Alexandria Selectmen’s Meeting

March 7, 2006

 

Members Present:         Bob Bacon and Peg Reilly; Absent-Barry Walker

 

Others Present: George Whittaker, Barbara Emery, Stephanie Russell, Howard Hamel, Bill Bucklin,
                                    Christie Phelps, Carol Panaggio, Maggie LaBerge, Bonnie O’Brien, Carleen Stickney,
                                    Larry Stickney, Bill Hall, Shelley Cheney, Sue Cheney

 

The meeting came to order at 6:00 p.m. with two members present.

 

Pledge of Allegiance:

            Led by Larry Stickney

Approval of Minutes:

            The minutes of 2/21 were tabled until all members have had a opportunity to review them.

Distribution of Minutes:

            The minutes of 2/28 were distributed for review.

Public Input:

Stephanie Russell came to introduce herself as someone who is interested in becoming a member of the
Alexandria Conservation Commission.  Peg made a motion to appoint Stephanie Russell to the Alexandria Conservation Commission; the motion was seconded by Bob Bacon and passed by a vote of 2-0.

 Department Heads:

Bill Bucklin:  Bill presented a purchase order for tire and rims for one of the highway trucks. This will
be reviewed later in the meeting.  Bill explained that availability was the key factor in his decision of which vendor to use.  All the gravel approved last week has been delivered.

Jeff Musheno:  Not available

Christie Phelps:  Christie said she would be setting up voting booths on Monday. Bob said if anyone wanted to come in to help, it would be appreciated.  Bob asked if the town has enough booths for the
total number of registered voters; it does.

Barbara Emery:  Barbara reported that she is ready to send out some 300 delinquency notices.  If she
can show that certified notices were sent in a timely manner for at least two years, Barbara said she
should be able to deed some properties this year.  Barbara would like the tax warrant by May 15 in
order to keep billings going out on a regular basis.  Bob asked if Barbara has heard anything about motor vehicle registrations. Barbara said she had put in a request to be on-line by June, but has not received a
date as yet.  Both Barbara and her deputy, Frankie LaBerge, are scheduled to attend training on the tax lien process. 

George Whittaker:  The Supervisors of the Checklist need to go to Concord tomorrow to get a checklist because it will not print off the new system here in Alexandria.  It is a glitch in the state’s software, not the town’s.  Bob requested that George ask for a cd in addition to the printed checklist so he can load it on the town’s computer.  With regard to health officer, Bob asked George if anyone had gotten in touch with him about the Kahler property on Bog Road.  George said he was not aware of any problems. Bob stated that the selectmen would like George to go look at the properties and the buildings to determine that the requisite number of septic systems have been approved for the number of bedrooms that exist.  Peg asked for the health officer report for February.  George said there was one trailer problems, 1 sanitary problem and he attended the health officers meeting.  He also picked up new water test bottles and threw out the old ones that were expired. Christie asked if the historical society water had been retested as yet. George said he was taking a sample to Concord tomorrow, and that it has been recommended that, if needed, an in line filter be placed on the water system to see if that alleviates the problem.  The concern is that the historical society building will be open to the public one evening a week and the water needs to have an acceptable report.  Peg asked how people know that water bottles are available from him.  George said that people just know that he has them at his house and that they are also available from the town clerk. George was reminded to use the town car for his business whenever possible as mileage is not being paid for private vehicles unless the town car is not available. George said he was not informed of this; Bob asked Christie to reissue the memo that was previously sent.

Committee Reports:

            Planning Board:  The last meeting was a work session during which the by-laws were reviewed. 
            It looks as though Boake Morrison has complied with all the requirements in order to be able to
            excavate material from his pit. 

            Building Committee:  Barry Walker has been working with members of the committee on the
            slide presentation for town meeting.  There still may be an inspection of the Quigg property prior
            to town meeting to assess its potential as a town hall.

Budget Committee:  No report.  Howard Hamel asked what affect the 2006 warrant will have on
the tax rate.  Christie said she thought that it would be $1.54 cents.  She would check her figures prior to
town meeting to be sure of that.  Howard asked if using the amount stated from the unreserved fund balance would bring the town belong what is required to hold?  Bob explained that it would not.

Conservation Commission:  Bonnie O’Brien said that the commission is working on its mission statement and will be meeting tomorrow night.

Announcements:

            The selectmen’s workshop and meeting next week will consist mainly of signing checks as the
            selectmen are on duty at the voting.  There will not be a formal meeting.

            The conservation commission is meeting on the 8th at 7:00 p.m.

            The planning board will meet on the 15th at 6:00.  Maggie LaBerge stated that beginning in
            April the planning board will meet on the 1st Wednesday at 6:00 for a work session and the third
            Wednesday at 7:00 for their regular meeting.

            Voting is from 11:00-7:00 on Tuesday, March 14.  Town meeting is on the 16th at 7:00 at the
            Newfound Middle School in Bristol. Bob said anyone interested in helping with the count after
            the voting should let the moderator know on Tuesday.

Land Use, Building Permits, Purchase Orders

            Yield tax warrants were issued for Allen & Valerie Fraser and Carol Jewell

            A purchase order was approved by a vote of 2-0 for $1,735.40 for the tires and rims the
            highway department requested.

            A building permit was issued to Steve Bleiler on Fowler River Road to replace an old
            mobile home with a newer one.

            Appointment forms were signed for Donald Gagnon and Lucy Ford to be on the conservation
            commission.  Their appointments were approved last week.

            Land Use Change Tax Bills were signed for Roger Bedard, Michael McCarron, Randolph Rhude
            and Michael Briere.

            A supplemental tax warrant was signed for Tanglewood Associates to offset the abatement issued
            last week.

An application for current use was approved for Map 412, Lot 51-63 on Fowler River Road.  These lots are owned by Scott & Velma Benton.

            Bob said that NHDES proposed a fine on the town for a portion of the Brook Road project in the amount
            of $2,500.  The town is going to pay the fine, but sending it with a letter of protest.  The cost of litigating
            the matter would outweigh the fine. 

Bob stated that Fran Butler resigned as chief of the fire department and Mike Corliss will be the interim chief until a new one can be elected.

Old Business:

            Sye Ali Road:  The town is waiting for additional information to determine the width of the road.

New Business:

            Some of the planning board members met with the selectmen during their work session earlier today
            regarding specifications for Class V and Class VI roads and the issuance of permits on the same.

Public Input:

            Bill Hall said he would like the town to see if they can get a little more time on the DES issue to see
            who is going to be road agent.  Bob explained that the problem was that the town cannot prove that
            it submitted the applications at least twice because the paperwork was not sent certified mail. 

            Bonnie O’Brien asked what was going to happen now that the police chief is resigning.  Bob Bacon
            said the selectmen would deal with that on the 17th, when the resignation is effective.

            Sue Cheney asked about the pay rate for the chief as she thought he was part-time. Bob explained that
            since Randy Shields left, the chief has been working pretty much on a full time basis.

Sue wanted to say that she did not feel the quoted RSA from a couple of weeks ago gave the planning board authority on the roads. Bob stated that town counsel and the Local Government Center both agreed that it does, so the planning board will take over the issuance of all driveway permits.

            Sue Cheney said that a cemetery trustee position was left off the ballot, but if anyone wanted to write
            in her name, she would accept the job.

Adjournment:

            Peg made a motion to adjourn at 6:50 p.m.; the motion was seconded by Bob and passed by a vote
            of 2-0. 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Christie Phelps

Admin. Assistant