APPROVED

TOWN OF PELHAM

BOARD OF SELECTMEN SPECIAL MEETING

MINUTES

December 4, 2001 

APPROVED – July 2, 2002

CALL TO ORDER

PLEDGE OF ALLEGAINCE

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

MINUTES REVIEW

None.

OPEN FORUM

None.

APPOINTMENTS

Ms. Cindy Taylor, Senior Housing

Ms. Cindy Taylor reviewed the plan for the proposed addition to the senior housing at Pelham Terrace.  She believed the important point was that the original deed contained land use restrictions.  She said that the Planning Board had approved the plan.  The Planning Board had requested that the Selectmen be made aware that there would be an addition on the property and the restrictions were being closely adhered to.  Ms. Taylor reviewed the plan for the Selectmen. 

Ms. Casey asked how many units would be added.  Ms. Taylor said there were twenty-four existing and twenty-four would be added.  She went on to point out two 50ft. no-cut buffer areas, that would be maintained.  She then reviewed the conditions placed on the plan and informed that public water would service the site. 

Mr. Farris asked if the plan had to go before the Board of Adjustment.  Ms. Taylor said the Board of Adjustment had reviewed the plan and noted that they had received a Variance because of the land use area required for elderly housing.  Mr. Farris asked how many units would have been allowed without the Variance.  Ms. Taylor believed they would have been allowed eight units.  Mr. Farris noted that the citizens of Pelham would have preference. 

Mr. Farris asked if Pennichuck would tap off of the existing line on Nashua Road.  Ms. Taylor said they would.  Mr. Farris wanted to know if Pennichuck provided any guarantees regarding the water service.  Ms. Taylor said they did not provide any guarantees, they had signed an agreement.  Mr. Farris was concerned that existing customers may have drop in water pressure.  Ms. Taylor didn’t believe that there would be any water pressure problems.  She said they would also be adding a sprinkler system.  Mr. Farris wanted an assurance from Pennichuck that existing customers would not have water pressure problems. 

Ms. Casey wanted to know if the status of the housing project would be changed from its current to low-income housing for profit.  Ms. Taylor said the current owner was a non-profit organization.  She said a for-profit entity would be set up in order to qualify for the tax credits.  She said that the non-profit organization would continue to control the project. 

OLD BUSINESS

Vote on Warrant Articles

Ms. Casey said that two Warrant Articles had come back from the Budget Committee with a question regarding how they were worded.  The Budget Committee asked that the first Warrant Article be reworded so it was not so lengthy.  Ms. Casey asked that the job descriptions be removed and added to the explanation sheet.  There was a brief discussion regarding the dollar amounts listed.  Ms. Casey noted that the cost for custodial services was included in the Warrant Article and should be moved back into the budget, therefore needing a reconsideration of the original vote. 

Mr. Lynde arrived. 

Ms. Casey reviewed the second Warrant Article, submitted by Mr. Spike Hayes.  She said the Budget Committee felt the wording was confusing.  There was a brief discussion regarding alternate wording so that an additional Warrant Article would not be needed.  Ms. Casey asked permission from the Selectmen to change the wording of the Warrant Articles because they needed to be ready for review by the Budget Committee by Tuesday.     

Ms. Casey said she would like to change the combined article to read as follows: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $42,000 to complete three full size multi-use fields, with a well and parking areas at Elmer G. Raymond Park.

Ms. Casey asked that the Selectmen authorize her to change the other Warrant Article back to the original $60,569 and cut out the bottom half and change the number of the nine months to $37,665.  The Selectmen agreed to have Ms. Casey alter the other Warrant Article. 

NEW BUSINESS

Petition Warrant Article

Ms. Casey said Petition Warrant Articles had been received and were currently having the signatures verified.  The first petition was to see if the Town would vote to increase the minimum lot size to two acres with 250ft of frontage.  She noted that the petition would need to be reviewed by the Planning Board. 

Selection of date for deliberative session

Ms. Casey said the date for the deliberative session had been set for Saturday, February 2, 2002.  She said the Selectmen needed to select a time to begin.  Mr. Farris suggested 10:00am.  The Selectmen agreed.

Ms. Casey noted that the School would meet Wednesday, February 6, 2002. 

Municipal Building Warrant Article

Mr. McDevitt handed out material for the Selectmen to review.  He read through an e-mail provided by the estimator for Breadloaf, which listed items that should not be forgotten when reviewing the budgets for Sherburne School, the new library and the village green.  He said there were additional items recommended, such as, a generator, new locks, possible card access from the booking area to the main station, surveillance system, phone and data cabling, builder’s risk insurance, printing and reprographics, quote for library needs. 

Mr. Lynde wanted to know if funding for some of the items could be taken from the Capital Reserve Fund.  Mr. McDevitt said he had some suggestions as to what could come from the fund. 

Mr. McDevitt handed out a spreadsheet to the Selectmen that provided approximate dollar amounts for some of the items needed within the new Municipal Building and Library.  One item listed on the spreadsheet was an environmental survey/asbestos review.  Ms. Casey will follow up with the School Board and find out if the review had been done, and if so, she will obtain a copy for review.  Mr. McDevitt continued his review of the spreadsheet.  He said that he had contacted the New Hampshire Municipal Bond Bank to find out exactly what costs the Town would have to worry about.  He was informed by the bond bank that there would be a fee for Bond Counsel as well as a $15,000 flat fee for any amount over two million dollars.  He said he was concerned with coming up with a contingency amount.  Mr. McDevitt believed the Selectmen should vote on a proposal and know what the number would be when going before the Budget Committee. 

Mr. Farris felt a construction cost number should be presented, and then obtain a bond for the specified amount.  He said then in the second year, the bond would have generated enough interest to pay for what would be needed to outfit the building.  There was a brief discussion regarding what costs should be taken from the spreadsheet of additional items needed and added to construction costs.  Mr. McDevitt believed that if the communications equipment were not put into the building near the beginning, it would be more expensive to retrofit it later. 

Mr. Lynde suggested submitting separate Warrant Articles to fund up to $200,000 for the Police communications using two sources, one being the interest earned from the bond and the other being money used from the Capital Reserve Fund.  There was a brief discussion regarding alternate ways to fund items needed for the Municipal Building project. 

Ms. Casey said that the Selectmen needed to decide which proposal would be supported and what number would be used.  Mr. McDevitt said Mr. Pitts gave him a sheet from NHMA regarding interest earned and investment of bond proceeds, which he proceeded to read aloud.  There was a discussion regarding how the proposed Warrant Article could be worded.  Mr. McDevitt will write the draft Warrant Articles for Selectmen review at the next meeting. 

Mr. McDevitt made a motion to adopt option four that was presented by Breadloaf Corporation.  Mr. Farris seconded.  Ms. Casey asked that a dollar amount be added to the motion.  Mr. McDevitt amended his motion to add the cost of $6,000,000.  Mr. Farris amended his second. 

Mr. Bergeron began by saying that he heard the presentation, which he thought was very good.  He thanked the department heads for spending time with Breadloaf providing information.  He thanked the committee and people involved for spending their time working on the proposal.  He felt that as an elected Selectmen he represented all the voting tax payers and families.  He said there was a large percentage of people that preferred option four.  He said there was also a large percentage that would prefer option two or three.  He said that he did not want to pull option four off the table, but would like to include either option two or three so that a choice was provided.  Mr. Bergeron said he attended the CIP meeting and was informed that there were 200-300 approved lots in Town.  He reiterated that he would like to join him and provide a choice to the people of the Town. 

Ms. Casey said she would be supporting option four because she felt it was the best long-term solution to the municipal needs.  She felt the costs would go up if the Town didn’t move forward at this time. 

The Selectmen reviewed the different options.  Mr. Lynde felt that the Selectmen should move forward with one Warrant Article to vote on.  Mr. Bergeron suggested providing the Town with two options to choose from, and then hold a special election for a final vote.  Mr. Farris discussed the different options and believed that option four was the best option because of the expandable space.  He didn’t believe that a second Town meeting could be held only for the project.  He said that additional meetings were for emergencies or time restrictive purposes.  He noted that the Selectmen based their opinions upon presentations from professionals.  Mr. McDevitt also didn’t believe that an additional meeting could be held.  He said he was elected to apply his best judgement and take a position, therefore he felt that the Selectmen should make a decision, stand behind it and let the voters make their decision in March. 

Mr. Bergeron did not favor either one of the options and when he voted it was not that he was against option four, but that he believed the taxpayers should have the choice.  Mr. Lynde asked Mr. Bergeron if he supported building a Municipal Building and spending $6,000,000 in recognition of the Town’s needs.  Mr. Bergeron said his point of view was that the people in Town should have a choice. 

Mr. McDevitt said there was a question regarding the Warrant Article for the acquisition of Sherburne School.  Ms. Casey said a question had been sent to Town Counsel inquiring if the School Board’s sale of the school and the Town’s purchase of the school could be combined as one Warrant Article.  Mr. McDevitt said he had heard people talk about the bond bank’s rates and clarified by saying that they were extremely low.  He said if the Town went with a twenty-year bond, the net interest cost would be 4.4% and if the Town went with a ten-year bond, the rate would be 4.157%.  Ms. Casey said she had provided those rates to the budget committee during the last meeting.  Mr. McDevitt felt that when the time period would be decided, the Budget Committee should be consulted. 

TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT/SELECTMEN’S REPORT

Mr. Bergeron said that Superintendent Bruce Mason of the Solid Waste Department informed that they were still working on the old incinerators.  He said the main gate was up and the bill was going to Waste Management. 

Mr. Farris said that the Building Committee would be meeting later in the week. 

Mr. Lynde informed that the Planning Board met and completed action on five of the ten cases listed on the agenda.  He discussed the details from the cases heard at the Planning Board meeting.  Ms. Casey asked if the Planning Board had been provided with the information from Park and Recreation regarding community parks.  Mr. Lynde said he provided the Planning Board members with a copy.  He noted that the next meeting would be held December 13, 2001.  Ms. Casey said if the Planning Board needed extra time for certain cases they could request an extension.  Mr. Lynde said the Planning Board was aware.  He reported that he had set up a meeting to review the forestry at Raymond Park, Mills property, Sherburne School and the new school area relative to moving trees.

Mr. McDevitt said he attended the Senior’s annual Christmas lunch at Harris’ Inn that had an attendance of 230 people. 

Ms. Casey had no report.  

REQUEST FOR NON-PUBLIC SESSION

Ms. Casey noted that when the Board returned, after the non-public session, the Board would not take any other action publicly, except to seal the minutes of the non-public session and to adjourn the meeting.  The Board entered into a non-public session at approximately 8:32 pm.

The Board returned to public session at approximately      pm.

ADJOURNMENT

MOTION:           (         ) To adjourn the meeting.

VOTE:                 (         ) The motion carries.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately         pm.

                                                                                          Respectfully submitted,

                                                                                          Charity A. L. Willis

                                                                                          Recording Secretary