NEWTON BOARD OF SELECTMEN
DATE: TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2012
TIME: 10AM
LOCATION: NEWTON TOWN HALL, 2 TOWN HALL ROAD
PUBLIC MEETING
- Call to Order, Roll Call Vote
Chairman Thayer called the meeting to order 10:07am. In attendance were Chairman Raymond D. Thayer, Selectman Trisha J. McCarthy, Selectman Lawrence B. Foote, Town Administrator Nancy J. Wrigley, Office Manager Mary B. Winglass, Fire Chief William Ingalls and Transfer Station Manager Kevin Jolicoeur. The meeting was audio taped; minutes were transcribed and typed by Office Manager Winglass.
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Introduction of Guests
- Approval of Minutes (Review prior to meeting)
- Selectmen’s Public Meeting minutes dated December 20, 2011 and December 27, 2011
Selectman Foote motioned to approve the Selectmen’s Public Meeting minutes dated December 20, 2011 and December 27, 2011 as written. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Motion passed with a unanimous vote.
- Selectmen’s Nonpublic Meeting minutes dated December 20, 2011
The Board tabled accepting the nonpublic meeting minutes.
- Scheduled Business
- Cont review of Fire Department Command Vehicle
Chief Ingalls presented to the Board a lease option with a payment plan of 5 payments in the amount of $8,992.85 not to be paid out of the Capital Reserve Fund but to come from the Fire Department budget equipment/purchase repairs line item.
Selectman McCarthy motioned to allow Chief Ingalls to move forward with the 2012 lease on the Chevy Tahoe with a five year payment plan and at the end the town purchases the vehicle for $1 and funding to come out of the Fire Department budget equipment/purchase repairs with an annual purchase of $8992.85 for five years. This is a specialized fully equipped fire command vehicle and follows the Massachusetts State bid price. Second by Selectman Foote. Discussion: The lease is financed through Ford Credit Municipal Finance Program. Vote: Unanimous.
- Rescind encumbrance for Tree Work
For bookkeeping purposes the Board voted to rescind their motion to encumber funds for tree work from the 2011 Care of Trees budget due to not being able to obtain an invoice from KMA Tree Services.
Selectman Foote motioned to rescind the motion to encumber funds on 12/27/2011 for tree work in the amount of $2,800 from the 2011 Care of Trees budget. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
- Letter from Juanita Vreeland (Hedrick) Re: 54 Wilders Grove Road
The Board reviewed a request from Juanita Vreeland (Hendrick) of 54 Wilders Grove Road to waive the fee of $29.14 for late payment of the 2nd tax bill for 2011 due on December 5, 2011. Vreeland sent in the envelope used to mail the tax bill to the town showing that it was forwarded via the Post Office to her address in Massachusetts on December 28, 2011 and subsequently received on December 30, 2011.
Town Administrator Wrigley added that she spoke with Vreeland to inform her that she needs to change the mailing address for her property in Newton is used as her summer home. They will not be rectifying the problem if they do not change their mailing address.
Selectman McCarthy motioned to send a letter to Juanita Vreeland saying that we need in writing a corrected mailing address for tax bills, we will not allow for waiving of any late fee in the future. Second by Selectman Foote. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman McCarthy motioned to allow the Town Administrator to send documentation to the Tax Collector to abate the late fee of $29.14 plus change for Juanita Vreeland for the 2011 November Tax bill. Second by Selectman Foote. Vote: Unanimous.
- January and February Anniversary Reports
The Board reviewed the January and February Anniversary reports showing the employees that due for an employee performance evaluation. Town Administrator Wrigley asked to remove this item as an agenda item for she is reviewing the reports each month. The Board agreed and Office Manager Winglass will make the report available in the office for the Selectmen to review.
- Review revised Cluster Verification Form
Chairman Thayer read an email from Chief Building Official Ron LeMere with an updated Cluster Verification Form showing grammatical changes to the form as suggested by the Planning Board.
Chairman Thayer motioned to accept the changes on the Cluster Verification Form as recommended by the Planning Board, as written. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
- Letter from resident Bill Scheidegger Re: Resident Sticker
The Board reviewed two emails and a written request from resident Bill Scheidegger appealing the $25 resident sticker fee for he sold his vehicle and inadvertently the dump sticker went with it. Scheidegger forwarded an email from Mcfarland Ford stating that the reconditioning dept removed all stickers from the vehicle.
Transfer Station Manager Kevin Jolicoeur spoke on his concern if we keep steering away from the policy then there is no need for the policy. If we are not going to follow it then we should not have it.
Chairman Thayer stated that he does not see it that it has gotten out of hand. Selectman McCarthy added that she feels that generally people are not trying to take advantage of the town or is selling their sticker. Jolicoeur added that all residents are told, when they get their resident sticker, the policy that they must remove it and bring it in to obtain a second sticker. There have been many that have paid the fee yet the policy allows the option of appealing the fee to the Board of Selectmen.
Chairman Thayer motioned to waive the resident sticker fee of $25 for resident Bill Scheidegger. Second by Selectman Foote. Vote: Unanimous.
- Cont review of 2012 Budget, Default Budget and Warrant Articles
Transfer Station Manager Kevin Jolicoeur informed the Board that he spoke with the Department of Environmental Services on what the town needed for fencing to secure the facility. DES responded that the town needs to secure any access that can be driven or walked into the facility. Due to this information Jolicoeur was able to revisit the quote for a security fence at a cost of $50,500. This appropriation is being proposed in a warrant article with the funds to come from the Transfer Station Recycling Fund Special Revenue Fund.
The Board then reviewed the 2012 proposed final warrant articles and budgets for Town Meeting.
Chairman Thayer motioned to accept the 2012 Fire Department budget in the amount of $203,825.00. Second by Selectman Foote. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman Foote motioned to accept the 2012 Gale Library budget in the amount of $113,495.00. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman Foote motioned to accept the 2012 General Assistance budget in the amount of $24,642.00. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman McCarthy motioned to accept the 2012 General Government Buildings budget in the amount of $129,470.00. Second by Selectman Foote. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman Foote motioned to accept the 2012 Health Officer budget in the amount of $10,200.00. Second by Chairman Thayer. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman Foote motioned to accept the 2012 Highways budget in the amount of $345,371.00. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman Foote motioned to accept the 2012 Planning Board budget in the amount of $50,348.00. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman McCarthy motioned to accept the 2012 Police Department budget in the amount of $653,016.00. Second by Selectman Foote. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman McCarthy motioned to accept the 2012 Police Services budget in the amount of $3,500.00. Second by Selectman Foote. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman Foote motioned to accept the 2012 Recreation Commission budget in the amount of $39,240.00. Second by Chairman Thayer. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman Foote motioned to accept the 2012 Solid Waste budget in the amount of $447,835.00. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman Foote motioned to accept the 2012 West Nile Virus budget in the amount of $35,000.00. Second by Chairman Thayer. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman Foote motioned to accept the 2012 Legal budget in the amount of $33,000.00. Second by Chairman Thayer. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman Foote motioned to accept the 2012 Personnel Administration budget in the amount of $130,000.00. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman Foote motioned to accept the 2012 Street Lighting budget in the amount of $16,400.00. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman Foote motioned to accept the 2012 Insurance budget in the amount of $79,200.00. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman Foote motioned to accept the 2012 Care of Trees budget in the amount of $4,000.00. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman McCarthy motioned to accept the 2012 total town budget in the amount of $2,932,375.00. Second by Chairman Thayer. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman McCarthy motioned to accept the 2012 Default Budget in the amount of $2,874,755.00. Second by Chairman Thayer. Vote: Unanimous.
- Announcements
- Other Business, Sign Manifests, Requisitions, Abatements, Tax Credits, Correspondence and Appointments
The Board reviewed a public notice posted by the Planning Board per RSA 674:39-aa Restoration of Involuntarily Merged Lots. Lots involuntarily merged by a municipality (for zoning, assessing, or taxation purposes) prior to September 18, 2010 shall be restored to their pre-merger status at the request of the owner provided the request is made prior to December 31, 2016 and no owner in the chain of title voluntarily merged the lots. Requests for “un-merger” to be made to the local governing body, whose decisions may be appealed pursuant to RSA 676.
Requisition from Recreation Commission
The Board reviewed a requisition from the Recreation Commission for a bus trip to Foxwoods for a total of $1050. The budget is not affected for this is an in/out expense paid from the Recreation Revolving Account. The fee is $25 per head and includes the cost of the bus, keno ticket, buffet ticket or $10 coupon towards dinner and gratuity. The trip is planned for Sunday, January 29th leaving Memorial School at 7 am and leaving Foxwoods at 4:30pm. Must be 21 years of age to participate in this event.
The Board discussed that planning for these events need to happen earlier for they are only now receiving a requisition for this trip that is only two and a half weeks away. Selectman Foote stated that we need a representative to come in to the meeting to explain the trips and events as proposed by Recreation.
Selectman Foote motioned to accept the proposal from the Recreation Commission for the trip to Foxwoods for the amount of $1050.00. The event is for a minimum of 42 participants not to exceed 55. If the minimum participants are not met then the balance is to be paid out of the recreation budget and if it is a full participation then it is to be paid out of the checking account. Second by Selectman McCarthy. Vote: Unanimous.
Selectman Foote motioned that for all requisition, someone from that Department has to be at the meeting to answer questions and it does not need to be someone from the dept but someone who can answer questions. Second by Chairman Thayer. Discussion: How long before the event do they need to submit the requisition. Due to budgetary reason departments must give the Board time to review and ask questions. From now on for a review of any requisition we need a representative at the meeting to answer questions which can be the department head or designee. The Board agreed to hold a department head meeting to review this procedure. Vote: Unanimous.
- The Board signed a Vendor Manifest in the amount of $2,500.
- Adjourn
Chairman Thayer adjourned the meeting at 1:58pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Mary B. Winglass, Office Manager
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