Prior to the meeting convening, Town Administrator, Marj Roy, announced to the Board that the Public Hearing for the Pole Amendments was cancelled and will be reposted and scheduled for another date and time.
Meeting convened at 6:05 PM.
PRESENT: Marj Roy, Town Administrator; Chuck Keyser, Select Board Chair; Dave Blinn and Bill Keyser, Select Board Members; John Thompson, Road Agent; and Police Chief Joe Mahoney made a brief appearance.
Also present were: Vicky Mishcon and Janet Moore; Bob and Susan Currier
At 6:05 PM. the Board entered into Non-Public Session by Roll Call Vote:
Chuck Keyser YES Dave Blinn YES Bill Keyser YES
At 6:10 PM. the Board closed the Non-Public Session
At 6:10 PM. the Board reopened the Public Meeting.
At 6:10 PM. the Board entered into Non-Public Session by Roll Call Vote:
Chuck Keyser YES Dave Blinn YES Bill Keyser YES
At 6:25 PM. the Board closed the Non-Public Session.
At 6:30 PM. the Board reconvened the Public Meeting.
ROAD AGENT REPORT by John Thompson
Last Street Bridge – the Highway Department has been mostly preparing for this project the past two weeks. Everything is loaded in the trucks. The project will start at 6:00 AM. At that time, the bridge will be closed down. All appropriate departments and residents have been notified including the Police Department, Emergency Medical Services, and the Fire Department. When the bridge is closed down in the morning, a fire truck will be set up there. Pedestrian traffic will be maintained, but no vehicular traffic will be allowed. Once started, the Highway Department will continue to work until the bridge is passable for vehicular traffic. The railings can be worked on after the bridge is passable for vehicular traffic. The project should take several days.
Other than preparing for the bridge work, the Highway Department has done some scraping, patching, and sanding from last week’s storm.
Elbow Pond Culvert Project – Thompson has been working with Josif from Hoyle Tanner and Associates. They are gathering materials for the project. Thompson might need to order more blocks. He will find out whether the new blocks will match the ones they already have or if
completely new blocks need to be ordered. The project needs to be completed by July for the grant and as it appears at this time, it will not be completed by then. There is still a lot of snow and high water in that area, Roy will request an extension of time through the Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Roy indicated that they should know if they received the extension in two to three weeks from the request.
Missing Bridge Postings – Thompson indicated that he thinks they have all the postings they need. They are waiting for the ground to thaw enough to be able to drive the posts down in the ground. Thompson will check with Keith Blinn to check the inventory and let Roy know if he has all of them.
As soon as Last Street Bridge project is completed, the Highway Department will start sweeping the roads in town and begin the cemetery work.
Shirley and Poplar Streets – At this point, only recharge basins and drainage will be worked on. Thompson will talk with Josif when work on the bridge is undertaken about the Currier Road issue. The Board would like to meet with the Village Water Commissioners. Keyser offered to talk with Toby Locke. The Board questioned whether there were maps of the water system. During the meeting, Roy contacted the Meier’s about the maps. The Meier’s believe there are such maps.
Past Manifest Questions – Bill Keyser questioned some of the billings from different area stores for the Highway Department. Thompson indicated that those items were mostly for the Last Street Bridge. All of the tools and materials purchased are for the Town and can be found at the White Oak Pit locked in areas. Thompson also indicated that there is an inventory which is kept for those items. The Town only owns some tools at this point that were purchased along the way when needed for projects over the past several years. Now that the Town voted in an Appointed Road Agent, more tools will need to be purchased. Thompson also noted that in the near future there will be more purchases to build up the tools they need for projects in Town.
Bill Keyser also questioned that amount of hauling done in the past few weeks. Thompson indicated that it was materials including trees, bush, and dead items built up in the river that was cleaned up and hauled away for the Last Street Bridge Project.
ANDOVER PUBLIC LIBRARY ENTRANCE PLAN by Janet Moore and Vicky Mishcon
Moore took the Board up to the library so she could explain what the Library Trustees want to accomplish and for the Board to review and ask questions. The basic plan is to eliminate the old ramp, close off that entrance door, take away the granite steps, make one universal entrance where the granite steps are now. The library parking will be out front of the Town Office building with handicapped parking right at the new ramp entrance.
The Trustees met with one architect who didn’t design the Tracy Library in New London but who did some repairs on it so he can help them avoid some mistakes. Then on Wednesday, the Trustees will meet with another architect from Concord who worked with town resident, Mark
Cowdrey. This architect is willing to work with Cowdrey and save the Town about $1500 on architectural plans if Cowdrey produces the design drawings. The following night, Thursday, April 18, the Trustees will meet and choose one of those architects to work with.
To bring awareness to what is being planned for the Andover Public Library, the Trustees plan on having a sandwich poster board display at the 4th of July Book Sale of the proposed plans.
To help finance the project, the Trustee have some funds available in CD’s. There are four grants that can be applied for, and they will also do some fundraising. One of the options for fundraising is to sell personally etched brick patio blocks. At next year’s Town Meeting, they will provide a warrant article for any monies needed for the project dependent on what has been raised and received.
Mishcon mentioned that the paving costs is probably the largest cost of the project. Mishcon thought maybe this is where the Town could help out.
Mishcon also noted that the Library is a Town owned property and both the Town and the library have responsibilities for this building and they should work together on this project.
Moore stated during the Summer of 2020 the project is expected to be worked on and completed.
After Moore’s presentation to the Board, Keyser stated that he would like to see a more definite plan and have some cost numbers and then for the Trustees to come review it with them.
Moore stated that the Trustees are more than happy to work with the Select Board on this project.
Blinn knows of several companies who do projects similar with the bricks and offered to do some research on those companies. Blinn thinks he can possibly get a demo for the Fourth of July so residents could see the project plans.
BUSWELL PROPERTY on Main Street (Tax Map 20-268-419)
Bob and Sue Currier of Bridge Road came in to talk with the Select Board to find out the availability of this property. At one point, Bob was interested in the property, but then changed his mind. However, last week Bob came into to ask Roy if the property was still available. Roy told Bob that she would consult with the Town Attorney. Bob indicated that he was not around when the first public hearing took place and that he forgot to attend the second public hearing.
The property was taken by Tax Deed in 2013. The only party known that was interested was Lenny Caron who has a vested interest in the property. After discussion with the Curriers, the Board will talk further with Caron and the Town Attorney to find out how to proceed.
DUMP STICKERS
After discussion about how to handle making sure it is only town residents using the Transfer Station, Roy will discuss it with the Town Clerk and Deputy Town Clerk about how to best to enforce and notify residents that they need a transfer station dump sticker.
TRANSFER STATION DOOR REPAIR
The door at the recycling center needs repair. It is the door across from the mixed paper container. There is a double step as you get on the inside of the building that needs to be altered. It is believed that Doug Bent installed that door. Roy will contact Bent to have him look at it.
CORRESPONDENCE AND SIGNATURES
• Roy received an email from Steve Hodgdon, the engineer for the Lawrence Street Bridge checking in with the Town noting that he does not have a date yet for the bridge study but his estimate would be in June.
Roy received a letter from NH Department of Environmental Services (DES) notifying the Town that the NH Beach Program water monitoring will cease monitoring for small lakes including Highland Lake. The letter explained that typically the water is tested during June, July, and August for fecal matter. Of the 200 plus small lakes they test, only about five percent have any concerns. Thus, they will not continue this program but will make information available for the Town to test on their own. After discussion the Board agreed to have Roy check into the cost of testing samples ourselves and what lab to send the samples. The Board agreed that this cost should fall into be in the Recreation’s budget.
The Board also discussed the need to get sand on Highland Lake Beach. It is a special sand for the beach. Two years ago, the Town attempted to have sand added to the beach, but was unsuccessful due to some town residents reluctancy because of disturbing aquatic life. Roy will attempt to accomplish this again. As long as the Department of Environmental Sciences allows the Town to do this, the Board would like to proceed with this project.
• Intent to Cut – Jerry Hersey – 1057 Franklin Highway – Tax Maps 23-038-033, 16-048-234 and 16- 044-465
• Annual Intent to Excavate – Mark Thompson – Morrill Hill Road – Tax Map 18-512-059
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES
After review of the April 1, 2019 minutes, Bill Keyser made the motion to accept and approve the minutes as written. Blinn seconded the motion. All in favor. The April 1, 2019 minutes are approved as written.
ADJOURNMENT
Chuck Keyser made the motion to adjourn at 8:15 PM. Bill Keyser seconded the motion. All in favor. The meeting adjourned at 8:15 PM.
Minutes prepared by Patricia Moyer, Select Board Secretary