TOWN OF CHARLESTOWN
SELECTBOARD MEETING
FEBRUARY 21, 2007
Selectboard Present: Jon LeClair, Brenda Ferland, Steven Neill
Staff Present: David Edkins – Administrative Assistant
Keith Weed – Highway Superintendent
David Duquette – Water & Sewer Superintendent
Edward Smith – Police Chief
Regina Borden – Recording Secretary
CALL TO ORDER & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Jon LeClair called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. 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 17, 2007, as printed. Brenda Ferland seconded the motion. With all in favor, the motion was approved.
Steve Neill moved to approve the Minutes of the 2007 Annual Budget and Warrant Public Hearing of January 17, 2007, as printed. Brenda Ferland seconded the motion. With all in favor, the motion was approved.
Steve Neill moved to approve the Minutes of the Selectboard Workshop meeting of January 31, 2007, as printed. Brenda Ferland seconded the motion. With all in favor, the motion was approved.
Steve Neill moved to approve the Minutes of the Selectboard Workshop meeting of February 12, 2007, as printed. Brenda Ferland seconded the motion. With all in favor, the motion was approved.
DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS:
Highway Department: Keith Weed reported that last week’s storm went well; the guys did a good job especially considering the amount of snow. Main Street was cleaned-up Saturday morning. The shift lever broke in the steering column on the F-550 truck but it was repaired and is back in service. The John Deere loader is down and is parked at the Fire Station parking area; a John Deere representative will be in tomorrow to look at it. They put a new sander belt in one of the trucks today and they are working on the cemetery truck as most of the parts are here. A lot of work was done on some of the roads including the Borough Road; some ledge was brought to the Pecor Road area where there was a wash-out.
Jon LeClair asked Keith Weed to move plowing the Fire Station parking area up the priority list. Keith Weed said it takes four hours to do the average plow route and the fire station was plowed several times during the storm. Steve Neill had several people compliment our town as compared to other towns. Jon LeClair will contact Fire Chief Stoddard so they can schedule a meeting to talk about it.
Transfer Station: Keith Weed attended a recycling meeting last night. He left copies of a brochure “Recycling Based Waste Management Action Plan for the Communities of Sullivan County, NH” that was published by the Antioch New England Institute, dated February 2007. Next Tuesday, February 27th, there will be a meeting in Newport at 7:00 pm with the County Commissioners. He hopes to meet with the Solid Waste Committee soon.
Jon LeClair signed the agreement acknowledging receipt of the rules for using the Bethlehem Landfill site. Keith Weed asked for a copy of the agreement before it is mailed back to Bethlehem.
Correspondence was received from the NRRA that explains a controversy over giving a company $60,000 to do research and development. There will be a special meeting on Wednesday, February 28th to vote on significant issues.
Water and Sewer Departments: Dave Duquette explained that three weeks ago he pulled the motor off at the Clay Brook well. There is a purchase order to take that motor assembly out and put in a new bearing and to shorten the shaft. He did not expect to do it this year but there is a problem starting there so before it gets any worse he felt it best to take care of it. The hydrants were shoveled out.
Dave Duquette talked to M & W Soils and has put in a purchase order in connection with the arsenic in North Charlestown. He is still running into the same problems with the filtration testing and provided an explanation of what has been happening. He attended a meeting in Concord on filtration but there were no good solutions; it just gets more complicated. He is going to try to find a spot where there is less arsenic to blend it better. The first step is to find out if a shallow well is possible. He feels it is worth $776+ to see if it will work. Steve Neill is reluctant as he doesn’t feel that the state will allow the town to mix the water because it will be unprotected and we cannot control the quality of that water even if the town owned more land there. Dave
Duquette noted that the state said they would permit a shallow well versus full-blown treatment in a situation such as this. Steve Neill asked if they would put that in writing. Dave Duquette felt they would after they saw the test results. In the past there was discussion about tying in the Town’s two water systems together and the Selectboard feels that at some point they might have to do that. Various options were explored. Dave Duquette said if the test well comes up chemically bad then they can look at a feasibility study to connect the two systems. An estimate was obtained several years ago from T & M; it seems that past studies could just be updated.
The Board of Selectmen signed the two purchase orders: 1) M & W Soils for test well drilling in the amount of $776.50 plus; and 2) Layne Christenson Company for a well shaft and bearing in the amount of $1,375.00.
The Board of Selectmen looked at the proposal for new Water and Sewer rates. Dave Edkins and Dave Duquette felt they should establish flat rates in the event that something came up that couldn’t be metered right away. A category that isn’t addressed is somebody that uses the sewer but not town water. Dave Duquette said he had 54 calls last year to read meters when homes were being sold; at the present time the town charges nothing for that. Steve Neill is opposed to charging for readings when properties are being sold because those people pay taxes; it averages out to about one a week. It was suggested that the fee be $10 for a reading a meter and increasing the fee from $10 to $30 for turn-ons and turn-offs during work hours and $60 after hours. Steve Neill recommended
adjusting the on-and-off rates and to give consideration to flat rates based on the number of bedrooms. Dave Edkins will not schedule the Public Hearing for the next meeting.
Police Department: Police Chief Ed Smith advised that they had one of the largest ever drug arrests in town today. They stopped a vehicle and found a lot of drugs. It shows that the drug problem is here as it was local people involved. This Friday several members of the Police Department will be in court in Merrimack on the fatal motorcycle case from a year-and-a-half ago; it is a criminal case. Everybody gets a witness fee that will be turned over to the town. The bills for dispatching service will be going out this month. Tomorrow the power company will be doing some work in the south end of town where there was an accident a few weeks ago. The work may result in traffic disruption from about 9:00 am to noon. Chief Smith put in a purchase order for the new
cruiser contingent on the town vote. There was an incident of water damage in the old Town Hall recently. Steve Neill questioned the storage and wondered if the town should rent more storage space or secure space on one of the other floors. Chief Smith responded that if there isn’t anything in the middle of the Town Hall and they can secure and keep items off the floor then it might be better protected. A few years ago they lost years of records that were being stored.
Dave Duquette would like to see the two alleys closed off that are around the Town Hall. Dave Edkins advised that they would have to look into the boundaries and rights-of-way before anything can be done.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Charlestown Fitness Center: Donna Ward, owner and operator, asked for clarification on Warrant Article No. 9 for $15,000 to be set aside to support Charlestown programs in the Southern Vermont Recreation Center in Springfield, VT. As the owner of a fitness center this is disturbing to her. It sounds like the town is voting to give money to this facility while she struggles to keep the Charlestown Fitness Center open. She tries hard to work with the Town employees, organizations and school. She spoke to Albert St. Pierre who explained this request to her and mentioned the local swim team using the pool, etc; it wouldn’t lower anybody’s dues. She has talked to people who feel that if they vote for it then they can participate in the activities in Springfield.
She is worried about the wording. Brenda Ferland said she will write an article for the next Our Town publication to clarify this Article. Mr. Edkins explained that the money would be administered jointly by the Selectboard and Recreation Committee to allow for the participation of Charlestown residents in programs but all the details haven’t been finalized yet. He felt that everyone has to keep in mind that we should not be subsidizing programs that will compete with Ms. Ward.
SELECTBOARD COMMENT:
There was no Selectboard comment made at this meeting.
OLD BUSINESS:
Cannon: Brenda Ferland asked about the contract with the Old Fort No. 4 on the cannon. Dave Edkins replied that supposedly it is ready to be signed but he has not yet received it from the Fort staff.
FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION – Payroll, Purchase Orders, Vouchers, Warrants, Abatements, Etc.: The Payroll was signed last week.
Purchase Orders: The following Purchase Orders were approved and signed by the Selectboard: 1) Highway - Wayne McCutcheon for a survey; and 2) Water – Charlestown Cornerstone for a water leak - $700.00. (Mr. Neill did not participate in this decision).
Land Use Change Tax: 1) The Selectboard approved and signed a Land Use Change Tax for the Bailey property. 2) A memo was submitted from Pat Royce who would like the Selectboard to place a value on the three acres in question. Joe Lessard, assessor, looked at the area that doesn’t have any development value. Steve Neill asked how the value was determined.
APPOINTMENTS, PERMITS, LICENSES, & RESOLUTIONS:
Recycling Resolution: The Selectboard was asked to adopt a Resolution supporting 50% recycling and waste reduction by 2012 in the Town of Charlestown and throughout Sullivan County. Jon LeClair read the Resolution. Steve Neill was not sure that he could support a county-wide system; he agreed with the principles but not No. 3. Charlestown has done a great job on its own. He recommended deleting the “County of Sullivan” throughout the document; the Selectboard agreed. The document will be signed after additional research is done.
City of Dover City Council: A letter was received from the City of Dover City Council to encourage the legislature to provide more representation on the Retirement Board. There was a consensus to have Dave Edkins draft a similar letter from the Town of Charlestown for the Selectboard’s signatures.
Pole License: The Selectboard signed the agreement for a Pole License for the New Hampshire Electric Coop on the River Road near Class A Auto & Truck.
Junk Yard License: The Selectboard approved having Jon LeClair sign the Junk Yard License for Morway’s Auto Salvage and for an Auto Recycling Dealer Plates License.
Emergency Management Director:
Steve Neill moved to nominate Charles Baraly as the Emergency Management Director. Brenda Ferland seconded the motion. With all in favor, the motion was approved.
CORRESPONDENCE:
Ambulance Service: A local resident made partial payment for an ambulance call which was not required and asked that it be considered a donation. The question came up as to whether his donation should go to the Town or the Ambulance Service. There was a consensus of the Selectboard to split the check.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT’S REPORT:
Route 12 Project: Dave Edkins received a letter from the DOT that they are getting started with the Route 12 project from Len-Tex in North Walpole to the Route 12 over-pass in South Charlestown. They are asking if there are any environmental or cultural issues to be considered during the beginning of the design process. Dave Edkins will collect comments from various Town Boards and staff and will forward them to the DOT.
Regional Planning Commission: The Regional Planning Commission is starting their Ten Year Transportation Plan process again. It would be a good idea to keep the pressure on for the Route 12 project so it doesn’t slip back on the priority list. The Selectboard asked Dave Edkins to draft a letter on their behalf.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
There was a consensus of the Selectboard to pass-over the Committee Reports.
NON-PUBLIC SESSION – RSA 91-A:3 II:
Steve Neill moved to enter into a Non-public Session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3 II to discuss (a) Hiring of Personnel. Brenda Ferland seconded the motion and, on a roll call vote with all in favor, the motion was approved. The time was 8:58 P.M.
Respectfully submitted, Approved,
Regina Borden, Recording Secretary
Jon B. LeClair, Chair Steven A. Neill Brenda L. Ferland
(Note: These are unapproved Minutes. Corrections, if necessary, may be found in the minutes of the March 7th, 2007, Selectboard meeting.)
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