Alexandria Selectmen’s Meeting

October 23, 2008

Members Present:     Cindy Williams, Don Gangemi, Tom McGowan

The meeting came to order at 6:00 p.m., and the Pledge of Allegiance was given.

Distribution of Minutes:       The minutes of October 16 were distributed for review.

Approval of Minutes:                        By a vote of 3-0, the minutes of October 9 were approved.

Department Heads:   Christie Phelps

Christie reported that the highway crew is working on fall grading; next week they will complete Verrill Road, Perkins Hill Road, Fox Hollow Road and then will go on to Washburn Road.  That will complete the town.  They will also be getting trucks ready for plowing and developing a list of surplus equipment.  The crew will be returning to a five-day week, beginning on October 27.  There is a need for gas cards to be applied for as Buskey’s is closing in Bristol.  The highway department needs a place where they can get regular fuel for the chain saws, generator, etc.  The planning board approved the subdivision road for the Eastman Hill subdivision as a private road.  The selectmen are due to meet with Dubois & King on November 20 at 5:00 p.m.  The road agent and abutters to the project will also be invited to be present.  The final ambulance figures should be available next week as revenue reports have been received from Comstar.  Christie will attend the PSNH meeting next week in order to receive some deferment cards to be used in assistance cases where shutoff notices have been received. 

Harry Smith from Indeck Energy was in to let the selectmen know that next week the facility will be performing a series of steam blows on the boiler in preparation for its operation.  This will occur on Wednesday and Thursday and could result in as many as twenty tests over the two-day period.  Christie will contact the Town of Hill to make them aware of the situation.  She will also print up notices to be distributed at the transfer station, contact the Cable Access Channel in Bristol and try to get something in the Citizen newspaper. 

Hazard Mitigation:  Cindy was concerned that she did not know about the CERT meeting held last night.  Christie explained that there was a notice on the door and a notice on last week’s agenda.  Cindy would like Christie to call Donna Quinn to find out who asked for the meeting.  She would like notices of all meetings to be required to be submitted to the selectmen’s office rather than just posted.  It was determined that Christie should go to the Hazard Mitigation meetings each month. 

Christie brought up inconsistencies in the access permit rules.  The regulations say the planning board is in charge, but actually the road agent is in charge on town-maintained roads.  If the driveway is going to hook to a private, subdivision road, the planning board has jurisdiction.  A new page will be created to go with the application in order to clarify when each person/committee is in the regulatory position.  Christie pointed out that the subdivision regulations require setbacks of buildings, but the building permit ordinance does not. She asked if they shouldn’t be the same.  Larry Stickney told the selectmen that they could not change the ordinance without it going to town meeting.  It was explained to Mr. Stickney that the intent was not to change the ordinance this evening, but to begin the discussion as to whether or not to request a change.  The subdivision regulations were reviewed and the setbacks apply to all buildings; residential and non-residential. 

 There will be no selectmen’s meeting on November 6. 

Intents to cut were signed for Henry Hall and Roland Richard

New Business:

            Gazebo Concerts:  The selectmen were asked about funds for concerts in the gazebo
            in 2009.  They decided that, based on the condition of the economy, they would not
            request any funds that are not absolutely necessary.  If someone wishes to fundraise
            for this purpose, they are welcome to do so.

LGC Annual Conference:  Christie would like to know who is going to attend the conference as she would like to send all registrations and fees together.

At 7:00 p.m., the budget committee and selectmen came together for a review of some of the 2009 budget requests.  Budget committee members present were Harold Platts, Fred Platts, Skip Reilly and Ginny Duggan.  While waiting for the town clerk/tax collector, Christie reviewed the selectmen’s administrative budget, which came in below last year’s request.  The ambulance budget was discussed and should be finalized next week.  The property assessing budget will remain at the 2008 level.  Barbara Emery came in to discuss her budget for the town clerk/tax collector’s office.  There were few questions.  The planning board budget was next on the agenda.  Merry Ruggirello and Melanie Markiewicz were present on behalf of the group.  The selectmen and budget committee members, while not taking actual votes, indicated that they did not wish to fund a circuit rider, wanted to reduce the phone budget to reflect the actual expense of $31/month and recommend reducing the office supplies line to $200. 

The meeting adjourned at 7:48 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Christie Phelps,

Town Administrator