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Minutes of 8/27/2012 DRAFT

September 4th, 2012

Carroll Board of Selectmen
Meeting Minutes
August 27, 2012
DRAFT
"These minutes of the Town of Carroll Select Board have been recorded by its Secretary. Though believed to be accurate and correct they are subject to additions, deletions and corrections by the Select Board at its next meeting when the Board votes its final approval of the minutes. They are being made available at this time to conform to the requirements of New Hampshire RSA 91-A:2."

Minutes recorded by Maryclare Quigley, Secretary

Board members present: Bill Dowling, Mark Catalano, Paul Bussiere.

The meeting was called to order at 7 PM by Chairman Dowling

Members of the public present: Roberta McGee, Mike Gooden, Dave Scalley, Linda Dowling, Scott Sonia, Evan Karpf, Joan Karpf, Ann Fabrizio, Carmine Fabrizio, John Trammell, Bill Smalley

Pledge of Allegiance

The meeting was filmed by Linda Dowling.

The Board announced the approval of bills and signing of manifests.

Selectman Bussiere made a Motion To: Accept the minutes of 7/30/2012 as written. Selectman Catalano seconded and it passed unanimously.

Chairman Dowling tabled the minutes of 8/13/2012 as Selectman Catalano had not been able to read them.

As there wasn’t anyone from the Recreation Committee, Chairman Dowling asked Evan Karpf to present the Planning Board budget. He said it is based on expenditures to date and proceeded to review it. He said the Secretary line is increased as they are getting all the regulations updated and that will require extra time. There are several items in the budget which have been brought down to $1 as they want these to be paid from the Planning Special Revenue Fund. Dr. Karpf said the applicant pays for the cost of postage and advertising as well as any legal and engineering that may be required. He went on to say that the Planning Board Secretary had contacted LGC and that the warrant article as written is incorrect for their purposes. Selectman Catalano said he thought the warrant article was put in each year to remove money for paying the salary for the Building Inspector/Code Enforcement Officer. It was agreed that is what has been done, but Dr. Karpf said money should come from the Fund also as the applicant reimburses for various costs. He stated they may have to look at changing the fee schedule if they should also be covering the Building Inspector’s salary. They will continue to look at the way the warrant article is written so the Special Revenue Fund will cover the noted items. Dr. Karpf said that Ken Mills wants to begin working on updating the Master Plan so he put money in to start.

Exp. thru
Planning Board 2012 7/9/12 2013

01-4191.10-100 Secretary 3,000.00 1,883.32 4,000.00
-101 Member Salaries 840.00 0.00 840.00
-625 Postage 100.00 161.00 1.00
-626 Office Supplies 100.00 136.72 125.00
-627 Advertisements 400.00 281.54 1.00
-700 Legal 1,000.00 2,446.95 1,000.00
-701 NCC Dues 2,063.00 0.00 2,063.00
-702 Circuit Rider 1.00 0.00 1.00
-801 Engineering 2,000.00 1,522.57 1.00
-800 Registration fees 15.00 137.50 1.00
-900 Miscellaneous 1.00 25.00 1.00
-901 Code Enf. Off. 500.00 0.00 1.00
-902 Training & Travel 700.00 0.00 700.00
-903 Maps 1.00 0.00 1.00
-904 Master Plan 1.00 0.00 100.00
-905 Good/welfare 1.00 0.00 1.00

Dr. Karpf said he believes by using the Special Revenue Fund for those items (postage, etc.) which the applicant reimburses that it will save in excess of $6,000. The Selectmen’s Secretary said that if they are using the money that way, they need to add $5,000 to $6,000 back in the budget to cover the salary for the Building Inspector. They also need to look at the balance of the account to be sure there is enough money in it to do what they are proposing, if they also plan to fund Building Inspector the same way.

Dr. Karpf then presented the Health Officer budget. He said he is putting in for a salary of $1,000, which he has never done in his six years as Health Officer. The Travel, Budget and Supplies lines will remain the same at $200, $75 and $50, bringing the total budget to $1,325. Chairman Dowling thanked Dr. Karpf.

Next was Joan Karpf with the Zoning Board of Adjustment. She said they receive about three applications a year and each one takes two meetings, so she based the budget on six meetings per year. She noted that she, as chair, does not take a salary so the item for board members is based on four members. Mrs. Karpf wanted to know if the legal line was for their consultation and questions or for the legal case. After brief discussion, during which the Secretary said her office had been told to split the costs between the two boards, it was stated from this point forward, the line covers their questions and any charges for the case in court now should go to the Planning Board. She said the workshops line is increased as they now have a secretary who wants to educate herself and the miscellaneous line cost this year is due to the change in secretaries and systems so should just be one time usage. Mrs. Karpf said she has been talking with LGC about the Planning Special Revenue Fund warrant article as she thinks this should cover costs such as postage that are reimbursed by the applicant and it was stated they would probably have to write their own article.

Exp.
ZBA 2011 2012 To Date 2013

Secretary 2,000.00 1,000.00 1,165.10 1,000.00
Board Members 400.00 200.00 0.00 240.00
Legal 1,000.00 1,000.00 2,258.45 1,000.00
Engineering 0.00 1.00 0.00 1.00
Postage 100.00 50.00 118.68 200.00
Office Supplies 50.00 50.00 140.81 100.00
Advertisements 250.00 200.00 112.00 300.00
Workshops 200.00 200.00 0.00 250.00
Miscellaneous 1.00 1.00 25.00 1.00

Totals 4,001.00 2,702.00 3,820.04 3,092.00

As chair of the Conservation Commission, Mrs. Karpf continued with that budget. In her review, she said she has moved the money from the ARLAC (Ammonoosuc River Local Advisory Committee) donation line to the supplies line. She said they have been working very hard on the Natural Resource Chapter for the Master Plan and she foresees the need for much copying for the Planning Board, thus the increase in costs. She has kept $1 in that line for possible future donations. Mrs. Karpf said there are no expenditures yet as everything typically is in the fall i.e. workshops, membership dues, etc.

Conservation Commission 2011 2012 2013

LCIP Monitoring 10.00 5.00 5.00
Paper 65.00 50.00 100.00
LAC Donation 50.00 50.00 1.00
Membership Dues 175.00 185.00 185.00
Workshops 150.00 135.00 135.00

Totals 450.00 425.00 425.00

Additionally, Mrs. Karpf submitted a warrant article asking that any money left over in their budget be kept by the Commission. She asked the Select Board to include it in the Warrant and to recommend it as they do every year. “To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Carroll Conservation Commission to retain the unexpended portion of its 2013 appropriation as authorized by RSA 36-A:5, said funds to be placed in a conservation fund account held by the municipal treasurer. (RSA 41:20)” Selectman Catalano made a Motion To: Approve and recommend the article as written. Selectman Bussiere seconded and it passed with 3 yeas
0 opposed.

Chairman Dowling said a request about a town seal had been brought up previously. This would be for putting on the Highway and Water vehicles and he showed the copy to Selectmen Bussiere and Catalano. After brief discussion, Chairman Dowling made a Motion To: Approve the copy they looked at. Selectman Catalano seconded and it passed with 2 in favor and 1 abstention.

Chairman Dowling then said if anyone had fees for education increased they should let the Board know. Linda Dowling said the workshop for the Budget Committee went from $40 to $60 so they would need to increase their line 807 to $420. Chairman Dowling asked that it be presented in writing at which time Mrs. Dowling gave a copy of their 2012 budget to the Selectmen’s Secretary.

Chairman Dowling then asked his colleagues if they wanted to go to the NHMA (New Hampshire Municipal Association) meeting to vote. He said he had looked over the material and didn’t think any items pertained to us. After they looked at it, Selectmen Bussiere and Catalano agreed there was no need.

Chairman Dowling said the Water Department Debt remains on the agenda because he said it would until they were able to take care of it and they expect to have their discussion with the auditor later in September. Selectman Catalano reminded the audience that he, the Treasurer and Joan Karpf had met last year for discussion. It was agreed that the General Fund owed the Water Department $90,000, as for two years, $45,000 to repay the water loan was raised by taxation, but actually paid by the Water Department. He said the meeting is to determine how this will be repaid.

The Employee Manual Overtime was brought up. It was stated at an earlier meeting, a citizen had said the Fair Labor Standards Act was required by law to be in the Manual. It has been determined that it is not law, and there was brief discussion to make sure the Manual was consistent with the Act. Chairman Dowling suggested it be tabled until the next meeting so Selectmen Bussiere and Catalano could read the full context of the Act.

The Meeting Policy which had been tabled previously was brought up. Chairman Dowling said it was adopted before he came on the Board that a person who wanted to be on the Agenda must submit his/her name and any pertinent information 10 days before the meeting if the Board is to act or respond to the item. This way the Selectmen would have the opportunity to look it over and know what they are responding to. Chairman Dowling made a Motion To: Adhere to and enforce the Meeting Policy that was adopted on March 29, 2010. Selectman Catalano seconded and the Motion passed unanimously.

The following items were approved and signed:

MS-1 Extension (This is a DRA form on which the value of the town is reported. As we are
doing a complete revaluation, we do not have all of our information yet.)
Oaths of Office – Janet Nelson, Megan Rouillard
Certificates of Occupancy – Stapleton, Hogan, Goettler
Water Warrant -- Various

Other:

The Secretary said she was asked to advise that water payments may now be made online using Visa, MasterCard, Discover or EBT transfer using checking account information.

The Secretary said we had received the nomination form for Health Officer for the next two years. Chairman Dowling asked Evan Karpf if he was interested in continuing and as he was, he was given the form to complete.

Selectman Catalano gave an update on the Cog train for display and said the information for the insurance had been forwarded and this was the last known requirement for moving toward completion of the project. He said Charlie Kenison and Wayne Presby have asked the Cog engineers to make final plans for this.

Selectman Catalano said the Town has several “famous people” now as Carroll Water Works was featured in the Granite State Rural Water Magazine, Summer Edition, and several employees are on the front cover. He said it’s a wonderful article and gave “kudos to Scott and the employees involved with the Water Department.”

Selectman Bussiere advised that photo identification will be required for all to vote in the November election. This law was passed in the State of New Hampshire several months ago and he wanted to make sure people are aware of it.

Bill Dowling, Manager of the Transfer Station, said he had received his latest bulletin from the NRRA and they note the commodities market is going down. He said the last time this happened, a few years ago, everything else followed. Mr. Dowling also announced that there will be Household Hazardous Waste collection at the Transfer Station on Saturday, September 22, from 8 a.m. to noon.

Chairman Dowling advised an estimate from Certified Computer Solutions, the Town’s computer company, has been received for a computer replacement for the Secretary as we have been made aware this should be done this year. It was noted the server is also due to be replaced if not this year, then definitely next year. He stated we have a capital reserve fund for these types of things. He asked the Secretary to inquire if the server would have enough capacity to add the Fire Department to it. After looking over the information, Selectman Catalano said he would check on prices elsewhere.

Chairman Dowling then said he had two articles that he wanted to place in the warrant, and he read them:

“To see if the Town will vote to enforce Section 10.3, Exhibit C of the Cable Television Franchise Agreement as signed by the Carroll Board of Selectmen in 2002 and reaffirmed in 2005, to establish an origination site in the Carroll Town Hall for the purpose of operating a Peg Access cable channel to be known as Carroll Community Television, for the purpose of education, information, communication, and entertainment specifically for the residents of Carroll.”
“To see if the Town will vote to establish a revolving fund pursuant to RSA 31:95-h, for the purpose of providing cable access for public, educational and governmental uses, to be know (sic) as the Carroll Community Television Revolving Fund. One half of all revenues received from cable television franchise fees will be deposited into the fund, and the money in the fund shall be allowed to accumulate from year to year, and shall not be considered to be a part of the Town’s general fund unreserved fund balance. The Treasurer shall have custody of all money in the fund, and shall pay out the same only upon order of the governing body and no further approval is required by the legislative body to expend. Such funds may be expended only for the purpose for which the fund was created. (majority vote required)”

After Selectmen Bussiere and Catalano read the two articles, there was brief discussion about money or cost in the article and Selectman Catalano said despite the fact that there was none there, it would be needed to run the station. There was further discussion about whether these were to be reviewed or voted on and what that meant. Chairman Dowling said if they vote on it tonight it will be to approve putting them in the warrant and also that the Select Board recommends them. Selectman Catalano said he was not comfortable with that tonight. He would vote to put them on, but not to recommend them tonight. He said he’s 100 percent in favor, but feels they need to be discussed further so people understand why they are doing this. He feels people need to be educated as to why, what and how. Chairman Dowling asked where they would educate them as there are only a few people in attendance. Selectman Catalano said at the next meeting and as it would be filmed people not here will also be able to see it. He went on to say he feels the cost is miniscule for what the people will get, but they need to understand as last year when they tried to do it, the people thought they were trying to hide something. Selectman Bussiere said he doesn’t understand anything about it and agreed it needs to be explained. Chairman Dowling said they will table the warrant articles.

Joan Karpf asked if the Select Board would consider including the Conservation Commission on the town website. Chairman Dowling said they will look into it.

Joan Karpf also asked if there could be a more efficient and economic way than mailing memos. The Secretary advised that not every department head is mailed items but that it was to make sure the items were received. She assured that she will not mail another thing and will save the 45 cents.

Mike Gooden said the Historical Society will not be having their yard sale or Tractor Show on Labor Day weekend this year. They are taking a year off – but they plan to have them again next year.

David Scalley asked how the Building Inspector’s salary would be paid when there are not many Building Permits pulled and said he feels it should come out of the town budget as he works for the town. Chairman Dowling said they will look into that. Mr. Scalley also asked if the town loses a legal case where there money will come from and Chairman Dowling said we have a legal line in the budget. Selectman Catalano stated further that it may come from insurance, but it depends on the case.

As there was no further business, the Board was polled and went into non-public session for personnel at 8:40 p.m.
Chairman Dowling recessed the meeting to Tuesday evening and made a Motion To: seal the minutes from Non-Public Session. Selectman Catalano seconded and the Motion passed unanimously.

It was noted the next meeting will be on Monday, September 10, 2012.