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Board of Selectmen Minutes -- 09/04/2014
Selectmen’s Board Meeting
September 4, 2014

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

Visitors:       Town Office Administrator Julie Atwell, Police Officer Sean Cowland, Treasurer Kathleen Dougherty, Bea Davis, Bob Davis, Nancy Davis, Norman Head, Warren Schomaker, Penny Miller

Chairman Bob Thompson called the meeting to order at 4:32 p.m.

  • Amend & approve minutes
  • Selectmen’s Meeting – August 21, 2014  There was a correction to the motions in agenda item 7a.  The minutes state the motion was to authorize the transfer of thirty thousand dollars and one-hundred thousand dollars from the accounts.  The minutes are to be amended to reflect the Board is authorizing the transfer of thirty-thousand dollars to the State Aid Expendable Trust Fund and one-hundred thousand dollars to the State Road Reconstruction Capital Reserve Fund.  The minutes were approved as amended.
  • Update on 8.21.14 Action Items
  • Mutual Welfare Agreement  Selectman Lockard noted the town of Conway has decided not to do this.  The Office will continue to process these as they come in.
  • Dog Licensing  The Town Clerk’s Office has done a fine job reducing the numbers of unlicensed dogs; there used to be thirty-eight and they are down to fewer than eight.  Chief Meyers will go to the homes of those remaining few and either speak to the owner or leave a note, should no one be home, reiterating the need to either license the dog or notify the Town Clerk’s office that the dog is no longer in Jackson.
  • Time Off Policy  Selectman Lockard has met with Chief Meyers and will talk to the other two Police Officers; there is no heat to the discussions; it’s just a matter of trying to understand what to do.
  • Couture Driveway  Selectman Allen has spoken with Engineer Phillips; they will tour the property as soon as possible.
  • Falls Parking  Chairman Thompson met with Road Agent Henry and Larry to look at the progress on the Falls; they will continue working on their action plan.  It looks much different this year, the trails are defined and the greenery is growing in.  
  • Drainage Easement – Brooks’ property  This document came in today; the Board would like to review it; this will go on the agenda for the next meeting.  
  • Intent to Cut form  Office Administrator Atwell hasn’t heard back about this form; it will be on the agenda for the next meeting.  
  • Prospect Farm  Office Administrator Atwell has talked to Larry; he will put together an ordinance on Prospect Farm regarding the access and use.    
  • Old Library Management Committee   Susan May, Mary Howe, Marilyn Rodes, Margie Furlong, Kathryn Karlsson, Joan Aubrey and Alysia Hawkes have met and set their term limits; the Board signed the appointment letters.  
  • Underground Water pipe  There is no new input; this will go on the agenda for the next meeting.
  • Selectmen Meeting Dates  The upcoming meetings will be held on September 18th, October 2nd and October 16th at 4:30 p.m.
  • Public Comment  Bea Davis noted she never saw an ad for bids on the lawnmowers.  The minutes state a good bid came in; she doesn’t know if bidding was closed yet but, if they have a bid, it shouldn’t have been opened yet.  Office Administrative Assistant Hoyt is checking on that.  Selectman Allen assured her the sale wouldn’t close if the items were not put out to bid properly; no one is sure if an ad went in the paper or just on e-news; Selectman Allen noted it should be posted in the paper.  
Penny Miller noted Prospect Farm is later on the agenda and wondered if she should hold her comments until then.  Office Administrator Atwell noted the later agenda item may have be misplaced on the agenda; she already made her comments under Action items.  Penny wondered how access to Prospect Farm became in need of an ordinance.  Chairman Thompson noted this came to the Selectmen as the result of people coming into the Office to get the key; wanting to go up there and use the area and the Selectmen realized there was no set, formalized policy for its use.  Some records of older meetings indicate folks can use snowmobiles up there but it’s not clear when folks can go up there; can they shoot off fireworks; can they have fires?  The Conservation Commission had looked at it and they are making it part of their plan.  He assured Penny, if an ordinance were generated, it would go to the town and be put on a warrant article.  She wondered if it has already been decided that there will be an ordinance and Chairman Thompson noted the Commission is going to discuss the merits of putting together an ordinance regarding how that land can be used then the Commission will make a recommendation to the Selectmen; this hasn’t been formally discussed.  Penny would prefer to have her thoughts heard here since the Conservation Commission isn’t a decision-making body.  She went to a Conservation Commission meeting; she asked for some information and hasn’t heard anything back; she thought it would be better to come directly to the Selectmen.  There is a new Ski Touring (JXC) Director and she would like to renew and improve the relationships in town with JXC around the use of Prospect Farm.  She’d like to know if residents can still bring their dogs up there when skiing.  She has also heard that possibly JXC is interested in putting a building up there on town land and Penny wondered if the Selectmen have been advised of that?  In reading the Conservation Commission’s minutes she noted there was incorrect information.  Thom Perkins is the one that said residents can get a pass to ski on Prospect Farm for free.  As a taxpayer, with the town paying a lot of money to maintain the area, she wondered why residents are supposed to go down to JXC to get a pass and then go.  JXC also wants to limit the trails where dogs can be; she’s been skiing up there for twenty years with her dogs and it’s one of her greatest joys.  Penny believes an agreement regarding JXC’s relationship with the town must be signed every year.  Selectmen Allen hasn’t seen anything like that in the four years he’s been on the Board; Chairman Thompson hasn’t either.  Penny noted this is town property; JXC is managing the property in the wintertime and charging a fee for it; they should have an agreement with the Selectmen.  Penny would also encourage JXC and the Conservation Commission to make it clear that residents can ski up there for free; it’s an enormous benefit to residents.  

Bea provided the Board with two town reports; the 1972 town report has an article on Prospect Farm and the 1975 one has the dog ordinance (regarding agenda item 2b).  

Chairman Thompson asked for Board input on Prospect Farm; Selectmen Lockard has been up there in the summer but not in the winter; he walks.  It is Penny’s understanding cars are not acceptable but skimobiles, ATVs, hunting, skeet shooting, hiking and biking are all acceptable.  Chairman Thompson asked how Penny came up with that understanding.  She asked Nancy Davis to give the Board the information she had given to Penny.  Nancy noted when she was growing up her family used to go up there to skeet shoot on weekends in the fall; this was an acceptable and appropriate activity.  He husband, Dean, had also clarified that Bob Davis had logged the trails up there in 1973; Dean worked for the Conservation Commission.  He worked with Rick and the Conservation Commission to do all the work to keep the trails clear and well-maintained.  After the Conservation Commission stopped hiring kids to do the work in the summer JXC took over and maintained only those trails they wanted to use.  JXC wasn’t actively grooming up there until the early ‘90s when the snow was good up on Prospect; that’s when they started grooming and encouraging folks to go up there and then the issues with parking started; now there are two parking lots.  

Selectman Allen noted the Conservation Commission is in its infancy of developing an ordinance; the townsfolk will be included in the process.  Selectman Lockard noted he is also a gun owner; if the town agrees to let people shoot up there then there needs to be an agreement with the town; maybe it’s time to do a plan.

Penny asked if there have been problems; she is still wondering why there is an ordinance being drawn up.  Chairman Thompson noted the Board is looking to clarify the property’s use.  Nothing is formalized; everybody started taking a look at what was in writing and felt like there should be a clear understanding that has the townspeople weighing in; that would be an ordinance.  The Conservation Commission is involved up there; they are going to look at all the information and understandings through the years.  They may recommend not to have an ordinance.  The Board wants to clarify who gets the key and when does that key need to be back and what it feels uncomfortable having happen up there.  The first issue is to set out what is acceptable so people are clear; the second issue is around JXC and what they do up there; it might be time to invite the new director in to discuss issues she may or may not be aware of.  Prospect Farm is an enormous resource; it makes sense to have a sit down; this is a great time for the Board to identify agenda-worthy items.  Nancy asked the Board to provide a copy of any agreement or MOU that exists between the town and JXC.  

  • Police Report  Officer Sean Cowland reviewed Department activities since the last meeting; some items discussed included one person fingerprinted for employment purposes; one domestic disturbance at a local establishment; an assist to the State Police for a motor vehicle fire; one Project Good Morning check; one assist for cutting branches on Route 16 and one bear complaint.  School is back in session; he’d ask the Board to check out the area where Black Mountain Road and the Loop come together.  He feels the bushes make the kids hard to see at the crosswalk.  It is a safety concern.    
  • Building Inspector  Chairman Thompson reviewed the August report and the status of some of the Building Permits that are currently in place.  
  • Weekly Report(s) Submitted by Robert Goudreau & Kevin Bennett
  • Building Permit 2014000043 Map R17 Lot 04 - (Owner – Sferes – 486 Carter Notch Rd) – 8’ x 32’ view deck, relocate and replace existing 6’ wide window with 6’ wide slider patio door unit
  • Building Permit 2014000045 Map R15 Lot 02- (Owner – Davis – 156 Dundee Rd) – Extend building permit 2013000045 for one year – complete construction of 4 bedroom residential home
  • Building Permit 2014000046 Map V05 Lot 36 - (Owner – Thayer – 95 Whitney Hill Loop) – Extend bedroom and build new deck 12 x 10 and 11 x 11
  • Building Permit 2014000047 Map V02 Lot 19 - (Owner – Jackson/Marion – 137 Black Mountain Rd) – Remodel interior of house
  • Building Permit 2014000048 Map V10 Lot 01 - (Owner – McDonough – 12 Wildflower Lane) – Remove and replace front and rear decks, add walkway toward street from front deck
  • Driveway Permit – Map V10 Lot 129 – (Owner – Day-Lewis – Balsam Drive)  Selectman Allen didn’t think the Board normally signs these; Chairman Thompson noted there is an section at the bottom for the Selectmen’s signatures.  Selectman Lockard, seconded by Selectman Allen, made a motion to approve the Driveway Permit.  The motion passed unanimously.  Selectman Lockard recollects discussion that the Board wasn’t going to sign these; the motion may not be needed but there is still a line for the Selectmen to sign off.  The form needs to be revised.  The Selectmen don’t sign Building permits anymore either.  Selectman Lockard is comfortable with the Fire Chief/Road Agent’s approval.  
  • Bellen  - Demolition Extension Request  The owner had agreed to have this complete by the end of September; she is asking for an extension through October.  The concerns from the Building Inspector are that granting an extension tends to move things out and doesn’t help in completing the project.  The Board is willing to make a one-time, one month extension.  The permit will be good through the end of October.  
  • New Business
  • Town Hall – Building Permit Request – Signatures Required  The Historical Society has a proposal to have the remainder of the old town hall vinyl-sided.  Norman Head reviewed the estimate; safety nets will be in place to protect the workers as well as to prevent anything from going into the river.  This will visually enhance the building as well as provide energy savings through improved insulation.  The Historical Society put this out to bid but received only the one from Charlie Mitchell, who did the roof on the Gray’s Inn garage.  Selectman Lockard, seconded by Selectman Allen, made a motion to recommend the Building Permit for vinyl siding the Old Town Hall.  The motion passed unanimously.  
  
  • Recognition of Warren Schomaker (added)  Chairman Thompson presented Warren Schomaker with a plaque thanking him for all his years of service as Treasurer to the town.  
  • Assessment Appeal – Miller  Penny had appealed the assessed value of the property; their abatement was submitted six months ago and they have been in limbo since.  It is Assessor Call’s understanding if the owner receives no response than the appeal has been Not Recommended.  The owners knew the condition of the property when they bought it and they purchased it after April 1st so there will be no adjustment for the 2013 value.  Penny asked if there would be one for 2014; it won’t be known it one will be needed until mid-October; they can decide if they need to file an abatement once they get their assessment.  Selectman Lockard, seconded by Selectman Allen, made a motion to approve Assessor Call’s assessment review of the Miller property for 2013.  The motion passed unanimously.  
  • MS-1 Extension  Selectman Allen, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to request a deadline extension for the MS-1 to October 31, 2014.  The motion passed unanimously.  
  • Intent to Cut (added)  [This discussion happened after agenda item 7b; it is listed here for continuity of agenda]  Selectman Lockard, seconded by Selectman Allen, made a motion to approve the Intent to Cut for Map R20, Lot 17.  The motion passed unanimously.  
  • Old Business
  • Prospect Farm  This was discussed during Action Items and Public Comments.
  • Intent to cut – form  Office Administrator Atwell is going to the DRA to ask about this, as this is a tax form.  This came up around the Couture driveway and whether a timber tax was or should have been paid on cut wood over twenty cords.  A permit is required only if the owner is selling the wood but the intent is to make sure folks don’t clear cut their property.  This is on the Conservation Commission’s agenda as well.  The Intent to Cut form is what it is; it’s just about cutting wood, not about the other issues that have been discussed at previous meetings.
  • Town report information (added)  Selectman Lockard asked Office Administrator Atwell to make copies of the Town Report information that Bea had given to the Board earlier so the Selectmen can review the information.
  • Public Comment  There were no Public Comments but the Board took the opportunity to ask Treasurer Dougherty how things are going for her.  She noted everything is going smoothly and she finds working with town staff to be going well.  
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:34 p.m.


                                                        Respectfully submitted by:

                                                        Martha D. Tobin

                                                        Recording Secretary