NEWTON BOARD OF SELECTMEN
DATE: MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2011
TIME: 6PM
LOCATION: NEWTON TOWN HALL, 2 TOWN HALL ROAD
PUBLIC MEETING
- Call to Order, Roll Call Vote
Selectman McCarthy opened the meeting at 6:05pm. In attendance were Selectman Trisha J. McCarthy, Selectman Lawrence B. Foote, Town Administrator Nancy J. Wrigley, Office Manager Mary B. Winglass and Road Agent Michael A. Pivero. The public meeting was videotaped; minutes were transcribed and typed by Office Manager Winglass.
Chairman Raymond D. Thayer was absent due to a family sickness.
Selectman McCarthy motioned to go into Nonpublic Session under RSA 91-A: 3 II (a) – Employee Evaluations and; (c) – Contract Negotiations. Second by Selectman Foote. Motion passed with a unanimous roll call vote.
Selectman McCarthy motioned to close the nonpublic meeting at 7pm. Second by Selectman Foote. 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 except to announce that the Board reviewed employee performance evaluations as follows;
- The Board unanimously motioned based up the recommendation of Road Agent Mike Pivero to increase Ronald Jackson, Operator/Foreman from Grade XIII, step 3 to Grade XIII, step 6 effective August 21, 2011
- The Board unanimously motioned after reviewing an evaluation for Conservation Secretary Kim Lowther, to approve an increase from Grade VI, step 9, to Grade IX, step 5, $12.30 per hour effective October 29, 2011
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Introduction of Guests
- Approval of Minutes (Review prior to meeting)
- Scheduled Business
- 9-1-1 Renumbering of Crane Crossing Road
Town Administrator Wrigley discussed the status of Crane Crossing Road with the possibility of renumbering the whole street per a recommendation from 9-1-1-. The concern is with Fire and Safety personnel for the numbers do not follow across the street from one another. The Board asked to run this recommendation by the Police and Fire Department. The Board added that they would like to have a public hearing to get input from the public before making a final decision. Wrigley added that letters would go out to the residents with the date of the public hearing and after a decision is made then letters go out with the decision via certified mail.
The Board read a memo from Transfer Station Manager Kevin Jolicoeur recommending the following schedule for the upcoming holiday season.
December 24th – 7:45am to 3pm
December 25th - Closed
December 31st – 7:45am to 3pm
January 1st - Closed
Selectman Foote motioned for the Transfer Station hours to change to Saturday, December 24th to 7:45am to 3pm; December 25th closed; December 31st 7:45am to 3pm and January 1st closed. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
- Type III Modification to Solid Waste Management Facility Permit
Transfer Station Manager Kevin Jolicoeur stated that this permit to the State shows changes to the facility since the last update. A site plan was completed to show proposed changes and actual changes already made on site. The completed document was approved by R. W. Gillespie who oversees the monitoring at this site.
Selectman McCarthy signed the permit on behalf of the Board of Selectmen.
- Type V Modification-Off Site Document Storage
Transfer Station Manager Kevin Jolicoeur stated that this document to the State shows that all documentation for the Transfer Station is stored at the Town Hall and includes contact information, billing, etc.
The Board signed the documentation for the Type V Modification-Off Site Document Storage.
Transfer Station Manager Kevin Jolicoeur talked about the prepared Closure Plan shows the steps to follow should the Transfer Station be required to close. This is not a complete closure plan for we are grandfathered thru the Brady Bill therefore there is no anticipated closure date. The completed document was approved by R. W. Gillespie who oversees the monitoring at this site.
The Board signed the Closure Plan.
- Continue review of 2012 Proposed Budgets
Solid Waste Budget
Transfer Station Manager Kevin Jolicoeur was present to answer questions regarding the Solid Waste 2012 proposed budget. After a discussion on the budget, the health dental insurance line item was reduced to remove the 25% paid by the employee. Selectman McCarthy talked about how Jolicoeur works closely with Family Mediation and sometimes has many working, at no cost to the town, through this program.
Proposed Warrant Articles were discussed with a recommendation from Jolicoeur for the following; funding from the Recycling Fund to offset the hauling cost, fencing at the Transfer Station, safety issues that need to be addressed are the cement wall and access gates. It was decided to earmark the cement wall under improvements in the General Government Buildings budget and to look at the cost for access gates.
Selectman Foote motioned to accept the 2012 Transfer Station budget in the amount of $417,835.00. Second by Selectman McCarthy who added that this proposed budget is a $3,300 reduction from the 2011 budget. Vote: Unanimous.
Cable Committee
Selectman Foote motioned to approve the Cable Committee Budget with a 2011 budget of $5,500 and the 2012 budget of $5,500. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
Dept of Building Safety
Selectman Foote motioned to accept the Dept of Building Safety budget of $95,952.00 for 2012 which is the same as 2011 level funded. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
Cemetery Trustees
Selectman McCarthy motioned to accept the Cemetery budget for 2012 at a total of $12,845.00 which is exactly the same as the 2012 budget. Second by Selectman Foote. Vote: Unanimous.
Code Enforcement
Selectman Foote motioned to accept the Code Enforcement budget for a total of $15,000 for 2012 which is the same as the 2011 budget. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
Elections, Registrations and Vital Statistics
Selectman Foote motioned to accept the 2012 Elections, Registrations and Vital Statistics budget in the amount of $78,639 which includes a budget variance of $2,033.00 over the 2011 Budget. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
Executive
Selectman Foote motioned to accept the Executive budget for a total of $188,457 for 2012 which is less by $143.00 than the 2011 budget. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
Gale Library
The Board reviewed the proposed 2012 budget with the year to date figures as of the end of October and decided to have the Gale Library Trustees into their next meeting. Questions surrounded line item “maintenance repairs” with a high year-to-date expenditure and line item “Computer IT/Software” with a $1,000 budget variance.
General Assistance
After reviewing this budget, the Board asked for Town Administrator Wrigley to talk to Tina O’Rourke, Welfare Agent to find out if reductions could be made to Rent/Mortgage, Utilities and Fuel in order to keep it level funded or lower than last year if possible. The Board will review the budget again at their next meeting.
Health Officer
The Board asked to check with the Health Officer to find out if his budget could be reduced down to $10,200 versus the $12,200 proposed budget for 2012.
The Board discussed their schedule for budget reviews at their next meet with the Fire Department, Police Department, Gale Library, Welfare and Health.
- Announcements
- Other Business, Sign Manifests, Requisitions, Abatements, Tax Credits, Correspondence and Appointments
- The Board signed the Payroll Manifest for the period of 11/20/2011 to 12/3/2011.
- The Board signed an abatement approved for 2011 for Map 016-04-016-1 in the amount of $72.58
- Selectman McCarthy signed the Matthew Thornton Medical Coverage Rates for 2012 as follows: Single $666.74, Two Person $1,333.47 and Family $1,800.19. Dental Rates: Single $38.96, Two Person $74.94 and Family $131.39.
- Selectman Foote discussed that he is continuing to work on estimates for a well at the Central Fire Station.
- The Board announced that a Nonpublic decision made at the November 23rd meeting was to be made public as follows; to hire Henry Sawyer as a floater at the Transfer Station starting November 27th with a 90 day probation at Grade V, step 1.
- The Board announced to make public that the Board unanimously approved the contract at the November 23rd nonpublic meeting pending amendments with E.L. Harvey and Sons for the Transfer Station.
- The Board reviewed again a requisition from the Recreation Commission to hold a Babysitting/Movie night on December 16th from 5pm to 9pm at the Memorial School. The Board discussed that most of the chaperones are CPR certified and the town has background checks on all its members. The Board discussed that they would like a recommendation from the school regarding the Key Club members who volunteered their time for this event. Selectman Foote offered to contact Carol Cappola, Business Administrator to get a recommendation and if favorable then Recreation will be notified that the Board approved this event. Selectman McCarthy added that she prefers that any Board or Committee do not perform their own legal work as was done on the waiver form for this event.
- The Board discussed the most recent Safe Routes to School meeting.
Selectman McCarthy motioned to adjourn at 9:18pm. Second by Selectman Foote. Vote: Unanimous.
Respectfully Submitted,
Mary Winglass, Office Manager
| 
