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Board of Selectmen Minutes -- 12/19/2013
Selectmen’s Board Meeting – Approved Minutes
December 19, 2013

Present:                John Allen, Chairman; Bob Thompson and Bill Lockard, Selectmen

Visitors:       Town Office Administrator Julie Atwell, Videographer Hank Benesh, Police Chief Karl Meyers, Emergency Management Director/Health Officer Tom Grieg, Bea Davis, Rob Casella

Chairman John Allen called the meeting to order at 4:35 p.m.

  • Amend & approve minutes
  • Selectmen’s Meeting – December 5, 2013  The minutes were approved as written.
  • Non-Public Meeting – December 5, 2013 sign minutes envelope RSA 91-A:3, II(c)  The minutes envelope was signed.
  • Update on Action Items
  • Election Location  The electioneering case has been settled and everything is set for elections to be held at the Whitney Center.  
  • Benesh Lawsuit  This case has been finalized and settled out of court.  The parties have agreed to allow electioneering in specific areas and the town of Jackson has agreed to pay five-thousand dollars in legal fees.
  • Insulation of Police Department ceiling  Office Administrator Atwell has a quote for presentation (see agenda item 6b).  
  • Building Ordinance to state for review  This was sent to the state; Jackson got a call from Shawn Bergeron letting the Office know the state doesn’t review these.  He will send an official letter letting the town know the verbiage has to be reviewed by Jackson’s attorney.  The Board believes Town Counsel reviewed the ordinance before it was put on the ballot; Office Administrator Atwell will double-check on this.    
  • Rob Casella – Phone Lines  Deputy Town Clerk Heidmann had said she’d like to have a phone with caller id and to be able to hit redial; that sparked a conversation with Rob from Northledge Technologies; he has a proposal that would allow Jackson to upgrade its system.  Rob reviewed the digital system.  This will provide savings over time but it also will provide greater efficiencies by way of being able to intercom departments; people can have an extension on their cell phones that interacts with the phone system at the Office.  The efficiencies are hard to put on paper but the financial figures are compelling.  There are some caveats to the system; this is a digital system; there were concerns expressed regarding the E911 system which typically use analog lines.  Those lines can be kept for the Police and Fire Departments if desired and even with those deducted, the Time Warner quote still represents a huge savings.  Madison went over to this system a few years ago; they kept their E911 analog lines but also have the system with two phones for general business and emergency calls coming over the “hot” phone.  Chairman Allen noted the Selectmen will review the plan and make a decision at another meeting; they may not want to mess with the lines to the Fire Department as Fire Chief Henry is very concerned.  Office Administrator Atwell will call Madison’s Town Administrator.  Rob will provide a list of other references for the Board, too.  This can be installed at any point should the Board choose to go with this system; typically Northledge does some preprogramming onsite then administers the program online.  Rob was thanked for the time he put into the proposal.  The only thing not included in the figures are the efficiency costs; the town could get this digital system, use the existing lines then convert over time.  Rob will also talk to Time Warner, they are doing a ton of upgrades to their system; he can get information regarding how long the digital lines can stay up based on their battery.  
        
  • Public Comment  There were none.
  • Police Report   
  • Letter of thanks  Chairman Allen noted the Selectmen have received a letter regarding Police Chief Karl Meyers; it is as follows:  
Jim and Claire Lewkowicz
                (physical address omitted for privacy)  
PO Box 421
Jackson, NH 03846

December 16, 2013

        Selectmen
        Town of Jackson
        PO Box 268
        Jackson, NH 03846

        Dear Jackson Selectmen:

We want to tell you how grateful we are to have such a professional, competent, courteous and compassionate Police Chief in the village of Jackson.  We have lived part time in our village since 1984, and four years ago decided to live here full time.  We have had very little contact with our public officials except to support them in our low-key manner.

A personal family matter arose in which Chief Meyers was there to help us through a difficult situation.  Chief Myers was very creative in his approach to the matter; showing us that he was, indeed, an expert in his field by his actions.  He was non-judgmental and respectful, as well as competent and accessible.  We really could go on and on to describe his attributes!

We wanted you to know that the outcome of his interventions was most positive and we are so grateful to have Karl Meyers be our Police Chief here in Jackson.

        Sincerely Yours,

        Jim and Claire Lewkowicz

The Selectmen thanked Chief Meyers and reiterated their belief that Jackson’s lucky to have him.

Chief Meyers reviewed Department activities since the last meeting; some items included stopping a tractor trailer traveling with unlatched doors, fortunately he didn’t lose anything; two residents were fingerprinted for employment purposes and a barking dog complaint.  This has been an on-going situation so the dog owner was fined for the second time; they paid the first fine and have indicated they’ll pay this one too.  A dog was hit by a car on Black Mountain Road; a call came in for a domestic disturbance, there was a firearm involved and one subject was arrested.  Officers took a strange complaint on Carter Notch; there was a coyote carcass with its head and tail chopped off; the tail was missing.  Some “body or bodies” toilet-papered downtown.  A gentleman called the Police regarding a phone scam; he set up an appointment with the people to come over to meet with him the next morning to get his personal information.  Officers were at the home but no one showed.  A call came in of a suspicious person knocking on a door; he was on Route 16 by the Dana Place Inn, on foot, in camo-wear and carrying a trash bag.  Chief Meyers believes the man was probably not altogether there.  He was trying to get to Berlin so a Jackson Officer drove him to the AMC.  There was a motor vehicle accident involving a car that slid off the road into some trees.  There were some calls about a pick-up truck with a man sleeping in it; it had been there for a while.  Officers went out and the pick-up was gone on arrival.  A house on the back side of Dundee was burglarized and there was a call for a rabid raccoon that was gone on arrival.  Chairman Allen asked if fines are being issued for alarms; Chief Meyers noted fines are issued after the third false alarm; owners get a letter after the second false alarm.  This runs on the calendar year so it resets in January.   

  • New Business
  • Trustees of the Trust Funds – Transfer Selectman Thompson, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to withdraw Two-thousand, eight-hundred-seven dollars and seventy-one cents to pay three invoices (Wyler, Civil Solutions and Hastings & Malia, PA) from the Old Library Trust Fund.  The motion passed unanimously.  
  • Insulation for ceiling above Police Department (added)   Office Administrator Atwell has an estimate of five-hundred-fifty-five dollars for just the one side or seven-hundred-seventy-five dollars for insulating the whole thing.  The purpose of insulating the ceiling is that the Police Department is hearing feet from the Office above them; Office staff had suggested carpet however, the Board learned that might not do what is needed.  Selectman Thompson had no idea it would cost that much; he’d like to think about this.  Office Administrator Atwell noted carpeting for the Office came in at nine-hundred dollars.  Bea Davis asked if the Office was going to end up with both insulation and carpeting.  Bea was assured the discussion is one or the other; the original thought was that carpeting would do it but Building Inspector Chalmers thought insulation would do a better job.  Bea urged the Board to stick to doing one or the other but not both.  Selectman Thompson noted he supports installing carpeting for the extra four-hundred dollars if that is what Office staff is advocating for.  Office Administrator Atwell noted mud gets tracked everywhere in the Office and she believes carpeting would hide it; Bea noted it’s easier to sweep linoleum.  Chairman Allen is leaning towards the insulation; Selectman Lockard agrees the ceiling under the Office should be insulated.  Selectman Thompson, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to hire Superior Insulation to install insulation in the ceiling over the Police Department only for five-hundred-fifty-five dollars.  The motion passed unanimously.  
  • Hank Benesh videography (added)  The Board has been talking with Valley Vision; Hank would like to offer his services at fifteen dollars an hour for preparing the DVD and delivering it to Valley Vision.   Selectman Thompson noted this is an increased cost but it’s the best way to incur it.  Chairman Allen thinks the Board should keep track of how these costs are adding up.  The line for videography is not to fifteen-hundred dollars yet so its under-budget.  Hank would just add an extra hour on to his time card; he is paid by the hour not by the meeting and does around seven meetings a month.  Selectman Thompson noted Jackson is entering into a contract with Valley Vision and Conway; the thought was this would provide about two hours of programming a week.  If that’s what Jackson gets that’s enough for a meeting a week.  Hank wondered if the Board wanted him to start out with just the Selectmen’s meetings; Selectman Thompson noted Valley Vision is asking for Jackson to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU).  Five-thousand dollars gives Jackson access then there would be a charge of twenty-five dollars per DVD for programming; he thinks the Board can look at the hours after that agreement has been entered into.  Jackson will enter into the contract with Conway and then look at Valley Vision for hours; the agreement is under agenda item 7a.  Once the MOU is approved the Board would like Hank to prepare and transport the DVDs, putting an hour on his time card for the prep and drop off.  Selectman Thompson will email Hank once the MOU is approved and Hank is authorized to make copies.   
  • Amend November 26, 2013 minutes (added)  The minutes from November 26, 2013 say the Tax Collectors Office was waiving a tax abatement for twenty-two thousand dollars; the actual amount is twenty-two thousand, five-hundred dollars.  Selectman Thompson, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to amend the November 26, 2013 to show that the tax abatement was twenty-two-thousand-five-hundred dollars.  The motion passed unanimously.
  • Change in length of Probationary period for medical coverage (added)  Selectman Thompson, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to approve the change from a ninety-day probationary period to a sixty day probationary period to meet regulations.  The motion passed unanimously.  
  • Intent to Cut (added)  
  • THAN Unit 32  Selectman Thompson, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to approve the Intent to Cut for THAN Unit 32.  The motion passed unanimously.  
  • THAN Unit 30  Selectman Thompson, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to approve the Intent to Cut for THAN Unit 30.  The motion passed unanimously.  
  • Chamber of Commerce (added)  The Chamber is looking for the Selectmen’s approval to use colored lights.  The white lights were for former Selectman Arnold Fernald; the Selectmen are fine with the change.   
  • January meeting dates (added)  As there are five Thursdays in January, Office Administrator Atwell is suggesting holding the Selectmen’s meetings on the ninth and twenty-third instead of the second and sixteenth.  The Selectmen are fine with the change.  
  • Library concerns (added)  Library Trustee Denise Sachse brought forward two issues; the Library is a town building and the sidewalk needs to be maintained properly for safety and there is frustration that the lights aren’t done yet.  Road Agent Henry has been advised of the concern over sidewalk maintenance and Dick Bennett has said the lights will be done soon.  
  • Old Business
  • Valley Vision contract  Selectman Thompson noted this is the same Memo of Understanding (MOU) that the Board previously reviewed.  The slot and hours of programming will be worked out with Valley Vision, not through this contract with the town of Conway; Saturdays had been projected as a day for Jackson’s programing but that has to be negotiated separately.  Selectman Thompson, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to sign and accept the MOU between the Town of Jackson and the Town of Conway.  The motion passed unanimously.  
  • Building Inspector Contract  Office Administrator Atwell spoke with Office liaison Selectmen Thompson about this earlier today.  The Selectmen have the Job Description to review; the plan is to put that into a contract format, present it to the Board and then have two or three people from the Planning Board review it.  Selectman Thompson noted the Board has been discussing the next step in finalizing the Building Inspector position.  There are advantages and disadvantages to having an employee versus a contract and Selectman Thompson thinks a contracted position seems better; the contract would be built based on the Job Description, which is based on the State Building Code.  While the Board may want to have another set of eyes review the draft, the Planning Board created the ordinance but the authority lies with the Selectmen.  There will be further discussion once a draft is available.  
  • Paying Building Inspector Chalmers (added)  Office Administrator Atwell has emailed Inspector Chalmers regarding finalizing invoices for 2013.  He’s only sent two invoices the entire year.  The email was sent after the last meeting and there’s been no reply; the Board is concerned that there’s been no acknowledgement.  Office Administrator Atwell will follow-up on this.  
  • Treasurer position (added)  Office Administrator Atwell contacted the LGC about the Treasurer position and what happens if no one runs for it.  She sent the Board an email regarding what would be the issue if it became an appointed versus an elected position.  A change from elected to appointed has to be approved by the voters but once that happens the person filling the position can be anyone from anywhere versus it having to be someone from town.  Selectman Lockard thinks the position should be appointed and it’s time to have a Deputy Treasurer as well.  While the Board hasn’t received a formal resignation, Treasurer Warren Schomaker said at the bank meeting he wasn’t going to run.  Chairman Allen would like to see the anticipated opening put in the e-news to see if anyone is interested, after getting verification from Treasurer Schomaker that he definitely isn’t going to run.  It would be nice if someone were interested and could start training before the election.  
Selectman Thompson noted the Board can’t do anything for March; the Board has to go before the voters and propose a change in the position from elected to appointed.  There is no question that in March there will be an election for Treasurer and even if no one runs there may be a write-in candidate.  The Board can put an article on the warrant to change the position to appointed but once somebody is put in place in March, they are in for a three-year term.  Selectman Thompson doesn’t feel comfortable with this body recruiting people for an elected position.  

Chairman Allen withdraws his suggestion; he was trying to be pro-active.  If Treasurer Schomaker formally notifies the Board he has no intention of running, Chairman Allen believes it would be prudent to consider a warrant article for discussion with the town; he’s open to a change but he’s not advocating for one.  

Selectman Lockard is trying to create continuity; he wants the person in the position to be someone who is qualified.  While he thinks an appointed treasurer provides more continuity he recognizes that won’t change for this year.  He would like to know if the RSA states towns may or shall have a deputy treasurer.  This should be dealt with and if the RSA says shall then the town needs to get on it.  The RSA states may and the deputy would be appointed by the town treasurer.  When originally approached, Treasurer Schomaker wasn’t amenable to having a deputy but that may have changed.  The Board would like this put on the agenda for the next meeting.  

  • Public Comment  Bea would like to know if all the documents in the safe at the school are still there.  Chairman Allen feels the town records should be kept in the Office building.  Bea noted, when her sister-in-law was alive she and Bob gave her the town reports from the 1800’s; those documents were donated to the Library and they vanished; those are irreplaceable.  She thought someone had been through the safe.  The Board thinks Susan May came to the Board asking about some archives or paintings.  Bea noted those ledgers are irreplaceable; the safe is sitting on reinforced piers; it weighs eleven-hundred pounds and it’s still in there because there is no way to get it out of the building.  The Board will follow-up.
Selectman Thompson, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to go into Non-Public Session in accordance with RSA 91-A:3, II(e) at 5:37 p.m.  The motion passed unanimously.  

  • Non-Public Session: RSA 91-A:3, II(e)  Consideration or negotiation of pending claims or litigation which has been threatened in writing or filed against this board or any subdivision thereof, or against any member thereof because of his or her membership therein, until the claim or litigation has been fully adjudicated or otherwise settled.  

                                        Respectfully submitted by:

                                        Martha D. Tobin

                                        Recording Secretary