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March 15, 2011 Board of Selectmen Minutes
   Office of the Board of Selectmen
   2 Town Hall Road, Newton, NH 03858
   Tel: 382-4405 ext. 10 * Fax 382-9140

NEWTON BOARD OF SELECTMEN
DATE: TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2011
TIME: 4:30PM
LOCATION: NEWTON TOWN HALL, 2 TOWN HALL ROAD

PUBLIC MEETING

Call to Order
Roll Call

Chairman McCarthy called the meeting to order at 4:49pm.  In attendance were Chairman Trisha J. McCarthy, Selectman Raymond D. Thayer, Selectman Lawrence Foote, Town Administrator Nancy J. Wrigley and Office Manager Mary B. Winglass.  The meeting was videotaped; minutes were transcribed and typed by Office Manager Winglass.

Chairman McCarthy welcomed the town’s newly elected member of the Board of Selectmen, Lawrence Foote.

  • Selectmen’s Reorganization
Chairman McCarthy explained the Conflict of Interest printed on the back of the agenda in order to give guidance to the Board when faced with a question or concern at any meeting.  McCarthy further explained the role of liaison to a department, commission or committee is not to make decision on behalf of the Board but as a means of communicating between the departments.  The Planning Board per State Statute allows for a member of the Board of Selectmen to be an Ex-Officio of that department which is a voting member.

The role of Chairman of the Board of Selectmen was discussed and Chairman McCarthy explained the time commitment to this role.  

Selectman Foote motioned for Trisha McCarthy to be Chairman.  Second by Selectman Thayer.  Discussion: Chairman McCarthy recommends that each member be Chairman for four months.  

Selectman Foote motioned to amend his motion for each Selectman to be Chairman for four months starting with McCarthy then Thayer and then Foote.  Second by Selectman Thayer.   Vote: Unanimous.

Selectman Thayer will be the liaison for the Building Department, Recreation Commission and Co-Ex-officio for the Planning Board.

The Police Department, Fire Department and Road Agent will not have a liaison.

Chairman McCarthy will remain the liaison for the Stewardship Committee and the primary Ex-officio to the Planning Board.

Selectman Foote will be the liaison for the Transfer Station, Conservation Commission and 149-M Solid Waste Committee.

  • Selectmen’s Goals/Mission for 2011
Chairman McCarthy spoke about her ideas for the Selectmen’s goals and missions for the upcoming year to include a seminar on the Right to Know Law, Risk Management seminars and training, Earth Day in conjunction with the Transfer Station Manager/Conservation on recycling and a town wide cleanup.  Other goals are the Safe Routes to School grant, to work with the Conservation on a bio-monitoring program at the schools, a controlled burn at the Busch Farm as well as holding another manure workshop.

Selectman Foote talked about looking at the safety structure and updates on the Northeast Pipeline such as their inspection schedule and how long do they inspect them.    

Selectman Thayer discussed working with the Recreation Commission on their event schedule to include the Family Fun Fair; Bike and Helmet Safety Program.  

The Board ended the discussion by setting a date to hold the Right to Know Law lecture on Thursday, April 21st from 7 to 9pm.  Town Administrator Wrigley will contact the Departments Heads and staff to encourage participation.

  • Selectmen’s 2011 Meeting Schedule
The Board reviewed a draft 2011 Selectmen’s Meeting Schedule for the remainder of 2011 showing Tuesdays as the new day for holding meetings.  The first and third Tuesdays will be for regular scheduled meetings with the remaining weeks as work meetings.  Meetings will start at 4:30pm with Nonpublic Meetings being held at the end of the meeting versus our past practice to hold them at the beginning of the meeting.  This should help our meetings to start on time which is an important change for Selectman Foote.

Scheduled Business:
  • Cont. Fire Department Discussion   RE: Appointments
Chairman McCarthy explained that she has been working with the Fire Chief and found that the only personnel at the Fire Department that are sworn in is the officers.  The Fire Department works differently and is not like the rest of the town’s appointments for they are town employees that do not expire until the expiration date as an employee.  Town Clerk/Tax Collector Mary Jo McCullough suggested and Fire Chief Bill Ingalls agrees to start with an appointment and an oath of office for all the Fire personnel.  Officers are recommended by the Fire Chief and his recommendation comes to the Board of Selectmen as the appointing authority.  

Chairman McCarthy motioned to appoint William Ingalls as the Fire Chief with a term of December 31, 2011.  Second by Selectman Thayer.  Vote: Unanimous.

Chairman McCarthy motioned to appoint John Owens.  Second by Selectman Foote.  Discussion: Foote added that all officers have expiration dates.  The Board decided to appoint the Officers at their next week for the appointments need to reflect the expiration dates.  Motion failed.


Chairman McCarthy motioned to appoint the following as Call Fire Fighter:
Larry Foote, Todd Owen, Erin White, Keith Bertogli, Robert Zalenski, Andrew Owens, Edmund Merriam, Jeff MacDonald, William Kolias, Matthew Gallant, Michael Giordano, John Gamble, Cory Greaney, Bruce Gusler, Ryan Higgins, John Kane, David Kenneally, Joshua Estabrook, Brittany Estabrook, Justin Duford, Steven Cole, Zack Castellano and Laura Bertogli for both Clerk and as a Call Fire Fighter.  Second by Selectman Thayer.  Vote: Unanimous.  The Board signed the appointments.

Chairman McCarthy informed the Board that the Fire Department is currently under a review of their bylaws between now and June 1st and plan to vote on the revised bylaws in October.  The Fire Department is also working on evaluations and wages.  A discussion continued on using an evaluation form that is specific to the Fire Department, the Board decided to ask surrounding town’s to find out what they use.  Town Administrator Wrigley will prepare a letter to send out to all the Fire personnel regarding the employee handbook.

  • Safe Routes to School Support Letter
The Board approved a letter of support of the program to the Safe Routes to School.  Chairman McCarthy and Road Agent Pivero will work on a letter as well as with the Police and Fire Department and with Selectman Foote on behalf of Emergency Management.  We also need letters from Jennifer Klopotoski, PTO Chairman and from Conservation, Trails and Recreation by March 23rd,

  • National Night Out
Chairman McCarthy talked about possibly having the Town of Newton be participants in the National Night Out on August 2, 2011.  This is a community wide event to show support to neighborhood spirit, heighten crime preventions awareness and to support local anticrime programs.  McCarthy sent the information to Police Chief Streeter and Fire Chief Bill Ingalls for their recommendation.

  • Recreation Commission Re: Scheduled Trips
The Selectmen’s Office recently received information from the Recreation Commission regarding two upcoming scheduled events.  The first is a spring vacation day trip planned for Wednesday, April 27th to Park Place Lanes in Windham, NH.  Pauline Dupuis, Chairman of the Recreation Commission stated that this event has been cancelled after to speaking with the staff at the Town Hall regarding the policies and procedures for handling such an event with chaperones.  Dupuis added that she is working on another event possibly to Chunky’s for the April vacation.

The second event scheduled is an Adult April Day trip to Agassiz Museum at Harvard University.  Dupuis gave the specifics on this trip schedule for April 13th.  Kim Hughes, Bookkeeper/Payroll Administrator talked about how the accounting of Recreation events can be involved with funds coming in from attendees while also having funding approved in a warrant article as well as the town’s recreation budget.   Chairman McCarthy talked about how when Kim pays the bills the minutes need to be attached showing the approval of this purchase.   

A discussion followed surrounding the general fund (operating account) and the Recreation Revolving Account and if the Revolving Account could be used to defray the overall cost of an event.  The Board explained that any funding collected to help defray the overall cost of the trip; if you put it in the operating account then it cannot offset the cost of the trip but will only show as revenue received to offset the budget, you will not be able to spend it.  As far as the revolving account, we need to research this type of account to find out in the state statutes the legal use and when the town voted to allow for this account  Town Administrator Wrigley added that our past Recreation Commission used this account for capital improvements.  The Board recommended to the members of the Recreation Commission to find out what the revolving account was approved for and to add this to the Recreation bylaws.  

The Board discussed the need for the Selectmen to review the expenditures recommended by the Recreation Commission with the details of each event to be clearly spelled out on a requisition form showing all the costs.  The invoices for each event to be attached to the requisition.  At this time the Recreation Commission Chairman and Secretary Sue DiMercurio stated that they will need to cancel the adult trip to the museum for there is not enough time to put it all together.

Recreation Chairman Pauline Dupuis asked for a resource to help with computer access for her computer at home is not working.  The Board approved for Dupuis to bring in her computer to be looked at by IT Consultant Maddock.

The Board cautioned the Recreation Commission to work on planning ahead for events for good planning may allow them to use the revolving account.  

A discussion followed with the Beach Program to include a swim program.  The Recreation is looking at options for summer programs and discussed hiring a Summer Coordinator to handle all events.  The swim program will need to be overseen by a certified instructor and we would need to look into the required qualifications before we can post for this position.

Secretary Sue DiMercurio asked to discuss an email the Recreation Commission received from Triangle Portable Potty Services for service at Greenie Park and the Town Beach.

Selectman Thayer motioned that we pay Triangle Portable Potty Services of Derry for six months of service at Greenie Park for a total $409.20 and three months of service at the town beach for $204.30 for a total of both at $613.50.  Second by Selectman Foote.  Vote: Unanimous.

  • Sign Manifests, Requisitions, Abatements, Tax Credits,  
Correspondence and Appointments

Trails Committee Appointments;

Chairman McCarthy motioned to appoint Michael Vaillant to the Trails Committee effective today to expire on April 15, 2012.  Second by Selectman Thayer.  Vote: Unanimous.

Selectman Foote motioned to appoint Rick Milner to the Trails Committee effective today with the date to expire on April 15, 2012.  Second by Chairman McCarthy.  Vote: Unanimous.

Selectman Thayer motioned to appoint Mary Anne Lapierre to the Trails Committee effective today with the date to expire on April 15, 2013.  Second by Chairman McCarthy.  Vote: Unanimous.

Selectman Foote motioned to appoint Sandra Estabrook to the Trails Committee effective today with the date to expire on April 15, 2014.  Second by Selectman Thayer.  Vote: Unanimous.
Chairman McCarthy motioned to appoint Brian Valimont to the Trails Committee effective today with the date to expire on April 15, 2014.  Second by Selectman Foote.  Vote: Unanimous.

Cable Committee

Selectman Foote motioned to appoint Thomas Gasse as a member of the Cable Committee with a term expiration of April 15, 2014.  Second by Chairman McCarthy.  Vote; Unanimous.

Chairman McCarthy motioned to appoint Mary Winglass as a member of the Cable Committee with a term expiration of April 15, 2014.  Second by Selectman Foote.  Vote: Unanimous.

Selectman Thayer motioned to appoint Sarah Woodman as a member of the Cable Committee with a term expiration of April 15, 2014.  Second by Chairman McCarthy.  Vote: Unanimous.

Selectman Foote motioned to appoint Diane Morin as a member of the Cable Committee with a term expiration of April 15, 2014.  Second by Selectman Thayer.  Vote: Unanimous.

Gale Library Board of Trustees

Chairman McCarthy motioned to appoint Marilyn Landry as an alternate member of the Gale Library Board of Trustees with an expiration date of April 15, 2012.  Second by Selectman Thayer.  Vote: Unanimous.

The Board approved and signed Kim Hughes vacation request.

The Board reviewed information from Office Manager Winglass regarding video streaming services through the town’s website which will allow the town to put our meetings on the web.  The Board asked Winglass to check with other towns that use this service through Virtual Town Hall to check on clarity of the meetings.

The Board reviewed information from Town Administrator Wrigley regarding information about the ETAP helping communities with an Energy Assistance Program Grants.  Selectman Foote will review the program on behalf of the Board.
The Board signed and approved the payroll manifest for the period of February 27 through March 12th.  

The Board reviewed a request from NH HSEM Field Services requesting for town’s to complete a preliminary damage assessment for the rain/flooding/ice jam event that began the week of March 6, 2011.  EMD/Selectman Foote stated that there were no costs to the town associated with this event and would complete the forms.
  • Other Business
Chairman McCarthy motioned to go into Nonpublic Session under RSA 91-A:3 II (c) – Code Enforcement; (a) – Transfer Station and Cable Committee.  Second by Selectman Thayer.  Roll Call Vote: Chairman McCarthy – aye, Selectman Thayer –aye, Selectman Foote – aye.  Vote: Unanimous.

Selectman Foote motioned to adjourn the nonpublic session at 8:49pm.  Second by Selectman Thayer.  Per a 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 except to announce the following;

  • The Board unanimously voted to give a 5% merit increase to Cable Operators Tavish Forsyth and Sue Godin effective their anniversary date.  
  • The Board unanimously voted to discharge John Ingham based upon the recommendation of the Transfer Station Manager and the documentation presented effective date as of today.  
Adjourn

Selectman Thayer motioned to adjourn at 8:49pm.  Second by Selectman Foote.  Vote: Unanimous.

                                                        Respectfully Submitted,


                                                        Mary B. Winglass, Office Manager