 |
Selectmen’s Board Meeting
April 3, 2014
Present: John Allen, Chairman; Bob Thompson and Bill Lockard, Selectmen
Visitors: Town Office Administrator Julie Atwell, Town Office Administrative Assistant Julie Hoyt, Videographer Hank Benesh, Police Chief Karl Meyers, Emergency Management Director/Health Officer Tom Greig, Town Engineer Burr Phillips, Treasurer Kathleen Dougherty, Bea Davis, Jerry Dougherty, George Howard
Chairman John Allen called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m.
- Election of Officers – revisited Chairman Allen noted the Chairmanship traditionally passes on to the next senior Selectman after one term; he is therefore resigning as Chairman. Selectman Allen, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to elect Selectman Thompson as Chairman. The motion passed unanimously.
- Amend & approve minutes
- Selectmen’s Meeting – March 20, 2014 The minutes were approved as written.
- Non-Public – March 20, 2014 – sign minutes envelope RSA 91-A:3, II(c) – Elderly Exemption The minutes were approved at the meeting; the envelope was signed.
- Non-Public – March 20, 2014 – sign minutes envelope RSA 91-A:3, II(c) – Vet Credit The minutes were approved at the meeting; the envelope was signed.
- Non-Public – March 20, 2014 – sign minutes envelope RSA 91-A:3, II(c) The minutes were approved at the meeting; the envelope was signed.
- Highway and Fire Work Session – 1.15.14 Office Administrator Julie Atwell noted this is the Work Session being transcribed from the video; there was a problem with the tape and only the Highway and Fire discussion was available online. Videographer Benesh is working on correcting this so the Police and Warrant Articles can be added; rather than wait, the completed document is being released as is. The minutes were approved as written.
- Health Insurance – one-hundred percent premium Selectman Allen spoke with the three former Selectmen; they verified the agreement was to pay one-hundred percent of the insurance premium for these folks when they were hired; this agreement is not binding but he believes the town should keep good faith and honor what was negotiated in 2003. Chief Meyers plans to retire is December; the Board agreed to honor Chief Meyers’ one-hundred percent premium coverage until his retirement. As far as Officer Cowland’s plan, Selectman Lockard feels there should be some sort of ceiling, either in time or cost applied; forever is too long. Discussion will be on-going.
- T.U.L.I.P. Insurance This is under Old Business.
- Building and Fire Inspector Report Inspector Goudreau submitted a report for the Board’s review; the Board will be kept abreast of issues he is dealing with.
- Tax refund denial Office Administrator Atwell has sent the letter of decision to the homeowner.
- Open Seats These have been posted on the website, e-news and in the newspaper.
- Estate administrator request Maureen Soragahan will try to find someone; there is the possibility of a family member stepping in; this is off the Board’s agenda.
- Transfer Station Proposal (Jon Edgerly) – Burr Phillips Engineer Phillips has reviewed the sketch; he’d like to know if the Board wants him to look at the traffic plan during this process; the Board does want this addressed; it’s really a free for all up there now and it’s not efficient. Engineer Phillips can do this; the Board would like to see several conceptual plans with costs. The Transfer Station has several hundred cars a day going in and it was not designed to handle that kind of traffic. After these plans are available the Board will arrange a meeting with the Bartlett Selectmen, Engineer Phillips and Manager Jon Edgerly. George Howard wondered if the plan would address relocation of activities or just the roadway; Engineer Phillips will present three
options; one or all of these are to look at relocation; it’s all going to depend on what the town wants to spend on it.
- Public Comments Bea Davis asked if the grader is back and if so, what the cost was for the repair. Selectman Allen noted there’s no cost yet; Road Agent Henry shared an email from Milton CAT (the dealer) and Caterpillar (the manufacturer). There was a broken rod in the motor; it’s been fixed and is running great. Road Agent Henry is working with both the dealer and the manufacturer regarding the bill. George Howard asked if there’s any warranty. The grader had low hours and there have been assurances that there will be contributions by Caterpillar and Milton CAT.
- Police Report Chief Karl Meyers reviewed Department activities since the last meeting; these included several assists to a number of different departments (State Police, DOT, Ambulance and other local Police Departments); a 911 hang-up at a hotel was the result of a guest dialing nine for the outside line and then the country code of one-one. Chief Meyers has talked to folks to see if it would be possible to set eight as the number to dial for an outside line. There were several complaints about cars parking over the line and in the ROW, five false burglar alarms and a suitcase found on the road. Officers assisted the Ambulance with a female found on the floor; a VIN verification was completed and Officers assisted a motorist to get into their car; there was also a motor
vehicle accident with a car hitting a snowbank on Route 16.
- Building Matters
- Driveway Permit – Daryl Brown This has been signed by Fire Chief/Road Agent Henry.
- Dick Bennett – Roof-top panels (added)
- Mallet Corp – relocation of bar partition (added)
- Daniel Connelly – Sheetrock, upgrading of plumbing and electric – Map R12, Lot 162 (added)
Inspector Goudreau is taking care of these; he’s been very busy.
- Building Inspector Proposal and hiring update The proposal from the Vermont group has been received. Their hourly rate will be seventy dollars an hour or thirteen twenty five for two days or eight hundred seventeen per day. Selectman Lockard noted the voters went a long way to say Jackson wants a building inspector with all the certifications; the new inspector can’t fumble around; the inspector needs to be able to say, “Here are the Regulations and this is what you need to do.” These folks meet every qualification but the cost is a concern. There were two applicants interviewed; the Board can either repost the position, decide between the two applicants or use MRI as previously discussed. Inspector Goudreau suggested if the Board decides to repost, advertising should state
the town is looking for a part-time person with credentials and that person would be covered under the town’s insurance; the Board might find someone willing to drive but without insurance. This suggestion needs to go through Counsel first. The report from the Vermont group shows that there should be an increase from one dollar and forty-seven cents per thousand up to two-fifty “plus” in order to fund the inspections. It is agreed this is a big increase but compared to other towns, Jackson is very low. Based on what this company knows, they would estimate fifty-thousand dollars in inspection fees in 2014; their estimated charge for services for a year is forty-six thousand, two hundred fifteen dollars.
Selectman Lockard noted the last thing the town wants is to have someone that doesn’t know what they are doing; this company would have more staff available. Bea doesn’t buy this. Selectman Lockard noted there are two applicants; one is very eager and has a lot of energy to devote to the job but virtually no qualifications. The other is so incredibly qualified it’s like bird-hunting with a thirty-ought-six. This is a small town; it can’t afford the company from Vermont; it’s a lot of money for what they are doing. Engineer Phillips noted the company has ten certifications that the former Building Inspector didn’t have. Engineer Phillips also noted the insurance is about five thousand dollars and this company would have their own.
- Updated motion for interim inspector Selectman Lockard had an email discussion with Inspector Goudreau who says he is happy to continue as the Interim Building Inspector. When the Board made its motion, Inspector Goudreau was authorized to function only through completion of the five outstanding permits; he’s been doing a lot more than that and he’s willing to continue for six months. This is the first meeting the Board has had to talk about the applicants and the interviews; it’s not been on the agenda until today. Selectman Allen, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to have Robert Goudreau continue on as Building Inspector. The motion passed unanimously.
- Approve and Authorize Town Clerk (added) Selectman Allen, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to approve Karen Burton as Town Clerk and to authorize her to act as a Municipal Agent. The motion passed unanimously.
- Letter to MA help Desk – requires signatures This was signed.
- Wentworth – Liquor License Request – requires signatures Selectman Allen, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to approve the Wentworth Liquor License request. This is an annual request that allows them to serve outside. There was no further discussion. The motion passed unanimously.
- Tax Bills (added) These have been mailed.
- Road Agent Report (added) Road Agent Henry submitted a report which was read into the record. The decision about a new truck should be made in May; the International has been posted; there have been fourteen enquiries and the bids will be opened on April 24th.
- Gazebo Rental – Insurance The cost for T.U.L.I.P. starts at seventy-five dollars for one hundred people with no alcohol served; it goes up from there based on attendance and alcohol use. The town has erred in the past by not requiring insurance; the town can’t be the agent so those seeking to rent the Gazebo would have to apply, which can be done with a credit card over the phone or online. Moving forward that will be the policy to protect the town from undue risk. Additionally, there needs to some way of assuring who is supposed to there or not. The requirement for Insurance will be added to the rental form.
- Board Appointments – Review The Board will hold an informational night next Wednesday from five to seven in the hopes of enlightening others about the various duties of these Boards.
- Town Assessor contract The contract has been finalized but has not been returned by Assessor Call. The due date was moved from October 31st to October 10th to facilitate the setting of the tax rate. A penalty will be assessed if the date is not met. The DRA wants to see this signed as soon as possible; Office Administrator Atwell will rattle Assessor Call’s cage to get that signature done. The Board can sign it out of Session.
- Liaisons – Town Clerk, Library, Treasurer… The Board agrees to keep the liaisons for Department Heads as it has but to also provide liaisons for folks like the Town Clerk, Treasurer and the Library. Bea noted the Town Clerk and Treasurer are elected and are their own bosses; they are not under the Selectmen. This is just an offered channel for regular contact. Selectman Lockard is willing to liaise with any of these employees not under a Department Head.
- Public Comment Jerry Dougherty noted he suggested liaisons five years ago; he’d like to know what this is a channel for; he wants to make sure employees know they can speak to anybody; it doesn’t have to be just their assigned liaison. This was affirmed; employees are not obligated to bring concerns or issues only to their liaison; they can speak to anybody.
Jerry would like to have a Selectmen’s ad hoc committee to look at the budget; he would suggest one Selectman, Office Administrator Atwell as she prepares the budget and then two at-large citizens. The Committee would look at the budget in the short term; the use of the unreserved fund; what is appropriate taxpayer use. They’d look at the use of Capital Reserve Funds versus financing and/or the best combination to suit the taxpayers. The Committee would work on long term goals after that.
Bea asked if anybody has applied for the various open seats. Letters of interest came in last week; all open seats have been publically posted. Hopefully after the Informational meeting there will be others expressing interest.
Chairman Thompson noted that during the Board’s initial Budget Hearing Moderator Bill Kelly talked about financing. The town will need to purchase two fire engines fairly close to each other. The next assessment will raise the town tax rate by ten percent; the school’s budget is up seventeen percent. Jerry noted in the next five to seven years the payment for bonds and tuition will come down; the town needs to have an understanding of what Jackson’s needs and plans are; the ad hoc committee would work on a fiscal master plan.
When asked if he’d be interested in serving on this committee, Jerry noted he thinks his son, Jerry VI, would be interested and is more qualified. Treasurer Dougherty noted she’d like to attend the meetings as a learning listener.
George wondered about Jackson’s Capital Improvement Plan; Chairman Thompson sees the ad hoc committee’s work as going hand-in-hand with the CIP; that was last looked at in the late 1990’s and is outdated. Many of the items in that document have been completed – such as the town garage, the Library and town recreation areas; the town has had outstanding road improvement; Road Agent Henry feels Jackson caught up this year on roadwork. Either of the Selectmen might be the ad hoc committee representative; there will be further discussion at the next meeting.
Selectman Allen, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to go into Non-Public Session in accordance with RSA 91-A:3, II(c) at 5:42 p.m. The motion passed unanimously.
- RSA 91-A:3, II(c) Matters which, if discussed in public, would likely affect adversely the reputation of any person, other than a member of this board, unless such person requests an open meeting. This exemption shall extend to include any application for assistance or tax abatement or waiver of a fee, fine or other levy, if based on inability to pay or poverty of the applicant.
Respectfully submitted by:
Martha D. Tobin
Recording Secretary
| |
