TOWN OF FARMINGTON
BOARD OF SELECTMAN
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
Monday, January 8, 2007
Selectman Present: Chairman Paula Proulx, Paul Parker, Martin Gilman, Gerald McCarthy and William Tsiros
Public Present: Joel Moulton, Pam Merrill, Charlie King, Sylvia Arcouette, Rebecca Howard, Mr. Heon, Joan Funk, and JoAnn Doke.
Chairman Paula Proulx called the meeting to order at 6:08pm.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Review of Minutes from 12-18-06 non-public and 1-3-07public: Paul Parker moved to accept the public minutes of 1-3-2007 as amended, Marty Gilman seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
Paul Parker moved to accept the non-public minutes of 12-18-2006 as written, Gerry McCarthy seconded. Motion passed with all in favor and 1 abstention from Paula Proulx
Public Input:
1. Joan Funk addressed the board as Chair of the Downtown and Business Committee. She was looking for clarification if the $200 the committee needed for the video taping the committee has planned is available. Paula responded the money is there, with $100 coming from the Sarah Greenfield account and $100 coming from the bottom line.
2. Joan Funk also asked the Board to consider creating some type of policy that would keep up the architectural integrity of the downtown area so as to prevent eyesores like one that was recently put up. Paul responded that the Planning Board has recently adopted a Design Manual that they use to push applicants in the right direction and that setting a policy is probably the next logical step for the Planning Board.
3. Joan Funk also questioned if the Selectman have any type of assistance plan in mind for those who will be losing their jobs from Collins & Aikman at the end of March. Paula responded that the State and another agency are in place all ready to assist those people and the town will assist as they can through the welfare office.
4. Sylvia Arcouette questioned how the closing of Collins & Aikman will effect the Cardinal Landfill. Paula responded that a meeting is being set up with legal council to address that issue.
Planning Board Application:
The Selectman interviewed Gerry R. Gibson for a seat on the Planning Board. Mr. Gibson moved to town in Farmington and would like to become an active member of the community. He is in the Air Force and stationed here for the next 3-4 years and feels he could assist the board. Paul Parker moved to accept the application and appoint Gerry Gibson as an alternate on the Planning Board, Gerry McCarthy seconded. Discussion
followed that it is routine to appoint someone as an alternate and then if the person finds the position fits well he/she can then apply for a full-time seat. Motion passed with all in favor.
Encumberences: The following line items were discussed to encumber monies from the 2006 budget for the 2007 budget for items that were not fully expended or paid for yet though were received or started in 2006.
1. Bill Tsiros moved to encumber $10, 825 for the town hall generator and to have the Chairman sign the appropriate PO on behalf of the board, Paul Parker seconded. Motion passed with all in favor. Marty Gilman added that the eaves will need to be extended on the roof to add to the lifetime of the generator.
2. Paul Parker moved to have the Chairman sign the PO for the already encumbered $3200 for Triple A fence, Marty Gilman seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
3. Paul Parker moved to encumber $54,702.74 in FEMA reimbursements, Bill Tsiros seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
4. Paul Parker moved to encumber $4,202 for gas for the Water & Wastewater Departments and $19,994.77 for gas for the Highway and Rec departments and to have the Chairman sign the appropriate PO on behalf of the board, Bill Tsiros seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
5. Bill Tsiros moved to encumber $23,100 for the balance of the bridges work and have the Chairman sign the PO, Marty Gilman seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
6. Paul Parker moved to encumber $29,361.24 for Reval and have the Chairman sign the PO, Marty Gilman seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
7. Fire Chief Richard Fowler asked to encumber $12,000 from 2006 budget to pay for his two Americorp personnel. Bill Tsiros motioned to not encumber the $12,000 from the Fire Department budget and put that money back in the general fund, Marty Gilman seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
Other Business:
1. Paula stated that all the Selectman have a copy of the Flood Plain Management Handbook and now the board needs to decide if they want to adopt the Handbook as part of the LEOP. Bill Tsiros moved to adopt the Flood Plain Management Handbook as an informational tool into the LEOP, Paul Parker seconded. Motion passed with all in favor. Discussion followed that the Selectman would like Deb Lee to come in front of the board and explain what expenses would be and where they would come from in case of a Flood.
2. Bill Tsiros moved to have the Chairman sign the Samco Grant on behalf of the Selectman, Paul Parker seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
3. Bill Tsiros moved to accept the $5286 Vadar Agreement and have the Chairman sign on behalf of the board, Marty Gilman seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
Paul Parker moved for a 5 minute recess, Gerry McCarthy seconded. Motion passed with all in favor. Meeting recessed at 7:25pm.
Chairman, Paula Proulx reconvened the meeting at 7:37pm.
Budget Reviews:
1. Executive and Administration Budget -
Line 36 - Gerry asked if Pam could separate the Fire and Police lines
2. Planning & Zoning -
Line 31 - Bill Tsiros moved to have the Salary line in the 2007 Planning and Zoning budget dropped to $50, 852.64, Gerry McCarthy seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
Line 38 - Bill Tsiros moved to lower the telephone line to $1,334.32, Paul Parker seconded. Discussion followed that all dept. heads should get copies of their Nextel bills for review. Motion passed with all in favor.
3. Fin. Admin. & Gov't Bldgs. -
Line 37-Town Clock - was discussed and the board was in concensus it needs to stay in the budget and it is the Town Administrator's job to schedule the yearly maintenance of the clock.
4. Highway Dept. -
Line 83 - Bill Tsiros moved to appropriate $40,000 for parts/repairs, Marty Gilman seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
Line 97 - Bill Tsiros moved to reduce the outside services line to $2000, Marty Gilman seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
Line 86 - Marty Gilman moved to reduce the new equipment/tool line to $10,000 by not purchasing the 2" trash pump, Gerry McCarthy seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
5. All budgets -
Paul Parker moved to have all telephone budget lines be adjusted to the 2006 budget allocation amount, excluding the Fire Dept., Bill Tsiros seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
6. Police -
Bill Tsiros moved to change line 117 (Cruiser Maint.) to $10,000, line 1118 (supplies) to $10,000 and line 121 (investigations) to $3000, Marty Gilman seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
Gerry McCarthy moved to change line 109 (mileage) to $2500, Marty Gilman seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
A discussion was held that if the crossing guard is unable to work then a police officer should cover the crosswalk. Also, line 105 (overtime) was questioned as to what the $20,000 in bonuses is for.
Paula brought back to the board of behalf of Chief Roberge the $850 1-on-1 training he would like to start this Thursday with the dog. The board was in consensus they did not want to take any action on this and have the Chief continue his Monday training as originally planned. However, Charlie King offered to pay the $850 for the training if the Chief would offer 8 days of his own time with the dog in the schools.
7. Health Agencies/Hospitals -
Line 138 - Greater Wakefield Res. Ctr. - Bill Tsiros moved to take the $1500 out of the budget for the Greater Wakefield Res. Ctr., Marty Gilman seconded. Discussion followed that Farmington offers similar services to Wakefield residents without compensation. Motion passed with all in favor.
Gerry questioned if other towns share the cost of the Juvenile Court Diversion program. Bill Tsiros abstained from the conversation because his wife receives rent from this program. Sylvia Arcouette stated that other towns do help fund the program and she offered to bring the Selectman a copy of the breakdown of the services rendered and what financial assistance is given.
Paul Parker moved to postpone the remainder of the budget until Saturday, January 13, 2007 at 9am due to the lateness of the hour, Bill Tsiros seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
Updates and Correspondence:
1. Paula spoke with Greg Smith, council for the Collins & Aikman suit and he is willing to come to Farmington to meet with the Selectman and answer any questions they might have. The board was in consensus to let Paula set up a meeting date with Mr. Smith on a Wed., Thurs. or Fri. after 2:30pm, Paula will call him Tuesday morning.
2. Mrs. Donovan, a resident of Loring Ave., brought it to the attention of the Selectman that the town owned home on Loring Ave has rats in it. Bill Tsiros moved to have Joel Moulton schedule Pest Control for the Loring Ave. property to dispose of the rats and then coordinate with Fire Chief Fowler on doing a training burn at the property, Gerry McCarthy seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
3. Paul presented a Road Acceptance Policy that he drafted for the Selectman to consider. After much discussion it was decided to have Paul work with Joel Moulton to create an in-depth Road Acceptance Policy to be considered.
Paul Parker moved to go in non-public session under RSA 91:A.3.2.b and c, Bill Tsiros seconded. Roll Call - Marty Gilman (yes), Bill Tsiros (yes), Paula Proulx (yes), Paul Parker (yes) and Gerry McCarthy (yes).
For the record Paula Proulx recused herself from the remainder of the meeting once it went into non-public session.
Other:
Bill Tsiros moved to have the Vice-Chairman sign the PO for the $5000 stipend paid to Paula Proulx for her services as acting Town Administrator, Marty Gilman seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
Gerry McCarthy moved to adjourn, Bill Tsiros seconded. Motion passed with all in favor.
Meeting adjourned at 12:05pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Brandy Sanger
Recording Secretary
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Chairman, Paula Proulx Vice-Chairman, Paul Parker
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Martin Gilman William Tsiros
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Gerald McCarthy
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