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Board of Selectmen's Minutes 04/05/2010
PRESENT:
Rodney Towne
Dwight Lovejoy
Christine Quirk
Burton Reynolds
Selectman
Selectman
Selectman               
Town Administrator      

A.  CALL TO ORDER:  A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was called to order by Christine Quirk at 6:30PM beginning with the Pledge of Allegiance.   

B.  PUBLIC COMMENT:    None.

C.  APPOINTMENTS:

        1.  5:45 PM             Nicola Strong           Storm Damage Assessment

Burton, Road Agent John Riendeau and the Selectmen attended a sitewalk at the residence of Nicola Strong for the purpose of storm damage assessment.  They noted sediment from the nearby bridge area had flowed onto the property between the public road and the culvert.  NH DES will determine what can be done with this.  Nic also expressed concern that silt flowed onto the riverbed and significantly raised it.  FEMA funds may be available for this project.  Brandy Mitroff was present during the discussion at the Selectmen’s meeting and suggested prisoners could be hired to clean up the area.

2.  6:30 PM             Jim Pitts                       Bow Dispatch

Chairman of the Bow Board of Selectmen Harry Judd and Bow Town Manager Jim Pitts were present to discuss the contract for police dispatch services between New Boston and Bow.  Harry said the Bow Selectmen made a mistake in the past causing them to lose relationships and customers with towns that used to use the Bow dispatch services.  Epsom, Pembroke and Allenstown left their dispatch service.  Bow has since made a staffing adjustment making one dispatcher part time and that is planned to stay that way.  He said they have learned from that mistake and do not wish to repeat it.  The issue these other towns had was not with quality of services.  Harry said Bow has excess capacity, they are the best dispatch service in the area, they have a stable workforce, are not expecting a large cost for additional new equipment and they want long term relationships with their new customers.  They do not plan to switch to the sheriff’s dispatch services.  The Bow Board of Selectmen voted on a contract with New Boston through 2012 but is unsure how to calculate the cost of services after 2012 if both towns wish to continue the relationship.  Both towns would have the option to discontinue services.  The New Boston Selectmen suggested a call volume based formula to determine future costs.  This formula approach did not work for Bow in the past but the Bow Board of Selectmen is willing to explore that option along with other options such as a rate not to exceed the rate of inflation or not to exceed 3.5%.  Police Chief Chris Krajenka has been speaking with Weare police officers about their recent switch to Bow dispatch and they seem impressed with the Bow services.  Bow dispatch now handles Weare and Dunbarton under three year contracts and will have more capacity even after adding New Boston.  The Bow Police Chief will determine their maximum capacity.  Burton asked for a copy of the Bow dispatch budget and Jim will e-mail the past five years of information to Burton tomorrow.  It will then be reviewed by New Boston town counsel along with the dispatch contract/agreement.  Bow’s town counsel has already reviewed the proposed contract.  After 2012 the relationship would continue indefinitely based on a formula with both parties having the option to discontinue.  The formula will be based on figures from the last full year New Boston is with Bow under the contract.  Bow is on a fiscal year and New Boston is on a calendar year.  The formula will be prepared and Harry will bring it before the Bow Board of Selectmen at their meeting April 13.  New Boston could begin dispatch services with Bow May 1.  

        3.  7:00 PM             Chris Krajenka          Police Chief

Police Chief Chris Krajenka was present to discuss projects the Police Department is working on.

  • They had a great hiring process recently.  The top patrolman candidate was lost during the background phase but four candidates remained.  Since then officer Greg Hurtick has decided to stay as a New Boston patrolman.  The Department now needs a corporal not a patrolman and will begin this hiring process.  The four potential patrolman candidates will remain on file for one year for consideration if a patrolman position becomes available.
  • The lease agreement for the two Ford Explorers was signed.
  • No decision has been made on the Police Department security system.  Lee Brown has suggested that the school, Town Hall, Recreation areas and Police Department could all be on the same system to save the town money and is getting a quote for this.  The server and system would be housed at the Police Department and each individual system would have its own IP.  Chris has consulted with five other security providers and found them to be consistent in the system they recommend and the price.  Christine suggested that Wayne Charest could be part of the discussions with security providers as he is knowledgeable about computers and security systems at the Friendly Beaver Campground.  
D.  APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

1. Minutes of March 29, 2010 - The Selectmen reviewed the minutes.  Corrections were noted.  Rodney moved that they be accepted as amended.   Dwight seconded the motion.  All were in favor.  

E.  OLD BUSINESS:

  •  Planning:  None.
  • Update-Lyndeborough Road Bridge-A precon meeting took place last week and went well.  The contractor will oversee the project.  Trees and brush will be cut tomorrow then the utilities will come in to make their changes.  Renovations are taking place at the house near the bridge and the utilities are working with the homeowner to make changes there.  A general timeline was prepared.  The project may be done by September 1 but the timeline allows for completion at the end of September.  Skip Gomes will provide most of the gravel for the project.  The project matrix was sent to Principal Rick Matthews as well.

  • Instructions For Large Road Projects-This came about because Highway Department personnel have been used by contractors on previous large projects for flagging and traffic control.  The Board does not feel this is a good use of personnel.  Contractors will now be asked to include their own flaggers and traffic control personnel in their bids.  An alternative is to train part time town employees or fire department volunteers in flagging for use in these situations.  If Road Agent John Riendeau thinks a Highway Department flagger is needed on a project he will be asked to get approval from the Selectmen.  A letter is to be prepared for John on this topic.
  • Complaint Form-The Selectmen reviewed a memo from Planning Coordinator Nic Strong that she prepared after discussion about the new complaint form at the recent Department Manager meeting. The Selectmen said they desire a form that town employees can complete anytime they receive a complaint noting the complaint and action taken.  The forms would then be brought to the Selectmen’s office once a week for review.  The Selectmen noted Burton has prepared a draft form, which is a good starting point.
F.  NEW BUSINESS:

  • Various Board/Committee Appointments/Interviews-
  • Kim Colbert was present as she is interested in becoming a member of the Finance Committee.  The Selectmen considered her for an alternate position.  She also noted that if the Selectmen feel she would be a better fit for a different committee she would consider it.  Finance is her interest but she wants to volunteer in town.  Rodney moved to accept Kimberly Colbert’s application for a position of an alternate on the Finance Committee.  Dwight seconded the motion.  All were in favor.  Current member Lou Lanzillotti submitted an application to continue as a full member for three years.  This was also approved.
  • Nathan Simon was present as he is interested in becoming a member of the Open Space Committee.  He has recently moved to town and met Conservation Commission and Open Space Committee member Ken Lombard and other members of both committees and became interested in serving.  He wife is interested in becoming a member of the Conservation Commission.  Nathan grew up near the seacoast and conservation was important in that area when he was growing up but it has since become developed.  He likes the feel of New Boston as it is now and also enjoys spending time in the woods.  The Selectmen considered him to replace Graham Pendlebury on the Open Space Committee. Open Space Committee members Bob Todd and Ken Clinton have also reapplied.  The committee would then be full with these three members.  Rodney moved to appoint Nathan Simon, Bob Todd and Ken Clinton to the Open Space Committee for a period of three years.  Dwight seconded the motion.  All were in favor.
  • Selectman Secretary Laura Bernard and Amy Elks-Simon have applied for positions on the Conservation Commission.  Rodney moved to appoint Amy Elks-Simon to an alternate position expiring in 2012 and Laura Bernard as a full member expiring in 2013 on the Conservation Commission.  Dwight seconded the motion.  All were in favor.
  • Mark Suennen, a current alternate, to full member on the Planning Board for three years, to replace Don Duhaime who resigned.
  • David Hulick has reapplied for his position on the Recreation Commission.  Rodney moved to reappoint David Hulick for a period of three years on the Recreation Commission.  Dwight seconded the motion.  All were in favor.
  • Tom Miller and Bo Strong reapplied for their positions on the Road Committee.  A new applicant Dennis Pinard also applied but was unable to attend tonight’s meeting to meet the Selectmen.  There is one open regular member position on the committee.  Willard Dodge and Lester Byam are currently alternates on the committee.  Rodney moved to reappoint Tom Miller and Bo Strong to regular member positions on the Road Committee for a three-year period.  Dwight seconded the motion.  Rodney moved to appoint Willard Dodge to the open regular member position on the Road Committee until 2012.  Dwight seconded the motion.  All were in favor.
  • Dennis Bowler was present as he is interested in becoming a member of the Solid Waste Committee.  He has lived in New Boston for approximately 10 years and has been impressed with the changes Transfer Station Manager Gerry Cornett has made at the Transfer Station.  There are two open positions on the Solid Waste Committee.  Rodney moved to appoint Dennis Bowler as an alternate on the Solid Waste Committee for a period of three years.  Dwight seconded the motion.  All were in favor.
  • Gregory Gaultaire was present as he is interested in becoming a member of the Solid Waste Committee.  He has lived in New Boston for 12 years.  He is retired and helps his wife with her business, has a hobby of buying and selling stuff on E-bay and Craigslist and trains therapy dogs.  Rodney moved to appoint Gregory Gaultaire as an alternate on the Solid Waste Committee for a period of three years.  Dwight seconded the motion.  All were in favor.
  • Selectmen Meeting Procedures-A document outlining Selectmen’s meeting procedures was prepared in 2001.  Selectmen will review it and discuss it at their next meeting.
G. OTHER:  

1. Dwight has been working to sell the old Highway Department grader for revenue for the town.  The grader was listed on E-bay and   Craigslist.  An offer came in from the Craigslist listing so Dwight shut down the E-bay auction  several days early.  The Selectmen want to make sure the auction was handled properly and wondered if the early close of the E-bay auction would be an issue.  Willard Dodge was present and suggested next time a notice should be published in the paper that an auction of town equipment would take place.  The Selectmen decided that next time a piece of equipment will be auctioned it will be listed on Craigslist first and if no buyers come forward other avenues such as E-bay will be considered.  In this case the Selectmen decided to sell the grader for $2,750 to the buyer who came forward on Craigslist.  Dwight also noted the Highway Department has been working to clean up scrap steel on the property.

2. Fire Ward George St. John asked if he could start loam and seeding in front of the Fire Department.  This is to come out of the Selectmen budget since the work was done in the fall between the Fire Department and Town Hall.  The Selectmen will ask George to have the area hydroseeded.

H.  PUBLIC COMMENT:  No comments at this time.  
 
I.  Move to enter Non-Public Session: Rodney made a motion to go into Non-Public session per RSA 91-A:3II(c) at 9:00 PM.   Dwight seconded the motion.  All were in favor.

J.  Move to exit Non-Public Session:  Christine made a motion to exit Non-Public Session at 9:25PM.   Rodney seconded the motion.  All were in favor.

K.  ADJOURNMENT:   Rodney made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:26 PM.   Dwight seconded the motion.  All were in favor.


Prepared by Maralyn Segien