The Walpolean

The Walpole Unitarian Spiritual Discussion Series resumes this Spring beginning Tuesday, March 27.  All are welcome to attend.

Every other Tuesday, we will meet at Hastings House from 10:30 to Noon to discuss a program drawn from the online archives of “On Being” with Krista Tippett. This audio interview program “takes up the big questions of meaning with scientists and theologians, artists and teachers — some you may know and others you’ll love to meet.”

In preparation for our discussions, preceding every meeting Reverend Elaine will e-mail participants the link to the “On Being” program we’ll be discussing so folks can listen to it at home.  The “On Being” link includes an audio recording, a transcript of the interview and, at the bottom of the page, Recommended Reading and links to music used in the program.  Reverend Elaine may also include her own suggestions for study or links to resources.

After our discussions, we enjoy sharing time around the lunch table –everyone brings their own.

Texts of interviews may be made available for those with limited computer access.  Regular participants as well as those who may only be able to come once in a blue moon are welcome.  If you can’t come for the discussion but would like to come for lunch and a little food for thought, that’s OK too.

For more information, contact

Dorothy Read, dorothygread@gmail.com,

or Rev Elaine Bomford, ebomford@gmail.com

Walpole Community Grange wishes to remind everyone that lunch will be available for purchase in conjunction with Walpole Town Meeting tomorrow at the Town Hall.  Hot dogs, Mac n’ Cheese and other goodies!  Meeting starts at 1, lunch items available beginning 12:15-12:30ish.

No surprises in our town elections since everyone ran unopposed. However, I do want to list them here as a small thank you for all they do to make Walpole the wonderful community that it is. – Lil

Selectboard – Peggy Pschirrer

Moderator – Ernie Vose

Town Clerk/Tax Collector – Sandy Smith

Trustee of the Trust Funds – Tom Winmill

Supervisor of the Checklist – Gary McCormick

Planning Board – James Aldrich & Jeff Miller

Zoning Board – Pauline Barnes & Tom Murray

Library Trustees – Jeanne Ramey, Carole Cramer, Amy Howard

Cemetery Trustee – Linda Edkins

Both of the Zoning Board questions were passed easily.

DON’T FORGET TOWN MEETING 3/17/18, 1:00 PM at the TOWN HALL

Fall Mountain School District warrant articles all passed as well.

Elected to the School Board – Michael Herrington & William Stahl

Moderator – Leroy Watson

Thanks again to the voters who made the trek through the snow, everyone who worked the polls and those who ran for office!

The Library has announced that the Social Security workshop scheduled for tomorrow night has been postponed until April 17th. Stay safe everyone.

This Saturday March 17 – Cabin Fever Radio Follies of 2018 – A few tables left – Make your reservations at Joanie Joan’s Baked Goods Company.

The Walpole Players will go “on air” at 7:00 pm, Saturday, March 17, in the Helen Miller Theater at the Walpole Town Hall, presenting Cabin Fever Radio Follies of 2018. It will be the sixth annual presentation of this popular event. The cast, many who have appeared in the Radio Follies year to year, have currently assembled this year’s scripts to provide you with laughs and great memories for an hour and twenty minutes (more or less).

The doors will open at 6:00 pm, when audience members may arrive bringing their own dinners, snacks and beverages of choice. Round tables for eight will be provided so all may dine in comfort, then sit back and listen as the Players commence the live broadcast from the radio studio on stage.

The last five years have been sellouts, and this year the Players anticipate all tickets will be pre-sold. To purchase tickets and reserve a table for your party, or for more information, call Joan Ireland at 499-1027 (please leave a message with your name and phone number). Ticket prices remain only $10 per person for a grand evening out. Tickets are available for purchase at Joanie Joan’s Baked Goods Company, along with table reservations.

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

CALL TO ORDER:  Mrs. Pschirrer called this Selectboard meeting to order at 6:30 PM in the Walpole Town Hall.  She advised this meeting is being recorded and asked anyone wishing to speak to identify themselves for the record.  There was one member of the public in attendance.

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE:

Ms. Mayberry moved to accept the Accounts Payable check register in the amount of $64.550.24 for checks dated March 2, 2018.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved.

PAYROLL:

Ms. Mayberry moved to accept the Payroll Register for the week ending February 24, 2018, in the amount of $25,805.20 for checks dated March 2, 2018.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved.

Ms. Mayberry moved to accept the electronic fund transfer for the 941 Employer Taxes for Withholding, MEDI and FICA taxes in the amount of $5,344.76 for the week ending February 24, 2018.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved.

SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES:

SELECTBOARD MEETING – February 22, 2018:  Ms. Mayberry moved to accept the Minutes of the Selectboard meeting of February 22, 2018, as submitted.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the Minutes were approved.

NON-PUBLIC SELECTBOARD SESSION – February 22, 2018:  Ms. Mayberry moved to accept the Minutes of the Non-Public Selectboard Session of February 22, 2018, as submitted.  These Minutes will remain sealed.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the Minutes were approved.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

The Selectboard received and reviewed Minutes of the following meetings:

• North Walpole Village District Board of Commissioners – February 20, 2018;

• Zoning Board of Adjustment – February 21, 2018.

DEMOLITION PERMIT:

WILLIAM CALLAHAN, Map and Lot #004-040-000:  Ms. Mayberry moved to grant Demolition Permit No. 2018-01 for William Callahan for “A pigpen that has already been removed” at 122 Bookseller Road.  Seconded by Mr.Dalessio.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved.

OLD BUSINESS:

TOWN WARRANT:  The Selectboard signed an original copy of the Town Warrant as requested by Mrs. Sandy Smith, Town Clerk/Tax Collector.

SUMMARY OF BENEFIT HOURS BALANCES: Mr. Rich Kreissle had submitted a progress report on the Benefit Hours Balances for the period ending February 24, 2018.  All numbers were reconciled with the departments except the Recycling Center.  Mr. Kreissle has not looked at personal time; this gets reset at the beginning of each year.  The Selectboard reviewed the summary but had questions on vacation and sick time for a few employees.  In September 2017, a revised Personnel Policy Handbook was given to each employee.  Mrs. Pschirrer will rewrite the section on vacations to clarify any misinterpretations that exist.  She will then review the revisions with an attorney and discuss this with Mr. Kreissle.

MAP AND LOT #012-055-021:  This lot is owned by Twin Birch Realty. Mrs. Downing had checked the deeds. Following a discussion, Mr. Dalessio summarized that based on the history of these lots. The Selectboard up-holds the interpretation of the Warrant Article passed in 2007 on the entire sub-division; the lots should be treated as Residential B. Residential B still stands.  In order to make a change to Commercial on these lots, the official zoning change will need to go before the voters as a warrant article at the 2019 Annual Town Meeting.

PUBLIC BUSINESS:

Village of Bellows Falls:  Municipal Manager, Mr. Shane O’Keefe, was present.  He submitted a letter dated March 1, 2018 and a detailed summary of the Town’s wastewater payments to the BFVC.  They discovered that the BFVC actually owes the Town of Walpole approximately $11,000.  Information on bonds and payment calculations were included.  There are two existing bonds.  The Selectboard had approved and signed the Joint Agreement. It has not yet been returned with a signature by Town Counsel Attorney Hockensmith.  A copy of the final agreement will be sent to Mr. Mark Houghton.

NEW BUSINESS:

CEMETERY LOTS D538 AND D539:

Ms. Mayberry moved to approve and sign the Cemetery Deed for Lot #D538.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved.

Ms. Mayberry moved to approve and sign the Cemetery Deed for Lot #D539.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved.

POLE LICENSE PETITION:  Ms. Mayberry moved to approve and sign the Pole License Petition for the Northern New England Telephone Operations LLC D/B/A FairPoint NNE and Liberty Utilities (Granite State Electric) to replace poles on the Old Drewsville Road and Alstead Center Road.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved.

VEHICLE REFUND REQUEST:  This request was received from Mrs. Sandy Smith, Town Clerk/Tax Collector.  There were a series of errors started when the car dealer filled out the back of the Certificate of Origin to a leasing company instead of the owner.  The owner had actually signed a lease agreement instead of a purchase agreement.  Mrs. Smith had collected money based on a lease agreement.  She is asking the Selectboard to refund $76.00.

Mr. Dalessio moved to accept Mrs. Sandy Smith’s recommendation for a vehicle refund in the amount of $76.00.  Seconded by Mr. Mayberry.  With Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Mayberry and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved.    

FAIRPOINT OUTSTANDING INVOICE:  Mrs. Pschirrer advised that the Town received a spreadsheet listing outstanding invoices from FairPoint who has been purchased by Consolidated Communications.  They have presented the Town with a claim of unpaid telephone bills in the amount of $1,400+ that goes back to 2009 and 2010.  Back then, all telephones were on one bill.  Their e-mail states if unpaid, they will hand over the bills to collection and then possibly a lien. The Selectboard is researching statutes of limitations and document retention.  Mr. Dalessio recommended sending a letter to the NH Municipal Association for advice and then make a decision.  Mrs. Pschirrer stated none of their bills show there is an outstanding balance.

HEALTH TRUST ADMINISTRATOR WORKSHOP: Mrs. Downing has requested permission to attend the Health Trust Benefits Administrator Workshop on Wednesday, April 4th in Concord.  The Selectboard approved this request.

RECESS SELECTBOARD MEETING:

Ms. Mayberry moved to recess this Selectboard meeting.  The Selectboard will enter into a meeting as the Hooper Trustees.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the motion was approved at 7:24 PM.

The regular Selectboard meeting resumed at 8:16 PM.

ADJOURNMENT:

Ms. Mayberry moved to adjourn this Selectboard meeting.  Seconded by Mr. Dalessio.  With Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio and Mrs. Pschirrer in favor, the meeting was adjourned at 8:18 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Regina Borden, Recording Secretary

Janet Moore, of West Chesterfield  NH will exhibit of her water color and oil paintings at the People’s United Bank in Chester, VT.  The exhibit is free of charge and may be seen during regular business hours until the beginning of June.

VT. artist, Carolyn Allbee will have an exhibit of her paintings at the River Valley Credit Union in Townsend, Vermont. The show, which is free of charge, may be seen through the end of May.

Members of the Saxtons River Art Guild will change their ongoing group exhibit at Rockingham Medical Group in Bellows Falls Vt. and Ramuntos in Brattleboro, VT. to welcome the coming of Spring! The new exhibits may be viewed free of charge until June. The Saxtons River Art Guild is a non-profit devoted to the advancement and encouragement of the fine arts. The group includes members throughout the Conn. River Valley.