FARMINGTON BOARD OF SELECTMEN’S
MEETING MINUTES
MARCH 17, 2003
(Public Session)
Attendance: Gerald McCarthy, Matt Scruton, Joan Funk, Barry Elliott & Student Selectman Greg Chick
Staff: Ernest M. Creveling, Town Administrator & Police Chief Scott Roberge
The meeting convened and was opened at 6:00 p.m. by Selectman McCarthy. Ernie extended his congratulations to the new Board members. He said since one member is absent the Board may want to wait for the Board appointment of Chairman and Vice Chairman until the next regularly scheduled meeting. He then asked if the members present had any suggestions for nomination of Board Chair. Barry Elliot nominated Joan Funk as Farmington Board of Selectman Chairman. Matthew Scruton seconded the nomination and the vote was unanimous. Joan Funk nominated Matt Scruton as Vice Chairman of the Board of Selectmen. The vote was unanimous.
Barry suggested proceeding to the appointment to the Town’s Boards and Committees. He said he also understands Brad Anderson has applied for a term on the Planning Board. Barry then asked what edition of the NH State RSA Ernie is working with and Ernie informed him he works with the most recent updates on case law, which are updated quarterly. Discussion then ensued regarding the updates of NH law. Joan asked if the Board vacancies are advertised and Ernie said, of late, this hasn’t been necessary and word of mouth has seemed to suffice. Ernie said history has it that newspaper ads don’t seem to be all that successful in recruiting volunteers. Matt asked if it would be possible to get the respective Chairpersons for the various Boards and Committees to provide their
recommendations for Board appointment. Barry said he felt Matt’s point is well taken; agreeing the Board’s should be presenting their recommendations to the Selectmen for new members. He said these members should have input. Gerry disagreed, saying the Boards’ can perpetuate themselves due to not answering to anyone such as: the Selectmen answering to the voters. He said this could be a “double-edged sword”. Both Joan and Barry said, “but the Selectmen make the final decision.” Barry said his actual reference was only for the Selectmen’s representatives to all the Boards and Committees, not the actual Board membership. Ernie said traditionally this is done year-by-year. Matt asked if the Conservation Commission has an appointee to the Planning Board and Ernie said not traditionally. Joan suggested reviewing each Board and Committee tonight to determine which Selectman will serve on
which committee as the Board representative.
Barry asked about what seems to be the formation of a site review committee. Ernie said with the availability of planning funds and the discovery that plans are requiring much more extensive review, this is under consideration. Gerry recommended the appointment of Matt Scruton to the Budget Committee and Matt said he wouldn’t mind and is also interested in serving an alternate representative to the Planning Board. Barry Elliot said he would be happy to serve as the primary representative to the Planning Board and Matt said he would be Barry’s alternate as well as representative to the Budget Committee. Gerry said he’d like to continue to be representative to the Conservation Commission. John asked if Gerry would like to continue to be the representative to the Economic
Development Commission and Barry said he would like to be the representative if Gerry isn’t particularly enthusiastic. Joan said she would be the Board representative to the Downtown Committee. Discussion then ensued regarding the inactivity of the Economic Development Commission and the need to reactivate it. Matt said he wouldn’t mind working on that commission as well. The Selectmen then discussed the function of the ZBA and the appeals process. Joan asked if Ernie had something in mind for the general discussion as was posted on the agenda. She also asked if all the department heads could attend next Monday’s regularly scheduled Selectmen’s meeting and Ernie said he would notify then. Gerry suggested the Board include non-public review of the Town’s legal issues as well. He said perhaps only one half of the department heads should attend the first official meeting, expressing concern that meeting with
all of them might be too much for one evening. Barry said all that’s necessary from the staff, would be a brief focus of their respective annual goals and projects, in order to familiarize the new Selectmen.
Barry asked how often Administration has department head meetings and Ernie said they are held on an as needed basis, noting when scheduled more regularly, attendance is a problem. It was suggested they meet monthly, quarterly, or as needed. Joan said she’d like to see Ernie meet with department heads once monthly. Barry said he would like to see them meet quarterly with the Selectmen too. Gerry expressed
Selectmen’s Minutes 03/17/03-Pg. #2
concern regarding the chain of command. Matt asked Gerry about past policy and Gerry said he’s always felt more comfortable if the department heads go through the Town Administrator first. Both Matt and Joan agreed, but Joan said she wants to be informed of what the department heads approach the Administrator with. Barry said he’d like to see the staff come before the Selectmen once every three months to report on progress. He said he doesn’t want the Board of Selectmen to lose sight of what each department is trying to accomplish, expressing the need for the Selectmen to be “in tune” with what each department is doing.
Joan asked about the opportunity for public comment during Selectmen’s meetings and Ernie said, traditionally the agenda includes public comment and previous meeting minutes approval too. Discussion then ensued regarding agendas covering old and new business as well. Joan suggested the Board consider entering non-public session to discuss personnel matters. Barry Elliott motioned to enter non-public session. Joan Funk seconded the motion and the vote was: Barry-yes,Matt-yes, Joan-yes & Gerry-yes. The vote was unanimous.
The meeting adjourned for non-public session.
The Board reconvened after non-public session closed. Ernie then passed out information regarding some new laws coming before the Senate, which the Selectmen might find interesting. Joan asked who the actual Road Agent is, saying she understood it was Ernie. Ernie said Clark Hackett is the Highway Dept. Supervisor, akin to a Road Agent and he oversees Clark.
Discussion then ensued regarding the division of the Public Works responsibilities and how Dale Sprague can now better perform and be more effective in his duties at the landfill and with the Water and Wastewater Depts., without the concerns of the Highway Dept. Ernie informed the Board that Deborah Lee is the Town’s Health Officer as well as the Emergency Management Director. He said she is currently working on an emergency smallpox vaccination plan. Joan asked if it is true that the Police and Fire Chiefs were not consulted for the Emergency Response Plan and Ernie said no, it is not true. He then further explained the situation. He spoke about the availability of $75,000 grant funding for emergency response coordination of communities, saying he is working on coordination to
include the towns of Middleton, Strafford & New Durham.
Joan said tonight’s information has been a lot to digest. Barry said he felt this meeting was very productive. Ernie then passed out Casella’s new proposal for the Selectmen’s perusal regarding an alternative to the option(s) for landfill closure, transfer station and recycling center. He asked the Board to thoroughly review this in preparation for further discussion with Dale Sprague.
Ernie noted he is having problems with current Town Counsel, saying the first problem was with the misinformation, as it pertained to the destruction of personnel records, next the fees are too high, progress is too slow and many other mistakes as well. He suggested the Board be prepared to discuss this further at one of the next meetings. Ernie suggested the Selectmen meet with the Boards & Committees Chairmen and noted how effective multi-committee meetings have been in the past. He said it might behoove the Board of Selectmen to consider having another multi-committee meeting soon too.
Barry Elliott made a motion to adjourn. Matt Scruton seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous. The meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Lynn C. Seaboyer
Admin. Asst.
APPROVED _____________________________
Barry Elliott
_______________________ ______________________________
Chairman Joan Funk Gerald McCarthy
_______________________ ______________________________
Matt Scruton David Hall
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