Town of New Boston
Selectmen's Meeting
May 4, 2009
PRESENT: Rodney Towne 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 David Woodbury at 7:00PM beginning with the Pledge of Allegiance.
B. PUBLIC COMMENT:
The Library Trustees were present to meet with the Selectmen with updates on the library building project. Chairman Eric Seidel said Town Attorney Bill Drescher e-mailed the town on Sunday with his response to the legal questions and issued his opinion is that the Trustees have the right to accept and expend money and build a library on the land purchased for library use. The public hearing is scheduled for June 9, 2009 at 7:00 PM at the school gym and will be published in the June New Boston Bulletin, which meets the publishing requirements. The Trustees coordinated with the Planning Board by giving them the site plan on Wednesday. There is a 60-day setback from the date they give the site plan to the Planning Board and the date they can start the project, which does fit into their building schedule.
The Trustees will meet with the Planning Board at the May 12 Planning Board meeting. The Trustees expect to have all the funds in place before they break ground. Trustee Jed Callen said there were concerns about access to the land from Route 13 but Planning Coordinator Nic Strong researched that and found information from 2003 saying the access is a driveway with a state driveway permit not a town road. The Trustees will update the driveway permit with the state when appropriate. They have applied for a wetland-crossing permit with DES and it is expect it to be granted shortly. The Trustees hope to use a box culvert with a natural bottom for the wetland crossing. Brandy Mitroff was present and asked that the library be included on the Selectmen’s agenda if they plan to continue meeting with the Selectmen at every meeting. The Selectmen and the Trustees agreed that this is no longer necessary now that Bill Drescher has responded to
their questions.
Police Chief Chris Krajenka was present to discuss the 2006 repeater grant with the Selectmen. This is a $28,000 grant. Chris has had issues setting up the antenna from day one. An antenna was finally installed on AT&T’s tower on the Dodge property and testing began on April 15. Things were running fine initially but they have had problems recently as the original installer, R&R Communications, dropped off the wrong antenna, which is incompatible. Sencom the new installer has assured Chris that a compatible antenna will be installed and running by the May 30 grant deadline. Chris is working with R&R Communications to resolve this discrepancy and has kept the grant administrator informed of the situation. Chris attended a meeting with the grant administrator in Concord today and
was told the grant deadline could possibly be extended. Chris hopes that will not be necessary.
C. APPOINTMENTS:
1. 7:00 PM Jordan Institute Town Hall Energy Audit
Executive Director of the Jordan Institute Dick Henry, Architect Hillary Harris and Kirk Stone were present to discuss the Town Hall energy audit with the Selectmen. Burton showed them around the Town Hall today and gave them the town’s energy bills for review to determine how the Town Hall could be made more energy efficient. They will take the information and submit a proposal to the town. $2,500 was raised and appropriated to pay for the audit. The Jordan Institute also works with the town to find funding for any energy projects it decides to proceed with.
2. 8:00 PM Dwight Lovejoy
Move to enter Non-Public Session: Christine made a motion to go into Non-Public session per RSA 91-A:3II(c) at 8:20 PM. Rodney seconded the motion. All were in favor.
Move to exit Non-Public Session: Christine made a motion to exit Non-Public Session at 8:35 PM. Rodney seconded the motion. All were in favor.
D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
1. Minutes of April 20, 2009 - The Selectmen reviewed the minutes. Corrections were noted. Christine moved that they be accepted as amended. Rodney seconded the motion. All were in favor.
2. Non-Public Minutes of April 20, 2009 - The Selectmen reviewed both sets of non-public minutes. Christine moved that they be accepted as presented. Rodney seconded the motion. All were in favor.
E. OLD BUSINESS:
1. Planning:
· Election of Planning Board officers was postponed to next week’s meeting.
· Driveway regulations were changed and agreed to by all Planning Board members. They are expected to be approved.
· Clark Hill Trust asked to combine two large lots into one lot before becoming a 12-lot subdivision and that was approved. The project is on hold pending new engineering drawings. The width of a backlot right of way was questioned.
· Cell towers-waivers were reviewed and half were denied. The applicant was told to meet with the Selectmen. They have contacted the Selectmen about release of liability. They also went to the ZBA and were told they also need approval from the Selectmen. Burton wrote to Town Counsel Dwight Sowerby with the history of the project and asked him to prepare the appropriate documents.
· The Planning Board decided to meet once a month in July and August.
2. Survey-
· A letter was received from Carl Weber at Primex summarizing the April “roles” meeting with the Department Managers. The Selectmen will meet with Burton at a separate meeting to work on the Town Administrator job description and do his review.
· Burton will ask the Department Managers at their meeting next week for any ideas they have for displaying the Mission Statement.
3. Goals-The Selectmen reviewed a list of goals for the year and were asked to consider if more goals should be added. The Selectmen decided to add “address issues auditors found.” Also two town employees are expected to leave employment in the near future and the Selectmen and Burton plan to meet with them to review their job descriptions and discuss ideas of how the positions could be modified with new employees.
4. Schedule Meeting with Ed Hunter RE Gravel-Building Inspector Ed Hunter was present to meet with the Selectmen to discuss Twin Bridge Land Management’s gravel operation. He met with Kim Burkhamer and Mary Pinkham-Langer from NHDES last week and they went to the location where Twin Bridge stores its gravel. They noticed progress since the last time they were there and are looking for information from Twin Bridge on how much gravel was used at each lot and where they expect to use the leftover gravel as Twin Bridge also has plans to build at West Lull Place and it is unknown at this time if they are allowed to use material there as well. Ed suggested he could prepare a letter to Twin Bridge to try to resolve the matter. Mary will discuss this with DES to determine if Twin Bridge needs to prepare
a site specific. The Selectmen will review a letter detailing instructions from Town Attorney Bill Drescher to determine what they will ask Ed to do and will arrange a meeting with him later if necessary.
5. Feedback From Auditors-The Auditors made 15 recommendations this year. Burton will send them a response after the Selectmen have reviewed the recommendations. Most were minor. There were no issues from a financial standpoint. The auditors were pleased with Bookkeeper Karen Craven’s work since she took over for Paula Ciarla. The fund balance is expected to increase by $77,000.
F. NEW BUSINESS:
1. Town Common-Tree Care-A quote of $775 for pruning and $425 for fertilization was received and this will be done with money in the common maintenance budget. Kim Britton will suggest some organic fertilization that could begin next year. The Selectmen agreed to the maintenance plan. It is expected that maintenance will cost less in future years.
2. Emergency Management Plan Application-The Selectmen signed, initialed and dated the Emergency Management Plan Grant Application. Christine moved to approve submitting the Emergency Management Plan Application. Rodney seconded the motion. All were in favor. The grant is for $4,000 with “in kind” value of about the same amount by the town.
G. OTHER:
1. The culvert at Town Farm Road on Old Coach Road keeps getting plugged.
2.The town is switching alarm management companies. Rodney agreed to be the contact person for the Town Hall and Christine would be the backup. Contact people have been determined for each town building and facility and Burton will give the list to the alarm company.
3. The road sign information will need more careful review by the Road Agent and Road Committee. Burton will inform Road Agent John Riendeau and Police Chief Chris Krajenka that the Selectmen feel too many signs were recommended for rural roads used mainly by residents of that road.
4. Burton has begun the spring employee reviews. He has not found the new system to be too burdensome. Toni Flewellyn is coming next week to review the process.
5. A new addition of “Knowing The Territory” a publication for Selectmen has come in.
6. The Selectmen signed the library dredge and fill documents.
H. PUBLIC COMMENT:
Willard Dodge was present and asked for the status of the Road Committee and when they can meet with the Selectmen as a group. Rodney suggested that the Committee could meet at any time; they don’t have to meet with the Selectmen first, and recommended that they meet to generate a list of projects but not elect officers at the meeting. The Selectmen will then meet with them to provide direction. The Selectmen hasn’t approved Brian Dorwart’s application for appointment but that doesn’t mean he is considered off the committee and should be included in the meeting. Willard expects the Road Committee could call a meeting the week after next.
I. ADJOURNMENT: Christine made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 10:03 PM. Rodney seconded the motion. All were in favor.
Prepared by Maralyn Segien
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