Selectmen Meeting Minutes
11/22/06
Members Present: Benoit Lamontagne, PersonNameLarry Rappaport and PersonNameFrank Dumaine joined the meeting as soon as court closed at 4:00 pm.
Others Present: Underwood Engineer Representatives, Frank Underwood and Peter Pitsa, Public Works Director, PersonNameKevin McKinnon, News & Sentinel Representative Claire Knapper, Donald Knapp, Chief PersonNameSteve Cass
The meeting was brought to order at 2:00 PM. Frank Underwood explained the granting process for funding water projects. He and Peter Pitsa also discussed the water rates and presented draft rate sheets on water to show how they arrive at the figure required to pay for past water shortages and to plan for future reconstruction.
Donald Knapp came to the meeting to discuss kids loitering and making loud noises in the AB lot. He would like more police presence and for the young kids to stay out of the lot late at night. He has to work and needs his sleep. Steve Cass advised the board as to what he could and couldn’t do. He said he would call the property owner Donna Bouthillier to discuss the situation with her.
A motion to enter executive session to talk about police issues with Chief Steve Cass was made by Larry Rappaport, seconded by Beno Lamontagne and passed by full board approval. Chief Cass advised the board about different issues he and his department are presently dealing with. The chief said he would be glad to meet with the board and update them on a regular basis. He is coaching only one team this year and can schedule his practices to work around any meetings required of him. A motion to exit executive session with no minutes, because no decision was made, was made by Larry Rappaport, seconded by Beno Lamontagne, motion passed with full board approval.
Kevin McKinnon joined the board meeting at this time and discussed Hydro Source’s new cost proposal for a production well at a cost of $100,000.00. Kevin explained that Hydro Source was doing all of the testing and permitting phase with the state. The state tests for 125 chemicals for public drinking water. He said this well drilling would be paid for by grant funds. A backup well would cost $69,000.00. Other aspects of this water project were discussed. The board approved the well drilling.
Kevin McKinnon explained that the landfill purchased a chemical, required for the water remediation system, which did not work properly. A Redux Company chemist took samples at the remediation site and will do a pilot study of our system. The cost of this study is Colebrook purchasing their product for a year, which consists of two fifty-five gallon barrels. At this point we do not have another source that supplies the correct chemical. The board gave Kevin permission to conduct this project.
Betty Frizzell’s pipes were discussed. A letter from a few years back was pulled from her file and shown to the board reference her water meter filling up with silt. At that time it was agreed to disconnect the water meter and just charge her the metered rate rather than clean the silt out of the meter repeatedly. It is unknown if the truck traffic could have made her sewer pipes come apart.
Kevin McKinnon would like to purchase a transfer switch for the generator to run the garage when power is out for $1,600.00. It is a 200 amp guardian. A motion to allow the purchase of the transfer switch was made by Beno Lamontagne, seconded by Larry Rappaport, motion passed with full board approval.
The new tax rate figures were shown to the board and accepted by the board.
The board received a letter from CASA requesting $500.00 to be raised by taxes for the 2007 year. Frank Dumaine said he has seen a big improvement in the way CASA volunteers assist children in court. A motion to place this in the budget was made by Larry, seconded by Frank Dumaine, motion passed with full board approval.
Ed and Nancy Watson requested an abatement on their inventory form as they did not remember ever receiving one. In the past they have returned their inventory. A motion to abate Mr. & Mrs. Watson’s inventory penalty was made by Benoit Lamontagne, seconded by Larry Rappaport, motion passed with full board approval.
A memo from town clerk PersonNameSheila Beauchemin was read about Municipal Records Retention. The board felt the town should do whatever was required. They gave her permission to apply for a grant.
Edward Carrier wrote a letter to the board requesting an abatement on his past water bill. Kevin McKinnon explained he felt the meter could have been hit from outside the building to make it read high. A motion to abate all but the minimum charge was made by Benoit Lamontagne, seconded by Larry Rappaport, motion passed with full board approval.
The grange application for water and sewer services was revisited. The water line is on the opposite side of Route 26 and addressStreetPleasant Street and the sewer would need to be pumped up to addressStreetParsons Street. In order to go to reach addressStreetPleasant Street utilities, Daniel Hebert’s hot top would need to be excavated. Larry Rappaport said the grange had water and sewer in the past. The question is - where did the original sewer actually go? Kevin McKinnon suggested using tracing dye to see if the pipe did go directly into the river.
Larry Rappaport asked if the town had any applications for an IT person. Donna showed them a letter from an interested person in Whitefield. Mr. Rappaport said that Justin Falconer was interested. Justin works at First Colebrook Bank and Mr. Rappaport has had him do work for him personally and feels he is very qualified.
Outdoor wood furnace problems were discussed. Hilda Weiner reported that her neighbor has one that fills her home with smoke. The board felt Hilda needs to go before the planning board about this wood stove. The town zoning laws require a permit for any structure over four feet tall. All structures also have to follow planning guide lines of 10’ away from the rear and side property lines. (It has since been discovered that the neighbor has a wood stove in his garage, not an outside wood furnace.)
Benoit Lamontage requested Donna e-mail him the tax rate so he can release it to the papers.
Transfer station stickers were discussed. Everyone will have a sticker attached to the driver’s side front window. Anyone who brings in someone else’s rubbish will have a different colored sticker. The transfer station attendants will strictly enforce no dumping without a transfer sticker. Kevin McKinnon and David Begin will be there one Sunday after January first to pull apart bags and see if people are recycling properly.
Manifest and Vouchers signed
A motion to adjourn was made by Benoit Lamontagne, seconded by Larry Rappaport, motion passed by full board approval.
Respectfully submitted:
Donna Caron
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