SEL20080219

APPROVED

TOWN OF PELHAM

BOARD OF SE= LECTMEN MEETING

MINUTES

February 19, = 2008

APPROVED – March 4, 2008<= o:p>

CALL = TO ORDER

PLEDG= E OF ALLEGIANCE

PRESENT:

Mr. Victor Danevich, Mr= . Harold Lynde, Mr. William McDevitt, Mr. Robert Haverty,

Mr. Douglas Viger, Town= Administrator Tom Gaydos

Also present:

ABSENT:

Members of the press and general public.

None.

MINUTES REVIEW<= /p>

February 7, 2008

MOTION:<= o:p>

(Haverty/Lynde) To approve the February 7, 2008 meeting minutes as = written.

VOTE:

(5-0-0) The motion carri= ed.

OPEN FORUM

None.=

APPOINTMENTS

Discussion – Department 3-Ye= ar Plans

Mr. Danevich said the Sel= ectmen were reviewing the 3-year departmental plans. He said the purpose of the plans w= as to provide visibility and guidance to the Selectmen of what the Department Hea= ds were thinking in terms of project, plans and whey they envisioned the departments in three years. <= /p>

Mr. Gaydos said the plans= were a work in progress. He believed= the idea was to review the three-year plans and then look at the one-year plan = and discuss the specifics of the priorities to implement the plan.

Police Department – Mr. Gaydos said there were a number of goals and objectives the Police Department wanted to achieve. Backup information was provided. Mr. Gaydos said there were a numbe= r of goals and objectives that the department had put forward which included qui= te a bit of back up information. A summary of the items are: 1) scheduling of employees - urgently the employe= es worked eight hour shifts they were on four and off two. The Police Chief would like to rev= iew a ten hour shift going with four on three off, then three on three off. Because of shift, they would be ab= le to pick up approximately 336 man hours of work per year; 2) to continue purcha= sing two cruisers per year; 3) review of purchasing the motorcycle versus leasing it; 4) review and rewrite all the operating procedures to keep them up to date; 5) look at GPS systems for the f= ront line vehicles and the OHRV; and 6) to speak with Planning, Fire and Assessi= ng to explore acquiring (through a joint effort) a GIS mapping system.

In the upcoming years, th= ey would like to do a detail workload analysis to determine the level of staffing to reduce overtime. They would l= ike to hire a communication supervisor to manage dispatch and fill shifts. There was mention in the plan rega= rding the reverse 911 system which the state might also implement; this would all= ow emergency phone calls to be placed to specified groups. There was also an idea for reducing prisoner transport costs by using video arraignments.

Mr. Gaydos then reviewed = year three of the plan which would be to: 1) start implementing/proceeding with = the overtime reduction strategy; 2) identify and renovate/replace the animal shelter; 3) streamline the fingerprinting process by purchasing a digital system; and 4) review technology for the Officers to complete and print out summons in the field.

Mr. McDevitt said it woul= d be helpful for the Selectmen to have some indication from the Department Head regarding what specific level of approval was needed prior to the items bei= ng implemented.

Mr. Lynde said he would l= ike to see how the changes in shift or manpower implementation would create the savings. He questioned how the Selectmen were supposed to move ahead with the plans. Mr. Gaydos said the main object of= the plans was to make the Selectmen aware of the department’s direction a= nd find out if there was something up front that they objected to. He believed the Police Chief was planning on showing how a program could be implemented and how there would = be savings. He said it was the Department Head’s goal to know where the Selectmen stood regarding th= eir plans for 2008-2009.

Mr. Haverty felt the plan= was a good start; goals were stated and how they could be obtained. He was unsure of the direction of = the plan. He asked if the Board s= et direction for the department or certain objectives they wanted them to achi= eve. Mr. Gaydos said the idea was to get feedback from the departments so the Board could review the information and identify the high priorities, which would be sent back to the department for implementation. He said the o= verall objective was to have no more than five priorities per department. Mr. Haverty said generally managem= ent set the direction/objectives of a plan and the objectives in a plan are bas= ed around those incentives. He s= aid if plans were built from the bottom up they tended to be a wish list. Mr. Gaydos said the Selectmen could shape the plan any way that they’d like; this was just a start and a = way for the Selectmen to track where each department was. Mr. Haverty noted that he wasnR= 17;t picking on the Police Department. He said throughout the process he would question where the direction= for the departments was coming from.

Mr. Viger said he liked t= he way the plan was started. He woul= d like it to stay on track with it as the 2008-2009 budget season began since the = back up information was included. = He said as items came up throughout the year the plan could move in a differen= t direction.

Mr. Danevich discussed the Selectmen’s position. H= e said when the Selectmen drafted their priority list one item was to have the departments create three-year plans so the Board would understand what direction the departments were go= ing in. He said the original goal= s was 1) alignment so the Selectmen’s priorities was what the residents were asking for; 2) Selectmen priorities were in alignment with the Town Administrator and the Town Administrator was in alignment with the Departme= nt Heads; 3) visibility of items being reviewed, and 4) plan for funding. The Selectmen discussed the p= lan and their ideas for how to proceed. They liked the format of the plan the Police Chief put forward. Mr. McDevitt asked that the level = for approval be included in the information.

Town Clerk/Tax Collector – Mr. Gaydos said a major projec= t, the state on-line vehicle registration, had been implemented and was coming along very well. He outlined = the additional services that the Town would now be able to provide. He said they had applied for a Vit= al Records Improvement Grant to assist the department. He noted that there would be four elections in the coming year that would be quite a bit for the department.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Mr. Gaydos said in the coming year= the department would request funding for the preservation of unbound Town records. He said the departme= nt would also continue to adapt to the new motor vehicles transactions that wo= uld be occurring. The department = will continue to monitor the activity.

Mr. McDevitt believed he = read that there were some towns accepting credit cards. He wanted to know the issues assoc= iated with doing so. Mr. Gaydos said there were a number of issues at several levels. One issue was that the Town would = have to appropriate the service fees. There would also be a whole set of service issues that went along wi= th it such as how credits would be handled and how the Town would interface wi= th the state. Mr. Gaydos noted t= hat Finance Officer Janet Gallant would be attending a GFOA (Finance Officer) meeting in the next couple days where this would be discussed. He said it looked like it would be= feasible; they would bring a presentation to the Board.

Assessing – Mr. Gaydos said the Assessing Department had = seen increased activity from residents because of the increase in the level of information available. The of= fice was looking at developing a part time position to understand the office processes and basic customer service. Mr. Gaydos said another items was to have a dedicated certified asse= ssor for the Town which would need to be negotiated for the future. This would create continuity in the department and increase the level of service to the residents. The Assessor was also looking at continuing education and program skills.&n= bsp; In the upcoming years the department would continue with the first s= et of objectives and maintain the annual assessing updates (if the voters appr= oved the process).

Highway – Mr. Gaydos said road maintenance was important. The three-year pla= n beginning in 2008 was: 1) to continue w= orking on the Gumpas Hill Road Culvert replacement; 2) overlay from the end of sidewalk at Memorial School to Mammoth Road; 3) Pelham Road reconstruction;= 4) Burns Road overlay; 5) Nancy Avenue; 6) continue working on Stormwater Plan Update (state requirement); 7) in keeping with CIP replace 1997 4x4 1-ton diesel pickup with plow; 8) re-establish Willow Street Capital Reserve Fund= ; 9) acquire a 90 HP tractor with boom mower; 10) 2008 dump truck with plow and sander; and 10) continue the Garage Capital Reserve Fund. The equipment acquisitions w= ill replace the trucks and allow the department to plow more efficiently.

In 2009 the plan would be= to: 1) Coburn Avenue overlay; 2) Surrey Lane overlay; 3) Pelham Road reconstructio= n; 4) Old Bridge Street North; 5) Jeremy Hill Road overlay (lower portion); 6) LeBlanc Road overlay; 7) Holstein Drive overlay; 8) Longview Circle overlay= ; 9) Overlook Drive overlay; 10) do work on a portion of Jericho Road and Christopher Lane; 11) continue Stormwater Plan Update; 12) one additional full-time labor/equipment operator (more efficient that using outside firms= ); 13) Garage Capital Reserve Fund; and 14) Willow Street Bridge Capital Reser= ve Fund.

In 2010 the plan would be= to: 1) Old Lawrence Road overlay; 2) Old Gage Hill Road South overlay; 3) Beniot R= oad overlay; 4) Bowman Lane overlay; 5) Tallant Road overlay; 6) Atwood Road overlay; 7) Island Pond overlay; 8) and continue with other projects as in previous years.

Mr. Gaydos said the Selec= tmen would have to discuss how the Highway Department would be run in the future, either continue to sub-contract or review bringing things in-house and havi= ng the equipment ourselves. He f= elt it would be good to discuss the merits and pitfalls of each side.

Mr. Lynde said based on t= he road maintenance schedule of approximately five miles per year it would take twe= nty years to come full cycle. He = said he had data from an NRPC report regarding the roads. He said the budget may need to be increased so the Town could stay ahead of the deterioration of the roads.

Mr. Viger said he would l= ike to see a cost comparison between sub-contractors versus regular staff.

The Selectmen said they w= ould continue reviewing plans at the next meeting.

TOWN ADMINISTRATOR / SELECTMEN’S REPORTS

Mr. Gaydos informed that the Fire Station brochure wou= ld be sent out early the next week. The Voter Guide would be sent out February 29, 2008. The Town Report would be ready the last week of the month; the Boy Scouts would stuff the ballot.

Mr. Viger said he attend= ed the Senior Center Breakfast which had a good turn out.

Mr. Haverty said the Fire Station brochure would be ma= iled on February 25, = 2008. He informed that Community Night w= ould be held March 6, = 2008 at which the Fire Station Committee will have a booth. He ended by reminding residents th= at the Fire Department would hold their open house March 8, 2008.

Mr. Lynde had no report.=

Mr. McDevitt said planni= ng was on its way for the Concerts on the Common in the summer.

Mr. Danevich said the last scheduled meeting of this t= erm would be held Mar= ch 4, 2008. He encouraged people to come out a= nd vote.

REQUEST FOR NON-PUBLIC S= ESSION

MOTION:=

(Viger/McDevitt) Request for a non-public session pe= r RSA 91-A:3,II,a (Personnel)

ROLL CALL:<= /b>

Mr. Danevich-Yes; Mr. Lynde-Yes; Mr. McDevitt-Yes; M= r. Haverty-Yes; Mr. Viger-Yes

Mr. Danevich noted that when the Board returned, after= the non-public session, the Board would not take any other action publicly, exc= ept to possibly seal the minutes of the non-public session and to adjourn the meeting. The Board entered in= to a non-public session at approximately 7:31pm. Also present was Mr. Gaydos.

The Board returned to pu= blic session at approximately 8:= 15pm.

MOTION:=

(Haverty/Viger) To seal the minutes of the non-public session indefinitely.

VOTE:

(5-0-0) The motion carried.

ADJOURNMENT

MOTION:<= o:p>

(Haverty/Viger) To adjourn the meeting.

VOTE:

(5-0-0) The motion carri= ed.

The meeting was adjourne= d at approximately 8:15pm.

&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; Respectfully submitted,

&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; Charity A. L. Willis

&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; Recording Secretary