SUNAPEE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
SUMMER TOWN MEETING
7:00 PM Town Office Meeting Room
Monday, August 2, 2011
Present: Frederick Gallup Chairman, William Roach Vice Chairman, Charlotte Brown, Suzanne Gottling, Emma Smith, Donna Nashawaty, Town Manager
Also Present: see attached sign-up sheet.
Chairman Gallup opened the meeting at 7:00PM Chairman Gallup welcome everyone and introduced the Board, Department Heads and Town Manager.
Donna Nashawaty-Town Manager
• Donna Nashawaty explained the parts and process of a tax bill. The tax bill is broken down in 4 sections: town government, school-2 parts state education and local property tax and the County tax. Tax rate times the assessed value per thousand is amount due. First issue is value of record at the time of first bill and multiplied by ½ tax rate from previous year or ½ of $13.63 for 2010’s rate….(6.82). Second bill is total assessed value for April 1 of the current tax year (should be now at 100%) x calculated tax rate total due for year less actual $ paid at first billing, net amount due Dec 1.
•Tri-Town Assessors- New London and Sunapee completed their update last year; Newbury is undergoing theirs this year. Part of the ongoing business plan to keep costs and requirements under control.
•Website- All departments participate, it is interactive, up to date and major boards comply with Right to Know deadlines even though we are not required. The minutes are for multiple years. Interactive GIS maps now work and link to assessing data base, which saves some traffic at town offices. The town calendar is up to date with all committee meeting information. We are human and do make mistakes, so if you notice something in the web site that is incorrect please let us know and we will correct as soon as we are able
•Audits-Audits for the town are up to date…..Fund balance under GFOA standards is to between 8-17% of ours is 1.3 million and is within recommended ranges although the lower end at 8%…..
•Coalition Community- Governor Lynch has signed HB337 with the new education funding formula, which means we avoid $17 million in forced donations scheduled to go into effect July 1st under the previous formula. This new legislation allows us to continue to spend any excess Statewide Education Property Taxes above our State-designated costs of adequacy on local education as we have done since 2005.~ If there are no court challenges, I expect this to continue at least through the current Legislature adjourns next June 2012 – and hopefully beyond that.~However, we never will be free of the risk of becoming Donors again until the Statewide Property
Education Tax is abolished because a future Legislature could reinstate Donors or increase the SWEPT amount. This is why it is so important to have a constitutional amendment that allows the State to stop spending the same base amount for every schoolchild, even in wealthy communities, and better allocate its resources, which could result in the elimination of the SWEPT. We need to continue to push for this and monitor this issue.
•Lake Sunapee Scenic Byway- On April 28, 2011, the Federal Highway Administration announced that the Lake Sunapee Scenic Byway has been awarded $151,879 for its interpretive trail and promotional website project through the competitive National Scenic Byways Discretionary Grant Program. Details on the proposed project can be found on the Lake Sunapee Scenic Byway website. UVLSRPC will manage the project on behalf of the Lake Sunapee Byway Committee.
•Street Light Program- We have worked on a Street light project to review all our street lights in the community, Annually pay $35,000 for the service, reviewed all we had and the reasons for them and eliminated a few and entered into an agreement with PSNH called smart start to replace with more efficient less costly lights and spread the cost over several years with the savings.
•Transfer Station Vending Machine- Transfer station machine is a success. Smooth’s out the process for residents who are disposing of costly materials, applaud the efforts of the transfer station personnel who making this project more successful.
•Covered Bridge- For all who followed the progress, movement in the town to get the bridge that was to be recycled from Dover, Dover decided to not decide at the present time and with diligence a movement in town (Project Sunapee with other local nonprofit groups supporting) is raising funds for building a similar covered bridge.
•Committee Openings- Searching for 2 open positions on the Budget Advisory Committee, 3 alternates on Planning Board and 2 alternates on Zoning Board as well as an Alternate Solid Waste Committee member.
•Zoning Administrator Report Mid-Term Report 07/01/2011
Building Permits 48
New Homes (07)
Additions/Sheds/Garages (40)
Gymnasium/Classrooms (01)
Driveway Permits 04
Demo Permits 08
Land Disturbance 10
Tree Cutting 12
Septic Approvals 07
There were (2) zoning violations issued, which were resolved in a timely manner.
There were several foreclosures in Sunapee this year; two of those were on the Assisted Living Center in Georges Mills and the Preserve on Mountain Sunapee, which is on Brook Road. The Preserve was sold at auction recently; the investor has not come forward on any plans for that property. The Assisted Living Center in Georges Mills comes on the auction block on August 30, 2011; there has been a great deal of interest in this property.
The Zoning Board of Adjustment has acted on 13 cases so far this year.
I respect and applaud all of the staff throughout the town. Complaints are handled promptly and usually surround a sequence of events not actions of town employees. Programs and Services offered here in the town are impressive,…..From the hours to get services from all of town offices including town clerk/tax collection and water sewer, and open hours of the transfer station to the recreation and library programs …we compare with very few other towns for the services we provide with the limited staff we have.
Our professional Police department and the dedication of the Fire department, as a volunteer fire department in this day and economic age. Rain/snow/sleet/dark of night applies better to highway personnel keeping the roads in Sunapee clear for travel. The many volunteers, who support the previously mentioned departments. Without all of you, as the town manager, I couldn’t even begin to do my job. Thank you for another successful year and having confidence in me for the upcoming one.
Chief David Cahill-Police Dept.
Chief Cahill gave a brief breakdown of the department; five full-time officers, four part-time officers, two crossing guards and a part-time secretary. Chief Cahill explained if you need assistance and there is no one at the police station that there is a box on the outside of the building labeled “telephone”. You would open the box, push the button and your call would ring right into dispatch, which will be answered twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The dispatch center is out of New London, which answers all the emergency phone calls and radio traffic for the police and fire station. Chief Cahill gave a breakdown of calls the department has received and the new online officer training program.
John Walden-Library
John Walden went over the breakdown of library services; e-books, audio books, download music thru the library, mango languages and the website. There were eighty-eight children that participated in summer reading program. The outdoor seating area was donated by the Friends of the Library in horror of Pat Hand, the past Library Director. The library will be holding a public forum on Monday, August 8th at Safety Services Building.
Betty Ramspott-Town Clerk/Tax Collector
Betty Ramspott gave a breakdown of Auto and Boat registrations. As of July 1st the surcharge was removed from the auto registrations, so registrations went down between $30 and $100 on the state portion. This year auto registrations are up about 1%, last year the Town of Sunapee brought in about $615,000. This year, the legislators in Concord voted to also have auto dealers’ do auto registrations. Betty Ramspott asked for those that get a chance decline that service, your Town Clerk can provide you with much better and cheaper services. The Town Clerk’s office was chosen as a pilot town to test the new VPN program, which connects the towns to the Dept. of Safety over a secured internet connection, instead of using costly phones lines. The supervisors of the checklist, along with help from Melissa
Heino, Deputy Town Clerk purged over old 500 names (people who have moved or passed away) off the checklist. According to Betty Ramspott, the Town of Sunapee taxes are 96% collected for the first issue.
David Bailey-Water & Sewer Dept.
David Bailey talked about the cleaning and lining project on water storage tank that was voted on the March ballot. David Bailey gave an update on the wastewater treatment upgrade design; working with the engineers, looking at other wastewater plants, will be done with engineering design around Christmas and then the project will go out to bid. David Bailey also reminded the audience not to flush any grease.
Tony Bergeron-Garage, Roads & Recycling
The roadside mowing is just about complete. The purpose of roadside mowing is to keep the brush back, and maintains the line of sight on hills and curves. In pass years, a side mounted mower was used, this year a “boom” mower, which has an arm that can reach at different angles, was used. This year the town had to abandon the overlay program. The winter wasn’t that severe, however because of bad spring (frost) several roads did not recover; section of Sargent Road, Ryder Corner Road, Perkins Pond Road and Grandliden Road that had to be dug up and the asphalt replaced. Another project for this year will be the reconstruction of the intersection at High Street and Route 103, similar to what was done on Central Street and Route 11. The transfer station vending machine has been a success. River Road will be
closed this Sunday for Riverfest which is sponsored by Project Sunapee to benefit the covered bridge project.
Scott Blewitt-Recreation
Scott Blewitt wanted to make sure the audience received the Summer Recreation Newsletter. Scott Blewitt feels for such a small town that the Recreation Department is very well rounded, it has something for everyone. The Recreation Department has a sailing program, canoeing and kayaking, all the boats were donated. The facilities are Tilton Park; the playground is top notch and the disc golf course is getting a lot of use. The classes at Dewey Beach are full. The new restroom facilities at Dewey Beach are a great asset. Any ideas or suggestions, Scott Blewitt would love to hear them. Scott Blewitt also wanted to thank the other department heads, who bend over backwards to help each other.
Norm Bernaiche-Tri-Town Assessor
Norm Bernaiche, Chief Assessor gave an overview of the Assessing Department; his staff Kris McAllister, Assistant Assessor and Melissa Pollari, Assessing Clerk. The revaluation was completed last year. The Assessing Department held hearings, answered letters and emails, in the end the department ended up with 101 abatements, out of 3,110 parcels. Their job is to defend the assessments and educate the property owner regarding their assessment.
Deputy Chief Howard Sargent-Fire Dept.
Deputy Chief Howard Sargent gave an overview of the department, 28 volunteers run by an elected board of four engineers. The department had 202 calls of service so far this year. At the March Town Meeting the town voted to allow the Fire Department to purchase a new pumper truck, which should be in service by November. A couple of members have continued with their education; one firefighter had just completed his firefighter level two, several new EMTs on the squad and the Chief and two Deputies are recertifying for their medical license. The town has seven citizens (with either loss of memory or mental handicapped) that are using the tracking system that the department purchased a few years ago. Deputy Chief Howard Sargent reminded the audience to change the batteries and dates on their smoke detectors; the detectors are
only good for about ten years.
Selectmen Action
•Donna Nashawaty went over the corrections to the grilling policy and presented to the Board for their signatures. Motion to accept the regulation of use of grills on public property by Selectman Brown, seconded by Selectman Gottling. All in Favor. Selectman Brown wanted a clarification; Selectman Brown thought the Board was going to allow the public to bring both charcoal and propane grills, as long as it was done in an area designated for grilling. As Chairman Gallup recalls the Recreation Department was going to install the charcoal grills and the public could bring their own propane grills.
•Application for a raffle permit from the Sunapee Fire Department for the annual turkey raffle to be held on November 12th at the Georges Mills Fire Station. Motion to approve the application submitted from the Sunapee Fire Department for the turkey raffle by Selectman Brown, seconded by Selectman Smith. All in Favor.
•Motion to approve the petition and pole license for two poles located at Fairway Drive and Gardner Bay Road that was submitted by PSNH and Northern New England Telephone Operations LLC d/b/a Fairpoint Communications by Selectman Smith, seconded by Selectman Gottling. 4 in Favor 1 Abstention.
•Donna Nashawaty presented the Board with the paperwork to be signed and sent to the NH Dept. of Revenue regarding the appropriations voted in at town meeting. Motion to approve the MS-2 form for the NH Dept. of Revenue by Selectman Brown, seconded by Selectman Roach. All in Favor.
•The library purchase and sales agreement is not ready to be signed; it’s still being discussed by the attorneys, planning on the August 15th Board of Selectmen’s meeting. Selectman Gottling asked what the hang-up was. Donna Nashawaty explained that because the driveway is over the Bank’s property, the Bank is trying to get liability
indemnification for the driveway for the town. The town is trying to make sure the ultimate owner of Sunapee Center gives the town the back indemnity, so if anything happens over the driveway, which is not a town road, becomes to each. The Bank also had some stiff language that the town’s attorney objected too. The Bank suggested the town talk to the insurance carrier, but the person the town needs to speak to is on vacation.
Town Manager Report
•Donna Nashawaty informed the Board of the upcoming assessing training that will be available on August 24th from 9:30am-12:30am in Rochester, there is also one in Tamworth, which both are a long way to go. Donna Nashawaty stated that if there was enough interest in the class that is run by the Dept. of Revenue the town could host one here. The cost is $10 per person and the town could invite personnel from the surrounding towns.
•The budget report thru July 31st was handed out.
•Donna Nashawaty wanted to bring the Board up to date; the town has hired a Title Abstractor to look at the easements that might have been available for the town to define for Bruce Jennings. Part of the deal was that Bruce Jennings wanted access to Treatment Plant Road from his property. The proposed easement is sixty-five feet on one side and one hundred and thirty five feet along the curve. Donna Nashawaty could not get the Abstractor to find anything that was slightly connected to having an easement that could be re-defined to that area. This property is in the town forest, if an easement already existed then it could have been re-defined. So the only other option is to put a warrant article in March that would give Bruce Jennings this particular definition of easement. Donna Nashawaty
met with Bruce Jennings last Thursday, July 28th and discuss what the Abstractor had found, Bruce Jennings wanted to know what happened next? Donna Nashawaty said that normally the easement for the rest of the infrastructure would not have been signed; however, since it already has been signed by Bruce Jennings, Donna Nashawaty wanted to know what Bruce Jennings feelings were regarding the town having an easement thru the remaining sections of his property to Ryder Corner Road. Bruce Jennings thought it was the right thing to do for the town so the town could go ahead with the Perkins Pond Sewer. At this point, Bruce Jennings is not disagreeable with the town going forward with Perkins Pond Sewer. Donna Nashawaty is looking for approval from the Board of Selectmen to go forward and hire Underwood Engineering to complete the survey and go to bid for the Perkins Pond Sewer.
Motion for the Board of Selectmen to direct the Town Manager to continue with Underwood Engineering for the completion of surveying and anything that needs to be done to put the Perkins Pond Sewer out to bid by Selectman Brown, seconded by Selectman Smith. All in Favor. Gary Szalucka asked if that meant that on the March warrant 2 separate articles would have to be approved for anything to take place? Chairman Gallup stated he believed there would be 2 separate articles, but the only one that absolutely has to pass would be the money for the project. The right of way at this point with Bruce Jennings consent is the right thing to do and the Board will work the easement out. A motion that the Board of Selectmen commit to putting the warrant article on to grant Bruce Jennings the easement that we have illustrated on
this drawing passed among the Board on the March 2012 Town meeting by Chairman Gallup, seconded by Selectman Roach. All in Favor.
Chairman Gallup was speaking with Selectman Gottling who had some questions regarding abatements after attending a Right to Know class in Sutton; Donna Nashawaty is talking to the Town Attorney and will report back to the Board. Chairman Gallup was also contacted by Sue Prentiss, Municipal Resources representative on the ambulance study, who would like to get together with Chairman Gallup or the Board, Chairman Gallup will set-up an appointment and report back to the Board at the next meeting.
Submitted by,
Barbara Vaughn
Administrative Assistant
Approved:_____________
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Frederick Gallup, Chairman Charlotte Brown
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William Roach, Vice-Chairman Suzanne H. Gottling
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Emma M. Smith
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