TOWN OF TUFTONBORO

MEETING OF THE SELECTMEN

Tuesday February 20, 2007

 

*Accepted* 2/26/07 CORRECTIONS IN BOLD

 

Selectmen present: Chip Albee, Susan Weeks and Bill Stockman.

 

Selectmen reviewed mail, which included:  Memo re: receipt of 2007-2008 Transfer Station decals; E-mail from Mo Gagnon re: Public Safety background; E-mail from Joe Lessard re: MRI contract; MRI recommendation re: Robinette; Town Clerk memo re: boat registrations; Avitar letter re: view issues and revals; Wetlands & Non-site Specific Permit for Stephen Farrell; HEB letter re: Farm Pond; NH Retirement System response re: Prior Service Credit; Coalition Communities; Legislative Bulletin #8; Avitar Newsletter; Certificate of Training for Boucher (2); Boundary Line Adjustment for Williams and Prewitt; LGC notification of change in prescription benefit provider; Town & City.

 

Items for Signature:  Cloud9 Design website contract; Lakes Region Humane Society 2007 Contract; Letter to Representative Patten re: Boat Registrations.

 

Waste Management Contract.

 

At 3:30 pm Chairman Albee called the meeting to order, with the first order of business a review of the 2/12/07 minutes. Selectman Weeks made a minor correction. Selectman Stockman made a motion to accept the minutes as corrected. Seconded by Chairman Albee, with all in favor. The minutes of the 2/12/07 Non-Public session were approved as written. Selectman Weeks made a motion to approve and seal the minutes indefinitely. Seconded by Selectman Stockman, with all in favor.

 

At approximately 3:35 the Selectmen met with members of the Tuftonboro Association. In attendance were Bob Theve, John Simms and Jeanne Tempest who presented the Selectmen with an American flag for the Selectmen’s office.

 

The Town Administrator gave the following updates:

  • The energy audit has not yet been scheduled.
  • Attorney Sullivan will call the Sargents attorney Wednesday regarding the deed.
  • The NH DES letter re: landfill GMZ was mailed to Surveyor Ted Wright. Peter Beblowski from DES was notified of the status.

 

The Town Administrator will draft a letter to the NH Retirement System requesting more municipality representation on the board for the selectmen to review.

 

The Selectmen discussed the issue brought to their attention by Jay Franks of the Wolfeboro Snowmobile Association. Lang Pond Road, which is used by the snowmobile club, has been plowed by a logger working on Lang Pond. This road is considered a ‘summer’ road and is not plowed by the town. The issue is safety and who is liable in the event of an accident. The selectmen felt the landowner and logger were responsible but town counsel will be contacted for advice.

Town Administrator Jeanie Forrester will be contacting Joe Lessard of MRI regarding the recommendation made by DRA for changes to the assessing contract.

 

The Selectmen reviewed and approved the recommendation by Scott Marsh of MRI regarding the Robinette appeal to the BLTA. The Administrative Assistant will contact the Robinettes.

 

At approximately 3:45 the Selectmen met with Fire Chief Adam Thompson. Chief Thompson reported 20 fire, 26 medical and 2 service calls for a total of 48 this year. Inspections done – 1 oil and 1 gas burner and 1 life safety. There is now a gas burner permit in effect in addition to the oil burner permit. The department is working on providing radio access to the selectmen’s office in order to make it an Emergency Operations Center in the event of an emergency. Chief Thompson has determined that the capacity at the school where town meeting will take place is 629 standing. The school only has about 300 chairs and the bleachers can accommodate about 40. Several suggestions were made for additional seating.

 

The selectmen asked the town administrator to provide balloons for the open houses at the fire stations and the police department at the town office.

 

The Selectmen approved and signed the following:

  • Letter to Rep. Patten (copies will be sent to the other representatives and senator)
  • Cloud9 website maintenance contract.
  • Lakes Region Humane Society Contract.

 

Selectman Weeks reported on the last Planning Board meeting which included a public hearing for site plan review of a proposed cell tower in Melvin Village. The board has scheduled a site visit for 3/12 and the applicant will float a balloon sometime between 3/5-3/9, which will be noticed in the paper. The hearing on the cell tower was continued to 3/15. The board also voted to deny an application for a subdivision on the Bellemeur property because of continued requests for it to be continued. They will be able to reapply when they are ready to go forward.

 

The selectmen discussed an issue with the monitoring of the heat at the Town House. Currently a light is hooked up to go on when there is a problem. It was felt that a better system was needed. The Town Administrator will coordinate.

 

A reminder will be sent to the Boy and Girl Scouts to clean up the town house after use.

 

At approximately 4:10 Selectmen met with Town Moderator Dan Barnard to review procedures for this year’s town meeting. Mr. Barnard said the procedure for voters will be the same as last year. Everyone will be checked in and get a voting card at the door as they come in. There are 3 bond warrant articles which require a secret ballot vote. The articles will be discussed first, each separately, and then the voting will be open for an hour. As each voter approaches the voting booth they will be given 3 ballots each a different color. It will be a yes/no vote and there will be 3 color coded ballot boxes. After leaving the booth each voter will be checked off. The counting will be conducted on stage while considering other measures as it does not have to be done before proceeding. Mr. Barnard prefers not to discuss other articles until the vote is completed on the bond articles. There was some discussion on options in the event there is an overflow crowd. Mr. Barnard said he would provide a contingency plan including an area to be designated for non-voters who would be the first to be moved out. The supervisors will not be in session at town meeting so no one will be able to register to vote and absentee ballots are not allowed. Mr. Barnard said he has sent a letter to the GSN outlining these procedures. If any of the bond votes are within a 10% margin, upon request by 5 voters, the moderator must call for an immediate recount. If there is more than a 10% margin five voters can request a recount immediately after the announcement of the vote.

 

At approximately 4:30 Selectmen met with Roger Drowne. Mr. Drowne said he decided to not deal with the impeachment issue and instead offered some ideas to the town for getting children involved in saving the earth. He has given the library several copies of his publications.

 

A brief discussion ensued regarding the MS-7 as we are waiting to hear from DRA.

 

At approximately 4:45 Chairman Albee made a motion to go into non-public session pursuant to RSA 91-A: 3 II (c) to discuss a personnel issue. Selectman Weeks seconded the motion. Roll call: Chairman Albee – yes, Selectman Weeks – yes, Selectman Stockman – yes.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 pm.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Carolyn Sundquist

Administrative Assistant