TOWN OF WALPOLE

MEETING OF THE SELECTBOARD

MARCH 12, 2015

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

CALL TO ORDER: Mr. Street called this Selectboard meeting to order at 6:00 PM in the Walpole Town Hall. He advised that this meeting is being recorded and asked anyone wishing to speak to identify themselves for the record. There were seven people in attendance. These are unapproved Minutes.

PUBLIC BUSINESS:

MR. JIM TERRELL – Highway Department: Mr. Terrell talked with Mr. Kreissle about the salt budget; it ended up better than he anticipated. He submitted a 2015 Salt, Sand & Overtime summary for the Selectboard to review. He feels the Salt budget will be fine for 2015. The Sand budget is over; they had budgeted $50,000. They used all the sand that was in the yard plus $3,783 was spent to buy more. He had already contracted to buy 600 more yards which came to $4,800. The sand line-item is now negative $8,383. There will not be enough to finish out 2015 if we have another winter like 2014. He would be comfortable ordering another 600 yards.

Relative to Overtime he feels it would be prudent to add another 25 hours just in case it is needed. If they added another $20,000 to this budget and subtracted the above figures it would leave about $7,600 for additional expenses, if needed. Following a discussion there was a consensus of the Selectboard to leave the proposed 2015 budget as is and to hope it is a normal year weather-wise without any emergencies and/or severe storms.

Relative to the Interim Inspection of Municipally Owned Bridges (red listed) from the Department of Transportation. Mr. Terrell was aware of the bridge over Houghton Brook on Wentworth Road. They had put in some guardrails and did shoulder work. There is a plan to fix it and money in the budget but when they tried to get an “Expedited Permit” to do the work from the Department of Environmental Services (DES) they said “no”; now we are going into the third year trying to get a permit. Warren Stevens is working on that. It is not a major problem to fix it and not very expensive but they need the permit.

He just recently heard about the other bridge on Main Street over Old Mill Pond Brook. The main issue is the corrosion near the bottom where the water runs. DES is worried because corrosion tends to speed up as time goes by. Warren Stevens and he looked at it after they were notified by the DES and they concurred on an easy fix but this would also require a permit.

Mr. Terrell is aware of the missing Weight Posting sign (E2) at the north end of the Old Mill Pond Brook Bridge but will need to order one. There is money in the budget for engineering. He would like to take care of these two bridges as soon as possible.

Mr. Terrell had an employee leave as he is moving out of town. The vacancy has been advertised and a few applications have been received.

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE: Mr. Dalessio moved to approve the Accounts Payable check register and manifest in the amount of $73,936.03 for checks dated March 13, 2015. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. With all in favor, the motion was approved.

PAYROLL: Mr. Dalessio moved to approve the Payroll voucher for the week ending March 7, 2015, in the amount of $21,207.99 for checks dated March 13, 2015. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. With all in favor, the motion was approved.

Mr. Dalessio moved to approve the electronic transfer for the 941 Employer Taxes for Withholding, MEDI and FICA taxes in the amount of $4,856.05 for the week ending March 7, 2015. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. With all in favor, the motion was approved.

SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES: SELECTBOARD MEETING – March 5, 2015: Mr. Dalessio moved to approve the Minutes of the regular Selectboard meeting of March 5, 2015, as submitted. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. With all in favor, the Minutes were approved.

NON-PUBLIC SELECTBOARD SESSION – March 5, 2015: Mr. Dalessio moved to approve the Minutes of the Non-Public Selectboard Session of March 5, 2015, as submitted. The Minutes will not be sealed. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. With all in favor, the Minutes were approved.

COMMITTEE REPORTS: The Selectboard received and reviewed the Minutes of the following meetings:

 Planning Board Meeting – March 10, 2015;

 North Walpole Village District Board of Commissioners – March 10, 2015.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO CUT WOOD OR TIMBER: POTTER, Old Keene Road, Map & Lot #007-022-001: Mr. Dalessio moved to approve the Notice of Intent to Cut Wood or Timber, No. 14-461-20-T, for Edward Potter off the Old Keene Road, as submitted. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. With all in favor, the motion was approved.

ABATEMENTS / REFUNDS: JR DEVELOPMENT, LLC., Ames Plaza, Map & Lot #012-055-002A: Mr. Street explained that this went before the Board of Land and Tax Appeals (BLTA) and the Town was represented by Avitar Associates. This Abatement Agreement is the result of those negotiations between JR Development, Inc. and the Town of Walpole. The square footage was wrong therefore they were being taxed on a larger square footage; this is the middle section that was taken over by another owner. Mr. Dalessio explained that it was decreased from 27,666 to 15,520 square feet. For the current year they added back in the small storage addition in back of the Sears Hometown Store. Mr. Dalessio moved to approve the Abatement application for the municipality in accordance with RSA 76:16 to JR Development, LLC. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. With all in favor, the motion was approved.

Mr. Dalessio moved to authorize the Chair to sign the Settlement Agreement between the Town of Walpole and JR Development, LLC for Lots 12-55-2, 12-55-2A and 12-55-13. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. With all in favor, the motion was approved.

Mr. Dalessio moved to approve the Notice of Property Tax Abatement / Refund for Map and Lot #12-55- 2A, JR Development, LLC for the year 2013 in the amount of $11,929.14. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. With all in favor, the motion was approved.

Mr. Dalessio moved to approve the Notice of Property Tax Abatement / Refund for Map and Lot #12-55- 2A, JR Development, LLC for the tax year 2014 in the amount of $10,055.52. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. With all in favor, the motion was approved.

NEW BUSINESS:

LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION MEETING INVITATION: An invitation was received from the City of Keene to attend a meeting of the Keene City Council and Keene Delegation to keep informed on legislative proposals and discuss issues of concern. The main topic of discussion will be the Maplewood Nursing Home. Over the years they have expanded the list of invited guests to reflect the fact that legislation does not recognize town boundaries but extends out to their wider communities. The members of the SAU 29 School Board, the Cheshire County Commissioners and area Selectmen are invited to bring up their own legislative concerns at this meeting. This meeting is scheduled for March 30th, 2015, in the Council Chambers on the 2nd floor of City Hall, 3 Washington Street, Keene beginning at 6:30 pm.

DES DREDGE PROJECT: Mr. Aldrich advised that the Town received notification and a packet of information that the State will be doing some dredging in North Walpole in the harbor. A copy will be sent to the North Walpole Board of Commissioners for their information.

HOLIDAY FARMERS MARKET: Mrs. Edkins advised that Mrs. Holly Gowdy came in this afternoon to advise that they are not going to continue the Friday afternoon Farmers Markets but they would like to use the Common on the week-end after Thanksgiving Day when the two churches and the Orchard School are holding their Christmas Bazaars. Mr. Dalessio pointed out that the need for the Farmers Market is going away as a lot of local stores are handling their produce and products. The Selectboard had no objections to their using the Common on this week-end.

CHESHIRE COUNTY PROPOSED BUDGET: The Selectboard acknowledged receipt of the letter and summary of the 2015 Executive Committee’s Proposed Budget. This budget will be going before the County Delegation on Monday, March 16, 2015, at 7:00 pm at the old Cheshire County Court House, 2nd Floor County Hall, 12 Court Street in Keene.

OLD BUSINESS: Town Hall Renovations: An email was received from Mrs. Clough regarding the Town Hall kitchen renovations. Mrs. Edkins pointed out that a concern is the safety aspect. They talked to Mr. Mark Houghton about this and several people have looked at it. A question is whether or not a fire suppression system is required if renovations are made. Mrs. Pschirrer feels a dish washer is the biggest item. Mr. Dalessio mentioned there are other options they need to pursue. These are 2014 funds that have been carried-over.

RECESS SELECTBOARD MEETING: Mr. Dalessio moved to recess this Selectboard meeting. The Selectboard will enter into a meeting as the Hooper Trustees. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. With all in favor, the motion was approved at 6:52 PM. The regular Selectboard meeting resumed at 7:26 PM.

NEW BUSINESS (Continued): TRUSTEES OF TRUST FUNDS – Resignation: Mrs. Peggy Pschirrer submitted her resignation from the Trustees of Trust Funds effective March 14, 2015. She will work with her replacement.

TRUSTEES OF TRUST FUNDS – Appointment: Mr. Dalessio moved to appoint Tom Goins to fill the balance of Mrs. Pschirrer’s term as a Trustee of the Trust Funds. Seconded by Mr. Aldrich. With all in favor, the motion was approved.

TOWN REPORT: Mrs. Pschirrer recommended that an apology be extended to Robert Kimball as his name was not listed under the Trustees of Trust Funds in the front of the Town Report. Mr. Dalessio felt they would make a statement during the Town Meeting and apologize for the omission. Mr. Aldrich pointed out that on page 8 in the Town Report under the Election Results it indicates that “James Aldrich” explained the budget instead of “Whitney Aldrich”.

NON-PUBLIC SESSION: Mr. Aldrich moved to enter into a Non-Public Selectboard Session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3 II to discuss (a) Personnel. Mr. Dalessio seconded the motion and, on a roll call vote with all in favor, the motion was approved at 7:37 PM. The regular meeting resumed at 7:48 PM.

NEW BUSINESS (Continued): Selectboard: Mr. Street said Thank You, it has been a pleasure serving on the Selectboard and it has been a great year. We are in good shape. Mrs. Pschirrer will be the new Selectboard member.

ADJOURNMENT: Mr. Aldrich moved to adjourn this meeting. Seconded by Mr. Dalessio. With all in favor, the motion was approved at 7:50 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Regina Borden, Recording Secretary