SUNAPEE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
MEETING
7:00 PM Town Office Meeting Room
Monday, August 31, 2009
Present: Stephen White Chairman, William Roach Vice-Chairman, Fred Gallup, Charlotte Brown, Emma Smith. Donna Nashawaty, Town Manager
Also Present: Katie Richardson Intertown Record, Dana Ramspott, Betty Ramspott Town Clerk, Chief David Cahill, Sergeant E. Neill Cobb, Officer Courtney Heath, Officer Timothy Puchler, Officer Richard Mastin, Officer Timothy Therrian, Teresa Mastin, Officer Jeffrey Reed, Spec Bowers, Charles Smith, And The Heath Family.
The meeting was called to order by Stephen White, Chairman at 7:03PM
Spec Bowers, Budget Advisory Committee had a few questions:
1) Would like to advertise for more members. Chairman White did find a new member, which makes 3 members of a 5 member committee. Chairman White asked the Board to try and think of other residents who would be interested in serving on the committee.
2) Would like to start a little earlier than November this year. Chairman White explained the budget presentation process that the Town has been using successfully the last 2 years where the Board of Selectmen and the Budget Advisory Committee meet for a full day, this year on Friday, November 6th with the Department heads who present their budgets. This is where the Boards ask their questions.
Dana Ramspott, Old Town Hall Committee asked the board for $2515 for labor and materials to sheetrock the Thrift Shop side of the Old Time Hall. Motion to approve the amount of $2515 by Selectman Gallup, seconded by Selectman Smith.
Chief David Cahill introduced Officer Courtney Heath to the Board and audience. Officer Heath was sworn in by Betty Ramspott.
•Chairman White questioned Chief Cahill about the newspaper article that was in the Union Leader on Monday, August 31st regarding the towing at the sobriety checkpoint that occurred on June 20, 2009. The article describes a possible conflict of interest for Sergeant Edward Anderson of the New London Police Department who owns the Northeast Auto Towing Co. and Sergeant E. Neill Cobb of the Sunapee Police Department who leases space to Northeast Auto. Furthermore, that at the sobriety checkpoint preference was given to Northeast Auto by the New London Police Department and suggested Sergeant Cobb benefited from the arrangement. In response, Chief Cahill stated that his department has no written policy regarding how tow companies are contacted, the four companies are used on a rotating basis,
if the citizen has no preference. Chief Cahill feels that each tow company is treated fairly. As far as Sergeant Cobb renting space to Northeast Auto, a flat fee is charged, not a per vehicle charge. Chief Cahill offered tow records for the board’s perusal, Chairman White declined.
Public Comments
•Selectman Roach asked if there had been damage done to the Town docks. Donna Nashawaty confirmed that the side the Mt. Sunapee is docked was missing the rear post, the water was searched and the post was found. The Highway Department fixed the damage and Watermark was called in to make sure the dock was secure for the size of the boats that are docked and for the general public. There are 3 different stories as to how the dock got damaged; Tony Bergeron and Donna Nashawaty are looking into it, but at this point the dock is repaired.
•Selectman Smith received a call from a friend regarding vandalism that occurred to their boat about 3 weeks ago on a Saturday night. Donna Nashawaty confirmed that a number of cars and boats were broken into and the Police Department was very successful in their detective work and found the perpetrators, which were juveniles.
•Selectman Roach reported to the Board that after the August 24th meeting he drove through the harbor and almost hit a kid on a skateboard. In the past the police thought the skate park would help with this problem, however, these are long boards that don’t use the skate park. Chairman White asked the Board if they would like the Town Manager and Police Chief to draft a skateboard ordinance and the Board agreed that it would be a good idea.
Selectmen’s Action
•Motion to accept the appointment of Daniel Banks to the Budget Advisory Committee by Selectman Roach, seconded Selectman Brown by 4 in Favor, 1 abstained.
Town Manager’s Report
•Donna Nashawaty reviewed the communication options with the Board.
- Donna Nashawaty presented the Board with a rough draft of a communication survey for their comments. (see attached)
- Donna Nashawaty mailed information to the Board regarding a LED lighted sign board. The suggested use of the board would list the meetings, but not list the agendas, distraction to drivers. The decision by the Board was not to pursue a sign board.
After much discussion the Board added some new questions to the survey. Donna Nashawaty asked the Board for some direction; should she put money in the budget for the town report or for mailings. Selectman Gallup feels the Board should put the money in the budget for the Town report and at the budget presentation under advertising, discuss the options of mailing the town report.
Chairman Report
•Chairman White reported that the Old Town Hall Committee will meet on Tuesday, September 8th at 4:30pm and has invited the Library Building Committee to discuss the possibility of the Old Town Hall housing the Library. Chairman White will attend.
•Chairman White opened the discussion regarding the Board of Selectmen and Budget Advisory Committee receiving the budget information before the budget presentation.
Selectman Gallup bought up that the Board of Selectmen received the budget information at the budget presentation with the department heads and Budget Advisory Committee and together go over the budget line by line, asking questions and getting the answers, at one meeting rather than over a series of meetings, which has worked out very well the past few years. Selectman Gallup feels that if the budget information is given out before the presentation and you don’t have an explanation it can be very confusing, and he would like to see it done the same way this year. The Board agreed that budget was to be given out at budget presentation.
Motion to adjourn: Unanimous Meeting adjourned at 9:43PM
Submitted by,
Barbara Vaughn
Administrative Assistant Approved:_____________
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Stephen White, Chairman Charlotte Brown
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William Roach, Vice-Chairman Frederick Gallup
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Emma M. Smith
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