Town of New Boston
Selectmen's Meeting
September 17, 2007
PRESENT: Gordon Carlstrom Selectman
David Woodbury Selectman
Christine Quirk Selectman
Burton Reynolds Town Administrator
A. CALL TO ORDER: A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was called to order by Christine Quirk at 7:00PM beginning with the Pledge of Allegiance.
B. PUBLIC COMMENT: No public comments were made at this time.
C. APPOINTMENTS:
1. 7:00 PM Public Hearing-FEMA Rain Event grant
This public hearing was noticed to accept funds from FEMA related to the April rain event. The money is in from the grant. When funds are accepted they usually go to the revenue budget but in this case, under RSA 31:95-b, the funds can be used to pay the expenses related to the rain event and be exempt from RSA 32 which restricts spending to only what was approved in the town budget. The amount is $173,000 and that covers what Road Agent John Riendeau has repaired so far from the April rain event. The Highway Department still has work to do at Howe Bridge and Tucker Mill Road. No funds are expected from the state. The federal (FEMA) grant covers about 75% of the repair costs. Gordon moved to exit the public hearing. David seconded the motion. Gordon moved to accept the FEMA money
under RSA 31:95-b. David seconded the motion. All were in favor.
2. 7:05 PM Cemetery Trustees
Chairman Chris Golomb, Warren Houghton and Clete Pierce of the Cemetery Trustees were present with Steve Racine to meet with the Selectmen to discuss the plans for the new portion of the cemetery. It shows spaces for 1000 full size graves and a cremation area with 91 lots were ground level stones would be used. 4, 2 and single grave lots are available. 4 grave lots could be changed to 2 grave lots and some cremated remains could be buried in the full size grave area to be with family or if the person wanted a large headstone. There is some restriction on size of headstones in areas for mowing and maintenance purposes. The grass in the new section needs work after the dry August but is getting better. Steel pins are in place to help identify the lot boundaries. A 4 grave lot costs approximately
$900 but the trustees will call around to towns in the area to find out what they charge and will adjust the price to become comparable to surrounding towns and cities. They will send something with the recommended price to the Selectmen before the next Selectmen’s meeting and the Selectmen will vote on it. Money collected for graves goes into the cemetery trust fund. Maintenance of cemetery is funded partly by the trust fund and partly by the town operating budget. To be buried in the town cemetery a person has to be a resident of the town and be on the checklist. Some monies remain from the Warrant Article used to build the new section of the cemetery. Warren will check to be sure nothing still needs to be done to complete the project. Steve will make 3 sets of the plans, 1 for the trustees, 1 for the town hall and 1 laminated set. Runoff from clearcutting near the wall was discussed but Warren doesn’t think it is a
problem. He walked there with Conservation and didn’t see anything. Slash piles were left at the time to slow down the water runoff but these are looking better now that vegetation is growing in.
3. 7:15 PM Chief Krajenka Police Department
Police Chief Chris Krajenka was present with Chip from Cencom to meet with the Selectmen to discuss the second antenna grant. The original quote from R&R Communications and grant application didn’t include a receiver needed for radio communication. Chris is now working with Cencom to get the proper equipment, which will cost an additional $16,000 beyond the $24,000 grant money received. Chris is working with Pam at the state and the commissioner to see if all or part of the $16,000 could be funded by leftover grant money but Chris won’t know the answer until December. The original $24,000 grant must be spent and the system must be working by March 1, 2008 or the grant money will be lost. This cannot wait for appropriation at the March vote. Chip said Cencom plans to put a repeater on
the Dodge tower to get portable radio transmissions to the station and will sell New Boston a system that works. This would be for police only at this time but fire and highway could add on in the future for approximately $30,000. Jim and Claire Dodge are getting Chris and Chip the information on who currently owns that tower. Burton said $16,000 could be found in the Transfer Station budget if necessary to cover until the state decides how much additional grant money available for New Boston. Chip said the proposed Highway tower could help in the future where another receiver could deploy wireless communication from vehicles but wouldn’t help with communication to the Ridgeview tower.
Project 54 is a grant program for police vehicle technology and will give New Boston 4 computers, lightbars, sound packages and other improvements valued at $50,000 for line cars. Chris expects this to be installed around Thanksgiving.
D. Move to enter Non-Public Session: Gordon made a motion to go into Non-Public session per RSA 91-A:3II(a) at 7:55 PM. David seconded the motion. All were in favor.
E. Move to exit Non-Public Session: Gordon made a motion to exit Non-Public Session at 8:10 PM. David seconded the motion. All were in favor.
· Carrie Jenks approached Chris at the fair with concerns about speed on Molly Stark Lane. He told her about the radar trailer coming and the department’s efforts to control speed in town. The officers have been making a lot of traffic stops recently despite the problems with shift coverage. Chris formally thanked the Livable Walkable Communities Committee for their work in collecting $4,000 toward the radar trailer and will send them a thank you letter and publish an article in the New Boston Bulletin. The trailer will be ordered after October 1. It will have security features and be lettered by Brown Graphix. It is capable of providing
traffic counts, average speed and other information, which can then be downloaded onto a laptop.
· The Child Advocacy Center wrote again this year asking for $2,000. They asked for $1,000 last year, which New Boston did send. Chris recommends sending them $2,000 this year. He has already used them three times and said their services are an invaluable tool due to their interviews, follow through and help to the town.
· The New Boston Police Department was mentioned in some complimentary articles in the Goffstown News recently.
· Chris reviewed some shift coverage options with the Selectmen and prefers option #2 for 10 hour shifts which provides for 2 officers on duty most of the time and extends coverage from 5AM to 11PM and even 2AM Thursday through Saturday.
· The new officer hiring process is almost done. The first candidate is getting a polygraph soon and the second is getting a polygraph in November. Chris anticipates hiring in December and they would begin the police academy in January. The police academy has a new director who has improved their procedures and they have asked Chris to help out on some committees.
4. 7:45 PM Nicola Strong Communications
Planning coordinator Nic Strong was present to meet with the Selectmen to discuss her concerns about Town Administrator and Selectmen communication with the employees. She first gave the Selectmen a letter she received from Town Attorney Bill Drescher about the off site improvement formula. The Selectmen will review it and decide how to get the information to Right Way Builders.
Nic sent the Selectmen an e-mail on August 10 after listening to the tapes from the August 2, 2007 Selectmen’s meeting when she was surprised that the Selectmen were surprised at the comments from the employee survey. She said she and other Department Heads mentioned these same comments and issues to the Selectmen in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006. She said she keeps bringing up these issues because she cares about her job and the town and expects more results this time. She feels the prior comments were ignored and wonders how did the comments slip through the cracks before? She asked if the Town Administrator and Selectmen could keep the employees informed through memos when new employees are hired and when they make a decision on an issue or if they feel and issue doesn’t need changing and why. She said some easy changes have already been made since the survey. She and the other employees feel another simple change would be to change the direction Burton’s desk is facing
and if it can’t be done, let the employees know. Communication is a major complaint of the employees and this can be improved by keeping people informed through memos. Burton said these things will be discussed during the “roles committee” where portions of his job and different ways of communicating will be discussed. His office is planned to be redesigned in 2 years. At a recent Department Head meeting Nic said she mentioned that she feels discussion often ends at Burton. She expected him to ask her about that after the meeting but he didn’t and may be waiting for a committee to deal with it. The Selectmen have asked the Department Heads to fill out a review form for Burton but they did that in 2003, so Nic wants to know how the Selectmen plan to follow up this time? The Selectmen said the Department Heads should act like Department Heads and not employees sometimes. They need to disseminate the information
the Selectmen and Town Administrator give them to the employees and sometimes that doesn’t happen. The Selectmen don’t expect any new issues to come up in Burton’s review. Burton expects to define who is responsible for follow up and how to follow up on certain issues during the “roles committee” discussion. The employees want direct communication back from the Selectmen. Nic feels Burton should attend some workshops on active listening and the Selectmen feel some Department Heads should do the same. Nic also feels some Department Heads need some training. The Selectmen plan to discuss management responsibilities with the Department Heads within the “roles committee.” The Selectmen said if people have been told they can’t be contacted they should send memos directly to the Selectmen to notify them of issues.
F. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
1. Minutes of September 4, 2007 - The Selectmen reviewed the minutes. Corrections were noted. David moved that they be accepted as amended. Gordon seconded the motion. All were in favor.
G. OLD BUSINESS:
1. Planning:
· The Board discussed the 200 square foot frontage requirement and decided front corner lots can have 100 square feet on each road. Stu will look into a better way to place the 200 square feet on a curve.
· Fairbairn subdivision-There was a lot of discussion on where to site the house and about the runoff to Pheasant Lane. They discussed the 200 square foot placement on Bob Todd’s plans. The new lot might need a specified building envelope.
· Twin Bridge subdivision-23 lots instead of 39 lots are planned. 4 large lots are not part of the subdivision. 2 lots will have no future development and 1 lot is mostly water so the only use for it is to put a road through to get to Lull Road. The remaining contain the current gravel pit and can be further developed after the pit is closed. The gravel piece is not part of the scope of this project. After the gravel is gone it will be developed but needs a road to get to it. The developer will have to buy land from a neighbor to do this. There is no conservation easement. They will use surface power. Some houses will have
sprinklers and some will use the cistern. Sitewalk scheduled for September 22. Meeting with the Planning Board again September 25.
· Young subdivision-The subdivision will generate 40 cars per day. The Young’s were looking for a complete waiver of the impact fees but the Board decided they were entitled to ½ impact fees with land deeded to the town. They will do some roadwork after talking to Road Agent John Riendeau.
· Compliance hearing for Crowell auto restoration 450 Chestnut Hill Road.
· PSNH needs a public hearing scheduled for the poles they are replacing.
2. Survey-The representative from NH Retirement will meet with the employees Wednesday afternoon. The roles committee will meet after that. Burton showed the Selectmen some subjects to be discussed in the roles committee and they hope the list will be condensed after they are discussed. The health insurance committee has already met.
H. NEW BUSINESS:
1. Plantier Current Use Exception-Gordon moved to follow Assessor George Hildum’s recommendation to grant Plantier the current use exception. David seconded the motion. All were in favor.
2. Job Descriptions Form Format-Burton provided the Selectmen with a sample current job description and a sample format from the Local Government Center. The Selectmen reviewed a letter he prepared to the Department Heads about the new preferred format for the Selectmen’s review.
3.Capitol Trash Letter-Gerry is still looking at the information to see if Capitol Trash is owed a refund. The Selectmen will then send a letter to Capitol Trash informing them of the decision and including a copy of the new Transfer Station rules and regulations.
I. OTHER:
1. Burt DeYoung called the Selectmen as he cut some branches on River Road during a snowstorm that were a danger to the public. He is now dealing with the state about it as it is a scenic drive and he did not ask for permission. He requests the Selectmen send a letter to the state within 2 weeks. Burton will meet with him to get the details and the Selectmen will then send a letter to the state including mention of some other hazardous trees along that road that should be removed.
2. The Selectmen asked Burton to find out when Bog Road will be completed. Road Agent John Riendeau is still waiting for some permits to come in. John recently attended a seminar about the permit process. Burton will remind him to call to follow up about the permits tomorrow. Burton has prepared a paving plan to be discussed with the Selectmen. The Highway Department repaired the drain just up from the intersection of Clark Hill and Thorton Roads.
3. Kim Burkhamer’s brother recently passed away. Christine wants the town to make it a routine to send flowers when an employee’s family member passes away.
J. PUBLIC COMMENT: No comments at this time.
K. ADJOURNMENT: Gordon made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 10:45 PM. David seconded the motion. All were in favor.
Prepared by Maralyn Segien
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