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Board of Selectmen's Minutes 12/14/2009
Town of New Boston
Selectmen's Meeting
December 14, 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:    None.

C.  APPOINTMENTS:

        1.  7:00 PM             Climate Commission                      Official Recognition

Members of the Climate and Energy Committee were present to meet with the Selectmen to officially recognize the committee as the New Boston Energy Commission.  The Selectmen already adopted the provisions of RSA 38-D.  The language of the proposed ordinance establishing the commission was read aloud.  The commission will consist of three members and one alternate member for now.  Susan Carr will be appointed to a three-year term, Kathy Morrissey will be appointed to a two-year term and Mary Koon will be appointed to a one-year term.  Wendy Perron will be appointed as an alternate member.  The Commission will also ask the Planning Board if any of their members would like to be a member of the Energy Commission.  Rodney moved to accept the Energy Commission authorization as written and read.  Christine seconded the motion.  All were in favor.  
Susan noted the state has hired someone to help make sure the upcoming grants are small community friendly and said New Boston will need to have a three year update on costs to be ready for the grants.  Burton noted Selectmen secretary Linda Sizemore will work on compiling that information.  The town team consisting of Burton, David Ely, Ellen Kambol, Mitch Larochelle, Roger Dignard, Mike Sindoni and Lee Brown who look at the grants met today and will meet again in January.  Today they discussed the long-range plan to update the interior of the Town Hall including the energy component.  There was a lot of interest in dropping the exterior plan and concentrating on the interior in conjunction with the energy piece.  The project could be paid for with a $400,000 grant plus $200,000 that is in the CRF for Town Hall renovations and that is expected to be enough to do everything they want to do an wouldn’t raise the tax rate.  Susan also requested a representative from Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission or someone else with grant experience could join this group.  Brandy Mitroff was present and suggested Fire Inspector Russ Boland might be able to help, as he has been successful in getting grants for the Fire Department.  

        2.  7:05 PM             Chris Krajenka                  Police Department

Police Chief Chris Krajenka was present to meet with the Selectmen to discuss issues the Police Department is working on.
  • Chris encouraged Town Clerk Irene Baudreau to use the panic button.  She has expressed concern about delayed response times.  Police could typically be at the Town Hall within 203 minutes, maximum 8-9 minutes.
  • Chris requested appointment for Justin Fournier as the newest police officer candidate.  He would attend the upcoming police academy in January.  He is 24 years old, lives in Allenstown with his parents, and is working toward his associate degree in Criminal Justice from NHTI.  He could use the town’s tuition fund.  He currently works as a security guard at the Superior Court.  He has received glowing reviews.  He is in phenomenal physical shape and has passed all the necessary tests.  Christine moved to appoint Justin Fournier as a New Boston Police Officer.  Rodney seconded the motion.  All were in favor.
  • Police vehicle leases v. purchasing was discussed.  Burton is in favor of purchasing vehicles.  Chris is in favor of leasing, as the voters seem to prefer it.  Burton gave a background of the current lease situation saying at the time it was the only logical move.  Now a vehicle is coming up to be bought in 2010.  It can be done anytime in 2010 as a purchase or a lease.  The NH DRA approved getting a vehicle through the operating budget instead of through a Warrant Article.  Leases look attractive when buying is a burden.  This purchase doesn’t look like a burden.  The vehicle plus upfit will cost $34,500.  Chris said leasing seems more palatable to voters.  Cars 3 and 4 have 64,000 and 75,000 miles on them.  If they continue to be run next year they are expected to put 20,000 more miles on each.  They are already incurring maintenance expenses.  A lot of agencies are changing a lot of vehicles at once.  New Boston could consider switching two vehicles out at a time.  The force currently has four patrol cars and a chief’s car.  Car 1 is the Expedition and has 52,386 miles on it and is expected to put on 12,000-14,000 more miles next year.  Chris is looking at a Ford Explorer to replace that one, as it would be better for road conditions in New Boston.  He would like to replace 2 or 3 vehicles in 2010.  The payment schedule was reviewed.  $16,000 lease for two vehicles or $24,000 for three vehicles in 2010.  He recommended keeping the Expedition for one or two more years.  The Selectmen would like to only replace two vehicles in 2010.  Burton said interest rates are expected to rise in the future.  They were 4% in 2005, 7% in 2010 and rates in the teens are expected in the future.  The vehicles will be purchased for $1 at the end of the lease and could then be sold for a couple thousand dollars, each which is equity for the town.  Willard Dodge was present and said maintenance costs on the new vehicles would be replaced by the extended warranty instead of being paid by the town.  Dwight was present and also expressed his concern about the old vehicles always out of service getting repairs done.  The Selectmen decided to get two vehicles on a four-year lease.
  • The alarm ordinance is being drafted.  Chris said many towns have ordinances and policies with respect to false alarms, if they respond a certain number of times a fine is involved.  He has reviewed the Goffstown alarm ordinance.  New Boston currently does alarm permits and paperwork but it is not as involved as what Goffstown has.  He will also check on Fire Department response to false alarms.
 
Move to enter Non-Public Session: Christine made a motion to go into Non-Public session per RSA 91-A:3II(c) at 8:31 PM.   Rodney seconded the motion.  All were in favor.

J.  Move to exit Non-Public Session:    Christine made a motion to exit Non-Public Session at 8:45 PM.   Rodney seconded the motion.  All were in favor.

  • Chris has been attending Primex training for Police:  Chiefs Leadership in Risk Management four hours once a month.  Primex has been training Fire Departments in this subject for years.  Primex representatives plan to come to town to assess risk management.
        3.  7:40 PM             Mike Sindoni & Lee Brown                Recreation Department

Recreation Commissioner Lee Brown and Recreation Director Mike Sindoni were present to meet with the Selectmen to discuss the revolving fund and facility maintenance plan the Recreation Department is working on.  They are here as a follow up to the Finance meeting and said the Recreation Department has tried to prepare a more detailed facility maintenance budget. Kim Breton who oversees all the athletic fields at St. Anselm’s College helped with this.  They have also been trying to find funding sources.  The revolving account has a finite capability.  They have decided to look at fundraising opportunities and other fund sources.  They have taken over the land adjacent to the Town Hall and propose to maintain the town common as well for continuity of the grounds.  The revolving account was used to rebuild the grandstand, improve the ballfield and install irrigation.  The hope it can also be used soon to support or half-support a recreation building.  The fund now needs to be rebuilt.  They are now looking at the possibility of a daycare at the white buildings to try to build up the revolving account once the school decides if they will need the white buildings or not.  They will probably also have to increase program fees.  The Recreation Department plans to hire an intern to see how other towns handle the situations New Boston is running into such as facility maintenance.  The program fees are believed to be similar to fees in surrounding towns.  The Recreation Department has been working with the Playground Association to try to get some of the income from their rental of the Depot building for the Recreation Department use.  The recreation Department is asking for an additional $600 in the town common line of the budget and addition $3500 in the Recreation Department line of the budget.  They also plan to define how the revolving fund can be used and funded.  The Selectmen will meet with them again to review the numbers further.  A cost sharing arrangement will be worked out between the town and Recreation Department for maintenance such as mowing the town common.      

D.  APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

1.  Minutes of November 30, 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.  

E.  OLD BUSINESS:

1.  Planning:  
  • A public input session was held regarding the workforce housing and multifamily housing planning.  The Planning Board discussed it and made no changes.
  • Heidi and John Palmer were present to meet with the Planning Board and requested the town change the zoning of the village district from commercial to mixed use.  The Planning Board considered forming a committee in 2010 to research this and asked the Palmers to sit on this committee.
  • The Towne family Trust was considered for a major 2-lot subdivision.  There was a major controversy after Planning Coordinator Nic Strong found a new ruling that the Planning Board has only 30 days from the time any application gets turned in to approve the application.  This subdivision was accepted as complete with the exception of the driveway and a sitewalk.  The Planning Board will now have to follow this new procedure on every application.
  • A 76-unit condominium/townhouse complex is being built on Bog Road in Goffstown.
  • The Planning Board considered giving the cell tower a one or two year extension.
2.  Asbestos Remediation & Energy Efficiency Options (Town Hall)- Lee Brown has recently been working with a contractor that takes buildings down and might know how to handle asbestos removal.  He will ask them to look at the quote the town has received for asbestos remediation for guidance, options and figures.  The town plans to do the asbestos remediation work before the other Town Hall renovations.  
3.  Footbridge Meeting-A meeting will be held tomorrow at 7:30PM at the Town Hall.  Burton is unable to attend.  David will attend.  Gail Parker has proposed putting the footbridge on land with a conservation easement with the PLC.  The footbridge committee will meet with Mr. Tracy tomorrow night.  If there is any interest in this site the town will have to decide if they want to ask Holden Engineering to do evaluation work at the site.
F.  NEW BUSINESS:

1.  Town Report Cover and Dedication-The Selectmen decided to use one before and one after photo of the new grandstand.  The Town Report will be dedicated to Bill Brendle, John Bunting and Betsey Dodge.
2.  Holiday Schedule for 2010-The Selectmen will review the 2010 holiday schedule.
3.  Selectmen Meeting Schedule for 2010-The Selectmen scheduled their meetings for 2010 and it will be distributed.
4.  Deputy Town Clerk Appointment-Town Clerk Irene Baudreau was present to meet with the Selectmen to discuss issues at the Town Clerk’s office.  
  • She brought forward Cathy Strausbaugh for the Deputy Town Clerk position.  Her appointment will be dated today.  She will begin her training with the state December 23, 2009.  By the end of January she will be able to begin doing auto registrations.  Her next training will be in vital statistics.  She will resign as Supervisor of the Checklist as of January 1, 2010 due to the conflict of interest her position as Deputy Town Clerk creates.  Christine moved to appoint Cathy Strausbaugh as Deputy Town Clerk.  Rodney seconded the motion.  All were in favor.  The Selectmen reviewed the salary range for this position.  Irene recommended Cathy start at $16.50 per hour based on her experience and what she will bring to the position.  The Selectmen agreed to the salary of $16.50 per hour starting on January 4.  
  • Irene discussed options to improve security at her business window in the Town Hall lobby.  A discussion took place previously between the Police chief, Rodney, Cathy and Irene to improve security in the Town Clerk area based on the fact that the office consists of two women alone.  They decided that as of January 1 the Town Clerk office hours will be Monday 9:00AM-4:00PM, Tuesday closed, Wednesday 12:00PM-7:00PM, Thursday 9:00AM-1:00PM, Friday 9:00AM-4:00PM.  The new hours will be posted in the New Boston Bulletin.  The night hours have been changed to Wednesday from Thursday because the Fire Department also meets in the downtown area on Wednesday nights and cars will be in the parking lot giving people the impression there are many people in the Town Hall.  Signs will be set up indicating some parking spaces are reserved for Town Hall business.  Fire Department members will be asked to park behind the church or the historical building as well.  Installation of a barrier between the customers and the clerks was discussed and they decided the best choice for the Town Clerk area right now would be a decorative wrought iron separation.  This all came about after Irene was verbally assaulted in October.  They would like to install a roll down barrier such as pharmacies have in the long term that would roll down when a button is pushed separating both parties.  Irene and Rodney will get quotes for the wrought iron barrier.  A silent alarm button to call others in the building or Fire Department building to come to the clerk area to assist and defuse a situation is being selected.  Burton will work on that.  The Police Chief will also come to the Town Hall to train employees on what to do when they hear the alarm.  The clerk area already has a panic button to call police but the situation might not warrant that level of response.  Locks should be installed on the cellar door and the upstairs hallway door.  Security camera installation is planned for during the Town Hall renovation.  The group is trying to be proactive to prevent something more serious from happening.  Cash handling was also discussed.  The Police Chief suggested a drop safe.  Money will be placed in a safe at night.  The practice of depositing money will be reviewed.   These items will be included in the current year’s budget.
  • Irene also recommended the town get on board with the Avitar on-line system to save time with auto registrations.
5.  Salary Ranges-Each Department Manager received its salary range information.  Some Department Managers have asked if the town would consider what happens when employees reach the maximum of their range.  The Selectmen discussed the current longevity benefits.  Burton will also ask the school what they do for longevity benefits for comparison.  Burton reviewed the current salary ranges and felt most were appropriate.
6.  Operating Budget Topics-the Selectmen discussed the operating budget.

G. OTHER:  

1.  Road Agent John Riendeau will be asked to move or remove the three new signs that have been determined to be taken care of instead of waiting for the sign company to do it.  He will also be asked to fix the mailbox and plowing issue on Whippoorwill Road this week.  He will be asked for a status on the culvert on Thorton Road and the other catch basins that were plugged and he will be asked to finish unplugging them this week.
2.  A meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at 9:30AM to meet with Fire Chief Dan MacDonald and the Fire Wards to discuss the proposed ambulance billing.
3.  The Selectmen’s Corner of the employee newsletter is due December 21.
4.  The Montgomery’s sent food from their newly opened restaurant to the Town Hall, Fire Department and Police Department.
5.  The Selectmen will sign the Yield Tax Timbers tonight.

H.  PUBLIC COMMENT:  No comments at this time.  
 
I.  ADJOURNMENT:    Christine made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 10:40 PM.  Rodney seconded the motion.  All were in favor.


Prepared by Maralyn Segien