Clerk/Tax Collector office, the primary requested increases address staffing there in which an additional 5 hr/wk are requested for the deputy position (moving this position from 35 hr/wk to 40 hr/wk) and an additional 25 hr/wk part-time clerk position. Lorrie Pitt will be putting together some additional rationale for these requests.
Please note that for the next month, the Business Manager and Administrator will be reviewing all budget requests from boards, committees, commissions, and departments. Ultimately, Mr. Selig will take these requests and determine what stays and what goes in his formal budgetary proposal to the Council on the last business day of October.
The Planning Board discussed requests for the Capital Improvement Plan at its meeting on September 12th.
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Town Clerk-Tax Collector Lorrie Pitt at the new voter registration table at Tuesday’s NH Primary election. Courtesy Todd Selig
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MCGREGOR EMS CELEBRATES 50 YEARS WITH HISTORICAL DISPLAY AND REUNION THIS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH
This Saturday, September 15, from 5-6pm at Huddleston Hall, McGregor Memorial EMS will be hosting a historical display in honor of its 50 year history. The display will feature tours of the organization's current ambulances, artifacts from Dr. McGregor's medical practice, photographs, and uniforms from throughout the history of the organization.
McGregor EMS was founded in 1968 in memory of Doctor George G. McGregor as a result of a Durham Town Meeting which took place shortly of Dr. McGregor's passing. It was felt at the time that Dr. McGregor, who made house calls in addition to responding to motor vehicle accidents to care for victims, would have most wanted an improvement to the local ambulance services at the time. Since that time McGregor Ambulance (operating for many years as the Durham Ambulance Corps) has continued its service to the Durham, UNH, Lee, and Madbury communities in Doc McGregor’s name primarily through the use of trained volunteer EMTs & Advanced EMTs and full-time paramedics.
McGregor also invites those who are interested in volunteering for the organization to visit https://www.mcgregorems.org/volunteer for more information. Past volunteers who are interested in attending a Members Reunion later Saturday evening are invited to mailto:clemelin@mcgregorems.org for more information if they have not yet RSVPed.
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Gubernatorial candidate Steve Marchand Tuesday afternoon at the Durham polls. Courtesy Todd Selig
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MORE ON THE FY 2019 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
This week, Business Manager Gail Jablonski and Mr. Selig have met with a number of additional departments to discuss budget requests to include:
- Fire Department
- Public Works
- Water Department
- Wastewater Department
- Library
- Assessing
- IT
- Police
Some of the highlights from those discussions entail:
- Kicking off a cyclical revaluation process over each of the next four years to include physically measuring and inspecting every parcel/property in Durham, 25% per annum.
- Updating the Town's tax maps to create parcel boundary accuracy. The current tax maps are merely an illustrative approximation of boundaries and cannot be depended upon for accuracy.
- An additional training/safety officer position at the Fire Department.
- Moving the second administrative assistant at the DFD to full time from part-time.
- The addition of a new DPW position focusing on roadside trimming/vegetation management/trail maintenance.
- The addition of a new DPW position based primarily within the Highway Department to provide support and staff coverage across all departments.
- Fully funding the collection (books, online, audio, video) needs of the Library.
- Initiating a rolling replacement program of 5+ year old computers at the Library.
- Resuming the replacement of two front line marked vehicles per year at the Police Department.
- Acquiring new software to more efficiently manage parking enforcement activities.
- Moving forward with the development of accurate parcel layer for a GIS system available for use by all departments.
In addition, on Wednesday evening, 9/12/18, the Planning Board discussed aspects of the draft 2019-2028 Capital Improvement Plan with relevant departments.
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FINAL PUSH UNDERWAY TO CONSERVE BEDARD FARM IN DURHAM
This week a new sign sprouted at the Bedard Farm on Newmarket Rd./Route 108. But instead of announcing Durham’s newest subdivision or commercial development, it asks travelers a simple question: “Enjoying the view?”
The view of Bedard Farm is one that is beloved by the thousands of drivers between Durham and Newmarket. Situated on a rise overlooking Route 108, the farm stretches over rural fields and forest land that connects and distinguishes the towns of Newmarket and Durham. The farm may not be known by name, but passersby know the winding dirt driveway with the stone house and barn atop the hill surrounded by hayfields and marshes.
The Bedard Farm is more than a scenic view,” explains Brian Hart, Executive Director of SELT, a regional nonprofit land trust with offices in Exeter. “It is a working farm with productive soils, a filter for clean water to Great Bay, and a nursery for wildlife.” Recognizing the importance of this land, SELT and The Nature Conservancy in New Hampshire are partnering to conserve the Bedard Farm.
The Harriman family has agreed to permanently conserve these 206 acres through two conservation easements, preventing the development of this scenic land. The NH Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) and U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Services have already committed 95% of the funds necessary to conserve the Bedard Farm, leaving just $58,000 to be raised.
Private contributions will close the remaining gap and those interested in contributing or learning more can visit http://seltnh.org/gallery/bedard-farm/
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CIVIL FORFIETURES WILL BE ISSUED FOR UNLICENSED DOGS
Pursuant to RSA 466:13, a $25.00 Civil Forfeiture will be assessed to owners of unlicensed dogs Monday, September 24, 2018. The regular license fee, associated late fees and the civil forfeiture fee will be due within 15 working days (October 12, 2018). Any person who fails to pay the forfeiture within the allotted time will be issued a summons to the District Court in Dover.
Please contact us if you have received notices from us if you no longer have the dog or have moved from Durham.
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DURHAM SWAP SHOP NEEDS VOLUNTEERS
The Durham Swap Shop is located at the Transfer Station and open to all Durham residents. It has been used by a LOT of people this summer! Many amazing items have been dropped off on Saturdays, and sometimes it is just as many on Tuesdays! With so many items to organize, volunteers have worked hard to keep it looking so nice and inviting. The Swap Shop has become so successful that there currently just aren’t enough volunteers to cover the time and tasks needed to be completed.
To keep the Swap Shop open, more volunteers are needed. Volunteers choose their own amount of time. It would be sad to not have our Swap Shop. Why not give volunteering a try? It’s fun, you can chat with folks, and even brighten someone’s day!
Call or text 603-969-4732 or mailto:foggdrive@yahoo.com
With more volunteers the Swap Shop will continue for all residents!
Drop off items in good condition on Saturdays and Tuesdays until 2:00.
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A plan sheet from the application submittals for 74 Main Street
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PRELIMINARY DESIGN REVIEW APPLICATION FOR NEW FOUR-STORY MIXED-USE BUILDING
Doug Clark has submitted a preliminary design review application for a new four-story mixed-use building at the intersection of Main Street and Pettee Brook Lane. This will be presented to the Planning Board on September 26 and a public hearing then scheduled, likely for October 10.
View the documents related to the project HERE, including the preliminary architectural renderings. The Planning Board recently approved a 2-lot subdivision which places this building on its own lot. The building housing Aroma Joe’s will be on its own lot.
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ADMINISTRATOR SELIG TO ATTEND UPCOMING ICMA CONFERENCE IN BALTIMORE, MD - To be recognized for 25 years of service within local government profession.
Mr. Selig will be attending the upcoming International City/County Management (ICMA) Association Annual Conference, this year being held in Baltimore, MD, from 9/21-9/26.
Each year, through its Annual Conference, ICMA continues its tradition of offering an abundance of educational, information-sharing, and networking tools to help City/Town Managers manage their community in today’s complex environment.
In addition to daily keynote sessions, educational and Solutions Track sessions, roundtable discussions, ICMA University workshops and forums, field demonstrations, and numerous demonstrations of technology applications, ICMA’s Annual Conference offers new opportunities to help fulfill a commitment to career-long learning.
Keynote speakers this year in Charm City include Daniel Pink, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Greg Bell, and Wes Moore.
At this year's annual conference, Mr. Selig will be recognized for 25 years of service within the local government profession.
It’s also an opportunity to speak informally with City/Town Managers from across the country concerning issues of common interest.
Learn more about ICMA HERE.
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HELP WANTED: ELECTION VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
The Town Clerk's Office is compiling a new list of volunteers to assist with elections. There are many opportunities to help; the major areas are voter check-in and voter registration. Training will be provided prior to elections and will try to pair novices with seasoned volunteers. The Polls are open from 7am – 7pm and shifts are generally 3-4 hours. Interested persons can schedule for one shift or more if they desire.
If you are interested in joining our Election Volunteer Team please call the Town Clerk’s Office at 603-868-5577, or contact Town Clerk Lorrie Pitt, mailto:lpitt@ci.durham.nh.us. Please let her know if you have a particular work preference or would work anywhere you were needed. Also let her know your availability--morning, afternoon, or no particular preference.
Since we are compiling a new list, we would like all former volunteers to contact us to confirm that you would still be available. Also, let us know your preferences as stated above.
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A VISIT TO THE GREAT DAM SITE IN EXETER -- Video of Visit Now Available on DCAT On Demand
On August 23, 2018 Town officials and interested residents visited the Great Dam in Exeter that proved to be quite valuable to all who participated. The Exeter Town Manager, Public Works Director, Town Engineer, and one of their Selectpersons spoke to the group for approximately 90 minutes at the Exeter Town Office, followed by a walk to the former Great Dam site itself, followed by a visit to the Exeter Library (which overlooks the dam site) to see historical displays commemorating the history of the Great Dam. DCAT Studios also attended and recorded the visit.
View the Great Dam site visit video HERE.
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SERGEANT KATHRYN MONE NAMED POLICE CHIEF IN NORTH HAMPTON
Durham is very proud of Sergeant Kathryn Mone who was chosen after an exhaustive search and process to be the next police chief in the Town of North Hampton. She will begin her career as Police Chief later in October. Kathryn was a shift commander for the Durham Police and is a seventeen-year veteran of the department who grew up in Durham and lives in Town with her husband Tim and two sons Michael and Declan. Kathryn holds a Bachelors and Master's Degree from the University of New Hampshire and has graduated from a number of police management schools including the very prestigious FBI National Academy.
Durham Police have a track record of producing Police Chiefs with Captain Sean Kelly Chief in Weare, Tommy Dronsfield Chief in Lee, Michael Bilodeau Chief in Newington and now Kathryn in North Hampton. Chief Kurz advises that a promotional process to identify Kathryn’s replacement will be announced shortly and a new hiring process to replace the vacancy caused by her resignation will commence later next month.
We all wish Kathryn good luck in her new and exciting position in North Hampton!
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UPDATE BY EDC DIRECTOR MARY ELLEN HUMPHREY ON THE PROPOSED HOTEL AT HETZEL/ALEXANDER SITE - ZBA grants variance request for project.
For those who may be curious about the status of a proposed hotel in downtown Durham, here is a brief recap with the latest information. A hotel feasibility study conducted by UNH concluded that there was enough volume to support a local boutique hotel with approximately 100 rooms, along with an upscale restaurant. The University of NH identified the need for a hotel to provide a number of important functions, including:
- Lodging for UNH and other visitors, parents, and IOL patrons;
- Training for the UNH hospitality program; and
- Bringing the UNH executive programs back to Durham.
In addition, the IOL has year-round national and international business guests. Their stays are usually for one to two weeks, and they often commute to Portsmouth and other nearby communities for dining and lodging.
Early in 2015, the Town and the University entered into a co-issued RFP for the redevelopment of 66 Main Street and possible inclusion of two UNH properties, Hetzel and Alexander, to build this hotel as well as other commercial spaces. Unfortunately after nearly two years of efforts, none of those initial respondents worked out.
Last year, the University issued another RFP, this time on its own and not as a joint UNH/Town endeavor. Ultimately Elliott Sidewalk Communities from Sparks, Maryland, was selected as the developer for their project, which again encompassed 66 Main Street as well as Hetzel and Alexander. Over the past several months, the University and Sidewalk Communities have engaged in due diligence and financial feasibility activities. The Town is not part of those private negotiations. However, we are engaged with both parties to assist where needed, and to advocate for the town’s best interests.
The University by statute can construct university-related buildings without the town’s planning board oversight. As a courtesy, they bring their construction plans to the planning board for informational purposes.
Since a hotel on Hetzel and Alexander would be privately owned and operated, construction would need to follow the town’s rules and regulations. This presented a problem since the university property is zoned RA which does not allow commercial development. After exploring various ways to administratively deal with this limitation, a variance was thought to be the most expeditious solution. This variance was granted by the ZBA on Tuesday, the 11th of September, allowing a hotel to be built on the Hetzel/Alexander site, as well as expanding the existing parking structure known as the Campus Crossings Parking Lot to serve that hotel.
The next step will be the submission of an application to the Planning Department by Elliott Sidewalk Communities. All indications are that this will occur later this fall, but a specific date has not been set. Once they bring in their proposal, it will be posted on the town website, as are all applications to the Planning Board, allowing everyone to see the proposed design for Hetzel and Alexander redeveloping from the current use as dormitories, to an upscale boutique hotel with restaurant.
66 Main Street is also being designed as a commercial site to complement the hotel and enhance Durham’s downtown. We do not know yet know the details or have designs, but once they are available, they will become public. As with all projects before the Planning Board, there will be ample opportunity for public input.
A question about taxing status for these two properties has been of key concern to many in the community. While statutes clearly stipulate that university uses are exempt from property taxes on university property, commercial uses are taxable, and indeed, Durham already taxes several commercial uses on UNH property. We expect that the hotel will be primarily a commercial use, owned and operated privately, and will therefore be taxable to the town. The same holds true for 66 Main Street. This parcel is currently owned by the university, but once it becomes leased or sold to a private commercial user, those commercial spaces become taxable. Currently no tax revenue is received by the town on these parcels. Once redeveloped, as commercial uses, they will become tax payers in town. There is more work and analysis to undertake but this is the latest information to date.
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Town Moderator Chris Regan and Lyn Cusack from NH Department of Justice. Courtesy Todd Selig
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PROPOSED ORDINANCE FOR SOLAR INSTALLATIONS
The Planning Board held a public hearing on a revised proposed ordinance for solar installations on Wednesday. The board continued the public hearing to the meeting on September 26 so residents can still submit comments.
View the proposed amendments, background information, and numerous written comments that have been submitted HERE.
Comments can be emailed to the Town Planner: mailto:mbehrendt@ci.durham.nh.us.
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TOWN/UNH WATER MAIN FLUSHING/VALVE EXERCISING
The Town of Durham and the University of New Hampshire will be exercising gate valves starting Monday, September 10th through Friday, September 21st from 7AM- 3:30PM. In addition, they will flush water mains beginning on Monday, September 24th, 2018 and ending on Friday, October 5th, 2018. Flushing will be done at night between the hours of 9:00 PM and 7:00 AM.
These procedures are necessary to eliminate the buildup of sediment in the water mains. Flushing of the mains and gate valve exercising may cause temporary discoloration of the water however the water remains safe for drinking. This discoloration will disappear with normal household use. It is suggested that sensitive laundry not be washed if the water is obviously discolored. Try not to draw water if you observe flushing in your area.
Please call the UNH Water Supply at 603-862-1390 or the Department of Public Works at 603-868-5578 with questions and/or concerns.
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DRAINING OF OYSTER RIVER RESERVOIR
As part of the UNH Water Treatment Plant project, UNH needs to drain the Oyster River Reservoir in order to replace the existing valves for the water intake. They will begin the drawdown on September 14 and expect that refilling will begin on or around October 22nd.
Questions/Comments can be directed to the UNH Water Treatment Plant at 603-832-1390.
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REMEMBER TO SUPPORT THE DURHAM FARMERS' MARKET EACH MONDAY AFTERNOON AT JACKSON'S LANDING
The Farmers Market organized by the Seacoast Growers Assn. occurs each Monday afternoon. Attendance has been off again this year. The farmers there have asked us to remind residents to stop by the market on Monday afternoons at Jackson's Landing.
The fresh local produce at Market is bountiful and tastes terrific in this the heart of summer!
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The Mill Plaza site within Durham's Central Business District. Courtesy DCAT
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MILL PLAZA SITE PLAN REVIEW POSTPONED
At the request of Colonial Durham Associates, Mill Plaza property owner, the site plan review for the redevelopment of Mill Plaza originally scheduled for the Planning Board’s agenda for September 12, 2018, will be postponed to the board's October 10, 2018 meeting. We understand the Mill Plaza owner is currently in discussions with Hannaford endeavoring to work through concerns Hannaford has raised with the existing project plan.
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BUSINESS NH MAGAZINE ARTICLE
An interesting article was published in this month's Business NH magazine, New Hampshire's first statewide monthly business publication. The article is titled "The Battle Over Voting and Students".
View the article HERE.
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Supervisors of the Checklist chair, Ann Shump, at the Durham polls on Tuesday this week. Courtesy Todd Selig
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UNH THEATRE DEPARTMENT "POWERPLAY" AND DURHAM POLICE HAD AN IDEA!
Chief Kurz was recently appointed to be chairperson of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) “Education and Training Committee”. This committee is responsible to address topical issues in policing and develop creative training and educational programs that may address the issue for the law enforcement profession. Through suggestions by “Durham United”, Chief Kurz met with David Kaye, and CJ Lewis, both Professors in the UNH Theatre Department to discuss the possibilities of a collaborative approach to addressing implicit bias within police organizations by using their PowerPlay program. PowerPlay, https://www.unh.edu/powerplay/, is a professional training and development initiative that helps organizations improve their work environment by facilitating difficult dialogues about interpersonal behavior. PowerPlay utilizes professional actors to help start conversations about often-ignored human dynamics that can affect and diminish performance. This seemed like an innovative and novel approach to highlighting the importance of dialog by police officers while ensuring that the organizational culture of the department was the basis of how officers dealt with those they come in contact with.
Working with UNH PowerPlay, Chief Kurz proposed a presentation of this training concept to the IACP at their annual conference being held in October before 15,000 police executives from around the United States and the World. The proposal, entitled “Bias Awareness and Intervention Training: Enhancing a Police Department's Climate and Culture for Better Outcomes” was accepted for presentation.
Not only is this is an outstanding example of the Town and UNH working collaboratively in an innovative and creative manner but it will provide exciting training to police agencies in the United States who may be striving to provide professional and unbiased services to their community.
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MORE SCAMS PLAGUE DURHAM RESIDENTS!
While Chief Kurz prefers to have more positive news, discussing scams in Friday Updates that are routinely occurring in Durham hopefully provides residents with the knowledge to recognize a scam immediately and not fall prey to the scare tactics. This was a busy week for Durham residents receiving calls very similar, if not exact, to this version below provided to the Durham Police by a resident.
“Notification regarding tax filings from Headquarters which get expired in the next 24 hours. Call 915-314-0508 or you will be taken into custody by local cops. Request you to get back to us so we can discuss serious allegations pressed on your name at this moment. We would request you to get back to us so that we can discuss about this case before taking any legal action against you."
It is important that when we receive these scam calls that we take note of the unusual use of language, such as the underlined words or phrases which are very much out of place in our vernacular. Durham Police do not take people “under” custody as they place persons “in custody” nor would a reference to the “local cops” be used. “Pressed” charges are not a phrase used in American law enforcement and the very fact that the incident involves a telephone call to warn of a person being arrested is just not at all how the Durham Police, or any other New Hampshire police agency deal with criminal charges. So once again, if it seems wrong…..it is! If you are in doubt, call the Durham Police at 868-2324.
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AMENDMENTS RELATED TO ZONING IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT
The Planning Board held a public hearing on various amendments related to zoning in the Central Business District on Wednesday. The board continued the public hearing to the meeting on September 26 so residents can still submit comments.
View the proposed amendments, background information, and numerous written comments that have been submitted HERE.
Comments can be emailed to the Town Planner: mailto:mbehrendt@ci.durham.nh.us.
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This pup was campaigning for its preferred candidate on Tuesday outside the Durham polls. Courtesy Todd Selig
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VARIOUS UPDATES FROM DEPARTMENTS
Code Officer Audrey Cline has been in Town over the last few weekends to address trash issues, etc. She reports that a number of the landlords of private property have hired weekly maintenance people and they are doing a good job staying on top of issues. This is an improvement from last year. Ms. Cline also indicates that she is monitoring the site work at Riverwoods Durham on Stone Quarry Drive. Footings are being prepared at this time.
Town Clerk/Tax Collector Lorrie Pitt indicates that if residents are interested in volunteering to assist during our upcoming state (and future local and Federal) elections, to please let her know at mailto:lpitt@ci.durham.nh.us. In addition, if there is a resident or two who are interested in volunteering as an assistant moderator, please contact Lorrie as well. Ideally, assistant moderators are people who can be very organized, who can understand and explain the law, and who can help coordinate the tabulating of ballots at the close of the polls.
In addition, the Town Clerk’s Office and DPW have been busy processing quarterly water/sewer utility bills. New state regulations now require quarterly billing. Previously, we billed two times per year, which saved on staffing!
Chief Kurz and Chief Emanuel indicate that the police department and fire department are gearing up for UNH Homecoming, which will take place during the weekend of October 12-14.
Business Manager Gail Jablonski says we hope to receive the completed audit for FY 2017 from our external auditing firm within the next month.
At the Leadership Team (department head) meeting last week, we received an interesting presentation from Andrew Brresi of Roll Barresi & Associations of Cambridge, MA about way finding signage of campus to potentially correspond with the new UNH way finding signage on campus.
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HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE DAY
It’s hard to believe the October is just around the corner, but unfortunately it is quickly approaching. The 2018 Household Hazardous Waste Day will be held 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 8-11:30AM. To register, you must call the Department of Public Works at 868-5578 or e-mail publicworks@ci.durham.nh.us. Remember - The MAXIMUM COLLECTED PER HOUSEHOLD IS FIVE GALLONS. See more details in the spring newsletter located on the DPW's web page HERE.
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“DRUG TAKE BACK’ PROGRAM AT THE DURHAM POLICE DEPARTMENT
This initiative of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has been a national success with previous events occurring in New Hampshire taking in an astounding 276 tons of unwanted or expired medications! So resounding was the success to fill this void that Chief Kurz decided to provide the program on a continuous basis to the residents of Durham. Residents can drop off unwanted or expired prescriptions at the Durham Police facility Monday through Friday from 8AM to 5PM for no cost and it’s all anonymous!
Doing so prevents prescription drug abuse as six out of ten teenagers who have taken prescription narcotics state that they get them from their parents or relative’s medicine cabinets. Additionally, using this service keeps trace drugs out of our lakes, streams and estuaries as wastewater treatment plants cannot remove many of the compounds found in medications; so when flushed or put in a landfill, drugs are discharged into our surface and ground water and consumed by fish and wildlife. If you have a question about this service that is provided to Durham residents only, please call the Durham Police during business hours Monday through Friday @ 603-868-2324.
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Discarded election signs after a long day at sunset Tuesday outside the Durham polls along Coe Drive. Courtesy Todd Selig
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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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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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Durham Day at Wagon Hill Farm - Saturday, September 22, 2018
Free community BBQ, boat tours, informational booths, family activities, live music & more! Participation is FREE. Please contact Durham Parks & Recreation to set up a table/booth at Durham Day.
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Register soon for these favorite Youth Programs at the Durham Public Library!
Tales for Tails! Read to a Pet Partner Dog. Grades K-4th. Does your child need to gain confidence in reading? Sign them up for a 3 week 1/2 hour session reading to North! Sessions will be Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons.
Seacoast Reads! UNH Reading Buddy for Child grades 1st-4th. Your child will meet once a week on Mon., Tues. or Weds. at 4-4:45 pm with their buddy.
Crafternoon! Do you like to craft and are in 2nd-4th grade? We will be learning different crafts and being creative.
Register on-line or at the Youth Services Desk.
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*Academic year commenced August 24th and will be measured 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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1831 - A listing of 50 sea-worthy vessels built in our ways since 1800 include 35 ships of 201 to 399 tons, 8 brigs from 98 to 281 tons, 7 schooners from 50 to 137 tons. Joseph Coe produced 18. Stephen Paul 11, Robert Lapish 6 and Andrew Simpson and William Hanscom 4 apiece, and others.
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