SUNAPEE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
MEETING
7:00 PM Town Office Meeting Room
Monday, July 12, 2010
Present: Fred Gallup Chairman, William Roach Vice Chairman, Emma Smith, Charlotte Brown, Stephen White, Donna Nashawaty, Town Manager
Also Present: Katie Richardson Intertown Record, Chief David Cahill, Peter Urbach, Tony Bergeron, Officer Tim Puchtler, Representative Suzanne Gottling, John Wilson, Vic Reno, Sgt. Neill Cobb, Emily Binder, Teresa Mastin, Officer Courtney Heath, Officer Tim Therrien, and Officer Rick Mastin.
Chairman Gallup opened the meeting at 7:00PM
Chief David Cahill-Six Month Review of Police
Chief Cahill wanted to answer any questions regarding the department’s overtime and staffing levels. Selectman Brown has heard comments from the public that the department is overstaffed. She used the example of 3 officers going to the Academy this past winter and the department was still able to cover the shifts. Selectman Brown feels the staffing needs to be looked at and maybe during the busy months, the department use “seasonal” officers instead of “part time” officers. Chief Cahill reviewed the current staffing at the Police Department: 5 full time and 3 part time officers, which help covered vacations, sick days and the required training for the full time officers. The department is staffed from 7:00am to 2:00am, seven days a week. Chief Cahill has applied for radar and DWI grants,
which sometimes paid for the officer running the radar or on patrol. Chief Cahill reminded the Board that the department does not have any detectives so the officers do all of the work from writing the ticket, investigating the crime, arresting the criminal, and after August 1st prosecuting the case. Chief Cahill feels the staffing is about average for a community the size of Sunapee and is prepared to sit down with anyone to find statistics, data, or hire a company to do a staffing study. The consensus of the Board was that they support the department and do not feel the department is overstaffed. Chief Cahill also went over the statistics: accidents, arrests, and calls for service, citations, field interviews, incidents, property and warrants for the last 6 months.
Vic Reno-Lighting Committee
Vic Reno summarized that the committee was formed to examine the Town’s leased, pole mounted, exterior lighting. Also included are existing lighting locations and lamping types, whether lights can be eliminated, whether lights should be added, and what is involved in upgrading lights to more efficient types with lower operating costs for the Town. The committee first met on September 8, 2008. Chief David Cahill and Tony Bergeron did a thorough inventory of all Town street lights leased from the utility companies. The committee recommends the following:
- The Town makes arrangements with PSNH to convert lights to high pressure sodium fixtures.
- A number of existing fixtures be eliminated (approximately 30).
- Some fixtures should be redistributed-especially along Lake Avenue-for better, more uniform lighting distribution.
Motion to have advertise in Kearsarge Shopper what lights will be eliminated and hold a public hearing at the August 23rd Board of Selectmen’s meeting to discuss input on the lights that will be eliminated by Selectman White, seconded By Selectman Brown. All in Favor.
Donna Nashawaty informed the Board of the Local Energy Solutions Conference that Vic Reno attended on Saturday, June 19, 2010. Vic Reno found out there are companies that federally contracted and paid for by federal grants to go into schools and municipal buildings and do energy audits. In the past, there was a petitioned warrant article to establish an energy committee Vic Reno volunteered to be on the committee, as did Dan Banks and T.J. Alexander. Donna Nashawaty said if anyone was interested in serving on the committee to call the Selectmen’s office.
Public Comments
Selectman Roach went to the County Delegation meeting when their budget was finalized and gave the Board an update on the county transportation services. At the meeting, Selectman Roach voiced his concerns regarding the County financing a community transportation service that only primarily serves 3 communities.
Selectmen’s Action
•Donna Nashawaty went over the new ordinance draft regarding animals on town properties that she had edited with the Board comments. Donna Nashawaty also had the Town Attorney review and make corrections. The new ordinance will address various items and will be an ordinance to regulate Town properties. Motion to set a public hearing on August 9th for ordinance regulating Town properties by Selectman White, seconded by Selectman Smith. All in Favor. .
•Motion to expend $5000 from the Coalition warrant article to the Coalition Communities fund by Selectman White, seconded by Selectman Road. All in Favor.
•Riverway Lease Options: Chairman Gallup suggested setting up a meeting with the Riverway and the Board of Selectmen some time in October before budget time to go over lease options. Donna Nashawaty will contact the Old Town Hall Committee to have them discuss options and then have Chairman Ramspott report back to Board with their thoughts.
•Motion to accept Deborah Grant to appointment to Crowther Chapel by Selectman White, seconded by Selectman Brown. All in Favor.
•Motion to approve the use of facilities application for Summer Reading Program Beach Bash at Dewey Beach on July 28th by Selectman Smith, seconded By Selectman White. All in Favor.
•Motion to approve the use of facilities application for Main Street Walk on July 31st on Lower Main Street by Selectman Smith, seconded By Selectman Brown. All in Favor.
•Motion to approve the use of facilities application for Chicken BBQ and Duck Race on August 7th at Bandstand and Parking Area behind Bandstand by Selectman Smith, seconded By Selectman Brown. 4 in Favor 1 Abstained.
•Motion to approve the use of facilities application for Devlin 50th Birthday Party at Gazebo on August 8th by Selectman White, seconded By Selectman Smith. All in Favor.
•Motion to approve the use of facilities application for Peters Wedding at the Gazebo on September 11th by Selectman White, seconded By Selectman Smith. All in Favor.
•Selectman White reminded the Board of the election training class in Claremont and about the Lions Mountain Bike Race on Sunday, July 18th. Selectman White is still very concerned about the 20 seat restaurant at 45 Main Street that was approved by the Planning Board last month, which now is proposed to be a bar and grill.
Chairman Report
Tony Bergeron received a request from Mountain View Association to put up no parking signs across from their beach at the intersection of New Province Road and Hamel Road. There is a portable toilet that is used by beachgoers and the Association is concerned that the cars parked at that intersection block the view of children exiting the toilet until they’re on the street. Motion to accept the Highway Safety Committee recommendation to put up no parking signs at the corner of New Province and Hamel Roads by Selectman White, seconded by Selectman Roach. All in Favor.
Town Manager Report
•Donna Nashawaty handed out the list of LGC floor policies for the Board to take home and review, decide as a Board if they support and then vote on the policy at the next meeting. Donna Nashawaty will vote at the September 17th policy conference on behalf of the Board. One of the policies that Donna Nashawaty wanted the Board to vote as a floor proposal was the policy that the NH Municipal Association would take no position on the Statewide Property Tax. The consensus of the Board was to direct the Town Manager to take the position to see if NHMA will take no position on the collection of Statewide Property Tax as a floor proposal to be put in before August 13th. Donna Nashawaty will draw up the document for the Board to sign at their next meeting.
•Donna Nashawaty went over the Summer Town Meeting agenda and preparation with the Board.
•Donna Nashawaty gave a brief summary of some of the tasks the Board asked her to do at her annual review. Donna Nashawaty set-up a new employee health insurance committee to look at the different insurance plans and recommend to the Board of Selectmen.
Donna Nashawaty wanted some direction on how the Board wanted to review the current pay table. After much discussion the consensus of the Board was to find out the cost of hiring an outside firm to review our current pay table. Donna Nashawaty will find out the cost and report back to the Board.
Meeting adjourned at 10:17PM
Submitted by,
Barbara Vaughn
Administrative Assistant
Approved:_____________
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Frederick Gallup, Chairman Charlotte Brown
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William Roach, Vice-Chairman Stephen White
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Emma M. Smith
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