Time: 5:03 p.m.

Members Present: Bob Bacon and Cindy Williams; Peg Reilly is excused

Others Present: Road Agent, Jeff Cantara, Christie Phelps, AA, and various audience
members

Bob asked if the $120,000 for regular labor includes a fifth man? Jeff said that it does. Christie will have to look at the figures to make sure that the COL is 2% over 2006. The road agent’s pay is proposed to increase by $7,000 due to hours worked. Bob asked what the rate of pay is based on? Jeff said $20.16 per hour. The office is keeping track of Jeff’s hours so the budget committee can look at them. Jeff said there is some time he doesn’t put in for. The selectmen suggested that he track all hours worked in order to be able to justify the increase. Bob asked if the total part-time labor cost is going to be needed if the fifth position is approved? Jeff said the line could be adjusted if approval is given. Bob asked if it could be cut in half; Jeff said it could. Cindy asked if the $120,000 was a twelve month extra man figure or nine months? Jeff said twelve. He asked the selectmen if he could put a fifth man on based on a part-time basis, which the money allows, until town meeting. If it is not approved in March, then the person will be let go. Whoever is given the job would be made aware that the position is not guaranteed. Bob said he does not have a problem with part-time; neither did Cindy. Jeff said there is plenty of work for a fifth man. There is bridge maintenance that could be done to prolong the life of the bridges in town. Christie said she had a discussion with Bob Barry of NHDOT before he retired and he stated that yearly bridge maintenance that could be done by the town’s crew would certainly benefit. There is also a lot of brush work that could be completed. Suggest that part time go to $4,000 if the fifth man is approved. Merit pay needs to be checked for accuracy. Contracted labor has only had $900 expended from it this year. Jeff explained that he was under the impression that line was for snowplowing labor. Bob suggested it be put back to a level of $10,000. Under telephone, the fax line has been eliminated. Medical expenses cover drug testing and DOT physicals. Under uniforms, Jeff stated that his crew would like to see a clothing allowance rather than a uniform service. Christie needs to check into a buyout on the uniform contract. The number will be left as is for now. Electric will be left as is. Heat is a question mark this year as there is a new heating system going in for this heating season. Hopefully, the proposed number will be sufficient. Dues & subscriptions—no change. Supplies will be fully expended prior to the end of this year for chains, plow edges and other items devoted to winter maintenance issues. Gasoline: Christie said that this line gets charged for all the gas the town purchases. As fuel sheets are filled out, the police, fire and cemetery budgets are charged for the gas that they use. The highway uses very little itself. Bob suggested the line be backed up to $1,000. There is still the issue of doing away with the gas tank and just going with diesel. Diesel number to be left as proposed. Vehicle maintenance is requested at $35,000. Bob asked what happens if the new trucks are approved; can this number be lowered. Jeff said perhaps some, but there is still enough tired equipment around that will need repairs as it will be used, just not as primary vehicles. Equipment purchases include MIG welder and an asphalt cutter. Some of the hot top money for 2007 would be used to construct aprons where dirt roads meet paved one. The reason for this is to eliminate the need of being out in the middle of a paved road while setting up for grading a dirt one. Magnesium is increased in order to allow a contractor to come in and do the application. Their machinery gets a much better concentration. The town’s setup is fine for use when the town is grading and doing maintenance. Bob suggested that an increase of $125,000 is going to be hard for the town to accept. Jeff pointed out that the requested budget last year was cut by $50,000 before the voters saw it, so his increase is not as dramatic as it looks. Bob asked if the type of increase asked for in 2007 will be needed in future years or is this to bring the town back to a place where it should be. Jeff said it is to catch up on maintenance, but he cannot guarantee that this level of funding will not be needed later on. To do all roads in town with 3” minimum of gravel is approximately 24,000 yards. Jeff is asking for 4 to 5,000 yards this year. Jeff said that he figures it will take about five years to bring roads back up to where they need to be. Bob said that the selectmen will support the road agent in his request. They proposed a reduction of $6,100. Jeff is planning to cut down on salt usage this year. Cindy asked if the decking and railing on the Bailey Road Bridge can be done with the money that is left in the budget. Jeff said it could; he is going to try to do railing this year and decking perhaps next year. After a meeting with the Highway Advisory Committee, Jeff adjusted his warrant articles numbers some. The one tons have gone from $170 to 155,000. Fowler River needs work on the wording. The warrant article needs to say that it is going to be one mile plus. Jeff thinks he can get a mile and a half on the project, but he cannot commit to that. He would like to see the trucks, roller and Fowler River Road projects done this year. Cindy suggested leaving the roller for another year. Jeff explained that the town will see a return on their money fairly quickly as proper compaction on a road will result in less grading. Cindy would like to see Fowler River Road funded in two different years rather than all in one. Jeff said there are two options with that project. One is to do the one mile to a certain point and leave it gravel until the next year, the other is to determine a cutoff point and do all the work including paving on one section, then continue on with the second section in year two. Jeff said the state is going to be doing work on Fowler River next year as well. The diesel tank is important to have done as well. Christie said that there has been no report from the federal inspector as yet. Jeff explained that it would be a time saving to have the fuel tank in the same place as the sand that the trucks are picking up. Cindy asked about financing; Christie stated that issue has not been decided yet. She was waiting until the selectmen start going over the budget as a whole to determine which things need to be financed. Jeff does not want to come across as being aggressive about spending money; he feels that the things he has asked for are necessary for the work to be done. Jeff said there is a purchase order for some repairs in the folder to approve tonight. He would like a selectmen’s representative at the planning board meetings with regard to development issues. There is a possible 36 lot development at the end of Kirk Pasture Road. It involves a mile of road with two cul-de-sacs. Bob said they can’t develop on a Class VI Road. Cindy they could if they bring it to Class V specs. Bob said they can’t improve it without the selectmen’s permission. Cindy said you can deny them the ability to improve it unless you have regulations in place. Bob said the selectmen can because it is a Class VI road. He also stated that the road cannot be improved without the abutter’s permission. Cindy disagreed with that statement as well. Jeff said he just wants some backup on these developments. It was suggested that the attorney may need to be involved as well. The developer is asking what they would need to do in order to improve the road. Jeff said that 911 will require that the town sign a form limiting liability due to placing East and West designations on roads like Gale and Knowles Hill. The optimal method is to change the road name on one end, but that would upset too many people.

Time: 6:05

Pledge of Allegiance: Led by George Whittaker

Distribution of Minutes: None

Approval of Minutes: Tabled until Selectman Reilly is present to vote.

Open House for new police chief at 7:00 p.m. October 19

Selectmen’s Meeting: October 26; work session 5 p.m., deliberative session 6 p.m.

Hazard Mitigation: October 27 at 2 p.m.

Supervisors of Checklist: October 28 from 11-11:30 a.m.

Budget Hearings for Newfound School District-5 p.m. on 11/14, 11/16, 11/27

Letter to Hardwick Timber was tabled

Intent to Cut for Robert McGill was approved, but Christie needs to make sure that the
driveway permit is in place.

Purchase Order for GPS units was approved

Warrant for Polling Hour of 8-7 on November 7 was signed

P.O. Box Vinnie’s Truck Repair for new brain unit for one-ton

P.O. for Neptune Uniform for gear for new police chief.

Letter stating that selectmen have nothing against VTR being authorized to inspect
motorcycles.

All items were approved with the exception of the tabled letter to Hardwick Timber

All items ongoing

Public Hearing on FEMA Funds-done

Historical Society Open House-Historical Society would like town to coordinate open house for
the new office building with their open house on December 9

Conservation Commission Vacancies: Christie was directed to post Position Open notices and
public in newspaper.

Shelving in vaults: The selectmen directed Christie to request a price on shelving from Keith McBey

Moving Expenses: Christie will prepare a purchase order for $1940 for the moving company. The
safes will not be moved as it will cost an additional $1,000 per unit.

Carol Panaggio announced that a Cabaret Dance and Demonstration will be held from 7-12 at the
town hall on October 21. The cost is $15/pp; $25/couple. It is a BYOB event.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Christie Phelps,

Admin. Assistant