Town of Durham New Hampshire

06/16/2026

06/16/2026

IMPORTANT VOTER INFORMATION

The Durham Supervisors of the Checklist will meet Monday, June 22, 2026, from 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm at Durham Town Hall, 8 Newmarket Rd. Residents will be able to:

Re-register if they have received a letter saying that they will be removed from the Checklist
Register as a new voter
Request a change of name or address
Party changes will no longer be accepted until the NH Primary. At that election anyone who is registered Undeclared must choose which ballot they wish to mark. They will remain in that party until they return to Undeclared, which may be done on the way out of the polling place or any time thereafter at the Town Clerk’s office or at a meeting of the Supervisors of the Checklist.

Applicants for registration should bring paper or digital proofs of identity, age (18 by 9/08/2026), citizenship, and domicile in Durham. Affidavits for citizenship are now available for those who do not have access to paper/digital proofs. Voters who wish to re-register need only a valid 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 personal registration information online:

06/16/2026

BOG BRIDGE REPLACED AT LANGMAID FARM

Durham Land Stewardship Subcommittee is thankful for the help of volunteers and the support of the Great Bay Resource Protection Partnership through their stewardship grants program.

Materials and permit were funded by a Stewardship grant from the Partnership, and labor on different projects (bog bridges replacement and repairs) at the Longmarsh Preserve was achieved with the invaluable work of volunteers, including this new bog bridge on the Yellow Trail on the old Langmaid Farm.

06/16/2026

FROM BIOBLITZ TO TRAIL WORK, STEWARDSHIP EFFORTS ON DURHAM LANDS GAIN MOMENTUM

Land Stewardship Coordinator Veronique Ludington shared a wide-ranging and encouraging update on recent conservation and stewardship efforts. The recent Bioblitz was a success, drawing nearly 60 participants and generating more than 200 species observations using tools like iNaturalist and eBird, along with traditional field notes. The event brought together an engaged mix of residents and volunteers and helped build connections among those interested in Durham’s natural resources. Veronique noted that future efforts may focus on involving more younger participants, potentially through a partnership with 7th grade science classes. Materials developed for the Bioblitz will also be reused for Durham Day and Farm Day later this summer.

Volunteer support continues to be a major strength, with roughly 700 hours contributed so far this season, not including Bioblitz participation. Notable efforts included Service Palooza on May 21, when 77 middle school students helped remove invasive species in the northern portion of Thompson Forest, and a June 6 workday where volunteers replaced a bog bridge and repaired the kiosk roof at Longmarsh Preserve.

Public programming has also been well received, including a French conversation walk at Doe Farm and a butterfly walk at the Old Reservoir that drew strong participation, including many families. The Discover Durham Trails walk series will pause for the summer and resume in September, with additional programming planned this fall in collaboration with Pollinator Pathways.

Behind the scenes, staff and volunteers are advancing several important initiatives, including mapping trails and amenities across conservation properties, updating kiosk signage and content, and preparing for future grant applications. Field work for updated mapping is expected to wrap up by the end of June, with final maps anticipated later in the fall. Veronique also reported ongoing trail maintenance work due to heavy vegetation growth this season, as well as early planning for an observation platform at Spruce Hole Bog.

06/16/2026

These pups have eyes for only one thing! 🍦 Courtesy, Erin Daly

06/16/2026

2026 SIDEWALK PROGRAM UPDATE – Construction Begins Next Week

Durham Public Works' contractor for its Road and Sidewalk Program, Continental Paving, will begin construction on the 2026 Sidewalk Program next week. This project consists of the continued phased reconstruction of sections of deteriorated asphalt and concrete sidewalks with brick edging within the Downtown corridor.

Planned construction improvements in 2026 include the sidewalk segment on the north side of Main Street that extends from Madbury Road to #20 Main Street. This section currently has dislodged bricks and deteriorated concrete panels. This project will remove the existing sidewalk and replace it with new concrete panels, eliminating the failed brick banding. Additionally, the deteriorated bituminous sidewalk on the west side of Pettee Brook Lane from Main Street to Rosemary Lane will be replaced with concrete, and compliant ADA ramps will be installed.

To facilitate this work, the parallel parking stalls on the west side of Pettee Brook Lane from Main Street to Rosemary Lane will be reserved for construction equipment use only.

Weather permitting, Durham Public Works expects that this project will be completed within the next two weeks.

06/16/2026

Did You Know? 🌎 Plastic Utensils

Each year, billions of pounds of plastic utensils end up in landfills, where they’ll take hundreds of years to decompose.

In addition, plastic utensils cannot be recycled. Typically they are made of mixed plastics and are too small and lightweight for sorting machinery at the recycling center, causing them to fall through equipment and contaminate the recycling stream.

How can you help?

When ordering takeout, be sure to mention that you don’t need any plastic utensils.
- Keep sets of reusable utensils in the car for when you are away from home.
Look for compostable fiber-based utensils and tableware.
- Opt for reusable metal utensils.(NOTE: if you need extra for an upcoming get together, check out the Swap Shop or Good Will, for free or low cost options).
Source: Earth911

Recycle Smart MA

CORRECTION:

Last week, we incorrectly stated that the Swap Shop does not accept loose LEGO pieces that are not part of complete sets. Although most toys and games must have all of their parts and pieces to be accepted at the Swap Shop, LEGOs are an exception. We apologize for any confusion!

Brought to you by the IWMAC Committee

Questions about recycling or composting? Email us at: [email protected]

Check us out on Instagram: sustainable.durham.nh

Not sure if an item can be recycled? Check here:

Recyclopedia: Can I recycle it? Search Read the newsletter Take the Quiz Test your knowledge about recycling in Massachusetts. Learn More Smart Recycling Guide Here’s what can and can’t go in your recycling bin. Learn More Watch the Video Why these common items don’t belong in the bin. Learn M...

06/16/2026

DURHAM CANDIDATES FILE FOR THE 2026 NH STATE PRIMARY ELECTION

The filing period for candidates seeking placement on the ballot for the 2026 New Hampshire State Primary Election closed at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 12, 2026. The State Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, with successful candidates advancing to the General Election on November 3, 2026. Durham voters will elect representatives from two New Hampshire House districts, along several other county, state, and federal races, including Governor and U.S. Senator. District 10, which includes Durham, has four (4) House seats to be filled. Durham voters will also elect one (1) Floterial Representative from District 20, which includes Durham, Lee, Madbury, and Dover Ward 4.

In addition, incumbent Strafford County Sheriff and Durham resident Kathryn Mone has filed for re-election.

For the most current candidate filing information, including candidates who filed after this newsletter's publication deadline, and for a complete list of offices appearing on the September ballot, please visit the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s 2026 Election Information page below.

This list includes any candidate for NH State Representative who filed in the Durham Town Clerk’s Office by 3:00 p.m. on Friday, June 12, 2026; or filed directly with the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s Office as of Thursday, June 11, 2026. A final list of candidates will be published in the next Friday Updates in two weeks.

https://www.sos.nh.gov/2026-election-details
Strafford District 10

Gale Bailey, Durham, DEM
Wayne M. Burton, Durham, DEM
Timothy Horrigan, Durham, DEM
Paul Rasmussen, Durham, DEM
Siena R. Schaier, Durham, DEM
Loren Selig, Durham, DEM
Micah Warnock, Durham, DEM
Strafford District 20

Allan Howland, DURHAM, DEM

Information regarding Elections in 2026

06/16/2026

DCAT Coordinator Craig Stevens to fully retire on June 25th.

DCAT Coordinator, Craig Stevens, will fully retire on Thursday, June 25. He retired from full-time work on June 30, 2025, and has been working part-time since then. GIS Coordinator, Steve Lutterman, and Assistant IT Director, Michael Rohr, will be taking over the responsibilities of the DCAT role.

Craig is looking forward to enjoying time with his wife and his two grandsons. We wish him all the best!

06/16/2026

MILL POND DAM REMOVAL – Information on Project Finances & FAQ Sheet

The construction bid submitted by SumCo Eco Contracting (in April 2025) included the lowest total cost to complete the project ($3,142,193) out of the four qualified contractors that submitted bids, and was therefore selected by the Town Council to complete the project in accordance with Durham’s Purchasing Policy. Other contractors that submitted bids for the project include TFord at $3,388,500, Sargent at $3,526,550, and S&R at $4,597,240.

A question has been asked regarding the difference between the project costs presented within the Feasibility Study and the present-day cost of the project. Costs included within a feasibility study for various options were planning level costs, which was clearly articulated throughout the evaluation process. The selected option, dam removal, was further refined during final design. In addition, cost increases can be directly attributed to the following, which would have impacted any option selected:

Abnormally high inflation since 2020.
Increases in unit construction costs due to high fuel prices and increased trucking costs.
The Town was verbally notified by NOAA 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 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. This is in line with the estimated external grant funding % offset considered at the time of the referendum vote on the project.

The construction contract for this project was approved at the Town Council in October 2025. The contract was approved subject to either receiving the remaining funding allotment from NOAA, or the approval of a FY26 Capital Improvement Program Item in the amount of $900,000, which was included/approved by the Council as part of the approved FY 2026 budget. The current available funds are sufficient to complete the project, and not receiving the $1.3M as described above will have no impact on the scope or quality of the project, meaning the Town is not cutting out parts of the project or reducing mitigation efforts. There is not a project shortfall. Between advantageous bid numbers (described above) and the additional $900,000 allocated by the Town Council for FY 2026, sufficient funds are available for the full project and future tax impacts were integrated into the Town's current budget and future fiscal forecast as part of the FY 2026 budget approval process last fall.

THE TOWN-WIDE REFERENDUM ON THE DAM - The Town Warrant (Referendum question) from March 8, 2022, can be found below. Article 2 included the question: "Shall the Town reverse the action of the Town Council taken on November 1, 2021 to remove the Mill Pond Dam?'

Article 2 failed by a 74% vote with 1706 opposed and 596 in favor. Town officials at the time reported 2,365 people voted in the election, more than double the average turnout of a little less than 1,100 for town elections.

MILL POND DAM FAQ AVAILABLE ONLINE - (environmental implications, wildlife/habitat concerns, rationale, dredging, water quality impairments, options & preliminary engineering cost estimates, etc.) - The Town had produced an informative Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) sheet for the community dated 1/26/22 to help answer questions concerning the Mill Pond Dam leading up to the 3/8/22 election, which is still informative today in answering recurring questions about the project. The FAQ sheet can be reviewed below.

https://www.ci.durham.nh.us/sites/default/files/fileattachments/town_council/page/68021/election_warrant_for_march_8_2022_town_of_durham_election.pdf

https://www.ci.durham.nh.us/sites/default/files/fileattachments/public_works/page/54315/mill_pond_dam_faq_012622_final.pdf