Selectmen’s Minutes
Selectmen’s Meeting
May 24, 2004
Members Present: Larry Rappaport, Greg Placy, and Frank Dumaine.
Others Present: Donna Caron, Heidi Lawton, Kevin McKinnon, Claire Knapper, Donna Jordan, Clay Hinds, Irene Bean, Jim Tibbitts, and Beno Lamontagne.
Selectmen signed all payroll vouchers and voucher manifests.
The Selectmen signed a letter to 911 with the changes for roads and hydrants.
The Selectmen signed a bank note from First Colebrook Bank giving the Town a $500,000.00 line of credit; $100,000.00 will be borrowed this week.
Donna gave the Selectmen budget sheets, a draft of the Landfill Closure Agreement, and information on recycling tanks.
Memo from Sheila regarding reimbursing C.N. Brown for a registration of a vehicle. Greg made a motion to reimburse the funds; Frank seconded it, passed with full board approval.
Simone McKeage made a complaint that there is still a junk trailer up by her house and people are dumping furniture up there now. The Selectmen said to send it to the Planning Board.
Donna told the Selectmen that she called the Department of Revenue and the pool can be tax exempt. Donna gave a copy to Dallas Chase.
The Town received a letter from Avitar saying that Robert Shaw will not receive an abatement on his property. Donna also mentioned that in order for Robert Shaw to receive an abatement on his barn, which is a historical easement, we would need a public hearing. It will be scheduled for the next Selectmen’s meeting on June 14.
Donna explained that Kevin received a grant from Homeland Security for a fencing project around the water shed and he is putting out a bid request for the project.
Donna told the board that the Town had received a bill for $4,900.00 from Bill Blackwood for clean-up of his apartment building. Flooring, painting, and cleaning up of waste. The board discussed the issue and felt that since he had put a backflow preventor on his incoming sewer line, which prevented town sewer from entering his building, that the town was not responsible. Greg made a motion to not pay the bill. As the sewerage was from his building that overflowed onto his empty downstairs apartments. Frank seconded the motion, Larry was in favor, motion passed.
Donna received a letter from Sanborn Associates; they are doing a hydrological study for our wells. Casella will be paying for the study to be done.
Frank explained to the board that the Transfer Station has been getting propane gas tanks from gas grills at the Transfer Station. Frank has researched what to do with these tanks, and there is only one company from Massachusetts that will pick them up. A dollar a tank for 100 or more, and $5.00 a tank for less. If the Transfer Station wants to take them, we should charge $6.00 a tank Frank suggests. The Selectmen suggested that we talk to Lancaster and Littleton to find out what they do with the tanks.
Donna received a letter from HydroSource, and said the town just paid them $56,000.00 for drilling wells. They expect that in the future the costs would rise to $195,000.00 to $250,000.00. That amount could be reduced by $56,000.00 if one less well had to be drilled.
An agreement from Coos County Recycling Center has been sent to the Town, they would like us to sign for the next five years. The Selectmen would like to talk with Wally and Kevin about the contract before they sign.
The Selectmen made a motion to pass the May 10 minutes with the changes on page 2, Greg made a motion, Frank seconded it, Larry approved. Motion passed.
The Selectmen made a motion to pass the April 26 minutes. Frank made a motion, Greg seconded it, Larry approved. Motion passed.
Clay Hinds came in to talk with the board about using the water that comes out of the fire hydrant near his property. Greg made a motion for Clay to be able to use the fire hydrant water as long as he pays for what he uses. Frank seconded it, Larry approved. Motion passed.
Clay also brought in sewer condominium plans which are not signed by PFS yet. Since his buildings were constructed in Canada, he has to abide by the International Code for bringing buildings into this Country. The code states that the buildings have to have sprinklers, but the code for the State of New Hampshire does not require the buildings to have them. Clay is unsure what he is supposed to do at this time.
If he does need the sprinklers, he is not sure that his water main will supply enough water for these sprinklers. Larry mentioned that maybe Clay check with his financial advisor about the way the building has to be made. Clay would like the Selectmen to write a letter to the Canadian Government. Greg said that if they write a letter, they would explain to the government that they go by the BOCA codes in the United States. In the United States, anything under 11 units does not require a sprinkler system and Clay has 10 units. Greg made a motion for the board to write a letter to the Canadian Government saying that Clay will build by the BOCA codes, Frank seconded it, Larry approved. Motion passed.
The Selectmen then looked at Clay’s maps for the condominiums, and Greg recommended that Danny Hebert take another look at them.
Beno, Jim, and Irene came in to talk with the board about burying the electrical wires and phone cables underground. According to Larry’s surveys that he sent out for the Master Plan, 60% of people in the Town of Colebrook would like to see this happen. Larry explained that the cost to the Town may be about $60,000.00. The problem is that individual people on Main Street will have to pay for their own lines. Greg said that the Town of Conway is trying to find funds to help with this same kind of project in Conway, and have come up with no funding. Littleton’s utilities were buried a long time ago, but Littleton owns their own utilities companies, so it didn’t cost them as much.
Kevin said that the water and sewer lines both need to be changed; they are at least 100 years old. Kevin is figuring at least a ½ million to replace each line. The engineering alone would probably be a ½ million also. The electric would be about $60,000.00. It would be about $2,000.00 for each business owner on Main Street to change over. The Selectmen suggested that CDDA and the Town make a Core Group to work on this. We would also have to replace street lighting, at about $40,000.00.
Beno mentioned that the lights on the bridge haven’t been on since Thanksgiving. Kevin and Beno are going to check the sockets because the outlets at the base seem to work. Greg made a motion for Kevin and Beno to work on it, Frank seconded it, motion passed.
Irene asked about the size of the poles by the bank. She would like to see them smaller. Donna told Irene that Sandra Riendeau has called the State many times and they have not agreed to change the poles.
Kevin talked to the Selectmen about the bid for the fencing project. Kevin also mentioned to the Selectmen that per the Safety Policy, it requires that his men at the Transfer Station wear steel-toed boots. Another issue was eyewash stations. Three stations need to be put up at the lab, the pump house, and the welding site. They will cost $130.00 each. Greg told Kevin that a direct eye wash station was cheaper than a portable one. The Selectmen agreed that the Town only buy two of them for now. Kevin also would like a phone at the Transfer Station, the Selectmen agreed that he should have one there.
The board discussed the contract with Casella, and the board agreed that they will stay with the 2 million dollar insurance rather than go with the 10 million dollar insurance.
The board discussed the town helping to purchase voting booths. Greg said that it will cost $700.00 for a Master and five booths. Larry wanted to know how many booths we need as required by law. Heidi will find this out from Sheila.
The board discussed the possibility of finding a new health officer and the board suggested Heidi call Phil Ducret to see if he could recommend any of the firemen.
The board discussed passing a 911 ordinance for the town. Larry and Greg do not want to pass one and Frank wants to. They choose to discuss it and vote on it next time.
Respectfully submitted,
Heidi Lawton
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