The Walpolean

Selectboard Present:      Cheryl Mayberry (Chair); Steven Dalessio; Peggy L. Pschirrer

CALL TO ORDER:  Ms. Mayberry called this Selectboard Public Hearing to “Request Comment Regarding Snowmobile Use of All Class VI Roads” to order at 6:00 PM in the Walpole Town Hall.  This Public Hearing is being recorded.  There were 30-plus members of the public in the audience.  

Ms. Mayberry read the notice that was duly published and posted:

TOWN OF WALPOLE, NH

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

November 10, 2021, at 6:00 PM

To Request Comment Regarding Snowmobile

Use of All Class VI Roads

You are hereby notified that the Walpole Selectboard will hold a public hearing Wednesday, November 10, 2021, at 6:00 PM in the Walpole Town Hall.

The public hearing is to discuss whether all licensed snowmobiles may use all Class VI roads within the Town of Walpole.

The Selectboard Meeting will follow the public hearing.

Ms. Mayberry reported that back in 2006 the Hooper Hill Hoppers were granted permission to use Class 6 roads within the Town of Walpole.  They were the only ones listed for that.  You have to be affiliated with a club to register your snowmobile.  The law changed back in 2019.  They do believe it is still in effect for Walpole but there is the recommendation to hold this Public Hearing to reaffirm that permission and to extend it to snowmobiler users for those properly registered and who have an affiliation with a snowmobile club. 

There are a lot of people attending so they will start out limiting their speaking time to three (3) minutes.  She would like to start with those who are opposed to the use of Class VI roads within the Town of Walpole for snowmobile use.  Please state your name, where you live and who you are representing.

Attorney Gary Kinyon, an attorney in Keene, is representing Jody and Barbara Spivey who live on Whipple Hill Road.  He is here not to oppose the designation of all Class VI roads to snowmobile use but tonight he is here to ask the Selectboard to exercise their discretion and to consider not granting snowmobile use over the portion of Whipple Hill Road where the Spiveys live.  The Selectboard has the discretion under the statutes as to the use of snowmobiles on some Class VI roads or portions of them.  The basis of his request, on behalf of the Spiveys, is best illustrated by the sketch he displayed.  They are the only house on Whipple Hill Road on the Class VI portion. When they built their house six-or-seven years ago, they knew that portion of Whipple Hill Road was a Class VI road.  They knew they would have to maintain that portion of the road as their own access to their house.  Over the years there had been very little snowmobile use on their section of the road.  Their road is accessed by snowmobiles via Pelsue Road which is also a Class VI road with no homes on it.  Beyond this road there is another Class VI road with no residences on it.  As you go down toward Rapids Road, one can connect to the snowmobile trails that have been there for many years.  There are no residents on them, and they are not maintained by the Town.  The Spiveys portion of Whipple Hill Road is the only one that could be affected by the Selectboard’s decision.  Snowmobiles would present an additional cost to the Spiveys in terms of road maintenance.  Since you cannot get over their portion of the Class VI road via a Class VI road with any residences on it, it is is an access to area roads that snowmobiles could not legally access.  Attorney Kinyon explained the surrounding roads including Class V roads that snowmobilers cannot use.  They ask the Selectboard to take into account that the Spiveys are the only residents on that portion of Whipple Hill Road, and they maintain that road at their expense so they could get to and from the Town road and maintain it for emergency vehicle access.  That is the basis of their request. 

Mr. Dalessio asked how else would the snowmobile club be able to access the trails?  Attorney Kinyon replied that the network of trails that the Hooper Hill Hoppers have maintained for many years is all down in the area toward Wentworth Road and the roads heading toward Westmoreland.  The Hooper Hill Hoppers have not accessed the trails he indicated on the sketch.   

Shane O’Keefe, 5 Adams Lane:  Mr. O’Keefe advised that on Pelsue Road there is a home.  There is no vehicle access but if they choose to do so they could.  There are also two other properties that could have access if they chose to do so.  He is not opposed to snowmobiles on Whipple Hill Road.  It is supposed to be maintained at a 20-feet width at all times of the year, but it is not. 

Shirley Gorton, 26 Gold Smith Tavern Road:  Mrs. Gorton said they have permission to go on a field that goes down to Pelsue Road, they cross over to County Road and Whipple Hill Road.  They have a neighbor who uses the same route.  They have been snowmobiling down that road for twenty-five (25) roads or more.  They are using Whipple Hill Road and there are some properties that they are able to access in that area.  They cross County Road to get to Pelsue Road and then Whipple Hill Road.

Marcia Galloway, 467 Watkins Hill Road:  Mrs. Galloway reported that the Pelsue Road has been an access road for the Hooper Hill Hoppers for many years.  Snowmobilers go down Carpenter Hill Road and cross County Road.  The trail groomer used to go up Whipple Hill Road, turn around just below where Pelsue Road comes in.  They cannot do that now because there is a granite post beside the trail on the Class VI road; it may be on Mr. Spiveys property, but it looks close to the Town’s right-of-way.  They have been trying to get equipment down there because they have two bridges to maintain, and those gates have not helped.  Ms. Mayberry noted the gates were removed.                          

Lew Shelley, 25 Scovill Road:  Mr. Shelley supports the use of Whipple Hill and Pelsue Roads.  He is concerned with using the word “all” Class VI roads in perpetuity.  He feels they should leave some roads open for snowmobile use.  He supports the use of snowmobiles on all Class VI roads, but he is concerned with the term “all”.  Ms. Mayberry asked if he had specific roads that he does not feel will be appropriate.  Does he have a list he can give to the Selectboard?  Mr. Shelley does.  Mrs. Pschirrer noted he is probably the only person in Town who knows all the class VI roads.  Is he thinking of the emergency roads?  Mr. Shelley replied “no”, but some roads have been washed-out and are damaged.  Some cannot be groomed by a groomer.  He would just like to leave a door open to making some changes in the future. 

Larry Leclerc, 721 County Road:  Mr. Leclerc advised the family has other land on Rapids Road, etc.  He believes all Class VI roads should be accessible to snowmobiles.  We cannot leave out one or two.  A new owner might not like snowmobiles, and we will have this same problem all over again.  We should have some consideration when there is a problem.  All Class VI roads should be accessible by snowmobiles because even if they are badly washed-out when there is enough snow somebody could use the Class VI road to access their trail system.  They have a lot of volunteers, and they do bridge work.  They keep them open for emergency vehicles, walkers and cross-country skiers.  They should be accessible to everybody. 

On Class VI roads they should put in something to allow posting them during mud season from maybe the beginning of March to the first of June.  He has a list of towns that shut down these roads during mud season.  We need to preserve what we have. 

Richard Francis, 257 Ramsay Hill Road:  Ramsay Hill Road becomes a Class VI road about a mile away from his house.  It connects with Reservoir Road.  One of the great things about living in this area is the opportunity to use and enjoy the environment which means they can enjoy other people’s land if it is not posted for walking or other uses.  We should not limit the use of those lands or the Class VI roads.

Larry Britton, 311 Watkins Hill Road:  Mr. Britton asked if there is a permanent residence on a Class VI road does it change the classification to a Class V road.  Mrs. Pschirrer replied “no”.  Mr. Britton asked if there is any other place in the Town of Walpole that there is a house on the end of a Class VI road.  Mr. Dalessio knows of a couple. Mrs. Pschirrer advised a property owner has to get special permission to build on a Class VI road.  It remains a Class VI road unless it is taken to Town Meeting for a vote on the change.  There is something attached to the Deed on Whipple Hill Road that states it is a Class VI road and they have to maintain that as a Class VI road.

Peter Dexter, 604 County Road:  It is easy to have one person or a small group of people right now to make adjustments for them and not look toward the future.  There is a lot of land that is not accessible in any other way, or it could be land locked.  One day those properties might be sold and someone else will want to build on them.  They would sign the waivers.  If we change the rules and the access now, it limits those people for the future.

Shane O’Keefe:  Mr. O’Keefe had a question on the wording.  Did it state in perpetuity?  Ms. Mayberry replied it does not.  They meant if you grant the access until you change the access.  Mr. O’Keefe advised there are a lot of towns that have a policy for Class VI roads.  He recommends they create one and he will be happy to help with that.  Mrs. Pschirrer noted that in their records from 2004 they discovered a Resolution on Class VI and private roads.  Maybe they need to revisit that so everybody can see it.  Ms. Mayberry felt they can look at what Mr. O’Keefe has to make sure they considered everything. 

Bernard Perry, County Road:  Mr. Perry asked if this discussion was only for snowmobiles and not gates and bars.   Ms. Mayberry said this is has nothing to do with gates and bars.  This is specifically to allow snowmobile use on Class VI roads.  It is allowable to have gates and bars on Class VI roads, but they cannot be locked.  We are working on this first.

Ms. Mayberry asked if there were any other comments.  There were none.  She thanked everyone for coming as they gave the Selectboard a lot of things to consider as they do appreciate them.  The Public Hearing was closed at 6:28 PM.                            

Respectfully submitted,

Regina Borden, Recording Secretary

Selectboard Present:      Cheryl Mayberry (Chair); Steven Dalessio; Peggy Pschirrer

CALL TO ORDER:  Ms. Mayberry called this Selectboard meeting to order at 6:36 PM in the Walpole Town Hall.  This meeting was being recorded.  Also present was Mrs. Sarah Downing, Manager of Administration, and Mrs. Regina Borden, Recording Secretary.  There were no members of the public in attendance.

PUBLIC HEARING:  Ms. Mayberry advised that prior to this meeting the Selectboard held a Public Hearing to “Request Comment Regarding Snowmobile Use of All Class VI Roads”.  Her question was the restriction of trail access after Attorney Kinyon said they are literally cutting off the trail access.  If you block that whole section you essentially cut off all their access from that side.  Mrs. Pschirrer does not wish to amend their proposal.  Attorney Kinyon was asking them to preserve Whipple Hill.  Ms. Mayberry said there could be consequences to that especially if there is a new property owner.  She is not in favor of restricting access because that blocks the whole side.  Ms. Mayberry asked about Mr. Lew Shelley’s comments about not restricting all roads.  Mrs. Pschirrer said there should not be any “picking and choosing”; she likes stating all Class VI roads.  Mr. Dalessio liked Mr. Leclerc’s suggestion to post the roads during mud season, it is a good idea, but should be a separate item.  After the Public Hearing closed Mr. Leclerc gave Mrs. Pschirrer a copy of all the research he had done and gave her a list of the towns now posting Class VI roads from March 1^st to June 1^st.  Mrs. Pschirrer noted that basically what was done in 2006 is being done now except it mentioned the “Hooper Hill Hoppers” Snowmobile Club.  Now they would say “all licensed snowmobiles”. 

Mr. Dalessio moved to allow all licensed snowmobiles to use all Class VI roads within the Town of Walpole.  Seconded by Mrs. Pschirrer.  With Mr. Dalessio, Mrs. Pschirrer and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved. 

Mrs. Pschirrer moved that all Class VI roads be posted and closed during mud season.  Mr. Dalessio seconded the motion however amended the motion that the dates are to be determined by the Road Agent.  With Mrs. Pschirrer, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion and amendment were approved.      

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE:

Mrs. Pschirrer moved to accept the Accounts Payable Check Register in the total amount of $64,523.40 for checks issued November 12, 2021.  This includes a payment in the amount of $32,492.95 to the NH Retirement System (NHRS).  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Mrs. Pschirrer, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved.

PAYROLL:

Mrs. Pschirrer moved to accept the Payroll Check Register for the week ending November 6, 2021, in the amount of $26,680.37 for checks dated November 12, 2021, and for the 941 Payroll Tax Transfer in the amount of $5,090.05.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Mrs. Pschirrer, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved.

SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES:

SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES – November 4, 2021:  Mrs. Pschirrer moved to accept the Minutes of the Selectboard meeting of November 4, 2021, as submitted.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  With Mrs. Pschirrer and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the Minutes were approved.  Mr. Dalessio abstained from the vote as he was not present at this meeting.

NON-PUBLIC SESSION SELECTBOARD MINUTES – November 4, 2021:  Mrs. Pschirrer moved to accept the Minutes of the Non-Public Selectboard Session of November 4, 2021, as submitted.  These Minutes will remain sealed.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  With Mrs. Pschirrer and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the Minutes were approved.  Mr. Dalessio abstained from the vote as he was not present at this meeting.

NON-PUBLIC SESSION SELECTBOARD MINUTES – October 28, 2021:  Mrs. Pschirrer moved to accept the Minutes of the Non-Public Selectboard Session of October 28, 2021, as submitted.  These Minutes will remain sealed.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  With Mrs. Pschirrer, Ms. Mayberry and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the motion was approved.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

The Selectboard acknowledged receipt of the following Committee reports:

• Walpole Fire District Monthly Meeting – October 6, 2021;
• Safety Committee Meeting – October 20, 2021;
• Conservation Commission – November 1, 2021.

OLD BUSINESS:

E & W Salvage Letter:  Mrs. Pschirrer moved to approve the letter to E & W Salvage on Valley Road.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Mrs. Pschirrer, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved.

Arborclimb:  Ms. Mayberry reported that Arborclimb responded but the Selectboard has waited a long time for them to do so.  Arborclimb advised there will be a $2,500 fee for this service.  This changed the terms of their understanding.  There was a consensus of the Selectboard to find someone else to do this tree assessment and plan.   

Reservoir Dam Meeting:  Mr. Dalessio advised the tentative date and time for this meeting is Monday, November 22^nd at 6:00 PM.  The Committee will review the letter received from the Department of Environmental Services (DES) so they know which direction to take to move forward.  Mrs. Pschirrer will be unable to attend this meeting as she will be attending a Power Committee meeting.

Pending Further Actions:

Vilas Bridge, Generators, Three Phase Power for Industrial Park Drive and Bensonwood   

Houghton Brook Bridge:  Mr. Dalessio reported they should be getting a permit package next week from Fuss & O’Neill.  It will then go to the Department of Environmental Services (DES). 

Ten Year Transportation Plan:  Ms. Mayberry advised the deadline for the GACIT comment period is today.

NEW BUSINESS:

2021 Equalization Municipal Assessment Date Certificate:  Ms. Loren Martin of Avitar Associates reported that “The median ratio is 73.8% which indicates assessments are about 26.2% below market value or what they are selling for”.

Mrs. Pschirrer moved to sign the 2021 Equalization Municipal Assessment Data Certificate sent to the Town by Loren Martin of Avitar Associates recognizing that she sent us the Median Ratio.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Mrs. Pschirrer, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved.

Mrs. Downing was asked to get a list of other assessors accepted by the State for review.

Monadnock Region Rail Trail Collaborative: Ms. Mayberry advised they are looking for one representative from the Town of Walpole for their board.  It should be someone who uses the trails or an official of the Town of Walpole.  Mr. Dalessio suggested this be given to the Walpole Conservation Commission.  Mrs. Downing was asked to put a copy of this letter in their mail box.

School Street and Union Street:  Mr. Dalessio and Mr. Mark Houghton met with Fuss & O’Neill to look at School Street and Union Street.  They took a quick walk through the damaged flood area.  He still has not heard back from MRI about a Project Manager.  He hopes to have a proposal this year but they need to be sure everything is accurate before moving forward with requesting quotes.  

NON-PUBLIC SELECTBOARD SESSION:

Mrs. Pschirrer moved to enter into a Non-Public Selectboard Session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3 II to discuss (a) Personnel and (c) Reputations.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Mrs. Pschirrer, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved at 7:10 PM.

The regular Selectboard meeting resumed at 7:28 PM.

Mrs.  Pschirrer moved that the Minutes of the Non-Public Selectboard Session of November 10, 2021, will be sealed.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Mrs. Pschirrer, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved.

ADJOURNMENT:

Mrs. Pschirrer moved to adjourn this Selectboard meeting.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  Ms. Mayberry asked if there was any additional discussion.  There was none.  With Mrs. Pschirrer, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the meeting adjourned at 7:28 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Regina Borden, Recording Secretary

Not to take away from their thanks to us, I want to say thank you to them! They worked hard to do this! – Lil

Scouting for For Food

THANK YOU

We would like to Thank everyone that made our Scouting for Food event a huge success for the Fall Mountain Food Shelf.

We collected 1020 pieces of food and $2503.28 in monetary donations!

Thanks Again

Walpole Cub Scouts & Boy Scout Troop 299

Members Present: Alicia Flammia (Chair), France Menk, Lew Shelley, Laura Hayes, Steven Dumont,

Peter Palmiotto

Members Absent: John Peska

Seating of Alternates: Kara Dexter

Visitors Present: Cheryl Mayberry (Selectboard Co-Liason), Peggy Pschirrer (Selectboard Co-Liason), Jean Kobeski, Recording Secretary

Call to Order: Alicia called the meeting to order at 7:06 p.m. in Town Hall, first floor and via Zoom. This meeting was being recorded.

Review and Approval of Minutes: Kara corrected two typos on page two of the October 4 minutes. She also stated that France made a motion to unlock the gate at Walker Road at the August, rather than September meeting, as stated in the October minutes. With those corrections, Laura moved to accept the October 4 minutes. Peter seconded. All voted to accept the minutes as amended.

Public Business

Treasury: Alicia does not have the treasury figures tonight. They will be emailed.

Correspondence: Alicia received a request from the Trustees of the Hooper Trust that the WCC deal with invasive species in the Hooper Forest as soon as possible so that they might begin harvesting red pines next summer. They stated the cost of removing invasives and harvest will come from earnings from selling the red pine. They would also support harvesting any other trees for which there is a market. Alicia stated she would hold discussion about this until they get to New Business on the agenda.

Planning and Land use Regulation manuals are available to purchase. She said the Commission does not usually use the manuals in their meetings so it probably does not make sense to buy one. She stated the Planning Board has a copy.

New Business

Alicia stated that she would like to know prior to meeting day if anyone would like to have a Zoom link to the next meeting.

Nelson Town Forest: Monadnock Conservancy went out to the Nelson Town Forest and did their easement monitoring in October. There is a question about the house across from French and Derry Hill Road. There is trash on the north border of the town forest. Alicia was asked if the Commission could speak with the homeowner about removing the trash. Laura knows the homeowner but suggested that maybe Gary Speed would be the best person to speak to him. She said this has been an ongoing problem. Alicia does not know if the WCC has executory interest in that property. She said it would be best to reach out to Richard Pendleton of the Monadnock Conservancy to ask for next step action on this issue. Laura agreed to contact him.

Peggy said the Conservancy could write a letter to the homeowner, as they often do, in cases like this. Kara asked for clarification of the issue. It was explained that trash has spilled over from the home owner’s property onto town forest land. Lew asked how it is usually dealt with. Laura stated that if the Conservancy has executory interest on this property, it is their responsibility. But it also depends on how the easement is written. Peggy stated that the homeowner might respond to a letter by cleaning up the trash, not realizing it sits over the boundary. On the other hand, the issue could end up in court. Lew asked if this is a matter for police. Alicia answered that, unless it it something that is hazardous and should not be out in the open, police do not handle this type of situation. Lew suggested taking photos of the area in question to pass around; Laura said she would do that.

Hooper Forest: Alicia referred back to the letter from the Trustees of the Hooper Trust about clearing invasive species in the Hooper Forest, as recommended by Long View. Laura said she has spoken with Alex Barrett, the Long View Forester, about this. He hesitates to estimate what a harvest of the red pines would bring because he hasn’t done a full inventory of the forest. The red pines are straight but do not have much value. Alicia said she would look in WCC files for an inventory done by a former forester. Laura stated Alex would appreciate seeing that.

Cheryl said that it would be good to get started on the invasive species so they could harvest as soon as the inventory and management plans are complete. Alicia suggested that the plan could be drawn up during the wintertime and they could schedule a harvest for next summer. Laura stated Alex would attend an upcoming Commission meeting to discuss all of this, if invited. Laura made a motion to approve funding for Alex to do a full inventory and management plan. The inventory would include his plan for invasives. Lew seconded and all voted in favor. The motion passed. Alicia will invite Alex to the next meeting.

Old Business

Walpole Gateway Walk-About: The WCC will host a community walk-about with Alex Barrett and Tom Groves at the Walpole Gateway on November 13 at 11:00 a.m. Maureen Jenkins will be present to facilitate the event with Alex. She will lead a question and answer session following the walk.

Alicia asked for help planning this event. Steven will put an announcement on Facebook. An announcement will be sent to the Walpolean and Ray Boas for the Clarion online. Lew will make signs to put around the community. Laura will bake cookies.

Gateway Property Report: Alicia asked if everyone had read the report from Alex Barrett that she emailed to the membership. Laura said she really liked the idea of making a canoe or kayak carrier to leave on site. Steven said he would make the report available on Facebook.

Vote on the Gateway Gate: Lew felt that they should delay the vote until after the walk-about. France agreed. It was general consensus that they wait until the December meeting to take a vote on whether or not to unlock the gate at Walker Road.

France stated she contacted Matt Tarr about the walk-about. He is unavailable that day but suggested inviting Matt Kelly, Cheshire County extension forester. France has emailed him but has not heard back yet.

Review of current responses to Long View Rapid Assessment Recommendations:

1. Fanny Mason – treating invasives and planning a timber harvest

2. Hooper Forest- just discussed

3. Reservoir Forest- culvert to be repaired by the snowmobile club

Peter recommended that whoever is doing the culvert work should follow NH and VT Best Management Practices. Lew said he would get the manual to those doing the work. Laura also suggested that they clean up the old culvert when they are finished.

Alicia asked how often the group would like to revisit these recommendations. It was agreed that it was not necessary to do it monthly but it should be done every few months. Alicia stated they would revisit them at the March meeting.

Walpole Trail Subcommittee: Steven sent everyone a copy of the trail maps. Alicia asked if they are being printed. Peter suggested it be done on waterproof paper. Steven offered to contact printers and get costs for the next meeting.

Lew stated that if people request topographical maps, they can be made.

Lew reported that on Saturday, November 6, at 9:00 a.m. they will be doing GPS tracking of the Table Rock Trail. They will meet at the North Walpole School and either walk or drive up to the trailhead.

Reservoir Road: The dam was officially classified a high hazard dam. Fuss and O’Neill have more work to do before the future of the dam can be decided. Lew asked if removal is still an option. Peggy said it is and removal is almost as expensive as repairing it. Cheryl said public input will be needed so Peggy said public hearings will be held.

Kara reported reading in the Zoning Board minutes about the Japanese Knotweed in the Hodgkins Gravel Pit. She asked if this is of interest to the WCC and what could be done about it. Alicia said they are interested but cannot do anything because it is on private property. The Zoning Board has made recommendations because they have governance over the gravel pit. A discussion followed about the spread and possible treatment of knotweed. Steven added it is here to stay.

Peter reported that the streetlights on the common have been changed in accordance with the Dark Skies Initiative. He also asked if the final report on the study of trees on the common has come out. Cheryl said it has not but they have recommended that Liberty Utilities work in collaboration with Arbor Climb when pruning.

Lew reminded the WCC that trail season is winding down and there is property monitoring to do. Steven will create the sign-up sheet and have it at the next meeting. Alicia wants to add this to the monthly agenda.

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:13 p.m.

The next meeting will be Monday, December 6, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. in Town Hall. Notify Alicia if you would like a Zoom link to this meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

Jean Kobeski, Recording Secretary

*** These minutes are in draft form until approved at the December 6 meeting.

Present were: Kathy Nerrie (Treasurer), Gail LaHaise, Jean Kobeski, Susan Johnson, Bill Ranauro, Jane

Malmberg (Library Director), Peggy Pschirrer (Selectboard Liason)

Absent: Amy Howard and Tim Lester

Visitors: Erin Bowen, Sarah Mann

Susan Johnson called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m. in the library community room. This meeting was being recorded.

Jane and the board welcomed Erin Bowen and Sarah Mann, who have expressed interest in joining the board to replace Jeanne Ramey and Shirley Capron.

Approval of Minutes: Gail moved to approve the October, 2021 minutes. Kathy seconded, and all voted to accept the October minutes as written.

Treasurer’s Report: Kathy reported that we received the quarterly payment of $2,000 for the Library Trust.

As board members reviewed copies of the budget report, Kathy stated everything looks good.

Bills: Jane previously emailed copies of the bills for board review. Jane stated there will be a music program in December. She said she won $100 in a raffle for registering for the the NHLA conference. She will put that money toward that program.

Jane explained that she has an invoice for $250 for Overdrive. Once this is paid we can spend the money on our own Libby titles. She anticipates doing that soon. Gail moved to accept the Treasurer’s Report and bills. Bill seconded, and all voted to approve.

Budget: Jane stated that we voted to accept the budget at last month’s meeting and she has no updates. She said she is unsure of what amount we would need to ask in a warrant article for repair of the chimney because she has not received an estimate yet. Kathy said that Barry, or whoever does the work, will deal directly with the town on that.

Jane stated she contacted Countryside about securing the front door. They have come to look at it and take photographs but have not given her any figures yet. She said she would call them Friday if she hasn’t heard from them. Gail asked what grandfather status means in Tim’s report on the front door. Jane explained that if the latch can be fixed, it will be done without having to replace the historic door and bring it up to code. If the repair requires replacing the door, then it will need to be brought to code with crash bar and would have to open out (instead of in, as it currently does). Gail asked if we would lose our historic preservation status if we had to replace the door, and Jane said no, that would not happen.

Old Business

Goals for the Long Range Plan: Jane emailed a copy of the Strategic Plan to board members. On it she showed what she has done over the last year to meet the goals. Some, like showing movies in the library, could not be done because of covid. Kathy commented that perhaps this plan is too specific because at times (like during covid) you cannot always follow it and meet the goals. Jane said she is aware of other libraries’ strategic plans that have more measurable goals. For example, it might state that children’s programs will increase by x%. They don’t specify what the programs will be. We can revisit the plan and make changes.

Ken Burns Display: Jane stated that nothing has been done with the Ken Burns display, mainly because she does not know what the original plan for it was. It was suggested she contact Jen Fabis from Florentine Films to discuss this.

Mango and Ancestry: Jane reported that the library dropped Mango and Ancestry because patrons were not using them. We will replace Ancestry with FamilySearch, which is free and can be used at home.

Outreach: Jane said they are trying to increase outreach. Jullie does go into the Walpole Village School but is not permitted in the Walpole Schools due to covid. She does promote the library through the school newsletter. Jane would like to collaborate with River Valley Seniors at Home (RVSAH) to provide library materials to seniors. Jean will take this idea to RVSAH. Jane said she has volunteers who are willing to deliver.

Susan stated there is nothing on the Strategic Plan about the website. Jane said she would discuss that when we get to new business.

Jane said she would like to do more with the tweens and teens in the library and states that that is difficult to do here. She feels it is a pocket we have neglected. Bill asked how rich we are in local resources. He offered to reach out to the history chair at the high school to see if there were any projects for which we could offer help. He said that because we are a regional school district with the high school in another town, we just don’t see those kids. Jane cited the example of another library that offered study nights, particularly around SAT time. She said we could think about something like that.

Sarah asked if our library has hotspots to lend. Jane said we do not. Jane said they are costly to start and they are on a contract basis. Sarah knows a librarian who is using these, and she offered to talk to her friend about them and report back.

New Trustees Recommendations: Jane welcomed Erin and Sarah and asked them to tell the board a little bit about themselves. Both enthusiastically expressed interest in being on the board. Jane will contact Amy with their names. Amy will send a recommendation to the Selectboard, which needs to approve the nominations. That should be done by our January meeting.

North Walpole Open House: Jane reported that they had a nice turnout. 24 people attended the open house. Some Bridge Memorial patrons attended the open house and were happy to see that there are books in North Walpole that the main branch does not have. They can be checked out then returned to the main branch.

Operations

1. 19 people attended Alice Fogel’s poetry reading.

2. Bill Ranauro will present an author talk on November 18th at 6 p.m.

3. There were 10 entries from the community in the pumpkin decorating contest.

4. An additional book club has been added on Saturday mornings at 9:00.

5. The community room had been used for the Co-Op and Friends of the Library meetings. Patrons are using the room for study.

6. Half of the staff has completed the required harrassment training.

7. Our library is a site for the Giving Tree.

Jane reported that she will be taking off the Friday after Thanksgiving. Julie will be taking days off in December.

Susan asked if the operations report can also show statistics from the previous month to show possible growth. Sarah also asked if 2019 figures could also be part of the report. Jane said she would be glad to do that.

Buildings and Grounds

In his absence, Tim sent copies of a Building and Grounds Report. Jane stated she and Tim have met and decided that the top priority needs to be the front door repair.

Replacement Trees: Tim stated he has spoken with Jennifer Burr about replacement trees. Gail asked why we need to plant new trees. Kathy echoed that sentiment, stating that salt killed the old trees; why plant new ones in the same place? Peggy stated she thinks the library grounds look very nice right now. The board decided to discuss this further at a future meeting. In the meantime, we will ask Tim to talk to Jennifer to ask her opinion on whether she feels we should replace the trees. Gail stated there is not a lot of money in the landscaping budget for trees.

Outside Lamp: Tim offered three options for fixing the outside lamp. Kathy feels the light needs to be very bright for safety and solar may not be the way to go. After a discussion of the options, the board chose option #2 – to purchase a new lamp post and have Houghton install it. Tim should contact Houghton and take care of it as soon as possible since the current light is not working.

North Walpole Bench: Jane has contacted the North Walpole Commissioners about painting the bench in front of the library but she has had no response. She will try again. Brad said he has paint for the job.

Outdoor Signs: Tim has tried to contact Frank Hawkins from Bellows Falls but has been unable to reach him. Tim will look at another signmaker. Gail said she would talk to friends from Bellows Falls about getting in touch with Frank Hawkins. Jane suggested another option of getting a sign which has removable letters so information can be changed.

Jane said she will look for exit signs to hang from the ceiling in the library.

Chimney: A warrant article will be needed. Kathy said she connected Peggy with Barry. Peggy suggested that Kathy emphasize the need for this article when she meets with the Selectboard on December 10 to discuss budget. Peggy has not heard back from Barry. Jane said she would email Barry another “nudge.”

North Walpole Dropbox: Susan asked Jane to discuss the issue with the N. Walpole book dropbox. Jane reported seepage from the bottom of the box due to its location. There is no covering over the box. Some books have been damaged. It has already been raised but might need to be higher. Jane said it is also difficult to get into. She looked at the price of new ones and said they are very expensive. When Gail asked how much, Jane said roughly $4,000. She said they may just need to find another location. Erin suggested asking the commissioners to extend the overhang. Jane said she could do that. Maybe they could discuss it at their next meeting.

New Business

Logo/Branding and Website: At the last meeting it was decided that the library needs a logo. They had discussed having a contest but dismissed that at this meeting. The board felt that, with a contest, they might need to settle for a logo they do not really llike. The alternative is to find someone to design the logo based on elements the board thinks should be included. Jan Kobeski was suggested. Sarah explained that she could put together a spec of what she thinks we should ask for. Her background is in marketing and branding. She said if Jan did not do it, her husband could. We could talk about it in January. Everyone was asked to come back with ideas for the logo. Bill stated that the it needs to be recognizable. The group at first thought the logo should include the main library building but it was decided that that would exclude North Walpole. Jane asked that it not be simply a book, as so many other logos are.

Jane reported that she, Julie, and Kelli have been working on the website. They have been researching websites. Jane would like something fairly simply that the staff can easily maintain. She suggested purchasing a template into which Walpole Library information can be inserted. Sarah stated that her husband can offer suggestions because he builds websites. He could meet with Julie, who has already done some work on the website, and Jane.

December Meeting: It was decided that the board will forego the December meeting. Kathy and Jane will send out their reports as usual.

Vacation Rolloveer for Staff: Last year, due to covid, the town rolled over staff vacation time. The library has seven staff members who have accrued several hours of vacation time and Jane explained that it will be impossible for them to use it all by the end of the year. Staffing is such that we cannot let too many people go at any one time, especially during the holidays. Jane asked if they could roll over just vacation hours until March. Kathy asked Peggy if we could do this. Since the town pays the library’s employees, it is all right. The library records part time employee leave, not the town. Gail moved to roll over vacation hours until March, 2022. Susan seconded and all voted in favor.

Friends Report

Jane reported that the October book sale went very well. Final sales totalled $6,510 before expenses. She also stated that, since April, they have collected $2,400 from book sales at the reuse center. The plant sale brought in $1341. The Friends will be looking for new members; Carole Malnati is stepping down, as is Paul Happ.

Adjournment: Gail moved to adjourn the meeting. Kathy seconded. Susan adjourned thew meeting at 5:25 p.m.

The next meeting will be January 11, 2022, at 4:30 p.m. in the library community room.

Respectfully submitted,

Jean Kobeski, Recording Secretary.

***These minutes are in draft form until approved at the October 12, 2021 meeting.

Hydrants will be flushed tomorrow night, Wednesday 11/17/21.  If your water is brown, let it run for 5 minutes. If it does not clear, please contact Jodi at the Selectboard Office 603-756-3672.

Yes, time again, just a tad over a week away, and I need your inputs and ads Monday, November 22 – if not sooner. I have a number of inputs already (thank you), but time approaches again. With the Thanksgiving Holiday and my printer’s schedule, the completed files will go to the printer on the 23rd, and I should have the December issue back and into the mail the first of December.

If you have any questions, do contact me. The email address is at the top right of any page on the CLARION website. Stay safe and stay well, and have a wonderful THANKSGIVING DAY.
Yours, RAY BOAS, Publisher

ORDER YOUR PIES NOW – Friday, Nov. 12
Today (well really by Saturday 9 AM) is last day to order your pie from St. John’s Cooks.  We still have apple pies (double crust),  crumb top apple pie, berry pies, and pumpkin pies.  (Most pies will be frozen.) Pickup and pay on Saturday, November 20th from 9-12. You can place your order at orders@stjohnswalpole.org (Leave name, contact info and order.)Thank you for your support.

Selectboard Present:      Cheryl Mayberry (Chair); Peggy Pschirrer; (Absent: Steven Dalessio)

CALL TO ORDER:  Ms. Mayberry called this meeting to order at 6:33 PM in the Walpole Town Hall. Mr. Dalessio was unable to attend this meeting due to another commitment.  This meeting was being recorded.  Also present was Mrs. Sarah Downing, Manager of Administration, and Mrs. Regina Borden, Recording Secretary.  There were three members of the Walpole Players in attendance:  Lisa Bryan, Judy Epstein and Jennie Plante.

PUBLIC BUSINESS:

Walpole Players Holiday Production:  Mrs. Bryan noted the Walpole Players are aware of the fact that the Selectboard also want the bathrooms and doorknobs cleaned.  They are happy to do all the cleaning and they have the right cleaning supplies according to Mr. Nash.  Mrs. Pschirrer had no problem with them doing all the cleaning as discussed.  Mrs. Bryan advised for this Radio Holiday Production there are quite a few people in it.  They only own two microphones. Therefore, they were wondering if they could borrow the Town’s microphones for this show.  They would only use them for the dress rehearsals and performances.  Mrs. Pschirrer had no problem with this as well.  She cautioned that sometimes they think the microphones are working but they might not be.  Ms. Mayberry pointed out they have to be sure they are charged.  Mrs. Bryan thanked the Selectboard for helping to make their Holiday Production a success.    

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE:

Mrs. Pschirrer moved to accept the Accounts Payable Check Register in the total amount of $38,226.65 for checks issued November 5, 2021.  This includes a payment in the amount of $21,664.76 to the Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA).  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  With Mrs. Pschirrer and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved. 

PAYROLL:

Mrs. Pschirrer moved to accept the Payroll Check Register for the week ending October 30, 2021, in the amount of $27,654.19 for checks dated November 5, 2021, and for the 941 Payroll Tax Transfer of $5,288.84.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  With Mrs. Pschirrer and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved. 

SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES:

SELECTBOARD MINUTES – October 28, 2021:  Mrs. Pschirrer moved to accept the Minutes of the Selectboard meeting of October 28, 2021, as submitted.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  With Mrs. Pschirrer and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the Minutes were approved.

NON-PUBLIC SELECTBOARD SESSION MINUTES – October 28, 2021:  Mrs. Pschirrer moved to accept the Minutes of the Non-Public Selectboard Session of October 28, 2021, as submitted.  These Minutes will remain sealed.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  With Mrs. Pschirrer and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the Minutes were approved.

COMMITTEE REPORT:

The Selectboard acknowledged receipt of the following Committee report:

• Planning Board Workshop Minutes – October 26, 2021.

BUILDING PERMITS:

Permit No. 2021-35, MAP and LOT #011-043-003:  Mrs. Pschirrer moved to grant Building Permit No. 2021-35 for the owner(s) of Map and Lot #011-043-003 to “Add a full second floor dormer and brow roofs for weather protection”.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  With Mrs. Pschirrer and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved. 

Permit No. 2021-42, MAP and LOT #017-005-004:  Mrs. Pschirrer moved to grant Building Permit No. 2021-42 for the owner(s) of Map and Lot #017-005-004 to “Construct a 56’ x 24’ single family home”.  A stormwater site plan was required and submitted.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  With Mrs. Pschirrer and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved. 

OLD BUSINESS:

Brownfields Site Plan:  Mrs. Pschirrer reported that all the work was done at the Brownfields site.  Only gravel and dirt remain.  They are waiting for the next to final bills to come in from the companies who accepted the waste product; they excavated less than anticipated.  Both Ransom Consulting and Mr. Mike Rau are now looking at what it will cost to pave that area.  Mr. Rau is looking at where to put the drainage system.  They are also looking for the area where the green space will be.  Jersey barriers will be placed there. Vehicles should not be driving through that area.

Pending Further Actions:

Vilas Bridge, Houghton Brook Bridge, Generators, Three Phase Power for Industrial Park Drive and Bensonwood, Arborclimb:

Arborclimb:  Mrs. Downing was asked to call Arborclimb again tomorrow.  Ms. Mayberry stated they will give Arborclimb a deadline to submit their report.  After that, they can talk to Ms. Heather Green at Liberty Utilities about replacement trees.

NEW BUSINESS:

Tax Anticipation Note (TAN):  Ms. Mayberry reported that the Selectboard had talked about taking out a Tax Anticipation Note for “one million dollars”.  It will cover the time between now and when they are able to collect property taxes.   Because of the uncertainty with the timely setting of the tax rate, the $1.7 million county tax bill due on December 17^th and the monthly payments made to the Fall Mountain Regional School District, they are concerned about their cash flow during this time. 

Mrs. Pschirrer moved to approve the Tax Anticipation Note for $1,000,000 in order to meet the short fall that they will have in collecting the taxes.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  With Mrs. Pschirrer and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved.   

Groundwater Management Permit: The Application for Renewal of Groundwater Management Permit needs to be signed and submitted to the NH DES/Waste Management Division.

Mrs. Pschirrer moved that the Selectboard authorize Sarah Downing, as the Manager of Administration, to sign the application for renewal of the Groundwater Management Permit.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  With Mrs. Pschirrer and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved.

Girl Scout Sponsorship Agreement:  Ms. Mayberry mentioned last Friday some Girl Scouts came into the Town Hall for a meeting while the 5-Town Joint Meeting was being held.  They were sent upstairs.  Ms. Daigle told Ms. Mayberry that there are two different Girl Scout groups.  One group meets on every other Tuesday and the other group meets every other Friday.  Mrs. Daigle was asked to reserve this room for January 28^th, 2022, for the next 5-Town Joint Meeting date.  Mrs. Pschirrer said it is the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains.  They meet twice a month.  Mrs. Downing noted they were meeting outside but have now moved into the Town Hall.  Ms. Mayberry would like clarity on their meeting dates.    

Mrs. Pschirrer moved that the Chair of the Selectboard, Cheryl Mayberry, be authorized to sign the Troop/Group Sponsorship Agreement for their meetings to be held in the Walpole Town Hall.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry. With Mrs. Pschirrer and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved.

E & W Salvage:  Ms. Mayberry reported a complaint was received about a property on the Walpole Valley Road.  There is concern about deterioration of the fence.  There was an agreement that the fence needed to be in good condition to hide some of the vehicles and other items but that was thirty years ago.  Mrs. Pschirrer noted they have a very up-to-date license.  Mrs. Pschirrer wondered if the bright light is one of the new LED lights recently installed.  It is not clear from the complaint if the light is a streetlight or the property owner’s light.  Mrs. Pschirrer will write a letter to E & W Salvage to let them know there has been a complaint about their fence; the letter will be brought to the meeting next week for approval and signatures.  Mrs. Downing advised that Liberty Utilities is still in the process of changing the streetlights.  Ms. Mayberry noted there is concern about some lights in North Walpole being so bright.

RECESS SELECTBOARD MEETING:

Mrs. Pschirrer moved to recess this Selectboard meeting.  The Selectboard will enter into a meeting as the Hooper Trustees.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  With Mrs. Pschirrer and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved at 7:01 PM.

The regular Selectboard meeting resumed at 7:05 PM.         

NON-PUBLIC SELECTBOARD SESSION:

Mrs. Pschirrer moved that the Selectboard will enter into a Non-Public Selectboard Session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3 II to discuss (a) Personnel and (c) Reputations.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  With Mrs. Pschirrer and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved.

The regular Selectboard meeting resumed at 7:46 PM.

Mrs. Pschirrer moved that the Minutes of the Non-Public Selectboard Session of November 4, 2021, will be sealed. Seconded by Ms. Mayberry. With Mrs. Pschirrer and Ms. Mayberry in favor, motion was approved.

ADJOURNMENT:  Mrs. Pschirrer moved to adjourn this Selectboard meeting.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  Ms. Mayberry asked if there was any additional discussion.  There was none.  With Mrs. Pschirrer and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the meeting adjourned at 7:47 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Regina Borden, Recording Secretary

                                                              

COVID by the Numbers-November 12 Edition

There is a wicked lot of COVID out there.  And right here.

I wish I could give you hard data comparisons over time, but none of the New Hampshire numbers are particularly reliable right now.

Let’s start with vaccinations.  Last week, NH DHHS announced that their records on the vaccination status of Granite Staters might not be accurate.  Why is that?  Well, you all remember when the vaccine first became available.  You could only register for an appointment using the federal VAMS system, or by calling 211.  It was complicated, and tedious, and did not work very well.  We used VAMS because NH, alone of all the states, did not have its own vaccine registry.  But we were promised that a brand new shiny registry run by the state would be up and running in a week or so.  It took three month or so, but there was VINI, and it was certainly more user-friendly than VAMS.  Then, as vaccines became more widely available, they were accessed in different ways.  You could still sign up through the state web site, in which case, VINI would capture your information directly.  Or you could sign up with the local Walgreens, or just stand in line at the pharmacy in the larger supermarkets.  The problem is that the reporting system for these entities to get information to the state turns out to be less than seamless.  Among other issues, there is confusion in the data reporting about which shots are being given to first-time recipients, and which are boosters. We were told at a recent press conference that the CDC was the best source for accurate information on vaccination rates in NH.  The trouble is that the CDC web site reports some information and gives a link to click on for details.  That link leads back to…the NH dashboards.

The good news is that people are getting shots, and now children as young as 5 are getting shots.

So what about what I normally report, which is infection rates?  Well, it appears that a few weeks back, there was an issue with the reporting system that providers used to report cases to NH DHHS.  For over a week, there was spotty reporting of data, or no data at all.  Since then the reporting has resumed, but every day, NH DHHS releases The Number of New Cases.  The current issue is that the number of new cases is just the number of cases reported the day before.  But if you read the news updates, they then release revised numbers for the day before that, and the day before that.  As an example, on November 10, NH DHHS reported 736 new cases for November 8^th.  But the news release also listed 18 cases from Friday, Nov. 5, 33 new cases from Saturday, Nov. 6, 13 new cases from Sunday, Nov. 7 and 1 new case for Monday, Nov. 8.  So the totals for those past days all have to be recalculated.

The problem is that it is unclear, from the numbers, whether the sites that compare infection rates by state and county across the county go back and add in those extra numbers from days past.  Possibly not, as one site regularly has lower rates for the state as a whole than the rates for the individual counties combined.

All of which is just a long explanation of why I have avoided reporting for a while.  But we do know there is a wicked lot of COVID out there, so I want you to know that.  Here are the best numbers I can find.

First, hospitalizations are up.  There were 193 patients hospitalized for COVID at the beginning of November.  The November 10 number was 244.  Back on April 1, that number was 81.

If you look at the town maps (all of which have warnings that some map details may not be available) Walpole has 14 currently active reported cases, up from 8 on November 2^nd, but down from 17 on November 8. There were 15 new cases reported in Walpole from November 1 to November 10.  That compares with 22 new cases in Walpole for the entire month of October, and a high of 13 active cases reported on October 18.

In Cheshire County, there are 227 active cases reported as November 10, up from 215 at the beginning of the month.  That number is still down from the active cases in October, which peaked at 280 on October 21. Currently, we appear to have the lowest infection rate in the state.  Bear in mind that Sullivan county appears to have the highest.

Statewide, there are 5455 active cases reported currently.  This is a number not seen since some time in January.  And COVID deaths are on the rise again as well.  49 new deaths have been reported since the beginning of the month.  5 of these are deaths from earlier months just recently confirmed to be COVID related.  3 were from Cheshire County.  As always, we mourn their passing, and grieve for their families and friends.

So the bottom line is…well, you know the bottom line.  Get vaccinated if you are able, make careful choices about indoor gatherings, wear a mask when you are not certain, wash your hands, and stay safe.

~Rep. Lucy McVitty Weber
217 Old Keene Road
Walpole  NH  03608

Cell: 603-499-0282
lwmcv@comcast.net