TOWN OF CHARLESTOWN
SELECTBOARD MEETING
MARCH 7, 2007
Selectboard Present: Jon LeClair, Brenda Ferland
Staff Present: David Edkins – Administrative Assistant
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. Jon LeClair noted the absence of Steve Neill who is out of town.
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING(S):
Brenda Ferland moved to approve the Minutes of the regular Selectboard meeting of February 21, 2007, as printed. Jon LeClair seconded the motion and with all in favor, the motion was approved.
Brenda Ferland moved to approve the Minutes of the Non-Public Selectboard meeting of February 21, 2007, as printed. Jon LeClair seconded the motion and with all in favor, the motion was approved.
DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS:
Police Department: Police Chief Edward Smith ordered seat belt extensions from Gateway Motors because with all their gear the regular seat belts are uncomfortable for the officers, this will be at no charge. The spot light on the new cruiser had a problem so Gateway ordered a new one that should be in next week. He asked the State for an extension on the repeater grant because it was ordered but still has not come in. Pat Connors will be going to the Academy on March 19th for pre-entrance testing; if all goes well he will go back the following week.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
North Charlestown Water: Rick St. Pierre asked how the arsenic well-water problem was going in North Charlestown. He has been buying drinking water for 14 weeks now at a cost of $6 to $10/week. How will they know when it is meets the standards so they can stop buying water? Mr. Edkins advised that right now it is meeting the standards. There are two wells – one is shut down because it does not meet the standard and the other one is under the limit. Dave Duquette did some more testing today and the system meets the standard with only one well in operation. The water from the reservoir meets the standards. Dave Duquette is working on two new possibilities; a shallow well and a new filter media cartridge. Mr. St. Pierre questioned if the children
in the Community School are drinking the water from the system. Neither the Selectboard nor Mr. Edkins could provide an answer but Mr. Edkins confirmed that right now the water in the system is okay. Mr. Edkins advised that following the next round of sampling the residents would receive a letter saying that the water doesn’t meet the standards but there will also be a note stating that it is because they had to use an average of the last six sampling cycles. With only the one good well working the water meets the standards. They will continue to do this until a solution has been reached. He suggested holding a meeting, after the next round of sampling, for the residents on the North Charlestown system to provide an up-date. Many towns are in the same circumstances as a result of the Federal Government lowering the standards about a year ago. There is money in this year’s budget to address the issue but it is a matter of finding
the best workable solution.
SELECTBOARD COMMENT:
There was no Selectboard comment made at this meeting.
OLD BUSINESS:
Cannon: Mr. Edkins will stop at Fort No. 4 to pick-up the paperwork on the cannon.
Boston Post Cane: The Boston Post Cane is back following the repairs. A replica would cost about $150.00. Mrs. Ferland feels that the suggestion made by the Heritage Commission to have some paperwork processed and signed by the recipient stating that the cane will be returned would be appropriate. The paperwork will include a brief history of the cane and who will be responsible for it. The original cane will be given out rather than a replica.
FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION – Payroll, Purchase Orders, Vouchers, Warrants, Abatements, Etc.: The Payroll was signed.
Purchase Orders: The following Purchase Orders were approved and signed by the Selectboard: 1) Police – State of NH Department of Safety $1,125.00; 2) Highway – Nortrak for loader repairs $2,157.76; and 3) Office - Competitive Computers $600.00.
Vouchers: Two vouchers were approved and signed: 1) a manual check in the amount of $76.00 for a voided check; and 2) three vouchers for a total amount of $1,565.00.
Warrant: An application for an Elderly Exemption was denied because the applicant’s income was over the allowable limit.
APPOINTMENTS, PERMITS, LICENSES, & RESOLUTIONS:
Junk Yard Permit: An application for a Junk Yard Permit for Blair Auto Salvage was approved and signed by the Selectboard.
Appointment: A letter was received from the Charlestown Recreation Committee advising that Bill MacDonald was elected at the February 2007 meeting as the next Recreation Director. He will be replacing Tracy Fairbanks who resigned effective March 1st. Mr. MacDonald will begin his duties at the March 6th meeting at 7:00 PM. The Selectboard approved this appointment but the Recreation Committee will be notified that the Selectboard has the final authority over hiring.
CORRESPONDENCE:
Historic Society: A memo was received from Pat Royce requesting that the Selectboard approve having the office sell the Charlestown Historic Walkabout books for $2.00 each. The Selectboard approved this request provided that it does not interfere with the regular Town business.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT’S REPORT:
Computer: Dave Edkins reported that the offices had problems with the computer server last week. Competitive Computers took it back to their office where they discovered rust inside the case but it was repaired. It is time to think about replacing it. There are two options: 1) The hardware can be replaced for $4,000 plus labor or an approximate total of $6,500; or 2) the preferred way is to get a new server and up-grade the software for $7,200 plus the labor. The third option is just to hope the repair job will be okay because this money was not budgeted. When it “goes down” everybody’s hands are tied. There was discussion relative to relocating the server because of the moisture issue in the Town Clerk’s office. Jon LeClair suggested
waiting until Steve Neill returns to make a decision and to see where they will find the money.
Auditors: Every year the Town has their books audited. The auditors have advised that now there are new standards that were published; the new standard says that the company that is doing the audit cannot prepare the financial statements so basically the town has to hire another accountant. Plodzik and Sanderson have given the town some options on how to handle it. When they come in next month Dave Edkins will meet with them to discuss this change and the best means of complying.
Town Hall: The new front doors on the Town Hall will be installed this weekend. Dave Edkins felt the Town should keep a handle on who has the new keys; they should not be copied or passed on to someone else. Brenda Ferland felt that each organization that uses the building should have one key otherwise they have to go to the Police Department to get one. This will be re-visited as no decision was made.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Conservation Commission – Steve Neill: Steve Neill was not present.
CEDA – Jon LeClair: CEDA will hold their next meeting on Thursday, March 15th.
Planning Board – Brenda Ferland: Brenda Ferland reported that the Planning Board met last night, taking the following actions: 1) final approval to Tom Fuller for two septage holding tanks with a containment berm on the Hackett Swamp Road; 2) accepted as complete the St. Pierre, Inc. Subdivision application on the River and Chestnut Hill Roads; 3) accepted as complete the Hemingway Farms and Norm and Mike Excavating, Inc. application for a sand and gravel excavation site on the Claremont Road; and 4) accepted as complete the Janice K. Bailey d/b/a Depot Home Center application for an expansion of existing building supply business onto adjacent parcels on Depot and Church Streets. Last Monday night the Planning Board met to work on the Land Use Chapter of the Master Plan. Those revisions will
be going to the UVLSRPC and then a Public Hearing will be scheduled for the Master Plan.
Solid Waste Committee – Jon LeClair: Last Tuesday night Jon LeClair met with the Waste Alternative Group. It was the same on-going presentation; the meeting was sparsely attended.
Heritage Commission – Brenda Ferland: They have not yet met this month.
Ambulance Department – Steve Neill: Steve Neill was not present.
OTHER BUSINESS:
JROTC: Police Chief Smith announced that the JROTC Military Ball would be held on March 24th. It is a gala affair and they asked him to extend an invitation to the Selectboard. It is a wonderful event. Dave Edkins, as Moderator of the School District, had been invited.
ADJOURNMENT:
Jon LeClair moved to adjourn this meeting. Brenda Ferland seconded the motion and, on a roll call vote with all in favor, the motion was approved. The time was 7:48 PM.
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 21st, 2007, Selectboard Meeting.)
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