January 7

Condensed from approved minutes

Present: Members Mishcon, Gross, Danforth; Town Administrator Roy; Road Agent Jon Champagne.

Road Agent’s Report

There was discussion of a private logging operation on Valley Road. The Road Agent has spoken with the logger several times this week regarding getting his equipment to the Bourdon property on Valley Road. Jon authorized the logger to take his feller-buncher across the bridge and told him all logs will have to be taken out over the road to Tucker Mountain Road.

Jon presented his itemized description of work to be done by the Town on the Morrill Hill Road Bridge project. This will be sent to Nancy Mayville at DOT.

Jon reported that Andover Thrift Shop asked to have their parking lot cleaned up when plowing is done. The Board stated that the Town agreed to plow the parking lot, but any shoveling that might be needed is up to the Andover Service Club.

Winter sand from White Oak pit is working very well. The combination of 150 tons of salt to 3,500 yards of sand is a good mix.

White Oak Road was declared a Class 5 road as far in as the entrance to the Town’s sandpit. The Town will plow as far as the sandpit. A motion was made by Selectman Gross and seconded by Selectman Danforth, unanimous vote. Jon will provide the measurement to the Town Administrator.

Selectman Mishcon reported that the Budget Committee wants to see a 10-year road plan before they will recommend borrowing $650,000 to pave roads. A 10-year plan should be an achievable plan, taking into consideration actual revenues and appropriations. The plan needs to be addressed each year and adjusted as required.

A five-year plan might be more feasible, since pricing changes so frequently. The plan should be a “long-term plan” with short-term goals. Arch Weathers will put all of the Road Surface Management System (RSMS) information into the demo of RSMS, and this information will be a resource during development of a plan.

Without the warrant article for the paving, there will have to be an article asking for the appropriation of $100,000 for special projects with the Board as agents to expend. The combination of this article, if passed, and Article 11 from the 2012 warrant (which appropriated $50,000 for special road projects and named the Board of Selectmen as agents to expend) would provide $150,000 to be spent on:

• Overlay (topcoat) of Bradley Lake Road: $76,000
• Improving Apple Crest Lane with pipes, gravel, ditching, and repaving: $29,000
• Restructure Pancake Road with gravel, 2” base, culvert pipes, repaving: $12,500
• Ditching, topcoat Mill Road: $35,000
• Total: $152,500*

*The Road Agent is confident that the $2,500 overage can be negotiated down.

Jon stated that sand seal is used on roads that have been paved and sealed.

Plains Road has been crack-sealed and is a priority for paving. Flaghole Road, from North Road to the Franklin town line, could be drag-shimmed, which would buy some time before major work would be needed.

Tax Collector Joanna Sumner

Joanna presented abatement requests from taxpayers who were incorrectly charged for inventory penalties. The Board signed the abatements, and Joanna will process them. There was a brief discussion regarding the properties that are potentially up for tax deed this year. Joanna told the Board that historically this list is long at this point in the year, but as the tax deed date approaches it becomes much shorter.

Fourth of July Committee

Mrs. Roy reported that she had spoken with Bob Ward, chairperson of the Andover Fourth of July and Events Committee. Bob had told her that he would speak to the warrant article regarding the Andover Fourth of July and Events Committee at Town Meeting. She also reported that Bob plans to write an article for the Beacon explaining those changes.

The warrant article will request the establishment of an expendable trust fund for the purpose of accepting donations and fees according to RSA 39:19. This will allow the Committee to operate as it always has, funding the event through donations and fees and not the Town budget process.

The Board will schedule a work session for development of the Vendor Ordinance which will need to be ready before Town Meeting.

There was discussion about the town docks at Highland Lake. The dock near the public boat ramp should be available for people who are using the ramp. The docks need to be repaired. The agreement should be fair. Liability needs to be clearly defined. $100 per season is not enough. A bid process or lottery process would be fair to everyone who is interested. The dock/properties need to be defined so that the Board knows what is involved.

The drainage problem on Valley Road will need to be discussed with the Road Agent at the next meeting.

Friends of the Northern Rail Trail

RD Edmunds to sign off, TOA to sign off, invoice for balance to be sent to FNRT. In the future, a qualified person should be hired (paid for by the grant) to administer any grants. General consensus of the Board was that any future projects such as the Northern Rail Trail should be administered by someone other than the Town Administrator, and the person hired should be paid by the agency sponsoring the project. In order to administer a project of this scope, the Town Administrator must spend time and resources that take away from the established responsibilities for that position. The Board stated that this in no way detracts from the Northern Rail Trail project, which is a wonderful addition to our town.

EMS Receivables: Mrs. Roy and John Kinney have reviewed the overdue accounts and referred a list to Comstar for collection letters etc.

The chairperson of the Planning Board has asked for clarification about what the Board of Selectmen expect them to do with the three building violations. Selectman Danforth will research the appeal process and the Board of Selectmen actions. The Board determined that the Planning Board will review the three cases that have been referred to it.

Bridges: Selectman Danforth has a January 15 appointment with the DOT official responsible for maintaining the State of New Hampshire 10-year bridge plan. The Board of Selectmen will look at the bridge inspection reports on file. The bridge on Last Street needs to be added to the list, as does the Lawrence Street Bridge. The Hall Road Bridge can be deleted from the list.

Selectman Danforth will call DOT for a meeting with the Board of Selectmen and the Town Administrator.

Selectman Danforth suggested that the Town issue a building permit to the Pellerin property owners because the lot is non-conforming and a permit can be issued within one year of the fire. Selectman Gross moved to have the Town Administrator tell the Building Inspector to issue a no-cost building permit for the Pellerin property. Selectman Danforth seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous.

The Town Administrator will check with Road Agent about his annual report. The Board reviewed the Transfer Station fee schedule with suggested changes. Selectman Danforth moved to adopt suggested fees for Transfer Station. Selectman Gross seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous. Selectman Mishcon requested that Reggie Roy, Transfer Station Supervisor, write a Transfer Station Report for the Town Report.

The Board agreed that the Town Administrator may go to a larger format for the Town Report if it does not greatly affect the cost.