Town of New Boston
Selectmen's Meeting
July 20, 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:
Chairman of the Climate and Energy Committee Susan Carr was present to discuss the status of the Town Hall Energy Audit with the Selectmen. She said Jordan Institute and Horizon Company have declined to do the audit due to the existence of asbestos in the building. She asked the Selectmen to contact Pamela Monroe at NH DES to see if New Boston would qualify for a grant to remove the asbestos and asked the town to get some quotes for the cost of the removal. Burton will do so. David Ely and Committee member Mitch Larochelle will discuss the Town Hall Energy Audit with the Selectmen at the August 3 Selectmen’s meeting.
C. APPOINTMENTS:
1. 7:00 PM Lt. Col. Clark Risener Tracking Station
Cancelled.
2. 7:20 PM David Elliott Trucking Route
David Elliott was present to meet with the Selectmen to request permission to use Bedford Road to deliver fill and gravel to the Tracking Station should he be awarded a job he has bid on there. He expects to need thousands of yards of material for the project. He is not sure yet of the timeframe of the deliveries but believes it would be this summer or fall. The Selectmen asked Road Agent John Riendeau if this would cause too much wear and tear on Bedford Road and he doesn’t expect it to be a problem. David said the material would come from the 4-H pit, Houghton pit and Nic and Nathan Strong’s pit. The Selectmen agreed he can use Bedford Road for the deliveries if he gets the job and thanked him for asking.
D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
1. Minutes of July 6, 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 July 6, 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: None. Rodney will take over this duty.
2. Survey-
· The Roles meeting is scheduled for July 28 at 4:00 pm.
· Attorney Dan Schwartz replied with the critique of the personnel manual. He didn’t have too many changes. The Selectmen reviewed the changes. The Personnel Manual Committee will also review them.
F. NEW BUSINESS:
1. Regional Economic Development Committee-Southern New Hampshire Planning Committee wrote asking the town to send representatives from town to be on the Regional Economic Development Committee. The Selectmen and the Planning Board are considering who should be on this committee.
2. Town Buildings use-Preliminary Review-The Selectmen considered what the library building could be used for if a new library is built. Burton said in 2001 the Space Needs Committee looked at the downtown buildings and prepared a report suggesting which town departments could go where that he will leave in the Selectmen’s office for their review. The Selectmen will also review a letter from the Wason family regarding the use of the building. Jay Marden of the Historical Society met with the Selectmen years ago and said they would be interested in moving to the library building if it became available. There is a letter from Town Attorney Leslie Nixon saying the Historical Society has some money available for renovations to the building. The Selectmen plan to meet with
the Historical Society to see if they still wish to move to the library building. The library building deed was reviewed and says if the town doesn’t use the building for a library or public reading room the building would revert to the Wason heirs. The Selectmen agreed the new addition would belong to the town but the original building is the Wason’s or the library’s. The Historical Society purposes could meet the deed requirements. There is also a vault there available for town use. Burton also suggested it could be a place where people could stop in to get information about places to see and visit in town.
G. OTHER:
1. The letters have gone out to residents in the area of the Lyndeborough Road Bridge project. Two have come in to see Burton to get more information about the project.
2. Rodney attended the July 13 Road Committee meeting. Each member was asked to choose two things for the Selectmen and Road Agent John Riendeau to work on and three common items were chosen as priorities: culvert care and maintenance, ditch care and maintenance and clearing brush. Manpower and Thorton Road were also discussed. The Gregg Mill Road/Riverdale Bridge multi-plate culvert degradation was also discussed. The Committee will work with NH DOT to get plans together to fix it similar to the metal culvert repair on Tucker Mill Road. It will then be presented to the Selectmen as a budgetary matter. The repair is expected to last 15 years after which a new bridge will be constructed under the State Bridge Aid program. The Committee is working on prioritized road rebuilds for
future budgeting. Each member was asked to consider specific projects more to help John budget and will report on this at the next meeting. They also plan to divide the town between the members and they will survey the condition of each road in their area and report back to the committee.
3. The Library Trustees and Fire Wards are working through issues surrounding the installation of the sprinkler system at the new library. They are meeting tonight to try to resolve it. This is needed before the library can get a building permit.
4. Transfer Station Manager Gerry Cornett asked if the Selectmen would allow residents to take newspaper to mulch their gardens. This will affect revenues. The Selectmen agreed it is ok to allow residents to take newspapers for their gardens unless it becomes a major loss to the revenues. Other residents have been taking excess used motor oil from the Transfer Station and there was some question in the past if motor oil has to be handled as hazardous waste. Burton will look into it.
5. Road Agent John Riendeau prepared costs for the culverts on Bedford Road based on the quote from Brown. When added to the paving cost from where he left off to Klondike Corner it equals approximately $130,000. He has $128,000 available for the project. This project will finish Bedford Road unless the town decides to reconfigure the corner.
6. The Selectmen decided to send a letter saying the town is sending the extra money to the state retirement program under protest.
7. The NH DES approval for the library property wetland permit was received today. The town is the owner of the land therefore David signed it as chairman of the Selectboard.
8. TurboTech sent a quote for next year. This will be available for Selectmen review along with Town Hall and Police Department use and spending for the past five years for comparison.
9. The Beaver Pond at Laurel Lane was visited and it was decided to move the grate back into the pond where it used to be and a landmark in the pond was selected to remain covered. The town won’t bring the water level below the landmark. The landmark will be photographed and filed and a confirmation letter will be sent.
H. PUBLIC COMMENT: No comments at this time.
I. OLD BUSINESS:
3. Administrative Assistant Replacement (non-public)
I. Move to enter Non-Public Session: Christine made a motion to go into Non-Public session per RSA 91-A:3II(b) at 8:31 PM. Rodney seconded the motion. All were in favor.
J. Move to exit Non-Public Session: Rodney made a motion to exit Non-Public Session at 9:05 PM. Christine seconded the motion. All were in favor.
K. ADJOURNMENT: Christine made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:06 PM. Rodney seconded the motion. All were in favor.
Prepared by Maralyn Segien
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