The Walpolean

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

CALL TO ORDER:  Mrs. Pschirrer, Chair of the Walpole Selectboard, called this meeting, via Zoom, to order at 5:30 PM.  She announced that Ms. Cheryl Mayberry and Mr. Steven Dalessio, the other two Selectboard members are also present.  The Selectboard members are in three separate locations.  Mrs. Sarah Downing, Manager of Administration, is in the Walpole Town Hall, and Mrs. Regina Borden, Recording Secretary, is by telephone at a separate location.  This Zoom meeting is being recorded remotely by FACT-TV.  It is available for viewing on the internet.

Public comments are to be emailed to Mrs. Downing at the Walpole Town Hall or by calling 603-756-3672.  She will display the agenda.  That will be followed by documents as they are being discussed.

Mrs. Pschirrer called for a voice roll call vote of the Selectboard present:  Cheryl Mayberry was present; Steven Dalessio was present and Peggy Pschirrer was present.

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 Mr. Dalessio.  Mrs. Pschirrer asked if there were any questions or comments.  There were none.  On a voice roll call vote with Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved.

The regular Selectboard meeting resumed at 6:35 PM.

Ms. Mayberry moved that the Minutes of the Non-Public Selectboard Session of December 29, 2020, will be sealed.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  Mrs. Pschirrer asked if there were any questions or comments.  There were none.  On a voice roll call vote with Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved.

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE:

There was no Accounts Payable Check Register this week due to the short holiday week.

PAYROLL:

Mr. Dalessio moved to accept the Payroll Check Register for the week ending December 26, 2020, in the amount of $30,336.25 for checks dated January 1, 2021 and the 941 Payroll Tax Transfer in the amount of $6,087.58.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  Mrs. Pschirrer asked if there were any questions or comments.  There were none.  On a voice roll call vote with Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Mayberry and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved.

SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES:

SELECTBOARD MINUTES – December 23, 2020:  Mr. Dalessio moved to accept the Minutes of the Selectboard meeting of December 23, 2020, as submitted.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  Mrs. Pschirrer asked if there were any questions or comments.  There were none.  On a voice roll call vote with Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Mayberry and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the Minutes were approved.

NON-PUBLIC SELECTBOARD SESSION – December 23, 2020:  Mr. Dalessio moved to accept the Minutes of the Non-Public Selectboard Session of December 23, 2020, as submitted.  These Minutes will remain sealed. Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  Mrs. Pschirrer asked if there were any questions or comments.  There were none.  On a voice roll call vote with Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Mayberry and Mr. Dalessio in favor, the Minutes were approved.

OLD BUSINESS:

Pending Further Actions:

Town Street Lights, Tax Deeded Property Sale, Houghton Brook Bridge Repair, Reservoir Dam Repairs, Emergency Generators:  These agenda items will remain on the Pending Further Actions list.

NEW BUSINESS:

Police Department Resignation:  Mr. Dalessio moved to accept the resignation of Police Chief Michael Paquette effective March 31, 2021.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  Mrs. Pschirrer asked if there were any questions or comments.  There were none.  On a voice roll call vote with Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Mayberry and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved.

2021 Draft Warrant Articles:  Mrs. Pschirrer had drafted the first 2021 Warrant Articles for review.  Some need figures added in.  She did not include the Dog Ordinance.  An article for the newly elected Town Clerk’s salary plus an article to split the Town Clerk and Tax Collector’s positions also has to be added.  Mr. Dalessio noted this brings them below the figures in the existing budget.

Next Selectboard Meeting:  The next regular Selectboard meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 7, 2021, at 6:30 PM.  

Mrs. Pschirrer wished everyone a safe and healthy Happy New Year.   

ADJOURNMENT:

Ms. Mayberry moved to adjourn this Selectboard meeting.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  Mrs. Pschirrer asked if there were any questions or comments.  There were none.  On a voice roll call vote with Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the meeting was adjourned at 6:48 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Regina Borden, Recording Secretary

Starting at 6:30 PM via Zoom and live-streamed on Fact-TV

SELECTBOARD MEETING

SNOW REMOVAL AND DAMAGE TO PRIVATE PROPERTY• Re: snow stakes and lawn damage

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE• Accounts Payable Check Register in the total amount of $850,089.96 for checks issued 1/08/2021

PAYROLL• Payroll Register totaling $35,473.09 dated 12/11/2020 and the 941 Payroll Tax Transfer of $8,012.77

SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES• Selectboard Minutes – December 29, 2020• Non-Public Selectboard Session – December 29, 2020

OLD BUSINESS• 2021 Annual Budget Public Meeting

Pending Further Actions

Town Street Lights, Tax Deeded Property Sale, Houghton Brook Bridge Repair, Reservoir Dam Repairs, Emergency Generators

NEW BUSINESS• Municipal Resources Professional Services Agreement• Cemetery Deed D571• Cemetery Deed D572• Cemetery Deed D573• 2020 Town Report Cover Ideas• Thank You Card

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

**Any recording, audio or visual, and/or other devices must be declared at the beginning of the meeting**

PUBLIC NOTICE

Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 7 pm

Walpole Planning Board January meeting

via Zoom 

www.zoom.us

and enter Meeting ID number 

931 6255 6866

WALPOLE PLANNING BOARD AGENDA

January 12, 2021

Zoom meeting: 7 pm

             ​​

Roll Call – 

Minutes – Review minutes of the November and December meetings. One correction in Roll Call of November meeting: It should say, There was a quorum for the meeting. Absent: Joanna Andros.

Old Business:

Public Hearing No. 1

Subdivision: Jay Landry two lots into four lots, Map 17, Lots 5 and 5-1, land between Old Keene Rd. and Wentworth Rd. All lots have required 200 feet road frontage and 40,000 square feet, Residential A. 

The new lots would be:

​ Lot 5.1 – 2.19 acres with 200 feet road frontage on Wentworth Road; 

​ Lot 5-2 – 1.67 acres with 200 feet road frontage on Wentworth Road; 

​ Lot 5-3 – 1.15 acres with 200 feet road frontage on Wentworth Road;

​ and 5-4 – 6.22 acres with 203.61 feet road frontage on Old Keene Road and Wentworth Road.​ ​48.5 feet road frontage on Wentworth Road.

Public Hearing No. 2:

Short-term rental zoning amendment to be added to the bed and breakfast ordinance and placed on the March 2021 warrant. It will read:

​ Article 4, Section L   Bed and Breakfast Establishments

​So called “Bed and Breakfast” and short -term rental establishments for the accommodation of ​paying, overnight guests, may be maintained in all zoning districts provided that the number ​of rooms for rent in any one establishment shall not number more than four and further ​provided that breakfast may be the only meal provided and that only to bona fide overnight ​guests. The conversion of a single-family residence or other building to a bed and breakfast or ​short-term rental shall require Site Plan approval by the Planning Board. Off-street parking for ​one car per rented room plus space for owner parking shall be provided.”

Since this item will be going on the warrant it is being postponed until there can be an in-person meeting.

New Business: 

Request for a Public Hearing for Zoning Amendments to signage ordinance, Article IV, D, be added to the March 2021 warrant.

It would be Article IV Section D3 – Limitations, second paragraph.

“Inflatable signs; wind-activated signs like feather flags; oscillating, rotating, flashing, neon or other tubular gas signs; or signs with blinking, changing or moving illumination are not permitted. These prohibitions do not apply to signs used for public safety purposes by a government entity.”

It replaces “Oscillating, rotating, flashing, neon or other tubular gas sings are not permitted except when used for public safety purposed by a government entity.”

This ordinance deals with temporary signs. It will be number 9 in the signage ordinance in Article IV, D. The current number 9 will become number 10. The new ordinance reads:

“9. Temporary Signs

A temporary sign is any sign not permanently attached to the ground, a wall, or a building that is intended to be displayed for a short and limited period of time.

Examples of temporary signs include announcement signs; real estate signs; community or civic event signs; political campaign signs pursuant to RSA 664; garage or yard sale signs or signs for other special events that occur for a limited period of time.

All temporary signs shall be removed within ten (10) days following the event or activity being promoted.

Public Hearing approved unanimously approved by PB, but since this item is going on the warrant it will be postponed until there can be an in-person Public Hearing.

Request for a Public Hearing:

Site Plan: Bed and Breakfast at the Watkins Tavern at Hooper Golf Club: Walpole D and D LLC, 116 Prospect Hill Road, Map 8, Lot , Residential A. Cindy Westover representing owner Fred Dill. Prospective owners Eric Brandolini and Steven Leclerman.

Unanimous approval by PB. Public Hearing via Zoom in January.

​ 

The December Planning Board meeting was canceled because of Gov. Chris Sununu’s mandate to Covid-19 mandate so the Select Board decided to close the Town Hall from in-person meetings and other activities. Since there were Public Hearings on the agenda and questions from abutters or the public about these hearings, the Board via email made these decisions.

Due to the increase in cases of Covid-19 in the state, the December meeting was canceled. Since the items on the agenda need discussion and input from the public as well as the WPB board members, the December items will be addressed in January via Zoom. Mr. Jeff Harrington agreed to be host of the meeting.

But the Board was asked to weigh in on the following items via email:

​Public Hearing No. 1: Subdivision: Jay Landry two lots into four lots, Map 17, ​Lots 5 and 5-1, land between Old Keene Rd. and Wentworth Rd. All lots have ​ ​200 feet road frontage and 40,000 square feet, Residential A.  Rather than giving ​conditional approval, the Board voted to give abutters a chance to weigh in on the ​subdivision proposal. Three abutters had questions they wished to ask Mr. Landry. 

​Board vote: Unanimous to hold meeting via Zoom in January. Board vote: 7-0.

​Public Hearing No. 2: Short-term Rentals, Zoning amendment to Walpole Zoning ​Ordinances. 

​Board vote: Unanimous to hold meeting via Zoom in January. Board vote: 7-0.

​However since this item was to go on the March 2021 warrant, Select Board member ​Steve ​Dalessio asked the Zoning Board of Adjustment Chair, Jan Galloway-Leclerc, to ​postpone this hearing, which means it wouldn’t go on the warrant until 2022. Although ​Ms. Leclerc felt this ​ordinance was time sensitive, she also understood that zoom ​hearings might present challenges to people wanting to participate in the hearing. This ​hearing will take place when it is determined by the Select Board that the Town Hall is ​safe to hold in-person hearings.

​

​New Business: Request for a Public Hearing: Watkins Tavern, site plan, 166 ​Prospect Hill ​Road,  Map 8, Lot 16-1, Residential A, owner-occupied Bed and ​Breakfast. Mr. Marcom made a motion to hold a Public Hearing for the Watkins Tavern ​site plan. Mr. Harrington seconded the motion.  Unanimous Board vote of 7-0.

​Request for a Public Hearing: ZBA amendments on signage – temporary signs and​feather flags. Mr. Marcom ​made a motion to hold a Public Hearing for ZBA ​ordinance on signage to be held in January.  Mr. Harrington seconded the ​motion.  Unanimous Board vote of 7-0.

​Board vote: Unanimous to hold meeting via Zoom in January. Board vote: 7-0.

​However since this item was to go on the March 2021 warrant, Select Board member ​Steve ​Dalessio asked the Zoning Board of Adjustment Chair, Jan Galloway-Leclerc, to ​postpone this hearing, which means it wouldn’t go on the warrant until 2022. Although ​Ms. Leclerc felt this ​ordinance was time sensitive, she also understood that zoom ​hearings might present challenges to people wanting to participate in the hearing. This ​hearing will take place when it is determined by the Select Board that the Town Hall is ​safe to hold in-person hearings.

The regular January 2021 meeting of the Walpole Planning Board will take place via Zoom on January 12, 2021, at 7 pm.

zoom.us  

Meeting ID is 931 6255 6866

Respectfully submitted,

Marilou Blaine

COVID by the Numbers-Goodbye 2020 Edition

So December 2020 was awful.  Just awful.  One of the problems that makes knowing just how awful is that NH DHHS is having a hard time keeping up with the test reporting, so that the total number of new cases reported on any given day are actually results spread over nearly a week.  On their web site, they reallocate the cases to the proper day, which causes the two aggregators I look at for nationwide comparisons, Harvard Global Health Initiative and Covid Act Now, to have widely divergent numbers of cases per 100,000 on any given day.  So I am just going to reflect on the raw NH numbers as given in the daily reports.  Of course, those numbers are still lacking some of the as-yet-unreported December cases, but they also include some of the long-delayed November numbers, so I am going to call it even.

In the month of December the total number of cases in the state of New Hampshire went from 21,776 to 44,028.  More than half the cases in the state occurred this past month.  The number of currently active cases is only slightly higher than at the beginning of the month, having gone from 5,022 to 5,919.  But here are the grimmer numbers.   There were 160 people hospitalized for COVID at the beginning of the month.  At the end, hospitalizations are at an all-time high of 317, nearly double in one month, and the strain on medical resources is being felt.  And December has been by far the deadliest month so far, with 231 NH citizens losing their lives.  A total of 759 have passed over the course of the pandemic.  

NH has the highest ratio of nursing home deaths in the United States, nearly double that of the next  highest state.  There are ways of looking at those statistics to make them sound less awful, for example, if you compare our nursing home  deaths to authorized nursing home beds rather than to the total instate deaths, we are in the average range.  So perhaps COVID has been less lethal among our general population, but in any case, the numbers are still horrifying.  Maplewood nursing home reported its second case of COVID ever last week, and is conducting intense testing as a result.  We owe Katherine Kindopp and her dedicated staff a huge dept of gratitude for the incredible care they are taking of the residents.

In Cheshire County generally, there had been 596 total cases at the beginning of the month.  That number more than doubled by the end of the month, to 1,263.  The number of active cases actually dropped from 169 at the beginning of the month to 142 at the end of the month, but it went up to a high of 258 for a few days in the middle.  We have had 14 hospitalizations and 7 deaths. 2 of the deaths came this month.

Walpole had had 12 total cases at the beginning of the month.  At the end of the month, we have more than tripled to 37.  We are back down to 6 currently active cases, down from a high of 11.

We have no idea what is coming at us as a result of the Christmas/New Years holiday.  My sister and brother-in-law in England got their first Pfizer shot two weeks ago, and were scheduled for the second dose January 7, but Boris Johnson has cancelled all the second shots, and they have been told they may get the second one in March, when Pfizer says it won’t do them any good.  The NH House will meet, drive-in movie style, in our cars, in a UNH parking lot, on the 6^th of January, to pick a new Speaker, our last Speaker having died of COVID.  Just because 2020 has left us doesn’t mean the world has not still gone mad.

~And now for a (non-commercial) commercial break:  I try to stay away from politics here, on our town page, but if you actually want my shamelessly political opinion, the Keene Sentinel published my op-ed yesterday and you can read it here:  https://www.sentinelsource.com/opinion/op-ed/a-drive-in-session-in-january-welcome-to-the-1950s/article_f7f33fd9-df0b-5d80-8167-3631911e97a0.html?fbclid=IwAR0HluPJwrVDK0My7ReT09BRvmJO-ixH_RDTfSdgz7Y8-O8Tfvplw9i8c3k

Now more than ever:  Wear your mask, keep your distance, wash your hands, keep well.

Wishing you and yours have a far, far better year in 2021.  Thank you all for having been part of my 2020.  I am so grateful to be a part of this community.

~Lucy”

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

CALL TO ORDER:  Mrs. Pschirrer, Chair of the Walpole Selectboard, called this meeting via Zoom to order at 9:00 AM.  She announced that Ms. Cheryl Mayberry and Mr. Steven Dalessio, the other two Selectboard members are also present.  The Selectboard members are in three separate locations.  Mrs. Sarah Downing, Manager of Administration, is in the Walpole Town Hall, and Mrs. Regina Borden, Recording Secretary, is by telephone at a separate location.  This meeting is being recorded.

Public comments are to be emailed to Mrs. Downing at the Walpole Town Hall or by calling 603-756-3672.  She will display the Agenda.  That will be followed by documents as they are being discussed.

Mrs. Pschirrer called for a voice roll call vote of the Selectboardpresent:  Cheryl Mayberry was present; Steven Dalessio was present and Peggy Pschirrer was present.

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE:

There was no Accounts Payable Check Register this week due to the short holiday week.

PAYROLL:

Mr. Dalessio moved to accept the Payroll Check Register for the week ending December 19, 2020, in the amount of $28,759.93 for checks dated December 24, 2020, and for the 941 Payroll Tax Transfer in the amount of $5,837.24.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  Mrs. Pschirrer asked if there were any questions or comments.  There were none.  On a voice roll call vote with Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Mayberry and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved.

SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES:

SELECTBOARD MINUTES – December 17, 2020:  Mr. Dalessio moved to accept the Minutes of the Selectboardmeeting of December 17, 2020, as submitted.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  Mrs. Pschirrer asked if there were any questions or comments.  There were none.  On a voice roll call vote with Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Mayberry and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the Minutes were approved.  

NON-PUBLIC SELECTBOARD SESSION – December 17, 2020:  Mr. Dalessio moved to accept the Minutes of the Non-Public Selectboard Session of December 17, 2020, as submitted.  These Minutes will remain sealed.  Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  Mrs. Pschirrer asked if there were any questions or comments.  There were none.  On a voice roll call vote with Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Mayberry and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the Minutes were approved.

PROPERTY TAX REFUNDS:

Mr. Dalessio moved to grant the following Property Tax Refunds.  These are the result of overpayments of the recent tax bills:• Map and Lot #003-038-005 in the amount of $2,998.00;• Map and Lot #030-072-000 in the amount of $200.00;• Map and Lot #013-014-000 in the amount of $90.00.

Seconded by Ms. Mayberry.  Mrs. Pschirrer asked if there were any questions or comments.  There were none.  On a voice roll call vote with Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Mayberry and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved.

OLD BUSINESS:

Pending Further Actions:

Town Street Lights, Tax Deeded Property Sale, Houghton Brook Bridge Repair and Emergency Generators:  These items will continue to remain on the Pending Further Actions list.

Reservoir Dam Repairs:  Mr. Dalessio reported that the Reservoir Dam Repairs are moving forward.  The NH Department of Environmental Services and Fuss & O’Neill are making sure they get all the parameters for the model.  

NEW BUSINESS:

Date for FMRSD Deliberative Session:  Mrs. Pscherrier reported that the Fall Mountain Regional School District Board changed the date of their Deliberative Session from Thursday, February 4^th, 2021, to Tuesday, February 2^nd, 2021, after they became aware of the fact that the Walpole Selectboard had set the date for their Annual Budget Public Hearing for Thursday, February 4^th, 2021.  The Selectboard is grateful that the FMRSD made this change.  It was not a problem for the other FMRSD towns.

Possible Property Tax Refunds for December 28, 2020, and Check Register.  Mrs. Sandra Smith, Tax Collector, will be closing her books on Monday, December 28, 2020.  Any Property Tax Refunds will need to be processed on this date.  The Selectboard will not be meeting until Tuesday, December 29, 2020.

Ms. Mayberry moved that the Selectboard authorize Jodi Daigle to sign any of the Property Tax Refunds that come-up between now and December 28, 2020, on Monday, December 28, 2020. Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  Mrs. Pschirrer asked if there were any questions or comments.  There were none.  On a voice roll call vote with Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved.

Ms. Mayberry advised that if there are any Property Tax Refunds they will be read into the Minutes of the Selectboard meeting of December 29, 2020.  Mrs. Smith has been working with the State on closing out the books.  The balance for any additional refunds will wait to be handled in January 2021.

Next Selectboard Meeting:  The next Selectboard meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 29, 2020, at 5:30 PM.  It is anticipated to be a Zoom meeting.

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 Mr. Dalessio.  Mrs. Pschirrerasked if there were any questions or comments.  There were none.  On a voice roll call vote with Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved at 9:08AM.

The regular Selectboard meeting resumed at 10:26 AM.  

Ms. Mayberry moved that the Minutes of the Non-Public Selectboard Session of  December 23, 2020, will be sealed.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  Mrs. Pschirrer asked if there were any questions or comments.  There were none.  On a voice roll call vote with Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved.

ADJOURNMENT:

Ms. Mayberry moved to adjourn this Selectboard meeting.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  Mrs. Pschirrer asked if there were any questions or comments.  There were none.  On a voice roll call vote with Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the meeting was adjourned at 10:28 AM.

Respectfully submitted,

Regina Borden, Recording Secretary

The January 4th meeting has been cancelled.

From Tom Goins: On December 28^th one of our employees in the Restaurant at Burdick’s notified us that they tested positive for COVID.  The employee has not worked in the restaurant since Thursday, December 24^thand did not begin to show symptoms until the afternoon of Sunday, December 27^th.  We here at Burdick’s & the Walpole Grocery take this seriously and therefore it is with utmost precaution and the continued interest of keeping everyone safe & healthy as possible we are closing both The Restaurant at Burdick’s and the Walpole Grocery.  We will remain closed as long as necessary and we are also having our entire staff tested.  We hope you all remain healthy & safe.

For those who think of Burdick’s as one entity that includes The Restaurant at Burdick’s, the Walpole Grocery and the Chocolate Shop & Café, the COVID related closures only apply to the restaurant and grocery store.

TOWN OF WALPOLE

SELECTBOARD MEETING AGENDA

December 29, 2020 at 5:30 PM

SELECTBOARD MEETING

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

PAYROLL• Payroll Register totaling $30,336.25 dated 1/01/2021 and the 941 Payroll Tax Transfer of $6,087.58

SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES• Selectboard Minutes – December 23, 2020• Non-Public Selectboard Session – December 23, 2020

OLD BUSINESS

Pending Further Actions

Town Street Lights, Tax Deeded Property Sale, Houghton Brook Bridge Repair, Reservoir Dam Repairs, Emergency Generators

NEW BUSINESS• 2021 Draft Warrant Articles

**Any recording, audio or visual, and/or other devices must be declared at the beginning of the meeting**