TOWN OF WALPOLE

MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN

JULY 19, 2007

Selectmen Present:            Charles Miller, Sheldon Sawyer, Whitney Aldrich

Mr. Miller called the meeting to order at 7:25 P.M. with six people present in the audience.

PUBLIC BUSINESS:

PERSONNEL:  Mr. Aldrich moved to enter into a Non-Public Session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3 II to discuss (a) Personnel.  Seconded by Mr. Sawyer and, on a roll call vote with all in favor, the motion was approved.  The time was 7:26 P.M.

The regular meeting resumed at 7:45 P.M.

SANDRA SMITH – LETTER TO BOARD OF SELECTMEN:  Mr. Sawyer moved to enter into a Non-Public Session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3 II to discuss (a) Personnel.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich, on a roll call vote with all in favor, the motion was approved.  The time was 7:48 PM.

The regular meeting resumed at 8:14 P.M.

KEITH THIBAULT AND TED BENSON – REF: VALLEY ROAD LAND:  Keith Thibault, Ted Benson and Eileen Swain brought the Board of Selectmen up-to-date on their gathering of information and talked about options on the Town-owned Valley Road land.  Reference was made to previous articles that were voted upon and are usually referred to as “boilerplate articles” because each contains the language “authorizing indefinitely, until specific recession of such authority”.  These articles were voted upon prior to 1997 but also appear in the 1997 Annual Town Report.     

Mr. Sawyer moved that the Board of Selectmen inform the Town Attorney, Jeremy Hockinsmith, that one of the above boilerplate articles, No. 6 in the 1997 Annual Town Report, references “Transfer of Tax Liens and Sale of Tax Deed Property” and had been duly voted on by the Town voters.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  All in favor, so voted.  

Mr. Sawyer moved to give permission to the parties involved to continue working on this project.  A letter of this confirmation will be forwarded to the Southwestern Community Service, Attorney Jeremy Hockinsmith, Attorney Gary Kinyon, Ted Benson and Eileen Swain.  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 $61,570.95.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  All in favor, so voted.

PAYROLL:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the payroll voucher for the week ending July 14, 2007, for gross wages in the amount of $19,073.22 or net wages in the amount of $10,958.56.  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 $4,290.96.  Seconded by Mr. Sawyer.  All in favor, so voted.

Board of Selectmen Meeting – July 19, 2007 – Page 2

DEPARTMENT / COMMITTEE REPORTS:

The Board of Selectmen received and reviewed Minutes of the following meetings:  1) North Walpole Village Board of Commissioners – July 17, 2007; 2) Planning Board – July 10, 2007; and 3) Trustees of Trust Funds – July 13, 2007.

MINUTES –SELECTMEN’S MEETING- JULY 12, 2007:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the Minutes of the public Board of Selectmen’s meeting of July 12, 2007, as printed.  Seconded by Mr. Sawyer.  All in favor, so voted.

BUILDING PERMIT:

DAVID AND JUNE ANN BOUDRIEAU – MAP 018-004-000:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve Building Permit No. 2007-029 for David and June Ann Boudrieau to construct a one-and-a-half story modular cape with garage / workshop on the Capron Road.  Seconded by Mr. Miller.  All in favor, so voted.

OLD BUSINESS:

NRCS AMENDMENT NO. 4:  Mr. Sawyer moved that the Chairman be authorized to sign Amendment No. 4 to the Project Agreement for DRS #48 – Main Street project.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  All in favor, so voted.

BUDGET ITEMS:  The Board of Selectmen and Elaine Moore reviewed several budget items including the miscellaneous accounts.  It was agreed that Mr. Sawyer will talk to Rick Cooper, Mr. Aldrich will talk to Jim Terrell and Mr. Miller will talk to Police Chief Hewes.

PRE-BUY FUEL:  There was discussion relative to the pre-buy of fuel for the coming heating season.  The Board of Selectmen compared the 2006 figures against the 2007 usage figures to-date for the Town Hall.  Elaine Moore will continue to do research.  This will be an agenda item for the next meeting.     

SALE OF LAND (MAIN STREET):  There was a consensus of the Board of Selectmen that a Town vote will be taken in March 2008 to sell the parcel of property off Main Street known as the old Town jail property.

NEW BUSINESS:

MISSING ITEMS AT THE TOWN HALL:  Elaine Moore advised that several items are missing from the Town Hall over a period of time.  The most recent item is the big coffee urn that the Grange gave to the Town Hall.  Mr. Sawyer felt they have to be more diligent in checking the areas and items used the morning following events in the Town Hall.     

VACATION TIME – ELAINE MOORE:  Mr. Sawyer moved to approve the following vacation time for Elaine Moore:  1) July 25 and 26, 2007, only in the mornings; 2) July 30th to August 2nd, 2007, all day; and 3) August 27th to September 3rd, 2007, all day.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  All in favor, so voted.

CEMETERY DEED – JOSEPHINE LEONARD:  Mr. Sawyer moved to approve the Cemetery Deed for plot No. D-500 for Josephine Leonard.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  All in favor, so voted. 

Board of Selectmen Meeting – July 19, 2007 – Page 3

ALTERNATES ON PLANNING AND ZONING BOARDS:  The Board of Selectmen discussed a recent article that appeared in the New Hampshire Town and City magazine regarding the legal requirements for Alternates on the Planning and Zoning Boards.  Copies of the article were sent to both the Walpole Planning and Zoning Boards.

DAM ARTICLES:  Copies of several newspaper articles regarding the dam assessment in the Town of Rockingham / Village of Bellows Falls were sent to the Town of Walpole’s assessor.

HEALTH INSURANCE:  Mrs. Russell had previously explained a miscommunication on the effective date when a family status change was being made to their health insurance coverage.  

Mr. Sawyer moved to authorize reimbursement in the amount of $220.00 to Bruce and Theresa Russell.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  All in favor, so voted. 

GENERATOR:  Mr. Miller was contacted by a property owner who complained about the noise from a neighborhood generator and wanted to know if the Board of Selectmen could do something about it.  There was a consensus of the Board of Selectmen that the Town does not have a Noise Ordinance but they suggested that the property owner can check the decibel level and look into the State law.

LETTERS TO BE SIGNED:

TOM RONNING – REF: STUDY COMMITTEE (One Tax Collector for Walpole and North Walpole):  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve and sign the letter to Tom Ronning.  Seconded by Mr. Sawyer.  All in favor, so voted.

BRUCE MARTIN – REF: VETERANS MEMORIAL:  Mr. Sawyer moved to approve and sign the letter to Bruce Martin regarding the Veterans Memorial.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  All in favor, so voted.

Mr. Sawyer moved to adjourn this meeting.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich and, with all in favor, the motion was approved.  The time was 10:16 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Regina Borden, Recording Secretary