Ed. Note: A note from Delores Street!  CCB

Ed. Note: Pam Bernard requested that I post this announcement of a poetry reading in town on the 21st of April.  See below.  CCB

POETRY READING: DOROTHY ANDERSON AND PAM BERNARD
WALPOLE TOWN LIBRARY
MONDAY, APRIL 21 @ 7 PM
FREE  /  REFRESHMENTS
Contact:  Pam Bernard at pam@pmbernard.com or 603-756-4177
                Frankie Knibb, Walpole Librarian, 603-756-9806

To celebrate National Poetry Month, two Walpole poets will read from their work at the Walpole Town Library, co-sponsor of the event, Monday, April 21 at 7 p.m.

Dorothy B. Anderson, a retired family therapist, has lived in Walpole for twenty years, with her husband, Paul Galloway, a tree farmer.  Anderson grew up in China and came to this country in 1948.  Her parents were refugees from Nazi Germany.  She has two grown children.  Anderson served on the board of directors for The Frost Place and is currently working with new director, Jim Schley, on a history of this a nonprofit educational center for poetry and the arts based at Robert Frost’s old homestead, in Franconia.  Anderson, who started writing poems in high school, has two books published: a chapbook titled By The Yangtse and a full-length collection, published in 2006, entitled Light Entering My Bones. Several journals have published her work, including Dine, Edison Literary Review, Comstock, and Wooster Review. Poets who have influenced her include Alan Tate, Elizabeth Bishop, and Mary Oliver.

Pam Bernard, poet, painter, editor, and teacher, received her MFA in Creative Writing from the Graduate Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College, and AB from Harvard University in History of Art.  Among her many awards are a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Creative Writing, two Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellowships in Poetry, and a MacDowell Fellowship.  TriQuarterl, Prairie Schoone, Salamander, and the Marlboro Review are among the many journals in which her poems can be found.  Her most recent full-length collection of poetry is entitled Across the Dark.  Her current manuscript of poems, entitled Blood Garde, chronicles a New England youth who finds himself in the trenches of WWI France.  Bernard, who teaches creative writing at the New Hampshire Institute of Art in Manchester, and her husband Harry, a web designer, are recent émigrés from Boston; they have lived in Walpole for three years

Ed. Note: Here are Selectmen's minutes for March 20, a bit later than usual due to my being out of town last week.  CCB

TOWN OF WALPOLE

MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN

MARCH 20, 2008

Selectboard Present:            Sheldon Sawyer, Whitney Aldrich, Jamie Teague

Mr. Sawyer called the meeting to order at 7:36 PM with six people present in the audience.

RE-ORGANIZATION OF SELECTBOARD:

Chairman:  Mr. Aldrich nominated Sheldon Sawyer as the Chair for the next year.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  There were no other nominations.  With Mr. Aldrich and Mrs. Teague in favor, the motion was approved.  Mr. Sawyer abstained from the vote.

Vice-Chair:  Mr. Sawyer nominated Whitney Aldrich as the Vice-Chair for the next year.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  There were no other nominations.  With Mr. Sawyer and Mrs. Teague in favor, the motion was approved.  Mr. Aldrich abstained from the vote.

PUBLIC BUSINESS:

JULIE BURNS – Playground:  Julie Burns had been talking with Joan DeVault about the need for ADA approved playground equipment in Whitcomb Park.  At that time Ken and Julie Burns wanted to incorporate a smaller area that would be for the younger children.  When they heard that the Town was not able to move forward for the older children they were still eager to see something built there.  There is a need to have a place where families can go to meet together in a positive way.  The original estimate for the ADA playground equipment was $104,000; they are willing to contribute $50,000 toward the project.  Mr. and Mrs. Burns hope this will be acceptable to the Town and asked the Selectboard for their consideration in having the Town match the balance of the funding.  With some grant money and support from the Selectboard they hope to get close to the amount that will be needed for the original structure as proposed by Mrs. DeVault.  The Selectboard advised that no monies were included in the current budget therefore the Town could not vote on it until 2009.  Mr. and Mrs. Burns felt a fundraiser could be undertaken and other families would be willing to contribute.  Mrs. Burns said it would be a lovely place and a wonderful addition for the families with children from two to twelve years old.  A four week lead time would be required to have the playground ready for the 2008 season.  There would need to be some modest excavation and site work done but they have volunteers who would donate their time and equipment to do this work.  The Selectboard agreed to support the proposed playground and fundraising and they thanked Mr. and Mrs. Burns.

RED SMITH – Property Assessment Question:  Red Smith and Raynie Laware questioned the property assessment on 11 Westminster Street LLC, Map 20, Lot 071.  Their other properties had modest assessment increases but this property increased drastically.  They distributed graphs of their properties showing the Entity Tax Percentage Comparison and Entity Property Value Comparison.  Mrs. Laware stated that it appears they used the Replacement rather than Fair Market value.  The Selectboard recommended that they contact Avitar and/or the Bureau of Land and Tax Appeals.          

ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT:  Myra Mansouri, Chair of the ZBA, requested that when the gravel pit owners file the Notices of Intent to Excavate Gravel the ZBA receive copies of that document as well as the form the owners use when they have completed the excavation as the ZBA are the regulators of the gravel.  This will assist the ZBA in organizing all the gravel excavations.  There was discussion relative to Reclamation Bonds.  The ZBA will write letters to the pit owners regarding the Reclamation Bonds.

Selectboard Meeting – March 20, 2008 – Page 2

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the Accounts Payable check register and manifest in the amount of $74,544.04.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  All in favor, so voted.

PAYROLL:  Mrs. Teague moved to approve the payroll voucher for the week ending March 15, 2008, for gross wages in the amount of $22,084.16 or net wages in the amount of $13,479.52.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  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 $5,091.49.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  All in favor, so voted.

The Selectboard signed the payroll document authorizing payment of the retro-active 3% cost-of-living increase for the employees.

SELECTMEN’S MEETING and HOOPER TRUSTEES MEETING – MARCH 13, 2008:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the Minutes of the Selectmen’s and Hooper Trustees meeting of March 13, 2008, as printed.  Seconded by Mr. Sawyer.  Mrs. Teague abstained as she was not yet an official Selectboard member.  With Mr. Aldrich and Mr. Sawyer in favor, the motion was approved.

Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the Selectboard Non-Public meeting of March 13, 2008, as printed.  The minutes will remain sealed as they contain information on personnel.  Seconded by Mr. Sawyer.  Mrs. Teague abstained as she was not yet an official Selectboard member.  With Mr. Aldrich and Mr. Sawyer in favor, the motion was approved.

DEPARTMENT / COMMITTEE REPORTS: 

The Selectboard received and reviewed the Minutes of the following meetings:  1) Planning Board meeting of March 11, 2008, and 2) North Walpole Village Board of Commissioners meeting of March 18, 2008.

BUILDING PERMIT:

FRANK and TABATHA ANDERSON – MAP 001-003-005:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve Building Permit No. 2008-004 for Frank and Tabatha Anderson to rebuild their single-family house at 14 Seward Road subject to receipt of the Energy Audit from the State.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  All in favor, so voted.

OLD BUSINESS:

HOCKENSMITH – Sale Of Land:  Mr. Sawyer will contact Attorney Hockensmith regarding the possible sale of land.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FROM APPLEWOOD TO SHAW’S:  Mrs. Teague reported on her research into attempting to find public transportation for the residents at Applewood to be transported to Shaw’s.  Unknowns are the frequency for the rides and the number of riders.  There was discussion relative to putting together a questionnaire and getting the word out.  Mrs. Teague will continue to work on trying to find a solution.

BALLAM FARM:  Mr. Aldrich moved to sign the document that had been received from the Trust for Public Land for the Ballam Farm Conservation Easement.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  All in favor, so voted.

Selectboard Meeting – March 20, 2008 – Page 3

COLD RIVER BRIDGE:  There will be a pre-construction meeting with the State of New Hampshire, District Construction Engineer, on the Cold River Bridge on Friday, March 28th, 2008, at 10:00 AM in the Walpole Town Hall.

NEW BUSINESS:

APPOINTMENTS (2 Members To The Conservation Commission):  Mr. Sawyer explained that there are two vacancies on the Conservation Commission.  Gary Speed and Paul Happ did not seek re-appointments.

Mr. Sawyer moved to appoint Bradley Fletcher to the Conservation Commission to replace Gary Speed for a three year term.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  All in favor, so voted.

Mrs. Teague moved to appoint Mary Lou Montgomery to the Conservation Commission based on the fact that she has been an Alternate member for quite some time.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.

Mr. Aldrich moved to appoint Tom Beaudry to the Conservation Commission to replace Paul Happ for a three year term.  Seconded by Mr. Sawyer.  Mrs. Teague abstained.  With Mr. Aldrich and Mr. Sawyer in favor, the motion was approved. 

The final vote was two votes for Tom Beaudry and one vote for Mary Lou Montgomery.  The Clerk was instructed to cast one vote for Tom Beaudry.

JUNK YARD LICENSE – E & W Salvage:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve and sign the Junk Yard License for E & W Salvage.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  All in favor, so voted.

VALLEY ROAD:  Mr. Sawyer moved to ask Delia Blanchette on the Valley Road to attend a meeting as soon as possible to discuss an on-going matter.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  All in favor, so voted.

WELFARE ADMINISTRATORS WORKSHOP – JUNE 26, 2008:  Mrs. Teague moved to approve having Elaine Moore attend the Welfare Administrators Workshop on June 26, 2008.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  All in favor, so voted.

INTENT TO TIMBER CUT –ALFRED, MARY AND LAWRENCE BRITTON- MAP 008-102-000:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve and sign the Notice of Intent to Timber Cut for Alfred, Mary and Lawrence Britton on Watkins Hill.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  All in favor, so voted.

INTENT TO TIMBER CUT – MICHAEL & LIANA CAPRA – MAP 003-007-001:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve and sign the Notice of Intent to Timber Cut for Michael & Liana Capra on Whipple Hill.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  All in favor, so voted.

ELAINE MOORE – VACATION DAY – TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2008:  Mrs. Teague moved to approve having Elaine Moore take a vacation day on Tuesday, March 25, 2008.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  All in favor, so voted.

COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS:

The Selectboard agreed to be liaisons to the following Town departments / boards:  

            Hooper Trustees – Mrs. Teague

            Police Department – Mrs. Teague

            Solid Waste Department – Mr. Aldrich

Selectboard Meeting – March 20, 2008 – Page 4

            Highway Department – Mr. Aldrich and Mrs. Teague

            Planning Board – Mr. Sawyer

            Conservation Commission – Mr. Aldrich

Recreation Department – Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Aldrich and Mrs. Teague

Mr. Aldrich moved to adjourn this meeting.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  All in favor, so voted.  The time was 9:52 PM.

The Selectboard entered into a meeting as the Hooper Trustees of Trust Fund.

HOOPER

TRUSTEES OF TRUST FUND MEETING

Mr. Sawyer called the meeting of the Hooper Trustees of Trust Fund to order at 9:54 PM.

TREE AT HOOPER INSTITUTE:  Mr. Sawyer will contact Eloise Clark and take a look at the tree that she feels should be taken down.

HOOPER INSTITUTE:  The Board of Selectmen will meet with the Trustees of Trust Funds and a bank representative on Friday, March 28th, 2008, at 8:30 am in the Walpole Town Hall to review the Hooper accounts.

Mr. Aldrich moved to adjourn this meeting.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  All in favor, so voted.  The time was 10:00 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Regina Borden, Recording Secretary