Town of Lyme
Board of Selectmen
Minutes for October 3, 2007
1. The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen convened at 8:00 AM in the Fire Station training room. The following attended the entire meeting: Simon Carr, Dick Jones and Charles Ragan. The following attended parts of the meeting: Bookkeeper/Secretary Dina Cutting, Administrative Assistant Carole Bont, Police Chief Pauline Field, Police Office Shaun O’Keefe, Don Elder, Bruce Elder (Plainfield Volunteer Fire Department), Zoning Administrator Vickie Davis, Treasurer Andrea Colgan and Frank Bowles.
2. Sealed bids for the old FAST squad truck were opened. They were:
Recordridge Farm, Lyme $1602.00
Frederic S Coley, Windsor, VT $1656.00
Paula & Arend Tensen, Lyme $1751.00
Larmie Construction, Bethel, VT $4200.00
Plainfield Volunteer Fire Dept. Plainfield, NH “$500 above the highest bid to a maximum of $5000”
It was unclear whether the PVFD bid was valid. Advice was taken from town counsel, who ruled that this was valid. Simon moved that the Board accept the PVFD bid, seconded by Charles and the Board agreed unanimously.
3. Don commended the Highway Department for the parking lot work carried out at the Lyme Center Academy Building.
4. Town Offices:
a. Pauline reviewed the original proposal for Vickie to operate out of the Police station: Pauline would move her office to the second floor and Vickie would use the front section as the Planning & Zoning office; there would need to be a door separating the Police Department from Planning & Zoning. There was a discussion on how this proposal had been arrived at. Vickie confirmed that she could work with this proposal.
Further discussion by the staff after the meeting resulted in their modifying the above proposal to have Dina and Andrea move to the Police Station and Carole and Vickie to move into the main office space, Elise into Vickie’s old office, and the files moving into the current selectmen’s office. The main issue for this proposal is the installation of egress windows in both the Town Clerk’s and main office spaces.
No decision was made on which proposal to implement pending a time and cost estimate.
b. Pauline was authorized to investigate upgrading the Police Station Internet connection to high speed.
c. Simon confirmed that he had talked with Luke and Leigh Prince regarding the location of a document trailer behind the town offices, but within the setback to their property line. They had no objection to the proposed location. As this location had already been agreed with the trustees, Dina will go ahead with getting the trailer in.
5. Shoestrap Road: The board determined that the eastern turnaround was within the 50ft right of way and there was no necessity for an easement from Crossroads Academy. Because of the possibility of citizens attempting to use the Class VI road as a highway, despite the dangerous conditions, it was agreed that the gates will be padlocked. All fire department and police department vehicles must have keys to the padlocks.
6. Frank Bowles came in to discuss the guying of the wireless tower at the fire station. At the last minute, Michael Hinsley had to cancel. Because of its location the guying for the tower is not standard. Frank showed pictures of the initial (failing) guy brackets. The Board agreed that before the tower is erected the design be approved by a licensed professional engineer. Charles will talk to Joe Truss regarding our concerns.
7. The following administrative matters were discussed and actions taken:
a. The minutes and non-public session minutes for September 26 were approved with minor amendments.
b. No manifest was prepared. There may be some welfare checks to be included in next week’s manifest.
c. Three supplemental Intent to Cut applications were signed for:
i. David Roby map 409, lot 45 (storm damage)
ii. David Roby map 410, lot 9.1 (storm damage)
iii. David Roby map 410, lot 9.2 (storm damage)
d. A new Intent to Cut application was signed for:
i. William and Ann Bokerman Map 410 lot 10.2 (storm damage)
e. The Board approved vacation requests for:
Vickie October 10th through 12th
Carole December 17th through 31st
f. Dina will prepare third quarter spreadsheets for the Board.
g. The 9-1-1 liaison forms for Don Elder and Linda Goodrich were approved and signed.
h. Dick signed the application on behalf of the Board for the grant for the Natural Resources Inventory undertaken by Watershed to Wildlife.
8. Beaver Dams and Ball Fields:
a. Rod Finley had broken down the Pathways estimate for preparing the bid documents for the ball field. The initial survey work, which should give sufficient information for a contractor to price accurately is $3,500. Dina had confirmed with DRA that the “playing field” account is a designated fund that the Board has authority to use. The Board unanimously voted to authorize Pathways to undertake the initial survey work and signed the contract accordingly.
b. There was a discussion on the beaver dams. After reviewing the Conservation Commission decision not to authorize a breach of the dams, the Board overruled the Commission and authorized a 6” breach in the lower dam on Clay Brook. In view of the water levels in Trout Brook both up and downstream of the Route 10 bridge, the Board unanimously voted to authorize NHDOT to remove the dams on Trout Brook and trap the beavers.
9. Treasurer: Andrea came in to discuss the town Investment Policy. The Board approved and signed the revised Investment Policy. Andrea said that there had been no appropriate training available this year but that she would want to keep it in the budget for next year.
10. At 9:23 AM Dick moved and Simon seconded a motion to go into non-public session under the authority of RSA 91-A:3 II(a) – “The dismissal, promotion or compensation of any public employee”. The motion carried by unanimous roll-call vote. Andrea Colgan, Dina Cutting, Simon Carr, Dick Jones and Charles Ragan attended the non-public session. The Board returned to public session at 9:34 AM.
11. There was discussion on setting the tax rate. The Board agreed to follow the GASB guidelines in terms of and overlay
12. At 9:40 AM the meeting recessed until 11:30 AM at the Town Offices.
13. The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen continued at 11:30 AM on Wednesday October 3 in the Town Offices. The following attended the entire meeting: Administrative Assistant Carole Bont, Simon Carr, Dick Jones, Assessing Assistant Elise Garrity and Bob Anderson, NH Department of Revenue Administration.
14. The meeting discussed and agreed a provisional tax rate. This will be reviewed and confirmed by DRA in due course.
The Meeting adjourned at 12:55 PM.
Simon Carr
Recorder
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