NEWTON BOARD OF SELECTMEN
DATE: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2015
TIME: 6:00PM
LOCATION: NEWTON TOWN HALL, 2 TOWN HALL ROAD
PUBLIC MEETING
- Call to Order, Roll Call Vote
Chairman Donovan opened the meeting at 6pm. In attendance were Selectmen Robert S. Donovan, Jr., Chairman, James L. Doggett, Vice Chairman, Matthew A. Burrill, Lawrence B. Foote, Lisa L. Gonyer, Town Administrator Nancy J. Wrigley and Office Manager Mary B. Winglass. The draft minutes were transcribed and typed by Office Manager Winglass.
Doggett moved to go into Nonpublic Session under RSA 91-A:3 II (c) - Code Enforcement. Second by Donovan with a unanimous roll call vote: Donovan - aye, Doggett - aye, Burrill - aye, Foote - aye, Gonyer - aye.
Doggett moved to close the nonpublic meeting at 6:40pm. Second by Donovan, 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.
The Board took a brief recess and called the public meeting back to order at 6:51pm.
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Introduction of Guests
- Approval of Minutes (Review prior to meeting)
- Selectmen’s Public Meeting minutes dated August 25, 2015 and September 1, 2015
Doggett motioned to approve the Selectmen’s Public Meeting minutes dated August 25, 2015 as written. Second by Burrill with a unanimous vote.
- Selectmen’s Nonpublic Meeting minutes dated August 18, 2015 and September 1, 2015
Doggett moved to accept the Selectmen’s Nonpublic Meeting minutes dated August 18, 2015. Second by Burrill with a unanimous vote.
Doggett moved to accept the Selectmen’s Nonpublic Meeting minutes dated September 1, 2015. Second by Burrill with a unanimous vote.
- Town Assessor Re: 2015 Statistical Update
Town Assessor Andrea Lewy met with the Board to discuss the results of the 2015 Statistical Update. The total parcel count in town is 2,029 with an average of approximately 10% abatements filed after an update; 47 hearing and phone calls were processed with some having multiple properties. The Department of Revenue Administration (DRA) just came out with the utility values which caused some delay in running the MS-1 and the values will not be certified until December 15, 2015.
The total gross sum of all taxable properties before exemptions is $499,865.789 which is an increase of $10,076,216. Net valuation on which the tax rate for municipal, county and local education is computed is $497,221,798 which is an increase of $10,134,616. Net valuation w/o utilities on which the tax rate for the state education tax is computed is $481,938,598 which is an increase of $10,134,916.
Gonyer motioned to sign the MS-1 Form from the Avitar Software program and to authorize Town Assessor Andrea Lewy to export and produce the MS-1 state form. Second by Foote with a unanimous vote.
- Cont review of Procedural Defect Meeting per RSA 31:5-b
Burrill stated that he talked to Moderator Robert Dezmelyk yesterday and he recommends that we get all answers from DRA in writing. Burrill is working on a follow up letter to DRA with the dates of the public hearing and one hour voting. We will clearly put in writing and ask for a response by a certain date.
Burrill moved to send a posting to the Eagle Tribune tomorrow with the goal of having it in the newspaper on Friday, October 2nd. The posting is to give notice of a scheduled public hearing on the 13th of October at 6:30pm. Leave open if necessary October 28th at 6:30pm for a deliberative session and on Tuesday, November 3rd will be voting day starting at 5:45pm with the polls open from 6pm to 7pm. Second by Donovan with a unanimous vote.
The Board then worked on revising the wording for the Public Hearing notice sent over by DRA.
Doggett moved to approve the wording for the Public Hearing notice with the revised date and time. Second by Foote with a unanimous vote.
The Board then worked on revising the wording for the Town Warrant with the date and time.
Doggett read the wording as written with a change to the date of Tuesday November 3rd with the polls open from 6pm to 7pm; 15 minutes prior to opening the polls the Board will give an explanation on the reason for the vote. The Board decided that a majority vote is needed for we are voting on a technicality.
Doggett motioned to approve the wording for the town warrant as amended. Second by Foote with a unanimous vote.
- Police Department schedule documentation
The Board tabled this item.
- Update on Employee Training Schedule
Office Manager Winglass gave the Board an update on the employees who have and have not signed up for employee training. The Board discussed that it is the department heads job to make sure the employees attend one of the classes or send in a reason for not attending.
- Review 2015 YTD Expenditures and 2016 Budget Meeting Schedule
The Board reviewed year to date expenditures in detail and summary formats, budget forms used in past years and spending freeze decision by the Selectmen in the past.
Town Administration Wrigley asked the Board to remove from the budget worksheet the column, additional anticipated expenditure thru the end of year, for many left it blank.
Doggett motioned to remove a column from the budget worksheet labeled “Additional Anticipated Expenditure thru the End of the Year”. Second by Donovan with a unanimous vote.
Office Manager Winglass asked to clarify the column “Budget Variance” by adding “2015-2016 Proposed” for many have asked about this column in the past. The Board asked for this column to be write protected so the calculation cannot be adjusted or deleted and will calculate automatically.
Town Administrator Wrigley talked about this year’s unanticipated expenses and we need to start thinking about where we can cut to cover the costs. Wrigley handed out a document listing estimates for repairs to the Central Fire Station. Additional items on the list is the Procedural Defect Unfavorable Vote, additional landscaping at Greenie Park, NH Retirement for three employees and we are still waiting for FEMA funds to reimburse the town for a snow storm earlier in the year.
Doggett moved to place a spending freeze cap on all purchases over $500 will require a requisition prior to placing any order. Second by Donovan. The Board decided that this goes into affect as of today’s date and to drop the limit down to $300 with no exceptions. Doggett moved to amend his motion to add the effective date and the limit down to $300 with no exceptions, period. Donovan seconded the amendment. Motion passed with a unanimous vote. Town Administrator Wrigley added that with the school payments we may not have the funds in the bank this fall to pay the bills, we need to be cautious.
Donovan will send out an email to every department head per the Board of Selectmen with the notice of no spending over $300 without the Board of Selectmen’s approval which does not apply to contractual obligations.
- Set date for Trick or Treat
Gonyer moved to hold Trick or Treat on Halloween, October 31st from 5pm to 8pm. Second by Doggett with a unanimous vote.
Recreation Commission Chairman Annie Collyer gave an update to the Board with the upcoming weather the Commission plans on putting the bands inside the building and they are not sure yet about the fireworks. They are still in need of volunteers.
- Follow up on the District Board Meeting
Selectman Burrill talked about the District Board Meeting held in Fremont on September 21st and for over an hour they discussed the near collapse of the roof at the Middle School. Representatives from Board of Selectmen of Newton, Kingston and Fremont met with the town’s emergency responders, Fire, Police and Road Agents and agreed that we need to meet with the School Board to review District Wide Emergency policies, procedures and notifications. The September 21st meeting was a missed opportunity and would like to come up with another date to meet. Each town Board of Selectmen will send a letter and the letter is still being drafted but should be ready in a day or so for the Board to sign.
Town Day is this Saturday at 8 Merrimac Road; checkout Newton’s Official Website at www.newton-nh.gov for the schedule of events.
- Other Business, Sign Manifests, Requisitions, Abatements, Tax Credits, Correspondence and Appointments
Doggett moved to sign the Payroll Manifest dated 09/25/2015 for the pay period 9/6 - 9/19 . Second by Foote with a unanimous vote.
Doggett moved to sign the Vendor Manifest dated 09/29/2015 in the amount of $1,440,798.31. Second by Foote with a unanimous vote.
Doggett moved to sign the Vendor Manifest dated 09/29/2015 in the amount of $19,391.44. Second by Foote with a unanimous vote.
Doggett moved to sign a Timber Tax Levy dated 09/29/2015 in the amount of $1,859.79 for PID#11-10-4. Second by Gonyer with a unanimous vote.
Foote moved to sign a Notice of Intent to Excavate, PID# 5-5-12-1 for Tax Year 2014-2015; a Notice of Intent to Excavate, PID#5-5-12-1 for Tax Year 2013-2014; a Notice of Intent to Excavate, PID#5-5-13 for Tax Year 2014-2015; a Notice of Intent to Excavate, PID#5-5-13 for Tax Year 2013-2014. Second by Gonyer with a unanimous vote.
Foote moved to sign requisition #2643 from the Recreation Commission in the amount of $250.00 for the Boy Scout Halloween Party. Second by Gonyer with a unanimous vote.
The Board unanimously motioned to sign the MS-1 to the Department of Revenue Administration MS-1 Form once completed to be uploaded to the State.~
The Board unanimously motioned for the Board of Selectmen to sign the letter to the Sanborn Regional School District once the final wording has been approved by Kingston and Fremont.
Burrill moved to adjourn at 8:55pm. Second by Donovan with a unanimous vote.
Respectfully Submitted,
Mary Winglass, Office Manager
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