The Walpolean

This hot weather has done a good job ripening the blueberries and raspberries at Alyson’s Orchard. Come PYO Blueberries for $3.50/pint and PYO Raspberries for $4.50/pint. You will find baskets for picking on the farm stand porch. Please bring cash or a check as the farm stand will not be open until Aug. 6th. Bring the kids or grand kids picking, visit the little goats & the children’s playground, take some pictures and make some memories!! We hope to see you soon!

www.alysonsorchard.com

The agenda has been revised because the Home Away From Home hearing will be held in September. – Lil

Roll Call: Appointment of alternates if needed.

Minutes: Review minutes of June 2022 meeting.

Old Business:

Public Hearings:

Expansion of a Non-Conforming Use: Elizabeth Roos, 14 Middle Street, Article V D-2, Tax Map 20, Lot 77, Residential B. Ms. Roos would like to change and enlarge her deck at the back of the house. The door to the deck is the second egress from the house. The door is even with the deck and gets frozen shut in the winter. The plan is to drop the deck down one step and make it 6 feet longer. Postponed.

Public Hearing: Expansion of a Non-Conforming Use: Chris Carbone, 65 Elm Street, Tax Map 19, Lot 31, Residential B. Article V D-2, setbacks. Mr. Carbone wants to replace a shed on his property that is a different shape and size.

Jeremy Hockensmith will be at the meeting.

Appeal for Administrative Decision

Clarion article for July. Non-conforming use. Dave Edkins.

Applications on website – Variance

Establishment of procedure for creation of Zoning Board agenda items.

Next meeting August 17, 2022.

Roll Call: Present: Board members Chair Jeff Miller, Vice-Chair Dennis Marcom, Clerk Jason Perron, Jeff Harrington, Joanna Andros, Select Board Representative Steve Dalessio. Alternate: Trevor MacLachlan. Absent: Board member Bill Carmody; Alternate Travis Adams. Also at the meeting were about 15 to 20 surveyors, abutters, applicants and people who were interested in the agenda’s public hearings.

Minutes: Written by Marilou Blaine. This meeting was recorded. These minutes are unapproved and will be reviewed at the August 2022 meeting for corrections, and additions and/or omissions.

Call to order: Mr. Miller called the meeting to order at 7 pm.

Minutes: Mr. Marcom made one correction on page 4. Mr. Woodward has only one “E” as a middle name. Mr. Marcom made a motion to accept the minutes as amended. Mr. Perron seconded the motion and the motion carried.

Old Business:

Public Hearings:

Continued from June meeting.

No. 1. Subdivision: one lot into two lots: Barnett View Rev Trust, 24 Barnett Hill Road, Wendy Boulanger & Neil Levesque trustees, Town Map 9, Lot 46, rural/agricultural district. Lot 1 would be 2.57 acres and Lot 2 would be 3.21 acres. Awaiting letter from Town Counsel Jeremy Hockensmith in answer to the letter from the applicant’s attorney Barrett Faulkner.

Mr. Miller opened the public hearing and said Town Counsel had responded to the letter and his opinion was “that the five-acre minimum lot size covenant expired on December 31, 2002, and is no longer enforceable.”

Mr. Carl Hanssen is an abutter of the lot being subdivided. He said that Lot 1 has a failed septic system on it and both lots have a lot of slope so it would be difficult to put an adequate septic system on either lot. He purported that the property couldn’t be divided until the state approves septic systems for these two lots. Mr. Miller responded that the Planning Board doesn’t consider septic systems in its decision. That is a state function, Mr. Miller said. Mr. Hanssen insisted that before land can be subdivided it needed to have a state-approved septic system. Mr. Miller reiterated that that was not a condition of approving a subdivision. Mr. Perron said because a lot is subdivided doesn’t mean it has to be a build-able lot. He added if someone were planning on building a house, a state-approved septic system is a condition for getting a building permit.

 Regarding the failed septic system Mr. Levesque came to the front of the room and said that the septic system on Lot 1 had not failed and didn’t know where Mr. Hanssen had gotten such information.

Mr. Hanssen said he had that information from the previous owner. Mr. Levesque said that today there are many different designs of septic systems for different types of property. There’s no failed system.

Mr. MacLachlan said the issue the Planning Board is discussing is a subdivision approval and not an approval of a septic system.

 Mr. Miller asked if there were any other questions. There being none, he closed the public hearing and asked the board if it has any questions. There being none Mr. Perron made a motion to approve the subdivision. Mr. Marcom seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously. No one opposed the subdivision.

Public Hearing No. 2.

 Lot Line Adjustment: Amy Howard and Roman Sanchez, Colonial Drive and David Howard, Old North Main Street, Town Map 21, Lots 41 and 41-1, Residential B. Lot 41 would be 1.25 acres and Lot 41-1 would be 2.83 acres.

Surveyor Wendy Pelletier of Cardinal Surveying & Land Planning presented the subdivision explaining and pointing out the lots with the area between the two lots, 22.292 square feet, including a pond going with lot 41-1. Mr. Dalessio asked if lot line adjustments can happen between opposite owners. Mr. Miller answered in the affirmative saying a merger is different. There being no questions from the public, Mr. Miller closed the public hearing for the board’s discussion. Mr. Marcom made a motion to approve the lot line adjustment as presented. Mr. Perron seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.

Public Hearing No. 3.

 Lot Line Adjustment Dale E. Woodward and Bonita S. Wood and Dan and Heather Ferland, 10 Flat Street, Map 19, Lot 53 and Map 19, Lot 53-1, residential B.

 The plat was displayed on the easel. Mr. Woodward said there is a residence and a commercial building on the property.  He’s dividing off the commercial building and adjoining it to the Ferland property. He took 42 feet off the property.  He’d been to the Planning Board three times for this property, he said. The proposed acreage of Lot 53 is .64 acres and Lot 53-1 is .29 acres and they are non-conforming lots. There being no questions from the public, Mr. Miller closed the public hearing. Mr. Perron made a motion to approve the lot line adjustment. Mr. Marcom seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.

New Business

Potato Barn, 297 Main Street owner Steve Rudek, 4 apartments. Builder Barry Bellows proposed four apartment units in the southern end of the Potato Barn. That includes the Piggery, Granary, and Connector section of the building. Bellows said three apartments would be 800 square feet and one apartment would be 1200 square feet. There is already lighting around the building and the entire building is sprinkled, Bellows added. The first thing a board member asked was about parking. Mr. Bellows said there are already several areas around the property with striped parking space. The function area would remain untouched.

Mr. Dalessio suggested Mr. Bellows come backed to the Board next showing striped parking areas around the building on the plat or drawings and get a letter of approval about safety and fire concerns from Fire Chief Mark Houghton.

Mr. Marcom made a motion to hold a public hearing next month. Mr. Perron seconded the motion and the motion carried.

Cliff Peters letter – Discussion

Clifford D. Peters had questions about a Carpenter Hill subdivision at last month’s meeting. He wrote a letter to the Planning Board and said “it was an education into the workings of town government and the town’s zoning policies.” His letter was about future development and he wondered whether, with farms and farm land dwindling, if this wasn’t the time to think about residential development in the rural/agricultural district. He was thinking maybe lots of two to four acres.

Mr. Miller said about 10 or 12 years ago there was a discussion about this topic but it was turned down at Town Meeting. However, board members thought it was time for such a discussion again. Mr. Miller said he would reach out to Lisa Murphy, senior planner at Southwest Regional Planning Commission and ask her where he could get information about this topic. Expect further discussion of this topic.

Final additions, corrections of four sections of the updating of the Master Plan – Land Use Analysis, Economic Development, Community Facilities and Services, Historical and Recreational Resources.

At a workshop last month, board members considered these sections and discussed some additions and omissions. They should be getting copies of the final total updated Master Plan in a couple of months.

Senior housing

Select Board member Peggy Pschirrer attended this meeting. She mentioned that she is looking is interested in and looking into possible places for senior housing. More on this in the future.

Next Meeting is August 9, 2022.

Respectfully submitted,

Marilou Blaine

WPB Secretary

cc: WPB, ZBA, Town Offices, The Walpolean

Posted: Inside the Town Offices, on the bulletin board outside the Post Office, www.walpolenh.us

                                                                                    3.

From Kraig:

“Last week we were unable to get the floors painted and repaired to have a nonslip surface. They company will be down this week and the pool house will be off limits for until Saturday. 

The pool will be OPEN but we will be unable to access to the pool house. I recommend everyone coming down to the pool already changed and ready to swim. We have provided a portable toilet right outside the gate for use.”

Town Hall

7 pm

Roll Call: Appointment of alternates if needed.

Minutes: Review minutes of June 2022 meeting. 

Old Business:

Public Hearings:

Expansion of a Non-Conforming Use: Elizabeth Roos, 14 Middle Street, Article V D-2, Tax Map 20, Lot 77, Residential B. Ms. Roos would like to change and enlarge her deck at the back of the house. The door to the deck is the second egress from the house. The door is even with the deck and gets frozen shut in the winter. The plan is to drop the deck down one step and make it 6 feet longer. Postponed.

Expansion of a Non-Conforming Use: Chris Carbone, 65 Elm Street, Tax Map 19, Lot 31, Residential B. Article V D-2, setbacks. Mr. Carbone wants to replace a shed on his property that is a different shape and size. 

Variance: Home Away From Home, 11 Maplewood Circle, owner Jenny Plante, Tax Map 24, Lot 14-1, Commercial and Residential. Convert Residential District to Commercial District for day care center. Appealing Planning Board decision. 

Jeremy Hockensmith will be at the meeting.

Appeal for Administrative Decision

Clarion article for July. Non-conforming use. Dave Edkins.

Applications on website – Variance

Next meeting August 17, 2022.

Kraig said that the motor is in and they are back in business. Just in time – as the humidity seems to be back.

Kraig Harlow, Walpole Recreation Director, sent this update.

“We received the new motor to our filter Friday night. Houghton’s will be down at the pool Saturday morning to install the part and have our filters back up and running.

Our staff will be monitoring the pool in the afternoon to make sure it’s safe and we’ll let everyone know as soon as possible if we can open today or tomorrow.”

That’s good news! – Lil

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

CALL TO ORDER:  Mr. Dalessio called this Selectboard meeting to order at 6:34 PM in the Walpole Town Hall and via Zoom.  This meeting was being recorded.

Mr. Dalessio called for a voice roll call of the Selectboard present:  Peggy Pschirrer was present; Cheryl Mayberry was present; and Steven Dalessio, Chair, was present.  Also present was Sarah Downing, Manager of Administration, and Regina Borden, Recording Secretary. There were no members of the public in attendance.

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE:

Ms. Mayberry moved to accept the Accounts Payable Check Register in the total amount of $39,187.12 for checks issued July 8, 2022.  Seconded by Mrs. Pschirrer.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mrs.Pschirrer and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the motion was approved.

PAYROLL:

Ms. Mayberry moved to accept the Payroll Check Register for the week ending July 2, 2022, in the amount of $32,262.56 dated July 8, 2022, and for the 941 Payroll Tax Transfer in the amount of $6,534.97.  Seconded by Mrs. Pschirrer.  With Ms. Mayberry,Mrs. Pschirrer and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the motion was approved.

SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES:

SELECTBOARD MEETING – June 30, 2022:  Ms. Mayberry moved to accept the Minutes of the Selectboard meeting of June 30, 2022, as submitted.  Seconded by Mrs.Pschirrer.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mrs. Pschirrer and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the Minutes were approved.

NON-PUBLIC SELECTBOARD SESSION – June 30, 2022:  Ms. Mayberry moved to accept the Minutes of the Non-Public Selectboard Session of June 30, 2022, as submitted.  These Minutes will remain sealed.  Seconded by Mrs. Pschirrer.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mrs. Pschirrer and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the Minutes were approved.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

The Selectboard acknowledged receipt of the following Committee reports:

• Cemetery Trustees – June 17, 2022;

• North Walpole Village District Board of Commissioners Meeting – June 21, 2022;

• Planning Board Workshop Minutes – June 28, 2022.

ELDERLY TAX EXEMPTION::

MAP and LOT #006-001-000:  Ms. Mayberry moved to grant the Elderly Tax Exemption for the owner(s) of Map and Lot #006-001-000.  The applicant met the income and asset guidelines.  Seconded by Mrs. Pschirrer.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mrs. Pschirrer and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the motion was approved.

BUILDING PERMITS:

Permit #2022-25, MAP and LOT #012-055-019:  Ms. Mayberry moved to grant Building Permit No. 2022-25 for the owner(s) of Map and Lot #012-055-019 to construct a “20’ x 21’ Housing Addition” for a new kitchen.  Seconded by Mrs.Pschirrer.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mrs. Pschirrer and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the motion was approved.

Permit #2022-26, MAP and LOT #008-107-000: Ms. Mayberry moved to grant Building Permit No. 2022-26 for the owner(s) of Map and Lot #008-107-000 to “Replace Front Porch with a 70’ x 8’ Porch”.  

Seconded by Mrs. Pschirrer.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mrs. Pschirrer and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the motion was approved.  

Permit #2022-27, MAP and LOT #015-017-001: Ms. Mayberry moved to grant Building Permit No. 2022-27 for the owner(s) of Map and Lot #015-017-001 to add a “24’ x 14’ Prefabricated Shed/ Workshop”.  Seconded by Mrs. Pschirrer.  With Ms. Mayberry and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved.  Mr. Dalessio recused himself from the vote.

OLD BUSINESS:

Proposed Amendment for Joint Powers Agreement for CPCNH:  

Mrs. Pschirrer moved, That the Town of Walpole Selectboard approves the amendment to Article XVI, Section 2 of the Joint Powers Agreement of the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire as presented in the agenda packet for this meeting.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  With Mrs. Pschirrer, Ms. Mayberry and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the motion was approved.  

Pending Further Actions:

Generators, Houghton Brook Bridge, Parking Ordinance, Three Phase Power for Industrial Park Drive and Bensonwood, Reservoir Dam, Letter of Understanding for 2021 Audit with Vachon Clukay and Company PC:

Reservoir Dam:  Mr. Dalessio reported that under the ARPA money some is available for dams through the Department of Environmental Services (DES).  Fuss & O’Neill wants $6,400 to do the application for Reservoir Dam.  There is no guarantee that the Town will be successful with it.  

Ms. Mayberry moved to approve a Purchase Order for Fuss & O’Neill to do the Reservoir Dam application for $6,400.  Seconded by Mrs. Pschirrer.  With Ms., Mayberry, Mrs. Pschirrer and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the motion was approved.

NEW BUSINESS:

Citizen’s Comment 2022-10:  A letter was received from Bruce & Karen Blanchette who are concerned with a dead Elm tree endangering primary power lines on their Prospect Hill Road property.  Liberty Utilities is not being responsive to a tree limb overhanging a powerline at their property.  Mr. Dalessio asked Mrs. Downing to call Ms. Heather Green from Liberty Utilities to get their attention.  Ms. Mayberry mentioned the Selectboard would like to see a response from Liberty Utilities.    

Whitcomb Park Use for Memorial 5K Race: The Selectboard acknowledged receipt of an email from Andrea Vickers-Sivret regarding a Permit for a 5K Race to be held on Saturday, September 3^rd.  Food trucks will be onsite.  Ms. Mayberry noted that Ms. Vickers-Sivret originally asked Kraig Harlow about this date back on May 29^th.  Mrs. Pschirrer asked if this was being privately organized.  She wants to be sure they have insurance for the event.  Ms. Mayberry felt it was privately organized.  The Selectboard had no problems with the race provided they provide the one-day insurance coverage.    

Streetlights:  Mr. Dalessio went out on his own and measured streetlights with a light meter.  By Mr. Merklein’s light, it is certainly different than by other lights.  Mr. Dalessio would like to request that it be turned off.  It does not do anything by the intersection.  The light at the intersection of Old North Main and North Road that bothers Pauline Barnes and Adrian Basora. However, it cannot be turned off.  He took some close-up photos of some lights.  Mr. Dalessio felt he would go to Liberty Utilities himself because Mr. Steve Grenier had volunteered to do the initial work but not follow-up on the complaints.      

Selectboard Office Carpeting:  Mrs. Downing displayed the carpet sample boards that are in the Selectboard Office for viewing.  Monadnock Flooring will be measuring the space for a quote next Wednesday July 13^th.        

RECESS SELECTBOARD MEETING:

Ms. Mayberry moved to recess this Selectboard meeting.  The Selectboard will enter into a meeting as the Hooper Trustees.  Seconded by Mrs. Pschirrer.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mrs.Pschirrer and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the motion was approved at 6:56 PM.

The regular Selectboard meeting reconvened at 7:10 PM.  

NON-PUBLIC SELECTBOARD SESSION:

Ms. Mayberry 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 Mrs. Pschirrer.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mrs. Pschirrer and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the motion was approved at 7:10 PM.

The regular Selectboard meeting reconvened at 7:23 PM.

ADJOURNMENT:

Ms. Mayberry moved to adjourn this Selectboard meeting.  Seconded by Mrs. Pschirrer.  Mr. Dalessio asked if there was any further discussion.  There was none.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mrs. Pschirrer and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the meeting adjourned at 7:24 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Regina Borden, Recording Secretary

SELECTBOARD MEETING

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE

• Held over to next week due to SQL database migration issues for AccuFund.

PAYROLL

• Payroll Register totaling $33,938.72 dated 7/14/22 and the 941 Payroll Tax Transfer of $6,882.75

SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES

• Selectboard Meeting – July 7, 2022
• Non-Public Session Selectboard Minutes – July 7, 2022

COMMITTEE REPORTS

• North Walpole Village Commissioner’s Meeting – June 28, 2022

• North Walpole Village Commissioner’s Meeting – July 5, 2022

ELDERLY TAX EXEMPTION

• Map and Lot# 029-001-000
• Map and Lot# 008-059-000
• Map and Lot# 026-031-000
• Map and Lot# 028-119-000
• Map and Lot# 005-063-000
• Map and Lot# 016-005-MH05

BUILDING PERMITS

• 2022-28, Map and Lot# 022-014-000
• 2022-26, Map and Lot# 019-002-000
• 2022-27, Map and Lot# 005-044-003

OLD BUSINESS

• Citizen’s Comment 2022-10

Pending Further Actions

• Generators, Houghton Brook Bridge, Parking Ordinance, Three Phase Power for Industrial Park Drive and Bensonwood, Reservoir Dam, Letter of Understanding for 2021 Audit with Vachon Clukay and Company PC

NEW BUSINESS

NEW BUSINESS

PPolice Drone Policy & Procedures Inquiry

Pool Closure and Lifeguard Payroll

Recreation Revolving Fund Request

Cemetery Deed D501

Ecostar Gold Star Labor & Material Warranty for Town Hall Roof

NH DOT Inspection Meeting of former Arch Bridge

NON-PUBLIC BUSINESS: RSA 91-A:3 II (a) (c)

Time again to start thinking about, writing, and sending me your inputs for the August issue of the CLARION. From my desk, this appears to be a slow month coming up, probably still due to COVID cancellations and the reticence to get back into “the swing of things,” and I can relate to that. But if you or your organization has something coming up to share, let the community know through the CLARION.

With my printer’s vacation schedules I need to have the files to them the night of Thursday, July 21 – just a week away – so you have until then to get busy and send your submissions along. If you have any questions or are interested in advertising, do get in touch with me. Thank you, RAY BOAS, Publisher