Meeting convened at 6:35 p.m.
Members Present: Marj Roy, Town Administrator; Dave Blinn and Chuck Keyser, Select Board Members, John Thompson, Road Agent; Jim Reed, Transfer Station Manager; Elita Reed, Bookkeeper; Police Officer Dan Mori; and Police Chief Joe Mahoney
Also present were: Trustees of the Trust Funds, Joann Edgar, Alex Estin, and Dan Mori; Eversource Representatives: Matthew Cardin, Environmental Permitting Coordinator; Lydia Morton, Siting and Construction Services Contractor; and Catalina Celentano, Community Relations Specialist; and Peter Sanborn
Work Sessions Scheduled
The Board scheduled the following work session: Tuesday, August 28, 2018 at 8:30 AM Currently, the plan is to meet at the Transfer Station with a potential new employee and then to head to Town Hall to begin review of the budget.
Eversource
Eversource will be working on transmission lines #127 later in the year. They would like to start probably in September. The line runs from Kearsarge Mountain Road through to Bridge Road. There are 25 structures that need attention. There are some access issues including bridge weight limits and steep slopes and wetlands to be concerned with. To avoid these issues, Eversource would like to use Dawes Road, a Class VI scenic road, to Bridge Road to the Right of Way again. Eversource will upgrade Dawes Road and will only need to trim up saplings. There are no issues with trees in that area that need to be cut down. Eversource will be replacing wooden poles with steel poles. Although there will be transmission lines down, there will be no power outages in that area during this project. Power will be rerouted temporarily.
Eversource already spoke with the Conservation Commission. The Conservation Commission gave a list of their concerns to Eversource. Eversource will address these concerns and also provide the Conservation Commission with the Wetland Permits. An article has been written for the Beacon to appear in the September edition.
Eversource attended the Select Board meeting tonight to propose this project to the Town and find out how the Town will approve what they propose to take care of. Blinn indicated that the Road Agent, the Select Board, the Conservation Commission along with input from the Planning Board would be what is needed.
Thompson did not have any issues with the Eversource plan. It is routine maintenance and it is not going to severely impact the area.
Blinn will apprise the Planning Board of Eversource intent. If needed, he will set up a meeting or a site visit for the Planning Board if necessary. The Board agreed to allow Eversource to proceed with the project.
Road Agent Report
• Switch Road – Ditched and chip sealed. Allstate came back and swept up the aggregate. If any further aggregate needs to be swept away, they will return.
• Transfer Station Project – Working on the wall. The crushed stone was not calculated into the quote. They needed 222 yards of material. The priced change might be about a $4200.00 increase. Thompson is keeping close track on the project and the material usage. Using all the town equipment, labor, crushed stone, etc…the cost for the beginning phase is currently at $16, 308
• Old College Road – GMI and R & D Paving submitted bids. Pike Industries did not. The contract was ultimately awarded to GMI. They were the company that did the initial work on Old College Road last summer. The road should be started by the end of next week or the beginning of the following week.
• Culverts – Thompson is waiting for prices and hopes to receive those by the end of the week.
• Mowing and Cutting Trees – Continues around town.
• Last Street Bridge – The engineer’ report from Josif came in. Hoyle and Tanner do the design. The Town will do the actual work. Roy will copy and talk to Josif tomorrow and then meet with Thompson tomorrow.
Transfer Station Report by Jim Reed
• Stephen Barton and Sons Carpentry started work on the office building. The compactor is down at this time. Trash is put into a roll away container. The Transfer Station generates 18 tons per week. Wednesday the roll away was filled twice and on Saturday it was three times.
• The project to take care of the rats near the office building went well. A safer traffic pattern plan for residents was developed.
• When Reed looked closely at the compactor there was a lot of steel corrosion damage from the trash. Reed sent out for price bids for the steel work/fabrication that is needed to repair before the compactor is up and running again. There were five rotted holes in the trailer. And, the tires on the trailer also need to be replaced.
• Compactors and balers will arrive in September. To purchase the balers at this time was a better deal and cost effective because there is grant money available that may not be available next year. NRRA pushed hard to get us the grant money. Initially the grant would be for $5,000 maximum. However, with NRRA’s assistance and due to the amount of work the Town performed at the Transfer Station recently, the Town was awarded an additional $2,000. The total grant is $7, 000.
• Reed purchased the new forks for the balers.
• Bids to do the back work over by the Swap Shop – Reed spoke to Dan Merzi about doing the work over by the Swap Shop area. Some old pine trees need to be taken down. Merzi understands the water issues in that area.
• Blinn indicated that Verizon assured that they are aware of the water drainage issue. Verizon is already planning on putting a culvert under the entrance road to the new cell tower.
Work Session – A work session is scheduled for September 7, 2018 at 9 AM. for Elita Reed, Bookkeeper and Dave Blinn. Roy will not be able to attend this meeting. The Fire Department precincts merged and so the East Andover accounts need to be closed out. Fred Lance will be involved as the FD treasurer. A warrant article will be written for the fire trucks.
Trustee of the Trust Funds
Roy explained that her understanding was that the Trustees are supposed to meet quarterly with written minutes of the meeting. However, Joann Edgar disputed that because she was an auditor and explained that the auditors would like them to meet quarterly. However, they are not required by law to meet quarterly. Edgar explained that all three Trustees have full time jobs. Last year when they tried to meet at Town Hall for a posted meeting, the Town Hall was locked up so even though it was raining, the Trustees met out in the parking lot. Edgar handled this with the auditors and will provide Roy with the correspondence.
Recreation Committee
The 4” pipe along the fence by the Rail Trail needs to be replaced before soccer starts on Labor Day. It is in bad shape. Hanscom mailed a quote to the Town Administrator. A work order needs to be paid.
Hanscom indicated that their budget is $500 for ground maintenance
Revolving Fund money is requested for three items totaling $956. A roll up window for the end of the building, the door from Belletetes is $334 plus seals for the top and bottom totaling $484 and a gutter to prevent water runoff. After discussion, the Board approved using the Revolving fund for the $954.00.
The Committee is again shopping for bids to put the fencing down the baseball field driveway. The idea is to fence off the area so that children are safe and away from the vehicles. Possibly the money could be taken from the swimming fund because they were unable to find an instructor.
Roy suggested Hanscom meet with her prior to budget season.
4th of July Committee
Requested additional power for the Green. Before the committee gets any quotes, they wanted to check with the Select Board to make sure they are on board with their request. The committee spoke to Lloyd Perreault about the situation. If the Board agrees they will ask Perreault for an estimate. After discussion, the Board would like an estimate for the work before they commit to it. Roy will speak with the Committee.
Request for Building Permit on a Class VI Road
Sanborn requested in writing his desire to build his residence on a Class VI road property he owns. Along with the written request, he attached the denial letter from building permit application he submitted to the Zoning Administrator along with a map. The Board will next follow up with the Planning Board requesting their advisory opinion. Sanborn attended the meeting to answer any questions the Board might have for him.
Correspondence and Signatures
o MS535 Financial Budget Report ending 12/31/17
Signed by both Board Members present
o Timber Tax Bill Ragged Mountain Fish and Game Club $85.76 26-880-420 Signed by both Board Members present
o Intent to Cut Russell Michaud Kearsarge Mountain/Dawes Road 14-347-130 Signed by both Board Members present
o Accounts Payable reimbursement for 2018 Signed by both Board Members present
Announcements Dave Blinn
• There will be a Beacon article on the Class VI roads, the Highland Lake drawdown, and the Transfer Station in September.
• The Board’s decision was to draw down Highland Lake one foot this year and have a meeting next year to assess the situation again. Roy will start the paperwork for the one foot drawdown.
• There will be an information meeting for interested residents on the Lawrence Street Bridge project with Hoyle Tanner’s engineer, Steve Hodgdon. The presentation includes a site visit at approximately 4:30 PM and afterwards at approximately 6 PM., a question and answer period at Town Hall. Hodgdon will present a 3-D for the residents to review. Roy will contact Hodgdon and suggest the potential dates of Wednesday, September 12th, 19th, or 26th.
• The State cannot find the driveway permit for White Oak Pit. However, it is referenced in the minutes.
Approval of Minutes
Blinn made the motion to accept and approve the Minutes of August 6, 2018. Keyser seconded the motion. All in favor. The August 6, 2018 minutes are approved.
Adjournment
Blinn made the motion to adjourn the meeting. Keyser seconded the motion. All in favor. Meeting adjourned at 8:07 PM
Minutes prepared by Patricia Moyer, Select Board Secretary