Friday Updates - December 12, 2025

Friday, December 12, 2025

Many people enjoyed Frost Fest last Saturday. Courtesy, Todd Selig

Thank you to all who helped to make Frost Fest a success last weekend!

This Sunday evening begins the holiday of Hanukkah, an 8-day Jewish festival marking the miraculous victory of the Maccabees, Jewish freedom fighters, over the Seleucidian Greek occupiers in the year 139 BCE. Happy Hanukkah!

After much hard work and review, the Council has concluded its budget review. Below is the complete list of amendments, totaling $269,510, to be made to the 2026 Administrator’s proposed budget. $75,880 will be added to the revenue side. 

These changes will bring the estimated tax rate for 2026 to $5.93 – an increase of $0.81 or 15.89%. The original proposed budget presented by Admin. Selig projected a tax rate increase of 18.02%. Additional revenue and further cuts were identified subsequent to the Town Charter submittal date of Oct. 31st. 

In addition, changes made to the CIP are as follows:

• 2026 Madbury Road Phase V – $1,820,000 Funding changed from 100% bonding to $364,000 Bond and $1,456,000 Grant Funds
• 2026 Renovation of Tennis/Pickleball Courts - $100,000 Project moved to 2027
• 2026 Fire Station Facility Improvements - $500,000 reduced to $400,000
• 2026 Seasonal Decorative Lighting - $2,500 Removed from 2026 Program

The Town Council will now take up the formal Budget Resolution (incorporating all changes made to date) on Monday, December 15th and, likely, it will be adopted with no other amendments.

2026 COST-SAVING MEASURES IN THE TOWN CLERK/TAX COLLECTOR’S OFFICE

In support of the Town’s 2026 budget goals and with a focus on maintaining strong customer service, Town Clerk/Tax Collector Rachel Deane has outlined several cost-saving efforts for the coming year. 

The office will continue to operate within its current staffing levels, avoiding overtime except when needed to meet election obligations. Staff will keep expanding paperless practices by collecting resident email addresses and encouraging electronic delivery of motor vehicle renewal notices, dog license reminders, and tax and utility bills through the EB2Gov portal, which residents can opt into directly. To hold down postage and printing costs, the office will keep reusing Town envelopes where practical, has stopped ordering new letterhead and business cards, and will favor email or other electronic communication wherever possible. Staff also remain committed to reusing and recycling basic office supplies, such as paper clips and elastics, to extend their useful life before ordering replacements.​

Several recent changes are already contributing to lower costs. The Clerk’s Office has discontinued the Lighthouse payment processing service and now handles all tax and utility payments in house, which is expected to save roughly $6,000 per year. In addition, the part-time assistant’s schedule has been reduced from 25 hours per week to 20 hours, and the deputy clerk’s schedule from 40 hours to 35 hours, supported by the Town Clerk absorbing additional hours as needed rather than increasing the staffing budget or relying on overtime if possible. 

The office will also, when appropriate, continue to make use of unpaid volunteers for filing, election support, and similar tasks to ensure that these staffing reductions do not reduce the level of service provided to residents.​

The staff in the Town Clerk/Tax Collector’s Office truly do a fantastic job serving the citizens of Durham in a professional and friendly manner.  

A perfect reflection in the still waters of Little Bay. Courtesy, Michael Drooker

DOWNTOWN HOLIDAY PARKING CHEER - Enjoy extra free time while you shop local!

Consistent with past years, the Town of Durham will once again relax enforcement in our downtown short-term parking areas for the upcoming holiday season from December 15, 2025 through January 10, 2026 (Bobcat Corner Lot; Main Street in front of the businesses; Jenkins Court; and Madbury Road from Main Street to Pettee Brook Lane).

In these areas, where parking is normally 1 hour free and the 2nd hour is $1.00, time limits will be suspended to support shoppers and downtown businesses during the holidays.

All long-term pay stations will remain operational and enforced (Depot Road Lot, Garrison Avenue, Madbury Road from Pettee Brook Lane to Garrison Avenue, Pettee Brook Lane, the Metered Lot, and Main Street in front of the President’s House and Huddleston Hall).

ADA/handicap spaces, fire lanes and hydrants, loading zones, and 15-minute spaces downtown will continue to be strictly enforced for everyone’s safety and accessibility.

Seacoast Area Firefighters, including members of the Durham Professional Firefighters Association (DPFFA), are busy preparing for the collection of toys and donations to be distributed to families in need.  

To submit a request for assistance, click HERE for the online application or contact the fire station at (603) 862-1426 and one of our elves will get back to you!  Application due date will be Friday, December 19, 2025. Toy pickup will be December 17-23, 2025, at the Durham Fire Station, 51 College Rd Durham NH 03824.

We are thankful to partner with Hannaford, M&T Bank, Service Credit Union, Durham Public Library, Durham Police Department, and Durham Town Hall for hosting drop-off locations. Toys can also be dropped off at the Durham Fire Station.  Final toy collection will be the weekend of December 20-21, 2025.  

Please click HERE for further information on the Seacoast Area Firefighters Toy Bank. Donations from the local drive will be distributed to under-resourced families in the Oyster River School District with any remaining donations being sent to other communities that need assistance. 

For further questions contact:

Rob Rosselli, Firefighter/AEMT

Phone: 603 862 1426

Email: robert.rosselli@unh.edu

PLANNING BOARD HOLDING PUBLIC HEARINGS ON BUILDING HEIGHT PROPOSALS DOWNTOWN

There has been much debate in recent months about potentially changing the height limit in the Central Business District and what the appropriate height limit should be, especially the easterly section. The Planning Board will be holding public hearings on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, on two alternative approaches.  You can see more information on these proposals HERE.  A preliminary agenda for the January 14 meeting can be downloaded HERE.

People enjoyed having their picture taken with Santa at Frost Fest. Courtesy, Todd Selig

THREE CONSERVATION COMMISSION SUBCOMMITTEES REVIEWING PROPOSED NEW WETLANDS AND SHORELANDS ORDINANCE

The Conservation Commission created a new draft ordinance pertaining to wetlands and shorelands in Durham.  The proposal would combine separate wetlands and shorelands ordinances into one overlay district and make numerous changes to the existing requirements. 

In response to many comments received from Durham residents, including input shared during an information session with the Conservation Commission on October 27, the commission has created three subcommittees to take another look at different parts of the proposal. The subcommittees will be holding meetings in December and possibly into January. Agendas will be posted and the public is welcome to attend.  You can see the proposed new ordinance and related materials HERE.  

On December 3rd, a group of UNH Sustainability Capstone students mentored this past semester by Durham's Land Stewardship Coordinator, Veronique Ludington, held a talk about participative science at the Durham Public Library - How-to Bioblitz, a tool for both scientific research and public education. The presentation was recorded and will soon be available on the Town website.

In the meantime, to prepare for the May 17th, 2026 Durham's own Bioblitz at Oyster River Forest, you can participate by uploading your nature observations on iNaturalist. They will directly contribute to our newly created "Durham Biodiversity Project".

The goal is to document our Town’s wildlife and plants, educate others about local biodiversity, and help track the distribution of invasive species over time. Go to Durham Biodiversity Project · iNaturalist HERE to find out more and sign up. It is free and the phone app is great! 

And stay tuned for more information about the Bioblitz event in May!

Roasting marshmallows at Frost Fest Courtesy, Todd Selig

The Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) has exposed how America’s largest toilet paper, paper towel, and facial tissue manufacturers are failing the climate and communities by creating single-use, throwaway products from climate-critical forests like the Canadian boreal, where 1 million acres are clearcut annually, even as alternatives made from recycled content and bamboo become increasingly accessible. See article HERE.

The NRDC provides an annual scorecard called The Issue with Tissue to grade major toilet paper, paper towel, and facial tissue brands based on their sustainability. This scorecard provides consumers with a powerful tool to select eco-friendly options, such as products made from 100% recycled content and responsibly sourced bamboo. 

If every American used just one roll of toilet paper made from 100% recycled material, it would be the equivalent of getting 72,000 cars off the road for a year.

Use the link HERE to find out how your toilet paper brand ranks when it comes to sustainability. NOTE: Once on the link, scroll down to see the list. You’ll also find buttons to the scorecards for facial tissue and paper towel brands.

Sources: Natural Resource Defense Council, Fee Marketplace Morning Report

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

This week, students of Dr. Andrew Macpherson’s UNH Homeland Security Studies class presented to members of the Durham Police Department. The students have been working all semester on a capstone project for their degree requirements that examined Emergency Notification Systems with the focus on a recommendation to Chief Kelley on which system would meet the needs of the Durham community. Several vendors demonstrated their products to the students who measured the requirements set by Chief Kelley against what was offered. 

The project and presentation were a tremendous success for both the students learning about these systems, collaboration with public safety officials and agencies like NH E-911, and for the Town and Police Department. Based on the time spent by students conducting analysis, surveys, demonstrations, and the presentations, it was recognized that hiring a consultant to do this kind of project would have cost tens of thousands of dollars, while Durham Police staff time was significantly saved to work on other equally as important projects. 

The Police Department now will evaluate the results of the student’s project and plan to announce a new alert system that residents can sign up for soon in the next couple of months. Thanks to the UNH students and Dr. Macpherson for their incredible partnership and work on this project. 

Beginning December 17, the Dairy Bar will suspend regular operations for the remainder of the UNH academic year.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, sales have steadily declined, and despite adjusting hours to better align with demand, the Dairy Bar has continued to experience losses that are no longer sustainable for the University. Over the coming months, UNH will be evaluating options for the future of this space.

At this time, UNH plans to reopen the Dairy Bar for the summer season, operating from Memorial Day through the Friday before fall classes begin. During that time, the University looks forward to welcoming the Durham community, campus members, and visitors. In the interim, Dairy Bar favorites will be available at Union Court in the MUB.

Based in Durham, Amare Cantare (meaning "love to sing") has been performing choral music since 1977. The group's members come from all over the seacoast.

Amare Cantare’s holiday concerts highlight the sacred and special found in the silent moments during the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. 

Your Durham neighbors Nancy and Ernst Linder and Chris Chance invite you to join us to Rock Your Soul this holiday season.

Enjoy spirit-lifting music while supporting our message of multicultural celebration, and ongoing outreach to people in need of spiritual uplift in nursing home and jail settings around the region. 

To purchase tickets, click on the QR Code above or go HERE.

OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL NEWS

Planned November School Closures: December 24-January 2: All Oyster River schools will be closed for Winter Break. The SAU office will be closed on December 25-26 and January 1-2.

Inclement Weather Information

On December 2, ORCSD experienced its first snow day of the 2025-2026 school year. Learn more about the district's inclement weather protocol and the difference between a snow day, a delayed start, and remote learning HERE.

School News

ORHS Sophomore Brings AI Education to Moharimet Students

Oyster River High School (ORHS) sophomore Diyashree “Diya” Sridharan is giving back to her former elementary school by offering Tiny Coders, a robotics club designed to introduce 4th grade students to the fundamentals of artificial intelligence (AI) and critical thinking. To read more, click HERE.

Mrs. Fitch Creates Magical Mugs for Coding and Cocoa

Mast Way Art Teacher Mrs. Fitch began teaching 4th grade students how to sculpt their own mugs from clay in late October. Each student decorates their mug to reflect their unique style, and Mrs. Fitch spends countless hours monitoring the kiln to ensure every piece is perfectly ready for the big day.  To read more, click HERE.

ORHS Offers Seal of Biliteracy to Seniors

The Seal of Biliteracy award was originally adopted by the State of New Hampshire in 2020 to acknowledge students who have studied and developed proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation and is part of a national program adopted by all 50 states. To read more, click HERE.

ORMS Hosts 3^rd Annual Dodgeball Tournament

Oyster River Middle School (ORMS) hosted its third annual Dodgeball Tournament on Friday, December 5, bringing together students and teachers for a friendly competition that has become a beloved school tradition. Teams of students and staff faced off in fast-paced matches in the gym as spectators cheered on their favorite team. To read more, click HERE.

Coming Events

The following events are free and open to the public.

• December 13, 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.: ORMS Robotics Competition - Oyster River Middle School (1 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824). Snow date: December 14.
• December 16, 6:00-8:30 p.m.: ORMS/ORHS Band Concert - Grades 6-12. Morse Recital Hall at Oyster River Middle School (1 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824). Snow date: December 19.
• December 18, 6:00-7:30 p.m.: ORMS/ORHS Chorus Concert - Grades 6-12. Morse Recital Hall at Oyster River Middle School (1 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824). Snow date: December 19.

ORCSD is Hiring Bus and Van Drivers

Join our Transportation team and support student success! We offer great pay at $28.08 per hour, a competitive benefits package with medical, dental, term life, and long-term disability insurance, and a 403 (b) with annuity. ORCSD drivers get 11 paid holidays and 15 days of paid sick time. We are also offering a $2,500 sign-on bonus paid out the first week of work and an annual perfect attendance bonus up to $1,000.  To apply, click HERE.