MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
APRIL 26, 2007
Selectmen Present: Charles Miller, Sheldon Sawyer, Whitney Aldrich
Mr. Miller called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. with two people present in the audience.
PUBLIC BUSINESS:
KELLY GOODRICH: The Board of Selectmen and Kelly Goodrich, T.G.K. Contracting, outlined the repairs that will be made to the north end of the Town Hall.
Mr. Sawyer moved to accept the T.G.K. contracting proposal for work on the front of the Town Hall. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
SOUTHWEST REGION PLANNING COMMISSION: Matt Suchodolski, SWRPC, requested that the Board of Selectmen approve signing the Mortgage Discharge between the Monadnock Economic Development Corporation and the Town of Walpole. The Community Development Block Grant associated with the original purchase of the property has been successfully closed out so there is no longer a requirement for the Town to have the mortgage. MEDC would like to re-finance the Dunning Building in North Walpole with TD BankNorth and the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority.
Mr. Sawyer moved to approve and sign the Mortgage Discharge between the Monadnock Economic Development Corporation and the Town of Walpole. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE: Mr. Sawyer moved to approve the Accounts Payable check register and manifest in the amount of $16,029.81. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
PAYROLL: Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the payroll voucher for the week ending April 21, 2007, for gross wages in the amount of $17,319.29 or net wages in the amount of $8,895.85. Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. 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 $4,399.76. Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. All in favor, so voted.
MINUTES –SELECTMEN’S MEETING- APRIL 19, 2007: Mr. Sawyer moved to approve the Minutes of the public Board of Selectmen’s meeting of April 19, 2007. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the Minutes of the Non-Public Session and that the Minutes remain sealed as they contain information on personnel. Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. All in favor, so voted.
DEPARTMENT / COMMITTEE MEETINGS:
The Board of Selectmen received and reviewed the minutes of the following meetings: 1) Zoning Board of Adjustment – April 18, 2007; and 2) North Walpole Village Board of Commissioners – April 17, 2007 and April 24, 2007.
BUILDING PERMITS:
JUSTIN & SARAH STERNER – MAP 014-003-000: Mr. Sawyer moved to approve Building Permit No. 2007-009 for Justin & Sarah Sterner to extend the existing breezeway by 12-feet. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
JOHN & LINDA BURROWS – MAP 021-042-000: Mr. Aldrich moved to approve Building Permit No. 2007-010 for John & Linda Burrows to add to a deck and porch roof on Colonial Drive. Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. All in favor, so voted.
DOROTHY FLETCHER – MAP 004-037-000: There was a consensus of the Board of Selectmen to put Building Permit No. 2007-011 “on-hold” pending receipt of additional information for Dorothy Fletcher.
OLD BUSINESS:
DSR #49 – GRAVES ROAD AND MILL ROAD: Mr. Sawyer moved to authorize Elaine Moore to sign the notice from the NRCS for DSR #49, Graves Road and Mill Road, as the Town will not be doing these two projects. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
Elaine Moore advised that the bidders for the Ford Avenue and Black Jack Crossing projects will be here on May 3rd, 2007, at 9:00 am. The Board of Selectmen authorized having Elaine Moore contact the contractors on the list that was provided.
WHITCOMB ROAD BRIDGE: A letter was received from L. Robert Landry, PE and Project Manager for the Whitcomb Road Bridge, advising that there will be a Department of Transportation Hearing on May 15, 2007, at 11:00 am in room 112 in Concord. The meeting serves as a decision making forum for the Hearing Commissioners.
E-911: Elaine Moore received the paperwork for the Board of Selectmen to appoint a replacement E-911 Coordinator.
Mr. Aldrich moved that Elaine Moore, the Office Manager, be appointed as the E-911 Coordinator and be authorized to sign the Verizon data base appointment document. Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. All in favor, so voted.
TOWN HALL ROOF – CUPOLA: Melanson Roofing will be at the Town Hall tomorrow to do an inspection of the Town Hall roof cupola.
TREE ON COMMON: The Board of Selectmen acknowledged a letter from Barkley Bull regarding the replacement tree on the Common. There was a consensus to send a letter to Mr. Bull thanking him for his observations and hope that he will have the patience to allow the project to proceed. It will also include the fact that Carol Christian, Women of Walpole member, picked out the replacement tree.
RECYCLING STUDY COMMITTEE: The Board of Selectmen will ask Duncan Watson, Chairman of the Recycling Study Committee, to submit his report in writing.
NEW BUSINESS:
NORTH WALPOLE VILLAGE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING – REQUEST BOARD OF SELECTMEN – MAY 1ST – 7:15 PM: The Board of Selectmen would like to have a copy of the contract for review prior to attending their meeting on May 1st.
OTIS ELEVATOR: There was discussion relative to problems with the Town Hall elevator and the recent bill in the amount of $872.29 from Otis Elevator. To discontinue their service requires a 90 day notice of cancellation. Elaine Moore advised that Stanley Elevator has a service representative in Keene who is willing to service the elevator. The State requires that the elevator has to be inspected once a year.
Mr. Sawyer moved to send Otis Elevator a 90 notice of cancellation and that the Office Manager be authorized to sign the letter. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU MEETING – MAY 03, 2007: A notice was received that there will be a meeting by the U.S. Census Bureau on May 3rd, 20007 at 10:00 am in the Keene Public Library to discuss early participation in the 2010 census.
CURRENT USE CHANGE – DISCUSS WITH BOS: There was a consensus of the Board of Selectmen to put this Current Use Change agenda item “on-hold” until the next meeting as more figures are needed before a decision can be made.
REGULATIONS GOVERNING EARTH EXCAVATIONS: Pam Aslinger advised the office staff that the “Regulations Governing Earth Excavations” are available for sale. The Board of Selectmen will contact Myra Mansouri, Chair of the ZBA, to discuss this before they are sold.
CONSERVATION COMMISSION: Mr. Sawyer advised that Larry Britton did not seek re-election to the Conservation Commission. Both Bradley Fletcher and Peter Graves talked to him about being appointed to the commission.
Mr. Sawyer moved to appoint Peter Graves to the Conservation Commission for a three-year term. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
ARTICLE 24: Mr. Miller noted that under Article 24, the issue of climate change, the Town voted to appoint a voluntary energy committee to recommend local steps to save energy and reduce emissions. The Board of Selectmen agreed to form a committee and come up with some names as possible volunteers.
Mr. Sawyer moved to adjourn the Board of Selectmen’s meeting and to enter into a Trustees of Hooper Trust meeting. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted. The time was 9:00 PM.
TRUSTEES OF HOOPER TRUST
Appointment of Jackie Bujnevicie: Mr. Sawyer moved to appoint Jackie Bujnevicie to the Hooper Institute Committee. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted.
Water Supply: Mr. Sawyer noted that the Water Department hooked up water to the Institute but not the Mansion. Since it would be extremely expensive to get the water system over to the other side of the road for the Mansion, Mark Houghton feels it would be better to take out the two old tanks and put in two more modern pressure tanks plus some new piping and that would solve the problem. There was a consensus of the Board of Selectmen to look into this option.
Mr. Sawyer moved to adjourn the Trustees of Hooper Trust meeting. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. All in favor, so voted. The time was 9:09 PM.