TOWN OF CHARLESTOWN
SELECTBOARD MEETING
JANUARY 18, 2006
Selectboard Present: Brenda Ferland, Jon LeClair, Steven Neill
Staff Present: David Edkins, Administrative Assistant
Keith Weed, Highway Superintendent
David Duquette, Water and Sewer Superintendent
Edward Smith, Police Chief
Regina Borden, Recording Secretary
CALL TO ORDER & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: In the absence of Chairperson Brenda Ferland, Vice-Chair Jon LeClair called the 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 January 4, 2006, with the following correction: Highway Department –the Chevrolet one-ton truck transmission repairs will be about “$3,000” rather than “$1,000”. Jon LeClair seconded the motion. With all in favor, the motion carried.
Steve Neill moved to approve the Minutes of the Non-Public Selectboard meeting of January 4, 2006, as printed. Jon LeClair seconded the motion. With all in favor, the motion carried.
DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS:
Highway Department: Keith Weed reported that the Highway Department dealt with the storm on Sunday. At the end of the storm they had a Town vehicle involved in an accident by hitting a tree. The appraiser was here today and the truck will be towed to L & B Freightliner. Today was a very busy day with the heavy rains; there were washouts all over Town. It took about 12 truckloads of material to take care of the washout on the South Hemlock Road. They will deal with the smaller problems tomorrow. Richardson Road was washed out; they will have to rebuild the swale. He is still waiting to hear from FEMA on reimbursement for October’s flood damage, as they are still doing the paperwork.
Water and Sewer Departments: Dave Duquette advised that they had been working on a few water leaks on Huntley Avenue. He distributed copies of the proposed Water System Ordinance for the Selectboard to review and make recommendations/comments. We can put it in electronic form. When finalized it should be given to all new residents with water connections. The State is looking forward to reviewing the ordinance as it is beneficial when applying for loans, grants, etc. After the Selectboard reviews it, a copy gets mailed to the State for their review prior to the Selectboard’s adoption. A final adopted document is then mailed to the State. Dave Duquette finished his annual reports for the Selectboard and various agencies. He would like to start looking at
rate increases as the Sewer Department is losing money and the Water Department cannot do any capital improvements without an increase. In April they will read meters again so it would be nice to be able to send out notices regarding rate increases. Steve Neill and Dave Duquette will meet next week to review some apparent billing discrepancies for a few users.
Police Department: Police Chief Ed Smith reported that the Police Department has been trying to help Keith Weed and they have been covering accidents over the past few weeks. He looked over the Light Duty policy that Dave Edkins gave him from the Municipal Association; he would like to add to the notification. They had a flat tire on the cruiser that they fixed themselves.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Kurt Frazier: Kurt Frazier lives at 98 Sullivan Street. He went to see Dave Edkins on an issue on Cummings Avenue. They seem to have lost the swamp so he is now receiving a lot of water. In the last year the water is advancing deeper into his property, not in the ditch area but on the other side, and he brought this to Dave Edkins’ attention. He stated that Smith and Allen filled in some of the wetlands and he is getting property damage as the result of it. He asked if the Selectboard would help him in getting this resolved. The Town should be concerned about filling in the wetlands.
(Brenda Ferland arrived at this time)
Kurt Frazier said with the rains today the water is very visible. There is 4” of water in his field that was never there before; this is on the backside of the property. He would like the Town to take a stance, investigate and take care of the problems in this area. Dave Edkins confirmed that he looked at the property in August and it was wetter than before but he does not know where the water is coming from. The ditch has not been cleaned in about eight years. With regard to the Poisson property that is an active case with the DES and they have not asked the Town to do anything. With regards to Smith and Allen what Dave Edkins lacks is proof that they did anything. Smith and Allen did the work when the post office was being built. Kurt Frazier advised that he has some
documentation so if he feels it should be pursued then he can take it up with the Wetlands Bureau. Kurt Frazier and Dave Edkins walked that property in 1999 and checked out some things. Kurt Frazier has pictures of the property before 1999. Steve Neill noted that Kurt Frazier is making the Selectboard aware of it after-the-fact and so it falls under the State jurisdiction. Dave Edkins said at the local level the Town does not have wetlands regulations but if Kurt Frazier provides him with documentation he will forward it to the State. The rain today was extreme especially when combined with the warm weather and snowmelt on frozen ground. The Town offices had calls from all over town. The year 2005 was one of the wettest years in recent memory.
SELECTBOARD COMMENT:
Stringer’s Funeral Home: Brenda Ferland noted that the Stringer’s Funeral Home cleaned out the bushes so the light that shines on their sign was glaring at motorists coming into the Village. She spoke to them and they will take care of it.
OLD BUSINESS:
There was no Old Business at this meeting.
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) Highway – Atlantic Broom Supplies $1,648.08; 2) Transfer Station – for tires $386.06; 3) Highway – L & B Freightliner $1,064.84; and 4) Water – NH DES for education classes $600.00. Dave Duquette will be in Concord tomorrow for a workshop on Public Water Supplies, Developing Lands and Wetland issues.
APPOINTMENTS, PERMITS, LICENSES, & RESOLUTIONS:
There were no Appointments, Permits, Licenses or Resolutions at this meeting.
CORRESPONDENCE:
Hazards Mitigation Plan: Copies of a letter from Dave Edkins were in the file relative to embarking on a planning process to develop an All Hazards Mitigation Plan for the Town. This will put the town in compliance with the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, which states that NH communities must have a local hazard mitigation plan in place to continue to be eligible for post-disaster assistance and hazard mitigation grant funding. The initial meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 31st at 3:00 pm. Staff from the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission will provide an overview and display a base map of the town to aid us in our planning efforts.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT:
School District Warrant: Copies of the School District Warrant were distributed to the Selectboard.
Next Selectboard Meeting on February 1st: John Murray and Bob Jackson requested some time with the Selectboard during their next meeting and asked that we invite Selectboard members from the other towns. It will be an informal discussion on School District budget issues that they want to make the public aware of.
Library Building: Dave Edkins reported that water was pouring into the Town Clerk’s Office all day long today. There was a problem on Saturday but today was a real problem. The electronic equipment was picked up off the floor, etc. This drainage problem will need to be taken care of.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Conservation Commission – Steve Neill: Steve Neill has been attending the Finance Committee meetings Monday nights so had no report.
CEDA – Steve Neill: Steve Neill reported that CEDA met last week and they are still working on promoting the new park. St. Pierre, Inc. came in and talked about future quarry operations and the possibility of swapping some material for the construction of a road into the park; but that is a future project.
Steve Neill and Jon LeClair want to strongly support CEDA and the Warrant Article. Brenda Ferland will write about supporting their volunteer work and explain why they are here and what they have done in the front end of her Report of the Selectboard in the Town Report emphasizing the benefits of the Gristmill project and Bull Run. Jon LeClair would like to have something put in the Our Town about CEDA.
Solid Waste Committee – Jon LeClair: Jon LeClair went to the VoTech in Claremont to attend a Waste Action Collaborative Meeting of Sullivan County sponsored by the Antioch College. There was a lot of discussion about goals that this committee would like to reach. They would like to see Sullivan County recycle about 50% by the year 2010. Most everyone felt this is an attainable number even by the year 2007. Of the $100,000 grant for the PILOT Program, Antioch College has $29,000 left to award sub-grants for pilot projects. Town grants cannot exceed $5,000 and applications will be reviewed by Antioch College. Dave Edkins will look over the application. Brenda Ferland suggested concentrating on electronic equipment. Jon LeClair said there is a lot of stuff that
gets recycled but we do not have all of the numbers.
Ambulance Department – Jon LeClair: They have not yet had a meeting this month.
Heritage Commission – Brenda Ferland: The Heritage Commission will not meet this month.
Planning Board – Brenda Ferland: Brenda Ferland advised that the Planning Board met last night. They took the following action: 1) Approved a Photography Studio as a Home Business and Sign Permit for Bonnita Pleisch on the Meany Road; 2) Approved a Voluntary Merger of Adjacent Lots on CEDA Road for Whelen Engineering Co., Inc.; 3) Approved Additions to Existing Manufacturing Facilities & Relocation of Utilities at 99 & 140 CEDA Road for Whelen Engineering Co., Inc. This is subject to approval of the detailed plans and specifications for the water and sewer lines.
NON-PUBLIC SESSION:
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 7:55 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 February 1st, 2006, Selectboard meeting.)
| 
