TOWN OF WALPOLE
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
APRIL 13, 2006
Selectmen Present: Whitney Aldrich, Charles Miller, Sheldon Sawyer
Mr. Aldrich called the meeting to order at 7:35 P.M. with three people present in the audience.
PUBLIC BUSINESS:
DAVID HEWES (EXECUTIVE MEETING):
Mr. Sawyer moved to enter into an Executive Meeting to discuss personnel with Police Chief David Hewes. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
The regular meeting resumed at 7:48 P.M.
NORTH MEADOW PLAZA: The Board of Selectmen and Chief Hewes discussed if there would be a big impact on the Police Department if the new shopping center opened. Chief Hewes reported that the existing businesses have grown but there haven’t been many issues. They would prefer to only take care of bad checks over $100. but not all the small ones. At the present time only one store forwards all their bad checks to them; some stores take care of all of them themselves. According to State Statutes, the Police Department is mandated to take care of all bad checks referred to them.
DRAINAGE: Chief Hewes advised that there is a problem with drainage near the North Walpole Elementary School in the area where he lives. There is a ditch down the side of the road but the tar is now gone so the drainage ends up on his lawn and it goes on his neighbor’s property. Jim Terrell is aware of it. Mr. Sawyer suggested that they might be able to do a temporary fix and look at permanent repairs in the next budget. The Board of Selectmen is aware of other areas with drainage problems.
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE: Mr. Sawyer moved to approve the Accounts Payable check register and manifest in the amount of $18,653.25. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
PAYROLL: Mr. Sawyer moved to approve the payroll voucher for the week ending April 08, 2006, for gross wages in the amount of $13,902.82 or net wages in the amount of $7,300.39. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
Mr. Miller moved to approve the electronic fund transfer for the Withholding, MEDI and FICA taxes in the amount of $3,373.06. Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. All in favor, so voted.
MINUTES –SELECTMEN’S MEETING- APRIL 06, 2006: Mr. Miller moved to approve the Minutes of the public Board of Selectmen’s meeting of April 06, 2006, as printed. Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. All in favor, so voted.
DEPARTMENT / COMMITTEE MEETINGS:
The Board of Selectmen received and reviewed the Minutes of the North Walpole Village Board of Commissioners meeting of April 11, 2006.
WARRANTS:
TIMBER WARRANT –WENTWORTH HUBBARD- MAP 010-019-000: Mr. Miller moved to approve the Warrant for Walpole Timber Tax Fees in the amount of $335.92 for Wentworth Hubbard off the Drewsville Road. Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. All in favor, so voted.
TIMBER WARRANT –WENTWORTH HUBBARD- MAP 011-013-000: Mr. Miller moved to approve the Warrant for Walpole Timber Tax Fees in the amount of $1,362.79 for Wentworth Hubbard. Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. All in favor, so voted.
TIMBER WARRANT –WENTWORTH HUBBARD- MAP 012-064-000: Mr. Miller moved to approve the Warrant for Walpole Timber Tax Fees in the amount of $495.12 for Wentworth Hubbard. Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. All in favor, so voted.
TIMBER WARRANT –ARTHUR & ELIZABETH CHICKERING- MAP 001-002-000: Mr. Miller moved to approve the Warrant for Walpole Timber Tax Fees in the amount of $691.17 for Arthur and Elizabeth Chickering. Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. All in favor, so voted.
BUILDING PERMITS:
JEANNETTE CLARK –MAP 015-015-000: Mr. Sawyer moved to approve Building Permit No. 2006-013 for Jeannette Clark to construct a two story log home on the Cold River Road. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
JOSEPH & MARINA CONEENY –MAP 019-039-000: Mr. Sawyer moved to approve Building Permit No. 2006-012 for Joseph and Marina Coneeny to construct two porches on the existing house on Main Street. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
BRIAN BECKWITH –MAP 011-054-000: Mr. Sawyer moved to approve Building Permit No. 2006-014 for Brian Beckwith to make a couple of additions on March Hill. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
OLD BUSINESS:
WALPOLE GRADUATION/PLANNING BOARD CONFLICT: Mr. Miller announced that the Board of Selectmen will allow the Walpole Elementary School to use both the Town Hall and Common for graduation and will ask the Planning Board to take their meeting to the Walpole Elementary School on June 13th, 2006. The school has offered use of the cafeteria if the Planning Board chooses to use it.
HOOPER PROPERTY: Mr. Miller noted that Eloise Clark has started the process to obtain quotes for painting both the Hooper Mansion and Institute.
POLICE DEPARTMENT: Mr. Sawyer moved that the liaison to the Police Department ask for a report on how many hours they patrol each week. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
There was discussion relative to having police presence at the Concerts on the Green.
NEW BUSINESS:
VETERANS EXEMPTION –GUY PRONESTI- 2 MAIN STREET: Mr. Sawyer moved to approve a Veterans Exemption for Guy Pronesti. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
ELDERLY TAX EXEMPTION –DERMOT DALEY- MAP 012-012-000: Mr. Sawyer moved to deny the Elderly Tax Exemption application for Dermot Daley as per the letter of explanation to them. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
CURRENT USE APPLICATION –H&H INVESTMENTS, LLC- MAP 027-005-000: Mr. Miller moved to approve the Current Use application for H&H Investments, LLC as presented. Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. All in favor, so voted.
CURRENT USE APPLICATION –HUGH & ELLEN SHAW- MAP 017-006 & MAP 019-073-000: Mr. Sawyer moved to put the Current Use application for Hugh & Ellen Shaw on-hold pending an explanation and a defined map. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
PREAMBULATION –WESTMORELAND-WALPOLE TOWN LINE: The Town of Westmoreland advised that a Selectman from Westmoreland and a County Commissioner from Westmoreland will be walking the Westmoreland/Walpole Town line one day next week.
Mr. Miller moved that Mr. Sawyer, a Selectman from Walpole, will meet with the two representatives from Westmoreland to walk the Westmoreland/Walpole Town line one day next week. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
WRAP –SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE JOB DESCRIPTIONS UPDATE: The Board of Selectmen reviewed the WRAP – Solid Waste Department Employee Job Descriptions as Updated and the recent advertisement for a Solid Waste Operator.
Mr. Sawyer moved to accept the job descriptions but suggested adding in “and any other duties as assigned by the Supervisor” and under the operators add “and any other duties as assigned by the Board of Selectmen”. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
CEMETERY DEED –ROGER & SUSAN BEER- D-349: Mr. Miller moved to approve the Cemetery Deed for D-349 for Roger and Susan Beer. Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. All in favor, so voted.
VACATION TIME –RICK COOPER- APRIL 24TH TO APRIL 29TH, 2006: Mr. Sawyer moved to allow Rick Cooper to take vacation time from April 24th to April 29th, 2006, as requested. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
DIGITIZATION OF ZONING MAP – SWRPC: Mr. Miller looked at maps at the SWRPC and would like to contact them to obtain an accurate zoning map of the Town.
Mr. Miller moved that arrangements are made with the Southwest Region Planning Commission to have a base map of the Town made to be used in conjunction with the overlaps that are available in the SWRPC office. Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. All in favor, so voted.
PA SYSTEM USE: The Board of Selectmen was unanimous in their consensus not to allow the PA system to leave the Town Hall and not be used for other than Town functions.
LETTERS TO BE SIGNED:
CONCERTS ON THE GREEN: Mr. Sawyer moved to approve and sign the letter to the Savings Bank of Walpole to allow the annual Concerts on the Green beginning on Sunday, June 25th and ending on August 20th, 2006. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
Mr. Sawyer moved to adjourn this meeting. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted. The time was 9:45 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Regina Borden, Recording Secretary
THESE ARE UNAPPROVED MINUTES. CORRECTIONS, IF NECESSARY, MAY BE FOUND IN THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 20, 2006, SELECTMEN’S MEETING.