Walpole Seniors’ Potluck Lunch – Monday, Dec. 16:
High Noon at the Congregational Church
Bring a dish and chat with friends!
Walpole Players Show is Sold Out
ALL shows of the Walpole Players 2024 Holiday Fundraiser of “A Christmas Story, The Musical” are SOLD OUT. You cannot buy tickets at the door!
Please text (no calls) Jenny Plante at 603-313-9319 if you bought tickets and are not coming, if you would like to be put on the waitlist or if you have any questions.
Congratulations to the ACS Cast & Crew on a wonderful opening night!
Walpole Unitarian Church Holiday Food Sale – 12/14/24
WALPOLE UNITARIAN CHURCH
HOLIDAY FOOD SALE
Saturday, December 14th between 9 and 11:30 a.m.
In Front of Walpole Post Office
We will have our popular boxed holiday cookies ready for gift giving. There will also be holiday breads and desserts, along with savory items such as quiches, casseroles, lasagnas, etc. These items will be ready to take home and serve, or kept in the freezer until later. All of our offerings are homemade and there are always unexpected surprises that arrive at our table the day of the sale! Come early to get the best choices!
Planning Board Meeting Minutes – 12/10/24
Walpole Planning Board Minutes
December 10, 2024
Town Hall
7 pm
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 Travis Adams. Absent board member Trevor MacLachlan and alternate Bill Carmody.
Call to order: Mr. Miller called the meeting to order at 7 pm. He asked Mr. Adams to fill in for the absent board member. Mr. Adams agreed.
Minutes: Review minutes of the November 2024 meeting and workshop minutes. Mr. Marcom made two corrections on the regular November meeting minutes. On page 1 he changed if to is in the sixth paragraph and on page 2, last paragraph, the middle lot of the Dunkin subdivision is Lot 2. Mr. Perron made a motion to approve the amended minutes. Mr. Harrington seconded the motion and the motion carried.
OLD BUSINESS:
Continuation of:
Public Hearing No. 2: Subdivision for Dunkin property at 418 Main Street. One lot into four lots.
Town Map 12, Lot 56, Lot 1 56-1 will be 1.73 acres, Lot 2 will be 2.9 acres, Lot 3 will be 2.04 acres, Lot 4 will be 2.62 acres. Commercial District.
Mr. Jason Hill of TF Moran presented the subdivision of 8-plus acres on the quadrant at the corner of Main Street and Upper Walpole Road in the commercial district. There will be four lots. Lot 1 will be for a Dunkin coffee shop, Lot 2 will be a baseball field. Lot 3 is the site of the future police station and lot 4 abuts the Savings Bank of Walpole, owner to be determined. Lot 1 has access from Upper Walpole Road as well as Route 12. Lots 2 and 3 have a shared access from Upper Walpole Road and Lot 4 has access from Upper Walpole Road. The site has public water and sewer.
There being no questions from the board or the public, Mr. Miller closed the hearing at 7:05 pm. Mr. Perron made a motion to accept the subdivision as presented. Mr. Marcom seconded the motion and the motion carried.
Public Hearing No. 3: The Walpole Foundation: Construction of a new preschool, 75 Westminster St. Tax Map 20, Lot, 11, Residential B District.
Erin Lambert of Wilcox & Barton in Concord presented the proposal for The Walpole Foundation.
The new school will be 5,294 square feet. There will be five egress points on three sides of the building. There will be 48 parking spaces, two of them ADA accessible. The driveway will be one-way with a bus drop-off area at the front of the building, which faces south. There is an enclosed playground off to the west side of the building. The plans are to plant 11 trees – some shade tress, some ornamental trees – and some perennials. The poles with lighting will only illuminate the property and will be downcast so neighbors and wildlife are not affected.
This is not a day care operation. It is a school with an educational program that is in session during the regular school year. It is not currently in session during the summer months. There are approximately 30 students currently enrolled, not counting the students who come for after-school care. There is a community room in the new building and it has a kitchen designed for community use. Capacity is for 40 students. Not all students attend every day. Some students are on a two or three day a week schedule. The present school will remain in operation during construction of the new school. There are currently two classrooms but a third classroom will be added to the new building. This room will be used for infants, six weeks to about 2 or 2 1/2. That classroom can accommodate 6 to 8 children.
The school will be served by municipal water and sewer. The building will be fully sprinkled. Underground electric service will be provided from a pole near the driveway entrance. The building will be heated by propane.
Construction is planned to begin in the spring of 2025 with estimated completion by the summer of 2026. When the new school is up and running, Wilcox & Barton are in charge of demolishing the old school building.
When all of the questions of both the board and the public had been answered, Mr. Miller closed the hearing at 7:30 pm.
Mr. Harrington made a motion to approve the project as present. Mr. Dalessio seconded the motion and the motion carried.
Public Hearing for Approval of Proposed Revised Zoning Amendments. There are eight amendments.
Mr. Miller explained that earlier this year the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Adjustment and Todd Horner, Executive Director of Southwest Region Planning Commission, and Carol Ogilvie, a senior planner with the organization met several times to discuss the zoning ordinance to clarify and improve organization of the document. The result was this document with eight amendments.
Mr. Miller said there was good cooperation between both boards. Two major changes are that the Planning Board will now resume yearly inspection of the town’s three remaining gravel pits and take over signage, which actually is part of the site plan process. The Select Board will handle permits for temporary use of a mobile homes or trailers and building in the timberland district.
Powers of the ZBA were defined:
- Hear and Decide Appeal from Administrative Decisions
- Special Exceptions
- Variances
Definitions will all be in one place and alphabetized.
Mr. Perron made a motion to have the Planning Board recommend this article, which will be placed on the March warrant. The motion carried unanimously
Public Hearing for a zoning amendment drafted by the Planning Board.
Mr. Miller said this zoning amendment was discussed at the November meeting and has been slightly tweaked. But the intent remains the same as the original draft.
It will be placed on the town warrant. It excludes formula businesses in the commercial district, Section 6, of Downtown Walpole Village, Article VI. Formula businesses include retail sales and restaurants that regulate by contractual or other arrangements certain standardized features that include uniforms, logos, interior or exterior design, array of services or merchandise, menus, ingredients and food preparation.
Mr. Marcom made a motion to have the Planning Board recommend this zoning amendment, which will be placed on the March warrant. The motion carried unanimously.
Update
Mr. Miller attended a meeting in Temple last week. It was a Citizen Planning Conference arranged by SWRPC and attended by a variety of officials from several towns in the Monadnock Region. There were about 20 people at the conference, he said. He said it was a very constructive meeting with a discussion on a lot of issues. Another meeting is planned for March. He plans to attend and hopes a couple of board members will go with him.
Mr. Miller also mentioned that the group that was at the November meeting who wanted to construct three buildings on the lot south of Dollar General had registered a plat at the Registry of Deeds without any approval from the town. Town counsel is looking into this matter.
Public Hearing for a Petition Article
Mr. Harrington made a motion to hold a public hearing in January 2025 on a petition to be placed on the March warrant that would amend the article about shops, restaurants and other retail building not exceeding 40,000 square feet to not allow drive-up window service. Mr. Perron seconded the motion and the motion carried.
Adjournment
Mr. Perron made a motion to adjourn. Mr. Harrington seconded the motion and the motion carried.
It was 8:15 pm.
These are unapproved minutes that will be reviewed for corrections at the January 2025 meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Marilou Blaine
Secretary
Next meeting: January 14, 2025.
Selectboard Meeting Agenda – 12/12/24
TOWN OF WALPOLE
SELECTBOARD MEETING AGENDA
December 12, 2024
Starting at 6:30 PM in the Town Hall
SELECTBOARD MEETING
PAYROLL
- Payroll Register totaling $33,915.16 dated 12/13/2024 and the 941 Payroll Tax Transfer of $6,966.70.
SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES
- Selectboard Meeting – December 4, 2024
COMMITTEE REPORTS
- Trail Committee Meeting – September 11, 2024
- Trail Committee Meeting – October 9, 2024
- Trail Committee Meeting – November 13, 2024
- Cemetery Trustees Meeting – November 4, 2024
- Police Building Committee Meeting – November 19, 2024
- Conservation Commission Meeting – December 2, 20234
TIMBER INTENTS
- Map and Lot# 008-062-000
- Map and Lot# 011-001-000
BUILDING PERMITS
- 2024-38, Map and Lot# 013-036-001-2
OLD BUSINESS
Pending Further Actions: Parking Policy, Generators, Old North Main and High Steets Bridges/Culverts, Houghton Brook Bridge, ARPA Grants – Sewer System, Reservoir Dam
- Map and Lot# 009-023-002 Agreement and Deposit Receipt
- Map and Lot# 009-023-002 Quitclaim Deed
- School Withdrawal Article
NEW BUSINESS
- Voter Petition Article
- DES Dredge and Wetlands Permit Application Notice
- Town Website Landing Page Change Request
- January 2 Selectboard Meeting
NON-PUBLIC BUSINESS: RSA 91-A:3 II (c)
Final Reminder: Happy Trails Event – 12/11/24
H A P P Y T R A I L S !
Wednesday, 12/11/24, at 7 pm
Walpole Town Hall
Do you enjoy the outdoors? Are you interested in trails? If so, please join the Walpole Trail Committee for a fun and informative evening featuring the trails of Walpole and the volunteers who maintain them. The public is invited to come to Town Hall on Wednesday, December 11, at 7 pm for a presentation followed by refreshments and mingling. All ages welcome.
— Learn about Walpole’s Trails
>Scenic photo tour
>Trail maps
>Winter Trail Challenge
— See the impact of trail work volunteers
>Trail improvement photos
>Rail trail upgrade story
>Volunteer sign-up
— Party with Trail Committee members
>Refreshments & conversation
>Questions & suggestions
>Free raffle with great prizes
Questions? Contact Wendy Grossman, Walpole Trail Committee Chair, at walpoletrailhelpers@gmail.com.
Conservation Commission Meeting Minutes – 12/2/24
TOWN OF WALPOLE, NEW HAMPSHIRE
CONSERVATION COMMISSION
DECEMBER 2, 2024
Members Present: Nicole Adams, Alicia Flammia, Wendy Grossman, France Menk, Peter Palmiotto, John Peska (Presiding), Lewis Shelley
Alternates Present: Tom Beaudry, Paul Happ
Selectboard Present: Steve Dalessio, Cheryl Mayberry
Members Absent:
Visitors Present: John McCollister
Call to Order: John called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm in the Town Hall.
Seating of Alternates: No Alternates were needed as everyone was there.
REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Peter moved to accept the November 4, 2024 minutes as written. Lew seconded and all voted in favor. The minutes were approved.
The Conservation Committee needs to go back to the old way of doing minutes to ensure public transparency as required by RSA 91A.1a. The Recording Secretary will create the minutes and email them to all members. Anyone can send proposed changes to John and Peter, the co-chairs. They will determine what changes are necessary and let the Recording Secretary know what needs to be changed before the draft is sent to the Selectboard Office and the Walpolean. If they are unsure, it will be discussed at the next meeting prior to approving the minutes. Minutes should include general discussion, decisions, context if something is postponed, and tasks. Names will be used only as necessary. Minutes will be general but contain enough facts to be informative.
The Conservation Commission’s Google Drive ownership will be transferred to John, Peter, and the Recording Secretary. The Trail Committee Google Drive will also be transferred to the trail committee chair Wendy. Also to be compliant with RSA 91A the Trail Committee will need to have a quorum of in person attendees at meetings.
PUBLIC BUSINESS
Report from Co-Chair: no report
Financial Report:
- Conservation $241,335.69
- Forestry $51,414.09
- Mason Forest Expendable (9/30/2024) $518,622.12
- Mason Forest Nonexpendable (9/30/2024) $22,824.53
Correspondence: Monadnock Conservancy newsletter
NEW BUSINESS
2025 Budget: Budget requests are due immediately as the Selectboard will be working on the 2025 budget next week. The budget needs to include brush hogging the rail trail and the website domain and hosting. John and Peter will take care of this.
Barry Conservation Camp: A financially needy student is being selected. The schedule is now months earlier than in the past.
OLD BUSINESS
Rest Areas – Shelters, Cleanup: At the workday, the crumbling steps were taken up and the slope smoothed. The Highway Department will be asked to dispose of the timbers. Both rest areas on Route 12 are now ready for roofing the shelters and for the timber harvest. The roofing will be done this winter.
Fanny Mason Harvesting – Update: We have an agreement for the timber harvest on the east side of Route 12 and are working on a contract. After a discussion, it was decided to see if the contract could be extended to include the red pine on the west side of Route 12. The harvest will be in 2025.
Gateway and Hooper Invasives: Peter checked the Gateway for invasives – there is still plenty of Japanese barberry and other invasives. The company that did the initial treatment also confirmed the presence of the invasive and have provided an estimate to conduct another treatment next summer expanding the strip around the fields at the $2,500 quoted price or they will do work on a time and materials basis. Peter will try to get a maximum cost for the time and materials option.
Property Monitoring: Monadnock Conservancy approached Wendy about two issues identified during the June monitoring: the washed-out snowmobile trail near Halls Crossing in Great Brook Town Forest, and the snowmobile bridge that collapsed and is now in Bertin Town Forest in the stream. The concern is that for Town Forests where the Monadnock Conservancy holds easements, the Conservation Commission is responsible for complying with easement terms and must notify the Monadnock Conservancy at least thirty days in advance of certain work. . Lew and Tom will do a site visit to Great Brook Town Forest. A GPS map of the snowmobile trails needs to be made so it can be overlaid with a map of conservation land to make it clear where snowmobile trails are on town-owned conservation lands.
OTHER BUSINESS
Dam: The hydraulics and hydrology report on the Reservoir Dam is available in the Selectboard Office and that project is coming along. Mark Houghton and John will try to get a wetlands permit for Knapp Cranberry Bog Dam for the work needed. The Mill Pond Dam will be next.
Hooper Institute Board Update: They have worked the invasives treatment into their 2025 budget but would like advice from the Conservation Commission as they go forward on this project. The Hooper Institute will work directly with those doing the invasives treatment. Helen Dalbeck is retiring next September. The renovations are about to start.
Trail Committee: The Fall rail trail maintenance day had thirteen people and focused on the culverts and ditches to ensure good drainage in the winter and spring ahead. The Happy Trails Party will be December 11th at 7:00 pm in the Town Hall. It will have a short presentation, food and fun including a raffle of outdoor gear. All are invited.
Guest Introduction: John McCollister moved here from Nebraska in May. He attended to learn about the Conservation Commission and the work it does. Town meetings are open to the public.
Adjournment: Peter moved to adjourn, and Alicia seconded. John declared the meeting adjourned at 8:30 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Sue Bauer, Recording Secretary
(Note: These are unapproved Minutes. Corrections will be found in the Minutes of the January 6, 2025 Conservation Commission meeting.)
School Withdrawal Information Meeting Minutes – 11/20/21
TOWN OF WALPOLE, NEW HAMPSHIRE
PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS THE FINDINGS OF
THE SCHOOL WITHDRAWAL COMMITTEE
NOVEMBER 20, 2024
Selectboard Present: Cheryl Mayberry, Chair; Steven Dalessio and Carolyn Vose
Staff Present: Sarah Downing, Manager of Administration, and Sue Bauer, Recording Secretary
Residents and Non-Residents Present: Twenty-seven in person plus four via Zoom
Call to Order: Ms. Mayberry called the Selectboard meeting to order at 7:05 PM in the Walpole Town Hall.
Carolyn Vose summarized the Committee’s work and recommendation as presented at the previous public meeting on September 19th. Article 11 passed with a majority vote in March 2024, and thus the Committee was formed. They were charged to study PreK – 8th grade educational opportunities. In weekly meetings over about four months, different areas impacting education and funding were discussed including working in the current structure or creating an alternate structure.
Areas of consideration include SAU vs School District:
- An SAU (School Administrative Unit) includes the Superintendent and Business Office. It is responsible for managing the educational system to comply with regulations, including special education within the school districts.
- A School District manages the education of the children through a School Board. Districts create budgets, contracts, do hiring, organize buses and maintain buildings to provide educational services
- An SAU contains one or more School Districts
- A School Districts is made up of one or more towns
The Committee considered related RSA’s, related financial data and statistics from FMRSD and statewide, structure of multi-town districts in NH, discussions with knowledgeable individuals within FMRSD and other multi-district SAU’s. The Committee recommended the Selectboard issue a warrant article to form an official sturdy committee to pursue withdrawal from FMRSD. There were discussions relating to finding a means for the five towns in FMRSD to address the dissatisfaction between towns and to reexamine how to best meet the needs of the students, staff and taxpayers.
There was a discussion to understand why we want to vote in March to go forward with the next Study Committee. Tom Aldrich asked why we are not hearing from unsatisfied families. One father said he has two students, one at each end of the spectrum and neither is getting what they need. Another father knows several families who are taking kids out of Walpole schools, and he may have to do the same. Diana Watson Petrie stated that the Committee did talk to a lot of unsatisfied people, but they are not going to talk negatively in a public meeting about the school, which might also be their employer. She recommended private discussions to get a more personal view.
A discussion of high school followed. If the Town moves forward, the next study committee will need to provide detailed plans for everything (all ages and all services). Josh Beer was concerned we would have little or no control if our students were tuitioned to FMRSD. Mr. Varone replied that the Town has one of seven seats on the schoolboard. The Town does not have control now. There was a comment that the Town has trouble getting someone to run for the Schoolboard. Mr. Varone stated that the Keene School District will take Walpole students only if they get them all. However, families need the option to choose what is best for their students. There are currently about 285 students in Walpole Schools and 115 in high school. Jackie Ronning talked about the math teacher, 5th grade teacher and support staff that were removed from Walpole. Teachers are sometimes relocated to other towns. PreK – 8 is when the students need to learn the basic skills that prepare them for any high school.
Steve Varone, who was the Business Administrator at FMRSD for twenty years and is a forty-year resident of Walpole, talked about finances. Based on EquVal per student in 2022 – 2023, Walpole is just about exactly in the middle for the State. Walpole was $1,895,714 and the NH average was $1,896,826. Each town has made decisions over the years that molded the town. But, due to apportionment, Walpole is now expected to pay more. For the same year, the cost per elementary student was $24,264 for FMRSD. The State average is $20,901. Student populations are dropping, and some schools are managing the change more effectively to control costs. Fifteen years ago, FMRSD had one of the lowest costs per student. Now it is among the highest. Walpole and Charlestown raise almost the same amount in taxes, but Walpole has far fewer students. This is why the Town struggles with apportionment. However, in school districts of just one town, apportionment is never an issue. Mr. Varone felt that if the Town was getting more than it paid, FMRSD would be happy to see Walpole go.
Mr. Varone reported that there are about 490 total students in the High School. If FMRHS lost Walpole’s 115 students, that would be a serious problem for the High School. One person said that Walpole is concerned about education and would have been willing to pay to keep teachers, but we are not allowed to because of the current structure. Annie Ewaskio asked what “local control” means. People mentioned lost teachers and staff. Additionally, Walpole can no longer use a proven curriculum that produces higher test scores because the district uses a different curriculum. Ms. Ewaskio also asked what will happen to the other four towns if Walpole withdraws from the district. The reply was that FMRSD could become a school district of four towns, or all five towns could work together to address the dissatisfaction between towns and to reexamine how to best meet the needs of the students, staff and taxpayers.
Adjournment: Ms. Mayberry declared the meeting adjourned at 8:35 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Sue Bauer, Recording Secretary
(Note: These are unapproved Minutes. Corrections will be found in the Minutes of the December 4, 2024 Selectboard meeting.)
Selectboard Meeting Minutes – 11/21/24
TOWN OF WALPOLE, NEW HAMPSHIRE
MEETING OF THE SELECTBOARD
NOVEMBER 21, 2024
Selectboard Present: Cheryl Mayberry, Chair; Steven Dalessio and Carolyn Vose
Staff Present: Sarah Downing, Manager of Administration, and Sue Bauer, Recording Secretary
Guests Present: Jenny Plante and Jeff Miller representing the Walpole Players, and John Jones, Tim Williams and Kyle Teamey representing Ruggerio Processing Facility
Call to Order: Ms. Mayberry called the Selectboard meeting to order at 6:43 PM in the Walpole Town Hall.
The following items were moved to the top of the agenda to accommodate a guest waiting to speak to this item.
Walpole Players: Jenny Plante & Jeff Miller attended the meeting to respond to the Selectboard letter to the Players of October 2, 2024, regarding no Thursday night practices after January 1st. Ms. Plante stated that the Players have always practiced Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. They feel it is unfair to say no Thursday practices. Since the Selectboard meets from 6:30 – 8:30 on Thursdays, Ms. Plante suggested excluding just those hours from practice times. When asked about who to contact in the Players, Ms. Plante and Mr. Miller responded that there is no president. Ms. Plante is the vice president and acting president. Ms. Plante said that in the future, the Players will notify the Selectboard Office who to contact for each play.
Ms. Plante and Mr. Miller left the meeting.
Ruggerio Processing Facility – Fine: Ruggerio was fined $1,000 for the second offence of having no building permit. John Jones of Elastic Executive Solutions who represents Ruggerio Processing Facility said the Selectboard letter says the fine is to pay for the past offenses. When the new owners purchased the property, NH stated the facility was in compliance. If the new owners pay the fine, they are admitting guilt. Therefore, the new owners of Ruggerio are asking for relief from the fine. They are willing to submit the outstanding building permit applications to make things right, and they will apply for building permits in the future. Mr. Dalessio moved that the $1,000 fine based on the previous owner be waived. Ms. Vose seconded. With Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Vose and Ms. Mayberry in agreement, the motion passed, and the fine will be waived. Mrs. Downing will prepare a letter to Ruggerio Processing Facility stating the fine is retracted.
Ruggerio Processing Facility – Permit Modification: Mr. Jones wished to explain the NH DES letter that noted that the application to modify the current permit was incomplete. Mr. Jones stated that the letter was really a request for additional information beyond that listed on the application form. Mr. Jones and the new owners are currently preparing the additional information. Mr. Teamey, one of the new owners, explained that the plan is to create a fully automated facility with no workers on the floor. There will be machine operators. The new machinery will be able to separate all elements of trash from a garbage bag. Mr. Dalessio reminded the Ruggerio representatives that before any expansion occurs at the property, Ruggerio representatives must attend two monthly Planning Board meetings as part of the Site Plan Review process. Additionally, there is to be no site preparation before a building permit application is approved.
Mr. Jones, Mr. Williams, and Mr. Teamey left the meeting at 7:21 PM.
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
Ms. Vose moved to approve the Accounts Payable Check Register totaling $726,650.51 dated 11/22/2024 that includes a $581,631.87 payment to Fall Mountain Regional School District. Seconded by Mr. Dalessio. With Ms. Vose, Mr. Dalessio, and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved.
PAYROLL
Ms. Vose moved to approve the Payroll Register totaling $33,614.89 dated 11/22/2024 and the 941 Payroll Tax Transfer of $6,716.87. Seconded by Mr. Dalessio. With Ms. Vose, Mr. Dalessio, and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the payroll register was approved.
SELECTBOARD MEETING MINUTES
Selectboard Meeting – November 13, 2024: Ms. Vose moved to approve the Minutes of the Selectboard meeting of November 13, 2024. Seconded by Mr. Dalessio. With Ms. Vose, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the minutes were approved.
Non-Public Selectboard Meeting – November 13, 2024: Ms. Vose moved to approve the Minutes of the Non-Public Selectboard meeting of November 13, 2024. The minutes will remain sealed. Seconded by Mr. Dalessio. With Ms. Vose, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the minutes were approved, and the minutes are sealed.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Ms. Vose brought to the chair’s attention the following committee reports:
- Conservation Commission Minutes – November 4, 2024
Ms. Mayberry acknowledged these minutes.
PROPERTY TAX REFUND
Map and Lot# 027-001-006: Ms. Vose moved to approve the Property Tax Refund for Map and Lot # 027-001-006 for $290.46 due to overpayment. Seconded by Mr. Dalessio. With Ms. Vose, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved.
OLD BUSINESS
Tax Rate Update: Ms. Mayberry noted that the School District has not submitted their DOE form. Mr. Dalessio has been told they expect to have the form completed tomorrow, 11/22/2024, in which case the School Board will DocuSign the form on Friday. Otherwise, it will be signed on Monday at the FMRSD Board meeting.
Reservoir Dam: The Selectboard acknowledged receipt of the Hydrology and Hydraulics Study from Fuss & O’Neill for the Reservoir Dam.
ARPA projects: Mr. Dalessio reported that Steve Grenier of E.E. Houghton Co. is working on the cost numbers. The quote should be done next week. Then a contract can be prepared and the funds encumbered for the three sewer pumping stations.
Fire Department Renovation Grant: Mr. Dalessio said that the Fire Department is doing the work to get their grants. They will ask for any information when they need to complete the forms. After the grants are approved, there needs to be a meeting to determine exactly how the funds will flow between the Town and the Fire Department.
Thanks to Grange: Mr. Dalessio moved that the Board approve and sign the letter to the Walpole Community Grange thanking them for all the work they did during the election. Ms. Vose seconded. With Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Vose and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion passed, and the letter was signed.
NEW BUSINESS
Appointment Notice: Mr. Dalessio moved Nicole Adams be appointed a full member of the Conservation Commission. Seconded by Ms. Vose. With Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Vose and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion passed, and Ms. Adams was appointed a full member of the Conservation Commission.
MS-535: Mr. Dalessio moved the Board approve and sign the MS-535. Ms. Vose seconded. With Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Vose and Ms. Mayberry in favor the MS-535 was approved and signed. The form will be uploaded to the DRA tax portal by Mr. Kreissle.
Reservoir Dam ARPA Grant Disbursement Form: Ms. Mayberry moved that Mr. Dalessio sign the reimbursement form for the $20,230. Ms. Vose seconded. With Ms. Mayberry, Ms. Vose and Mr. Dalessio in favor the motion passed, and Mr. Dalessio signed the form. The Hydrology and Hydraulics (H & H) Study costs were included in this reimbursement.
Encumbrance Request: The Town Clerk’s Office would like to encumber purchase order number 201306 for $8,000 for a new ballot counting device. The expense will be applied to account 01 4140.30 830. Ms. Vose moved to encumber $8,000 for the Town Clerk’s Office for the purchase of a new ballot counting device. Mr. Dalessio Seconded. With Ms. Vose, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the funds were encumbered.
Reimbursement Request to the Trustees of Trust Funds: The Selectboard reviewed a reimbursement request for $200 to reimburse the Town for a roofing deposit for the Fanny Mason Rest Area shelters on Route 12 per purchase order 201264. Mr. Dalessio moved the Town to be reimbursed by the Fanny Mason Fund for the rest area shelters. Ms. Vose seconded. With Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Vose and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the reimbursement was approved, and purchase order # 201264 was signed.
Landfill Methane Monitoring: The Selectboard Office received a letter from the DES along with feedback from the Town’s environmental scientist. The Selectboard would like Mr. McKibben to consult with DES on behalf of Walpole. Mrs. Downing will ask Mr. McKibben if he is willing to consult with DES on our behalf. It appears that high methane readings at one well were not being reported with an additional form to DES.
School Withdrawal Feedback: An email was received from a Walpole family in favor of the potential Walpole School Withdrawal warrant article.
Thank You Note: The Selectboard acknowledged receipt of a thank you note from Children’s and Technology Librarian, Julie Rios.
NON-PUBLIC BUSINESS RSA 91-A:3 II (a) (c)
Ms. Vose moved to enter into Non-Public Session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3 II (a) (c) at 8:03 PM. Mr. Dalessio seconded. With Ms. Vose, Mr. Dalessio and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved.
The meeting was reconvened at 8:44 PM.
Mr. Dalessio moved that the Non-Public Session Minutes be sealed. Seconded by Ms. Vose. With Mr. Dalessio, Ms. Vose and Ms. Mayberry in favor, the motion was approved.
HOOPER TRUSTEES
Ms. Vose moved to enter into the Hooper Trustees meeting at 8:44 PM. Mr. Dalessio seconded. With Ms. Mayberry, Mr. Dalessio, and Ms. Vose in favor, the motion was approved.
The meeting was reconvened at 8:58 PM.
Adjournment: Ms. Mayberry declared the meeting adjourned at 8:58 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Sue Bauer, Recording Secretary
(Note: These are unapproved Minutes. Corrections will be found in the Minutes of the December 4, 2024 Selectboard meeting.)
Library “Lunch and a Movie” on Hiatus
From Julie at the Walpole Town Library:
The “Lunch and a Movie” program at the Walpole Town Library is taking a break for the month of December. We’ll see you all back in January with our regular schedule.
The Walpolean 
Recent Comments