TOWN OF CHARLESTOWN
SELECTBOARD MEETING
JANUARY 4, 2006
Selectboard Present: Brenda Ferland, Jon LeClair, Steven Neill
Staff Present: David Edkins, Administrative Assistant
Keith Weed, Highway Superintendent
Edward Smith, Police Chief
Debra Clark, Town Clerk
Regina Borden, Recording Secretary
CALL TO ORDER & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: In the absence of Chairperson Brenda Ferland, Vice-Chair Jon LeClair called the regular meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING(S):
Steve Neill moved to approve the Minutes of the regular Selectboard meeting of December 21, 2005, as printed. Jon LeClair seconded the motion. With all in favor, the motion carried.
DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS:
Highway Department: Keith Weed reported that they have two trucks down. The Freightliner is at L & B Trucks and it will probably take $1,000 to repair it. The Warranty expires this Friday so they will do some research on it. The Chevrolet one-ton transmission is gone; they have given it a price tag of $1,000 for repairs. Antioch College will be at the Transfer Station on Friday, January 13th, at 1:00 pm to do their tour; Northeast Recycling will be here to do the tour and the Solid Waste Committee is being invited. The Scott’s Drive project was started; the blasting is done and they will try to keep the road open as much as possible. Somebody from Massachusetts came in to the Transfer Station to throw a Blazer in the metal bin but Keith Weed told him to
remove it as the Station could not take it. The owner then gave the Title to Cliff Stark and left. Cliff wanted to keep it at the station to plow, etc. but Keith Weed did not think it would work so Cliff took it home on a flat bed.
Police Department: Police Chief Ed Smith explained more problems with the cruiser; it went back to Gateway. It is under warranty so it has not cost the Town anything but a lot of frustration. Chief Smith is getting more details on Extended Warranties. They were able to get three desks and a file cabinet from the Claremont Savings Bank. The department had a residential burglary that they are investigating now. Quite a bit of money was taken but there is a witness that saw the suspects leaving. Four felony cases are set to be heard by the Grand Jury this week.
Brenda Ferland arrived at the meeting and apologized for being late, explaining that her legislative duties in Concord ran longer than expected.
Town Clerk: Debra Clark said the Town Clerk’s office is moved in and having a lot of compliments in their new space. They like the color and there is a lot of room. Everything is the way she wanted it to be but the thermostat needs to be moved as they cannot regulate the heat very well. They need mats for the floor where the chairs roll. Dave Edkins noted that there are some remnant pieces of carpeting in the Bakery Building that can be used until the mats arrive. Blanc and Bailey recommended that the floor in their office and the community room should be waxed more than two times a year so they are asking that additional money be put into the budget to do this four times a year. Water and Sewer bills are due tomorrow but a lot of people paid before the end of the
year. As of Tuesday, January 10th, Mrs. Clark will be out of the office for three-to-four weeks for surgery. She is working on the Town reports and only minor things are left open. During her absence there will be more pressure on her staff so she asked for some patience. Brenda Ferland said we all wish her well and hope that everything goes fine.
Water and Sewer Departments: Dave Duquette left work ill this afternoon and was not present for the meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Morris Butterfield: Morris Butterfield lives on Cummings Avenue. His statement is that the junkyard behind his house, belonging to Fred Poisson, is still there. It goes from his property all the way to Sullivan Street and consists of junk cars that he is bringing down to South Charlestown, demolition cars he is putting together, un-inspectable cars, refrigerators, gas tanks, oil tanks, and just regular look-like Freddie’s junkyard. There are flatbed trailers hung over the bank filled with junk. He did move four trucks up to his house from the Charlestown Inn property; that is the extent of what he did to clean-up that area. Maybe Mr. Edkins could add to that. Dave Edkins responded that he has been by there but did not do a detailed inspection recently but it is always
on his list. Morris Butterfield said it is okay for Mr. Edkins to drive down his driveway to look at all the nasty stuff. He is using that used car lot as a staging area for his junkyard in South Charlestown where he unloads all his collision vehicles, they sit there for weeks until he needs them and then brings them down there. He has two of them there right now but had three or four during the week. He asked if the Selectboard looked at the “sweethearts” he brought to Lovers Lane; no doors on them, they are really impressive; they should make a nice tax base for us. Brenda Ferland asked if he was referring to the mobile homes. Mr. Butterfield responded “yes”. Brenda Ferland said the Planning Board is handling the mobile homes.
SELECTBOARD COMMENT:
There was no Selectboard comment at this meeting.
OLD BUSINESS:
Town Cannon: Mr. Edkins relayed a phone conversation with Cheryl Cavanaugh, the Director of the Old Fort No. 4, and they would like to have the cannon back. Four or five directors ago the Town was asked to take it back as it is a Civil War cannon and did not fit into the period that the Fort is trying to portray, however, they would now like to use it as a part of an exhibit to illustrate the evolution of the cannon over the years. He asked Ms. Cavanaugh to make the request to the Selectboard in writing.
FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION – Payroll, Purchase Orders, Vouchers, Warrants, Abatements, Etc.: The Payroll and Check Vouchers were reviewed and signed.
Purchase Orders: The Selectboard approved and signed the following Purchase Orders: 1) Highway Department – Fastenal $599.99; 2) Transfer Station – B & B Chain, Inc. $330.00; 3) Highway – Bandit Industries $4,120.00; 4) Ambulance Service – Gall’s, Inc. $560.84; 5) Transfer Station, Highway, Water & Sewer, Town Office –Unique Signs– Brenda Ferland and Jon LeClair signed the purchase order to pay the bill except for $227.00 which was not authorized; and 6) Water and Sewer – Charlestown Cornerstone, LLC - $355.00 – Brenda Ferland and Jon LeClair signed the purchase order; Mr. Neill abstained due to a potential conflict of interest.
Tax Collector’s Warrant: The Selectboard approved and signed a Tax Collector’s Warrant for a Jeopardy Assessment for mobile homes in the amount of $1,806.30.
Water Meter: A memo was received from Dave Duquette concerning the water meter at 117 Woodrise Road. He checked the meter because the water consumption rose significantly; there were no leaks and it was determined that it was a faulty meter. The owners agreed to install a new meter by March 31st. On that basis, Mr. Duquette recommended that the Selectboard grant an Abatement for the over-usage. They paid a water bill that is consistent with what they have been paying. The Selectboard agreed to put this on-hold to allow time for Steve Neill to look at the account card.
Town Reports: The bids are in to do the Town Reports and Marathon Printers is the low bidder. The Selectboard agreed to award the bid to the low bidder, Marathon Printers, for $1,208.00 for the larger size reports.
Old Town Hall: The Selectboard has contracted to put a standing-seam metal roof on the Old Town Hall and chose the color “Mansard Brown”.
CORRESPONDENCE:
Fred and Virginia Poisson: The Selectboard is sending a letter to Fred and Virginia Poisson about their building on Main Street that was demolished. All debris must be removed by March 31st, 2006. The Selectboard consulted with their legal counsel before taking this action. Steve Neill and Jon LeClair signed the letter but Brenda Ferland did not sign the letter as she wanted the debris removed sooner.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT’S REPORT:
2006 Holidays: The Selectboard approved and signed the document to designate Monday, July 3rd as the additional floating holiday in 2006.
Deliberative Session: Mr. Edkins reported that Albert St. Pierre has suggested that the Selectboard consider trying to hold the Deliberative Session in the Town Hall rather than the school. Steve Neill noted that parking is a problem but other than that it isn’t a bad idea. The school is reserved. Jon LeClair suggested holding the session in the Middle School this year and get a consensus from the people at the meeting about moving it to the Town Hall next year. The Selectboard agreed to this approach.
Town Meeting Warrant: Dave Edkins distributed copies of a preliminary draft of the Warrant to-date. It includes the Budget, the Flood Plain Article, Capital Reserve Fund for the Town History and the discontinuance of the northerly section of CEDA Road. The deadline for Petition Articles is Tuesday, January 10th. The Selectboard can still put in Articles but any money Articles must be finalized by January 16th for the Budget Hearing. Non-money Articles can be added after that date.
Finance Committee: The Finance Committee met last Monday night. There are still some differences between the Committee and the Selectboard. One of them is the maintenance for this building; mainly the windows. The Historical Society would like time to research restoring the windows rather than having them replaced. The Selectboard reviewed the list of recommended repairs for both buildings. An option is to put in a non-lapsing Warrant Article for repairs for the entire complex, both the Bakery and Library buildings, in the amount of $65,000. A minimum amount of $5,000 for each building could be included in the budget for routine maintenance items. Steve Neill would like to see the lamps done this year. The Public Hearing on the budget will be scheduled for
Monday, January 16th at 7:30 pm. This will allow time for the Selectboard and the Finance Committee to meet prior to that meeting to talk about a few remaining issues. No money Articles can be added to the Warrant after this Hearing.
Whelen Engineering, Inc.: John Olson brought in a Site Plan Review application for an expansion of the Whelen plant. Dave Edkins advised that Mr. Olson is willing to reconsider the prospect about the cardboard going through the Transfer Station but suggested it be done in the open, perhaps through a Warrant Article, so it can decided by the voters. The same offer should be made to other companies in the Town. The Selectboard are in favor of working with Mr. Olson as it is a win-win situation for both Whelen and the Town.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Conservation Commission – Steve Neill: Steve Neill has been unable to attend the Conservation Commission meetings because he is going to the Finance Committee meetings.
CEDA – Steve Neill: There has not yet been a meeting this month.
Ambulance Department – Jon LeClair: There will be a meeting next week.
Solid Waste Committee – Jon LeClair: There have been no meetings since the last report.
Heritage Commission – Brenda Ferland: They have not yet met this month.
Planning Board – Brenda Ferland: Brenda Ferland reported that the Planning Board met last night and took the following action: 1) Barbara Lumbra came in for a Preliminary Consultation to discuss her plans to expand the Century 21 real estate business and change the signage. She will complete the Site Plan Review and Sign Permit documents. 2) They reviewed a Site Plan Review and Sign Permit on the Meany Road for a digital photo studio as a home business with very little traffic from the public. There are no employees. This was accepted as complete. 3) Fred Poisson spoke for Ms. Banford and Kemp Cable on the Lovers Lane site. The Board approved the application with restrictions that the debris be cleaned-up, 20 mobile homes can be on the lot to be sold with 8 feet
between them. He can make improvements but the units cannot be dismantled. Kemp Cable Company has to store their equipment behind the existing barn and there are to be no unregistered vehicles there. Ms. Banford is working with the Police Department to get the abandoned vehicles and a boat towed off the property. The Code Enforcement Officer will be allowed to enter the property, at any time to inspect for violations.
NON-PUBLIC SESSION – RSA 91-A:3 II:
Jon LeClair moved to enter into a Non-Public Session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3 II (a) Personnel. Steve Neill seconded the motion and, on a roll call with all in favor, the motion carried. The time was 8:36 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 January 18th, 2006, Selectboard meeting.)
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