Friday Updates - April 24, 2026

Friday, April 24, 2026

Staff from Land Stewardship and Public Works planted a tree outside the Bickford Chesley farmhouse at Wagon Hill Farm this morning in honor of Arbor Day. Courtesy, Todd Selig

Today is Arbor Day, a national observance that highlights the importance of trees to our environment, communities, and everyday quality of life. National Arbor Day falls on the last Friday in April (Friday, April 24 in 2026).

The Boston Marathon was held this past Monday. Four residents of Durham finished the race!

Town Councilor Robin Vogt will be leaving the Town Council, effective May 1st. See below for more information.

The Durham Police Department has created a new promotional video highlighting the department's work. You can see the video HERE.

This Sunday, April 26, from 12:00 - 5:00 p.m., Good Planet Apparel is hosting a Jenkins court block party! Read on to learn more...

ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION

Durham Public Works hosted an Arbor Day celebration this morning, Friday, April 24 at 10 AM at Wagon Hill Farm. The ceremony took place adjacent to the historic and recently restored Bickford Chesley House. An Arbor Day proclamation was read, and a northern Red Oak was planted along with 3 Mariesii viburnum.  

This celebration will coincide with Durham’s designation as a Tree City USA community for 48 consecutive years, the longest standing Tree City community in New Hampshire, and Durham’s application for its 49^th year as a Tree City USA.   

Town Councilor Robin Vogt has announced he will resign from the Durham Town Council effective May 1, 2026, due to professional obligations that will require travel. Councilor Vogt has expressed his appreciation to the Council, staff, and community, and has indicated his desire to help ensure a smooth transition of his ongoing work.

At its meeting on April 20th, the Town Council discussed the upcoming vacancy and invited interested Durham residents to submit a board appointment application if they would like to be considered for the position. While the Council has often looked to former Councilors to fill vacancies, interested residents are able to apply for consideration by 5 PM on Wednesday, April 29th. The appointment for this position will end on March 9, 2027, with the next Town election, at which time qualified residents will be able to file to run for election of the final year of the three year term of office.

Former Town Councilor Jay Gooze has stepped forward to express his willingness to serve in this role until the next regular election.

Per Town Charter, the Town Council fills vacancies on the Council until the next regularly scheduled election. Under Durham's Town Charter (Council-Manager) form of government, the Town Council is both the legislative and governing body in Durham.

You can find the board application HERE.

The Council typically meets on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month. Learn more about the Town Council HERE. You can also contact the Administrative Assistant, Karen Edwards, at kedwards@ci.durham.nh.us or the Council Chair, Joe Friedman, at joe.friedman42@gmail.com with any questions.

TOWN PLANNER MICHAEL BEHRENDT TO RETIRE - Nov. 30, 2026

After 14 years as Durham's Dir. of Planning & Community Development (AKA - Town Planner), Michael Behrendt has notified Administrator Selig that he will be retiring as of November 30, 2026. More information will be forthcoming regarding plans to celebrate Michael, his many accomplishments and contributions, and the process to hire a new planner.

ADDITIONAL CONTEXT ON OYSTER RIVER SCHOOLS CLIMATE AND CULTURE SURVEY FROM OYSTER RIVER TEACHER'S GUILD

In last week’s Friday Updates, the Town shared an official communication from the Oyster River Cooperative School District regarding a recently released Climate and Culture survey prepared by the Oyster River Teacher's Guild. At the April 20 Town Council meeting, several residents from Lee and Durham expressed concern and stated an interest in having access to additional perspectives and source materials related to the survey provided to the community. This was a reasonable request.

For those seeking more information, materials compiled by the Oyster River Teacher's Guild, including survey results and related context, are available online. In addition, local media coverage has reported on the survey findings and community response. These resources, in addition to last week's message from the Superintendent, are provided to help residents better understand the range of information currently available regarding this topic.

Foster’s Daily Democrat coverage (for those who have a subscription) from April 14, 2026, can be found HERE. "The Climate & Culture Survey states [Guild] members were asked if they believe the superintendent provides effective leadership, and 86% responded they disagree or strongly disagree," according to the Foster's article.

Oyster River Teacher's Guild survey information is HERE. 

Superintendent Shaps’ message can be viewed HERE.

A new analysis from the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute (NHFPI) finds that a $500,000 home in New Hampshire can see an annual property tax bill ranging from about $1,310 to more than $18,270, depending on the community. Using Durham’s certified 2025 total tax rate of $18.87 per $1,000 of assessed value, a $500,000 property here would generate an annual property tax bill of about $9,435. This amount is higher than in many New Hampshire communities, yet below the highest tax bills in the state and falls in the middle‑to‑upper range when compared to similarly valued homes statewide.

NHFPI’s town‑by‑town table for a $500,000 home, and a related Seacoast Online analysis using that data, report the following estimated 2025 property tax bills on a $500,000 home in our Seacoast region: Barrington $9,780; Brentwood $8,565; Dover $9,840; Durham $9,435; East Kingston $7,970; Epping $7,500; Exeter $9,380; Greenland $6,680; Hampton $6,305; Hampton Falls $7,400; Kensington $7,140; Lee $13,805; Madbury $8,970; New Castle $2,865; Newfields $8,475; Newington $3,940; Newmarket $9,710; North Hampton $6,725; Portsmouth $5,755; Rochester $7,650; Rollinsford $8,950; Rye $4,185; Seabrook $6,200; Somersworth $9,635; South Hampton $7,235; and Stratham $6,760. 

These figures show that Durham’s estimated $9,435 bill on a $500,000 home is in a similar range to several other service‑ and school‑focused communities, higher than in a number of coastal communities, and lower than in some, illustrating both the wide variation in property tax bills across New Hampshire and where Durham fits within that broader landscape.

In Durham, the four sections of the total tax rate for 2025 are broken out as follows:

Other key points from the NHFPI report: 

• Property taxes in NH are charged on land and the buildings on them, and are primarily administered by cities and towns
• Property tax revenue is used to support municipal, school district, county, and state expenditures, and accounts for 63% of all tax revenue
• Local governments in NH relied on local property taxes for 61% of overall revenue, more than local governments in any other state in the country during fiscal year 2022
• The property tax bases to support local government expenditures vary considerably, as do property tax rates
• Property taxes are effectively the only major tax revenue option available to local governments in NH, and account for nearly six in ten dollars raised in state and local tax revenues in NH
• Local governments in NH received less aid from the State as a percentage of local revenue than 43 other states, and fewer dollars per capita than 47 other states
• Effective property tax rates are a larger percentage of income for households with lower and moderate incomes than for those with higher incomes.

Please note, the low number for Durham in this chart is impacted significantly by the UNH campus population.

MILL POND DAM REMOVAL - Project Progress Update

On January 9, 2026, the contract and associated documents for the Mill Pond Dam Removal project were signed by Administrator Selig and SumCo Eco Contracting, LLC following approval by Town Council in October 2025 and adoption of the FY 2026 budget. 

Discussions related to final project planning, schedule, and logistics are continuing between The Town of Durham, Sumco, VHB, and the regulatory agencies throughout this spring. The following updates and schedule are provided by Durham Public Works to help keep Durham residents informed throughout the project:

• The Town was verbally notified by NOAA last week that the remaining $1.3 million dollars of grant funds designated for the project will not be released. Notwithstanding this regrettable news, the Town has still been very successful in obtaining grant funding to support the project. Of the total estimated project costs related to construction and removal of the dam of approximately $3,692,193 (including the SumCo bid, VHB construction phase engineering services and Section 106 Mitigation Efforts), the Town has received construction funding from NOAA, NFWF, and NHDES grants totaling approximately $2,174,701, or 58.9% of total construction costs.

Other general updates:

• A neighborhood meeting to take place on Mill Pond Road will be scheduled for May. The exact time, date, and meeting location will be announced soon.
• Contractor mobilization and road closure of Mill Pond Road between Church Hill Road and Smith Park Lane is currently scheduled for mid-May. The sidewalk on Mill Pond Road will remain open and protected for pedestrian use.
• A detour plan for the Mill Pond Road partial closure will be completed and shared with the public in the coming weeks.
• The Town recently added its signature to the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the NH State Historic Preservation Office. The Town is now making progress on carrying out the variety of stipulations required by the MOA including recording the sound of the falls, creating a short film about the dam, interpretive signage, retaining elements of the dam as part of the project for interpretative purposes, etc.
• Drawdown of Mill Pond will not be initiated until the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department declares the completion of the spring fish run in the Oyster River. This date is uncertain but could be any time through the end of June. Some work is still expected to be performed prior to drawing down the impoundment, including site preparation, material/equipment delivery, and staging.

More details about the overall project including the NHDES Wetlands Permit and Contract Documents can be found HERE. A hard copy of the Mill Pond Dam Feasibility Study and some supplemental information have been provided to the Durham Public Library and will soon be accessible for public review.

Any questions can be directed to Town Engineer April Talon, P.E. at 603-868-5578 or via email at atalon@ci.durham.nh.us

UNH, NOAA, AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS ADVANCE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE AT THE EDGE - A hub for collaboration with business and government.

The New Hampshire Business Review (NHBR) Magazine recently highlighted UNH’s emerging Center of Excellence for Operational Ocean and Great Lakes Mapping, a 70,500‑square‑foot facility planned as the first major anchor at The Edge at West End. With substantial federal investment through NOAA, this new center is intended to bring together UNH researchers, federal partners and private industry to focus on ocean and Great Lakes mapping, coastal resilience and related technologies, while also supporting workforce development for New Hampshire and the wider region.

Here in Durham, this NOAA work at The Edge fits nicely with our broader public/public/private partnership involving the Town, UNH and Ryan Companies (selected through a joint UNH/Durham RFQ process) to create a “live, work, learn, play” innovation neighborhood that includes research, housing and targeted amenities.

As part of this vision, the Town-owned property at 66 Main Street has been folded into the concept as an element in strengthening the physical and economic connection between The Edge and downtown Durham. The Edge at West End will help to support our local businesses, expand the tax base, and deepen long-term town-gown collaboration around shared infrastructure, planning and economic development goals. 

To read the NHBR article, click HERE.

TRAFFIC/CONSTRUCTION ADVISORY – Roadway Reclamation on Wiswall Road and Nobel K Peterson Drive

Please be advised that the Durham Public Works Department’s contractor for its Road Program, Continental Paving, will be performing reclamation and binder course paving operations on Wiswall Road between #20 and #64 and on Noble K. Peterson Drive beginning on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. This phase of construction is scheduled to last through May 8. 

The roadways will be restricted to one lane in the work area with alternating traffic between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM.  Access to adjacent residences, businesses and institutions within the work areas will be maintained at all times. Disruptions to both pedestrian and vehicle traffic are expected to be minimal, however we ask that the commuting public seek alternative routes if possible and allow additional time to reach their destinations. We thank you for your patience. 

This schedule is subject to change without notice due to weather, mechanical issues, and other conditions.

For additional information please contact  Durham Public Works at (603) 868-5578.

The new Dunkin Donuts at 3 Dover Road is coming along. The foundation and slab are now in place. Courtesy, Michael Behrendt

LEADERSHIP TEAM REVIEWS DEPARTMENT ACTIVITY AND UPCOMING WORK

Earlier this week, our leadership team (dept. heads) met for a roundtable check‑in to review what different departments are working on and to identify upcoming issues for the Town Council. 

The Police Department reported that weekend activity downtown has picked up again, with more alcohol-related arrests, and noted ongoing staffing challenges tied to military deployments and medical leave. Staff are also actively planning for UNH graduation and "Derby Day" and reviewing a recent near‑miss mutual aid Fire incident in Lee where live wires fell across one of Durham's trucks to capture lessons learned.

The Assessing Office continues to work through building permits and abatements, with additional recommendations scheduled to come before the Council in May and June. 

The Town Clerk/Tax Collector’s Office is preparing the next round of water and sewer bills and working through older utility accounts tied to outdated parcel IDs. There was also discussion of a resident initiative/idea by Fred Bramante exploring possible homestead‑style tax relief for older residents, with the reality that any such change would ultimately require action by the Legislature, not the Town. 

The Fire Department provided an update on staffing, including personnel returning from leave and firefighters successfully completing their probationary periods, as well as ongoing promotional processes. Staff also walked through several capital and equipment items, including plans to dispose of surplus jet skis through a competitive quotation process and a station alerting system that is now expected to cost more than originally budgeted. A formal funding proposal for that system will be evaluated brought to the Council if cost estimates and funding sources are fully identified and refined.

The Durham Public Library has a full slate of youth and adult programs this spring, many offered in partnership with Madbury and Lee and local organizations. School vacation week youth offerings include collaborative programs with the Lee and Madbury libraries, highlighted by “Chainsaws, Cheeseburgers, and Rock N’ Roll!” with Dr. “The Machine” Jesse Green of the National Geographic Channel’s American Chainsaw on Tuesday, April 28 from 6 to 7 PM, an interactive Dog Man screening on Thursday, April 30 at 10:30 AM, and a “Spring into Reading with Seacoast Reads!” event on April 30 from 3 to 5 PM featuring story writing, crafts, games, and related activities. Adult programming includes tech help sessions on April 30 and May 2 to assist residents in using the iNaturalist app in advance of the May 17 Oyster River Forest Bioblitz, as well as an Introduction to Community Drum Circle led by Durham resident Mary Bencks on May 6, focusing on the social and wellness benefits of group drumming.

Library visits and resource usage remain steady. While the temporary traffic pattern changes outside the Library have created some frustration, staff continue to communicate with patrons and encourage patience as the community works through this period.

At its most recent meeting, the Library Board of Trustees accepted $60,663.26 in unanticipated revenue from the Annual Appeal and voted to use a portion of these funds to restore prior reductions to the adult and youth collections budgets made during the FY 2026 budget process. The Trustees also approved $7,235.00 in building improvements, including $4,880.00 to clean carpets, upholstery, tile, and vinyl flooring and $2,355.00 to install dimmable light fixtures in the Oyster River Room.

The Library has also obtained a quote of $3,450.00 for interior and exterior window cleaning, which has not been done in more than six years; staff view this type of work as routine maintenance needed to keep the building a welcoming community space and will continue conversations with DPW regarding how best to fund it going forward.

HAVE YOU VOTED IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS? - If not, you may need to re-register.

NH law now requires that the voter checklist be verified every year. Anyone on the checklist who has not voted in the past five years must re-register unless the voter registered after the last state general election. People who fall into this category will receive a letter sent to the last address we have around May 15 telling them they will be removed.

The Durham Supervisors of the Checklist will hold sessions for voters to:

• Re-register if they have not voted since April 1, 2021, unless they have registered to vote since 11/5/2024
• Register as a new voter
• Request a change of name or address
• Change political party affiliation

Dates:

• Thursday, April 30, 2026, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm 
• Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm (last day to change party)
• Monday, June 22, 2026, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

At Town Hall, 8 Newmarket Rd, Durham, NH

Applicants for registration must bring paper or digital proof of identity, age, citizenship, and domicile in Durham. Voters who wish to re-registration need only an ID and proof of domicile. Registration, re-registration, and changes may also be made with the Town Clerk any time that office is open.

Voters may check party affiliation online HERE.

DOWNTOWN PARKING PERMITS IN HIGH DEMAND - $134,000 in revenues surpass budget projections

The Durham Police Department recently completed renewals and public sales for overnight downtown 24-hour parking permits at 66 Main Street and Dennison Road, with very strong demand throughout the process. Approximately 30 percent of existing permit holders renewed during a brief renewal window, after which the remaining permits were released for general sale and sold out in roughly 10 minutes. The sales generated $51,975 in revenue for the July through December period. Staff report that the online permitting system worked well overall, with only minor issues, and the process was smooth for both customers and Town personnel.

In total, parking permit revenues have now reached approximately $134,000, exceeding the original estimate of $122,000. Interest in the program remains high, as staff continue to receive inquiries about availability. Work is already underway on the next round of permits for Depot Road, with renewals in progress and public sales scheduled for May 1. Based on current demand, those permits are also expected to move quickly. Appreciation is extended to the entire team at the DPD for a well-executed effort!

There are many current and potential opportunities for research projects and collaboration between University of New Hampshire undergraduate and graduate students and the Town of Durham. This week, Assistant Professor of Counterterrorism and Cybercrime Andrew Macpherson, Carsey School of Public Policy Director Stephen Bird, and Vice Provost and Dean of the UNH Graduate School Ashby Kinch met for lunch at Clark’s American Bistro with Fire Chief David Emanuel, Police Chief Rene Kelley, Deputy Police Chief Jack Dalton, and Administrator Todd Selig to discuss existing initiatives and explore new ideas.

UNH continues to seek meaningful local opportunities for students to develop valuable research, vocational, and life skills, and Durham is eager to serve as a leading partner and hub for applied research within UNH’s host community.

The group recently collaborated on a joint grant application as part of the Google.org Impact Challenge: AI for Government Innovation looking create an AI platform for emergency management plan development. Under the submitted project, Durham would collaborate with the University of New Hampshire, Purdue University, the New Hampshire Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and partner municipalities (Laconia and Nashua) on and AI-enabled online platform. This initiative offers a promising way to help local governments tailor emergency management plans to their specific contexts and capabilities.

DURHAM POLICE DEPT TESTS EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN DURING PLANNED POWER OUTAGE LAST WEEK

On April 8, the Durham Police Department carried out a real-world test of its Continuity of Operations Plan during a scheduled power shutdown at the police station tied to replacement of the building’s emergency generator. The exercise assumed the station would be without power for several hours and required staff to shift key functions to alternative locations, including a temporary front office at Town Hall and use of University of New Hampshire Police Department facilities for any needed arrests or interviews.

During the outage, non-emergency phone lines were successfully brought up remotely at Town Hall, patrol officers continued normal calls for service using mobile data terminals in their cruisers, and critical evidence refrigeration was maintained with portable generators. The drill also highlighted several areas for improvement, including better cloud-based access to files, stronger backup for building access controls, and ongoing work to address weak cellular reception at the station. Overall, the exercise was considered a success and will guide future technology and infrastructure upgrades to keep police services running in the face of an unexpected disruption.

Kathryn Mone, Sheriff of Strafford County, is profiled in this week’s Friday Updates. Kathryn was elected sheriff November 2024 and took office in January 2025.

Kathryn grew up in Durham and attended the Oyster River schools. Her peers may remember her as Kathryn Lilly. Kathryn was invited to join the Durham Police Explorers when she was a junior at Oyster River, doing ride-alongs with officers and learning about the business. She studied Political Science and Sociology (with a focus on Criminology and Justice) at UNH. The Madbury Police Department hired Kathryn part-time as an officer when she was a sophomore at the university. She went to classes all day and worked for the Town from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m.

After working for Madbury, Kathryn joined the Durham Police Department, where she served for 16 years as a patrol officer and a sergeant.

To read Kathryn's full profile and her path to Sheriff, click HERE.

The Durham Historic Association invites you to attend their Annual Meeting and April Program on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in the Durham Town Hall. Thomas Hubka, professor emeritus of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, will present a special program drawing on his award‑winning book Big House, Little House, Back House, Barn: The Connected Farm Buildings of New England, where Hubka reveals how ordinary New England farmers responded to competition from regions with richer soils and easier growing conditions. Their solution—the connected farmstead, uniting home‑industry and mixed‑farming in one continuous structure— became a hallmark of northern New England architecture. In this illustrated presentation, Hubka will present case studies showing how farmers adapted their traditional, separate house‑and‑barn layouts into the connected forms we recognize today.

Thomas Hubka earned his Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University and a Master’s degree from the University of Oregon. His publications include Resplendent Synagogue: Architecture and Worship in an 18th-Century Polish Community; Houses without Names: Architecture Nomenclature and the Classification of America’s Common Houses; and, most recently, How the Working-Class Home Became Modern, 1900–1940. His research centers on the historical development of architecture and the cultural forces that shape the built environment.

Books will be available for purchase after the program and light refreshments will be served. This program is funded in part by New Hampshire Humanities.

On Wednesday, April 29th, from 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. at the Memorial Union Building at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, National Passport Center staff will be available by appointment to assist you with passport applications or renewals. Click HERE to register.

For more information, check out: https://pappas.house.gov/passport. 

If you need help scheduling your appointment or have questions, please contact my office by calling (603) 285-4300 or email nh01cp_casework@mail.house.gov. 

April is Earth Month! This week, we will answer some of the most frequently asked questions about recycling and composting.

Can brown paper bags be composted?

Yes, brown paper bags can be composted, as long as they do not have a plastic lining.

What should I do with my shredded paper?

Shredded paper cannot be recycled and must go in your garbage bin, unless you choose to use it in other ways. Check out this link HERE to learn more about ways to repurpose shredded paper.

In addition, Service Credit Union, Piscataqua Savings Bank and other local organizations offer free community shred days for secure document destruction, allowing residents to bring personal papers to mobile shred trucks to different locations.

Can I compost shredded paper?

Shredded paper is compostable as long as it's not colored or glossy. If you are adding a lot of shredded paper to your home compost pile, add some grass to lower the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio.

**NOTE: Home compost pile only - Mr. Fox does NOT accept shredded paper for composting.

Can I recycle toothpaste tubes?

Yes, but not in your curbside recycle bin. The Durham Transfer Station has  a specific bin for oral care product recycling. The bin is located right outside the green hut. You can drop off floss containers, toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes and electric toothbrush heads for recycling in this designated recycle bin.

What do I do with my greasy pizza boxes?

Pizza boxes can be composted! Bring them to the Durham Transfer Station and put them in the compost bins. You can include any leftover pizza, but please be sure there is no plastic in the boxes. If you are looking to recycle your pizza boxes, only the non-greasy parts of the box can be recycled.

Brought to you by the IWMAC Committee 

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

Check us out on Instagram: sustainable.durham.nh

Not sure if an item can be recycled? Check here: www.Recyclesmartma.org

Want to learn more about the Swap Shop? Click HERE

Recent monitoring data released by the Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP) shows a dramatic and troubling decline in eelgrass within the Great Bay Estuary. Once covering approximately 2,900 acres in 1996, eelgrass has steadily diminished over time. The most recent 2026 aerial mapping indicates just 211 acres remaining estuary-wide, with only 22 acres in Great Bay proper, representing a 98% decline in that portion of the system. While Portsmouth Harbor experienced a notable increase in eelgrass coverage this year, the overall trend in Great Bay remains deeply concerning.

Eelgrass plays a vital role in the estuary’s health by stabilizing the seafloor, filtering pollutants, and providing essential habitat for fish and shellfish. Its decline is linked to a complex combination of factors, including excess nitrogen, stormwater runoff, warming waters, sedimentation, and legacy pollution. Environmental advocates, including the Conservation Law Foundation, warn that continued losses could have significant impacts on fisheries, wildlife, and the broader coastal ecosystem. Although the causes are not yet fully understood, PREP is convening scientific experts and advancing research and restoration efforts, including innovative seeding techniques. Local and regional partners continue to emphasize the importance of improved stormwater management, land use practices, and pollution reduction strategies to support long-term water quality and ecosystem resilience.

Conservation Commission Dwight Trueblood provided an apropos analogy worth serious consideration: "Eelgrass decline is certainly an issue in the bay, but I would also caution that its abundance can be very cyclical from year to year. A similar decline was seen 20 years ago and the eelgrass abundance in the bay increased a few years later. That being said, extinction often follows a "drunken walk" pattern. Imagine an inebriated person walking along a train platform, with extinction being falling off the platform onto the train tracks. As the drunk walks along the platform they stagger both away from and toward the platform edge. If the drunk strays too close to the platform edge (low abundance of eelgrass) too long, they will eventually fall off the edge (extinction)." 

For more information from PREP's Executive Director Kalle Matso putting the eelgrass decline in context, click HERE.

It’s National Volunteer Week and we want to take the time to say THANK YOU to our amazing Land stewardship volunteers. 

Land Stewardship Coordinator Veronique had the pleasure last year to work with middle school students and teachers, Scouts Troop 154, UNH students, and other members of the community. 

All the trail work, monitoring maintenance, event coordination and public presentations benefited from a total of 748 hours of volunteer time in 2025. That translates into a value of about $26,000. 

And as a bonus, volunteer hours can be used for grant match. 

If you are interested in volunteering in monitoring and maintaining our Conservation Properties, please email vludington@ci.durham.nh.us

Do you like taking nature pictures? Then download the iNaturalist app on your phone from Play Store or Google Play and start contributing to citizen science!

Land Stewardship Coordinator Veronique will be hosting tech help sessions at the Durham Public Library to help people use the app. These sessions will be held on Thursday, April 30, 1 to 3PM, Saturday, May 2, 12 to 2PM, Monday, May 4, 4 to 6PM and Friday, May 8, 1 to 3PM.

Stop by to get more information on how to use iNaturalist and also how to contribute to the Durham Biodiversity Project on your own time, or to the Oyster River Forest Bioblitz on Sunday, May 17. Sign up for this event HERE.

Are you interested in local waterways? Would you enjoy mornings out with other volunteers, collecting and testing water samples from the tributaries and freshwater reaches of the Oyster River? Please consider joining us! 

Monitors go out in small groups from May-October, taking monthly water samples from streambanks or bridges and recording data on water clarity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity. Training is provided. Levels of involvement can vary from a few times a season to more, depending on your time and interests.

This program is sponsored by the Oyster River Watershed Association, the NH Dept. of Environmental Services’ Volunteer River Assessment Program, and the UNH/Durham Water Treatment Plant. If you are aged 16+ and would like to learn more, please email Emily Poworoznek, EL@usnh.edu

Community members from all walks of life dropped in to tour the plant, learn about the fascinating science and engineering that goes into wastewater treatment, and hear firsthand about the around-the-clock work that's performed to keep water clean for all. The Durham Public Works Wastewater Division Team members appreciate the communities interest and thank everyone for stopping by. 

As spring arrives and the weather warms, many residents find themselves spending more time outdoors tackling yard cleanup and preparing their outdoor spaces for the season. This often goes hand in hand with outdoor campfires and fire pit usage.

To help ensure safety and compliance during this busy time of year, residents are reminded that burn permits are required for all outdoor fires. 

Permits can now be obtained quickly and conveniently online – simply scan the QR code or visit https://nh.burnsafeamerica.com/ to obtain a burn permit. Daily and seasonal permits are available, and residents are reminded that a new seasonal permit must be obtained each calendar year.

Failure to obtain a permit or to control your fire may result in being held liable for: 1. Payment of damage to property of another; 2. Payment of suppression costs to the town; 3. Prosecution for failure to comply with regulations.

Taking a few moments to secure your permit also helps protect your property, your neighbors, and our community as we enjoy the spring season responsibly.

Please call the Durham Fire Department (603) 868-5531 or (603) 862-1426 with any questions or concerns.

GOOD PLANET APPAREL HOSTING BLOCK PARTY ON JENKINS COURT THIS SUNDAY

This Sunday, April 26, from 12:00 - 5:00 p.m., Good Planet Apparel is hosting another Jenkins court block party! The road will be closed off and filled with vintage clothing vendors, jewelry makers, student organizations and music. There will be a DJ from 12:00 - 2:00 p.m., Mango Catch from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. playing awesome tunes, followed by the Form Band from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.! Come for the clothes, stay for the music and food. 

The Waysmeet Center and Cornucopia located at 15 Mill Road are committed to creating positive change through direct service grounded in compassion, equity, and social justice in the NH Seacoast and surrounding communities. Waysmeet provides affordable housing for up to 8 UNH students in an intentional community, and Cornucopia is a food pantry open to all. Waysmeet has been serving the Durham and seacoast communities since 1901. For more information, check out our website HERE.

In particular Waysmeet is looking for someone to serve in the Treasurer role, but additional board members who are passionate about food security and providing a welcoming and open community are invited to apply. Please email Board of Director Chair, Katy Allen at katyallen92@gmail.com.

ACTIVE RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION TO PRESENT "A NEW WORLD DISORDER"

The Active Retirement Association (ARA) is pleased to present special guest Jake Sullivan, former US National Security Advisor in the Biden administration, discussing “A New World Disorder.” This FREE event will take place on Thursday, April 30, 2026, 2:00 – 4:00 PM, in the Oyster River High School auditorium, 55 Coe Drive, Durham, NH.

Sullivan has held a significant number of high-level national service positions under Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden and served as an advisor on a wide range of national and international boards. He is currently Kissinger Professor of the Practice of Statecraft and World Order at Harvard Kennedy School and Senior Fellow at the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire. He holds a Master of Philosophy from Oxford University in the UK, where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and a JD from Yale Law School. In addition to his political career Sullivan has also taught at UNH, Dartmouth, and Yale.

This FREE event is open to the public and is part of the ARA’s Memorial Fund Lecture Series. With a mission of providing free educational and cultural programming for Seacoast area residents of retirement age, the Memorial Fund was established in 2004 with a grant from the Robert E. Smith family and is further endowed by membership donations.

The ARA is an all-volunteer organization for people ages 50 and over, whether retired or not. Originally begun by and affiliated with UNH, it currently has 375 members from New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and beyond. The ARA is committed to encouraging life-long learning for its members by offering lectures, workshops, discussion groups, cultural tours, walks/hikes, member-interest Programs on Demand (PODs), and much more. For more information visit www.aranh.org, or to inquire about membership write to arainfo1982@gmail.com. We invite you to join us and expand your world!

The Active Retirement Association, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is not affiliated with any political, religious, ethnic, or special interest group

OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL NEWS

Planned April School Closures

April 27-May 1: All Oyster River schools will be closed for April Break.

June 16: Last Day of School

The last day of school for students for the 2025-2026 school year will be June 16, 2026.

School News

April 22 Community Dinner

The Oyster River Sustainability Committee would like to thank everyone who attended and supported the Community Dinner and Earth Day celebration at Oyster River High School on April 22. Learn more about the Community Dinner HERE. Learn more about the Earth Day Celebration HERE.

ORHS Sophomores Advance to National History Day Competition

Ten Oyster River High School (ORHS) sophomores have been selected to represent the State of New Hampshire at the National History Day competition in Washington, D.C., in June 2026. Learn more HERE. 

ORHS Hosts Third Annual College and Career Fair

Oyster River High School (ORHS) welcomed students to its third annual College and Career Fair, an event led by High School Counselor Jason Baker and the ORHS Counseling Department, designed to help students explore a wide range of post-secondary options. Learn more HERE.

More school news is available at ORCSD.org/news.

Coming Events 

Please consider supporting Oyster River students and staff by attending the following exciting events in our schools! Our full calendar of events is available online HERE.

May 5 ORMS/HS Jazz Bands and Guitar Ensemble Concert

6:00-7:30 p.m. Morse Recital Hall at Oyster River Middle School (1 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824)

May 12: ORMS/HS Band Concert

6:00-7:30 p.m. Morse Recital Hall at Oyster River Middle School (1 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824)

ORHS Spring Musical: Legally Blonde

Auditorium at Oyster River High School (55 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824). Tickets sold at the door, cash or check only. Seniors: $7.00 | Students & Teachers: $7.00 | General Admission: $10.00

• May 14: 7:00-8:30 p.m.
• May 15: 7:00-8:30 p.m.
• May 16: 2:00-3:30 p.m.
• May 16: 7:00-8:30 p.m.

May 19: ORMS/HS Orchestra Concert

6:00-7:30 p.m. Morse Recital Hall at Oyster River Middle School (1 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824)

The Oyster River High School Junior Class is having a Spring Flower Hanging Basket Fundraiser. The following are the hanging baskets available to order:

• Calibrachoa Mix - $30
• Wave Petunia - $30
• Ivy Geranium - $30
• New Guinea Impatiens - $30

Orders can be place by either scanning the QR code above or clicking HERE. Orders must be placed by Friday May 1st at 3pm.

Payment: Cash or Check (payable to: Oyster River High School, memo line: Class of 27 Spring Flowers) are due at pick-up.

Pick-up: Thursday May 7th from 3pm to 6pm from the ORHS Multi-Purpose Room.

Thank you for supporting the ORHS Class of 2027!