Friday Updates - December 1, 2023

Friday, December 1, 2023

Students at UNH heading home to family for the Thanksgiving holiday last week on the Amtrak Downeaster! Courtesy, Steve Pesci

Holiday season is fast approaching, and if you notice roadways in town where there are particularly attractive displays, please let us know. We’ll then try to include a list as part of an upcoming “Friday Updates” to let the community know where to drive to see them. And speaking of displays, the hard-working team within the Public Works department has installed Durham’s traditional holiday wreaths/lights throughout our downtown for the upcoming season. It’s always pleasant to see the festive lighting during an otherwise dark and dreary time of year.

Durham's annual Frost Fest is tomorrow! See flyer of activities below.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), joined by the U.S. Department of Defense, Shell USA, TransRe, Oxy and Salesforce announced a November 2023 round of funding for National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF) projects.

NFWF awarded 109 new or continuing coastal resilience grants totaling more than $144 million. $1.9 million in funding has been earmarked for Durham’s Wagon Hill Farm. The grants will leverage more than $97 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of $242 million.

Established in 2018, the NCRF invests in conservation projects that restore or expand natural features such as coastal marshes and wetlands, dune and beach systems, oyster and coral reefs, coastal forests and rivers, floodplains, and barrier islands that minimize the impacts of storms, sea level rise and other coastal hazards on nearby communities. The NCRF addresses four focus areas: 1) community capacity building and planning; 2) project site assessment and preliminary design; 3) final project design and permitting; and 4) restoration implementation.

The project:   Implementing Living Shoreline at Wagon Hill Farm (NH)

Grantee:        Town of Durham, NH

Grant Amount:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,994,500

Matching Funds:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $248,800

Total Project Amount:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,243,300

Project Description: Create a living shoreline to stabilize 1,835 linear feet of tidal shoreline and restore both 4,060 square feet of salt marsh habitat and 2,810 square feet of tidal buffer at Wagon Hill Farm in Durham, New Hampshire. The project will stabilize severe erosion while protecting and increasing the adaptive capacity of critical conservation and community spaces.

NH PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY WILL BE JANUARY 23, 2024

The NH Presidential Primary will be held on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Voting will take place at the Oyster River High School Gymnasium from 7:00am to 7:00pm. Voters must be registered and domiciled in Durham, N.H. to vote at Oyster River High School. 

If you cannot make it to the polls on election day, you may qualify to vote by absentee ballot. Please note that New Hampshire does not offer mail-in voting, but rather “absentee voting,” which is limited to qualified voters that cannot appear in-person on election day. Applications for absentee ballots and information on absentee voting may be found on the Town of Durham’s website HERE or you may pick up an application at the Durham Town Clerk’s office between the hours of 8:00am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday.  

Please contact the Durham Town Clerk’s Office by email at rdeane@ci.durham.nh.us or by phone at 603-868-5577 if you have any questions about voting. Please see additional voting information below.

PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY VOTING INFORMATION

Party changes can no longer be made until AFTER the January 23, 2024 Presidential Primary. Those of you who have registered as Undeclared for the first time need to know the following:

• At the Primary, you will choose either a Republican or Democratic ballot.
• You will be considered a member of that party until you officially change.
• You may stop at the Return to Undeclared table on your way out of the polls. 
• You will find a book there that should have your name in it (this book has ONLY people who are registered Undeclared before the Primary)
• Find your name, circle the party you voted, then sign your name.
• This gives us (Supervisors of the Checklist) permission to change you back to Undeclared.
• If you wish to stay in the party you voted, do not stop at this table.
• If you wish to belong to a party different from the one you voted, do not stop at this table. However, you do need to go to the Durham Town Hall whenever the Clerk’s office is open, to fill out a Change form. This can be done whenever the Town Hall is open, at any Supervisor session, or at the Town Election in March. 
• There will be a State Primary in September. You cannot change party within about 90 days of a primary, which means you need to make any changes by June (exact date to be announced later).

New registrations will be accepted in the Town Clerk’s office any time up until about 10 days before any election, including the Presidential Primary. Applicants for registration should bring with them proofs of identity, age, citizenship, and domicile (in Durham). Driver’s license and passport are very helpful. Affidavits may be signed under oath if proofs are lacking. 

A new voter checklist has been updated through August 21 and printed. There is a copy of the checklist in the lobby of the Durham Town Hall. You may also check your current party registration at https://app.sos.nh.gov. If you get a frowny face, scroll down to find your party affiliation and polling place. If you can’t find your name, please contact the Town Clerk’s office. We occasionally make an error with spelling or with Date of Birth. If you have changed your party or registered since August 21 and want to double check that you have been entered, you may call the Town Clerk’s office to check.  

Late afternoon at Foss Farm Courtesy, Carol Birch

OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL BOARD ANNOUNCES SUPERINTENDENT CANDIDATES

The Oyster River Cooperative School District School Board is pleased to announce three candidates for the position of Superintendent of the Oyster River Cooperative School District.

The three candidates, listed in alphabetical order, are:

Ms. Suzanne Filippone, Assistant Superintendent, Oyster River Cooperative School District, Durham

Mr. Russell Holden, Superintendent, Sunapee School District, Sunapee

Dr. Robert Shaps, retired Superintendent, Mamaroneck Union Free School District, Mamaroneck, N.Y.

The three candidates were chosen by a Screening Committee over a period of three weeks in November. The Screening Committee was comprised of various stakeholder groups within the district.

The committee reviewed all completed applications and subsequently selected candidates who were invited to meet for a preliminary interview. Following the preliminary interviews and after much discussion and consideration, the Screening Committee voted to recommend three candidates for further consideration.

The selected candidates will be visiting the Oyster River Cooperative School District from Nov. 30 to Dec. 4.

The School Board is providing three candidate forum opportunities for community members to meet the candidates. All candidate forums will take place at the Oyster River Middle School Concert Hall, 1 Coe Drive.

• Thursday, Nov. 30, 6- 6:45 p.m.: Ms. Suzanne Filippone
• Friday, Dec. 1, 6-6:45 p.m.: Mr. Russell Holden
• Monday, Dec. 4, 6-6:45 p.m.: Dr. Robert Shaps

Community members are also invited to provide feedback about the candidates, which will be collected through online candidate surveys. The candidate resumes are now available on the district website, www.orcsd.org/school-board/superintendent-search, and surveys will be available online Wednesday, Nov. 29 through Tuesday, Dec. 5.

The Board anticipates selecting and announcing a new superintendent in December.

UNH STUDENT SENATE TAKES PROACTIVE STEPS TO ADDRESS MICROMOBILITY DEVICES IN DURHAM SUCH AS EBIKES, SCOOTERS, ESKATEBOARDS, ETC.

This past Sunday the UNH Student Senate passed Resolution 45.08, Regarding Electric Vehicles and Pedestrian Safety.

Resolutions are the Student Senate’s way of beginning dialogue and collaboration with departments across campus. When a resolution passes, it shows that the majority of students recognize and agree with it enough to work together with departments at the University and/or the Town (or both) on a solution.

Resolution 45.08 recognizes the Durham and UNH Police Departments’ intentions to implement new guidelines on qualifications of electric vehicles and sidewalks; thanks the University of New Hampshire Police Department, Durham Police Department, Durham Town Administrator, and President Dean for creating a space to work with student leaders on a student culture issue; asks the Town of Durham to formally excuse UNH students from the EMD/E-Scooter registration process; urges the University of New Hampshire Police Department, Durham Police Department, and Durham Town Administrator to continue the conversation; and recommends the University of New Hampshire Police Department and Durham Police Department coordinate with each other, to make consistent policies applicable to the entirety of Durham and the University of New Hampshire.  

You can download a copy of the full resolution HERE. 

Seacoast Area Firefighters, including members of the Durham Professional Firefighters Association, are busily preparing for the collection of donations to be distributed to families in need. Donations will be accepted up until December 15, 2023.

All donations are appreciated, and the areas of greatest need are: 

~ New, unwrapped toys (for ages newborn and up).

~ Gift cards.

~ Monetary donations. Please make checks payable to the Durham Professional Firefighter’s Association and include “Toy Bank” in the memo of your check. Checks may be mailed to the DPFFA at 51 College Road, Durham, NH 03824. 

Drop-off bins like the one above can be found at M&T Bank on Main Street, Hannaford in the Mill Plaza, Durham Town Hall, and the Durham Library. For your convenience you can also drop off donations directly at the Durham Fire Station at 51 College Rd in Durham. For community partners who may wish to host a donation box or to submit a request for assistance please click HERE or contact Firefighter Robert Rosselli of the Durham Fire Department by email Robert.rosselli@unh.edu or by phone (603) 868-5531 or (603) 862-1426.  

If you are on Facebook, you can click HERE for more information. Donations from the local drive will be distributed to needy families in the Oyster River School District with any remaining donations being sent to other communities that need assistance. 

Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity!

AS A RESIDENT OF DURHAM, BE SURE TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE AMTRAK DOWNEASTER RIGHT IN OUR OWN BACKYARD – Ridership bounces back following pandemic.

Ridership is one of the critical metrics in measuring the success of the Amtrak Downeaster. The Pandemic was no friend to passenger rail in general and our Downeaster was no exception. However, FY 2023 bounced back with 516,723 riders, and in August of this year "America's Favorite Train" (yes, the Amtrak Downeaster) carried an all-time record of 61,769 riders! We are very fortunate in Durham and at UNH to be serviced by the Downeaster. Be sure to take advantage of this great Durham amenity!  

In accordance with the Town Charter, Administrator Selig has provided to the Town Council for review and consideration a proposed 2024 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 2024-2033 Capital Improvement Plan incorporating the FY 2024 Capital Fund budget utilizing a ten-year time horizon.  

This year’s budget cycle has resulted in a proposed 2024 General Fund budget totaling $19,315,015 -- a spending increase of $1,058,766 or 5.8% compared to FY 2023.  Spending increases proposed by the Administrator were 2.31% for 2023 and 5.8% for 2024, totaling an increase over two years of 8.11% versus a combined 2023/24 CPI increase of 11.9% (U.S. CPI of 8.2% in 2023 and 3.7% in 2024). Increases are due to required wages and benefits as a result of recently ratified collective bargaining contracts, a 3% COLA for non-union personnel, insurance increases, energy/fuel costs, steep increases in various supplies, materials, and construction services, and other miscellaneous requests that will be discussed as part of the upcoming budget process. 

In total, this year’s budgetary proposal is projected to maintain the 2024 local municipal portion of the tax rate with a 0.00% increase -- the same level as proposed in 2023 at $5.75 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation.  This budget proposal is consistent with Town Council goals.  

The proposed Water Fund budget carries an anticipated 1.9% increase in user fees (a rate of $10.61 per hundred cubic feet) for FY 2024.  

The proposed Sewer (Wastewater) Fund budget reflects a 7.69% increase in user fees in 2024 (a rate of $10.31 per hundred cubic feet).  

A public hearing on the proposed budget was held on November 13th at 7 PM at a special budget work session scheduled by the Town Council. You can still provide feedback for consideration at council@ci.durham.nh.us. 

Below are the links for the 2024 Proposed Budget, 2024-2033 Proposed CIP and the 2024 Proposed Information Booklet. If anyone would like to view a hard copy of these documents, they can be viewed in the foyer at the Town Hall or at the Durham Public Library.  

Proposed 2024 Budget - Click HERE

Proposed 2024-2033 CIP - Click HERE

Proposed Budget Information Booklet - Click HERE

AS PART OF PROPOSED FY 2024 BUDGET, DURHAM’S ANNUAL SPRING BULKY WASTE COLLECTION CLEANUP WOULD END

The Administrator’s proposed budget includes a significant planned policy change for 2024 that will move forward with aligning Durham’s MSW and recycling practices with its sustainability goals by permanently discontinuing the annual spring bulky waste collection cleanup program. This will free up 4-6 weeks of valuable DPW staff time every springtime to address an ever-expanding list of expectations/responsibilities for the department. The Town will open the Transfer Station for two or three days during an identified period of time for residents to transport their own bulky waste materials to the facility for disposal at no cost during this finite identified time period.

To provide feedback on this proposal as part of the FY 2024 budget process, residents can write to council@ci.durham.nh.us.

INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE ENDORSES CANCELLATION OF CURBSIDE BULKY WASTE PICKUP PROGRAM

In keeping with the Durham Town Council Goals for 2023-24 to pursue long-term environmental sustainability and resiliency, and the Sustainable Durham initiative, the Town’s Integrated Waste Management Advisory Committee supports the cancellation of Durham’s annual curbside bulky waste pick-up. The committee has discussed the Bulky Waste pick-up program for a number of years, and for the following reasons supports the cancellation of the Bulky Waste curbside program.

• DPW Employees are pulled from other town operations for 4-5 weeks to complete the collection, often leading to the hiring of contract services for town projects and adding to the Town expenses.
• Over the past three years, an average of 154.7 tons or 55% of the year’s Bulky Waste is collected from our curbsides and delivered to the landfill. This free collection has had an average disposal cost to the Town of $15,079.
• Items picked up curbside are taken directly to the Turnkey Landfill and are not sorted for recyclables, especially metals. This sorting is possible at the Transfer Station allowing for less waste going to the landfill, reuse of resources, and revenue for the Town.
• There are many ways to make reusable items available to other residents, the wider Seacoast area, and to those in need in and beyond our own community. These include apps that connect you to people who may want your item(s) and who will be willing to come to your home for pick up.
• There are many private hauler options for residents who are unable to deliver bulky items to the Transfer Station. There will be days at the Transfer Station during which residents will not be required to pay for dropping off bulky waste.
• We all need to consider where our purchases will end up in the waste stream when they are no longer useful or wanted, and if we are willing to be responsible for their disposal. Considering the entire life cycle of each item is part of practicing one of the 7 Rs of recycling, “refuse.” 

A tipping fee is the amount a town pays to dispose of municipal solid waste material.The tipping fees to dispose of bulky waste material for the Town of Durham have risen from $94.08/ton in 2021 to $100.78/ton in 2023.In addition, our total Bulky Waste Curbside Collection Program tonnage and Transfer Station bulky waste tonnage were as follows:

2021 Bulky Waste - DPW Curbside Collection Program in Spring

130.34 tons

Bulky Waste - brought to Transfer Station for the entire year

147.40 tons

Total: 277.74 tons

2022 Bulky Waste - DPW Curbside Collection Program in Spring

197.67 tons

Bulky Waste - brought to Transfer Station for the entire year

127.27 tons

Total: 324.94 tons

2023 (through October) Bulky Waste - DPW Curbside Collection Program in Spring

136.21 tons

Bulky Waste - brought to Transfer Station through October

102.01 tons

Total: 238.22 tons

Durham’s total tipping fees in 2021 were $26,129.78. As of the end of October, 2023, this year’s total tipping fees were $24,007.81.These fees just cover the cost of disposing of our bulky waste material. Imagine the money that could be saved by keeping heavy (and environmentally damaging) organic matter out of our garbage and composting it instead. How much could be saved by repairing, re-purposing or properly recycling our furniture, toys and other household items instead of throwing them out when we are done with them?

The Integrated Waste Management Advisory Committee (IWMAC) is here to help. 

Brought to you by the IWMAC Committee and Durham Public Library

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

Not sure if an item can be recycled? Click HERE.

Want to know more about the Swap Shop?  Click HERE.

2024 BUDGET PROPOSES TO MOVE TO A VOLUME BASED TRASH COLLECTION SYSTEM IN DURHAM – Would require the Town to provide new standardized size toters for every household.

The FY 2024 budget includes $1,937,600 (offset with $723,681 in external grant funding) to replace the Town’s two existing refuse/recycling collection trucks with two EV collection vehicles and the purchase of standardized fixed size toter bins, enabling Durham to forge ahead in 2024/25 with a new volume-based collection system intended to further incentivize the Town’s recycling and sustainability goals through the use of new standardized toter bins that will be required for MSW and recycling curbside collection.

Oyster River at sunset Courtesy, Deborah Munsey

2024 RAYMOND A. LAROCHE SR. TRANSFER STATION AND RECYCLING CENTER PASSES AVAILABLE DECEMBER 18

Durham Public Works would like to remind residents that a yearly pass is required to access the Raymond A. LaRoche Sr. Transfer Station and Recycling Center at 100 Durham Point Road. 2024 passes will be available beginning on December 18th at the Durham Public Works main campus located at 100 Stone Quarry Drive or at the Durham Town Hall. This pass is free of charge and allows residents to dispose of municipal solid waste and recycling materials. The disposal of bulky waste and construction debris is not covered by this pass and requires separate coupons which are available for purchase at Durham Public Works or the Transfer Station.

Durham Public Works and its contractor, SumCo Eco Contracting are nearing completion on the construction of two new pedestrian bridges and a trail realignment/restoration within the Wagon Hill Farm trail network. In 2020, an assessment of the Wagon Hill Farm Trails and Bridges identified this area of the trail network in the south-central region of the property as a priority project. It was targeted due to ongoing environmental degradation caused by continuous erosion and sediment transport into sensitive water resource areas. A relocation and realignment of the major crossing was developed to address the existing deficiencies. The design was successfully permitted through the NHDES Wetlands Division and addresses these concerns while still allowing trail access and attractive views of the tidal and freshwater tributary.

The project successfully applied for and received a Moose plate grant in 2021 in the amount of $24,000. The project and associated funding also serves as a financial match for the National Fish and Wildlife Fund and Coastal Zone Management grants to construct the Phase 2 Living Shoreline Improvements.

Durham Public Works expects project completion within the next two weeks. 

USED OIL COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL REMINDER

Durham Public Works would like to remind visitors of the Raymond A. LaRoche, Sr. Transfer Station and Recycling Center that used motor oil is only be accepted in clear or translucent containers and may be subject to random contaminant testing. Additionally, visitors are required to provide written confirmation when disposing of used motor oil that no unacceptable materials are present. Within the last few years, the tank was contaminated on several occasions with products such as antifreeze, gasoline, diesel, and cleaning solvents which resulted in very costly remediations.

Durham Public Works would like to thank residents for their cooperation!

Today marked first day of meteorological winter and Durham Public Works staff have completed the transition from construction and maintenance operations to winter operations.

The Department recently held a winter operations meeting for its snow fighting team which included calibrating de-icing material spreaders, reviewing policies and performing a dry run of routes with assigned equipment. De-icing and abrasive material sheds are fully stocked and the entire fleet of snow fighting equipment is assembled and on stand-by.

The DPW team has created an interactive public viewing dashboard that can be viewed HERE outlining its policies for snow and ice control operations. Residents and other interested parties are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the content as it describes the roadway and sidewalk conditions that one might expect to encounter before, during, and after a winter storm event.

Durham Public Works will be incorporating Organic Based Performance Enhanced (OBPE) liquids into their snow and ice control program this season. OBPE liquids are advanced solutions used for both anti-icing applications prior to an event and for de-icing applications when mixed with conventional rock salt or when used in liquid form. They are comprised of a refined carbohydrate source, such as molasses, blended with premium magnesium chloride. OBPE liquids are specifically designed for anti-icing, direct application de-icing, frost prevention, and pre-wetting of solids. These premium liquids are designed to modify the properties of the surface to which they are applied, minimizing/reducing the formation/adhesion of snow and ice. The organic based component provides added adhesion properties, ensuring the liquid remains on the roadway and has lasting residual effectiveness. Unlike conventional rock salt, the sodium chloride / magnesium chloride blend provides enhanced melting results, reduced corrosion impacts, and the ability to operate at lower temperatures. In the photo above, Operations Manager Shane Bickford is seen mixing a batch of rock salt and OBPE liquids. 

OBPE liquids are ordered in 4,300-gallon increments by the Assistant Director or Operations Manager and stored at the Public Works Facility. Additionally, a rock salt / OBPE liquid blend of 6-8 gallons per ton of substrate is produced and stored at the Public Works Facility. Application rates of 16-29 gallons per lane mile for anti-icing and 38-42 gallons per lane mile for direct liquid application de-icing will depend on the existing roadway conditions and performance objectives.

Durham Police Department, in partnership with Durham Parks and Recreation, the Durham Library, and M&T Bank, held a lunch and learn on Friday, November 17th, at the Durham Public Library. Lori Roy, Branch Manager for M&T Bank, and Detective Emily Bolton presented the current scam trends and situations, and provided tips and safety measures to prevent attendees from falling victim to these constant threats. The session was well attended, with approximately twenty people engaged in thoughtful questions and experiences. Thank you to those who attended.

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 to teach your kids about Fire Safety, the more they know the safer they will be.

WEEK #46

Hey Kids! This week Smokey wanted to pass along some tips for Mom and Dad. Click HERE for some cold weather and winter driving tips.

OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL BOARD NEWS

Inclement Weather Season

This is a reminder, as we soon enter inclement weather season, that there is no perfect weather call. Having the following options help to determine the end of the school year with more predictability which benefits everyone.

• Snow days: We will use snow days for predicted heavy snow events. 
• Remote Learning: We will use remote learning days when experiencing significant winter weather. 
• Delayed Start: We will use delay starts when the weather is predicting thaw by mid-morning.

Free and Reduced Meals Applications

Free and reduced meals applications can be completed online. Applications are also available at each school's front office and nurse's office upon request. Please be sure the application you complete has the current school year listed on it as the school district is, unfortunately, unable to accept previous years applications.

End 68 Hours of Hunger – A way to help ORCSD students in need of nutritional support this holiday season.

The Oyster River Cooperative School District offers a weekend food program for students called End 68 Hours of Hunger. The program is named for the 68 hours between a student’s last weekly Friday school meal and their next one the following Monday. There is no income qualification for this program. Additional information is available HERE. If you'd like to support the program, please contact Child Nutrition Director Maredith St. Onge at (603) 389-3310 or email mstonge@orcsd.org.

ParentSquare Communications

Parents and guardians are encouraged to register their account by visiting ParentSquare.com. You may also customize your notification settings. The “instant” setting will send all posts notifications in real-time. The “digest” setting sends direct messages, alerts, and time-sensitive posts instantly, but sends all non-time sensitive posts at the end of the day, reducing the number of notifications you receive daily. Instructions to update your notification settings are available here.

Parking Restrictions at the ORCSD District Office 

Parking at the SAU and Service Building during business hours is by permit only (36 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824). Vehicles parked during business hours that are not displaying a valid SAU parking permit will be ticketed by the Town of Durham. 

Important Traffic Information

Thank you for your collaboration and patience during school pick-up and drop-off at the Oyster River middle and high schools. Mornings and afternoons can be hectic, and we understand how frustrating it can be to sit in traffic. Due to the increased amount of traffic this year, it is important to remember the importance of the following safety rules and the importance of planning your commute with traffic in mind.

• Drop off and pick up are only permitted in dedicated areas
• Do not attempt to pass vehicles using the middle or opposing lane
• When instructed to stop by our School Resource Office, you must immobilize your vehicle immediately
• U-turns are not permitted on the road

Highlight on Sustainability

The ORCSD Sustainability Committee proudly hosted two exciting opportunities in November. On November 6, students, staff, families, and community members were invited to attend Kiss the Ground, a viewing and panel conversation where Oyster River students shared their school's sustainability practices. On November 8, our district joined schools across the US and celebrated Plastic Free Lunch Day, a nationwide initiative to reduce plastic foodware and packaging. For the occasion Oyster River school lunches will be served with limited single-use plastic foodware and packaging.