NOT APPROVED

TOWN OF PELHAM

BOARD OF SELECTMEN

MINUTES

July 24, 2001 

CALL TO ORDER

PLEDGE OF ALLEGAINCE

Chairperson Casey opened the meeting at approximately 6:30 pm.

MINUTES REVIEW

July 10, 2001

OPEN FORUM

Fire Chief Fisher, Emergency Management Director, appeared before the Selectmen to present a check in the amount of $22,563.84 for the general fund.  He said the check was partial coverage of the expenses incurred during the winter and snowstorm through the Federal Government.  He said the State of New Hampshire funds had not been presented yet.

APPOINTMENTS

Interview for part-time Transfer Station on-call positions

REQUEST FOR NON-PUBLIC SESSION

The Selectmen entered into non-public session at approximately 6:43pm.  Also present was Mr. Pitts.

The Selectmen returned to public session at approximately 7:20pm.

Mr. Roland Soucy, Building Inspector/Code Enforcement Officer - Update of New Elementary School

REQUEST FOR NON-PUBLIC SESSION

Mr. McDevitt, in order to clarify the reason for non-public session, asked if there were concerns of possibly adversely effecting the reputation of certain persons.  Mr. Soucy answered yes. 

The Selectmen entered into non-public session at approximately 7:22pm.  Also present was Mr. Pitts.

The Selectmen returned to public session at approximately 7:34pm.  Ms. Casey then asked Mr. Soucy to give a public update.

Mr. Soucy said that all the coring and test holes had been done and all the suspected deficiencies were indeed found.  He said a meeting with all the interested parties was held Monday morning in which an agreement was made to come up with a proposal (by the end of next week)to address the deficiencies as well as provide details of how they would be fixed.  The Town and CLD (Town Engineer) will review the proposal.  He said it would be at least a week before the Town had a written report from CLD.  Mr. Soucy ended by saying that he had been making documents available on the Town web page and would continue doing so.

Interview candidates for first Police Sergeant

Interview candidates for second Police Sergeant

REQUEST FOR NON-PUBLIC SESSION

The Selectmen entered into non-public session at approximately 7:37pm.  Also present was Mr. Pitts.

The Selectmen returned from non-public session at approximately 9:25pm.

Ms. Casey had Mr. Farris take the gavel for the following motions.

Ms. Casey resumed her position as Chairperson. 

Mr. Pitts then swore in the Officers to their new positions. 

NEW BUSINESS

Planning Board Alternate resignation

Resignation, Town Clerk’s office

Ms. Casey read Ms. Linda Derby’s letter of resignation aloud.  The letter stated that her resignation would be effective July 31, 2001.

Mr. McDevitt noted the hard work and dedication Ms. Derby had done over the past ten years he worked with her.  Mr. Farris and Ms. Casey also spoke highly of Ms. Derby and said she would be greatly missed.

Mr. Pitts gave thanks and accolades to Ms. Dottie Marsden, Deputy Town Clerk, for her work at Town Hall performing many tasks during Ms. Derby’s absence.  He said that per RSA 669:65 Ms. Marsden would automatically fill the position until the next Town election.  He noted that further research needed to be done regarding the Tax Collector position. 

Ms. Casey asked that an agenda item be added to discuss Ms. Marden’s pay scale.

RFP draft for traffic engineering study in Pelham Center

Ms. Casey said that the study would encompass not only the center, but also Gibson Road, Woodbury Road and Common Street. 

Mr. McDevitt asked if an ad would be placed in the newspaper.  Mr. Pitts said that a copy of the RFP would be sent to the newspaper, NRPC as well as companies known to perform traffic studies.  He said the RFP would be sent out by the end of the week, with a deadline for proposals to be received by August 31, 2001. 

Tennessee Gas temporary road permit

Mr. Pitts explained that Tennessee Gas had requested use of an existing pathway at Muldoon Park, which currently gives access to equipment shed.  Tennessee Gas would like to use the pathway as a temporary access road (to expire December 31, 2001).  He said in exchange for use of the path, they proposed to push it out on the left side and gravel to make it a high quality road.  He ended by saying that the Park and Recreation Director was in favor of the use.

Mr. Farris said there was an area of wetland to be aware of.  He had spoken with the Fire Chief, who noted the road would provide an additional emergency access entrance to the football field.  He also felt that it would provide better access to the football field and storage facility. 

Ms. Casey asked who would oversee the project.  Mr. Pitts said he would along with the Park and Recreation Director.  Mr. Farris said any work would also be reviewed by State Agencies.

Ms. Casey noted that the Selectmen granted Mr. Pitts the authority to sign the agreement.

TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT/SELECTMEN’S REPORT

Mr. Pitts informed that he had a meeting with Dave Sullivan, Town Administrator of Windham and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation regarding the Castle Hill Bridge.  He said the state proposal was to improve the bridge further than what was needed.  He and Mr. Sullivan inquired if the state proposed approach work could be eliminated.  He said the state engineer agreed, but asked that a letter from the state be signed-off on.  Mr. Pitts said the estimate would be approximately $30,000 to have qualified engineers provide statements of qualification and proposals.  He said the state agreed to pay 80% of the fee and Windham agreed to pay half the remaining amount.  Mr. Pitts said he would be bringing a proposal before the Selectmen for a Warrant Article for approximately $3,000.  Mr. Pitts said the 80% was a reimbursement and the Town would seek absolute assurance that the amount could be recouped within the same fiscal year. 

Mr. Farris recalled a previous discussion, which he believed that the state’s matching bridge money was already used up for the next two years (until 2004).  Mr. Pitts believed the money for the study could be funded sooner, and said it may be true that construction money would have to wait.  Mr. Farris asked what type of agreement would be entered into with Windham.  Mr. Pitts felt for the initial study, both Towns would submit Warrant Articles that state if the other town defeated the article the Warrant Article would be null and void. 

Mr. McDevitt wanted to know what exactly the $30,000 would pay for.  Mr. Pitts said the Town would receive a proposal and a conceptual design.  Ms. Casey asked if the state would provide that information.  Mr. Pitts said that the state estimated engineering and the original estimate was close to $100,000.  He felt that $30,000 was a reasonable fee.  Mr. Pitts ended by saying that additional information would be provided.

Mr. Pitts said that the Chief of Police asked if anyone was interested in a position to be a crossing guard, during school session, on weekday afternoons between 1:30pm and 3:30pm they should contact the Police Department.  He said the current hourly rate of pay was $9.20/hour. 

Mr. Pitts then informed that Adelphia sent a letter informing that local channel 18 would no longer be provided and would be replaced with Adelphia’s own information channel.  Any questions should be directed to Mr. Bob Nelson at 889-6718. 

Mr. Bergeron informed that the Cemetery Trustees held a meeting on July 11, 2001.  He said the cost of non-residents buying lots was discussed and was informed that the cost was competitive to other towns.  He said in the last twelve months there had only been two lots sold.  He said that a sexton performing a burial praised the workers and facilities.  He said that all residents were welcome to attend the meetings.  He noted that a copy of the by-laws were available for review at the Selectmen’s Office.  Mr. Bergeron went on to give a briefing of the report dated July 24, 2001 received from Mr. Bruce Mason of the Solid Waste Department.  The report noted that the plastic compactor was running.  He said the glass crusher was out for a new set of hammers.  He said that Windham brought 15 tons of green glass on July 16, 2001, which took approximately three and a half hours to crush.  Mr. Bergeron then discussed the weight certification of the trucks.  He informed that the trucks could be re-certified at no charge from 80,000 to 84,000.  He said once certified and the state approves, a sticker would be placed on the trailers.  Mr. Farris discussed his knowledge of weights and questioned whether the truck or container should be stickered.  Mr. Bergeron discussed the axles and said that currently they were at 80,000.  He said the current problem was the trailers, not the tractors.  He also noted that if the choice was made to haul overweight, they were not allowed to drive on federally funded interstate highways.  Ms. Casey suggested speaking with the owner of the tractor as well as Waste Management.  Mr. Bergeron believed that the tractors hauling the trailers had already applied for the extra, but the problem lied with the back end certification. 

Mr. Farris said that CTAC had a meeting and Attorney Peter Epstein was creating a draft agreement, which may be available at the next Selectmen meeting.  He said they also discussed the pros and cons of the new digital services, which Attorney Epstein would review.  Mr. Farris said that CIP met with Mr. Tryon, Chief Fisher and Mr. Pitts to discuss Town buildings.  Ms. Casey asked if the departments were supposed to keep the Selectmen informed of what was being presented.  Mr. Farris said that the CIP Chairman informed the departments to provide Mr. Pitts with a copy for the Selectmen.  Ms. Casey asked the status of the Fire Department Code Enforcement Officer.  Mr. Farris informed that the ad was being finalized.  Mr. Pitts said he would be discussing with Chief Fisher this week and copies would be provided to the Selectmen.

Mr. Farris wanted the public to be aware of testing their pets for lyme disease during their annual check-ups.  He also cautioned families with children of the possibility of ticks carrying lyme disease. 

Mr. McDevitt informed that he attended the Planning Board work session during which, NRPC gave a presentation of non-point pollution.  He was pleased that the Conservation Commission and the members of the Board of Adjustment were also in attendance.  He said that he met with Mr. Bob Tryon regarding the  Park and Recreation plan and they were reviewing population growth and were preparing graphs.  He said they were continuing to work on the process.  Mr. McDevitt congratulated Mr. Richard Moore and Charlotte Vautier who were to be married July 25, 2001. 

Ms. Casey reviewed two pending issues to ensure completion.  The first issue was sending a letter to the Board of Adjustment and the second issue was sending letters to the owners of private ways.  Mr. Pitts said both letters had been sent. 

Ms. Casey congratulated Mr. Bob Tryon on the summer camp actives at Veterans Memorial Park. 

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 10:17 pm.

                                                                                          Respectfully submitted,

                                                                                          Charity A. L. Willis

                                                                                          Recording Secretary