Town of Colebrook
Selectmen’s Minutes
Selectmen’s Meeting
2007 April 25
Members Present: Frank Dumaine and Larry Rappaport.
Others: Donna Caron, Gail Purrington, Heidi Lawton, Melissa Shaw, and Kevin McKinnon.
Selectmen signed all vouchers and manifests.
The Board planned to meet in executive session with Chief Steve Cass to discuss his contract. As Mr. Lamontagne was unable to attend the meeting, the board decided to postpone the contract discussions until he could be present. The Chief briefed the Board on the recent burglaries and other police issues.
The Board asked if the Town had an equipment inventory and were told there is one for the insurance company. Donna Caron will bring it to the next meeting.
The Board asked when the Library Trustees meet. Mr. Dumaine would like to see the library open earlier during the day.
The Selectmen asked if it would be a problem to use 2,000 gallons of water a day at the Jacobsma building or the Industrial Park. Mrs. Caron felt it should not be a problem but said she would ask public works director Kevin McKinnon.
Mr. Rappaport told the Board that Broadband would be live May 1st, 2007. Island Pond Wireless is the carrier for voice over IP.
Heidi Lawton met with the Selectmen to review issues from last week’s power outage. The Selectmen suggested that a survey be done to see who would need help if the power was out for a lengthy period of time as had been expected by this past power outage. Mrs. Caron said that she would contact Lindy Falconer, Key Club Advisor to see if this would be a project that the Key Club might like to do as a project. Mr. Dumaine also suggested that HOAP be contacted to have that group assist it contacting people who would need assistance. It was also discussed that Colby Commons did not have a generator. Mr. Dumaine wondered about utilizing Hydro Quebec for power needs in a disaster. Mr. Rappaport agreed that looking to other resources for electric power was a good idea. Ms. Lawton said that MOU’s
would be needed if the Town were to work with other resources.
The Selectmen also discussed the bomb threat last week and where Dispatch could be set up outside of this building. Other topics discussed were having a designated staging area, a portable dispatch console and using the garage at the landfill (because it was a high elevation) as a staging area. Ms. Lawton will follow up on the items discussed and report back to the Selectmen.
Mr. McKinnon discussed the trucks he had been researching with the Selectmen. He said that he had been looking at leftover 2007 trucks as the new 2008 had new emissions issues on the diesel engines. Mr. McKinnon found a 2007 Sterling truck. The asking price is $61,800. It does not have a dump body. That would be purchased separately, as well as a sander. Mr. McKinnon also researched a Chevy truck at McDevitt in Lancaster, but this truck was a 2008 model. The Selectmen gave their approval for Mr. McKinnon to purchase the 2007 Sterling truck. Mr. McKinnon will pick it up tomorrow.
Melissa Shaw stopped in to remind the Selectman and Mr. McKinnon that this coming Friday, April 27, 2007 was “Touch a Truck Day” at the Town Garage. She was hoping for a good turnout. Mrs. Caron said that she planned to attend.
The Town burn site will open next Sunday, May 6th, not this week as the road is too muddy.
Mr. McKinnon told the Selectmen that he would like to purchase old telephone poles from Clark Jeffers to build the framing for the new pole shed at the Town Garage. He will pay up to $20 each and he needs 20 poles. The Selectmen and Mr. McKinnon discussed the three-sided pole barn and spacing of the framing poles. Mr. Rappaport invited Mr. McKinnon to see the construction of the pole barn on his property. Mr. McKinnon said that he would check it out.
Mr. McKinnon attended the landfill construction meeting. Mr. Rappaport said that he would like to attend these meetings. Mr. McKinnon will check with Mrs. Caron as to what the meetings will be about and where they will be held.
Mr. Weir and Mr. Feltam contacted Mrs. Caron about planting Christmas trees on the Town’s property across from their property on Rte 3 in exchange for doing a project for the Town. Mrs. Caron expressed her concerns about the liability of people crossing Rte 3. The Selectmen agreed with Mrs. Caron that this wouldn’t be a good idea. Mrs. Caron said that she will contact Mr. Weir and let him know the Town’s decision.
Mrs. Caron told the Selectmen that Heather Harding expressed an interest in serving on the Library Trustees Board. The Selectmen approved and signed the appointment for Ms. Harding to the Library Trustees Board.
Mrs. Caron wrote a letter to Jim Bohlig, President of the New England Waste Services, Inc. in regard to their monetary contribution to the Town. Mr. Rappaport would like to see this money go towards to the new ambulance building. The letter referenced a change order that New England Waste Services, Inc. requested. Mr. Rappaport was concerned with any change orders and does not want to grant and design changes to them.
Mrs. Caron said that she talked to Rick Nadig about a trail from the Riverwalk to his gym. He would be willing to do a one-year lease and work with the town on an easement. The Selectmen were not in agreement to do a lease. Mrs. Caron will call Mr. Nadig and inform him of the Selectmen’s decision.
Mrs. Caron had received a thank you note from Mike Divney in Dispatch thanking the Selectmen for his raise. The Selectmen were pleased with Mr. Divney’s appreciation.
Mrs. Caron received an application for a disability exemption on his taxes. Mrs. Caron was concerned as to the funds this gentleman received on the sale of his previous home in another town. She will check into this further before a determination of approval for the disability exemption.
The Selectman approved the Town Clerk reimbursing $34 to Mr. Dan Hebert for his registration correction. Mr. Rappaport made a motion to approve the reimbursement. Mr. Dumaine seconded the motion. All approved 2-0.
Mrs. Caron informed the Selectmen that the Town had received a used oil concession of $750.
Mr. Lamontagne joined the meeting and discussed the Jacobsma property appraisal with the other board members. The contract with Avatar has not been signed as of this date. The Selectmen did not want to sign it until the abatement issue with the Jacobsma property has been settled. Mrs.Caron asked the Selectman if they were in agreement with Attorney Adele Fulton’s proposal for a full appraisal at a cost of $5000 in regard to the abatement or to have just an analysis done which would be less than a full appraisal. The analysis can be used to negotiate a settlement with Jacobsma. If he does not settle than the full appraisal will be completed. Mr. Rappaport talked to Adele Fulton, who requested the board hire a commercial appraiser to appraise the Jacobsma building. Mr. Dumaine made a motion to hire
the commercial appraiser for up to $5,000.00, Mr. Lamontagne seconded the motion and it passed with full board approval. Ms. Fulton advised Mr. Rappaport that the Selectmen should request legal fees from Jacobsma.
Melissa Shaw, Recreation Department Director gave the Selectmen a report on what she had been doing for the month of April, which also included an income/expense summary. She hopes to hire Jennifer Lyons to work with her. At the next Advisory Board meeting a determination of the amounts of the baseball/basketball scholarships will be made.
Mrs. Caron informed the Selectmen that Cartographics, the Town’s mappers, will be coming up to pick up the tax maps and deeds. They will have this paperwork for two weeks while they update the information. The Selectmen approved this saying that it will be good to have the information stored safely. The Selectmen signed a small contract with Cartographics Associates, Inc. allowing them to place the subdivision and site plan maps onto a CD at a cost of $3.00 per map. The total cost of this project should be around $1,500.00.
Mr. Dumaine asked if Mrs. Caron had been able to go and check out the Town’s safe deposit box at the bank. She said that she had and there were mostly deeds including a few very old ones.
Mr. Rappaport wanted to know if there were any funds available in the budget to purchase a scanner. The scanner could be used to scan the old deeds and then they would be able to be stored electronically. Mrs. Caron will review the budget to see if there are any available funds to purchase a scanner.
Mrs. Caron read a letter that had been sent to the Selectmen from Commissioner George Ball of DRED inviting them to attend a meeting on tourism. The Selectmen stated that they would be unable to attend.
Mr. Dumaine said that he had talked to Mrs. Emmy Katz in regard to forming a voluntary energy committee to recommend local steps to save energy and reduce emissions. The first meeting is scheduled for May 8th at 6:30 pm here at the Town Hall.
Mr. Rappaport asked about the contract with Steve Cass. Also the Selectmen and Mrs. Caron discussed police officers being able to do random drug testing. As of now only the parole office may perform random drug testing. Mr. Rappaport will follow up on this. Mr. Lamontagne suggested he talk to Mr. Larry Blaisdell who may be able to assist in finding out how the police officer can be allowed to do the drug testing.
Several other issues discussed were that the Town allows Probation and Parole to use this building and that it would be helpful to the town if they would agree to pay a portion of the cost of the SPOTS terminal. Also, it was reported that someone was trying to break into the vault at the cemetery and that it would be better if the bar was placed on the door on the back side of the vault. The Selectmen agreed. The State of New Hampshire does not pay for this service. The last time the probation officer held counseling hours, a long line of people were waiting in the hallway. Town residents were not able to go to the town clerk’s or tax collector’s office easily or comfortably. Mr. Rappaport knows Larry Blasdell, who is in charge of the probation department at the state level and will speak
to him.
Mr. Lamontagne asked if the issue at the sewerage plant had been resolved in regard to their backup generator. Mrs. Caron said that R. Smith was repairing it today.
Meeting adjourned at 7:05 pm on a motion by Mr. Lamontagne and seconded by Mr. Dumaine. All approved 3-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Gail A. Purrington
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