SELECTMEN’S PUBLIC MEETING
October 14, 2008
Call to Order
Chairman Donovan opened the meeting at 5:04pm. In attendance were Chairman Robert S. Donovan, Jr., Selectman Trisha J. McCarthy, Selectman Raymond D. Thayer, Town Administrator Nancy J. Wrigley and Office Manager Mary B. Winglass. The meeting was audio taped; the minutes were transcribed and typed by Office Manager Winglass.
Chairman Donovan motioned to go into nonpublic Session under RSA 91-A:3 II (c) – property taxes and (c) - personnel. Second by Selectman Thayer. Roll Call Vote: Chairman Donovan – yes, Selectman McCarthy – yes, Selectman Thayer – yes. Vote: Unanimous.
Chairman Donovan motioned to close the nonpublic session at 5:56pm. Per unanimous roll call vote, the minutes of the meeting will remain confidential until, in the majority of the members, the circumstances no longer apply.
Introduction of Guests
Old Business
· Outstanding Action Items
1. Policies and Procedures for Building Department
The Board reviewed a spreadsheet prepared by Town Administrator Nancy Wrigley comparing five (5) surrounding town’s building fees.
Selectman McCarthy discussed paying the Building Department Inspectors an hourly wage and having an office assistant to keep the files, answer phones and schedule appointments. Selectman McCarthy stated that this change would need to voted on by a warrant article.
The Board discussed that they are not happy with the denial fee charged by the department and asked why we are the only town that has this fee; when the inspectors are reviewing a building permit then they are doing it during office hours and they are paid an hourly rate for their time in the office. Selectman McCarthy added that she feels we need to restructure the department by the town keeping the fees and paying the inspectors an hourly wage as the Selectmen are responsible for being fiscally responsible on the side of the town.
The Board discussed that Newton’s building permit fees are much higher than other towns and discussed ways of reducing them as we are in a declining economy. The Board reviewed the prior building permit fee schedule.
Selectman McCarthy stated that she talked to Chief Building Official Ron LeMere the other night at the Town Hall and he discussed that the new policies in place did not leave him a lot of time to prepare for the changes and Selectman McCarthy inquired if Building Assistant Kris Emerson could help with the inspections and Ron responded that Kris wants three inspections as a minimum for he will not come over for just one inspection.
The Board then reviewed the 2008 building permit book to view the permit rates charged for replacing the shingles on a roof. Selectman Donovan and Selectman Thayer want to revert back to the old building permit fees due to the economy. Selectman McCarthy would like to analyze it more for when you wear a Selectmen’s hat then you need to look at all sides of a decision.
The Board decided to give Ron LeMere the information and ask him to peruse it. The Board asked “Why are Newton’s fees so high when they were under the impression that Newton’s fees were behind everyone else”? The Board would like to get them back in line with the other towns and would like to see if we can come up with an hourly wage for inspections and build in a secretary to cover office hours, filing, copying and permits. The Board scheduled to review this again at the October 27th Selectmen’s Meeting and asked to have Ron’s recommendations for the meeting.
Chairman Donovan asked Selectman Thayer the status of the building department payroll and the questions the Board had regarding phone calls and if he had any word on the State Fire Marshal’s report. Selectman Thayer asked for a copy of the payroll paperwork and he will contact Ron regarding these two issues. A discussion ensued as to whether Selectman Thayer can be the interim code enforcement officer, working under the Chief Building Official, and the Selectman liaison to the building department at the same time. Town Administrator added that we contacted the Local Government Center and they said that Selectman Thayer would need to step down when the Selectmen are dealing with issues regarding the department that he is working under. Selectman Thayer stated that he can discuss but cannot vote. Town
Administrator Wrigley stated that the Selectmen need to be aware that Selectman Thayer needs to step down when discussing the building department. Selectman Thayer added that he spoke with Code Enforcement Office Robert Donovan, Sr. and asked him if he was going to come back and he responded “we will talk”.
Selectman McCarthy added that again we need to give this information regarding permit fees to Ron to have him review it and give his opinion. Chairman Donovan expressed his concern with the inspectors not being able to conduct inspections during the day. Selectman McCarthy responded that we can discuss that with him and see what he says and we need to deal with Code Enforcement. Chairman Donovan replied that both he and Selectman Thayer will need to step down from that conversation. Selectman Thayer stated that is why he keeps speaking with Code Enforcement Officer Robert Donovan, Sr. for he has many questions and issues that he does not have the answers for.
New Business
A. Memo from Planning Board RE: Procedure for calculating the allowable number of elderly units
The Board reviewed a memo from the Planning Board with questions regarding the procedure for calculating the “allowable number of elderly housing units” and the “remaining allowable # of elderly units as of March 31, 2008”. The first question is that the Planning Board disagrees with the method used for the calculation, for the Planning Board feels that the total should include all qualifying dwelling units regardless of whether or not an occupancy permit has been issued. The second question is the base figure of dwelling units in 2004 was 1,532 when the OEP’s official count for the number of dwelling units as of 2006 was 1,691. Therefore, the Board believes that the base figure used may be too low.
The Board reviewed their procedure in place for calculating the allowable number of elderly housing units for the ordinance reads that elderly housing units cannot exceed 10% of the total number of dwelling units. The Board also reviewed the listing of dwelling units that was used as the baseline in 2004 from the Town Assessor.
Selectman Thayer motioned to send a memo to the Planning Board asking them to find out how OEP came up with their number of 1,691 and to give us a printed list of the properties. Second by Selectman Donovan. Discussion: And to include where did they get the information. Vote: Unanimous.
Transfer Station Lead Attendant Robert White addressed the Board on having to train an employee and temporary help to cover the Transfer Station during Andrew Morse’s vacation. Mr. White complained that by moving an employee to another position at the Transfer Station and having to train him and then having temporary help to train has not made it easy. Selectman Thayer asked Mr. White to call him if he needs help. Mr. White talked about having to count the cars and the Board told him that he does not need to count the cars while Mr. Morse is on vacation. Mr. White asked for some help from the Selectmen on the weekend. Chairman Donovan and Selectman Thayer responded that they would come down to help this weekend.
B. Discuss specifications for the printing of the 2008 Town Reports
The Board reviewed the 2007 town report specification and the only change they made to the 2008 town report specifications was to reduce the number of reports printed from 1,000 to 600.
C. Set department meeting schedule for reviewing budgets
The Board reviewed the November Selectmen’s Meeting schedule and decided to schedule the following departments to meet with the Board regarding their proposed 2009 budget.
Police Department budget on Monday, November 24, 2008
Fire Department budget on Monday, November 3, 2008
Highway Department budget on Monday, November 24, 2008
Transfer Station budget on Monday, November 10, 2008
The Board will wait to schedule the other departments. Send a memo informing the departments to make sure preliminary budgets are submitted to the Selectmen’s Office by Thursday, October 30, 2008.
Town Administrator Wrigley informed the Board that the State Department of Revenue has scheduled to come set the 2008 tax rate on Wednesday, October 22, 2008 and since it is necessary to receive approval for the emergency expenditures prior to setting the tax rate, Wrigley prepared a letter to the State asking for approval for the emergency expenditure to build a sand/salt shed and repair the culvert work on Pond Street. The Board signed the letter.
Chairman Donovan stated that when the Board discussed and decided to pay Interim Code Enforcement Office Raymond Thayer for his time working for the town, the Board never addressed paying for his mileage for his work as interim Code Enforcement Officer.
Chairman Donovan motioned to pay Raymond Thayer, Interim Code Enforcement Officer for his mileage working as Interim Code Enforcement Officer. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
D. Information from the State of NHDES
Selectman Thayer will have this information available for the next meeting.
Announcements
VI. Accept Minutes of Selectmen Meetings
· Selectmen’s Public Meeting minutes of August 11, 2008, August 19, 2008, September 2, 2008, September 15, 2008 and September 17, 2008
Chairman Donovan motioned to accept as written the Selectmen’s Public Meeting minutes on August 11, 2008, September 15, 2008 and September 17, 2008. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote Unanimous.
Chairman Donovan motioned to accept as written the Selectmen’s Public Meeting minutes on August 19, 2008 and September 2, 2008. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Chairman Donovan and Selectman McCarthy – yes, Selectman Thayer abstained. Motion passed.
· Selectmen’s Nonpublic Meeting minutes of August 11, 2008, August 19, 2008, September 2, 2008, September 15, 2008 and September 17, 2008
Chairman Donovan motioned to accept as written the August 11, 2008 Selectmen’s nonpublic meeting minutes and to make public the Building Department/Code Enforcement section of the minutes. Second by Selectman Thayer. Vote: Unanimous.
Chairman Donovan motioned to accept the Selectmen’s nonpublic meeting minutes of September 15, 2007 as written. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
Chairman Donovan motioned to accept the Selectmen’s nonpublic meeting minutes of August 19, 2008 and September 2, 2008 as written. Second McCarthy. Vote: Chairman Donovan and Selectman McCarthy – yes, Selectman Thayer – abstained. Motion passed.
· Selectmen’s Site Walk Meeting minutes of September 4, 2008 and September 18, 2008
Chairman Donovan motioned to accept as written the Selectmen’s site walk meeting minutes on September 4, 2008. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Chairman Donovan and Selectman McCarthy – yes, Selectman Thayer abstained. Motion passed.
Chairman Donovan motioned to accept as written the Selectmen’s site walk meeting minutes on September 18, 2008. Second by Selectman Thayer. Vote: Unanimous.
VII. Reports from Department Heads
VIII. Review of Action Items
IX. Adjourn
Chairman Donovan motioned to adjourn at 7:54pm. Second by Selectman Thayer. Vote: Unanimous.
Respectfully Submitted,
Mary B. Winglass, Office Manager
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