TOWN OF FARMINGTON
BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING
September 11, 2006
Present: Chairman Paula Proulx, Vice Chairman Paul Parker, Selectmen Gerald McCarthy, Martin Gilman and William Tsiros.
At 6:00PM, Chairman Proulx called the meeting to order and asked everyone to join her in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Selectman Paul Parker asked for a moment of silence in memory of the September 11th victims and their families and also in remembrance of Dr. Lord of Farmington who recently passed away.
PUBLIC INPUT
Steven Dean approached the Board to ask if there has been any progress on the downtown flagpole and/or the crosswalk in front of the Legion Hall. Gerry McCarthy stated that a letter was sent to the DOT 3 months ago but we haven’t gotten a response. Gerry volunteered to go to District 6 on behalf of the Board; he stated that it is unacceptable to wait so long for a response. Paula Proulx said that when she speaks with Jack Schilling of PSNH this week regarding the street light conversions, she will ask about the flagpole. She will also ask about the floodlight for the flag and why it is not working.
Penny Morin came before the Board to discuss the $5,000 grant the Town received for the Community Playground upgrade and renovation. She stated that the students at Henry Wilson Memorial sent letters stating the reasons they thought the playground should get money for improvements. The Playground Committee is meeting September 18 at 2:45 at the Henry Wilson Library and would like to have a representative from the Board of Selectmen attend. The playground in its present state has a lot of issues including bees and splinters. The Committee will fundraise for additional monies for a complete renovation. Gerry McCarthy motioned to waive the landfill fees for the disposal of the pressure treated wood and tires from the Community Playground. Paul Parker seconded the motion. All in favor.
Margaret Russell came before the Board and asked if the Town pays for the Community Television. Paula Proulx answered yes, the Town receives a franchise fee from Metrocast. Ms. Russell stated that the broadcasts of the meetings were annoying to watch and the sound was bad (often you can hear clicking of pens ect). Ed Mullen responded to say that the visual problems have been taken care of. He stated that meetings are rebroadcast the day after the meeting at 1:00PM, 6:00PM (unless there is another meeting at that time), 11:00PM and then 9:00AM the next day. He has started to show all meetings from the previous week starting at 8:00AM Sundays.
Review of Minutes:7-31-06 Non Public Part I. Paul Parker motioned to accept as written. Paula Proulx seconded the motion for discussion and to clarify that Mr. Weston was asked to stay for the discussion but he declined. The Board then asked if he would come back after they discussed his evaluation but he declined. The Board then excused him. A vote was taken with the amendment to the minutes. 4 in favor Bill Tsiros abstained.
8-28-06 Public: Paula Proulx stated that clarification is needed regarding the placement of the streetlights. Gerry McCarthy responded the Metal Halide lights are needed from the Main Street Bridge up to the Town Hall, up Central Street to the Bridge and Mechanic Street, the rest will be the High Sodium Pressure. Paul Parker motioned to accept the minutes as amended. Gerry McCarthy seconded the motion. 5 in favor.
PUBLIC WORKS
Driveway culvert: Public Works Director Joel Moulton came before the Board. He stated that Dan Auger of 187 Sheepboro Road was promised by several Town employees over the past three years that the Town would put in a culvert at the end of his driveway. In addition to the culvert, the Town would have to do ditching on the sides, which would require two days of labor with 2 dump trucks and a backhoe; total cost about 2,500. The Board discussed after the May flood that the Town would not fix driveways or culverts unless it contributes to the flow of storm water from a main road. Bill Tsiros suggested a compromise between the town and Mr. Auger. Mr. Auger can purchase the culvert from the Town (for about $400.00 after the 20% discount the Town receives from the wholesaler) and the town will do the prep work.
Bill Tsiros motioned to approve the prep work for a culvert at 187 Sheepboro Road and Mr.Auger will purchase the culvert. Gerry McCarthy seconded the motion. Joel stated that they could use the existing materials. Paul Parker added that this is an isolated condition under special circumstances because Mr. Auger was promised this for many years by various Town employees. Paula Proulx added that no one should be making promises without the Boards approval.
Road work schedule: Some of the $45,000 received from FEMA will be used for work on Bunker Street (a sink hole caused by the storm), a basin drain on Civic Street and potholes on Cocheco Road. Because of the extensive work for these areas, Joel asked the Board permission to subcontract the work on Meeting House Hill, Cross Road, Ten Rod Road, Hornetown Road, Bay Road and lower Paulson. Marty stated that the Board should be given all the information that has been presented to FEMA. Paula stated that all the paperwork has been submitted to FEMA, they are just asking for backup material now. FEMA is closing its office at Pease on Friday. Joel and Pam are meeting with FEMA reps on Tuesday. The estimated damage amount from the floods is $380,000 but the Town did not actually expend that much. We are being reimbursed
at fair market value for the materials used such as Town gravel. Joel stated that he would like to tap into the $108,000 appropriated for road paving. Also the $58,000 sidewalk grant to begin sidewalk repair. The money from FEMA will be used for the repairs to Bunker and Civic streets; FEMA likes to see activity on repairs within 30 to 60 days. Marty stated that they should wait before approving any expenditures until Joel can bring back bids from contractors, the FEMA info and some kind of assurance from FEMA. The Board agreed.
Ten Wheeler Update: Joel stated that he spoke with Howard Fairfield and was guaranteed the body would be in by October 1, the price is the same.
Reduced salt zone: The resident of 1185 Meadorboro Road requested that a reduced salt zone sign be placed on the road in front of his house. The well is close to the road and could get contaminated by the salt. Gerry McCArthy stated that he remembers that once the Town had to pay for the replacement of a well for this reason . Joel stated that he spoke with Police chief Scott Roberge and was told that it would not be a problem, it is not a curve or corner. Bill Tsiros motioned to approve the posting of a no salt zone in the area of 1185 Meadorboro Road. Gerry McCarthy seconded the motion. The Board discussed several options on where to get a sign including Tom Drew or Hawkins. A vote was taken: All in favor.
Public Works Building update: Joel told the Board that Bud Meader gave a completion date of 10-01-06. Joel stated that the holding tank was part of the omission of the earthwork. A tank costs $2,200.00, which we have.
Article 24: Bridge engineering $35,000 expenditure: Joel stated that the bridges in question including Ten Rod Road, are not unsafe but are in need of repair. He stated that several bridges could be replaced with box culverts. Gerry stated that it is usually less expensive to get a local contractor to do the work than to get the state involved and he referred to a case of the West Milton Bridge; the cost usually exceeds the savings. Joel said that the state inspects the bridges yearly and noted that the Ten Rod Road Bridge needs a guardrail. There was some underscoring of Old Bay Road Bridge from the storm. The Board suggested that Joel look at the list of red flagged bridges, TRR and Bay Road, and use some of the $35,000 to repair the bridges.
Landfill demo debris status: Gerry McCarthy stated he got some complaints from people who were charged for disposing bureaus. Joel apologized for that and said it was a mistake; he will refund the money. Joel spoke with Tom Huckins who has a grinder, which can grind up to 400 cubic yards per hour for a cost of $650.00 per hour. We can stockpile construction debris and have it ground up several times a year and we can use the debris as a landfill cover or sell it as biomass fuel. We would have to separate the pressure treated wood. This keeps the waste volume down and minimizes voids. $3,000 has been collected in the past 3 weeks for construction debris. Paul Parker suggested that Joel get a few more bids to see if he can get a better cost. Joel told the Board that CMA will dig test pits to see the limits of the
landfill and will do a topography survey which will help delineate the numbers. Bill Tsiros motioned for Joel Moulton to get bids for a grinder rental and to go ahead with the best price. Paul Parker seconded the motion. Dale spoke up to say that a study was done which monitored the volume of C&D & bulky waste; he can get the numbers to give an idea on the yearly volume. He also said that stockpiling the wood was an issue because kids used to set fire to the piles. Joel said he would grind it more often to avoid that problem. A vote was taken: All in favor.
Trees: Gerry asked Joel if he planned on taking any trees down and Joel said yes, before winter. Gerry listed some trees that should come down.
Sinkhole: Marty told Joel that there is a sinkhole at the foot of Bunker street that is dangerous. Joel said he is aware of the situation and will take care of it.
Crosswalk: Joel said he has not heard back from the DOT for putting a crosswalk across Main Street in front of the legion. He will call them again. Gerry said if Joel does not hear from them, he would like to go on behalf of the Board to speak with someone on this matter.
Bushes: Paul Parker told Joel that the Coast Bus driver told him that her view is obstructed at the corner of Winter Street. Joel said that his crew has begun roadside cleanup and will take care of that area.
Emergency Operations Plan Review: Lee Kimball came before the Board to discuss this plan. He explained that the Northern Strafford County Health Consortium commissioned him to put this plan together. This plan should be viewed as a guide and not a procedure. It is not a stagnant plan and should be updated regularly. Gerry asked about the chain of command and Lee responded that the Board of Selectmen in this case are ultimately responsible in case of an emergency and the Emergency Operations Director, Deb Lee, is the coordinator. Marty stated that there was not a plan for shelters or funding for emergency supplies such as water, fuel, food ect. Lee responded that this document can be enhanced to fit the needs of Farmington. He advised that the Town include an Emergency Management line in the budget. Lee stated
that if we have a shelter that meets the American Red Cross standards, they would staff and fund the shelter during an emergency. Gerry stated that the high school is a designated shelter; there is a generator there and Marty added that the Town Hall has a generator as well. Paul Parker motioned to accept the Farmington Emergency Operations Plan as presented. Bill Tsiros seconded the motion. All in favor.
At 8:15 Chairman Proulx called for a short recess and reconvened the meeting at 8:25.
Fuel Usage tracking: Joel Moulton and Dale Sprague approached the Board to discuss this issue. In response to a question by Bill Tsiros, Dale stated that each vehicle is assigned a key that is used for fueling and tracks the amount drawn from the tank for each vehicle. Dale explained that he keeps track on sheet which he tallies each month and has a master list of keys for each department. Pam gets the slips and totals them for the year. Bill Tsiros recommended several different tracking methods including software that can be installed. In regards to the recent theft and spillage of fuel, Joel stated that insurance will cover a percentage of the loss. We got a preliminary verbal from the analytical lab that soil tested meets compliance but will not get a final written confirmation until payment is
received. Paul Parker asked Joel if he keeps a logbook in each vehicle for mileage, usage, maintenance and repair and Joel said that he keeps a record on a spreadsheet of every vehicle and work orders for maintenance for every vehicle. Paula Proulx summarized the Boards requests: Dale will go with the paper system and follow up on the software, Bill will work with Pam on master sheets to generate reports.
WATER/WASTE WATER
Dale proposed the purchase of an Ultrasonic Flow Meter for the Wastewater Plant. The lowest price he got is $1,164.50 for part and installation. Marty Gilman motioned to approve the purchase of the Ultrasonic Flow Meter at the lowest price. Gerry seconded the motion. All in favor.
Contract to clean sewer lines: Dale stated that he received 5 bids back. He asked for bids on an hourly basis. Environmental Services Inc. came in with the lowest price of $115.00 per hour. Dale received very good references for this company. He broke down the budget and figures they can break it down to get 1/3 of the sewer lines done each year. They can do 4000 feet per day. The water sewer crew has been loosening up the manhole covers so they are ready. Bill Tsiros motioned to authorize Dale to contract Environmental Services Inc. to clean the sewer lines. Marty seconded the motion. All in favor.
Chlorine Analyzer: Dale proposed the purchase of a Chlorine Analyzer with a total cost including a Pro Control Unit, labor and misc parts is $10,000. These units will cover the states concerns. The pro control was not in the original proposal. The transfer to the Capital reserve fund was for repair of the storage tank but Dale said that it could be used for this instead; it is a greater priority. Gerry asked if it could be taken from the Enterprise Fund; the Board has the authority to authorize that. Dale said that it is an option. Dale stated that they need to finish the letter to the State so we can get well #5 back on line. He was told by the Board to find the funds in his budget. Bill Tsiros motioned to approve the purchase of the Chlorine analyzer and Pro Control Unit as proposed. Marty Gilman seconded
the motion. The Board discussed this issue further. Dale explained that he suggests postponing the repairs to the storage tank because he is waiting for a master plan, Underwood recommends waiting. There are no integrity problems now, it would have to down for a couple weeks. Paula stated that this is a line item, we cant encumber the money if a purchase order is not submitted. She added that the enterprise fund is for big items down the road; we can utilize it if it can be justified. Bill Tsiros suggested to Dale that he write a letter to the Budget Committee stating the reason for the purchase (safety, water quality, etc). Bill withdrew his motion to await word from the Budget Committee. Marty withdrew his second.
Underwood Update: Dale filled the Board in on the progress of Underwood’s study. They have looked at water usage in the present and projected amounts according to population trends and future conditions. They are looking at the distribution evaluation systems. They should have a draft plan by the end of September and possibly a final plan.
Dale described the present sewer lines and said that he will know more when the I&I study is complete. Environmental Services will give a day of TVing at no cost to the Town: they recently purchased new equipment for this. Bill Tsiros asked if Underwood will exercise help with funding after the study and Dale answered that they are only contracted to do the water master plan. Dale stated that we need the study to justify getting money from the state.
Wastewater Facility Permit and Upgrade update: We still have not received the permit from the EPS yet. The ultimate goal is to get the phosphorous levels down to a reasonable level. If we show a 50% reduction it shows a good faith effort. Wastewater flows have dropped back to normal. Dale and his crew went door to door in the Mechanic/Civic/Crowley Street area and found a number of sump pumps draining into the system, which is illegal. He will send a letter to these residents but is concerned that if they pump the water onto the roads that will cause other problems. Dale expects to meet with Wright and Pierce by the end of October to discuss planning for the 2007 budget; A lot depends on whether or not we have the permit .
Water lines: There are 4 deadend lines. Dale plans on looping one dead-end line per year and working out of the operational budget.
Farmington Ridge: Packy Campbell has requested to put individual water meters for the mobile homes on Ivy Lane. Presently, there is one meter for all the homes. He has begun digging the meter pits and would like to do the same on Sycamore Lane. He will pay the meter installation fee (which includes cost of meter) at $315.00 per meter and the Water Department will purchase and install the meters and then begin billing each individual home. The only cost to the Town would be the additional administration fees. In regards to a new development at the end of Bunker, Dale stated that a booster station is needed at the bottom of Winter Street at the master meter. Paul Parker asked if there was an advantage to the Town to put in individual meters. Bill Tsiros stated that it would be a service to those homeowners who are part
of the Community and Dale stated that it might be an incentive to the homeowners to be conservative if they watch their usage. Paul Parker motioned to table this request until the future plans of Farmington Ridge are known so that the Board can deal with it altogether. Bill Tsiros seconded that motion. All in favor.
OTHER BUSINESS
Animal Control Officer: The Board has at hand a memo from Police Chief Scott Roberge but decided to postpone discussion until Scott could be present.
Nextel: Paul Parker motioned to table the Nextel discussion until the September 18 th meeting and to request Chief Roberge to attend. Marty Gilman seconded the motion. All in favor.
Liaison to Budget Committee: Bill Tsiros stated that he has resigned from the Budget Committee. Paul Parker motioned to relieve Marty Gilman as the alternate Budget Committee Liaison and to nominate Bill Tsiros for the position. Gerry McCarthy seconded the motion. All in favor.
Town Hall Roof update: Marty informed the Board that Hall Brothers is not interested in the job but 4 contractors have looked at it and he is waiting for the bids. Marty will bring the information to the next meeting.
Opening day for the 500 Boys and Girls Club Soccer Field: Vice President Randy Talon asked Megan to spread the word that opening day is Saturday the 16th at 10:00AM and to invite the Selectmen and Department Heads.
Update on Ladder Truck: Rich has not been able to find a truck repair service who has the equipment to do a compression test on an engine that old. He is waiting to hear from a few other places he called. It costs money to get them to come and look at the truck. Marty will get the name of someone who may be able to do a compression test on the truck.
Town Report: Gerry McCarthy motioned to dedicate this years Town Report to Doctor Lord. Paul Parker seconded the motion. All in favor.
Opening Ceremonies: Paula suggested sending a letter to Seneca and congratulating them on their new business. Bill Tsiros stated there wasn’t an opening ceremony for Granite. This can be done through the Downtown Committee; we can do all at once. Bill will check on the dates.
Planning Department application: Paul Parker motioned to table discussion of the application of Mr. Weagle for a regular position on the Planning Board and to waive the interview. Marty Gilman seconded the motion. Gerry requested Mr. Weagle’s attendance record and a copy of his application. All in favor.
Paul Parker motioned to go into Non Public Session per RSA 91-A:3 (b). Marty Gilman seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken: Paula Proulx – yes, Paul Parker – yes, Gerry McCarthy – yes, Marty Gilman – yes, Bill Tsiros – yes.
The Board discussed several personnel and legal issues.
At 11:30 PM Paul Parker motioned to come out of Non Public Session. Marty Gilman seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken: Paula Proulx – yes, Paul Parker – yes, Gerry McCarthy – yes, Marty Gilman – yes, Bill Tsiros – yes.
At 11:30 PM, Gerry McCarthy motioned to adjourn the meeting. Marty Gilman seconded the motion. All in favor.
Signed this _______ day of __________, 2006
___________________ ________________________ _______________________
Chairman Paula Proulx Vice Chairman Paul Parker William Tsiros
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Gerald McCarthy ` Martin Gilman
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