Condensed from approved minutes.
Members Present: Todd Goings, Chair; Michelle Dudek
Also present for duration of appropriate items: Marj Roy, Town Administrator; Jon Champagne, Road Agent; Chris Aiken, Field Works of New Hampshire; Donna Duclos, Andover Planning Board; Charity Robinson, Interim Town Clerk / Tax Collector; and Lisa Meier, Secretary
Road Agent Report
Champagne stated he had previously been asked by the Select Board where the purchase of the new truck is at, and he responded that he has not received any response from Reed’s to his inquiries.
Belmore is to be in either the 6th or 7th; Nicon crack sealing the 7th or 8th; and R&D Paving will be here the middle of the month.
An underdrain has been installed on Last Street and a pipe installed under Overlook Avenue. The arrows need to be printed to delineate the catch basins.
Lakeview and Proctor cemeteries will be mowed once more this year. The winterizing and closing of the Town Beach are being worked on.
Caterpillar will be here at the end of October for the 500-hour service on the backhoe. The F250 and F550 pickups have been scheduled for fluid filming at S&P Auto, and the new truck will be done once it has been received.
The paint issue at White Oak Pit has been wrapped up.
Goings asked if the drain on Overlook Avenue has been finalized at the end yet, and the response was that they will not be moving nor restructuring the road, and he suggests paving to the area of the duplex home.
Champagne asked if there will be a time to meet regarding the snowplow contracts, and the response was yes.
Champagne introduced Chris Aiken, explaining that he has 110 hp boom mowers and does canopy work. His equipment can cut up to 2½” softwood and a little bigger for hardwood.
Goings asked if he contracts by hour and the response was yes. Goings asked Aiken how many towns he services now, and the response was six to eight. Goings asked what the average town price is, and Aiken responded he will work with what a town has for a budget.
Aiken forewarned the board that not everyone will be satisfied with the narrative at hand. Champagne stated that opening the roads up improved the integrity of the roads.
Town Administrator Report
Times for closing the polls was discussed, and Robinson recommended speaking with the Supervisors of the Checklist, as they have more experience, as she herself is just learning. Roy stated the polls can be opened earlier.
Dudek asked what the law is on the amount of time that the polls can be open, and Roy responded eight hours.
Goings asked if there were any new plow contracts, and Roy replied no, still just the two.
Finance is working with DRA for tax rate setting. The budgets and town reports are being worked on. Roy stated she has discussed the budget format with Elita Reed, Finance Manager, and will have it formalized on October 13, 2021.
Information has been received from American Rescue Plan Act for 2021.
The auditors will be here on October 8, 2021.
The Interim Town Clerk and Deputy have done training through DMV.
Roy indicated to the Board that the file cabinets in her office are filled.
Goings asked for a response to the misinformation at the prior two meetings, and Roy responded that at the September 7, 2021, meeting regarding the sign application for Drake’s Place being signed twice by the Select Board, as she did not realize the board originally signed it. Robinson stated that in and out boxes should be utilized.
In regard to the September 20, 2021, meeting regarding the email Kinney received from Jane Hubbard, Marj and Jane have come up with a system to work on items from Homeland Security.
Correspondence and Signatures
An email was received from Homeland Security and Dudek and Goings signed electronically and Kinney can also sign electronically. Roy indicated she would like the hard-copy signed.
Roy indicated that the contract with Jane Saunders pertaining to deed searches for the Tax Collectors office would cost $15 per parcel, and the approximate number of searches needed to be done is 50.
The new process for letters regarding liens is having Jane Saunders process the letters.
The non-public minutes from the September 20, 2021, meeting were signed. Goings made a motion to seal the minutes. Dudek seconded the motion and the Board voted unanimously in favor of sealing the minutes of the September 20, 2021, meeting.
Robinson discussed a possible abatement for a taxpayer and explained the situation. The Board voted unanimously in favor of granting the abatement.