“FRIDAY UPDATES”

(On Thursday, April 30, 2009)

 

 

A couple of youngsters cool off at Jackson’s Landing during last weekend’s heat wave

Courtesy Colleen Yoder

 

 

Over the last few days, there has been a great deal of media attention nationally concerning identified cases of swine flu in the United States and Mexico.  In the spirit of reducing the spread of viruses, an outstanding link to a sneeze/cough etiquette web video entitled "Why Don't We Do It In Our Sleeves?" follows. Although comical, the link hits home with its message.  http://www.coughsafe.com/media.html  A thank you is extended to resident Katherine Rannie for sharing this with us. 

 

SWINE FLU INFORMATION

The Town of Durham continues to receive the latest information and guidance from the State of New Hampshire and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  In an effort to inform members of the Durham community relative to this topic, we are passing along some succinct information provided by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services concerning Swine Flu. To view a fact sheet regarding this matter, click HERE. To view the most frequently asked questions regarding Swine flue, click HERE.  A "Hotline" (1-888-330-6764 between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM) has also been established by the State of New Hampshire designed to serve as a resource for N.H. residents with questions/concerns about Swine Flu.  The University of New Hampshire also has an informative articles regarding the Swine Flu that can be viewed at http://unh.edu/news/campusjournal/2009/Apr/29swine.cfm and http://extension.unh.edu/news/2009/04/inform_yourself_about_swine_fl.html

 

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR CONSULTANT

The Town has sent out "Request for Proposals” for professional services (Consultant) for the review of the zoning in the Central Business District (CBD) and recommendations for amendments to the Zoning Ordinance. The Town seeks a Consultant to assist with strategic planning in the CBD and downtown commercial core and for planning services on an “as needed” basis to potentially include an upcoming Master Plan update process. Proposals are due no later than 4:00 PM on Friday, May 29, 2009 at which time all proposals received will be opened. To view the document, go to http://ci.durham.nh.us/generalpdfs/RFP%20for%20Zoning%203.pdf. 

 

WEDDING BAND FOUND AT JACKSON’S LANDING

A platinum and gold wedding band (it appears to be a man’s ring) was found yesterday on one of the picnic tables at Jackson’s Landing near the playground.  The ring may be claimed by contacting the Police Department at 868-2324.

 

BOBCAT BOLT 5K/10K AND OYSTER RIVER FESTIVAL

A reminder that this coming Saturday, May 9, 2009, the inaugural Bobcat Bolt 5K/10K and Oyster River Festival, presented by Gault Builders, will be held at the Oyster River High school where the race will begin. Residents should expect traffic delays; especially in the area of the Oyster River High School.

 

DOOR-TO-DOOR SALESPERSONS

While springtime means warmer weather and cleaning winter debris from our yards, it also means that residents may encounter persons attempting to sell services such as driveway paving and/or lawn maintenance, door-to-door.  While the majority of these vendors may be legitimate business persons, the ability to approach a home without drawing suspicion creates other opportunities for those with criminal intent. 

On Tuesday, a resident called the police to report that a man had approached their home asking if they wanted a quote for driveway paving.  The resident was suspicious due to the salesman’s seemingly uninformed responses to questions and ultimately called the Durham Police to report this suspicious encounter. When an officer arrived in the neighborhood, she noted the truck described by the resident parked in front of another home.  Upon exiting her cruiser and noting that the front door was secure, she proceeded to the back door where the “salesman” ran out of the front door attempting to escape to his truck.  The officer heard the commotion and was quickly able to arrest the suspect as he approached his truck.  Dennis Perkins, 29 of Seabrook, was charged with burglary, habitual offender, and possession of a narcotic drug.  Mr. Perkins, who has an extensive criminal history, remains incarcerated at Strafford County jail. 

 

The Durham Police want to remind residents to trust their instincts.  If something appears to be wrong, it probably is!  If not, then the police response resolved the matter and eliminated the concern. 

 

FIRE DEPARTMENT ENGINE 1 BACK IN SERVICE

The Fire Department’s Engine 1 has been repaired and is back in service. All the work was completed under warrantee at a repair facility in Buffalo, NY.  The department was responsible to transport it to and from the facility. This was the closest location approved by the manufacturer to complete the needed work. Most of the cracks on the body were in the body filler portion, but there were a few cracks in the structure of the body and those were welded and painted.

 

FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDIC 1 TRUCK

The Fire Department Medic 1, 1998 Dodge Ram, has responded to its last call. Due to a costly transmission problem, which was estimated at approximately $2,500, the medic truck is out of service permanently. The Fire Department has taken delivery of the replacement chassis and that will be moved to the Hooksett, NH facility where this facility will be installing the body over the next few weeks.

 

FIRE DEPARTMENT RAPID INTERVENTION TRAINING

The Durham Fire Department has been donated the use of 261 Mast Road property for training. This property was donated by Perry Bryant. The property will be used for Rapid Intervention Training over the next month and then on June 20^th we will be conducting live fire training throughout the day and will end by burning the structure down to the basement. Expect delays in the area of Mast Rd. on that day.

 

2009 UNH Outdoor Swimming Pool Vouchers

The Town is assisting the University once again with the cleaning of the outdoor pool in preparation for the 2009 summer season. 

Pool pass vouchers will be available at the Town Hall, Town Clerk’s Office, 15 Newmarket Road beginning Tuesday, May 26, 2009. The Town Clerk’s Office is open 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. This year there will be 447 pool vouchers available only for Durham youths ages 2-17 and senior citizens 62 years and older to receive a $45.00 discount off the full price of a season pass. This is an additional $10.00 discount over last year. Vouchers are issued on a first come, first served basis. Pool pass vouchers must be picked up BEFORE purchasing a pool pass, and are sold at the Front Service Desk at the Hamel Student Recreation Center, located next to the Whittemore Center on the UNH campus.

 

More information as to when pool passes will go on sale and when the UNH outdoor pool will open for the season may also be obtained by calling the UNH Campus Recreation Department at 862-2031 or visiting their website at http://campusrec.unh.edu.

 

Spring Cleanup

The annual bulky waste collection will be held starting Monday, May 11^th, all items out by 7:00 AM.  This is the Spring Cleanup where residents may put out their bulky waste for collection instead of bringing it up to the Transfer Station with a coupon.  Remember that electronics will still need to have their stickers attached in order to be collected.  The details for the collection are in the Spring Newsletter which residents should have received. 

 

GATE VALVE EXERCISING AND FLUSHING OF WATER MAINS

The Town of Durham and the University of New Hampshire will be exercising gate valves starting Tuesday, April 28, 2009 through Friday, May 8, 2009, from approximately 7:00 AM to 4:30 PM.  In addition, water mains will be flushed beginning Monday, May 11, 2009 and ending on or before Friday, May 22, 2009.  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.  Gate valve exercising and flushing of the mains 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. Residents are cautioned to not draw water if they observe flushing in your area.  Please call the UNH Water Supply at 862-1390 or the Department of Public Works at 868-5578 with questions and/or concerns.

 

Oyster River Dam Public Hearing

On Monday, May 4, 2009, the Durham Town Council will hold a Public Hearing to receive input regarding options for repairing, replacing, or removing the Oyster River Dam at the Mill Pond located along Route 108/Newmarket Road in Durham. Following the public hearing on this matter, the Council will hold its regularly scheduled meeting (if time allows). Since a large number of residents is expected to speak to this specific issue, the agenda will not include the usual Public Comments period.

 

The Public Hearing will begin at 7:00 PM and will be held at the Oyster River High School Multipurpose Room, Coe Drive. Interested citizens are encouraged to attend the public hearing and express their views.  Written comments will be accepted until 5:00 PM on Friday, May 1, 2009, at the Town Administrator’s office. Comments may also be sent by electronic mail to jberry@ci.durham.nh.us A copy of the final report relative to the cost comparison for rehabilitation versus decommissioning of the Oyster River Dam may be viewed at the Town Administrator’s Office located on the second floor of Town Hall, 15 Newmarket Road, or on the Town’s web site at www.ci.durham.nh.us.

 

PUBLIC MEETING SCHEDULE

The following public meeting is scheduled for the coming week in the Town Council chambers at the Durham Town Office and will begin at 7:00 PM unless otherwise indicated below.

 

Town Council – Monday, May 4, 2009 – Oyster River High School Multipurpose Room, 7:00 PM

Integrated Waste Management Advisory Committee – Tuesday, May 5, 2009 (7:30 AM)

Planning Board – Wednesday, May 6, 2009 

Historic District Commission – Thursday, May 7, 2009

Economic Development Committee – Friday, May 8, 2009 (7:30 AM)

 

To view the agenda for the meeting listed above, please click HERE.  All meetings recorded on DCAT are available on DVD at the Durham Public Library for checkout and viewing. 

To view the Oyster River School Board meeting schedule, click HERE. 

To view the Durham Public Library Board of Trustees meeting schedule, click HERE.

 

DURHAM CABLE ACCESS TELEVISION PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE

To view a listing of the DCAT programming schedule, click HERE 

 

Durham Garden Club Plant Sale
On Saturday, May 9th, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM the Durham Garden Club will hold its annual plant sale at St. George's Episcopal Church. Look for perennials, annuals, a few bushes and small trees, and a variety of vegetable and herb plants. Regulars know to line up before 9 AM so as to get the best selection when the doors open. As usual, Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer questions. Funds raised from this sale support two $1,000 scholarships for UNH students pursuing a gardening-related major, as well as community projects such as the Joe B. Parks Public Garden in Dover. One of the scholarships is named for Marjorie Milne, a long-time Garden Club member. Indeed, later this spring the Garden Club will be creating a wildflower garden on the Milne land bequeathed to the Town, as Marjorie proposed.

 

PUBLIC ART DISPLAY AT MURKLAND COURTYARD, UNH CAMPUS

A Seat at the Table and The Weight of Wealth: Public art installation on the University Dialogue topic Poverty and the Growing Divide, by senior and sophomore seminar students of Art and Art History at UNH. Murkland Courtyard and beyond. Now through Thursday, May 7th. Please click the link for more information: http://unh.edu/news/campusjournal/2009/Apr/29art.cfm

 

UNH FOOTBALL TEAM ASSISTS TOWN IN CLEANUP

On Saturday, April 25^th, the UNH football team, working with the Durham Department of Public Works, hauled sand, raked leaves, repaired fencing, and cleaned up debris from the December ice storm at Wagon Hill Farm. The group also cleaned up the Town Cemetery located on Old Concord Road and the cemetery located on Schoolhouse Lane. This was a community service project for the team aimed at “giving back” to the town they call home. The project was arranged by UNH Coach Sean McDonnell and Town Councilor Karl Van Asselt.

Cemetery off of Schoolhouse Lane, Courtesy Cathy Leach

 

POWER OF ONE PROJECT

For their Power of One project, ORHS ninth graders Logan Miller and Eric Mulligan will hold a raffle outside the Bagelry this Saturday morning (May 2) to bring attention to the issue of water poverty and to raise funds to purchase a hippo water roller for a community in South Africa.  They say, “Children in communities around the world who have inadequate access to water often have to miss school in order to retrieve water from unclean water sources and they hurt their spines in the process.  The water rollers allow them to get five times the amount of water without straining their bodies.”  Items and gift certificates have been donated by local businesses such as JP’s Eatery, Moe’s, Stat’s Place, Red Carpet Flower Shop, and Hayden Sports, along with The Herbal Path in Dover. 

 

WALK NH 2009 EVENT

On Wednesday, June 3, 2009, the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and Durham will celebrate Walk NH Week 2009 with a 3-mile walk around the UNH campus and the Town of Durham. New Hampshire Governor John Lynch has proclaimed June 1-7 Walk NH Week as a way to promote walking and help keep New Hampshire residents on a healthy path. The goal of Walk NH Week is to inspire participants to continue walking as part of a healthy lifestyle long after the June events end. For more information and to register online, visit  http://www.unh.edu/hr/walkNH2009.html. Questions regarding the walk can be addressed to Christina VanHorn at 862-0519, Chris.VanHorn@unh.edu.

 

GROWING PLACES SUMMER CAMPS

Growing Places, a non profit early education and youth recreation agency, offers three different camp programs for children!  Camp Cowabunga is for children ages 5-7 and offers arts and crafts, games, swimming, and a field trip every week. Bridge Camp, for children ages 7-9, offers a more active day with team building games, sports, and enrichment activities, daily swimming and field trips.  At Adventure Camp, for ages 10-14, children are involved in more challenging activities, including outdoor adventures, service projects, water sports, and camping trips. All programs are licensed by the state of New Hampshire and have low staff to camper ratios.  Programs run for 8 weeks starting on June 29.  Part time, full time and extended care is available.  Tuition assistance is available for eligible families.  Please contact 868-1335 for more information and a registration packet. 

 

Weekly Police Arrest Report

Week - 38                                          21 UNH (55%)           17 Other (45%)

*2008/09 Academic Year -771       492 UNH (64%)         279 Other (36%)

Calendar Year –294                         186 UNH (63%)         108 Other (37%)

*Commenced September 1, 2008 

 

Historical data for the same week

Year	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Week	22	45	49	57	38
Academic Year	900	1005	854	787	771
Calendar Year	363	343	351	246	294

 

FROM HISTORY IN AN OYSTERSHELL – 1600 – 1976

“1910 – Ice harvesting was done from the Mill Pond, College Reservoir, Lamprey River and a small pond on Adams Point Road. Albert DeMerritt sold ice from his 20’ x 250’ storage shed to village homes, but most farmers had their own ice houses. Ice was usually cut into 22” cakes.”

 

Have a good weekend.

 

Todd

 

Todd I. Selig, Administrator
Town of Durham
15 Newmarket Road
Durham, New Hampshire 03824
Tel (603) 868-5571
Fax (603) 868-5572
tselig@ci.durham.nh.us
www.ci.durham.nh.us

 

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