Chief sticks to raise request

Fire Chief William St. Michel, who has said repeatedly that he will resign from his job unless he receives a 5 percent pay hike, said Monday there was “no change” in his status with the town.

St. Michel, who has 42 years of service with the fire department, said he would attend, as usual, the Board of Selectmen’s meeting on Tuesday night. The meeting was held after the Tri-Town Weekly’s deadline.

Selectmen have offered St. Michel a 2 percent raise, in accordance with a vote taken at the annual town meeting on April 4. Voters approved a $292,860 operating budget for Durham Fire & Rescue by a 77-42 vote. That budget specifies a 2 percent pay raise for St. Michel, who has been fire chief for 22 years. St. Michel earns $54,224 a year.

St. Michel is not backing off on his call for a 5 percent raise. The Board of Selectmen met two weeks ago and made the 2 percent offer official. St. Michel said Monday he had no idea if that offer would change Tuesday night.

“I couldn’t tell you,” he said.

– Larry Grard

Office hours

The Durham Town Office hours are Monday, Tuesday and Friday, 8: 30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; closed Wednesday; and Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. For more information, call 353-2561.

Members needed for new town committee

Durham selectmen have approved a new committee in response to warrant article 35 on the warrant approved at the town meeting on April 4. Nine residents are being sought for the Alternative Warrant Exploration Committee. Applications are due by May 5, and members will be appointed at that evening’s board meeting.

Applications are available at the town office, online or call 353-2561. Details for the committee will be discussed at the next selectmen’s meeting on April 21.

Masons plan bean supper

The Durham Masonic Lodge will host a baked bean supper on Saturday, May 9, from 4:30-6 p.m., at the lodge, 663 Royalsborough Road, across from the River Park, Durham. On the menu are baked beans, chop suey, hot dogs, potato salad, cole slaw, bread, pickles and homemade pies. Prices are $7.50 for adults, $3 for children 5-12 and free for children under 5.

Roads posted in Durham

The town of Durham is posting all town roads to heavy loads. The posting will be in effect until May 1, depending on the weather. It will be unlawful for any vehicle exceeding the gross weight of 23,000 pounds to pass over the following designated and posted roads unless the road is solidly frozen. A roadway is considered “solidly frozen” only when the temperature is 32 degrees or below and no water is showing in the cracks of the road (if paved) or there is less than a half-inch of thaw on gravel surface (if gravel), to be determined by the road commissioner or unless other arrangements have been made.

The roads include Ada Drive, Davis Road, Puritan Lane, Apple Ridge Road, Day Road, Quaker Meetinghouse Road, Auburn Pownal Road, Deervale Road, Quaker Ridge Road, Aurora Drive, Dewitt Hill Road, Rabbit Road, Beaver Woods Road, Durham Road, Rangdale, Beechwood Lane, Evergreen Lane, Rangdale Road, Bowen Road, Ferry Road, Ross Road, Bowie Hill Road, Grant Road, Runaround Pond Road, Brianna Drive, Harlie Woods Road, Sand Hill Drive, Brickyard Road, Hill Road, Haskins Road, Shiloh Road, Brookside Drive, Hemlock Drive, Smith Farm Road, Brown Road, Hunter Hill Road, Snow Road, Cedar Pond Road, Leighton Road, Soper Road, Chesley Hill Road, Meadow Road, Stackpole Road, Chickadee Lane, Mill Pond Road, Steig Road, Cloutier Road, New Gloucester Road, Swamp Road, Collins Way, Old Brunswick Road, Turkey Ridge Colonial Drive, Pass Brook Road, Whipoorwill Lane, Cottagewoods Road, Patriot Way ,Winifred Lane, Country Lane, Peter Vier Road, Wires Hill Road, Cushing Road, Pine Knoll Drive, Woodland Road, David Lewis Drive and Plummers Mill Road.

Those with questions can call 353-3281 or email [email protected].

CEO hours

New hours for Paul Baines, Durham’s codes enforcement officer, are Mondays and Tuesdays, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; and Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. He can be reached at 376-6558 or codes@ durhamme.com. For more information, call the Town Office, 353-2561, ext. 13.

‘Fresh’ screens April 23

The First Congregational Church of Durham, 773 Royalsborough Road, will show the documentary “Fresh, ” with Will Allen, Joel Salatin, Michael Pollan, George Naylor and Diana Endicott, on Thursday, April 23. Those attending should gather at 6:30 p.m. for 6:45 start. For more information, see www.FRESHthemovie.com.

Donate plant pots

The Eureka Community Center plant sale committee is looking for donations of 7-inch pots. The donations help keep overhead costs down. Those who have some to donate can call Pearl at 353- 4030 or Anita at 353-6217.

Kindergarten, pre-K registration

Durham Community School kindergarten registration is now available for children who were born before or on Oct. 15, 2015. Online registration can be found at dcs.rsu5.org.

The school is also registering pre-kindergarten students for the 2015-16 school year. The Durham Community School is anticipating a pre-K program designed to prepare students with the basic skills needed to be successful in kindergarten. To be eligible for this program, children must be 4 years old on or before Oct. 15 and reside in Durham. The pre-K program is a partial week, full-day program that follows the RSU 5 school calendar. The program operates in two sessions, a Monday, Wednesday and Friday session, as well as a Tuesday, Thursday session. To find out more about pre-K, see dcs.rsu5.org or call the school at 353-9333.

Late fee for dog licenses

Dog registration regular fees are $6 for altered dogs and $11 for unaltered dogs. Proof of rabies and first time for neutered or spaying will need to be seen by the registering clerk. This is once-a-year registration. A $25 late fee per dog will now be added to the regular fee. For more information call Town Clerk Shannon Plourde at 353-2561, ext. 11.

AMVETS members

AMVETS supports other veterans, families and the local community. Post 13 in Durham is seeking members. For information, call Chad Burke, 798-0956.

Rent Eureka Center

The Durham Eureka Community Center is available for rent. The maximum amount of people the hall holds for an event is 50. Contact Nancy Decker at 751-1323 or the Town Office at 353-2561.

Cribbage, couponing

The Durham Eureka Community Center, corner of Route 9 and Route 136, hosts cribbage every Tuesday from 9 a.m.-noon.

Couponing for the Community meets at the Community Center two Wednesdays each month from 6:30-8:30 p.m. It is a chance to learn couponing basics including where/how to find and collect coupons; how to organize them; and how to begin using them. Pat Provost heads this project with the hopes that some of the skills acquired will be used to give back to the community by helping families in need. Anyone who already uses coupons or would like to know or learn about ways to coupon is welcome. Those who want more information can call Pat at 212-5156.

Food pantry

The Lisbon Area Christian Outreach (LACO) food pantry, which serves the towns of Durham, Bowdoin, and Lisbon Falls, is open Wednesday from 6-8 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m.-noon and Saturday from 8-10 a.m. The LACO Food Pantry is located at the Marion T. Morse School on School Street, Lisbon Falls. The parking lot is behind the Lisbon United Methodist Church, off Berry Avenue. There is also a free clothing bank. For more information, see www.lacopantry.org or call Deb, 240-1637.

Town info

Durham puts out a weekly bulletin of all posts, events and meetings for the upcoming week in the town/area. To sign up for weekly emails, go to durhamme.com and enter your email at bottom of the home page. To get nonprofit information/event or meeting on the website or town channel, email it to [email protected], or [email protected] or call 207-353-2561 EXT 16. All town meetings can be seen on demand at http://durhamtown.pegcentral.com.

Church services

The First Congregational Church of Durham UCC, 773 Royalsborough Road, holds

Sunday worship at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Peter Mercer.

Shiloh Chapel, Beulah lane off Shiloh Road, holds services

Sundays at 10 a.m. Ron Parker is pastor.

Durham Monthly meeting of Friends, 532 Quakermeeting House Road, at the corner of Route 125, every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. The pastor is Douglas Gwyn.