Friday Updates - May 8, 2026

Friday, May 8, 2026

Lady Slippers seen last year at Oyster River Forest Courtesy, Veronique Ludington

NOTICE TO DOG OWNERS - QR Code Issue inadvertently sends people to sports betting site - yikes!

The Town of Durham Clerk’s Office would like to alert dog owners who may have received a license reminder notice this week that the QR code included on the mailing was generated using a service that had not been properly vetted. As a result, the code may direct users to a website not associated with the Town of Durham - some type of sports betting site. Please note the notice was only sent to residents that may have missed the April 30 deadline.

Residents should avoid using the QR code. Dog licenses may be renewed by visiting the Town’s official website at ci.durham.nh.us/clerk or by coming directly to the Clerk’s Office.

We apologize for any confusion this may have caused. The Clerk’s Office has contacted Durham IT and will ensure all QR codes are properly vetted before being used in future communications.

The Clerk’s Office remains available to assist residents. Please call 603-868-5577 with any questions or concerns regarding dog licensing.

Thank you for your understanding.

l-r Former Councilor Robin Vogt is recognized for his service by Council Chair Joe Friedman at the May 4 Council meeting. Courtesy, Todd Selig

CAMPUS CARRY BILL PUT ON HOLD IN STATE SENATE

The New Hampshire State Senate delayed action this week on a House-passed bill that would allow students, faculty, and visitors to carry firearms on college campuses. The proposal, HB 1793, has generated significant debate, and Senate leadership opted to postpone a vote until May 14 due in part to member absences and the closely divided nature of the issue.

In the interim, Senate President Sharon Carson has proposed amending the bill to instead establish a five-member study committee focused specifically on public colleges and universities. The House version would apply more broadly to any institution receiving public funds. The delay signals that further negotiation and potential revision are possible before any final decision is made. The NH Senate faces a deadline next week to act on the measure.

UNH COMMENCEMENT – SATURDAY, MAY 16

The Durham Police Department would like to remind residents that the University of New Hampshire will be hosting several commencement ceremonies at the Whittemore Center on Saturday, May 16

Due to multiple ceremonies throughout the day, traffic in the area is expected to be significantly impacted. To help reduce congestion, shuttle buses will transport graduates and their families to and from the venue.

Residents are encouraged to plan ahead, consider alternative routes, and allow extra travel time to avoid delays.

Congratulations to all graduating students and their families!

Mark your calendars! The Durham Farmers' Market returns Monday, June 1st and runs every Monday through October 5th, from 2:30-6:00 PM. The location has moved to the M&T Bank Parking Lot at 70 Main Street, right next to the previous location. 

Each market offers a rotating selection of fresh local produce, baked goods, lobster, canned goods, crafts, and more. Check out the interactive market map HERE ahead of time to see who is coming. With live music every week featuring talented local Seacoast musicians, it’s the perfect Monday ritual!

Opening day will feature a kid's activity about the benefits of eating local. Dogs are always welcome, so bring your furry friends along to kick off the season!

The Durham market is managed by Seacoast Eat Local, a small nonprofit based in Lee. For more information, click HERE.

A neighborhood meeting for the Mill Pond Dam Removal Project will take place on Wednesday, May 13 at 8 am at Mill Pond Park on Mill Pond Road. This meeting will coincide with a Public Information Meeting, in accordance with the requirements of New Hampshire RSA 482.13, regarding draw down of Mill Pond and the subsequent breaching of the Mill Pond Dam. Accessible accommodation for this meeting can be made upon request.

Draw down 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.

Please Note: Accessible accommodations for this meeting can be made upon request by contacting Town Engineer April Talon at 603-868-5578 or via email at atalon@ci.durham.nh.us.

Other general updates:

• Contractor mobilization and road closure of Mill Pond Road between Church Hill Road and Smith Park Lane is currently scheduled for late-May or early-June. 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.

On January 9, 2026, the contract and associated documents for the Mill Pond Dam Removal project were signed with 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. Since January, Sumco has been undertaking logistical planning/contracting in order to be ready for late-May/June construction commencement.

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 is 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

A group of Liberty Mutual volunteers helped Public Works by adding plants to the island in front of the post office today. A passerby said that the "vibe was joyful!" Courtesy, Jean McPeak

SUPERVISORS OF THE CHECKLIST TO CONDUCT A VERIFICATION OF THE VOTER CHECKLIST - Letters to go out around May 14

Supervisors of the Checklist are beginning a process called Verification of the Checklist. With direction from the Secretary of State’s office, anyone who has not voted since April 2021, unless they registered after the presidential election in November of 2024, will be receiving a letter, addressed to the most recent address that there is on file. The last time this process was done was in 2021. These verification letters will go out around May 14 and will further explain the process.

The next meeting of the Supervisors is scheduled for: Tuesday, June 2, 2026, from 7:00 – 8:00 PM at the Durham Town Hall.

This date and time will be the last time voters can change their party preference before the State Primary in September. The following day is the first day for registering to run for office. The online voter checklist should be updated by the time this notice is out. You should be able to check your status at: https://app.sos.nh.gov/voterinformation. 

Applicants for registration must bring paper or digital proof of identity, age, citizenship, and domicile in Durham. Voters who wish to re-register or make a change 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.

As part of the Town's ongoing CALEA accreditation process for the Durham Police Department, the Town conducts a community survey every 3–4 years to gauge residents' perceptions of safety and police services. This year's survey of nearly 700 respondents found that a strong majority of residents feel safe living in Durham and express confidence in the Police Department's performance, while also highlighting traffic, parking, and micromobility (bikes, scooters, and e-devices) as priority concerns.

Key findings from the survey include:

Safety & Crime Perceptions: 81% of respondents feel "very safe" at night in their homes, and 88% feel very safe walking in their neighborhoods during the day. The vast majority (86%) believe crime has stayed the same over the past year, with only 3% reporting they have limited activities due to crime concerns.

Police Department Performance Strong: The Durham Police Department received strong ratings, with 64% of residents rating overall service delivery as "excellent" and 32% as "good." Among those who had contact with the department, 97% found officers professional and respectful, and 97% reported the department is responsive to community needs.

Concerns Expressed on Micromobility: Residents identified traffic and micromobility issues as top priorities, with 71% expressing concern about pedestrians crossing outside crosswalks, 64–65% concerned about cars not yielding to pedestrians and bicyclists, 68% concerned about speeding cars, and 52% identifying parking and traffic problems as issues.

Keeping the public informed: A large share of respondents report that they stay informed about Town affairs primarily through the Durham Friday Updates (77%), with social media (9%), the Town website (6%), and other sources like the local paper (4%) playing a secondary role.

Dr. Andy Smith from the UNH Survey Center and his students presented a detailed report on these survey findings to the Town Council at its meeting on Monday, May 4. A link to the full survey results is provided HERE for those who wish to review the detailed tables and methodology.

Residents often ask why communities like Durham cannot simply require developers to build more affordable apartments when there is clearly demand. A new online program created by Progress Portsmouth walks through this question in clear, understandable terms.

It shows that affordable housing typically costs just as much to build as market-rate housing, yet can only charge about half the rent, which means the “gap” between construction cost and what affordable rents can support must be filled with a complicated mix of grants, tax credits, state programs, and local tools such as tax relief, use of surplus public land, and fee waivers. 

For more info., view the Portsmouth Progress site HERE.  

On Thursday, May 7, Administrator Todd Selig attended an Emergency Preparedness Training Exercise hosted by Eversource at its Energy Park HQ facility in Manchester. The session brought together municipal officials from across New Hampshire to review Eversource’s approach to storm and emergency readiness, learn more about the online Municipal Hub used to share information during incidents, and work through real‑world outage and restoration scenarios in a tabletop exercise format. The goal of the program was to strengthen coordination and communication between local communities and the utility before, during, and after significant weather or other events that may impact electric service.

As part of the training, participants also had an opportunity to tour Eversource’s Systems Operations Center, where the regional electric grid is monitored and managed in real time during both routine operations and emergencies. 

A view of Durham’s commercial core, UNH, and the surrounding area from Eversource’s Municipal HUB platform.

The Planning Board is holding a public hearing on an amendment to the Architectural Design Standards at their meeting on May 13. The amendment would require setbacks for the fifth story from the face of the first story of 20 feet where the building faces Main Street and 10 feet where the building faces another street. Akin to the setbacks on Art Deco buildings, the purpose of the setbacks is to reduce the sense of height and mass of the building as seen by a pedestrian below.

The board is also currently updating the overall standards. The Architectural Design Standards (or “Architectural Regulations”) establish a comprehensive set of requirements that developers must comply with for multi-unit residential buildings (with three or more units) and commercial buildings located in the six Core Commercial districts. The regulations have been effective in enhancing design of Madbury Commons, Pauly’s Pockets, the ATO building on Garrison Avenue, and the new apartment building at Madbury and Garrison, for example, but they have not been revised in ten years.

INTERESTED IN RUNNING FOR STATE OFFICE?

Durham residents considering filing for the Candidacy for State Representative or the Candidacy for Delegate to the Republican State Convention in 2026 should be aware that the official filing period opens Wednesday, June 3, 2026, and closes Friday, June 12, 2026. NH State Representative Filings may be completed in the Durham Town Clerk’s Office during normal business hours 8:00am-5:00pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Please note the Clerk's Office is not open on Wednesdays and will not be open on June 3. If you would like to file on June 3, you may do so at the NH Secretary of State's Office.

Important Filing Deadlines

• Filings will NOT be accepted before June 3 or after June 12. 
• Mailed filings will be accepted through Thursday, June 11.
• On Friday, June 12, all filings must be completed IN PERSON.
• Filing offices are required to remain open from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM on June 12 for in-person filings.

If you have questions regarding the filing process, please contact the New Hampshire Secretary of State Elections Division at: elections@sos.nh.gov

The Durham Town Clerk’s Office is also happy to help direct residents to the appropriate resources or answer any questions at: rdeane@ci.durham.nh.us

Did you know that the Agricultural  Commission  offers workshops on garden planning and beekeeping? 

Did you know that the Durham Library has thermal cameras available to borrow, which will help make your home more energy efficient?

These are examples of ways our community is committed to sustainability.

The first edition of the quarterly Sustainability Newsletter is available now. Each edition includes quick, easy-to-read updates from many of our town committees, commissions, and entities about the sustainable projects they are working on and ways they are keeping our community thriving.

If you’re looking for a way to be better informed, subscribe now to get the newsletter sent directly to your inbox. Quarterly editions will follow (you can unsubscribe at any time). 

You can use this link HERE, or the QR code above.

Spring is a time when many of us are getting outside to do some gardening. Typically, during gardening season, there are lots of questions about what to do with plastic plant containers. Plastic containers that hold plants, trees and flowers are not recyclable locally and should not be put in curbside recycle bins or brought to the Durham Transfer Station for recycling.

For the second consecutive year, a collaboration between the Swap Shop and IWMAC is making plastic plant container recycling easier for residents.

In order to cut back on waste and make it easier to dispose of these containers sustainably, the  volunteers at the Swap Shop will collect plastic plant containers and members of the Integrated Waste Management Advisory Committee (IWMAC) will collect any plastic containers not picked up for reuse by other residents and ensure they get to a Home Depot or Lowe’s for proper recycling. Just bring your plastic plant containers to the Durham Swap Shop on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9AM-2:30PM and let an attendant know you would like to recycle them.

NOTE: This service is being offered in order to make it more convenient for Durham residents to sustainably dispose of plastic plant containers. Home Depot and Lowe’s both offer recycling programs that allow anyone to drop off plastic plant containers at any time.

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

Dandelions are an excellent source of pollen and nectar for honeybees. Honeybees visiting dandelions in the early spring contribute to sweet results (honey!) that can be enjoyed throughout the entire year. There are at least 12 beekeepers and over 25 beehives in Durham producing local honey. Honeybees fly 2-3 miles away from their hive to find nectar and pollen. Do your part by not mowing down the dandelions until after the seed heads are gone.

Thanks to the middle schoolers of the Durham Community Church Youth Group for helping make some banners and signs for the upcoming Oyster River Forest Bioblitz on Sunday, May 17th.

Find out more information HERE. 

The Land Stewardship Subcommittee is working on new trail head signs and kiosk, but also on trail signs throughout the Durham Conservation Properties.

We are very thankful for volunteer Ralph Danko of Newmarket who has started making the signs for us. Many hours of carving letters, painting and sanding! You should see them installed on the trails soon!

If you’d like to volunteer for any Land Stewardship project, email Veronique at vludington@ci.durham.nh.us

All members of our community are invited to team up with Scout Troop 154 on May 9 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM starting at the Community Church of Durham, for Trash the Trash Day - a community clean-up event focused on making our town cleaner, safer, and more beautiful.

Bring your family, friends, and community spirit as we work together to remove litter, protect local spaces, and show pride in where we live. This is a great opportunity for those needing service hours, families looking to give back, or anyone who wants to make a positive difference.

Gloves, bags, and a great attitude encouraged!

Together, many hands can make a big impact. We hope to see you there!

Beautiful afternoon on the turf for the Oyster River Middle School Girls Lacrosse team before their home game against Rye! The skies showed off, and so did the Bobcats!!! Courtesy, Erin Daly

OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL NEWS

Planned May School Closures

May 22: All Oyster River schools will be closed for a teacher workshop day.

May 25: All Oyster River schools and the SAU will be closed in observance of Memorial Day

School News

May 4-8, 2026, is Teacher Appreciation Week

ORCSD gratefully celebrates the dedicated educators and staff whose care, expertise, and commitment inspire the students every day and strengthen the school community. Students, families, and community members are invited to join in sharing their appreciation by taking a moment to thank an educator or staff member who has made a lasting impact.

ORMS Celebrates Earth Week 2026

From April 20–24, Oyster River Middle School (ORMS) celebrated Earth Week. The ORMS Sustainability Club organized the week’s festivities, centered around caring for our planet. 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 the schools! The District's full calendar of events is available online HERE.

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)

May 27: ORHS Art Show Reception

5:00-7:00 p.m. Multipurpose Room at Oyster River High School (55 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824).

May 28: ORMS/HS Chorus Concert

6:00-7:30 p.m. Grades 5-12. Morse Recital Hall at Oyster River Middle School (1 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824).

May 29: Mast Way Art Show

5:30-7:00 p.m. Mast Way School (23 Mast Rd, Lee, NH 03861)

May 29: ORHS Coffee House

6:00-8:00 p.m. Multipurpose Room at Oyster River High School (55 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824). Coffee House celebrates the quarterly launch of the award-winning student publication Mouth of the River. The $5 admission can be purchased at the door and is one of MOR's primary fundraising sources. Food and drink are included with admission.

The sophomore class at Oyster River High School is hosting its first ever Parking Lot Market on Saturday, May 9, from 10 am to 2pm! This fundraiser will operate like a hybrid yard sale and farmer’s market. Several local businesses from across the seacoast are setting up pop-up shops to sell their wares.

This event is open to the community as well! If you have goods to sell, whether it be old furniture, spring clean-out items, or handmade creations, rent a parking spot, set up a table, and sell your wares to the seacoast community! Don’t have anything to sell? No worries- come visit us at the Oyster River High School parking lot to support your neighbors and favorite local vendors!

If you are interested in selling goods, please email 28leong@orcsd.org or 28willj@orcsd.org to sign up or use the QR code on the flyer above to register! We look forward to seeing you!