Friday Updates - September 19, 2025

Friday, September 19, 2025

Morning at Wagon Hill Farm Courtesy, Nick Isaak

The first day of fall in New Hampshire is Monday, September 22, 2025, which is the date of the autumnal equinox. This means that the leaves on your trees will soon begin to, well, fall. According to the National Weather Service, leaving the leaves in place can offer a lot of benefits for wildlife and your garden. Click HERE for what to know before making the decision to rake.

And ... a thoughtful message from Susie and Mark Houle concerning Wagon Hill Farm:  “[We] would like to remind Durham resident dog owners that Wagon Hill is a cherished place to run our dogs off-leash in the morning. It won’t be a privilege long though if we don’t continue to pick up after our dogs. We were there this morning and observed multiple piles of dog waste that were not taken care of and it was disappointing to say the least. Everyone loses out if we don’t all tend to our cleanups. Thanks in advance for helping to take care of such a gem of a place for our four-legged friends to run!"

RULES OF THE ROAD (AND SIDEWALKS!) FOR ELECTRIC SCOOTERS AND BICYCLES IN DURHAM

The Durham Police Department has created a video on the Do's and Don'ts of Electric Scooters. You can find this video HERE. If you have an electric scooter or know someone who does, please take a look at this video.

SUMMARY FROM THIS WEEK’S DURHAM LEADERSHIP TEAM (aka department head) MEETING

The meeting began with a focus on updating the New Hampshire Coastal Flood Risk Summary, a document required to be updated every five years. Representatives from the Strafford Regional Planning Commission, the NHDES, and the NH Sea Grant/UNH Coop. Extension presented the current status of the science update and guidance document, highlighting key findings on sea level rise, coastal storms, groundwater rise, and extreme precipitation. The team was seeking input from municipalities, such as Durham, on how to make the guidance more user-friendly and applicable to local decision-making processes. The science report is expected to be finalized soon, followed by a draft guidance document for public comment early next year.

Some Staffing Updates & Town Budget Process for FY 2026

Code Officer Audrey Cline discussed staffing changes, noting that her part-time code assistant is leaving to take on a full-time position with the Sheriff's Department, and she will be looking for part-time help for code enforcement duties. Planner Michael Behrendt provided updates on the Riverwoods project and various local zoning amendments being discussed by the Planning Board, while Library Director Sheryl Bass shared news about upcoming programs.

The group discussed the scheduled presentation of the draft 2026-2035 Capital Improvements Program (at this time containing all projects recommended to the Administrator by departments) to the Planning Board next week on September 24, 2025. 

Staff are working on budget reductions as part of the ongoing FY 2026 budget development and CIP process, with Admin. Selig and Business Manager Gail Jablonski actively meeting with departments to identify areas for cuts and prepare a budget for the Council. It’s going to be a very challenging upcoming budget year with a general lack of significant new taxable development in town, the potential for loss of federal and/or state funding, three union collective bargaining contracts (firefighters, middle managers, and AFSCME/DPW) expiring December 31, 2025, a projected increase in health insurance costs of around 10%, general inflation and cost increases across the operation, UNH fiscal challenges and student enrollment declines, less interest earnings, requests for additional personnel across departments (two additional firefighters, additional p.t. fire admin. asst., additional p.t. accreditation manager at police, potentially contracting out solid waste/recycling collection at DPW, moving the land stewardship coordinator from p.t. to f.t., etc.) and relying on the one-time use of around $420,000 in undesignated fund balance to stabilize taxes for FY 2025 that cannot be sustained indefinitely to future budget cycles. 

In terms of the General Fund operating budget alone, departmental requests have come in reflective of a $2,280,064 increase (or 17.42%) over FY 2025. Please note this is before any reductions have been made by the Administrator in what will be a long 1.5 months ahead as Mr. Selig endeavors to work with departments, boards, committees, and commissions to winnow the budget down working toward the Administrator's formal proposal to the Council by November 1^st.  The Council then has until the last business day in December to adopt a budget of its own or the budget submitted by the Administrator becomes the budget by default, which has only happened one time in the last 25 years.

Road Projects Update and Progress

DPW Director Rich Reine provided updates on several road projects. He reported that the Madbury Road project has completed pavement work and is installing granite curbing, with a 5-7 day timeline for completion. The first phase of sidewalk work between Garrison and Main Street has reached substantial completion, with cobblestone bump-outs being redone using mortar sand mix instead of polymer sand (a warranty item). Rich also discussed the new Mill Road RRFB (Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon), which has a neon backing plate that will be replaced with standard yellow. Mr. Behrendt inquired about the section from Garrison to Edgewood, which has 8-10 foot multi-use path and 5-foot sidewalk on one side, with granite curbing planned for the entire route up to Route 4, pending $1.8 million in 10-year plan grant funding for a multi-use path.

Construction Impacts & Theft Concerns

Mr. Reine discussed the impact of student activities on construction, mentioning the theft of grade stakes all along a long section of Madbury Road (requiring the contractor to re-survey the area). Mr. Behrendt shared news of the theft of a brand new bronze plaque honoring Elizabeth DeMeritt from the ATO building, with no leads on the perpetrators. Mr. Selig mentioned that NHDOT had removed a sign from the Mill Pond Dam due to it being attached to state infrastructure. Ms. Cline raised concerns about high advertising snipe signs on telephone poles that are in conflict with zoning and difficult to remove, and DPW offered to help remove them using a bucket truck.

Various Updates

Mr. Reine was asked to remove the farm day sign at Town Hall and replace it with the sustainability banner. Michael Rohr from IT reported progress on cost savings for identifying old unused copper lines across municipal buildings that are no longer needed (including at the old Town Office site – now Tideline – at 15 Newmarket Road and which were still being charged to Durham. IT citizen volunteer extraordinaire Jay Gooze mentioned that Office 365 password expiration warnings were being addressed as a result of a recent scam/fishing exercise targeting Durham operations. Chief Rene Kelley discussed a project with UNH students to evaluate possible improvements to emergency notification systems, and updates on new parking enforcement measures and vehicles. Deputy Fire Chief Rob Atwater informed the group concerning Assistant Fire Chief Randall Trull's upcoming retirement (Randall will become the new Fire Chief in Kittery, ME) and a new firefighter starting in October, as well as the completion of an SCBA compressor project and recent training activities at DFD. The Sept. 11^th ceremonies at DFD/UNH went very smoothly last week.

Conference Plans and Reval Updates

Town Clerk/Tax Collector Rachel Deane noted that she and the Town Clerk’s Office staff would be attending an educational conference in North Conway on Thursday, with Lori Pitt covering the office. Mrs. Deane highlighted the office's perfect score in their recent DMV audit, attributing it to the hard work of Audrey McKenzie and Maura Slavin. Mrs. Deane also discussed upcoming changes to election laws, particularly the requirement for photo ID when requesting an absentee ballot, and is evaluating the possibility of creating educational videos similar to the DPD's parking video. Assessor Darcy Freer provided an update on the ongoing statistical revaluation noting that residential values were expected to increase by around 10-15% (depending upon style, location, condition, etc.), while commercial values remained fairly steady (some up/some down). She mentioned that letters describing the process for taxpayers would be delayed but her office will be providing taxpayers with updates in the coming weeks through the weekly Friday Updates and the website.

The Piscataqua Gundalow near Adams Point in Durham. Courtesy, Bernard Casey

2025 PROPERTY VALUE UPDATE

The Town of Durham is working with Whitney Consulting Group, LLC and Town Assessor Darcy Freer to update property values for the 2025 tax year to reflect current real estate market conditions as of April 1, 2025.

One of the later steps in this process is to mail preliminary new property values to all property owners. These were anticipated to be mailed by the middle of September. However, there will be a slight delay in this. It is expected that the preliminary new property value notices will be mailed no later than October 20, 2025.

Within the body of the notice, there will be information on when and how to schedule an appointment with the Assessing office to discuss the new valuation. It is important to remember that an increase in your property’s assessed value does not automatically mean your property taxes will go up. After the revaluation, the overall tax rate is adjusted based on the new total town value. Often, when property values go up across the board, the tax rate goes down. Please do not use the current tax rate to estimate your new taxes. The final rate will be set by the state later in the year after all budgets are finalized.

If, after receiving your fall tax bill, you still believe your new assessment does not reflect market value, you have the right to file a formal appeal (called an “abatement request”) with the Town. The deadline for this is March 1, 2026.

INFORMATIONAL SESSION ON HOUSING TO BE HELD ON OCTOBER 7 AT 10:00 A.M. BY DURHAM HOUSING TASK FORCE

The Durham Housing Task Force is holding an informational session on a set of proposed zoning amendments designed to expand housing opportunities in town. If you are interested in learning more, please join the Task Force on Tuesday, October 7, at 10:00 am in the Town Council Chambers. You can see the proposal, which includes changes to the tables and the text of the Zoning Ordinance, HERE. The Task Force will be presenting these amendments to the Planning Board in the next few months as the board’s schedule allows. You can see numerous other interesting documents related to housing on the Task Force website HERE. 

The Housing Task Force will be sunsetted next month. It was established by the Town Council for the purpose of examining housing issues and proposing appropriate changes. With this zoning proposal, the work of the Task Force is completed (though the members will continue to shepherd this amendment through the review process with the Planning Board and Town Council).

Accomplishments of the Housing Task Force over the past few years include:

• Contracting for the preparation of a Housing Needs Assessment for Durham;
• Conducting extensive outreach efforts to learn about the community’s ideas about housing;
• Helping to create the Durham Attainable Housing Ordinance;
• Developing four strategies to help revitalize the downtown and bring more housing downtown (including three zoning initiatives and changes to the RSA 79-E program); and
• Preparation of the zoning amendments referred to above.

The Land Stewardship Team needs some help cleaning up the Pike Property on Saturday October 4th, 10am to 2pm.  The property is located at the intersection of Packers Falls Road and Wednesday Hill Road, right next to the Thompson Lot on Wednesday Hill Road. You can sign up to help HERE.

There seems to be literally no place on Earth free of plastic. An article in The Guardian notes that a driver of the crisis is a dramatic acceleration of plastic production, which has increased by more than 200 times since 1950, and is set to almost triple again by 2060. The most rapid increase has been in the production of single-use plastics.

A few weeks ago, we shared some tips on how to cut back on plastic use. Since plastic pollution is such a problem, causing issues not only with our health, but with our environment, we’d like to continue to share more ways to cut back on plastic consumption over the next few weeks. Although it is impossible to avoid plastic entirely, we can reduce it!

In the kitchen:

• Don’t drink from plastic water bottles, especially if they’ve been exposed to sunlight. 
• Ditch disposable dishes and cutlery in favor of items that have a long life. 
• Store food in glass or metal containers, and definitely don’t reheat food in plastic. 
• Stay away from processed food as much as possible, as it typically contains and is packaged in more plastic than fresh food. 

In the laundry room:

• Laundry strips and pods - a study revealed that most brands contain plastics. Try brands like Dirty Labs or Blueland (available at Target) instead. In addition, we have local businesses that offer plastic free cleaners and detergent. You can find these options at: The Replenish Refillery in Dover, The Refill Station in Portsmouth and We Fill Good in Kittery.
• Use a wool dryer ball instead of fabric softener. Add a few drops of essential oil on the ball for a fresh scent. 
• Avoid polyester and nylon fabrics in favor of organic cotton, linen, wool, and materials made from natural fibers like wood and bamboo. 

Sources:

The Guardian

Bluedot Living

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.

The Durham Police Department’s new hybrid parking services truck has arrived! 

The old truck will be “retiring” from the police department, after 10 years of dedicated service.

The new Ford F-150 hybrid replaced an aging vehicle, which had become unreliable. The hybrid will help officers respond more efficiently to parking concerns and assist transporting lost animals, It will also be used to transport equipment for large events. 

The truck features upgraded safety lighting, improved visibility, and space for digital enforcement tools.  

Ten years ago, The Freedom Café opened its doors with a simple but powerful vision: to create a space where awareness turns into action, where a cup of coffee could spark conversation, and where everyday people could help build an exploitation-free world. What started as a small community & student partnership in 2015 has since grown into a community movement – welcoming thousands of people through its doors, training hundreds of ORCSD and UNH students, as well as, Durham and seacoast residents and professionals, and supporting survivors and partner organizations doing life-saving work on the front lines. 

To commemorate this 10-year milestone and rally even more support, The Freedom Café is hosting a special event: “Festival in the Field” – a Benefit Concert & Eco-Vendor Fair to Fight Exploitation. This family-friendly festival will take place on Saturday, September 27, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Tuckaway Farm (4 Captain Smith Emerson Rd, Lee – just minutes from downtown Durham). For more information & Tickets, click HERE.

CIRCLE DANCES ARE BACK!

Come learn dances from a multi-cultural folk dance background, accessible to many ages, body types and experience levels. Steps taught at all dance sessions. No experience or partner needed.

Fridays, September 26, October 24, November 28 & December 19, 6:00-7:30pm, at the Community Church of Durham, 17 Main St, Durham NH 03825.

Cost: sliding scale of $5-25. For more info: dance@livinglandpermaculture.com

ACTIVE RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES A FREE PRESENTATION - Celebrating Ordinary People in Distant Places

The Active Retirement Association (ARA) presents a FREE event, “Celebrating Ordinary People in Distant Places,” featuring Wendy Beckwith, ARA member and professor emerita of LaRoche College in Pittsburgh, PA, where she taught for 30 years and held a variety of administrative positions. Most recently she was the ADA Compliance Officer for UNH until her retirement.

Beckwith has traveled to distant places with striking landscapes, unique cultures, and wonderful architecture, but it is the people of Peru, Morocco, and Nepal who have left the greatest impression on her. Through her narrative you will meet a coca leaf vendor, a shepherd, a Himalayan village couple, a Thangka artist, and a living goddess, each leading an ordinary life that to most might seem quite extraordinary.

This FREE event is open to the public and will take place on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, 1:30 – 3:00 PM, at the Community Church of Durham, 17 Main Street, Durham, NH, and also via Zoom. Pre-registration for non-members only is required at seacoastara@gmail.com. Please be sure to indicate whether you plan to attend in person or via Zoom.

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 325 members from New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and beyond. The ARA is committed to expanding the world of 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.

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

In the market for a better night's sleep? The Oyster River Music Association (ORMA) is sponsoring a mattress sale on Saturday, September 27, 2025, to raise funds for our Oyster River High School musicians! The students are working to travel to Orlando, Florida to perform at Universal Studios this spring.

This name-brand mattress sale will benefit student musicians right here in our community! Enjoy a full showroom setup at the Oyster River High School from 10:00 .m. - 4:00 p.m. with a variety of brand name mattresses to try out and custom order. Financing is available. If you're hungry, be sure to stop by the bake sale! All proceeds fund Oyster River musicians! For more information find ORMA on Facebook and Instagram!

OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL NEWS

Transportation Information 

Our Transportation team is hiring! If you or someone you know would like to drive a van or a bus, please contact Director of Transportation Trisha Daley at 603-868-1610 or by email at tdaley@orcsd.org. Additional details are available HERE.

Nutrition Assistance Programs

ORCSD's Free & Reduced Lunch program information may be found HERE. To continue receiving free or reduced meals for the 2025-2026 school year, your application must be received by October 11, 2025. Additional assistance is also offered by End 68 Hours of Hunger and Community Action Partnership of Strafford County.

ORCSD School Board Updates

ORCSD school board meetings recordings are available on the ORCSD YouTube channel HERE, and the agendas and minutes are available HERE. School board meetings are live streamed on the ORCSD Streaming channel HERE.

UNH’s Sustainability Institute and Health & Wellness invite you to a day of exploration, inspiration, and cultivation of a community committed to supporting health, well-being, and sustainability for all.

The Sustainability Institute and Health & Wellness are grateful to partner with the UNH Center for the Humanities to bring this event to our community. The Saul O Sidore Memorial Lecture Series was established in 1965 in memory of Saul O Sidore of Manchester, New Hampshire. The purpose of the series is to offer the University community and the state of New Hampshire programs that raise critical and sometimes controversial issues facing our society. The University of New Hampshire Center for the Humanities sponsors the programs.

Lectures are free and open to the public, but you must register to attend. To learn more and register, click HERE.