Selectmen’s Meeting

September 28, 2006

Work Session

Members Present: Bob Bacon, Peg Reilly, Cindy Williams

Others Present: George Whittaker, Sue Cheney, Melanie Markiewicz

Personnel Policy:

Under Section 15, there is a modification to be made under references; delete the second paragraph.
At this point, the changes can be made on the policy and the selectmen will review the changed version.

Supervisors of the Checklist:

Peg felt George should be reminded that continued budget overages can result in anyone in town
asking for his removal. The Supervisors of the Checklist budget is already over $1100, according to Bob, and the November election hasn’t even happened yet. George put enough money in the budget for 2007 to accommodate a possible primary vote in November or December. There is money requested for an additional bar code reader ($70). George said if the supervisors are going to meet to do updates, they need to advertise the meeting in the paper. Bob asked if the $500 in the budget will be enough to buy the tables and stanchions. There needs to be a separate line item for advertising. Sue thought each ad cost about $26. George and Sue said that the overages this year were caused by the extra training needed for the new voting system. Sue explained that each meeting requires two ads. Cindy asked her to verify that. The amount for advertising should probably be $400. Postage of $100 should be fine, George said. George priced tables at Sam’s Club. The 2x4 is $44; the 2x6 is $46 and change. George said that the tables are badly needed. Cindy said there were some smaller tables bought for supervisor’s use; George said they never got any tables given to them. One was found in the kitchen, folded up. George said that table is too big to be used. Peg said she felt the new tables are warranted. The selectmen said $350 should be put in for tables. Metal stanchions will cost $1350 for ten. They were not included in the budget because George did not have a catalog. That amount will go into supplies. Bob asked what was bought for supplies this year. Sue & George said that probably something was put in the wrong line. Bob suggested they get with Christie to find out what the costs were. A separate line for equipment would be $1400.00; Supplies will be $500; George said they also need a box of card stock and a cartridge for the laser printer. Cindy asked if any desks or file cabinets were needed. Cindy asked if the supervisors are going to be working out of the town clerk’s old office; George said yes. Cindy asked if the town clerk is supposed to have access to the computer in order to update it; Sue said no. Barbara uses the state’s vital statistic computer. Sue said that the computer that was replaced last year had no where near the speed that was needed to access the state’s voter registration site in order to update information. The salaries line was not adjusted. It was noted that the fax machine used for voting is being paid for by the state. The new total is suggested to be $3900.00 to be allocated as follows: $1500 for salaries, $500 for supplies; $100 for postage; $1400 for equipment and $400 for advertising.

Cindy asked if the supervisors had any idea how much more they would be expending from the present year’s budget. George said there is the November election which means they will be there from 7 until the counting is done; about 13 hours x $8.00/hour x 3 supervisors. Sue said there will be additional hours required after voting for cleanup, etc.

Health Officer:

Peg asked how long George has been getting $10/hour to be the health officer. George said a long time; he does not remember how many years. Peg recommended that the rate be increased to $12/hour. Bob asked what the federal rate is; George said $22+/hour. Peg asked if George is getting $12/hr. for Emergency Management; he said no. Bob does not have a problem with going up to twelve. George said that the health officer position is taking up a lot more time due to pandemic meetings. Peg said that the present budget is over due to pandemic meetings and training. Peg thought $2500 should be requested for salary. Dues should be $150. $200 is requested for expenses, which includes hazmat suits, etc. George said he will need a Code 92 breather mask. He also needs yellow over boots. The boots and breather should go under equipment. George said there are one use masks or there are some that can be used multiple times by changing the filter. Peg said George needs to get the price before next week when he meets with the budget committee. An estimated amount of $550 will be put under equipment.
The new budget request is $3500. Cindy asked what expenses George will have between now and the end of the year. There are four more weeks of the Thursday meeting; there is a pandemic meeting in October and an RCC meeting in October. The pandemic meetings are scheduled every month through the end of the year. The health officer’s annual meeting is October 18 at the Local Government Center. There will probably be another ten hours inspecting septic systems, etc. Peg estimated $650.

Emergency Management:

George said he needs a file cabinet to keep his records in. The $2,000 in equipment purchases includes money for the GPS units, but that money is also in this year’s budget. . Peg asked how many units were being purchased; George said four. Peg asked if there are any grants available for the units. George said he did not know whether the new Homeland Security Grant is covering GPS units. They are not specifying the equipment yet. Cindy asked what the units would be used for. George said every bridge, culvert, etc. can be located by GPS. Possible spots for helicopter landings can also be identified. Cindy asked what the cost is. Each unit is $300-350. The only written quote he has been able to get has been from Eastern Sports of the Mall in Manchester. He checked with other sports equipment suppliers as well. George said two are needed for each team, highway and emergency management, so they can be at various placed within the town and at either end of the washout, culvert, bridge, etc. These units are hand-held and downloadable to the computer. A filing cabinet should be in equipment purchases. There are two generators that have been purchased; one is in the new highway garage, one is in the old garage on Mt. Cardigan Road. They are supposed to be tested once a month; they are not being tested. Cindy said that would be equipment maintenance, not purchase. The old one on Mt. Cardigan Rd. needs to be mounted on a trailer. Cindy said there is a trailer. George said it is being used for something else like the steam cleaner. Is $300 enough for equipment maintenance asked Cindy? Peg asked if that includes radios. George said the radios are enough. Bob asked George if the $2,000 for next year is put in there as a matching amount for grants. Cindy asked what Emergency Services is. George anticipated pandemic expenses. Bob said he didn’t feel that should be put in there; if it shows up, we’ll deal with it. Cindy agreed. There are seven meetings that are coming up this year. Bob asked if any of the meetings are for both health officer and emergency management. George said they are totally separate. Peg said if the meetings are free, then the training figure should be included in payroll. Training costs would be the fees associated with a class, not the salary paid for George’s time at the training. $4500 will be the new request for salaries for emergency management. Emergency Services will be $0. The new budget will be $7,200. This has yet to be voted on by the selectmen. Cindy asked George what his expenses will be
through the end of the year. He said he has a class coming up in December plus a $170 charge for dues. The class will be approximately 10 hours. There will be approximately $1900 worth of expenses through the end of the year, including the GPS units. George reminded them that the figures do not include his September expenses. Cindy asked what those costs are going to be. George said he would figure them out, probably $300 or so. There will be a new line put in for dues-$170 + $70. Add $200 to the budget because George did not add those items in. Now the request is $7,400.

Treasurer:

The only thing Bob has an issue with is mileage. Peg said that so far the treasurer has spent $475.
Bob said what she does is pick it up and charges the town to go to the bank when she takes her kids
to school. Peg asked if she should get a merit raise this year. Cindy said the CPI is not set yet. Bob said perhaps Christie will know. Peg suggested a 2% increase until the actual figures are known. With Melanie, it was suggested to increase it $100 for the year.

Deliberative Session

September 28, 2006

Pledge of Allegiance: Led by Skip Reilly

Distribution of Minutes: September 21, 2006

Approval of Minutes: Cindy asked that approval of the September 14 minutes be tabled until next week.

No one raised an objection.

Department Heads:

Planning Board: Cindy spoke as Maggie was not present. The zoning committee supplied the planning board members with a draft of the zoning ordinance. The planning board has a work session scheduled on the first Wednesday of October at 6:00

Announcements:

Selectmen’s Meeting: October 5: Non public at 4:30, Work Session at 5:00 Meeting at 6:00

Any committee meeting in October should e-mail the date and time to Christie in order that it be included on the October calendar.

Land Use, Building Permits, Purchase Orders, Other Items Requiring Signature:

Letter to Berry Road owners; re: vehicles in right of way. Cindy felt the letter was harsh; Peg suggested that a copy of the letter be sent to the abutter that had the concern. It was signed.

Letter planning board; re: driveways: Cindy does not want to sign it until an answer is received from the attorney. The issue was tabled.

The Sabbio building permit from last week is still waiting for a response from the conservation commission.

The highway furnace purchase order was tabled until next week.

Old Business:

All items are ongoing. The personnel policy review is complete. Christie will make the changes
for a final review and vote.

Repurchase Agreement with Northway Bank received the missed signature.

New Business:

Skip Kahler: Jeff was not present and was supposed to check with the abutter whose property the water flow would go onto. There is nothing in the file about the issue. Bonnie O’Brien said all abutters should be notified of any agreement or work to be done. Bob said any decisions will have to wait until the selectmen hear from Jeff, the road agent.

Paper: A proposed contract for paper removal will be forwarded to Doug for his input.

Hardwick Timber: Cancelled…..suggested that e-mail be used to voice concerns. Bob Bacon said that the selectmen need to meet with them face to face.

Cindy: Cindy asked if there was going to be a non-public session with Jeff. Bob said there couldn’t be because Jeff is an elected official. Cindy said there can be because it has to do with an employee. Bob said he had talked to Ernie. Cindy said Jeff has asked for a meeting. She was hoping to do it tonight. Bob said a non-public should be scheduled for next week. Cindy asked when and what time. Peg said she would have to check her schedule. Cindy suggested Peg and Bob tell Cindy what days they are available. Bob said he could do Monday; Tuesday and Wednesday are tied up. Peg is not available on Monday. Bob suggested scheduling it for 4:30 next Thursday.

Public Input:

Bob stated he was going to ask for the audience’s indulgence tonight as he did not feel well. He is going to skip public input tonight. Chris Rhude said she objected and as a taxpayer wanted to speak. Bob said she is not allowed to speak unless the selectmen let her. She said that she was told there were ten people on the agenda and she could not be heard tonight. She said she has the right to speak. Bob said the requirements are that you must be put on the agenda by the previous Friday. Chris said Katrina Harris was called yesterday and asked if she wanted to be put on the agenda. Bob pointed out that Ms. Harris is not on the agenda. Chris said it is unfair that she called yesterday and was told she could not be on the agenda. Bob said he was not going to argue and would entertain a motion to adjourn the meeting. Peg Reilly moved to adjourn the meeting; Cindy seconded the motion and it was approved by a vote of 3-0. The time was 6:25 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Christie Phelps,

Admin. Assistant