Ed. Note: Thanks to Secretary Regina Borden, here are the minutes of the 10-6-05 Selectmen's meeting.

TOWN OF WALPOLE

MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN

Selectmen Present:            Sheldon Sawyer, Whitney Aldrich, Charles Miller

Mr. Sawyer opened the meeting at 7:30 P.M. with four people present in the audience.

PUBLIC BUSINESS:

MID GRANT PUBLIC HEARING -MATT SUCHODOLSKI OF SWRPC– RE: J.H. DUNNING JOB RETENTION GRANT:   During March of 2005, the Town was awarded a grant of $450,000 for the Monadnock Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to acquire the J.H. Dunning facility in North Walpole.  The Mid Grant Public Hearing is a requirement of the Grant’s terms and conditions.  Advanced notice of this hearing was made on September 24, 2005, with an advertisement in the Keene Sentinel and 3 postings, at the Walpole Town Hall, the Walpole Public Library and the public posting board at Toll’s Grocery.  

In turn J.H. Dunning now leases business space from MEDC and has entered into a Beneficiary Employment Commitment Agreement to retain a minimum of 23 jobs, 60% of these jobs are to be held by persons from Low or Moderate Income Households.  To date, J.H. Dunning has 28 employees on their payroll roster, of which 22 are low and moderate income.  One more job retention report will be submitted to the Community Development Finance Authority prior to the closing of the grant.

Mr. Suchodolski asked if there were any questions.  Mr. Walker asked about the space in the building.  Mr. Suchodolski responded that 2/3rds of the space is the Monadnock Network space or incubator space and 1/3^rd is leased to the Water’s Edge Distributors, Inc.  Mr. Sawyer asked if everything is going along well with the Grant?  Mr. Suchodolski said about 3 weeks ago the Community Development Economic Agency did an inspection and they advised that the Town is in good standing with the grant.

The Board of Selectmen closed the Public Hearing at 7:35 P.M.

The regular meeting resumed at 7:38 P.M.

PUBLIC BUSINESS (Cont’d):

THADDEUS SELF – RE: ABANDONED ROAD:  Thaddeus Self had discussed the status of Santaw Lane with the Board of Selectmen during a previous meeting.  He displayed a map and explained that this road goes by his property; he believes that it is an abandoned road.  In 1947 the road was discontinued by the Town.  Mr. Miller said that according to the letter from Attorney Faulkner in 1981 the road went from a Class V road to a Class VI road not subject to gates and bars.  The road was discontinued by a Town vote but not thrown up.  The State makes a distinction between discontinued and thrown up.  The Town can still work on Class VI roads to maintain access for emergency vehicles and forest fire vehicles.  Abutting property owners can maintain the road so they can get their vehicles in-and-out.  Mr. Walker was present and had documentation to confirm that he maintains access to his property via Santaw Lane.    

WALPOLE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT:  Harry Boynton wrote a letter to the Board of Selectmen advising that the Emergency Management had spent about $13,000 of their grant for the new radios that are now being used by the Fire, Police and Highway Departments.  There is still approximately $8,633 in the State’s Emergency Management account that they have not spent but need the paperwork and an invoice from the Town prior to October 20^th to request the check from the State of New Hampshire as the close-out for the grant is October 30^th.         

Mr. Boynton submitted his resignation as the Emergency Management Director to be effective December 31, 2005, unless someone is found to replace him sooner.  He will finish up the Homeland Security Grant and Hazard Mitigation Plan before leaving his position and will brief the new Director when appointed.  The Board of Selectmen will contact Mr. Boynton to obtain a job description. 

Mr. Miller moved to accept the resignation of Harry Boynton as the Emergency Management Director with regret and to thank him for his support and volunteering his service for many years.  The Chairman will make arrangement to have the thank you letter written.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  All in favor, so voted.

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the Accounts Payable check register and manifest in the amount of $420,670.97.  Seconded by Mr. Miller.  All in favor, so voted.  It was noted that $374,651.54 of the above amount is a payment to the Fall Mountain Region School District.

Mr. Aldrich moved to approve a supplemental Accounts Payable check register and manifest in the amount of $2,000 for a monthly contract.  Seconded by Mr. Miller.  All in favor, so voted.

PAYROLL:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the payroll voucher for the week ending October 1, 2005, for gross wages in the amount of $16,444.95 or net wages in the amount of $9,725.41.  Seconded by Mr. Miller.  All in favor, so voted. 

Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the electronic fund transfer for the Withholding, MEDI and FICA taxes in the amount of $3,822.42.  Seconded by Mr. Miller.  All in favor, so voted.

Mr. Aldrich moved to approve a supplemental payroll voucher for the week ending October 1, 2005, for gross wages in the amount of $302.00 or net wages in the amount of $255.78.  Seconded by Mr. Miller.  All in favor, so voted. 

Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the electronic fund transfer for the Withholding, MEDI and FICA taxes in the amount of $64.32.  Seconded by Mr. Miller.  All in favor, so voted.

Mr. Miller moved to approve the check voucher for Robie Speed in the amount of $100.00 for cleaning the rest areas.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  All in favor, so voted.

TRANSFER OF FUNDS:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve a transfer of funds in the amount of $600,000.00 from the MBIA to the Savings Bank of Walpole and to authorize the Chairman to sign the confirmation signature.  Seconded by Mr. Miller.  All in favor, so voted.

MINUTES –SELECTMEN’S MEETING- SEPTEMBER 29, 2005:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the Minutes of the public Board of Selectmen’s meeting of September 29, 2005, as printed.  Seconded by Mr. Miller.  With Mr. Aldrich and Mr. Miller in favor, the motion carried.  Mr. Sawyer abstained as he was not present at this meeting.  

MINUTES –SELECTMEN’S NON-PUBLIC MEETING- SEPTEMBER 28, 2005:  Mr. Miller moved to approve the Minutes of the Non-Public Board of Selectmen’s meeting of September 28, 2005, as printed.  The Minutes will remain sealed as they contain information on personnel.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  All in favor, so voted.

DEPARTMENT / COMMITTEE REPORTS:

The Board of Selectmen received and reviewed the Minutes of the North Walpole Village Board of Commissioners meeting of October 4, 2005.

ABATEMENTS:

CHARLES CRISS – WATER AND SEWER INTEREST:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the Abatement for Water and Sewer interest in the amount of $10.33 for Charles Criss.  Seconded by Mr. Miller.  All in favor, so voted.

Mr. Miller moved that the people that do not send back their post cards for water and sewer usage on time will be charged a $10.00 penalty.  The motion failed due to lack of a second.

BOSTON & MAINE –NORTH WALPOLE TAXES- MAP 30 – LOT 55:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the Abatement for North Walpole property taxes in the amount of $187.72 because the property was transferred from the Boston and Maine Railroad to the National Passenger Corporation in September of 1988.  Seconded by Mr. Miller.  All in favor, so voted.

BOSTON & MAINE –NORTH WALPOLE TAXES – MAP 26 – Lot 13:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the Abatement for North Walpole property taxes in the amount of $1,704.85 plus interest because this property is owned by Katherine Kane instead of the Boston & Maine Railroad.  Seconded by Mr. Miller.  All in favor, so voted. 

OLD BUSINESS:

NEW ENGLAND POWER COMPANY:  A FAX was received from Attorney Walter Mitchell regarding the New England Power Company assessment.    

Mr. Miller moved the acceptance of $4,500/per acre for the New England Power Company for the year 2005.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  All in favor, so voted. 

Mr. Miller moved that the Board of Selectmen contact Gary Robarge at Avitar to ask for a written reply as to why he suggested locking-in the price for the New England Power Company until the next Town-wide assessment.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  All in favor, so voted.      

NEW BUSINESS:

BOARD OF SELECTMEN:  Mr. Miller will not be present during the regular meetings on October 20^th and 27^th, 2005.  Mr. Aldrich will not be present during the regular meeting on October 13^th, 2005.

RICK COOPER – HOLIDAY TIME:  Mr. Miller moved to approve the request of Rick Cooper to take Saturday, October 8^th, 2005, off to replace Columbus Day.  Mr. Colburn will be in charge of the Recycling Center on that day.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  All in favor, so voted.

LETTERS TO BE SIGNED: 

LETTER TO MR. PELLERIN REGARDING BREWERY ROAD:  Mr. Miller moved to approve and send the letter to Jedd Pellerin and the other signers of the Petition regarding the Brewery Road request to the Board of Selectmen.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  All in favor, so voted.

PRELIMINARY BUDGET:  There was discussion relative to the Chairman sending out a request memo to the Department Heads for their first preliminary budget in the near future.

Mr. Miller moved to adjourn this meeting.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  All in favor, so voted.  The time was 9:04 P.M.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Regina Borden                                                            

                                                                         

THESE ARE UNAPPROVED MINUTES.  CORRECTIONS, IF NECESSARY, MAY BE FOUND IN THE MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 13, 2005, SELECTMEN’S MEETING.