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Selectmen’s Board Meeting
March 5, 2015
Present: Bob Thompson, Chairman; John Allen and Bill Lockard, Selectmen
Visitors: Town Office Administrator Julie Atwell, Police Chief Doug Jette, Moderator Bill Kelley, Building Inspector Kevin Bennett, Videographer Hank Benesh, Bea Davis, Dean Davis, Nancy Davis, Stan Weiss
Chairman Bob Thompson called the meeting to order at 4:32 p.m.
- Selectmen’s Meeting – February 19, 2015 Chairman Thompson asked for corrections or amendments; Police Officer Andrew’s name is Koplin not
Coplin as noted in agenda item 1a from 2.19.15. The minutes were approved as amended.
- Update on 2.19.15 Action Items
- Doublehead Parking Lot This is on hold as Andrew Beal wants to have someone in attendance who is able to represent the family. Office staff will be coordinating the date.
- Upcoming Meetings Tuesday March 10th is the town election with voting from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and the Town Meeting is on the 12th at 7 p.m.; both at the Whitney Center. The next Selectmen’s meeting is March 19th beginning at 4:30.
- Moderator Bill Kelley, election update Moderator Kelley noted it’s the second time in sixteen years that he’s been away for an election. Laurel Smith is in town and plans on being available Tuesday including counting the ballot. He reviewed the Selectmen’s duties for the day; they will become election officials when they take the oath. Chairman Thompson will be there first thing; both Office Administrator Atwell and Administrative Assistant Hoyt have done a great job with getting the schedule covered. It’s expected to be very slow; there are no state or federal issues at all; it should be very easy to count. Town Clerk/Tax Collector Burton is very familiar with this process. Moderator Kelley wants to be informed if there are any issues brought up during the election prior to the town
meeting.
- Public Comment Dean Davis would just like to point out he’d had no problem with his mailbox on his side of the road; the Post Office made him move it. It was hit by a snowplow four years ago and Road Agent Henry hit it on Sunday. Road Agent Henry also hit it with the grader before that. Dean’s not sure what the Selectmen can do about this but his box had been there for thirty years and never been hit. Bea Davis noted her box had been up for seventy years and was hit this year too.
- Police Report Police Chief Doug Jette reviewed Department activities since the last meeting. It’s been a good couple of weeks’ enforcement and activities; the snow sculptures presented issues with parking; those were dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Traffic has slowed down on Route 16. Various alarms were attributable to the high winds. Jackson has an agreement with Conway Area Humane Society to take in any dogs from Jackson that need to be brought in. Bartlett, Conway and Jackson Police are investigating the theft of catalytic converters; it’s been very brazen. Thieves took one, possibly two, from MacDonald Motors. Officers make sure they talk with folks they don’t know; anyone who looks out of place. Chairman Thompson asked what the value of a
catalytic converter is; Chief Jette noted they can range from two to six hundred dollars; stealing six puts it at a felony level. He noted the catalytic converter has enough of a value on it to make it a significant theft.
- Building Inspector
- Weekly Report Submitted by Kevin Bennett Inspector Bennett has been really busy; he reviewed three new permits and the new septic design he was waiting for; he has a call out to the owner as he has another bunch of questions about it. Three permits were closed out and the Old Library Building is all up to code. One home that was sold had a bunch of violations to be fixed; that’s all been done and the new owners are in. The Fire Inspector did the oil burner inspection. He reviewed a direct current solar system that is being installed.
- Building Permit 2015000002 Map R19, Lot 05 – (Owner – White -962 Carter Notch Road) – New generator placed on outdoor gravel bed framed 3x4 footprint
- On Hold – Double Head Parking Issues As noted earlier; this is on hold until someone can represent the Beal family.
- Dundee Road Right of Ways – Martha Benesh It was thought Martha would be speaking tonight but apparently she gave her presentation to the Conservation Commission on Monday. The Selectmen will review the report. Folks can also talk to someone on the Conservation Commission to learn more.
- Transfer Station – Scrap Metal Agreement – Signatures Required Selectman Allen, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to sign the Scrap Metal Agreement with Roger Labee which runs from April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016. The motion passed unanimously. The contract is for twelve-hundred-fifty dollars.
- Guardrail/bridge by Baseball Field Selectman Allen would like to revisit the need to refurbish that short bridge by Badger Realty. Road Agent Henry noted there have been a number of conversations about it; the state doesn’t want to fix it and when Road Agent Henry offered to fix it, he was told no. The town sent a letter to the state saying that it needs to be fixed; it’s been like that for two years at least. This is complicated due to state procedure; they have to do the concrete first; it’s on their list and it’s a low priority. The town had wanted to have this squared away last year. Bea suggested the Board contact Executive Counselor Joe Kenney. Road Agent Henry thinks Chairman Thompson should call Brian at the Lancaster Office first then if that doesn’t work out to contact Joe.
- Public Comment Dean Davis noted the Board is discussing parking for the ski trail; he asked if anyone is talking about Carter Notch and Jack’s Shack. Dean noted he brought it up a couple of meetings ago. Boyd’s Field had a trailhead; the state put in No Parking signs now they park on the road. Sunday cars were parked on both sides of the entrance; folks can’t see around the corner and go on the wrong side of the road to get by. Dean noted he’d be liable if he hit someone. Road Agent Henry noted there are parking issues all over; Dundee is getting worse and worse; Doublehead is a hot spot for parking for back-country skiing. The town of Jackson has an ordinance that says no parking on the road; Road Agent Henry noted the town needs to push for the government to do something up there. Chief Jette noted the common core is the Ski Association (JXC); the town can’t tow and ticket in one area and not in the other. This all goes back to getting JXC involved; it is
costing their customers; folks are going away mad at having to pay for parking tickets and towing. They are creating or letting that issue exist. Road Agent Henry noted there are a lot of areas where JXC people end up parked in the road; there used to be a shuttle up to different spots. He also thinks the Chamber of Commerce should be involved; the ball field turns into a war zone; with the snow sculpture competition going on, it was hard to get through there. He reviewed other areas where parking is a concern (Valley Cross Road, Jack’s Shack, above the Hardings, Woodchuck fields, in the village to J-Town). Chief Jette provided parking pictures; Chairman Thompson wondered what else could be done outside of increased signage, putting signs in the lodge and continuing to ticket. Road Agent Henry suggested JXC having a parking attendant when it has races and the Chamber would need one up by the old town hall and at the ball field.
Someone is going to be hit; the town needs to be proactive. The cones are put out but this past weekend they weren’t put out early enough. Chief Jette noted they hadn’t anticipated the issue; the sculptures were at different places last year. Stan Weiss agreed there hasn’t been a problem in the past. Fire Chief/Road Agent Henry and Police Chief Jette talked about this and would like to propose eliminating parking from the ball park to the S-kimos. A proposed parking plan was done in 2000 to eliminate parking on one side in the village and to add parking from S-kimos up Thorn Hill. Bea noted when there were chicken dinners, parking was allowed up there. Chairman Thompson thinks putting the cones out should be standard procedure whenever there is an event in town. Stan noted that will cause issues for the parents during soccer games. Bea noted people could park over by the tennis court. Chairman Thompson noted
there are parking options; he’s not sure people are aware of them. Parking in front of a No Parking sign shouldn’t be an option; he knows the cones are unsightly but they need to go out. Beyond that, he’s looking at what people are saying, that this is related to JXC; if that’s the case does the town really need more signage. Road Agent Henry noted some signs have been added. If it’s adequately signed then the Police need to do due diligence. People will park where they will park; the Police will ticket them and could tow them. Chief Jette doesn’t feel that’s a solution; Jackson is a tourist town; somewhere someone made this a vacation town. Road Agent Henry noted the town needs to be as proactive as you can; this needs to be discussed with JXC and the Chamber.
Bea read that the Conservation Commission wants to eliminate more parking at the Falls. Fire Chief/Road Agent Henry noted that would be a bad idea; during a storm it’s bad over there. Folks should be allowed to park between the golf repair building and the old Red Fox. They could build real parking spaces along there; either that or don’t let them park there at all. This discussion should include Mike Mallett and the others that are involved. Chairman Thompson noted this is a safety issue; sitting back and feeling helpless is not the right thing to do if the Fire Chief, Road Agent and Police Chief all feel it’s a safety issue. The parking at Dundee has a chance of coming to a resolution with the parties involved. Aside from widening Main Street or adding signage, the options
there are limited. Coning off sections is expensive and the town doesn’t have that many cones. Solutions have expenses and issues.
Selectman Lockard noted Jackson is a pleasant tourist town; he doesn’t want to ticket and tow; he just wouldn’t do it. The town has an issue with parking and he’s not advocating spending more money for parking except over by the golf course as previously mentioned. The town can’t put the signs up and then not enforce them but Selectman Lockard urged the Board not to fight the public and the parents at soccer games. Road Agent Henry agrees with Selectman Lockard and noted if the town doesn’t want to tow then it has to explore parking options. He also clarified that there are going to be certain times when towing does have to be done. Chairman Thompson noted there’s a real area of trouble by the Wentworth; from the tennis court back through Wentworth Avenue there are no No Parking
signs so it is open for anybody to park. It’s a mindset to park here or continue down the street; parking on the roads is the issue.
Stan noted folks have to understand that this is a problem during Christmas week and during weekends of the ski season; it is not an overwhelming problem. He queried as to whether folks really want to upset a bunch of tourists. This isn’t a problem with the golfers and when soccer is on there is a problem on an occasional week night. Chairman Thompson asked Stan what he would do with this problem if he was in charge; Stan wants the Board to consider what he said early; whether there really is a major problem.
Nancy Davis noted this winter has provided awesome snow; every time it snows there is a big crowd at Doublehead; she has to go on to the other side of the road to get by. She can’t imagine what it is like for Road Agent Henry with the plow. Road Agent Henry pointed out that he doesn’t complain about fifty percent of the problems his Departments have; when there is something that is an issue we need to deal with it. The town has to ramp up and be proactive. Chairman Thompson wants to know what ramping up and being proactive means; does it mean increased signage, ticketing, towing? Road Agent Henry wants the town to do all of it. Two Ski Clubbers were ticketed and towed recently. That is one case where towing may solve it.
The Board has heard that this is a safety issue; since putting the new bright fluorescent yellow signs at the beginning of the Weeders’ driveway, folks haven’t parked there. They did spill out onto Dundee. Chief Jette suggested instead of adding signs to just change them to that color. Fire Chief/Road Agent Henry are talking about this; the Board would like them to bring some concrete ideas forward. This will be an action item for Chiefs Jette and Henry. Fire Chief/Road Agent Henry suggested cow catchers on the fire truck. Nancy suggested getting the Chamber involved; this was discussed earlier before she arrived and Chairman Thompson briefly reviewed that earlier discussion for her. This would make a good Work Session.
Dean noted there’s a wedding going at Whitney’s today; the place has two-hundred parking spaces and they were all parking in the road. Chief Jette will talk with Don (Bilger); he’s sure to rectify the issue.
Nancy noted at a previous meeting she asked about septic permits and why, when the town has the state plan, it has to have one recertified by Engineer Phillips. Inspector Bennett noted this is in the Zoning Ordinance; somewhere the town voted on having an independent check on septic systems. The Planning Board told Nancy the Selectmen set that requirement and to go back and talk to the Selectmen. There was an ordinance created. Fire Chief/Road Agent Henry noted a lot of towns do not get involved since the state is involved; some towns have to have their hands in it; they want to have their say. Bea wondered if the Selectmen can do away with ordinances it doesn’t like and Chairman Thompson noted the legislative body has to make the change; until then the ordinance has to be enforced.
Inspector Bennett noted he calls Engineer Phillips regarding any questions he has about septic plans. Nancy feels, at this point, Engineer Phillips is the only one that benefits from this. Fire Chief/Road Agent Henry noted Engineer Phillips provides a second set of eyes to make sure it’s done properly. While this doesn’t cost the town, it does cost the homeowner. Chairman Thompson reiterated citizens can petition a warrant article to remove an Ordinance.
Nancy had also asked a few meetings back if the town might be able to list by vendor how the expenses flow from the town. Bartlett does this and Jackson used to; she made the suggestion and is not sure where it went from there. She provided the Board with an example of what it looks like. She noted this shows who the town is doing business with; it shows a level of transparency. She thinks the town should do this; it stopped around 2005 or 2006.
Dean noted Conservation Commission Chair Larry Seibert put in their documents that there are to be no ATVs or off-road vehicles on Prospect Farm. Chairman Thompson noted the Board found nothing that was ever voted on. Dean noted the Selectmen okayed their use for Jackson residents. Chairman Thompson noted Office Administrator Atwell has the complete running dialog; the Selectmen never voted to allow Jackson Residents to use ATVs on Prospect Farm; she’ll provide him with a copy.
Selectman Lockard volunteered to be on the Parking Solutions group with Chief Jette and Fire Chief/Road Agent Henry.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:34 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by:
Martha D. Tobin
Recording Secretary
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