TOWN OF WALPOLE

MEETING OF THE SELECT BOARD

APRIL 16, 2009

Select Board Present:  Whitney Aldrich (Chair), Jamie Teague

                                    (Absent: Sheldon Sawyer)

Mr. Aldrich called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM with three people present in the audience.

PUBLIC BUSINESS:

JIM TERRELL and CHIEF HEWES – High Street:  Mr. Aldrich requested that Jim Terrell and Police Chief Hewes attend this meeting to provide their input on making High Street one way.  Chief Hewes advised that the Police Department has no stats for speeding or accidents; High Street has not been an issue to the Police Department.  It is not a high traffic road.  He would recommend removing the left parking space on Main Street to alleviate the concerns.  He suggested that the Select Board talk to the ambulance service as they provide most of the town’s services in that area.  He is not in favor of a one-way street.  Mr. Aldrich will talk to Dick Hurlburt regarding the ambulance service.

Mr. Terrell noted that it is a narrow area.  Two vehicles cannot get by each other.  With cars parked on Main Street you cannot see until you are in the traffic.  Many times people have to back into High Street or back into Main Street depending on their direction to allow the other vehicle to go by.  The one-way idea has been tossed around for years.  His concern is the traffic flow and congestion.

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE:  Mrs. Teague moved to approve the Accounts Payable check register and manifest in the amount of $60,814.24.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  Motion passed unanimously.

PAYROLL:  Mrs. Teague moved to approve the payroll voucher for the week ending April 11, 2009, for gross wages in the amount of $15,441.73 or net wages in the amount of $7,643.89.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  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 $3,462.21.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  Motion passed unanimously.

OLD BUSINESS:

LETTER TO TRUSTEES REGARDING PROPERTY PURCHASE:  Mrs. Teague moved to approve and sign the letter to the Trustees of Trust Funds requesting that they issue a check in the amount of $269,997.44 on Friday, April 17, to the Bradley and Faulkner Law Firm for the purchase of property on Map 007, Lot 007-007 from John and Suzanne Hodgkins.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  Motion passed unanimously.

(The Select Board noted that the original purchase price for the property is $270,000.00 but the adjusted figures resulted in a credit of $2.56.)        

Select Board Meeting – April 16, 2009 – Page 2

Adjournment:

Mrs. Teague moved to recess this meeting until Noon on Friday, April 17th, 2009.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  Motion passed unanimously.

            April 17, 2009 - Continued Select Board Meeting of April 16, 2009

Present:  Whitney Aldrich, Jamie Teague, and Sheldon Sawyer

Chairman Whitney Aldrich called the meeting to order at 12:04 PM

PUBLIC BUSINESS:

Water Superintendent, Mark Houghton was in to speak with Board regarding Water/Sewer Rate Increases.  The following was presented to the Board for their review.

1. Water Rates – Residential - ¾” pipes – no increase

2.   1” Pipes – Increase from $124.00 to $146.00 for first 1,000 CF

3.   1 1/2 “ Pipes – Increase from $283.00 to $334.00 for first 1,000 CF

4. 2” Pipes – Increase from $514.00 to $607.00 for first 1,000 CF

All usage after the first $1,000 CF will increase from $44.00 to $46.00 per 1000 CF.

SEWER RATE INCREASE:

1. All pipes – Increase from $34.00 to $36.00 per thousand CF

FLAT RATE WATER BILLS:

1. All users increase from $100.00 to $200.00 per billing

WATER AND SEWER CONNECTIONS:

Increase from $500 to $750 per connection.

SPRINKER FEES:

     4” Sprinkler Connection per year - $400.00

     6” Sprinkler Connection per year - $600.00

     8” Sprinkler Connection per year - $800.00

SELECT BOARD MEETING:

Sheldon Sawyer moved to approve the Select Board Minutes of April 09, 2009.  Seconded by Jamie Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.

DEPARTMENT COMMITTEE REPORTS:

The Select Board reviewed the minutes of Hooper Institute Committee Meeting – March 17, 2009 and the minutes of North Walpole Village Commissioners Meeting – April 14, 2009.

BUILDING PERMITS:

Andrew and Annette Dey – Map 019-033-000.  Sheldon Sawyer moved to approve Building Permit No. 2009-03 for Andrew and Annette Dey to renovate an existing barn, and make a one-bedroom in-law apartment on the second floor, the first floor to have an office, game room and storage area, with a connecting breezeway.  Seconded by Jamie Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.

Marion Dreifuss – Map 013-035-000.  Sheldon Sawyer moved to approve Building Permit No. 2009-4 for Marion Dreifuss to remove a 12’x56’ mobile home with decks and additions and to build a 14’ x 30’, 2 story wood frame – two bedroom house with a 14’ x 17’ addition in the back of the house.  Seconded by Jamie Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.

OLD BUSINESS:

VILAS BRIDGE:  The Board reviewed a letter from DOT in regards to procedures DOT will take regarding traffic control from Vilas Bridge entering onto Killeen Street and Church Street.

WRAP COMMITTEE:  Sheldon Sawyer moved to appoint Joe Dion to the Wrap Committee for a term of Three Years.  Seconded by Jamie Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.

SWRPC: Board received a yearly bill from SWRPC in the amount of $4,047.  Town Meeting Warrant Article was written and approved in the amount of $4,000.  Select Board authorized a payment of $4,000 to SWRPC.  Select Board questions the $47.00 difference a Mr. Tim Murphy, a representative from SWRPC was at the Town Meeting and spoke on the Article.  A letter will be sent with the payment indicating this amount was by Town Vote.

NEW BUSINESS:

INTENT TO EXCAVE – George Graves – Jamie Teague moved to approve the application for the Intent to Excavate for George Graves,  No. 09-461-06-E.  Seconded by Sheldon Sawyer.  Motion passed unanimously.

INTENT TO CUT TIMBER:             Lewis Leclair – Sheldon Sawyer moved to approve the application for Intent to Cut Timber for Lewis LaClair, Map 008-077-000.  Seconded by Jamie Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.

VACATION REQUEST:  Paul Colburn requests vacation time from May 1 – May 9, 2009.  Paul Clark will be in charge during this time.  Sheldon Sawyer moved to approve the requested vacation time for Paul Colburn.  Seconded by Jamie Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION:  Board received information regarding a combined Public Officials Public Informational Meeting of improvements for NH 12.

CEMETERY TRUSTEES:  Trustees submitted report on update for work being done at the Drewsville Cemetery.

LETTERS:

TRUSTEES OF TRUST FUNDS:  Cemetery Trustees have submitted a request to reimburse Harry Remick for unusable lot- D553.  Jamie Teague moved to sign letter, seconded by Sheldon Sawyer.  Motion passed unanimously.

ELDERLY EXEMPTION: Harry and Pamela Bernard – Elderly Exemption – Sheldon Sawyer moved to sign letter, seconded by Jamie Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.

ADJOURNMENT: Sheldon Sawyer moved to adjourn this meeting.  Seconded by Jamie Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.  The time was 1:09 PM.

Ed. Note:  Fritze Till reports that Carl Majewski, Cheshire County's Cooperative Extension Agent, will do a presentation at the Walpole Community Garden (behind the Hooper Institute on Prospect Hill Road) on Monday, May 11 at 6:30 pm. He will do a half hour talk on community gardens and then a half hour hands-on gardening demonstration. The public is welcome and there is no charge. CCB

WALPOLE VILLAGE SCHOOL HAPPENINGS

May 6, 2009

REMINDERS FOR UPCOMING EVENTS

Childfind Screening

May 13^th

By Appointment

            Any child age 2½ through 4 years (not attending kindergarten in the fall) and who lives in the Fall Mountain School District is welcome to attend this free developmental screening.  The screening will be held at the Early Learning Center, which is located on the grounds of the Fall Mountain Regional High School.

            Children will be screened in the areas of communication, motor and early academic skills.  There are three possible outcomes to this confidential testing: satisfactory, re-screen in six to twelve months, or refer for more thorough testing.

            Parents can use this time and opportunity to ask questions about normal growth and development of their child.  By identifying children with special needs early, intervention may help them to develop to their fullest potential.

            For an appointment and further information, please call 835-6314 or email tvittum@sau60.org.  If you reach the answering machine, please leave your phone number and someone will get back to you to make an appointment.

Spring Concert

May 13^th

6:00 PM

            I’m sure you remember that the concert is at 6:00 PM May 13^th at the Walpole Town Hall.  Students who attend the MWF AM class should be there at 5:45 so they can be lined up and ready to go on time. 

Plant and Food Sale

May 16^th

9:00-12:00

We have potted a lot of plants and they are looking great.  Bethany, Jody, Stacie, Heather, and Carolyn have been digging in the gardens of some very generous people – most that don’t even have children in our school.  Angela, Jody, Justin, Stacie and I have been putting those plants in pots so they can get “acclimated” and look their healthy best on the 16^th.

There will be a raffle and large plant pots for sale as well as the food and plants.  Be sure and advise people to come early for the best selection.  By the way, those who help get a chance to do an early bird selection so if you would like to lend a hand a get to choose early it’s not too late.

We will be sorting and pricing the plants at Lil’s house on Thursday, 5/14 and will be moving them all down to school on the 15^th.  As you can imagine, the more hands we have for this the happier everyone will be!

Auction

June 6th

        Donations are starting to come in but Bethany and Justin are starting to worry.  If you have something you’d like to donate, they’d sleep better if you would let them know.   They work so hard on this and it has always been a major fund raiser.

In addition to a great time to get some bargains, it is a great time for some good food.  Kelley and Stacie are having a meeting @ 6:00 on May 19^th to start drawing up the menu and dividing up the tasks.  They’d love to see you there if you can help out.  I remember that this was the first event I attended after I had agreed to become a board member and I was pretty intimidated by organization and the wonderful food.  I was most relieved when I learned that cooking wasn’t a prerequisite for being a board member!

Registrations

            Registrations are coming in for Summer Camp 2009 and the 2009-2010 school year.  It is great to see the all the paperwork being done in such a timely manner.   Thanks to all.

In Case You Forgot

Our email address is walpolevillageschool@myfairpoint.net and our website is http://walpolevillageschool.org/.

Fall Mountain Project Graduation 2009 Annual Yard Sale

Saturday, May 16th

8:00 am - 3:00 pm

Charlestown Middle School Gym

There will also be a refreshment table.