TOWN OF WALPOLE
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
JANUARY 11, 2007
Selectmen Present: Whitney Aldrich, Charles Miller, Sheldon Sawyer
Mr. Aldrich called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM with nine people present in the audience.
PUBLIC BUSINESS:
DENISE and KEN HORN: Denise Horn inquired as to whether or not a Building Permit was required for the 10’ X 10’ shed that she and her husband put on their property. Originally they asked about a bigger shed but when they were told a Variance would be needed for the bigger shed they purchased the smaller one and felt it was exempt. Mr. Sawyer explained that she was correct about the size but if it was not at least 65-feet from the center of the road they still needed a Variance. Mrs. Horn was not made aware of this requirement. Mr. Sawyer volunteered to measure the area tomorrow.
JOSH KELLY – BALLAM FARM: Josh Kelly, The Trust for Public Land, wanted to up-date the Board of Selectmen regarding the Ballam Farm. He distributed a draft copy of a proposed Warrant Article and will FAX a copy of it to Attorney Kasper. Mr. Kelly felt they should schedule some informational meetings prior to the Annual Town Meeting. Gary Speed, Chair, and Mel Schupack of the Conservation Commission were also present. Mr. Schupack would like to have Dorothy Taylor speak at these meetings about the economics of conservation land. Gary Speed advised that the Town will own the easement primarily to protect the water well known as the “River Well”.
Mr. Sawyer moved to enter into a Non-Public session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3 II to discuss (d) Acquisition of Real Estate. Mr. Miller seconded the motion and, on a roll call vote with all in favor, the motion was approved. The time was 7:42 PM.
The regular meeting resumed at 8:08 P.M. No announcements were made.
JUNK YARD WARRANT ARTICLE: Robert Jasse asked if any changes were being made to the Petition he submitted regarding the Junk Yard Warrant Article. Mr. Aldrich advised that the Board of Selectmen cannot make a change to the language of a Petition. Mr. Sawyer stated that they were seeking a legal opinion to be sure that a Public Hearing was not required prior to the Annual Town Meeting.
EILEEN SWAIN: Eileen Swain and the Board of Selectmen continued their discussion regarding a parcel of Town owned land.
JACK PRATT: Jack Pratt and the Board of Selectmen had a discussion via the speaker phone regarding the Regional Prosecutor. Peter Heed met with the Police Chiefs to discuss continuing with the Regional Prosecutor. Mr. Heed is willing to find an attorney and provide space in his office. Jack Pratt is talking to the various Boards of Selectmen in eight towns about keeping the Regional Prosecutor and integrating it with the court system. Mr. Sawyer advised that they would like to have a document to specify what each town is liable for. Mr. Pratt advised that there is a grant that will pick-up some of the secretarial and housing costs. There was a consensus of the Board of Selectmen to work with Peter Heed to continue to have a Regional Prosecutor.
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE: Mr. Miller moved to approve the Accounts Payable check register and manifest in the amount of $60,663.42. Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. All in favor, so voted.
Mr. Sawyer moved to approve the check register to void check No. 049799 in the amount of $264.00 as it was printed in error. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
PAYROLL: Mr. Sawyer moved to approve the payroll voucher for the week ending January 6, 2007, for gross wages in the amount of $18,809.82 or net wages in the amount of $10,280.31. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
Mr. Sawyer moved to approve the electronic fund transfer for the Withholding, MEDI and FICA taxes in the amount of $4,602.00. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
Mr. Sawyer moved to approve payment in the amount of $75.00 out of the Mason Forest Fund to Robie Speed. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
Mr. Sawyer moved to put the Highway Department pay raise requests on-hold and to have Jim Terrell attend a meeting to discuss them. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
STATISTICAL UP-DATE: The Board of Selectmen received a memo from Teresa Kissell advising that $797.66 remains in the Statistical Up-date Fund that is interest earned, therefore, it needs a Warrant Article to dissolve the fund this year. This is a result of last years Article No. 21 that had the Town remove $10,000 from the Statistical Up-Date Expendable Trust Fund.
MINUTES –SELECTMEN’S MEETING- JANUARY 04, 2007: Mr. Sawyer moved to approve the Minutes of the public Board of Selectmen’s meeting of January 04, 2007, as printed. Seconded by Mr. Miller. 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 January 09, 2007.
WARRANTS:
JOEL AND NANCY THOMPSON –CURRENT USE CHANGE TAX- MAP 005-002-008: Mr. Miller moved to sign the Warrant for a Current Use Change Tax in the amount of $5,000.00 for Joel and Nancy Thompson because it involved a parcel with less than ten acres. Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. All in favor, so voted.
FREDERICK AND GALE PICKERING –SUPPLEMENTAL WARRANT FOR PROPERTY TAXES 2006 – MAP 008-099-001: Mr. Sawyer moved to sign the Supplemental Warrant for the Collection of North Walpole 2006 Property Taxes in the amount of $64.00 for Frederick and Gale Pickering as the land was taxed to the wrong person. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
ABATEMENT:
NANCY SHEPARD – PROPERTY ABATEMENT – MAP 008-009-000: Mr. Miller moved to approve the Abatement for Property Taxes in the amount of $4.00 to Nancy Shepard. Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. All in favor, so voted.
REFUNDS:
NEW ENGLAND POWER – MAP Util-Util-2A – PROPERTY TAX: Mr. Miller moved to approve the Notice of Property Tax Refund for the 2005 Property Taxes for the New England Power Company in the amount of $11,954.00 due to an over-assessment in the District of North Walpole. Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. All in favor, so voted.
NEW ENGLAND POWER – MAP Util-Util-2B – PROPERTY TAX: Mr. Miller moved to approve the Notice of Property Tax Refund for the 2005 Property Taxes for the New England Power Company in the amount of $14,898.00 due to an over-assessment in the Town of Walpole. Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. All in favor, so voted.
PHILIP W. GOODELL, III –MAP 003-038-004- PROPERTY TAX: Mr. Sawyer moved to approve the Refund in the amount of $12.08 for Philip W. Goodell, III for Property Taxes. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
OLD BUSINESS:
ASSESSING: Mr. Sawyer moved to acknowledge receipt of the letter from Jim Rice, Granite State Municipal Assessing & Consulting Services, LLC, advising that he will be unable to renew his assessing contract and is withdrawing his general assessing statistical update contract proposal for 2007 due to personal events. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
Mr. Rice refunded all monies paid to date for services rendered regarding the statistical update.
Mr. Sawyer moved to contact Jeff Earls, owner of Cross Country Appraisal Group, LLC, to see if he can take over the general assessing plus perform the statistical update for the Town in 2007. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. Mr. Miller was opposed as he felt other appraisal groups should be contacted to see if they would be available and, if so, at what cost. Mr. Sawyer explained that because of the limited number of assessing groups and the limited time involved to get the statistical update done by September he would be agreeable to having Elaine Moore send a letter to the Cross Country Appraisal Group as well as other appraisal groups but that an answer would be required by next Thursday. Mr. Sawyer and Mr. Aldrich were in favor of the motion. Mr. Miller was opposed. The motion carried by a 2-to-1 vote.
PROSECUTORIAL BY-LAWS: Due to the resignation of the County’s Prosecutor the Town of Walpole is faced with making a decision but they are working with the Cheshire County Commissioners and County Attorney Peter Heed to find a replacement.
. .BRATTLEBORO ROOFING – ESTIMATE: The Board of Selectmen acknowledged receipt of some information from Brattleboro Roofing about repairs and cost to the Town Hall roof.
NEW BUSINESS:
TAN: Mr. Sawyer moved that the Board of Selectmen sign the Tax Anticipation Note application, where necessary, for $1,000,000.00. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
ACCEPTANCE OF AUDIT REQUIREMENTS: The Board of Selectmen received documents for the Acceptance of Audit Requirements for work that they did during the flood in the amount of $22,287.75. This is the FEMA Disaster Federal share.
Mr. Sawyer moved that the Chairman be authorized to sign both documents. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
BUDGET HEARING DATE SET FOR JANUARY 31, 2007, AT 7:00 pm: The Board of Selectmen announced that the Annual Budget Hearing date was set for January 31, 2007, at 7:00 pm.
TOWN HALL REPAIRS: The Board of Selectmen acknowledged receipt of an estimate from Brendan Honey for repairs to the front of the Town Hall.
RICK COOPER – ASSET TRADE: Mr. Sawyer moved to approve the asset trade proposed by Rick Cooper to exchange a small baler and the original glass crusher, together with the original 45-foot storage trailer for (2) 48-foot 105-inch high storage trailers. This trade involves no funds. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
RECYCLE – EMPLOYEE PAY ISSUE: Mr. Sawyer moved to grant an employee pay raise to Paul Colburn at the Solid Waste Facility to be effective on January 1st, 2007. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
LANGDON / WALPOLE RECYCLE: The Board of Selectmen went to meet with the Town of Langdon Board of Selectmen on Monday, January 8th. 2007, and opened lines of communication. They discussed the possible cooperative effort on recycling and will continue to work on that.
Mr. Sawyer moved to adjourn the Board of Selectmen’s meeting and to enter into a Trustees of Hooper Trust meeting. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted. The time was 10:46 pm.
TRUSTEES OF HOOPER TRUST
Hooper Golf Course - Alarm System: Following receipt of information from Mark Houghton, the Board of Selectmen took the following action.
Mr. Sawyer moved to contract with Country Side Lock and Panel to install an alarm system and smoke detectors in the Hooper Mansion. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted.
Mr. Sawyer moved to adjourn the Trustees of Hooper Trust meeting and to return to the Board of Selectmen’s meeting. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted. The time was 10:52 P.M.
BOARD OF SELECTMEN’S MEETING
NON-PUBLIC SESSION:
Mr. Sawyer moved to enter into a Non-Public Session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3 II to discuss (e ) Pending Claims or Litigation. Seconded by Mr. Miller and, on a roll call vote with all in favor, the motion was approved. The time was 10:55 P.M.
The regular meeting resumed at 11:14 P.M. No announcements were made.
Mr. Sawyer moved to adjourn this meeting. Seconded by Mr. Miller. All in favor, so voted. The time was 11:16 P.M.Respectfully submitted,
Regina Borden, Recording Secretary