SELECTMEN’S PUBLIC MEETING
December 4, 2006
Call to Order
Chairman Nelson called the meeting to order at 6:08pm. In attendance were Chairman Gary F. Nelson, Selectman John P. Ulcickas, Selectman Robert S. Donovan, Jr., Town Administrator Nancy J. Wrigley and Office Manager Mary B. Winglass. Minutes were transcribed and typed by Mary Winglass.
Chairman Nelson motioned to go into non-public session at 6:08PM under RSA 91-A:3 II (e) – Pending litigation; (c) – Possible zoning violations. Second by Selectman Ulcickas. Roll Call Vote: Chairman Nelson – yes, Selectman Ulcickas – yes, Selectman Donovan – yes. Vote: Unanimous.
Chairman Nelson motioned to close the non-public session at 7:50pm. Second by Selectman Ulcickas. Per unanimous roll call vote, the minutes of the meeting will remain confidential until in the opinion of the majority of the members the circumstances no longer apply.
Chairman Nelson called the public meeting back to order.
Introduction of Guests
Old Business
A. Continued review of the 2007 proposed budgets
Office of Building Safety
The Board met with Chief Building Official Mike DiBartolomeo regarding his 2007 proposed budget and options for code enforcement for next year. Chairman Nelson stated that he is looking for a consensus of the Board as to how to present to the voters the option of code enforcement; should it be placed in the 2007 budget or in a warrant article. The Board discussed that the town has voted down warrant articles over the past few years for a Code Enforcement Officer, yet last year the vote was a tie; Yes – 374 - No – 374. Chairman Nelson added and Selectman Ulcickas agreed that last year we may not have educated the residents of the number of enforcement issues that currently the Board of Selectmen and the Building Department are involved with, in order to give them an idea of the time involved with enforcement. Chairman Nelson added that we are currently dealing with complaints regarding possible zoning violations nearly every meeting.
Selectman Ulcickas stated that we need a Code Enforcement Officer but he wants to see it written as a warrant article. His reasoning for wanting it in a warrant article stems from giving the residents the option to vote on it separately as this is the way we presented to the voters in the past years.
Chief Building Official Mike DiBartolomeo talked about other town’s approach to code enforcement. Mike stated that the Town of Hampstead has a dedicated code enforcement official who works for the town 24 hours per week and is paid hourly. Mike DiBartolomeo informed the Selectmen that in Salem, NH they pay roughly $20 to $25 per hour and they work within the auspice of the Office of Building Safety. Mike added that a code enforcement officer will allow the town to act in a proactive way instead of reactive and offered to attend the Deliberative Session to help answer questions and explain this position to the town’s residents.
The Board discussed hiring someone for 10 hours per week. This will eliminate the need to pay Town Counsel to take care of these issues. Chairman Nelson’s stated that his recommendation is to put it in the budget for we are already paying for this position using Town Counsel at approximately $120 per hour. The Board decided to present a warrant article to the townspeople
The Board then reviewed the Office of Building Safety 2007 proposed budget. The budget is down from last year by $39.00. Selectman Ulcickas questioned the fact that the town takes 10% of the fees and yet 7.5% pays for the matching social security; why is the town paying for the supplies? It was noted that the fees are an estimate every year and with the market flattening out it will be an interesting year.
Chairman Nelson motioned to accept the Office of Building Safety as presented for a total of $99,152.00. Second by Selectman Ulcickas. Vote: Unanimous
Financial Administration
Assessing
The Board reviewed the yearly contract from the Town Assessor Andrea Lewy. The contract breaks down to two sections; General Assessing and Data Verification. General Assessing yearly cost is $24,000 and Data Verification is $13,800 for a total yearly expense of $37,800.00.
Chairman Nelson motioned to accept the 2007 contract for General Assessing and Data Verification with Andrea Lewy, CNHA in the amount of $37,800.00. Second by Selectman Ulcickas. Selectman Ulcickas asked for this item to be listed separately in the budget. Vote: Unanimous.
The Board discussed that the increase to the Assessing line item of $10,000 has to do with updating the Assessor’s Maps. Again, Selectman Ulcickas stated that the cost for updating the maps has been in a warrant article and he wants this to be another warrant article, in order to allow the residents to vote on it separately as it has been done in the past year.
The Selectmen agreed to write a warrant article for the maps but to look at the wording of the article. Selectman Ulcickas added that he felt that the article from last year needs some clarification and we need to look at the wording.
Summer and Winter Highway Budget
The Board reviewed the 2007 proposed Summer and Winter Highway Budget from Road Agent Frank Gibbs. After reviewing the proposed increases, the Board requested that we invite the Road Agent to the budget meeting on Thursday, December 14th.
Police Department
The Board discussed the Police Services budget which is over expended by approximately $30,000.00. The Board discussed the difficulty to budget this item for we are required to estimate for gross appropriation purposes the amount of police services for the year. The Police Department bills the companies that request a police detail, the officer is paid for his time through payroll and the town receives the payment. The State requires that we gross appropriate for this revenue coming into the town. The overage of $30,000 is based upon a more active police detail service request throughout the year and requires the Board to make sure that another budget comes under by $30,000 so the bottom line budget is not over expended.
Chairman Nelson asked Town Administrator Nancy Wrigley to look into the legality of setting up a separate revolving fund for the Police Services funds.
B. Open bids for the 2006 Annual Town Report
The Board opened five bids received for the 2006 Annual Town Report. The bids specifications include 2,000 books, Camera Ready, Black Ink, Paper Stock: #65 Cover, #50 White Offset and Colored Text Stock Divider, Trim 8 1/2” x 11” with 1,950 perfect binding and 500 spiral binding. The bids received were from the following companies;
1. The Yankee Printer from Hampton Falls, NH for a total of $5,459.00
2. Commonwealth Printing from Newburyport, MA for a total of $5,034.00
3. Town and Country Reprographics, Inc. from Concord, NH. There was no total given from Town & Country Reprographics Inc. for they are encouraging towns to print fewer reports and utilize the web.
4. Odyssey Press, Inc. from Gonic, NH for a total of $4,144.00
5. Neoprint, Inc from Chelmsford, MA for a total of $4,152.70 with an additional $149.20 for a two-color cover.
The Board decided to take this information under advisement and to have the office staff review the bids and prepare a spreadsheet and the Board will review the information at the next Selectmen’s meeting.
C. Review timeline for the 2007 Town Meeting
The Board reviewed a letter from the Sanborn Regional School District Superintendent of Schools Keith M. Pfeifer, D.Ed. advising the Selectmen of the date of the first session of the 2007 Annual School District Meeting on Thursday, February 8, 2007 and they are considering holding it at the new Sanborn Regional High School in Kingston. The Budget Committee Hearing will be held at the Sanborn Regional High School on January 17, 2007 at 7pm.
The Board then reviewed a preliminary time line for the 2007 Town Meeting. The Board finalized that the Budget Hearing will be held on Monday, January 15, 2007 with a snow date of Tuesday, January 16, 2007. The First Annual Town Meeting (Deliberative Session) will be held on Tuesday, February 6, 2007 with a snow date of Wednesday, February 7, 2007 and we will request to hold this meeting at the Middle School. The Second Session of the Annual Town Meeting (Voting Day) is on Tuesday, March 13, 2006 and we will request to hold the elections at the Memorial School.
Office Manager Mary Winglass will send out requests to the individual schools to use the facilities on the above mentioned dates.
New Business
A. Letter from the Town of South Hampton Office of Selectmen Re: Transfer Station
Chairman Nelson read a letter from the Town of South Hampton Chairman of the Board of Selectmen Robert M. Mannino, Jr. extending his appreciation and gratitude for allowing the Town of South Hampton to utilize the Newton Transfer Station bulky item program only. In addition, Mr. Mannino, Jr. complimented Transfer Station Manager Andy Morse and his associate William Brousseau and other staff members for the friendly service and professionalism they provide on a daily basis.
Chairman Nelson added that the Selectmen held a meeting on Thursday, November 30th and reviewed the bulk item program and after some discussion, increased the prices effective February 1, 2007.
B. Letter from EastPoint properties Re: Increased noise from the shooting range
The Board reviewed a letter from Art DeSaulnier from EastPoint Properties requesting that the town re-evaluate the presence of the Country Pond Fish & Game shooting range due to the increased use or perhaps from changes made at the property. The tenants of Packer Meadows Senior Housing submitted many written complaints to EastPoint Properties that the noise has increased to a level that should be considered a disturbance.
Chairman Nelson requested that we send a copy of the letter to the Planning Board and ask them to give a synopsis of the improvements that have gone on in the last couple of years at Country Pond Fish & Game. In the meantime, the Board requested that the Selectmen send a letter to EastPoint Properties with a copy of RSA 159-B which outlines the state provisions of the Public Safety and Welfare of Shooting Ranges.
C. Review proposed 2007 Selectmen’s Meeting schedule
The Selectmen reviewed the 2007 proposed meeting schedule and made two changes to the July and August meeting schedule. The changes include having only one meeting in the months of July and August 2007.
Announcements
Accept Minutes of Selectmen Meetings
· Selectmen’s Public Meeting of November 13, 2006 and November 20, 2006
· Selectmen’s Non-Public Meeting of November 13, 2006 and November 20, 2006
The Board tabled accepting minutes until the next Selectmen’s meeting.
Reports from Department Heads
· Safety Complex Building Committee
Chairman Bob Bartlett informed the Board that the committee prepared a draft warrant article for their review as well as a preliminary final amount for the land and building cost for the Safety Complex Building Committee. The parcel size is just over 7 acres and the preliminary amount is $3,000,000. At this time, the committee is looking at private financing through a local bank and this is favorable for the town would only need 50% of the votes to approve the funding. The other option is with a bond which would require a 2/3% vote. The $3,000,000 is a target number and the committee hopes to have final numbers next week.
The committee is working with Steve Wilson, HDC General Contractor who has done quite a bit of building in this area. Currently he is working on the East Kingston Police Station. Mr. Wilson specializes in steel structured buildings and is confident that he can meet the target numbers for the completion of the work. Committee member Horace Williams added that he is working with two banks for funding for this project.
Chief Building Official Mike DiBartolomeo added that he is unable to determine the permitting fees until he sees the plans.
· Transfer Station Andrew Morse questioned the Selectmen on their decision Thursday night to award Option 1 of the G. Mello Disposal bid for the town’s solid waste contract. Mr. Morse’s question stems from the fact that Option 1 includes some recycling items that currently Mello is not providing services to the town for and others that are being provided for by Mello. The Board agreed that only the items in Option 1 that are currently provided for by G. Mello Disposal is what the Board voted on Thursday night to have Mello continue to provide to the town.
Review of Action Items
Adjourn
Chairman Nelson motioned to adjourn at 10:15pm. Second by Selectman Ulcickas. Vote: Unanimous.
Respectfully Submitted,
Mary B. Winglass
Office Manager
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