NEWTON BOARD OF SELECTMEN
DATE: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014
TIME: 6PM
LOCATION: NEWTON TOWN HALL, 2 TOWN HALL ROAD
PUBLIC MEETING
- Call to Order, Roll Call Vote
Donovan opened the meeting at 6:04pm. In attendance were Selectmen Robert S. Donovan, Jr., Chairman, James L. Doggett, Vice Chairman, Matthew A. Burrill, Lawrence B. Foote and Charles R. Melvin, Sr, Town Administrator Nancy J. Wrigley and Office Manager Mary B. Winglass. The meeting was audio taped; minutes were transcribed and typed by Office Manager Winglass.
Donovan moved to go into Nonpublic Session under RSA 91-A:3 II (a) - Performance Evaluations (Highway); (a) - Employee Matters; (c) - Contract Services. Second by Foote with a unanimous vote.
Donovan moved to close the nonpublic meeting at 7:06pm. Second by Doggett. Per a unanimous roll call vote, Donovan - aye, Doggett - aye, Burrill - aye, Foote - aye and Melvin - aye, 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:
- Approved a merit increase for Ronald Jackson, Highway Foreman from Grade XIII/6 to XIII/9 effective date of August 19, 2014
- Approved a merit increase for Mark Kerns, Laborer/Operator from Grade XIII/1 to XIII/3 effective date September 3, 2014
- Unanimous vote to allow Sergeant DiFlumeri to use his Banked PTO time~
- Unanimous vote to use the 12.50 Banked PTO hours authorized on the previous payroll and to add that the Police Chief does not need to come back to the Board; that he be allowed to do what he needs to do with the banked time.
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Introduction of Guests
- Approval of Minutes (Review prior to meeting)
- Scheduled Business
- 2015 Budget Review: Emergency Management, Conservation Commission, Tree Warden, Town Assessor, Gale Library, Highway Department
Emergency Management
The Board discussed two proposed budgets with Emergency Management Director Larry Foote. One budget is for Town expenses and the second budget is reimbursed through Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant.
Doggett moved to approve the Emergency Management Budget to be included in the 2015 Warrant; Town amount of $17,290 and Seabrook amount of $ 13,757.00. Second by Burrill, motion passed with Foote abstaining.
Conservation Commission
The Board did not approve the proposed 2015 budget, they asked for Town Administrator Wrigley to send an email asking members to attend the December 2nd meeting to review the budget.
Tree Warden
This budget was postponed for the office has not received a proposed 2015 budget.
Town Assessor
The Board tabled this budget until December 2nd per the request of the Town Administrator Nancy Wrigley.
Gale Library
Present were Gale Library Trustees Marilyn Landry, Kathy Meserve and Anne Banks who was introduced as a newly elected trustee this year. This budget has line items moving to Personnel Administration per the request of Town Administrator Wrigley.
Doggett moved to include the 2015 Gale Library budget in the amount $112,943.00. Second by Melvin with a unanimous vote.
Highway Department
Road Agent Mike Pivero was present and answered questions from the Board regarding budgeting to account for winter conditions. Fuel for the town truck was discussed in that we did not have the truck at the beginning of the year therefore there is available funds in this line item. Pivero discussed purchasing radios next year for the highway department. If/when there is a situation or event in town, there is no communication without other departments. Some radios have come in through grant funding for other department but not for highway. The repeaters are up and running and as long as there is no event we do not need it but with an event there is a problem with no radios. The Board approved a change to the 2015 budget to include funding for highway radios.
Doggett moved to add the 2015 Highway Dept to the budget in the amount of $344,544. Second by Foote with a unanimous vote.
- Recreation Commission: Donation of indoor water bubbler, 14’ Row Boat, life vests and cameras
Recreation Commission Chairman Annie Collyer was present to discuss the donation of a 14’ row boat and life vests donated by the Police Department. Pivero added that the boat has no issues and can go in place of the older boat stored at the Town Beach. Doggett added that if the old boat has oar locks we may want to keep them for replacement parts, if needed. Row boat and vest do not need to be accepted by the town for they are town property.
The indoor water bubbler donated by Kingston Mechanical has a potential use at Greenie Park. The bubbler is brand new and still in its wrapping and is stored at the beach shed.
Burrill moved to accept the water bubbler from Kingston Mechanical to the Town of Newton. Second by Doggett, passed with a unanimous vote.
Burrill asked Winglass to talk to Police Chief Streeter to see if he could use the water bubbler at the Police Department.
Security cameras - the Board deferred accepting the cameras until we have a plan in place per the request of Recreation Commission Chairman Annie Collyer.
- Review of camera installation at Greenie Park and the Town Beach
Recreation Commission Chairman Annie Collyer was present to discuss the option of installing security cameras at Greenie Park and the Town Beach using funding from this year’s budget.
Office Manager Winglass added that we had hoped to have a proposal for the Board to review tonight based upon a scheduled site walk yesterday which was cancelled due to the weather. The site walk has been rescheduled until tomorrow.
The plan is to take away the cost of internet and icloud backups in place of a manual backup system. This will require backups to be done monthly in order to save the data in case there is a future need to view the video. A discussion took place on motion activated versus a timer, both options will be looked at for the best fit.
An option for storing the DVR at each location is to install a heat box to keep the temperature from going below freezing. The box will be insulated for all seasons.
The plan is to bring multiple proposals for the Selectmen to review on December 2nd.
- Cont review of tablets for Selectmen, option for going paperless
The Board reviewed this option again with a memo prepared by Office Manager Winglass showing the estimated cost and time for preparing for Selectmen’s Meetings. The Board asked for this information in order to help determine the best way to move forward and to better understand the cost savings of going paperless.
Based upon an estimated the first year there is no cost savings due to the initial purchase of the tablets/software/contract fee/antivirus. After the first year the cost savings is approximately $1,367 which does not include additional savings on the wear and tear of the town’s printers. Other future costs may include software purchases.
The Board then questioned the contract addendum to provide service to the (5) tablets at $150 per month ($30 each). The Board felt that this was more than what they want to pay and asked Office Manager Winglass to talk to the IT Consultants about reducing this cost.
- Open bids for printing the 2014 Town Report
The Board opened bids from the following companies:
Town and Country Reprographics, Concord, NH
Allegra Marketing Print Mail, Salem, NH
Gangi Printing, Somerville, MA
Neoprint, Inc, Chelmsford, MA
K.B. Offset Printing, Inc, State College, PA
Select Print Solutions, North Brookfield, MA
RAM Printing, East Hampstead, NH
Imagewise, Hampton Falls, NH
Hannaford & Dumas Corp, Woburn, MA
Kase Printing, Hudson, NH
The Board asked Office Manager Winglass to prepare a spreadsheet comparison for the Board’s next meeting.
- Reis LaMontagne Re: Waiver of Resident Sticker Replacement Fee
The Board received a request to waive the $25 resident sticker fee. Mr. LaMontagne removed the sticker from the windshield when he sold his car but he did not keep the hundred small pieces when he scraped off the sticker.
Doggett moved to vacate the resident sticker fee for a resident on Overlook Road, Reis LaMontagne. Second by Melvin with a unanimous vote.
- Police Department Re: Expenditure Requisitions
Police Chief Streeter was not in attendance for this part of the meeting. Town Administrator Nancy Wrigley explained these three purchases were made prior to the spending freeze.
Requisition for (3) desktop computers with software, keyboard and mouse to replace the XP machines that are no longer supported by Microsoft in the amount of $4,357.50.
Requisition for (1) Bullet Proof Police Vest in the amount of $971.22.
Burrill moved to approve the requisition for the computers in the amount of $4,357.50. Second by Foote with a unanimous vote.
Foote moved to accept and approve the purchase of (1) Bullet Proof Police Vest in the amount of $971.22. Second by Doggett with a unanimous vote.
Town Administrator Wrigley asked the Board to sign a letter to the Bookkeeper requesting him to prepare a check to the Cable Revolving Fund in the amount of $12,899.28 which is revenue generated by Cable Franchise Fees.
Doggett moved to sign the dispersal of the cable franchise fees. Second by Melvin with a unanimous vote.
- Northern Essex Fuel Corp Re: 8 Merrimac Road
Town Administrator Wrigley informed the Board that a second letter came in yesterday from Northern Essex Fuel Corp who is currently renting property at 8 Merrimac Road. Town Administrator Wrigley added that she has not yet sent a response letter and feels she needs clarification and would like to use a soft approach.
The Board asked Wrigley to send a letter stating that the town is not looking to sell the building or lease the building once the town takes ownership.
Selectman Doggett talked about the proposed school budget this year has an increase to Newton’s base budget at $1.90 per thousand of assessed value. The budget committee is holding a meeting tomorrow night; Burrill asked to get this information out on Newton’s facebook page.
- Other Business, Sign Manifests, Requisitions, Abatements, Tax Credits, Correspondence and Appointments
Doggett moved to sign the Payroll Manifest dated November 21, 2014 for the pay period of 11/2 - 11/15. Second by Foote with a unanimous vote.
Doggett moved to sign the Vendor Manifest dated 11/14/2014 in the amount of $37,208.13. Second by Foote with a unanimous vote.
Doggett moved to sign the Welfare Manifest dated November 13, 2014 in the amount of $184.61. Second by Burrill with a unanimous vote.
Doggett moved to sign the Welfare Manifest dated November 13, 2014 in the amount of $360.00. Second by Melvin with a unanimous vote.
Burrill moved to sign the cover page for Safety and Loss Prevention Program & Policies showing the latest amendment on November 10, 2014. Second by Doggett with a unanimous vote.
Burrill moved to sign the cover page for the Violence Prevention Policy adopted on May 6, 2014. Second by Doggett with a unanimous vote.
Doggett moved that we put the Generator Maintenance Agreement out to bid with bids due by December 16, 2014 at 4pm. Second by Foote with a unanimous vote.
The Board discussed addressing the town’s surplus equipment by sending out an email to all department heads asking them to forward a list of any equipment they may have to be auctioned.
Doggett moved to adjourn at 9pm. Second by Foote with a unanimous vote.
Respectfully Submitted,
Mary Winglass, Office Manager
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