Town of New Boston
Selectmen's Meeting
August 11, 2008
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 Gordon Carlstrom 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 Hoyle-Tanner Lyndeborough Rd. Bridge
Matt Lowe, Jason Lodge and Ted Setas from Hoyle Tanner were present to meet with the Selectmen to discuss their proposals for replacement of the bridge on Lyndeborough Road.
Matt said they have been working all spring and summer evaluating the project. Ted discussed the road design alternatives. All the alternatives have some sort of right of way impact. Temporary easements will be required at each corner of the bridge. Any of the bridge options could go with any of the road alternatives. Alternative A has the least amount of environmental and right of way impact. It would just be widening of the bridge to 2 lanes and keeping the road structure and current 25 mile per hour design speed limit. Signs and stripes could be added to warn traffic of the intersection with Misty Meadow Road or a T-intersection similar to alternatives B and C could be added to alternative A if desired. Alternative B flattens the curve to the northeast and removes some pavement at Misty
Meadow Road to make it more like a T-intersection. This alternative has the greatest environmental and right of way impact and has a 30 mile per hour design speed. Alternative C reconfigures the intersection of Misty Meadow Road with a stop condition on Lyndeborough Road for maximum safety improvement and gives a 35-mile per hour design speed. A stop could be placed at Misty Meadow Road instead as less traffic comes from Misty Meadow Road than Lyndeborough Road and neither Road Agent John Riendeau or the Selectmen can remember an accident happening in this area. The Selectmen asked Hoyle Tanner to continue working on the road improvements by combining alternatives A and B.
Jason discussed the bridge style options and started by saying the current bridge is structurally deficient and complete replacement is necessary. Hoyle Tanner considered 5 bridge types, all with hydraulics and all will require the overhead utilities to be permanently moved to accommodate equipment. The existing abutments will not be salvageable. Stub abutments were not considered because the current abutments are too narrow. Dewatering with temporary earth support will be necessary. The cantilever system will be used. Tom Miller was present and suggested Mechanically stabilized earth wall wraparound (MSE) be used instead of a cofferdam because of the nature of the river and cost savings. Hoyle Tanner will consider further if this is feasible. Bridge option number 1 is a prestressed
concrete abutted boxbeam bridge with a 75-year service life. This provides the greatest hydraulic opening besides option number 5 and is of moderate expense. This is the design Hoyle Tanner prefers. Tom Miller was concerned about winter maintenance. Hoyle Tanner would design it with a synthetic fiber and waterproofing layer to prevent damage from winter maintenance. Option number 2 is the prestressed concrete girder bridge with a bigger beam depth and reduced hydraulic opening. This bridge type has the lowest expense. Option number 3 is the steel beam bridge with concrete depth with moderate structural depth and cost. This is the option Tom Miller recommends due to minimal effects of winter maintenance. Option number 4 is the prefabricated timber bridge and railing system. This has a higher cost but is pleasing to look at in rural settings. The town already has several of this type. This has a 50-year service
life. Option number 5 is the precast concrete buried arch configuration with an 88-foot span compared to 65-foot span of the other options. This type would have more impact to woodland, buffer and environmental impact. Bedrock would have to be removed and replaced with soil. This bridge has been used minimally in the region and there is little known about maintenance. This type is nice to look at and is the most expensive alternative. The Selectmen chose bridge option number 3 and asked Hoyle Tanner to design this bridge and work on adding the MSE.
2. 7:45 PM Mike Carter
Mike Carter from MBC Timber in Bradford was present to discuss the timber trespass at the railroad bed. He reviewed the memorandum with the forester and the Conservation Commission’s recommendations on how to repair the damage. The Conservation Commission is looking for monetary compensation so someone other than Mike can repair it. Mike says he didn’t intend to do damage and it was not negligence on his part and he is willing to work with the Conservation Commission to fix it. He agrees with the forester’s recommendation but has doubts that the blueberry plants and trees will survive without care and watering. Mike recently went to the area and noticed erosion on the Garretson’s property but didn’t look at the town property. Kim Burkhamer from the Conservation Commission
said the Commission wants the trail fixed to contain erosion and wants growth to hide the other area. She said there are erosion and damage problems and on July 26 after the recent heavy rains she took pictures showing sediment going into the river. Willard Dodge was also present and said he saw the damage last summer and viewed it again today and was concerned about containment due to the horizontal nature of the skid trails and noticed there is now a seasonal brook there which will work itself into a hole which he is also concerned about. Mike suggested establishing water bars to fix this. Willard also agrees with Kim’s recommendation of planting trees but doesn’t want the ground on the town’s side disturbed as new natural growth has already started to come in but the Garretson’s side should be fixed. The Conservation Commission will work with Mike to itemize what needs to be done on the hill and give it to the Selectmen
within the next couple days. Mike will prepare a proposal and give it to Burton tomorrow and the Conservation Commission will meet Wednesday afternoon to discuss it. Attorney Karyl Martin from Sheehan, Phinney, Bass and Green was present representing the Garretsons and said they desire this issue to be resolved. They also give permission for Mike to work on their land to resolve the issue.
D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
1. Minutes of July 28, 2008 - The Selectmen reviewed the minutes. Corrections were noted. David moved that they be accepted as amended. Christine seconded the motion. All were in favor.
2. Non-Public Minutes of August 1, 2008 - The Selectmen reviewed the non-public minutes. David moved that they be accepted as presented. Christine seconded the motion. All were in favor.
E. OLD BUSINESS:
1. Planning:
· A special meeting will be held tomorrow night to discuss the bond reduction for Twin Bridge Land Management.
· The Planning Board will consider the parameters for calling special meetings at their next regular meeting as they are on a once per month meeting schedule, however special meetings may occasionally need to be called.
2. Survey-
· The Evaluation training meetings are scheduled for tomorrow.
· The personnel manual committee met last Friday. They have reviewed the changes to chapters 1-4. The committee requested to be allowed to continue meeting every 6 months to make changes but the Selectmen are not in favor of that and recommended following the “change” procedure established in the manual that calls for employees to be notified in advance of any proposed amendments. The Selectmen will make final approval of all changes.
· The Retirement Committee will meet with Michael Fortier at their next meeting to discuss the 457 plan.
· Toni from Primex replied regarding the job descriptions. Burton will work on them with her further.
3. Twin Bridge Gravel Letter-Kim Burkhamer was present to meet with the Selectmen to discuss the status of Twin Bridge Land Management’s gravel operation. She said they have been putting stumps in lot 2-62 and burying them which is legal but prohibited on their DES site specific plans. The subdivision plans also show they will be a commercial gravel pit but so far they have not applied for a permit. The Selectmen need to know what their plans are and need to know how much material has been removed. The Selectmen gave them a 15,000-yard limit and need to know how much of that has been used. Kim said they are also pushing limits on their test pit depth. Mary Pinkham-Langer from DRA will contact DES about this, as Twin Bridge didn’t
notify DES that they don’t have a commercial permit and are only doing incidental. DES will be contacting them about following the site specific. The original permit for the 8.1 acres is no longer in force. The 5,000-yard area seems to be done and needs to be reclaimed. Kim has the reclamation bond. Kim plans to return their checks with a letter saying their commercial gravel pit application was denied, asking what their reclamation plans are and asking them to meet with the Selectmen again. The distribution of the material to go to each site will be reviewed with them at the meeting. Mary, Kim and Building Inspector Ed Hunter recently visited the pit. Kim felt Ed should view it again when he looks at the home sites. When they were there they noticed the subdivision lots look delineated on Page Lane and the road is paved and they are still building on Twin Bridge Road. If Twin Bridge wants additional incidental they
will have to send in another application. Kim recently learned from Mary that the incidental material has to be used by March 2009 or it will be taxable on April 1, 2009. This will be included in the letter. Kim and Burton will work on the letter to Twin Bridge.
4. Footbridge Proposals Meeting Date-The meeting will be Monday August 18 at 6:30. 6 engineering firms will present to the committee. The committee will consist of Brenda Lind from the Conservation Commission, Dave from the Selectmen, Burton, Sandi Van Scoyoc from the Footbridge Committee, and Peter Hogan from the Planning Board.
F. NEW BUSINESS:
1. Building Permit Fees For Non-Profits-Willard Dodge was present on behalf of the 4-H Foundation as they plan to build a new building on the site where the steel building fell down over the winter and they request the Selectmen waive the building permit fees for this project. He said the 4-H insurance premium has almost doubled this year and they don’t know how they are going to pay it. They have made almost nothing on their gravel operation this year. Dave Elliot will work on the lot tomorrow. Dave moved the Selectmen waive the building department fees for the 4-H Foundation for replacement of the so-called steel bridge. Christine seconded the motion. All were in favor. Plans for the new building were submitted to
Building Inspector Ed Hunter. A wood building erected by A&B on the existing foundation is planned. The Selectmen suggested he contact Transfer Station Manager Gerry Cornett and Road Agent John Riendeau to see if they have any ground up wood chips he can use at the site.
2. MS-4 (Revenues) For Tax Rate Setting-This will be ready for Selectmen’s signature once Paula the town accountant inputs the changes from the town departments. This is due to the DRA September 1, 2008.
3. Properties Up For Deed-There are 3 properties up for deed. Tax Collector Ann Charbonneau will talk to Rhoda Hebert’s daughter Roberta Hebert or Billy Hebert about Rhoda’s property on Route 13 to determine how they plan to pay the back taxes. The State of NH already has a lien for most of the amount of the property value. The state will be called to determine if the state or town lien takes precedence. Town Attorney Bill Drescher will consulted on this if necessary. Roger Noonan has a payment plan to keep him out of the deed process.
G. OTHER:
1. Frank Kochanek will return to work at the Police Department as a patrolman.
2. The Police Chief is considering replacing the Police Department’s Expedition in 2009 but the Selectmen aren’t convinced that is a good idea. They will discuss it at the meeting with the Finance Committee meeting Thursday.
H. PUBLIC COMMENT: No comments at this time.
I. ADJOURNMENT: David made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:50 PM. Christine seconded the motion. All were in favor.
Prepared by Maralyn Segien
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