Friday Updates - May 5, 2023

Friday, May 5, 2023

A beautiful dandelion field in the town of Bad Hindelang in the Bavarian Alps - photo from former Durham resident, Fred Meissner.

For those Star Wars fans amongst us, hopefully the “Fourth was with you” yesterday on May 4th! 

Today is May 5th, and while we did experience issues associated with Cinco de Mayo in past years, close collaboration between Durham, UNH, and UNH students has resulted in those problematic issues largely being left in the dust.  Nonetheless, DPD will have a full complement of officers on staff this weekend during the evening hours.

Finally, we've received numerous calls and emails this week from residents concerned about public drinking water quality in Durham and at UNH given a recent article about the Epping Wastewater System and its challenges upstream of Durham along the Lamprey River. Water from the Durham/UNH public water system is completely safe. The Durham/UNH water system has not been utilizing Lamprey River water during periods of partially treated wastewater discharge in Epping.

UNH SUSTAINABILITY DAY TRAFFIC ALERT - Portions of Main Street to be closed May 6th from 10 AM to 5 PM.

Police Chief Kelley would like the community to know that the University of New Hampshire will be hosting their annual “Sustainability Day” on Saturday, May 6, 2023. The event is expected to start at 12 pm and will end at 4 pm. Main Street will be closed between Garrison Avenue and Edgewood Road from 10 am to 5 pm. 

Marian McCord, Senior Vice Provost for Research, Economic Engagement and Outreach, and Kenneth Weston, Executive Director of Campus Stewardship, were invited by Administrator Selig to attend the May 1st Town Council meeting to provide Council members with information relative to The Edge at West End project, which was referred to during President Dean’s State of the University Address on February 14, 2023.

Ms. McCord and Mr. Weston provided a very informative overview on the concept project and answered questions from the Councilors.

To view this presentation on DCAT On Demand - Channel 22, please click HERE.

The FY 2022 financial audit of the Town’s operations is underway this week. A team of auditors from the Town’s exterior auditing firm, Plodzik & Sanderson, has been camped out in the Town Council Chambers for much of the week. Business Manager Gail Jablonski and her team have been busy providing the auditors with everything they need.

Code Officer Audrey Cline reports that R.J. Kelly Co., the new owner of the former Goss facility on Technology Drive in Durham, has apparently secured a long-term contract with a defense contractor to utilize currently vacant portions of the facility. At present, Sig Sauer has been utilizing portions of the building largely for storage purposes while they construct a new facility elsewhere in the Seacoast to house expanded operations, as does the UNH Olson Advanced Manufacturing Center and Northeast Passage. The new contract secured by R.J. Kelly Co. will lead to refurbishing portions of the facility including a new skin for the exterior of the structure. 

Town Clerk/Tax Collector Rachel Deane notes that the transition within her office is going smoothly. New staff are undertaking training to broaden their skills and experience. In addition, Rachel Deane has been busy working with the Assessing Office and IT staff to produce the 1^st ½ tax warrant for 2023. 

Parks & Recreation Director Rachel Gasowski notes that the department is busy preparing for summer programming. In addition, after school spring programs are going strong. The Memorial Day ceremony is coming right up on May 29th downtown at Memorial Park around 10 AM. Durham Day will also be held downtown again this year on June 3rd. 

Fire Chief David Emanuel reports that UNH contractors continue to experience delays in completing renovations within the Fire Department space, which is an ongoing frustration for staff.

Kudos to the Community Church of Durham Youth Group middle-schoolers who recently volunteered their time to help Land Stewardship Coordinator, Sara Callaghan, brush out and refresh trail signs on the Jackson Landing Interpretive Nature Trail.

Following several severe power outages impacting Durham’s critical infrastructure this past winter, a group of UNH students undertook a capstone project for UNH Political Science Professor (and Durham resident) Andrew Macpherson. The students worked with town departments and Eversource to evaluate tree threats to power lines supporting critical infrastructure sites in Durham including:

• Lamprey River Pump Station
• Lee Water Well
• Spruce Hole Well
• Beech Hill Water Storage
• Foss Farm Water Storage

Through their careful surveys and evaluation, the students identified 29 trees requiring either trimming or removal threatening power lines supporting local critical infrastructure, including 11 on Packers Falls Road (a locally designated scenic roadway) and 12 on Foss Farm Road. 

The UNH students involved included Brendon Banks, Mark Dunn, Jason Edmiston, Dylan Maschio, Will Naughton, Dimitri Seger, John Tiano, and Seth Trottier.

The students inputted the data and sites into our GIS mapping system for follow up by Durham Public Works and Eversource.  

There was a desire among Town Councilors to know the emergency preparedness plans of the UNH and Durham Police should there be an active shooter situation on campus, within a Town building or within an Oyster River school. 

Durham Police Chief Rene Kelley, UNH Police Chief Paul Dean, and their staff appeared at the May 1st Council meeting to address these concerns.  

To view their presentation on DCAT On Demand - Channel 22, please click HERE.

FULL PROPERTY REVALUATION PROCESS UPDATE FOR DURHAM – Things continue to progress smoothly.

Property visits are concluding with only 25 properties remaining unvisited. Callback appointments will take place within the month of May for properties which received only an exterior visit and have not already received a callback notice.

All tables within the database have been established at this point of the project. Minor changes may be made for specific property types or property locations upon field, or desk, review discoveries. Full field review, reviewing property values in the field for consistency and accuracy, has started and will conclude next month. The Town’s assessing contractors at MRI have been running various reports in the database to catch errors and will make any necessary adjustments. Phases 2-4 will conclude in May as we prepare preliminary values for June.

MRI has conducted an extensive review of commercial property values. They will finalize commercial values and recalculate the database to ensure adjustments are applied.

Next Steps… During the month of May, MRI contractors will finalize inspections and data review. In preparation for phase 6 of the project, MRI will send various drafted documents, including notices and web posts, for Assessor Jim Rice to review. Notices to the public will follow

Have you visited any of the Oyster River Greenway’s three properties - Milne Nature Sanctuary, Mill Pond Park, and Town Landing? If so, please help the Land Stewardship Subcommittee learn more about your experiences by completing a short questionnaire which you can find by clicking HERE.

MAY IS BUILDING SAFETY MONTH!

The International Code Council (ICC) has declared the month of May as Building Safety Month. Each week in May there will be a topic in Friday Updates on Building Safety for both individuals and communities. This week's topic is Building Safety Professionals and You. While you’re probably very familiar with what your local police and fire departments do, you may be less familiar with building safety professionals. In that way, building safety professionals are the silent defenders of public safety.

Here are a few things you should know:

• Building safety professionals include building inspectors of all kinds, building officials, plans examiners, permit technicians, fire marshals and more.
• Building safety professionals are constantly training and keeping up with the latest codes and standards.
• Their knowledge spans every aspect of the life of a building – from the bottom of the foundation to the top of the roof – and everything in between.
• Many building safety professionals have experience as architects, engineers, contractors or even government officials.
• There are many paths available to become a building safety professional.

Click HERE to learn more about building safety professionals.

The Chair of the UNH Student Senate External Affairs Office regularly attends Town Council meetings to update the Council on student affairs. On May 1 the new Student Body Vice President and the new Chair of the UNH Student Senate External Affairs office introduced themselves to the Council.

ALKU, located at 1 Madbury Road (opposite the Post Office) is a specialized consulting services firm focused on deploying highly skilled consulting resources in the areas of Technologies, Life Sciences, Healthcare IT, and Government solutions. Marketing Manager Maddie Eldridge explains that the company is “relentless in finding solutions and passionate about helping others.” ALKU was founded by CEO Mark Eldridge in 2008. It is based in Andover, MA with offices in Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. The Durham office serves as a training center.

Manager Eldridge says, “We have built a great relationship with UNH over the years.” Many graduates came to work at ALKU and “we wanted to find a way to give more people opportunity...It has been such a success that in February we expanded the office to double our capacity.”

Through the generous donation of labor from friend Peter Blanchard and a grant from M&T Bank for needed supplies, The Waysmeet Center will be operating out of a beautifully renovated kitchen space for any dinners, drum circles and other community events! The Center would like to thank the numerous volunteers who showed up to help empty, paint and clean both the kitchen and other community spaces this winter and spring. A HUGE thank you to Peter, and friends at M&T Bank!

Spoiler Alert: The Waysmeet Center is in collaboration with the NH Landscape Association FOR A NEW DRIVEWAY this coming fall! Similar to the community kitchen, the driveway has been utilized for decades and in need of serious TLC.

For anyone who would like to contribute to the Driveway Fund and future building maintenance costs, mark your calendars for NH Gives 2023 taking place June 6-7th at https://www.nhgives.org/organizations/waysmeet-center-nh and plan on supporting The Waysmeet Center and Cornucopia Food Pantry. Thank you!

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 (http://www.oysterriver.org), the NH Dept. of Environmental Services’ Volunteer River Assessment Program (NH VRAP), and the UNH/Durham Water Treatment Plant. If you are aged 16+ and would like to learn more, please email Thomas Lee at tom.lee@unh.edu

DID YOU KNOW? - What is "NO MOW MAY?"

The start of the growing season is a critical time for hungry, newly emerged native bees. Floral resources may be hard to find. When you allow your lawn and wildflowers to grow longer and bloom, they can provide nectar and pollen to help your bee and butterfly neighbors thrive.

No Mow May and Low Mow Spring are environmental campaigns that encourage people to refrain from mowing their lawns during the month of May and less over the spring months. The aim of these campaigns is to promote biodiversity and provide a habitat for pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and other insects.

Sources: The Washington Post

Bee City USA

Brought to you by the IWMAC Committee

Questions about recycling or composting? Email us at Durhamrecycles603@gmail.com

Many of the once thriving ash trees along sections of Emerson Road have fallen victim to the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), an invasive beetle that has decimated ash tree populations across North America. As a result, dozens of ash trees along the road are in need of removal. The Emerald Ash Borer, a metallic green beetle native to Asia, was first detected in Michigan in 2002 and has since spread to 35 states and several Canadian provinces (Britannica.com). The beetles lay their eggs in ash tree bark, and the larvae bore into the tree, disrupting the flow of nutrients and water. Over time, this damage weakens the tree, making it more susceptible to other pests and diseases and ultimately leading to its death.

The ash trees along Emerson Road and in many locations throughout Durham have not been immune to the destructive effects of the EAB. The infestation has left many trees in poor condition, with dead branches, failing structure and thinning canopies. The weakened, high-risk trees also pose a safety hazard, as falling limbs or toppled trees could damage property and infrastructure or injure people.

To address the issue, Durham Public Works and the Durham Tree Warden have partnered with a consulting utility forester contracted by Eversource Energy to plan and facilitate the removal of the affected ash trees. This process will require careful planning to ensure the safety of residents and workers, as well as minimize disruption to the surrounding neighborhoods. Public Works will be facilitating a meeting with affected property owners over the next several weeks to discuss the project and its impacts. Property owners will have an opportunity to learn more about the removal process, voice their concerns, and ask questions.

TRAFFIC/CONSTRUCTION ADVISORY – Roadway line/striping painting to occur in the coming week.

Please be advised that the Durham Public Works Department’s contractor for its Pavement Marking Program, Pin Point Line Striping and Marking, will be completing stencil and crosswalk work along the following roadways from 8:00 pm on Monday May 8th to 5:00 am on Tuesday May 9th.

• Main Street
• Pettee Brook Lane
• Garrison Avenue
• Madbury Road (Main Street to Garrison Avenue)

Parking within the Downtown Corridor is prohibited between 1:00 am and 6:00 am. The roadway in the work areas will be restricted to one lane with alternating traffic between 8:00 pm and 5:00 am. 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. Thank you for your patience.  For additional information please contact Durham Public Works at (603) 868-5578.

CONTINUED DELAYS EXPERIENCED IN SETTING UP NEW HYBRID POLICE VEHICLES - A real frustration for our Team at the DPD.

Durham’s Climate Action Plan calls for the reduction of local greenhouse gas emissions by 42.8% by 2030. Part of the plan calls for the transition of 70% of the police fleet to hybrid vehicles by 2024, and 100% of municipal vehicles to hybrid or electric vehicles by 2030, as technology and the market allow. The Police Dept. has, at long last, received the allotment of 3 new police Ford Explorer hybrids (for both 2022 and 2023), but due to supply chain and staffing shortages, there is now a backlog for the vehicles to be outfitted with light bars, radios, and paint. 

To date, one unit has been painted and two are still waiting to be painted. They then have to be completely outfitted at 2-Way. There is absolutely no timeline on when any of this will be done to get the vehicles ready to transition into the Durham fleet.

As the Town continues to transition to hybrid technology at DPD, Town Officials are simultaneously working to develop a research project with UNH Political Science Professor (and Durham resident) Andrew Macpherson for his class to undertake a project evaluating the viability of electric vehicles at DPD.  

McGregor paramedics recently took part in Advanced Airway Training run by two former volunteers who are now Portsmouth Hospital anesthesiologists.

Doctors Segil and McKenzie began their medical careers while volunteering at McGregor and were active until leaving for medical school. Their training focused on increasing the tools available to McGregor paramedics when managing the airway of critically ill patients, including topics such as surgical cricothyrotomy and video laryngoscopy. Dr. McKenzie began at McGregor while an undergraduate student at UNH and Dr. Segil grew up in Lee.

McGregor is often fortunate to have past members come back and provide high-quality training to our current providers. McGregor is very grateful to Doctors Segil and McKenzie for their support. 

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 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 #18

ALWAYS STOP AND CHECK FOR TRAFFIC IN BOTH DIRECTIONS WHEN YOU START RIDING.

Always stay safe and watch for any hazards before riding anywhere on your bike.  Click HERE for more information. 

The Town of Durham is accepting applications to fill an open vacancy and to create a hiring eligibility list for the position of Firefighter/AEMT. The hiring eligibility list may be active for up to eighteen months.

The full position posting and Town of Durham application may be found on the Town’s website HERE or click on the QR code above.

Application deadline is Friday, May 12, 2023, at 5:00 pm. Position to remain open until filled.  

Congratulations to Firefighter Barry LaVigne on completing 20 years of service to the Town of Durham. Barry began his career in the fire service in 1996 and was hired as a full-time Firefighter by the Durham Fire Department on March 24, 2003. 

In addition to his firefighter duties, Barry serves as the Fire Department’s Coordinator for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). 

The department recently held a small celebration to recognize Barry’s dedicated service and efforts to improve the health and safety of fire department members through his continuing focus on PPE and firefighter gear maintenance.

FIREFIGHTER/AEMT PETER LEAVITT COMPLETES MANAGING OFFICER PROGRAM AT THE NATIONAL FIRE ACADEMY

Firefighter/AEMT Peter Leavitt recently completed the Managing Officer program at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD. The goals of the Managing Officer program are to promote and enhance the professional growth of fire service leadership while preparing future leaders through a combination of education and linking people and ideas. Participants in this program receive instruction on leadership, community risk reduction, firefighter and community safety, contemporary training issues, and analytical tools for decision making. Students also gain critical insight concerning national response planning and incident management. This important two-year program comprises four unique courses requiring the participant to develop and complete a Capstone project directly benefiting the fire officer's department and community. This Capstone project permits the student an opportunity to demonstrate application of course theory and concepts to real-life situations. The final project is then evaluated through a formal peer review process.  Congratulations, Pete!  

OYSTER RIVER COOPERATIVE SCHOOL BOARD NEWS - Outstanding staff members recognized, upcoming state testing, and end of school year dates...

At this week’s board meeting, the board was pleased to recognize two outstanding staff members. Kim Wolph, a nurse at Oyster River High School, has been recognized as the 2023 New Hampshire Health Care Hero for her outstanding work in the district. Josh Olstad, the district’s IT Director, has been recognized as the 2023 Tech Leader of the Year. Congratulations to both Kim and Josh!

The board received updates from the district about end of year activities and testing. The state assessment test will begin at the elementary and middle schools next week. When the results are available, parents/guardian in the district will receive instructions on how to view those results (including through a new state web portal).

As a reminder, the last day of school for students is June 16th, 2023. The last day of classes for Seniors is June 2nd, 2023, with a week of planned activities to follow.

UPCOMING PUBLIC FORUM HOSTED BY FORMER CHAIR OF STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND DURHAM RESIDENT FRED BRAMANTE CONCERNING PROPOSED CHANGES TO NH’S PUBLIC EDUCATION RULES

Former Chair of the State Board of Education, Fredrick Bramante, is hosting a listening session at the Oyster River High School Auditorium (55 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824) on Tuesday, May 9 at 6:30 pm. ORCSD and Dover School District communities are invited to this very important meeting to discuss major proposed changes to New Hampshire’s public education rules (ED 306 Minimum Standards For Public School Approval).

The event is an opportunity for community members and educators to ask questions and provide valuable feedback to the State Board of Education.

For additional information on the proposed changes, you may view the document by clicking HERE.

If you’re interested in the full report, you may view it by clicking HERE.

These rules lay out the requirements for public education in NH, are used to determine the state funding’s portion of a school district’s budget, and they also address the essential aspects of school such as:

• School Climate and Culture
• Learning Levels
• Personalized Learning Plans
• Competency Based Learning
• Assessment
• Course-Level Competencies, Standards, and Frameworks
• Work Study Practices
• School Calendar / Instructional Hours
• Learning Opportunities
• Physical Activity
• Overall Language
• Other Areas

Oyster River students and staff have created hand-made bowls to donate to an upcoming fundraiser. On May 17, guests will choose a bowl and enjoy ice cream during the event. They keep the bowl as a reminder that there are always people with empty bowls in the world. In exchange for ice cream and the bowl, the guest contributes a donation.

Proceeds from the event will support End 68 Hours of Hunger, a public not-for-profit effort to confront the approximately 68 hours of hunger that some school children experience between the free lunch they receive at school on Friday afternoon and the free breakfast they receive at school on Monday morning. Hersheys and Shain's of Maine are donating the ice cream for the event.

The same evening, the 7th & 8th grade students will be hosting the first ever art exhibition of their own art in the middle school (hence the "grand opening").

ORCSD NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHING JUNE 2023!

The district's primary objectives in updating the current website were the direct result of feedback received from families, staff, and the community.  

This new website will allow you to navigate easily, view simplified content, and increase the visibility of the calendar, lunch menus, bus routes, services, and other important information. Additional details will be shared later in the coming weeks.