TOWN OF WALPOLE
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
MAY 18, 2006
Selectmen Present: Whitney Aldrich, Charles Miller, (Absent: Sheldon Sawyer)
Mr. Aldrich called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M. with three people present in the audience.
Mr. Sawyer is attending the DES meeting on the Cold River at the Vilas School in Alstead.
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE: Mr. Miller moved to approve the Accounts Payable check register and manifest in the amount of $167,326.62. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
PAYROLL: Mr. Miller moved to approve the payroll voucher for the week ending May 13, 2006, for gross wages in the amount of $15,352.68 or net wages in the amount of $9,117.80. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. 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 $3,704.32. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
Mr. Miller moved to approve and sign the salary document for the Office Manager that was approved last week. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
Mr. Miller moved to approve and sign the salary document for Elaine Moore as the Welfare Officer in the amount of $3,000. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
Mr. Miller moved to approve the hiring of Gus Rogers in the Solid Waste Department as a temporary part-time employee to work on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday each week until a permanent part-time employee can be hired. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
EXECUTIVE SESSION:
Mr. Miller moved to enter into a Executive Session to discuss possible Litigation. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich and, on a roll call with all in favor, the motion was approved. The time was 7:40 pm.
The regular meeting resumed at 7:48 P.M. No announcements were made.
PUBLIC BUSINESS:
ROBERT JASSE: Mr. Jasse apologized for not obtaining a Building Permit as it was an oversight on his part. The building was built according to specs and is now finished. Charles Frye was the electrician, James Plumbing was the plumber and Thayer Fellows was the engineer. The septic system is in good condition. One pending issue is a letter from Fire Chief Hurb Hurlburt following his inspection of the addition. Mr. Jasse left the Building Permit and engineer’s report with the Board of Selectmen.
TRANSFER OF FUNDS: Mr. Miller moved to transfer $500,000 from the MBIA to the Savings Bank of Walpole Town checking account. The chairman is authorized to sign the withdrawal form. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
HOOPER PROPERTY: Jeff Miller and Richard High, members of the Hooper Golf Club, asked for an up-date on the painting of the Hooper Mansion as they would like to have it done this year. Eloise Clark sent the specs out to ten painting contractors but only received two to-date. There was a consensus of the Board of Selectmen to wait one more week before making a decision.
MINUTES –SELECTMEN’S MEETING- MAY 11, 2006: Mr. Miller moved to approve the Minutes of the public Board of Selectmen’s meeting of May 11, 2006, with the following changes: Page 1-5thnd sentence – start sentence with “Mr. Hurlburt” rather than “He”. Add a word in the third sentence as follows: Mr. Miller noted that “before” Mr. Jasse obtains a Liquor Permit----. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor of the motion and amendment, so voted. paragraph-2
Mr. Miller moved to approve the Minutes of the May 11, 2006, Executive Session as printed. The Minutes will remain sealed as they contain information on personnel. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
DEPARTMENT / COMMITTEE MEETINGS:
The Board of Selectmen received and reviewed the Minutes of the following meetings: 1) Planning Board Meeting of May 09, 2006; 2) North Walpole Village Board of Commissioners meetings of April 25, - May 02, and May 09, 2006; 3) Cemetery Committee meeting of April 27, and May 09, 2006, and 4) Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting of May 17, 2006.
WARRANTS:
REPORT OF EXCAVATED MATERIALS –GEORGE GRAVES- MAP 001-016-000: Mr. Miller moved to approve the Warrant for the Collection of Gravel Taxes in the amount of $597.08 for George Graves. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
BUILDING PERMITS:
FRANK AND LINDA PALMIERI – MAP 012-055-007: The Board of Selectmen signed the cover document for Building Permit No. 2006-021 for Frank and Linda Palmieri that was approved at the last meeting.
SAM TALMADGE – MAP 010-024-000: Mr. Miller moved to approve Building Permit No. 2006-022 for Sam Talmadge and Eloise Carriere to demolish an el and farmers porch and replace it with a larger addition. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
WELDON AND EILEEN SMITH – MAP 016-005-MH05: Mr. Miller moved to approve Building Permit No. 2006-023 for Weldon and Eileen Smith to remove a 1964 mobile home and replace it with a newer mobile home at 16 Hogan Lane. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
OLD BUSINESS:
VANGUARD GROUP: Mr. Miller discussed this document with Bruce Kramer of the Trustees of Trust Funds. Mr. Miller will take the document to Attorney Kasper to fill out and bring it back for the signatures of the Board of Selectmen.
LAFAYETTE BUILDING PERMIT – QUESTIONS: There was a consensus of Mr. Miller and Mr. Aldrich to ask Mr. Sawyer to contact Mr. Lafayette to check on the status of the Building Permit.
NEW BUSINESS:
LAWRENCE ASSOCIATES – LETTER REGARDING NORTH WALPOLE LAND USE: The Board of Selectmen acknowledged receipt of a letter from the Lawrence Associates regarding the issue of land in North Walpole. Mr. Miller suggested that one copy of this letter be put in the Jill
Bowen file, a copy mailed to the North Walpole Village Board of Commissioners and a copy placed in the file where Elaine Moore keeps such information.
CEMETERY DEEDS –LOTS D351-352; D-411-412; D471-472:
Lots D411-412: Mr. Miller moved to table the Cemetery Deed for David and Christina Peck pending a clarification on the price. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
Lots D-471-472: Mr. Miller moved to approve the sale of Cemetery Lots D471-472 for Susan R. Peck for $800. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
Lots D351-352: Mr. Miller moved to table the Cemetery Deed for Eldred and Pearl as the last name was omitted on the document. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
REGISTRY OF DEEDS –OPEN HOUSE- MAY 24: The Board of Selectmen received a notice that there will be an Open House on May 24th, 2006, from 5:00-to-7:00 P.M. at the Registry of Deeds in Keene.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CENTER SEMINAR – IS THERE A FOX IN YOUR HEN HOUSE-(REGARDING FRAUD) SEMINAR ON JUNE 21, 2006: This Seminar will be held on Wednesday, June 21st, 2006, from 5:00-to-8:00 pm at the Town Hall in Peterborough.
Mr. Miller moved to allow either one or both of the full-time office staff to attend this seminar if they choose to do so. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
NORTH WALPOLE ROUTE 12 PROJECT: The Board of Selectmen acknowledged receipt of a letter from the Department of Transportation (DOT) concerning the curbing in North Walpole on Route 12. Mr. Miller recommended writing to the DOT acknowledging this letter and to advise that it was forwarded to the Highway Agent for his input.
QUINTON FUND: Mr. Miller asked Bruce Kramer, Trustees of Trust Funds, to let him know what this fund earned last year.
Sheldon Sawyer came into the meeting at 9:22 P.M.
HOOPER BOARD OF TRUSTEES: Mr. Sawyer moved to approve the painting bid from the Brattleboro Painting and Carpentry Service if it is a firm bid of $10,175.00 for the Hooper Institute. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT: Jim Terrell had requested that the Town Highway Department be allowed to swap two holidays. They will work on Fridays (their day off during the summer schedule) in order to have Mondays and Tuesdays off for both the Memorial Day week-end (May 29th and 30th) and the July 4th weekend (July 3rd and 4th), 2006.
TOWN HALL ROOF: Mr. Sawyer is waiting for an estimate to do additional roof repairs on the Town Hall.
WARRANT FOR THE 2006 FIRST ISSUE PROPERTY TAXES: Mr. Sawyer moved that the Board of Selectmen will sign the Warrant for the 2006 First Issue Property Taxes as soon as they are completed. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT: Mr. Sawyer moved to have Rick Cooper and Elaine Moore meet to go over any charges for mileage of the Town truck. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
COLD RIVER MEETING: Mr. Sawyer provided a report on the Department of Environmental Services meeting he attended this evening on the post-flood activities, management and permitting requirements in the Cold River watershed. It was a good informational meeting and there was a question and answer period. They were just granted an $80,000 grant to study what can be done along the river bank to restore the vegetation. Mr. Sawyer brought up the concern of why aren’t people able to get the trees out of the rivers. They were told that as long as equipment isn’t put into the river the trees can be removed.
LETTERS TO BE SIGNED:
ROBERT HESS: Mr. Sawyer moved to approve and sign the letter to Robert Hess regarding the road cleanup in front of his residence on North Road. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
NORTH WALPOLE VILLAGE COMMISSIONERS – RADIOS: Mr. Sawyer moved to approve and sent the letter to the North Walpole Village Board of Commissioners regarding radios. 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 9:56 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Regina Borden, Recording Secretary