TOWN OF NEW LONDON BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING MINUTES JUNE 25, 2007

Transcription

1 PRESENT: Ruth I. Clugh, Chairman Bard f Selectmen Mark Kaplan, Selectman Larry Ballin, Selectman Jessie Levine, Twn Administratr ALSO PRESENT: Debbie Crss, InterTwn Recrd Philip Stake, Argus Champin TOWN OF NEW LONDON BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING MINUTES JUNE 25, 2007 Sue Clugh called the meeting t rder at 8 a.m. The Selectmen addressed ten areas f business during this meeting. 1. Selectmen Minutes June 11 and CAC Minutes June 16 Larry Ballin mved t accept the minutes f June 11 as drafted. Sue Clugh secnded. N further discussin. Mtin apprved with Mark Kaplan abstaining. Mark Kaplan mved t accept the minutes f June 16 as drafted. Larry Ballin secnded. N further discussin. Mtin apprved with Sue Clugh abstaining. 2. Budget Cmmittee Recap Larry Ballin reprted that the Persnnel Subcmmittee f the Budget Cmmittee did nt meet as scheduled, s did nt submit a reprt at the June 13 th Budget Cmmittee meeting. At that meeting, Budget Cmmittee members agreed that the Subcmmittee shuld have fr guidance in its discussin f wages and benefits tw, rather than ne, matrixes. Thse will be (a) a survey f salaries and benefits at the micr-lcal level (that is, twns in the immediate area), and (b) a similar survey using twns suggested by each department. Fr the latter, s far nly the Library and Fire Department have submitted names, and there are sme questins regarding the latter s list. They may g back t the drawing bard and return with sme names f twns mre cmparable t New Lndn. Sue Clugh expressed cncern that issues are rising s early in the budget prcess. She reprted that ne f the recmmendatins made at the LGC s Selectmen s Institute that she attended n Saturday, was that the Twn schedule a meeting t include all participants staff, department heads, Selectmen, Budget Cmmittee, Fire Wards and ther supprt persns. There was even a suggestin that a(n utside) facilitatr be brught in t mderate the meeting. Mark Kaplan agreed that there are issues that must be addressed. He bserved that at ne pint in time, the Twn did n cmparisn, but rather did guess wrk in determining hw t set cmpensatin levels. He said this was particularly unsatisfactry when trying t hire smene new t fill a psitin. As a slutin, the Selectmen develped the matrix f pay and benefit data frm seven r eight twns similar in size t New Lndn. He said that if peple are nt satisfied with that methd, the Selectmen need t hear that. Sue Clugh said the bjective f such a meeting wuld be t have everyne knw where everyne else is (in their thinking n salary and benefits). Right nw, she feels there are t many negative rumrs circulating. Jessie Levine suggested that if this is t be a meeting fr the purpse f discussing a philsphy f wages and benefits, it shuld nt include staff. Pssibly department heads wuld attend, but, she said, it is really the Bard f Selectmen that sets the cmpensatin plicy, and it is the Budget Cmmittee that decides what it wants t fund (recmmend t vters t fund). If thse tw d nt agree, it

2 New Lndn Bard f Selectmen Page 2 f 5 is quite pssible t g t Twn Meeting with tw budgets. Sue Clugh said she is nt cmfrtable with the idea f ging t Twn Meeting with tw budgets. The idea f an all-parties meeting wuld at least let peple knw that there is this diversity f thinking n the issue. Jessie Levine said that it is the department heads jb t cmmunicate what is ging n t the emplyees, and the emplyees jb t cmmunicate questins and cncerns t department heads. Larry Ballin was nt sure if a meeting including all parties wuld be practicable, r wuld tend t cnfuse mre. Jessie Levine agreed, pinting ut that while emplyees wish fr the highest salaries and benefits they can get, the Budget Cmmittee s bjective is t recmmend a reasnable twn budget, and the Selectmen must find a middle grund t bth cntrl the budget and assure the Twn s ability t attract and retain gd emplyees. Sue Clugh said she feels the best way t cmmunicate that is t put everyne in the same rm, n the same level. The Selectmen have an bligatin t listen t everyne. She said that perhaps that culd be accmplished by meeting with ne department at a time, rather than all at nce. Jessie Levine said she des meet bi-weekly with department heads, and Selectmen are welcme t attend thse meetings. She added that it is her sense that, with the exceptin f sme cncerns raised by members f the Plice Department, emplyees are happy with the current wage and salary scale that is being used. She agreed that there is sme insecurity as emplyees understand that that scale is nw under review by the Persnnel Subcmmittee, but, she pinted ut, at this pint in time, there is really nthing t tell them ther than it is being reviewed. She reiterated that it is the rle f department heads t cmmunicate that t emplyees. She referred t the last cuple f Budget Cmmittee meetings, and pinted ut that it is nt just emplyee cmpensatin that is being reviewed. There has been discussin regarding cntrlling increases acrss the bard either by setting a percentage cap r ther means. Mark Kaplan said the emplyees shuld be tld that. Jessie Levine will underscre that pint t department heads when she meets with them this week. Larry Ballin said it shuld be made clear that there is n sense amng Budget Cmmittee members that any dracnian changes are being cnsidered. And Sue Clugh asked that Jessie assure department heads (wh in turn shuld cnvey t emplyees) that there are means f cmmunicatin pen, and thse will cntinue t be enhanced as time ges n. 3. New Cmmittees Jessie Levine has scheduled the kick-ff meeting fr the Slid Waste Cmmittee fr 5 p.m. n July 9 and fr the Energy Cmmittee fr 7 p.m. n July 9. She has frwarded a mem t the eight prspective members f the Energy Cmmittee, and Sue Clugh added that Jhn Clugh and Hardy Hasenfuss attended the Carbn Calitin s seminar in Cncrd last week, and Mark Vernn plans t attend the same in Keene later this mnth. Jessie Levine said she heard frm fewer peple interested serving n the Slid Waste Cmmittee, and she will put ut mre infrmatin regarding this. Sue Clugh suggested that she state that Cmmittee will fcus n, amng ther things, increasing recycling pssibilities and redesigning the transfer statin. Mark Kaplan asked if Richard Lee will be part f this. Jessie Levine said he will, but will be unable t attend the kick ff meeting. Jhn Early will attend that meeting. Larry Ballin referred t sme discussin regarding Slid Waste that tk place at Saturday s CAC meeting. Jessie Levine said staffing is the reasn that the Transfer Statin and stump dump are pen n tw different days. Larry Ballin and Mark Kaplan said suggestins made at the CAC meeting included putting a bx fr small metal items at the transfer statin.

3 New Lndn Bard f Selectmen Page 3 f 5 4. Meetings The Sunapee-New Lndn Jint Sewer Cmmissiners Meeting is scheduled fr June 28 at 5:30 p.m. Selectmen will attend; Jessie Levine has a cnflict at that time. The Sunapee-Newbury-New Lndn Jint Assessrs meeting has been scheduled fr 9 a.m. the same day, and as agreed at the April 2 Selectmen s meeting, Larry Ballin will attend as the secnd Selectmen n this jint bard. (Per amendment t the inter-municipal agreement as apprved by NL Selectmen at the April 2 meeting, ne rtating selectmen and ne rtating resident was added t this bard t allw the three twn managers t discuss assessment issues infrmally, withut being a qurum. The same amendment increased terms t tw years.) The regular Selectmen s meeting f July 2 was cancelled and rescheduled fr July 9 at 8 a.m. Nnresident taxpayer meetings have been scheduled fr July 16 at 7 p.m., and fr August 13 at 8 a.m. (Mark Kaplan asked Jesse Levine t ntify Sheldn Bege f the Hmewners Assciatin at The Seasns.) 5. Gravel Rads Jessie Levine reprted receipt f a letter in May frm Jhn Furlng requesting that Laurel Lane be paved this year. Als, residents f Pine Hill Rad have made the same request, and have asked t be put n the Selectmen s meeting agenda, and she has indicated that she will d s fr a Selectmen s meeting at the end f August. In additin, she suggested that it be a meeting devted t a discussin f the status f all gravel rads in Twn abut 16 miles wrth, but the Pine Hill residents wish t reserve that time fr a discussin f Pine Hill Rad specifically. Sue Clugh asked if the Wilmt sectins f thse rads are paved. N. Residents d understand that they can submit a petitin fr Twn meeting. She reminded Selectmen that that was what Stny Brk Rad residents did, and ultimately the Twn negtiated with them t withdraw the petitin and allw the Twn t d that paving wrk ver tw years. She nted that sme f the gravel rads will need upgrading and widening befre they can be paved, and Pine Hill Rad has the additinal cmplicatin f having utilities buried underneath it. If it is paved, any time wrk needs t be dne n the utilities, it will have t be dug back up (unless the utilities are mved). She referred t Richard Lee s mem f tw years ag that priritizes the Twn s gravel rads int three grups, but des nt designate a time frame. Since then, csts fr paving have increased 25% t 30%. She said she and Richard Lee will be reviewing gravel rads befre the August meeting, and nting such factrs as current cnditin, number f huses, etc. The questin is, shuld all taxpayers pay fr what sme peple wish? Larry Ballin asked if there wuld be a change in valuatin fr prperties nce their gravel rads are paved. Jessie Levine said she has asked that, but received n cnclusive answer. There is nthing t link sales t gravel rads. 6. Flw Study Jessie Levine has sent an infrmatinal bulletin t all residents and businesses n the sewer system regarding the evaluatin that will begin n July 9 with smke testing and dye water testing. The secnd phase that will begin later in the mnth will be the dr t dr inspectins. All sewer users (hmes and businesses) will be inspected. The mem ntes that during bth the first and secnd phases, as inflw cnnectins are fund, wners will be required t discnnect thse within a reasnable perid f time. There will be n penalty fr cnnectins fund during this study, at this time. At this meeting, she advised Selectmen that the Twn des have the legal authrity t cnduct the study and inspectins, and there was sme discussin regarding ptins including fees, penalties,

4 New Lndn Bard f Selectmen Page 4 f 5 discnnectin frm the system, installatin f an utflw meter, etc., that can be impsed fr nncmpliance. Selectmen agreed that the biggest mtivatr may be the ptential t reduce csts t sewer users if the inflw pints can be identified and crrected. Jessie Levine pinted ut that n a nrmal day when cllege is in sessin, the Twn sends abut 350,000 gallns f wastewater t the Sunapee plant. After a strm event during which 1 f rain falls, the Twn sends ver a millin gallns t Sunapee. The Twn pays Sunapee by the galln, and there are the additinal energy csts as well as wear and tear n the pumps and ther equipment. 7. Rund-abut Jessie Levine has drafted a letter t NH DOT summarizing the bid prcess, and Selectmen s decisin f June 4 t put the prject ut t bid again in August. At this meeting, she updated Selectmen n mst recent discussins with engineers and staff regarding ptimal timing fr sliciting bids fr next year s wrk, and she pinted ut that the letter ges n t state that the current plan is t put the bids ut n Octber 1 with a return date f Octber 24. Staff and engineers will review the bids and make a recmmendatin t the Bard f Selectmen at that Bard s meeting f Octber 29 at 7 p.m. 8. Selectmen signed the fllwing items: Building Permits: Susan Rwett, 683 Seamans Rad (Map 098, Lt ), permit t cnstruct a bump ut and pergla n the nrth end f a pre-existing barn. Apprved (Permit ) Susan Rwett, 683 Seamans Rad (Map 098, Lt ), permit t replace a shed with an additin t the pre-existing barn. Denied (Permit ) Jean Pierce and Kelly Paquette, 324 Frest Acres Rad (Map 118, Lt ), permit t cnvert basement int a family rm with an entry area and a ½ bathrm and t als cnvert the secnd flr lft int tw additinal bedrms. Apprved (Permit ) New Lndn Hspital Assciatin Inc., 273 Cunty Rad (Map 082, Lt ), permit t install ne temprary cnstructin trailer. Apprved (Permit ) Richard and Anne MacDnugh, 195 Jb Seamans Acres (Map 060, Lt ), t build a screen prch and new deck as well as creating a new master bedrm ff f living rm, eliminating existing bedrm by expanding existing bathrm and replacing carpet with wd flring. Apprved (Permit ) KJAM Realty Trust, 812 Rute 103A (Map 103, Lt ), permit t cnstruct a tw-stry Carriage Huse with the first flr being strage and the secnd flr being guest sleeping quarters. Apprved (Permit ) Janet Hutchens, 15 Mrgan Hill Rad (Map 046, Lt ), permit t cnvert prch int living space and add a new prtic. Apprved (Permit ) Sign Permits: Temprary Sign Permit Applicatin fr the New Lndn Bandstand Cmmittee fr a 6 square sandwich bard sign t be placed at the Infrmatin Bth indicating, Free Cncert, Ausbn Cmmn, Haddad Bandstand, Friday 6:30 PM Apprved Temprary Sign Permit Applicatin fr the First Baptist Church fr a 6 square sandwich bard sign t be placed n the crner f the church driveway and the rad and an additinal sign t be placed at the Infrmatin Bth indicating, Summer Fair, Saturday, July 7, 8:30 1:30 Apprved

5 New Lndn Bard f Selectmen Page 5 f 5 Temprary Sign Permit Applicatin fr the New Lndn Hspital fr a 6 square sandwich bard sign t be placed at the Infrmatin Bth indicating, New Lndn Bk Sale, July 27, 10am-5pm, July 28, 9am-3pm, KRMS New Lndn, All ther Hspital Days 2007 activities held August 2-5 Apprved Other Items fr Signature: Disbursement & Payrll Vuchers fr the week f June 18, and 25, 2007 Apprved Warrant Yield Tax Levy fr the State f New Hampshire Apprved Appintment Card fr Deidre Sheerr Grss fr Alternate Planning Bard Apprved Applicatin fr Use f the Twn Office Cnference Rm by New Lndn Hspital Apprved Applicatin fr Use f Whipple Memrial Twn Hall by the New Lndn Garden Club - Apprved Applicatin fr Use f Whipple Memrial Twn Hall by the New Lndn Barn Playhuse Apprved 9. In accrdance with NH RSA 91:A:3 II (a,b,e), the Selectmen entered nn-public sessin at 8:50 p.m., fr the purpse f discussing persnnel and legal matters. 10. At 9:30 a.m., Selectmen reentered public sessin and went n t discuss briefly the Landfill Recnstructin prject. (At the June 11 Selectmen s meeting the tw Selectmen present Sue Clugh and Larry Ballin, apprved the change rder t address the prblem f the drain being fund t be twice as deep as riginally anticipated. The additinal cst will be $9,768.) At this meeting, Mark Kaplan asked t cnfirm that the ttal cst will be within the $250,000 bnded fr this prject. Jessie Levine said the cntract is fr $140,000 and the engineering cntract is just ver $50,000, s they are still within the allcated amunt. Mark Kaplan asked t cnfirm that this bnd is frm Lake Sunapee bank, and ne f its cnditins is that the Twn will nt pay interest n any amunt that it des nt use. Jessie Levine cnfirmed that. Having n further business t address, Selectmen adjurned at 9:40 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Sarah A. Denz Recrding Secretary