TOWN OF CHARLESTOWN
SELECTBOARD MEETING
APRIL 6, 2005
Selectboard Present: Brenda Ferland, Jon LeClair, Steven Neill
Staff Present: David Edkins, Administrative Assistant
Keith Weed, Highway Superintendent
David Duquette, Water and Sewer Superintendent
Rod Rumrill, Water & Wastewater Department
Edward Smith, Police Chief
Regina Borden, Recording Secretary
CALL TO ORDER & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Chairperson Brenda Ferland called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING(S):
Jon LeClair moved to approve the Minutes of the Selectboard meeting of March 16, 2005 regarding water & wastewater testing, as printed. Steve Neill seconded the motion. With all in favor, the motion carried.
Jon LeClair moved to approve the Minutes of the regular Selectboard meeting of March 16, 2005, as printed. Steve Neill seconded the motion. With all in favor, the motion carried.
Jon LeClair moved to approve the Minutes of the non-public Selectboard meeting of March 16, 2005, as printed. Steve Neill seconded the motion. With all in favor, the motion carried.
Jon LeClair moved to approve the Minutes of the Selectboard Workshop meeting of March 21, 2005, as printed. Steve Neill seconded the motion. With all in favor, the motion carried.
DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS:
Highway Department: Keith Weed reported that the department has been graveling the dirt roads. They are still working on the winter equipment maintenance getting it ready to put away for the summer. The vehicles went through the inspections okay and the only truck that needed work was the one Mr. Weed uses. Four highway employees went to a one-half day seminar last week in Concord. Tomorrow he will be meeting with Mr. Flynn on the South Hemlock Road as he asked what they intend to do about the cracks that have appeared since the road was paved last year. Next Wednesday they will be discussing this with the Highway Advisory Board during their regular meeting. Some pricing will be obtained on crack sealing for the Unity Stage Road; they looked at 36 roads today. He is
trying to contact the person from Town to do the chip sealing. They are in the process of collecting road data and all but four or five of the dirt roads have been done; they are looking at about 17 miles of dirt roads. This will also be discussed with the Highway Advisory Board as well as the Barry Metcalf drainage proposal and the Caryl Lane proposal. Proposals for line painting are back and went from $4,500 last year to $8,700 this year; the Town budgeted $3,500 so Keith Weed is working on getting that figure down.
Brenda Ferland asked if there have been many comments as the result of posting the roads differently this year. Keith Weed responded that there were none after the first few days.
Water and Wastewater Departments: David Duquette mentioned a letter in the read file that was received from Raymond Buisson on Cummings Avenue regarding a sewer problem on his service line. Norm Beaudry said he did the work there in 1998/1999. He has somebody with a camera that will look into it and, if it is the result of work that Beaudry did, he feels responsible to repair it.
Dave Duquette is working on the Back Flow Prevention Program. The State sent him a copy that was apparently produced by the Town in 1989 but he has not been able to find a signed copy in the Town offices. He is making revisions and will submit it to the Selectboard for review and approval. He submitted a list of the businesses or associations that may be affected by this and asked the Selectboard to add to it; trailer park owners are on the list.
The department has been installing meters.
Dave Duquette mentioned that the Town usually hires a part-time person to help for the summer. This will be a very busy year and he would like to advertise the position. The Selectboard approved this request.
Police Department: Police Chief Edward Smith was able to pick up four gun lockers from the Sheriff’s Department that hold up to six guns so that should help protect them from accidents. Officer Williams will be starting the Police Academy on Monday. Chief Smith put in a purchase order to lease a new combination copier, printer and FAX. At the time he was unaware that the Town cannot into such multi-year agreements without non-appropriation clause. All-Service will contact the office to see if such a clause can be added.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
MIKE AND NORM EXCAVATING: Norm Beaudry would like to extend Caryl Lane to 350+ feet his property about, as the present road terminates at the cul-de-sac. Caryl Lane is an existing Class V Town road to the cul-de-sac. He proposes to pay for paving the new section of road and would like to enter into an agreement with the Town to share in the costs to pave the existing portion of the road. Norm and Mike Beaudry want to put in a new shop on Caryl Lane as they lost everything when the former building burned. Brenda Ferland is concerned with the Weeks & Gowen building as the corner is virtually sitting in the road. Norm Beaudry feels that the travel part of the road could be offset so it is further away from the Weeks & Gowen building. This would allow Mike and Norm to
build the kind of new building they want on a flat area and be a good distance away from the road. Keith Weed feels a hammerhead would be easier to maintain than a cul-de-sac. Ditching and sampling would have to be done. Mr. Edkins advised that this application for a boundary line adjustment will go before the Planning Board at the next meeting and, assuming that it is approved, it is then up to the Selectboard as to whether or not they want to alter the layout of the road. It would require a Petition from Mr. Beaudry and the process would be similar to Victor St. Pierre’s project except that this will be Beaudry property. Steve Neill recommended that the Highway Advisory Board and Keith Weed look at this proposal including the Weeks & Gowen building and their parking spaces. They will be meeting next Wednesday night at 6:30 P.M.
SELECTBOARD COMMENT:
There was no Selectboard comment at this meeting.
OLD BUSINESS:
Dave Edkins advised that there is one issue under Old Business that should be discussed in a Nonpublic Session under Reputations.
FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION – Payroll, Purchase Orders, Vouchers, Warrants, Abatements, Etc.: The Payroll and Check Vouchers were approved and signed.
Purchase Orders: The Selectboard approved and signed the following Purchase Orders: 1) Water – Ti-Sales $1,847.76 for water meters & parts; 2) Water – Ti-Sales $1,882.56; 3) Office Equipment –Costco $1,599.99 for a laptop computer; 4) Water & Wastewater–Allen Engineering $999.00 for chlorine; 5) Highway –S.G. Reed Truck Service $80,306.00 for new truck; 6) Highway –E.W. Sleeper $46,441.00 for truck attachments; 7) Highway –Hill-Martin $8,000 for parts & work on the grader; 8) Highway –Big Daddy’s Outdoor Living $338.00 for a John Deere broom; 9) Highway –Stevens Equipment $1,000 for a part on the backhoe; 10) Highway – Beaudry Enterprises $8,050; 11) Highway –Rouse Tire $3,270 for six tires for the grader; 12) Highway –Nortrax $5,400 for two months rental for a John Deere excavator; 13) Highway –Wilson Tire $1,356.00 for six truck tires; 14) Municipal Office & Community Building – HB Plumbing $347.20 for a water leak emergency; 15) Highway –Nortrax $337.75 for a speed control
assembly for the loader; and 16) Highway –Carroll Concrete $2,616 for a compacter.
Vouchers: A letter explaining the payments to Provan and Lorber was reviewed. Two monthly project budget reports, SCI payment estimate #11 and 12 (Final) were reviewed and signed.
Tax Exemption: A Tax Exemption was approved and signed by the Selectboard.
Veterans Exemption: A Veterans Exemption was approved and signed by the Selectboard.
Disabled Tax Exemption: The Selectboard approved and signed a Disabled Tax Exemption.
APPOINTMENTS, PERMITS, LICENSES, & RESOLUTIONS:
Conservation Commission: The Selectboard was asked to reappoint Charles St. Pierre and Ruth Pratt as members of the Conservation Commission. The Selectboard approved and signed the reappointment documents.
Junk Yard Permit: Jon LeClair and Steve Neill approved and signed an Annual Junk Yard Permit Renewal for Kevin Blaine on Buttonwood Lane. Brenda Ferland abstained because Mr. Lane is her neighbor.
Notices of Intents to Cut: The Selectboard approved two Notices of Intent to Cut on the Borough Road and Caryl Lane.
Timber Yield Tax Levy: The Board approved and signed several Timber Yield Tax Levies.
Cemetery Deeds: The Selectboard approved and signed two Cemetery Deeds.
License: The Selectboard approved a request to issue a License for Harry Tuttle to have a wedding reception at Patch Park.
CORRESPONDENCE:
Department of Environmental Services: A letter was received from the Department of Environmental Services regarding the landfill closure. The State has decided that the Town does not need to do anything else with the closure plan. If the Selectboard acknowledges and signs this agreement, the Town will not have to do anything else as long as the ground water monitoring tests are okay and show no contamination. Mr. Edkins will advise the DES that the Town does have a Groundwater Management Permit. The Selectboard signed the agreement. The one downside is that if the Town begins to have problems they will have to design a full-fledged cap rather than the semi-permeable cap.
Use of Community Room: There was a memo from Pat Royce advising that the Charlestown Bible Church would like to use the Community Room for a few months on Sundays while their new church is being built on the Springfield Road. Their old building has been sold. Previously another church was allowed to use this room free of charge for a period of time. The Selectboard approved this request. Chief Smith asked that they be informed that the Police Department is adjacent to this room.
Student Conservation Association: Brenda Ferland read a letter from the SCA advising that they were enclosing a gift check, in lieu of taxes, in the amount of $5,000 to the Town of Charlestown. They are appreciative of the services provided. SCA continues to open their building for the use of the community.
Mr. Case: An estimate was received from Mr. Case to repair his driveway. Mr. Edkins would like to work on this matter some more and to have Keith Weed look into this also. This matter was put on-hold.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT’S REPORT:
Budget: Mr. Edkins provided up-dated copies of the budget for the Selectboard’s review.
Appraisals: Pat Royce is working on the contract with Vision Appraisal for the revaluation work.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Conservation Commission – Steve Neill: Steve Neill reported that the Conservation Commission met a week ago. Green-Up Day is May 7th beginning at 8:00 am at the Fire Station. In the past the Town provided a small pick-up for their use. Keith Weed will assist. The rain day will be the next day. They usually serve lunch about 11:30 am.
CEDA – Steve Neill: Steve Neill said that CEDA will be meeting next week.
Solid Waste Committee – Jon LeClair: Jon LeClair submitted a Transfer Station Committee Report on Mandatory Corrugated Cardboard Recycling that they would like to begin on June 1st, 2005. He recommended that this be published in the Our Town paper and to have Robert Davis make up some flyers.
Steve Neill moved that the Selectboard adopt this proposal and put it into effect on June 1st, 2005, as written. Brenda Ferland seconded the motion. With all in favor, the motion carried.
Robert Davis is attending the monthly Solid Waste Project meetings in Claremont.
Heritage Commission – Brenda Ferland: Brenda Ferland noted that the Heritage Commission has not yet met this month.
Ambulance Department – Jon LeClair: Jon LeClair advised that the Ambulance Department would be meeting next week. Steve Neill recommended that the Selectboard send a letter to the Ambulance Department advising that as of April 10th the ambulance unit scheduled for replacement is not to be moved, as it did not pass inspection.
Planning Board – Brenda Ferland: Brenda Ferland reported that the Planning Board met last night. 1) The Planning Board approved a request for a boundary line adjustment on the South Hemlock Road. 2) The Student Conservation Association submitted an application for additions/conversion of an existing barn for offices, meeting rooms and related facilities on the River Road. This was accepted as complete subject to the compliance with the Shoreline Protection Act and the septic system permit. 3) There was a preliminary consultation for proposed subdivision on the River Road by Joseph Dodge and Chad Peavey. 4) There was a preliminary consultation for proposed development of a lot on Caryl Lane by Norm & Mike Excavating. 5) There have been 600+ Community Surveys
returned and the deadline has been extended to April 15th to conform with the return of the Inventory forms.
NON-PUBLIC SESSION (if necessary) – RSA 91-A:3 II:
Jon LeClair moved to enter into a Nonpublic session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3 II (a) Personnel and (c) Reputations. Steve Neill seconded the motion and, on a roll call with all in favor, the motion carried. The time was 8:25 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Regina Borden, Recording Secretary Approved,
Brenda L. Ferland, Chair
Jon B. LeClair
Steven A. Neill
(Note: These are unapproved Minutes. Corrections, if necessary, may be found in the Minutes of the April 20th, 2005, Selectboard meeting.)
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