TOWN OF WALPOLE
MEETING OF THE SELECTBOARD
JULY 3, 2014

Selectboard Present: Chas Street (Chair); Whitney Aldrich, Steven Dalessio

CALL TO ORDER: Mr. Street called this meeting to order at 6:00 PM in the Walpole Town Hall with four people in attendance.
These are unapproved Minutes.

PUBLIC BUSINESS:
JIM TERRELL – Highway Department: Mr. Terrell reported that there is a drainage issue on Taylor Street in North Walpole. Water is coming down off the hill. Since spring time it started flooding the Shaughnessy cellar; there are continuing issues. Mr. Terrell looked at the area and could not see anything different therefore he called Warren Stevens and they both looked at the area during a rain storm. The shoulders have built up on Hillcrest so the water is not going anywhere. If they do anything and it causes water problems somewhere else the Town has other issues but he feels they need to do something for Mr. Shaughnessy. The Selectboard read the report dated June 20, 2014, from Warren Stevens of M & W Soils Engineering, Inc. Mr. Terrell felt regular maintenance might slow down the water ponding. If the Town does not do anything the flooding will continue. The Selectboard supported Mr. Terrell’s recommendation to do regular maintenance.
Mr. Terrell advised that the Highway Department is currently getting their uniforms from Crown Uniform Service but Unifirst offered a good deal over what they are getting now. He submitted a copy of their contract to the Selectboard. Right now they are paying about $140/week but Unifirst will provide the same service at about $75/week. They want the Town to sign a five year contract but Mr. Terrell explained that it has to be a year-to-year contract. He talked to some people who said Unifirst is a good company. Mr. Dalessio would support this change as long as there is an “out” based on budget approval by the voters. Mr. Street and Mr. Aldrich agreed.

NON-PUBLIC SESSION:
Mr. Dalessio moved to enter into a Non-Public Session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3 II to discuss (a) personnel. Mr. Aldrich seconded the motion and, on a roll call vote with all in favor, the motion was approved at 6:16 PM.
The regular meeting resumed at 6:52 PM. No announcements were made.

SIDEWALKS: Mr. Terrell reported that the person that did the sidewalks last year is too busy therefore he contacted other people. The plan is to do Main Street in North Walpole. Mr. Terrell is looking into sealers to prevent the breaking-up of the sidewalks; there does not appear to be any consistency. Mr. Street noted that after the sidewalk project was done last year the top layer had worn off in a few spots so the stones are showing. Mr. Terrell is still doing research as to why the inconsistencies happened.

PAVING and ROAD DAMAGES: Mr. Terrell advised that paving will start on Monday. He advised that the Town had three wash-outs. There was a sinkhole on Dearborn Circle. Previously the Highway crew put rocks in the hole but it has washed out. Mr. Jennison pushed the stones back in but feels it needs to be paved over. There was another problem on Westminster Street where the Town installed sewer lines. Mr. Curven feels the Town should make repairs at the end of his driveway. The third wash-out was on Ford Avenue. Mr. Hicks advised that water is coming down his neighbor’s property and washing out his yard. Pictures were submitted of these areas. Mrs. Clough will write letters to these three property owners to let them know the Town is working on these areas. Mr. Terrell met with the State to
talk about when they can coordinate putting in the State and Town culverts; the State is looking at August or September.

PUBLIC BUSINESS:
JAMIE TEAGUE: Mrs. Teague had intended to attend this meeting to talk to the Selectboard about the electric rates in the future however she was unable to come in. This Agenda item was tabled until the next meeting. Mrs. Clough mentioned that the Town usually locks in with the School District on the fuel.

OLD HOME DAYS: Mr. Street, on behalf of the Selectboard, thanked the Old Home Days Committee, the various committees / sub-committees, organizational committees and anyone else who was involved in the planning and / or assisted in the events. It was a wonderful week-end and went off well. There was a good Block Party Dance and the bands were enjoyed by all. He only heard wonderful comments from everyone.

JACK FRANKS: Mr. Franks had a question on how the process works on the Land Use Change Tax.
He noted that there is a provision in RSA 155 – Excavation Tax. If someone is only excavating top soil, which is currently what he is doing, he has the right to put the land back in Current Use. He will not begin permanent construction until the spring of 2015 therefore feels he has the option to return it to Current Use. Mr. Street explained that the tax will not affect him until the following year as he did not start the work until May 2014. Mr. Franks asked if he had questions as to how this property was assessed what would be the best way to approach that. One of his questions is if it is going to go back into Current Use, which it is because they will not start construction until 2015, then what will happen. Will it be re-assessed at that point? Mr. Street felt he needs to submit it all in writing to the Selectboard, they will review it, and then forward it to Avitar Associates. Mrs. Clough pointed out that it does have to come out of Current Use. On his tax bill this year he will not see it out of Current Use. However it will be taken out of Current Use for the following tax bill. He has until March 1st to file to put it back into Current Use. If the Selectboard approve his Warrant at this meeting, it will go to Sandra Smith, Tax Collector, and he will have 30 days to pay it.

WARRANTS:
Mr. Dalessio moved to approve the Tax Collector’s Land Use Change Tax Warrant for Avanru Development Group, Ltd., Map #012, Lot #013-004 in the amount of $26,500.00. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. With all in favor, the motion was approved.

OLD BUSINESS:

TOWN HALL REPAIRS: Relative to the Town Hall repairs, Mrs. Clough talked to one contractor who is already booked up and she is waiting for a quote from another contractor who will submit one quote for the painting and a second quote for the construction. The Selectboard discussed the possibility of putting siding on the back side of the Town Hall only as nobody sees it. The moisture in the back is real bad and there is mildew. Mr. Street wants to get the front painted this year. Mr. Dalessio will do some research in an effort to get some quotes from contractors who can do the work this year. Mr. Aldrich recommended they put this on hold for one more week but will try to make a decision during the next meeting.

JOB POSTING: Mr. Dalessio will email some minor verbiage changes to Mrs. Clough over the week-end so the advertisement for a Full Charge Bookkeeper can go into the newspapers soon. The Selectboard want it to run in the Keene Sentinel and Eagle Times as well as putting it on the NH Municipal Association and the Indeed websites.

WATER AND SEWER REPORTING: Mrs. Edkins had submitted a report on the Water and Sewer delinquencies that was reviewed by the Selectboard. They are ready to do shut-offs. The Town’s Water Ordinance does not match with the RSAs. The Town’s Water Ordinance states they need to notify everybody in writing but the RSA does not include this.
Mr. Aldrich moved to go ahead and initiate the water shut-offs on the eight (8) designated properties as presented. For now, people will be notified in accordance with the Town’s guidelines. Seconded by Mr. Dalessio. With all in favor, the motion was approved.

NON-PUBLIC SESSION #2:
Mr. Dalessio moved to enter into a Non-Public Session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3 II to discuss (a) Personnel and (c) Reputations. Mr. Aldrich seconded the motion and, on a roll call vote with all in favor, the motion was approved at 7:28 PM.
The regular meeting resumed at 7:43 PM. No announcements were made.

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE:
Mr. Dalessio moved to approve the Accounts Payable check register and manifest for checks dated July 3, 2014, in the amount of $86,421.18. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. With all in favor, the motion was approved.

PAYROLL:
Mr. Dalessio moved to approve the payroll vouchers for the week ending June 28, 2014, in the amounts of $25,325.09 and $140.00. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. With all in favor, the motion was approved.
Mr. Dalessio moved to approve the electronic transfers for the 941 Employer Taxes for Withholding, MEDFI and FICA taxes in the amounts of $5,612.91 and $31.09. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. With all in favor, the motion was approved.

SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES:
SELECTBOARD MEETING – June 26, 2014: Mr. Dalessio moved to approve the Minutes of the Selectboard meeting of June 26, 2014, as submitted. Seconded by Mr. Street. With Mr. Dalessio and Mr. Street in favor, the Minutes were approved. Mr. Aldrich abstained as he was not present.
NON-PUBLIC SELECTBOARD SESSION #1 – June 26, 2014: Mr. Dalessio moved to approve the Non-Public Selectboard Session #1 of June 26, 2014, as submitted. The Minutes will remain sealed. Seconded by Mr. Street. With Mr. Dalessio and Mr. Street in favor, the Minutes were approved. Mr. Aldrich abstained as he was not present.
NON-PUBLIC SELECTBOARD SESSION #2 – June 26, 2014: Mr. Dalessio moved to approve the Non-Public Selectboard Session #2 of June 26, 2014, as submitted. The Minutes will remain sealed. Seconded by Mr. Street. With Mr. Dalessio and Mr. Street in favor, the Minutes were approved. Mr. Aldrich abstained as he was not present.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:
The Selectboard received and reviewed Minutes of the following meetings:
 North Walpole Village District Board of Commissioners – July 1, 2014; and
 Planning Board – June 10, 2014.

NEW BUSINESS:
PERSONNEL: Mr. Dalessio moved to approve and sign the Personnel forms for the summer employees at the Hooper Institute and the Recreation / Pool Department. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. With all in favor, the motion was approved.

PET WASTE STATIONS: The Selectboard acknowledged receipt of an email from Raynie Laware at the Walpole Foundation to see about getting permission to put up 4 or 5 dog waste stations within the Village. Mr. Dalessio’s concern is how they will be maintained. Mr. Aldrich pointed out that this has been an on-going problem. Following a discussion, Mr. Street advised that he will write a Thank You note but the Selectboard agreed to defer their offer at this time.

OLD BUSINESS:
ABATEMENT LETTER ON J.R. DEVELOPMENT: A letter was received from Avitar Associates of New England, Inc. regarding an Abatement for J.R. Development, LLC.
Mr. Aldrich moved to accept Avitar Associates’ recommendation to deny this tax Abatement as requested by J.R. Development in the North Meadow Plaza, Map #012, Lots #055-002, 055-A2 and #013. Seconded by Mr. Dalessio. With all in favor, the motion was approved.

DIGITAL MAPPING: Mr. Dalessio spoke with Avitar Associates today and they have gone through a first pass of converting the Town’s paper maps to shape files. They should be seeing the files sometime mid-to-late next week. During the conversion process Avitar discovered a number of issues most likely related to subdivisions that may not have been recorded on the paper maps. Shape files will be given to Mark Houghton, Water and Sewer Department, to start moving his effort forward. The files will then be moved onto the Jim Terrell at the Highway Department. It will be a step plan.

TOWN WEBSITE: Over the week-end Mr. Dalessio will be re-directing the town’s website from Network Solutions to Weebly and testing it to be sure the email still works. If all goes well the base web site will be up on Monday. Training on how to add content will start with the office and Town Clerk departments. After that they will plan the next steps.

RECESS SELECTBOARD MEETING:
Mr. Aldrich moved to recess this Selectboard meeting. The Selectboard will enter into a meeting as the Hooper Trustees. Seconded by Mr. Dalessio. With all in favor, the motion was approved at 8:09 PM.
The regular Selectboard meeting resumed at 8:18 PM.

ADJOURNMENT:
Mr. Dalessio moved to adjourn this meeting. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. With all in favor, the motion was approved at 8:19 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Regina Borden, Recording Secretary