TOWN OF WALPOLE

MEETING OF THE SELECTBOARD

JULY 15, 2009

Selectboard Present:  Sheldon Sawyer, Jamie Teague, (Absent: Whitney Aldrich, Chair)

Mr. Sawyer called the meeting to order at 4:08 PM with seven people present in the audience.

PUBLIC BUSINESS:

PAULA CLEMENTE – DRA (Joanne Tramontozzi’s replacement) – Wants to Meet Board:  Paula Clemente introduced herself as the Town’s new Department of Revenue Administration representative.  One of her assignments is to assist the Selectboard with assessments.  The Town of Walpole statistics are pretty good at this time.  Growth has been fairly level.  Ms. Clemente will be scheduling visits to look at 20 Walpole properties in order to monitor the 2008 cyclical.  She will contact Loren Martin at Avitar.  Copies of the post card titled “Important Notice” that she sends out in advance of her visit, a copy of the letter that she leaves at the door and a copy of the “Community Action Report” were left with the Selectboard.

DAVID KEURULAINEN – Merriam Farm:  David Keurulainen, Mr. and Mrs. Lampey, Attorney Greg Michael and Ed Rogers were present.  Attorney Michael and Ed Rogers summarized their presentation made during the Planning Board meeting last night.  The Selectboard previously denied the occasion for a Class V up-grade.  Mr. Keurulainen would like to build on one of the lots; there are existing grandfathered lots.  There is the potential for eight lots on that road.  Mr. Sawyer explained that even though there are state laws the Town has their own Resolution with criteria (per RSA 674:41) and the Planning Board addressed that.  It was noted that last year Mr. Frink received a Building Permit and he made some improvements on the road to his property.  Merriam Farms is proposing to improve the rest of the road to get to their property.  The abutters are not opposed to the road improvements that are being proposing.  Attorney Michael read and approved the Waiver of Services document. 

Mrs. Teague moved that the Selectboard allow Mr. Keurulainen / Merriam Farm to present a request for a Building Permit on the Class VI road and to allow them to start to repair Merriam Road.  Seconded by Mr. Sawyer.  Motion passed unanimously.       

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE:  Mrs. Teague moved to approve the Accounts Payable check register and manifest in the amount of $602,265.57.  Seconded by Mr. Sawyer.  Motion passed unanimously.

The above amount includes a monthly payment in the amount of $472,979.46 to the Fall Mountain Region School District.

PAYROLL:  Mrs. Teague moved to approve the payroll voucher for the week ending July 11, 2009, for gross wages in the amount of $17,982.03 or net wages in the amount of $9,835.64.  Seconded by Mr. Sawyer.  Motion passed unanimously.

Mrs. Teague moved to approve the electronic fund transfer for the 941 Employer Taxes for Withholding, MEDI and FICA taxes in the amount of $3,861.27.  Seconded by Mr. Sawyer.  Motion passed unanimously. 

MINUTES:

SELECTBOARD MEETING – July 09, 2009:  Mrs. Teague moved to approve the Minutes of the regular Selectboard meeting of July 09, 2009, as printed.  Seconded by Mr. Sawyer.  Motion passed unanimously.

Selectboard Meeting –July 15, 2009- Page 2

Mrs. Teague moved to pass over the Minutes of the Non-Public Selectboard meeting of July 09, 2009, until a full Selectboard was present.  Seconded by Mr. Sawyer.  Motion passed unanimously.

BUILDING PERMIT:

SUSANNA STEISEL – Map 008-018-000:  Mrs. Teague moved to approve Building Permit No. 2009-027 for Susanna Steisel to construct a 10’ x 12’ storage room / studio unattached to the house at 326 Wentworth Road.  Seconded by Mr. Sawyer. Motion passed unanimously. 

OLD BUSINESS:

DAVID and SUSAN HOWELL –Map 007-024-000- Abatement Request:  Mrs. Teague moved to allow the assessment change for David and Susan Howell as outlined by Loren Martin of Avitar.  Seconded by Mr. Sawyer.  Motion passed unanimously. 

SELECTBOARD OFFICE VACANCY:  Mrs. Teague drafted a job description and an advertisement for the Selectboard Office vacancy.   There was a consensus to send the advertisement to the Keene Sentinel, Valley News, Local Government Center, Unemployment Office, to post it and put it on the Town web site. 

Mr. Sawyer moved to have Elaine Moore send the advertisement out to the above mentioned newspapers and offices after Mr. Aldrich has had the opportunity to look it over.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.   

NEW BUSINESS:

SOLID WASTE FACILITY:  Mrs. Teague reported that the Recycling / Transfer Station gate at the old dump was cut.  The Police Department investigated.    

Paul Colburn will be doing reviews and evaluations.  Some students from the Fall Mountain Region School District are volunteering at the facility.

HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT:  Mrs. Teague met with all the Highway Department employees and talked about projects, equipment and their jobs.  Jim Terrell and Mrs. Teague went on a tour of all the roads.  There are a lot of roads that are falling apart.  There is a huge oak tree on the Old Drewsville Road that presents a dangerous situation.  Mrs. Teague will contact Jan Ramsey of the Granite State Electric Company to see if they will have it taken down.  The highway crew is doing brush cutting and a drainage project on Maple Grove Road Ext.

HIGH STREET:  It was brought to the Selectboard’s attention that individuals are not abiding by the one-way traffic change on High Street.  The Police Department will be notified and asked to enforce this traffic flow change.

Mrs. Teague moved to adjourn this Selectboard meeting.  The Selectboard will enter into a meeting as the Hooper Trustees.  Seconded by Mr. Sawyer.  Motion passed unanimously.  The time was 5:58 PM.

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HOOPER TRUSTEES MEETING

Mr. Sawyer called the meeting of the Hooper Trustees to order at 5:59 PM.

Bill for John Neal – Invoice # 6-13-2009:  The Hooper Trustees received a bill from John Neal for the handicapped bathroom in the Hooper Mansion.  It includes three changes to the original estimate as mandated by the inspector. 

Mrs. Teague moved to approve payment of Invoice # 6-13-2009 in the amount of $4,990.00 for John Neal.  Seconded by Mr. Sawyer.  Motion passed unanimously. 

Mrs. Teague moved to adjourn this meeting.  Seconded by Mr. Sawyer.  Motion passed unanimously.  The time was 6:04 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Regina Borden, Recording Secretary