Money OK’d for sinkhole fix
In an emergency meeting held on Aug. 11, the Durham Budget Committee voted to take $1,650 from the town’s emergency fund to fix a sinkhole at the Eureka Community Center.
The small sinkhole, on the Hallowell Road side of the building, did not prevent occupation of the building. The Durham Public Works Department temporarily repaired the sinkhole a couple of weeks ago, but the town has hired Copp Excavating to do a permanent fix.
Paul Baines, the town’s codes-enforcement officer, said that the hole was about 1-by-2 feet in size, and perhaps a foot deep. There was no structural damage to the building, Baines said.
Calvin Beaumier, the road commissioner, said his crew put crushed stones in the hole as a temporary fix.
Beaumier said that smaller stones between the granite blocks had deteriorated, allowing sand to go through the voids and into the basement, resulting in the sinkhole.
“They’re going to have to fix the drainage to get the water away from the building,” Beaumier said. “Eventually, they’ll probably have to fill the voids between the stones with grout.”
Beaumier said his crew spent about an hour filling the hole.
– 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.
Meetings
The Durham Board of Selectmen will meet Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 6:30 p.m., at the Town Office.
Community Lunches launched
Lunch and conversation are the focus of the Durham Community Lunch on Tuesday, Sept. 1 and 15, at noon, at the Durham Congregational Church, at the corner of routes 9 and 136 at Southwest Bend. There will be a home-cooked lunch and desserts made by Durham’s best bakers. A suggested donation of $2-$4 is appreciated to support future lunches. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. and the church is handicapped-accessible.
Those who are interested in meeting other Durham residents and join like-minded folks for lunch are welcome to attend. Those interested in volunteering to get the Durham Community Lunch off the ground can contact Julie Wagoner at 353-9715.
Food pantry seeks veggies
Lisbon Area Christian Outreach seeks fresh produce that gardeners would care to donate. Drop them off Wednesdays between 5-6 p.m., behind the former Marion T Morse School in Lisbon Falls. LACO serves the towns of Durham, Bowdoin and Lisbon Falls
Masons set date for next supper
The Masons will host a bean supper on Saturday, Sept. 12, from 4:30-6 p.m., at the lodge, 663 Royalsborough Road, Route 136 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. The cost is $7.50, $3 for children ages 5-12 and free for children under 5.
Historic commission seeks associate members
The Durham Historic District Commission is looking for associate members. For those interested, applications are available at the Durham Town Office. For more information, call the town office, 353-2561.
CEO hours
Hours for Paul Baines, Durham’s codes enforcement officer, are Monday and Tuesday, 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.
Couponing sessions
Couponing for the Community meets the second and fourth Wednesday of each month, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., at the Eureka Community Center. It is a chance to learn couponing basics from Pat Provost, who also shows members how to use some of their coupons to benefit families in the community and military families overseas. For more information, call 212-5156.
Weekly cribbage
The Durham Eureka Community Center, corner of Route 9 and Route 136, hosts cribbage every Tuesday from 9 a.m.-noon.
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.
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 a nonprofit information/event or meeting on the website or town channel, email it to durhampublicinfo@gmail.com, or jricker@durhamtown.comcastbiz.net or call 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.
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