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Board of Selectmen Minutes -- 06/11/2015
Selectmen’s Board Meeting
June 11, 2015
Present:        John Allen, Chairman; Bob Thompson and Bill Lockard, Selectmen

Visitors:       Town Office Administrator Julie Atwell, Building Inspector Kevin Bennett, Bea Davis, Stan Weiss, Edith Houlihan, Lichen Rancourt

Chairman John Allen called the meeting to order at 4:32 p.m.

  • Amend & approve minutes
  • Selectmen’s Meeting – May 28, 2015  This was tabled as the minutes are in draft form.  
  • Update on 5.28.15 Action Items
  • Double Head Parking  Chairman Allen read an email received from Steve Weeder; it is as follows:  
On Memorial Day weekend I had the opportunity to witness the results of the current no parking signage.  Several people parked on the street, simply maintaining distance from signs.  Some drove down my driveway, and after I kindly explained the parking situation, they chose to park in the middle of the trail!  I appreciate the effort by all involved to find a long term solution to this problem, however I think we need to consider some more interim action that should include a sign at the existing parking area that states exactly what the parking options are and where the trail is located.  Please also consider allowing street parking until we have the proper solution in place.  

The town has to address this; there have been inconsiderate people up there.  Selectman Lockard noted Chief Jette is not able to attend tonight and should have input on this; people parking in the road is an issue.  Bea Davis suggested folks be allowed to park on one side of the road during the summer when there’s no plowing.  When the town held its barbeque with fifteen hundred attending, parking on one side of the road was allowed.  Selectman Thompson asked about the Forest Service lot and Chairman Allen noted the Forest Service is not in favor of doing that lot.  It is cost-prohibitive and five to seven years out with the engineering; it is a nice alternative but they are thinking of abandoning that idea.  They might reconsider putting a new path further up but the current owner states he will fight that.  Selectman Thompson thought it was three to five years out and now it’s five to seven.  The traffic issue is driven by people who want to use Forest Service land; they don’t want to be a reasonable part of the solution.  The Beals could boulder that lot and there’d be no parking at all.  Then people would park on the road, which is an issue that has been brought to the Board.  If that lot got bouldered and Jackson’s No Parking signs stood he’s sure it would compress the Forest Service’s timetable; this is their problem.  Chairman Allen noted the Forest Service wanted to work on the Beal entranceway which would be the cheapest.  There was discussion of shutting the whole thing down; the Forest Service is financially strapped.  James Beal talked to Chairman Allen and threw out another option which would be to subdivide that lot out and end the liability for the Beals.  In talking with Breanne from JXC there is the potential for adding a recreational use clause which would release everybody from liability.  JXC will have to deal with it this winter; the Board will try to get it in place by next year.  Selectman Thompson is concerned with encroachment on a private owner’s land; there needs to be a solution that doesn’t take away his rights to use his property.  It’s a life safety issue.  Bea suggested the Board talk to their Senators.  It makes sense to continue on with the current discussion.  Selectman Lockard will talk to Road Agent Henry regarding signage.  Selectman Lockard thinks allowing parking on one side is a liability; what happens when someone parks on one side and blocks part of the road.  If the Forest Service isn’t going to embrace a change to the parking lot then the town should put a policeman up there and tell them there’s no parking.  If the Board doesn’t address this then it is making parking illegally part of the solution.  Selectman Lockard noted the Board doesn’t have the authority to say they have the right to park illegally.  He suggests taking the signs down on one side and then add heavy signage up there in the winter.  The Board has been made aware of folks parking in front of Steve’s driveway.  Stan asked what makes the Board think folks will park on one side only; he thinks the Board is now saying that it’s ok to park there.  This is not the town’s responsibility.  The Board is trying to help Steve out but the town can’t get help from the Forest Service and it’s their responsibility.  Steve Weeder doesn’t have to allow hikers access to that trailhead and the Beals own the parking lot.    

Building Inspector Bennett noted Douglas Mountain in Maine has a very famous hiking trail.  They put in a parking lot a quarter of a mile down the road from the trail otherwise parking is banned.  They have signs; hikers are compliant and there is a shuttle from town.  There’s nothing that says where to park and a quarter mile hike isn’t anything; they are there to hike.  During non-plowing time do one side only to encourage folks; then ticket if they are parking on the wrong side.  Selectman Thompson is concerned about starting a habit that will carry over to the winter.  Parking could end up bottlenecked with not enough room for traffic; that is not solving the problem.  The minute the Board allows parking up there the town is opened up for liability.  This is an agenda level item.  Selectman Lockard will talk to Chief Jette; Chairman Allen will call the Forest Service too; the Forest Service needs to know the Board is talking about shutting down the lot.  Chairman Allen noted the parties are still talking about expanding the existing lot which was the original plan.  The Beals are going to talk to their people regarding liability; they offered the possibility of subdividing a lot off with a MOU to use it.  Breanne is also stepping up to offer her expertise.

  • Upcoming Selectmen’s meeting dates  The next meeting is June 25th; July meetings are the 9th and 23rd.  Selectman Thompson may have a conflict with the 25th.  
  • Public Comment  There were no Public Comments.
  • Building Inspector
  • Weekly Report – Kevin Bennett  Inspector Bennett reviewed activities since the last meeting.  Two bids came in for the roof; he wants to go with the lower bid and wants to add insulation to get the roof closer to the recommended R-49 (it’s currently R-19).  The roofer will also open up the soffit vents.  It cost the town nineteen thousand dollars to heat the building; this work will lower the heating bill.  The amount budgeted for the roof should also cover the insulation.  There is also indication of mice so De-Con has been put out.  
Inspector Bennett has looked over the permit fees for the last five years; there’s been five million a year in new construction.  The fees from the inspections are supposed to cover his salary at sixteen hours a week.  He calculates revenue coming in at around ten to eleven thousand dollars while twenty thousand was budgeted for his salary plus miscellaneous expenses; revenue is going to be short.  The fees are set by the International Code Council and the figures haven’t changed in five years.  Additionally, the cost of construction is more here than in Chicago, which is the area that the ICC uses for setting its rates.  He reviewed what he’d like to set for fees.  He’d like the Board to think about this.  A recent two-hundred forty four thousand dollar permit pulled fees of six hundred thirty seven dollars.  Inspector Bennett had to go out to that location four times.  With the new rate, that permit would be one thousand five dollars.  He has to go out to look at the foundation, footings and poured walls; then he goes out to look after it’s framed.  If there’s a fireplace insert he has to look at that.  There are Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing inspections and the final, Occupancy inspection.  

Selectman Thompson pointed out this isn’t on the agenda and he’s not prepared to get into this tonight.  Selectman Lockard and Inspector Bennett will work to formalize what is being presented for a separate Work Session.  It’s time to take a comprehensive look and determine if he is staying within the revenues being brought in.  This will be in on the agenda for the July 9th meeting.  

  • Driveway Permit – Map V-07 Lot 126
  • Driveway Permit – Map R-12 Lot 07
  • Building Permit 2015000021 Map R14 Lot 08 – (Owner – Town of Jackson – 54 Main Street) – Install 2 exterior lights on office building
  • Town Office – Roof Estimates   Selectman Thompson, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to accept the bid from Mike Lyons Roof Repair for the roof repair at the Town Office.  The motion passed unanimously.  Inspector Bennett and Office Administrator Atwell will work on this.
  • New Business
  • Jackson Public Library – Story Walk around the Library  Lichen and Edith are in attendance tonight to discuss an initiative to keep kids engaged over the summer.  This will provide passive programming; kids come in and it doesn’t require any added staff.  The kids will walk around on a path with pages from a storybook set out along the path.  The Board wondered if Lichen felt they needed permission to do this; Lichen believes it’s important to get permission to use town property.  The Board agrees this is a good community project.  Lichen will work with Road Agent Henry regarding placement of the signboards and lawn mowing.    
  • Report of cut – Signatures Required  Selectman Thompson, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to sign the Report of Cut for THAN Unit 29.  The motion passed unanimously.  
  • Trustees of Trust Funds – Signatures Required (2 docs)  Selectman Thompson, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to deposit into the funds in accordance with Town Warrant Articles 16 - five thousand dollars into the Bridge Repair Expendable Trust Fund; 15 - five thousand dollars into the Dry Hydrant Expendable Trust Fund; 12 - thirty thousand dollars into the State Aid Reconstruction Expendable Fund; and 9 - fifty thousand into the Road Reconstruction Capital Reserve Fund.  The motion passed unanimously.
Selectman Thompson, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to withdraw eight hundred dollars from the Bridge Repair Expendable Trust Fund to pay Invoice 407886 from Mountain Valley Fab Shop for welding on the Valley Cross Road Bridge.  The motion passed unanimously.  

  • Red Fox – Liquor License Extension Request  Selectman Thompson, seconded by Selectman Lockard, made a motion to approve the Liquor License Extension Request to include service in the tent.  The motion passed unanimously.  
  • Old Business  There was no Old Business.
  • Public Comment  There were no Public Comments.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:20 p.m.
                                                
                                        Respectfully submitted by:      

                                        Martha D. Tobin

                                        Recording Secretary