Selectboard Meeting Minutes

Minutes of 9/5/2023

September 11th, 2023

Carroll Board of Selectmen
Meeting Minutes
September 5, 2023

“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 Kelly Trammell, Secretary Pro Tem

Board Members: Jules Marquis, John Greer, Bonnie Moroney

Members of the Public: David Scalley, Mike Hogan, Imre Szauter, Chris Pappas, Tadd Bailey, Rena Vecchio, Jeff Duncan, Greg Hogan

The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m. by Chairperson Marquis.

Pledge of Allegiance

The Board reviewed the minutes from the August 22, 2023 meeting. Selectperson Moroney made a motion to approve as written. Selectperson Greer seconded the motion. Dave Scalley asked what Oath of Office Dianne Hogan took at the prior meeting. He was advised Supervisor of the Checklist. Scalley said he wanted to note that the meeting which he attended on ISO rating isn’t just for individual properties but for town properties also.

Selectperson Greer said that the Recreation Department will be holding a Paint and Sip event on September 27 and the cost will be $25. Selectperson Moroney said the last time they had the same event, there was paint left on the floor which took quite a bit to clean. Greer said he would speak to the Committee about it. Selectperson Greer made a motion to waive the fee for the room and cleaning. Chairperson Marquis seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Selectperson Greer made a motion for an alcohol waiver for the event. Selectperson Moroney seconded. The motion passed with Marquis-aye, Moroney – aye and Greer abstained. Greer said he’s not in favor of alcohol in a public building but he’d like to see the event held.

Police Chief Bailey said the department has been working on some grants. One is a speed detail grant that is matched 100% by the State. The second is for a handheld radar unit and a radar for the cruiser. The third is a grant for MDTs which are computers n the cruiser. This is a 25/75 grant where we will be reimbursed 75%. This was not planned for and would put his budget over. The cost is $15,985. Bailey was asking for consideration to have the MDTs paid for from the Computer Technology Capital Reserve Fund. When the grant money comes in, it would go back into the general fund. Bailey said he’d submit a warrant article for the amount of the grant money to be returned to the Computer Technology fund. Selectperson Greer said he’s concerned about the budget being spent. Greer said we may need the funds and asked if it could wait a few months. Greg Hogan asked if this was something the police department would have to buy anyway. Bailey said yes, the computers are six or seven years old. Budget numbers were reviewed and a discussion held about using funds from capital reserve versus the budget. Selectperson Moroney made a motion to proceed with the MDT grant and pay for it out of the computer line for the police department. Chairperson Marquis seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

The Board reviewed a representation letter from Plodzik & Sanderson. Selectperson Moroney made a motion to approve and the Chair to sign. Selectperson Greer seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

The Board reviewed a point of contact agreement for Eversource. It was determined to use the Emergency Management Director and Assistant Director as points of contact. Selectperson Moroney made a motion to approve and sign. Selectperson Greer seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

Follow Up:

ROAD CLOSURE – Chairperson Marquis stated that Rena was correct and Fieldstone should not have been closed. Selectperson Moroney said the road needs to be reopened and the saw horses removed. Dave Scalley said the highway, police and fire all agree there are safety issues and the road should be closed. Scalley said he can’t find any RSA saying the Town is wrong in closing the road or that it was incorrect in closing the road previously. Selectperson Greer read a document from New Hampshire Municipal Association that said it has to be Town vote to close the road. Scalley challenged if we know if it was voted to accept the road as a Town road. The Secretary stated she spoke with Phil Beaulieu from NHDOT and he stated when the intersection was changed in the 70’s, Fieldstone was then Route 3. The State gave it to the Town in 1972 and the Town is in receipt of a letter stating as such. In the same NHMA documents that Greer had read, it states a vote is only required in this case to not accept the road. The Secretary checked the vote of 1973 and there is no vote to discontinue the road. Selectperson Moroney said in the mean time, the road was incorrectly closed and it needs to be reopened.

Scalley said there is a whole bunch of gray area on property lines there and would like to move forward in fixing it. He’d like to find a solution that would work for all. There is the problem of people speeding through into an area that also bottlenecks. There was discussion of options for solutions including making the road a dead end, making it one way and/or changing the island out front.

Chairperson Marquis suggested for now that cones be used to create a lane for people turning in to get to the post office. Scalley agreed and said he’d open the road and petition it off with cones and barriers to get to the post office. Scalley asked permission to work with all departments moving forward in accomplishing the task and asked for a few days to get the blocks moved. He said they’d be moved by the weekend.

Chairperson Marquis told Scalley to see what he could work out with the State and the Board would work with him on making some changes. Moroney added that the road needs to be reopened while the Board continues to work on it.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT VACANCY – Chairperson Marquis said the Board is thinking of hiring the position as part-time. It could become full-time and take on more financial roles later. Selectperson Greer stated he had forwarded mark ups of signs for review to advertise the job. Chairperson Marquis said the Town should look at getting a large sign and putting it out front like the one at the Post Office. The Board discussed $28-$32/hour as part-time pay. Rena Vecchio suggested the Board reach out to White Mountain Community College to see if students may be looking for a job. Mike Hogan asked if they notified the Unemployment Office. Selectperson Moroney said no as a better job description has to be put together. Selectperson Moroney asked permission to work with the Secretary in coming up with a job description. Chairperson Marquis and Selectperson Greer agreed. Dave Scalley told the board they could vote for a representative who can do the work and has authority to put it into action. Chairperson Marquis made a motion to make Moroney the representative. Selectperson Greer seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

DEPARTMENT HEAD QUESTIONNAIRE – Chairperson Marquis said the questionnaire is a good start. He said they can decide if more needs to be asked from the responses they receive. Selectperson Moroney made a motion to distribute the questionnaire to the department heads. Selectperson Greer seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

EMPLOYEE RAISES – Selectperson Moroney made a motion to give employees 3% raises across the board. Chairperson Marquis seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously. Fire Chief Duncan asked how they came up with 3%. Duncan spoke to the Board about inflation and cost of living increases. He said the Town is not keeping up with the area. He said other towns are offering substantially more than the Town of Carroll. There are vacancies in other towns creating available positions. Selectperson Moroney asked about 5% instead of 3%. She said her concern is that the budget won’t pass. Duncan said he can’t say. He said things are desperate in emergency services. Towns are offering sign on bonuses. Franconia lost EMS and had to contract with Littleton for $650,000. Selectperson Moroney made a motion to rescind the previous vote. Selectperson Greer seconded and the motion passed unanimously. The department heads were advised to bring information and comparisons to the Board for a further discussion.

Chairperson Marquis asked if the development on Route 3 South is going to have association roads or town roads. Jeff Duncan said it will be an association and any parcels not sold, the share will remain with the development owner. There was a brief discussion on roads in the development.

OTHER -

Police Chief Bailey said the speed radar trailers are back up and running. He’d like to eventually get a grant for fixed units.

At 6:58 p.m. Selectperson Moroney made a motion to go into non-public for security and personnel. Selectperson Greer seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

At 7:51 p.m. Selectperson Moroney made a motion to return to public session and seal the minutes. The motion was seconded by Selectperson Greer and all were in favor. Motion passed unanimously.

At 7:51 p.m. Selectperson Moroney made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Selectperson Greer seconded and the motion passed unanimously.