Town of New Boston
Selectmen's Meeting
February 17, 2009
PRESENT: Gordon Carlstrom Selectman Absent
David Woodbury electman
Christine Quirk Selectman
Burton Reynolds own Administrator
A. CALL TO ORDER: A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was called to order by David Woodbury at 7:00PM beginning with the Pledge of Allegiance.
B. PUBLIC COMMENT: None.
C. APPOINTMENTS:
1. 7:00 PM Dog Ordinance Opportunity For Discussion
A notice of public hearing was not published in a newspaper but it was posted in 2 public places. Also, this ordinance about muzzling and restraining dogs was discussed at the Deliberative Session and people were told then that this discussion was scheduled. The Deliberative Session was the public hearing required under the RSA and this is an opportunity for further public comment. No public were present to discuss this ordinance and the hearing was concluded.
2. 7:05 PM John Riendeau Highway Department
Road Agent John Riendeau was present to meet with the Selectmen to update them on projects the Highway Department is working on.
· John attended a meeting last week regarding the state’s rural warning sign program the town is considering becoming involved in. John discussed this at a fall Selectmen’s meeting. He received a copy of a binding contract for the Selectmen’s signature between the state and the town which the town doesn’t find too burdensome other than regular maintenance where the signs may need replacement every 7-10 years or if they are broken or no longer meet the standard. Now John is waiting for the state to determine how many signs they will erect. The state will come to town to review all the roads in town and could replace some existing warning signs to make them compatible with the new retro-reflectivity sign laws. John feels the signs
should be changed to retro-reflectivity signs. The contract is now waiting for signature then will be sent to the state and they will set up a meeting with John to review roads. The state gave John a map showing areas in town that have had a lot of accidents based on filed police reports but also asked John if there are other areas he is aware of that commonly have accidents and may need signs. John has the final say on all areas that receive signs and asked the Selectmen for their input on areas that may need warning signs. The federal government is mandating starting a sign management program and the state will also come in and download a computer program to help with that at no charge. John has looked into similar computer programs that could have cost the town approximately $500. Christine moved to authorize Burton to sign in triplicate the contract between the state and the town on behalf of the town. David seconded the motion.
All were in favor.
· David asked about some drilling he noticed on Shirley Hill Road in Goffstown and John said the company was core drilling to see what is under the pavement as they are probably planning to do some work there. We did the same thing on Lyndeborough Road in planning to replace the bridge and on Doherty Lane to locate the ledge.
· John chose the body to be installed on the 10-wheeler if it is approved at voting in March.
· John took the ’97 International to the garage for a clutch and while the transmission was out they noticed the rear main seal in the motor was leaking and there was a crack under the cab. John had these repaired as well.
· Burton said a note came in from Southern NH Planning Commission about the multi-town purchasing program. John has not been involved in that and doesn’t know of any surrounding road agents that are but will ask at the next road agent meeting.
· John has not yet prepared the information on the December ice storm but will try to get it done tomorrow so the FEMA Application for reimbursement can be submitted.
3. 7:30 PM Sandi Van Scoyoc Request For Qualifications Process
Sandi Van Scoyoc met with the Selectmen to discuss her experience in how to make decisions when receiving bids and proposals. She said she has been in the grant making field since the late ‘70’s mostly for non-profits and has been in the position to review and choose who will get funds and offered to provide the town with some assistance in a process of how to choose engineers and contractors for town work focused on the qualifications of the firm to do the work. She stressed the need for discipline in objectivity and to get people on board to review bids and proposals as soon as they go out and as quickly as possible. She gave the Selectmen a sample form to use that would need to be filled out where criteria would be listed and each criteria would be given a score from more important to least important and
a place for comments on each criteria. The form would then be given to Burton to then distribute the information to the appropriate parties. The reviewing committee can also add criteria to the form but if it is not on the form it cannot be introduced later. Scores can be changed as criteria are discussed at the meeting to complete the form. Burton also suggested the process could be melded with the process Brian Dorwart proposed for the Highway department which is more focused on price than qualifications. Sandi offered to help facilitate the process the first time the town uses it.
D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
1. Minutes of January 20, 2009 - The Selectmen reviewed the minutes. Christine moved that they be accepted as amended. David seconded the motion. All were in favor.
E. OLD BUSINESS:
1. Planning:
Gordon attended the last Planning Board meeting but is not present tonight to report on it. David attended the meeting prior to that where Attorney Dwight Sowerby explained the Planning Board doesn’t have the authority they think they do over driveways. He said they have jurisdiction over the area between the driveway and the town right-of-way and over the subdivision process. He suggested they amend their regulations to require driveways to be as-builts to avoid the problems they have been having and they will probably do this. The town will still oversee driveways through the Fire Chief and the Code Enforcement Officer through the NFPA codes which the town adopted and the responsibility would shift from the Planning Board to the Fire Chief and Code Enforcement Officer. Dwight also doesn’t agree
with the releases currently being used except as a warning to people that there is a problem with their driveway but Dave feels the town is not exposed to civil lawsuits from bad driveways. The next step is to start to insist that the subdivision process cover driveways or get the Fire Chief and Code Enforcement Officer aware of the additional responsibility. This will be discussed further at a Planning Board meeting.
2. Survey-
· Nick Manolis from Primex met with the Department Managers, Selectmen and Town Administrator and he received positive feedback. The group still needs to have a conversation about various roles and Nick will send Carl Webber who has the Amherst Town Administrator to help with that in April.
· The Department Managers need to meet with Toni Flewellyn to learn about the spring step of the employee review process. Employees will critique the new process that just took place in the fall.
· Burton will review the final draft of the personnel manual soon. This will need to be planned for periodic review in the future.
3. Contract Commitment-The town has not heard from the former Police Department employee regarding their failure to stay the period of time required in the employment contract. This will probably need to be sent to Town Counsel. The Department Head is in favor of pursuing it.
4. Potential Land For Town Use-Ken Lombard from the Conservation Commission was present to meet with the Selectmen to discuss the town’s opportunity to buy land on River Road. Ernie Thibeault approached the Conservation Commission at a meeting and said he wants to sell 4 parcels of land totaling approximately 353 acres on River Road in the next year to 18 months. The final price is unknown at this time. The Conservation Commission and Selectmen decided they were most interested in the areas labeled “cornfield” and “pit” on the map. These areas could be used for town offices, town shed, a school, recreation purposes, a fire station, or agricultural purposes. The location is 2.5 miles from the current fire station but there is a lot of development in the
area and good access to various roads from this site. The building on the land also has potential as it has 4 offices, 2 large garage bays, septic on site and is structurally sound. It hasn’t been used for several years and does need some work. The other properties would be nice to have but are not very useful to the town. The forest society is interested in the other 2 properties. A town vote to purchase the property would be needed before a down payment is put on it and Ernie understands. The town will have to decide how this will fit into a CIP plan. Appraisals are needed. A cell tower application has been started for one of the lots. This opportunity was discussed at last week’s all boards meeting and the Open Space Committee has discussed it. The view along the road could be preserved. The Byam Farm could be carved out of that parcel and made a separate lot. A site visit is scheduled for
Thursday unless there is inclement weather and another visit will also be scheduled.
F. NEW BUSINESS:
1. Audit Questionnaire-Auditors Plodzik and Sanderson requested the Selectmen complete a questionnaire they have never asked for before. This will be completed after the town vote and before the auditors come to town in April or May.
2. Big Read-David will speak to Pat and write something in support of the Big Read as he did last time the library held a Big Read.
3. Article For Bulletin-New Boston Bulletin Editor Brandy Mitroff was present to meet with the Selectmen to discuss an article to be published in the March New Boston Bulletin regarding the estimated tax rate schedule for 2009 where she is comparing the tax effect from last year to this year. Revenue is what is affecting the tax rate this year. The article will be published to explain the process to voters. She also asked the town to consider listing each Warrant Article and noting the effect on the tax rate in the town report again as it was done in prior years.
G. OTHER:
1. Burton will do the Highway Department reviews with Road Agent John Riendeau soon.
2. The Local Government Center is having a meeting March 2 asking if towns want the Local Government Center to advocate for them regarding possible state revenues. A representative from New Boston should attend and a Selectmen is preferred.
3. Burton suggested distributing the periodical Frontline Supervisor to Department Managers as this year it will be focusing on the topic of “Quality Quotient.”
4. Burton asked the Selectmen to look at the revenue reduction plan from Governor Lynch for ideas to reduce spending in the coming year. Department Managers will be asked to wait before implementing some things in their budget until the town knows how revenues will be affected. The state is supposed to finish its budget by July1 but it could be later. The Department Managers should be notified of this now. The revenues could affect $250,000 or 38 cents on the tax rate and in that case something would need to be done by the town to mitigate it.
H. PUBLIC COMMENT: No comments at this time.
I. ADJOURNMENT: Christine made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:34 PM. David seconded the motion. All were in favor.
Prepared by Maralyn Segien
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