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Minutes of 05/22/2006

May 25th, 2006

Carroll Board of Selectmen
Meeting Minutes
May 22, 2006



Board members present: William Wright, Allen Strasser, Bonnie Moroney

The meeting was called to order at 7:03 PM.

Members of the public present: Roberta McGee, Tom Gately, Dale Shakespeare, Carmine Fabrizio, Ann Fabrizio, Eleanor Brauns, Doug Bews, Art Savona, John Burt, Evan Karpf, Owen McQueeney

The board began with the approval of bills and signing of checks.

Selectman Strasser made a motion to approve the minutes from 05/15/2006. The motion was seconded by Selectman Moroney and passed unanimously.

Selectman Strasser outlined the progress made in various areas of safety compliance. He explained that most items had been completed; exceptions included ordering a new compressor and pressure vessel that has not been received. Emergency lights in the Fire Department will be included in the generator installation project. Parts of the Safety Manual have been completed and approved the by selectmen, and the balance should be ready for review by the end of the month. A status report was sent to the state in today’s mail.

Stan Borkowski’s report has been posted, item #15 was mentioned. When Mr. Borkowski met with the ISO representative, he was told that as of July 1, the state has adopted the International Residential Building Code which covers all new homes, additions, renovations, alterations, changes of use. This requires specific elements to be submitted with all building applications and mandatory number of inspections. Selectman Strasser said he has asked Mr. Borkowski about his state of residence, and confirmed that he is indeed a resident of New Hampshire, thus meeting the requirements for the Town Health Officer. Selectman Strasser reported Mr. Borkowski showed him a NH driver’s license and said he was a registered voter.

The meeting schedule changes were discussed again, and Selectman Moroney questioned whether 2 meetings per month would be adequate, especially after the summer season. Selectman Strasser mentioned again having meetings with department heads on the first Tuesday of the month during the day, and following up with individuals on a regular basis. Selectman Moroney objected to the plan, as she could not attend these sessions due to her work commitment. She feels all three of the selectmen should be participating in the running of town business, and feels she would constantly be playing catch-up if regular meetings were held during the day. Even though Chairman Wright said there would be no big decisions made at these daytime meetings, Selectman Moroney feels that she could not ever be well enough informed with daytime management meetings. When Selectman Strasser asked if a monthly evening meeting with department heads would be acceptable along with only 2 scheduled selectmen’s meeting, she agreed.

Doug Bews expressed the opinion that two public meetings per month was not enough. If we had a town manager, that would be okay, there’d be someone around to answer questions, and deal with problems. Selectman Strasser they usually have only 2 meetings in the summertime, and that both he and Chairman Wright are spending time in the town hall or other town buildings during the day, following up on things discussed at meetings. A lot of the time previously spent in Monday night meetings dealt with building permits, and that’s no longer the case. As far as a town manager goes, the original article was declared invalid, and it was not resubmitted for 2006. MRI felt we were not a large enough town for a manager, and the current selectmen are trying to catch up on things long neglected. Roberta McGee said she thought the change was only for the summer, but Selectman Strasser said it would be permanent. Dale Shakespeare said he thinks looking at the town manager position is important, that the Selectman’s position is a part time one, and we could use a manager. Chairman Wright suggested that until such time as the town voted for a town manager, we’d continue as we have, with the 3 selectmen doing what they can to manage efficiently. Selectman Moroney moved that effective July 1, the regular Board of Selectmen meetings be held the first and third Monday of the month at 7 pm, and a meeting with department heads be held the second Monday of the month at 7 pm. Selectman Strasser seconded the motion, and it was passed unanimously.

Selectman Moroney brought up the discussion at an April meeting of the Building Study and Feasibility Committee. At that meeting the North Country Council talked about setting up a Capital Improvement Plan. The cost after grant money received would be $3,500, and Selectman Moroney is looking for where we can get the money to pay for this. Rather than take from a Capital Reserve Fund which would most likely require a Town Meeting vote, Selectman Strasser suggested we could find it in the regular budget. We’ll check on the Capital Reserve possibility.

The secretary brought up the unresolved issue of questions about the Saffian property. In April Dick Harris came to the board and asked why he had not been notified as an abutter when the Saffians change the use of their house in 2004. At the next meeting the selectmen looked at the meeting minutes from 2004 and the Change in Use Application that had been approved by the then selectmen, and said we should have the planning board look at this. John Birknes, Chair of the Planning Board looked at everything last week, and said it looked fine to him. Doug Bews stated that the Planning Board probably hadn’t been informed that it was a non-conforming lot, and it is a non-conforming lot. The secretary also stated that according the tax map she and Selectman Strasser looked at, Dick Harris is not an abutter to the lot in question, and he wouldn’t have been informed even if there would have been a hearing. Mr. Bews reiterated that because it was a non-conforming lot it should have gone before the ZBA for the change in use. The secretary asked how to respond to Mr. Harris, Selectman Strasser suggested that we tell him that the Planning Board Chair had said that everything looked fine to him, and that the Cartographic maps do not show Mr. Harris as an abutter. Mr. Bews asked if Ms. Saffian will have to go before the ZBA, and Selectman Strasser said if Mr. Bews wanted to write a letter regarding this matter, they would forward it on to the Planning Board.

Selectman Strasser read RSA 231:59-a Emergency Lanes (copy attached). This allows a town to spend money for the repair of any class VI highway or private way that has been declared an emergency lane. Such repair would include plowing snow in the winter. The plowing of Mountain View Lane and Old Town Road and a small portion of state owned road is being done by the town because of the 3 ton weight limit on the town bridge over the Ammonoosuc. Because the bridge will not replaced for a number of years, we need to go through the proper procedure for declaring the private road an emergency lane. Tom Gately asked why we’re plowing the whole road and not just the access to their land. Evan Karpf said it had been agreed to at a selectmen’s meeting at the time Gerry Warren developed the land.

The secretary reported that Betty Parker will no longer be cleaning the town offices, as she is moving out of the area, and has recommended that her sister take her place. She has cleaning experience and can provide references. Both Selectman Strasser and Roberta McGee know someone who may be interested, so it was suggested that we put an ad in the paper for the cleaning position.

The next item of discussion was getting a computer backup program running. Frank Caruso is to send a quote for a CD system backup and a tape system. We already have a quote from him for a server that would include the necessary backup system for all our computers, and Mr. Caruso said that the Proval software from Commerford Nieder Perkins will require a server and that would not accommodate the backup tape system that he’s quoting for our present machines. Mr. Bews suggested using a CD Burner system for backup rather than tape which he feels is obsolete these days. He suggested that we would always have a use for a CD burner even if we go the server route. The server quote is $7,387 and that amount was included in the budget line item for the assessors. Mr. Gately asked why the server purchase would not be put out to bid, rather than just use the Caruso quote. Selectman Moroney said there are only two computer system vendors up here and the other one is not as familiar with the BMSI software. Mr. Caruso can configure our computers to best utilize the software that we and the state use.

Mac McQueeney came to the Board for signatures from the selectmen. As a result of participating in Valley Pride Day, the state is going to give us some trees and bulbs for the town. Chairman Wright moved to sign the necessary documents to get the plants, Selectman Moroney seconded, and the motion was passed unanimously.

Ms. McGee asked what the letter she received with the water analysis report was all about. She was not aware of all these rules and regulations being passed. Dr. Karpf said he spoke to Billy Rines about the notice, and he was told that it was included so people would not be surprised when they received a bill for a water turn on. Mr. Rines has had lots of calls from people coming up for a weekend, and wanting their water turned on, and wanted everyone to be aware of the current regulations. Ms. McGee expressed displeasure with the line that states the selectmen can enter a customer’s property on Carroll Water Works business. Chairman Wright stated that if there’s a break when no one is home, the town would have to stop the leak. Selectman Strasser explained these rules were passed last year, but if people didn’t remember Mr. Rines explaining them at the time, perhaps he could come back again.

Mr. Bews asked why the meeting with the AMC and the attorneys that was mentioned in the newsletter would be held in executive session. Selectman Strasser said it would be a situation of negotiating tax issues prior to going to court, and if at all possible we don’t want to go to court. Mr. Bews feels that the townspeople would be interested and would like to be allowed to listen. Selectman Strasser felt this would hinder the negotiating process, as information would be made public, possibly get into the press, and everyone would be posturing, rather than negotiating. Mr. Bews feels that because the AMC is serving alcohol, the town has a strong case against them, and should not have to give an inch in negotiations. Chairman Wright suggested we contact Adele Fulton and ask about having three witnesses at the meeting …amp;quot; Mr. Bews, Mr. Covey, and Mr. Hallquist, who all attended the hearings in Concord. They would have no say, but could listen to the discussion.

Dale Shakespeare stated that he has decided not to make a written complaint about the property that was mentioned last week. He does not wish to get into an individual fight with anybody in this town.

There being no other business, at 8:10 Chairman Wright made a motion to adjourn. Selectman Strasser seconded, and the motion was passed unanimously.

Town of Carroll, New Hampshire ®2024