APPROVED

 

TOWN OF PELHAM

BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING

MINUTES

January 13, 2004

APPROVED – January 20, 2004

 

CALL TO ORDER

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

 

PRESENT:

Mr. Harold Lynde, Mr. William McDevitt, Mr. Jean-Guy Bergeron (left the meeting before it had adjourned to attend a meeting at the Hillsborough County Delegation Office in Manchester) , Mr. Richard Derby

 

Also present:

 

ABSENT:

Mr. Tom Gaydos, Town Administrator, members of the press and general public.

 

Mr. Victor Danevich

              

The Chairman, Harold Lynde, opened the meeting at approximately 6:50 pm. 

 

MINUTES REVIEW

 

None.

 

OPEN FORUM

 

None.

 

APPOINTMENT

 

Warrant Article

 

Petition Warrant Article:

 

AL) To raise and appropriate $100,000  for  installation of two signalized traffic signals in the Town Center;  with the condition that 80% of the cost would be reimbursed by the state; total reimbursement from the state is a possibility through the NRPC 10-year plan.  Per the GEOD Plan of April 8, 2002 the cost to the Town will be $15,000.    

 

Mr. Lynde asked if there was any basis for the request of $100,000.  Mr. Derby believed the cost was from a consensus.  He said a traffic solution was long overdue.  Mr. Bergeron believed that the figure was mentioned by the Commissioner Carol Murray. 

 

Mr. McDevitt was disappointed to see the petition come in because he believed that the Selectmen had begun to work as a team toward a solution.  He said the Selectmen had discussed getting the interested parties together, to which there was no disagreement.  He said there had also been a discussion of having a charet with a traffic engineering firm (for a fee, which was difficult to do within the 2003 budget).  Mr. McDevitt understood that people were impatient, but was disappointed in a rush to a conclusion.  He felt that installing signals at this time was the wrong thing to do. 

 

Mr. Lynde said there were many alternatives and noted that the GEOD Report stated that even with traffic signals, one of the intersections would fail, and therefore wasn’t a solution. 

 

Mr. Bergeron said that the petition warrant article would make it possible for the taxpayers vote. 

 

Mr. Derby said that the Police Department, Fire Department and the Highway Department were in favor of the petition warrant article.  He noted that studies had been done in the past and believed that the Town was procrastinating. 

 

MOTION:

(Derby/Bergeron) To RECOMMEND the following petition warrant article for the 2004 Town Ballot - $100,000 for two traffic signals for the Town Center, conditioned upon receipt of 80% reimbursement by the state. 

 

VOTE:

 

(2-2-0) The motion failed – the petition warrant article will not be recommended by the Selectmen.  Mr. Lynde and Mr. McDevitt voted no.   

 

Mr. Bergeron left the Selectmen’s meeting to attend a meeting at the Hillsborough County Delegation Office in Manchester.

 

PUBLIC HEARING ON BONDS

 

1) To raise and appropriate $3,000,000 for the purchase land and easements for conservation purposes and additionally raise and appropriate and authorize the Selectmen to issue bonds and notes per RSA 33:1 provided that the Town shall not issue more than $1,000,000 of bonds or notes in one year; bonds shall not be issued with a term or maturity for less than ten years, or more than fifteen year; additionally to raise and appropriate the sum of $12,000 for interest and costs.  (Tax impact $.02  3/5 vote required)

 

Mr. Phil McColgan, Gage Hill Road, asked if it were possible to have the bond over fifteen years.  Mr. Lynde said bonds would be limited to ten – fifteen years.  Mr. McColgan believed that a high number of years would have increased costs.  Mr. Lynde discussed the note for the Municipal Building and said that stretching the payment out allowed for the growth of the Town and more people paying each year would decrease the costs for each person.  Mr. McColgan disagreed.

 

Mr. Paul Gagnon, Dutton Road and a member of the Conservation Commission was in favor of the warrant article.  He said open space would be protected and believed that the warrant article would pay for itself. 

 

It was noted that the $.02 tax impact was based upon the $12,000. 

 

2) To raise and appropriate $535,000 to comply with state certification requirements for  revaluing all property assessments in Town by April, 2006; and to raise the sum of $7000 interest and associated costs.  The Selectmen will be authorized to negotiate and issue bonds.  (Tax impact $.01 3/5 vote required)

 

Mr. Lynde noted if the Town chose not to comply, the state would do the revaluation and send the Town a bill. 

 

There was no public input.

 

3) To raise and appropriate up to the sum of $495,000 for the reconstruction of Gaston Road, Campbell Road, Methuen Road and Andover Street per RSA 33 and authorize the Selectmen to negotiate and issue bonds/notes and determine interest; amount raised and expended under the article shall be re-paid (plus interest) over ten years by the property owners having frontage along said roads, or who are served by the roads per RSA 231:28-33 (no tax impact  3/5 vote required)

 

Mr. Lynde noted that the warrant article was brought forward through petition warrant article.

 

4) To raise and appropriate the sum of $35,000 for the reconstruction of Spring Street Extension; to be raised per RSA 33 and  authorize the Selectmen to negotiate and issue said bonds/notes and determine interest; the amount shall be added to the sum of $200,000 raised during the 2003 Town Meeting and will be repaid (plus interest) to the Town over a ten-year period by the property owners having frontage over said road and/or who are served by said road,  per RSA 231:28-33. (no tax impact  3/5 vote required)

 

Mr. Steve Nowe, Hayden Road had a problem putting money into private streets and believed that safety should be the priority.  Mr. Lynde explained that the warrant article would be paid for by the persons benefiting, not the tax payers.  He said the money would be raised and a bill would be sent to the residents of the street which will be paid with their tax bill. 

 

Miscellaneous

 

Mr. Gaydos asked the Selectmen how they wanted the ballot to read with regard to the 2-2-0 vote taken in connection with the petition warrant article for traffic signals (AL). 

 

Mr. Lynde said it was not recommended by the Selectmen because the motion failed. 

 

Mr. Leo Thibault, Simpson Road didn’t see how the Selectmen could vote ‘not in favor’ because the vote was an even split 2-2 and should reflect such on the ballot. 

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

MOTION:

(McDevitt/Derby) To adjourn the meeting.

 

VOTE:

 

(3-0-0) The motion carried. 

 

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:20pm.

                                                                                          Respectfully submitted,

 

                                                                                          Charity A. L. Willis

                                                                                          Recording Secretary