Board of Selectmen’s Meeting
Monday, January 24, 2005
6:00 p.m.
Selectmen’s Chambers
356 Main St., Municipal Offices
Minutes
Present: Gerald McCarthy, Joan Funk, Paula Proulx, Paul Parker, Matt Scruton arrived at 6:20 p.m.
The Meeting convened at 6:02 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.
1. Pledge of Allegiance
2. Approval of Minutes
a. December 6, 2004, non-public session – A motion was made by Joan Funk and seconded by Paula Proulx to accept the minutes as written. The vote was unanimous.
b. December 6, 2004, public session – After adding “…and Meeting House Hill Road. Bay Road and Hornetown Road need further discussion.” to the end of the sentence in paragraph four on page two which reads, “Paul Parker stated he thought the Board already gave approval for Chestnut Hill Road.” A motion was made by Paula to accept the minutes as amenended and seconded by Paul Parker. The vote was unanimous.
c. December 14, 2004, public session – A motion was made by Paula Proulx and seconded by Paul Parker to accept the minutes as written. Paula and Paul voted yes, Joan and Jerry abstained, as they had not been present at the meeting.
d. January 3, 2005 – After changing “Scott” to “Jerry” in the motion at the top of page 5 regarding a special duty unit officer, a motion was made by Joan to approve the minutes as amended, which was seconded by Paul. The vote was unanimous.
At this point the Chairman recognized Highway Foreman Clark Hackett for discussion of 6b. This was moved up on the agenda because Mr. Hackett had arrangements with the Police Department for detail while he cleaned off School Street from the blizzard. See 6b for minutes.
3. Public Comment
Victor Lapierre commented that he thought the inspection equipment needed to conduct emissions inspections would also conduct other components of the safety inspection and that this information was sent directly to Concord. He supported the idea of the Highway Department setting up to do it in-house.
4. Consideration of Ann Alexander as Planning Board member
Chairman McCarthy informed the remainder of the Board that Ms. Alexander was not currently a resident and had called to inform the Board that her apartment was not yet ready.
5. Discussion of Proposed Farmington Preservation Guild/Town Partnership
Brad Anderson and Cyndi Paulin of the Farmington Preservation Guild presented a powerpoint presentation on a proposed partnership between the Town of Farmington and the Farmington Presentation Guild in which some financial support in being sought from the Town to apply toward the cost of the Guild hiring an employee to assist in its mission. This employee would also work with the town on achieving Master Plan related goals and objectives, along with grant writing and administration. Please refer to the attached presentation (Attachment 1). Brad and Cyndi requested an opportunity to go into non-public session to protect the competitive nature of the proposal, which is to be grant funded and to protect the identity of potential candidates for the job. Matt Scruton stated that he was not sure this
was an item eligible for non-public session. He asked Creveling’s opinion. Creveling responded that he was uncomfortable with the approach but that there appeared to be good enough reason to go into nonpublic session. Chairman McCarthy stated that if the Board was uncomfortable with nonpublic session once they heard the issue, then they would come out of it immediately. At this point the decision was made to take a short break, then enter into non-public to allow the members of the planning board and others waiting for a non-public session to get under way (go to agenda item 7).
6. Budget Review
a. COAST Bus
Town Administrator Ernest Creveling presented the Board with the only information that had been provided to him from Steve Wells, Executive Director of COAST since his request. He provided a one week period of Farmington ridership numbers, which did not shed any light on the question at hand: whether or not to fund the increased budget request submitted by COAST Bus. The Selectmen expressed dissatisfaction with the information. A statement was made by a member of the Planning Board that he thought the drastic increase had to do with Strafford Regional Planning Commission’s involvement with the project and that COAST owed the community the information and a cogent explanation. A motion was made by Joan Funk and seconded by Paul Parker to appropriate $7,500 with the understanding
that Creveling would seek additional information and that the amount could be raised on Town Meeting floor or at the Budget Hearing on February 2nd. The vote was unanimous.
b. Highway & Vehicle Maintenance Department Emissions Testing Requirements
Selectman Matt Scruton arrived at this time.
Mr. Hackett informed the Board of new emissions testing requirements that would apply to his department starting in April of 2005. He explained that the State of NH had contracted with a firm to lease needed equipment to inspection stations wishing to obtain the ability to add this emissions inspection as part of their menu of services. He explained that it would be more convenient and less disruptive to the department if Farmington spent the $50 a month and provided the computer connection needed than to utilize personnel to deliver the vehicles to outside vendors to get the inspections completed. Clark initially asked for $2,000 to cover monthly fees, training and providing a clean station for the equipment. After several pertinent questions by Selectmen Parker, it was determined that $450
would be needed for the equipment rental, with another $450 to go for training of one mechanic and any minor expenses that might be incurred for set-up. Joan asked if cars had to go through a diagnostics test these days anyway. Clark responded that this inspection will be required for vehicles of 1996 model year and later. Jerry pointed out that he had heard reports the state legislature was looking at ways of pulling out of this program because it was adding so much to the cost of an inspection. A motion was made by Joan to add $1,000 to the Highway Department budget to cover the costs associated with setting up this inspection program at the Highway Garage, with a second by Paula Proulx. The vote was unanimous. At this point, the Chairman moved back to Public Comment.
c. Other Questions/Clarifications
d. Review of Warrant Articles
This began at approximately 9:40 p.m., after the non-public session with the Preservation Guild.
Article 4.
Discussion ensued regarding the Veteran’s Tax Credit.
Joan Funk made a motion to increase it from the current level of $250 to the maximum possible of $500. The motion died for lack of a second.
Discussion continued, with the Board members debating how much tax burden to shift from veterans to other taxpayers. Matt Scruton made the point that many people have had a financial shock this year and that he thought it would be unfair to those citizens to give them the full impact of the optional veteran’s tax credit. All of the Selectmen struggled with the equity of the issue, while expressing respect and appreciation for the veterans. Town Administrator Ernest Creveling shared with the Board the information Assessing Clerk Judy Nichols had gathered about the optional credit being proposed by surrounding communities for 2005: Barrington - $450; Dover - $200; Rochester - $200; Alton - $500; Somersworth - $300; Milton - $500. A motion was made by Paul Parker and seconded by
Matthew Scruton to recommend an increase in the optional veteran’s exemption from $250 to $300. The vote was unanimous.
Article 5.
By consensus of the Boards, Article 5 dealing with elderly exemptions was removed from the warrant altogether.
Article 6.
A motion was made by Paul Parker to cut the appropriation requested in Article 6 from $15,000 to $7,500. The motion was seconded by Joan Funk. The vote was unanimous.
Article 7.
After discussion about the Fire Department applying for a $270,000 grant to purchase a new pumper, a motion was made by Joan Funk to cut $40,419 from Article 7, which was the amount proposed to go into capital reserves toward the 2010 purchase of a ladder truck. The motion was seconded by Paula Parker. The vote was Paula, Matt, Jerry and Joan, “yes.” Paul Parker, “no.”
Jerry McCarthy made a motion to reduce the appropriation in the same article for the public safety building proposed in 2010 from $68,304 to $50,000. The motion was seconded by Joan Funk. The vote was unanimous.
e. Discussion of Desired Format of Town Meeting
This was not discussed.
7. Non-public Sessions
a. Planning Board/Board of Selectmen & Town Personnel: RSA 91-A:3 (II)(c)
At approximately 7:30 a motion was made by Paul Parker and seconded by Joan Funk to go into non-public session in accordance with RSA 91-A:3(II)(c). The roll call vote was as follows:
Paul Parker: yes; Paula Proulx: yes; Joan Funk: yes; Matthew Scruton: yes
Gerald McCarthy: yes
b. Discussion of Land Lease or Purchase Possibility: RSA 91-A:3 (II)(d)
At approximately 8:20 p.m. a motion was made by Joan Funk to go into non-public session in accordance with RSA 91-A:3 (II)(d), which was seconded by Paul Parker. The roll call vote was as follows:
Paul Parker: yes; Paula Proulx: yes; Joan Funk: yes; Matthew Scruton: yes
Gerald McCarthy: yes
c. Personnel Issues: RSA 91-A:3 (II)(c)
At approximately 9:00 p.m. a motion was made by Joan Funk to go into non-public session in accordance with RSA 91-A:3 (II)(d), which was seconded by Jerry McCarthy. The roll call vote was as follows:
Paul Parker: yes; Paula Proulx: yes; Joan Funk: yes; Matthew Scruton: yes
Gerald McCarthy: yes
d. Personnel Issues: RSA 91-A:3 (II)(a)
At approximately 10:30 p.m. a motion was made by Jerry McCarthy to go into non-public session in accordance with RSA 91-A:3 (II)(d), which was seconded by Joan Funk. The roll call vote was as follows:
Paul Parker: yes; Paula Proulx: yes; Joan Funk: yes; Matthew Scruton: yes
Gerald McCarthy: yes
8. Other Business as May Come Before the Board
a. Correspondence.
Nothing was discussed under this item, as it was so late.
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