Town of Colebrook
Selectmen’s Meeting
May 23, 2007 – 3:00 pm
Members Present: Larry Rappaport. Frank Dumaine and Beno Lamontagne.
Others: Donna Caron, Gail Purrington, Chief Stephen Cass, Kevin McKinnon, Melissa Shaw, Claire Lynch (press).
Selectmen signed all vouchers and manifests.
The Board signed the following documents:
Intents to Cut: Sarah Cummings, Suzanne Collins, Phil Lambert
Red River (2), Bruce Hawes
Yield Tax Warrants: Zavala, Call, Haynes, McKinnon, Riendeau, R. Brooks, Soc. Ft. Pro. NH
Current Use Applications: Conn. River Driver’s Trust, Sipple
Abatement Requests: Robideau, Shatney, Gauthier, Shaw, Shatney, Gilles & Pierrette Champagne, Ralph Lynch and Mary Jannega, F. Ounan, C. Boudle,, J. Jeffers
Current Use Penalty Warrants: Largesse, D. Fortier, W. Fortier, M. Fortier, J. King, W. Neuman, R. McKinley, Dawson, Santangelo, Hodge, Valliant, Gagne, Gueymard.
The Board also signed and approved the 1st Quarter Water and Sewer Tax Warrants.
Kevin McKinnon met with the Board to discuss the following:
1. Outfitting the new truck purchased in April. He said that he was working with two companies, Fairfield and Tenco. Tenco’s pricing came in at $35,925 (does not include plow and wing) and Fairfield’s price was $38,298 (does include plow and wing but not a dump body and sander combined). Mr. McKinnon said that he could probably get a plow and wing for about $3,400. Mrs. Caron suggested that Mr. McKinnon should be able to obtain them for $3,000. He said that he would. Mr. McKinnon was pleased with both companies, but was happy with Tenco’s pricing. Mr. Rappaport made a motion to have Mr. McKinnon outfit the new truck at Tenco and purchase a plow and wing for $3,000. Mr. Dumaine seconded the motion. All approved 3-0. Mr. McKinnon provided information
on what the new truck will be outfitted with, including a new side sander.
2. Restocking the Town’s supply of fittings for water piping. He said that the lowest quote was from Ferguson Supply. Mr. Lamontagne asked about the quality of the fittings from Ferguson as well as other suppliers. Mr. McKinnon said that the quality was the same with all of the suppliers. Mr. McKinnon said that he likes to keep a stock of fitting for water repairs as Colebrook is such a distance from a lot of suppliers. The Board approved going with Ferguson.
3. Electronic Recycling must be in place by July 1, 2007. The Board discussed costs for trucking to take away the items, as well as charges to residents disposing of the items. Mr. Lamontagne said that he will talk to a person he knows in Pittsburg to see what they did for billing and costs for electronic recycling.
4. Replacing the old torches. Cost is $267 per torch. They are purchased through Merriam Graves.
5. Safety Shoes (steel toe) are required for the Public Works Department personnel. Mr. McKinnon budgeted $60 for safety shoes per employee. The cost of shoes varies anywhere from Walmart prices to $160 a pair. As long as the shoes are steel toe it does not matter what the cost. The shoes need to be worn year round. The Town will pay the $60 toward the purchase of the safety shoes and the employee will pay anything over that. If the shoes are less than $60 the Town will reimburse for the amount of the shoes. The employee will be required to turn in the sales slip before they will be reimbursed.
6. Additional items were the purchase of chainsaw chaps and a jackhammer. Mr. Dumaine suggested that Mr. McKinnon could research the feasibility of renting a jackhammer when needed versus purchasing one. Mr. McKinnon asked to purchase an electric jackhammer. Mr. Rappaport said that an electric jackhammer might be okay for smaller jobs, but probably wouldn’t meet the needs of any bigger jobs that might come along. The Board also suggested that Mr. McKinnon look into the cost of a hydraulic jackhammer to attach to the Bobcat. Mr. McKinnon will research the Board’s recommendations and report back to them at a future meeting.
The Board asked Mr. McKinnon if the sewer generator project was complete. Mr. McKinnon said it was and that his entire Public Works staff was training on the operation of the generator. Training will be on going throughout the year.
Benoit Lamontagne made a motion to meet in executive session with Kevin McKinnon to discuss certain highway employee issues, Frank Dumaine seconded the motion, and it passed 3-0. Frank Dumaine made a motion to exit executive session, Benoit Lamontagne seconded it, and it passed 3-0. While in executive session the board did discuss highway employee issues but no decisions were made.
Recreation Department Director, Melissa Shaw, met with the Board to discuss what was going on with the Recreation Department programs. She gave each Board member an invitation to a program being held at the Colebrook Library to discuss developing a quality after school program for the youth of Colebrook. The Recreation Department, the North Country Community Recreation Center (NCCRC) and PlusTime NH are co-sponsoring the program. Ms. Shaw also wanted to let the Board know that most of the expenditures for the Recreation Summer programs will not be coming in until the end of the summer. She asked the Board if they would be willing to waive being told of expenditures in advance as well as to seek permission to expend monies for children who need financial assistance to be able to partake in the summer programs. Mr.
Lamontagne made a motion to approve Ms. Shaw’s request and Mr. Dumaine seconded the motion. All approved 3-0. Ms. Shaw said that she just wanted to keep the Selectmen informed as to what she was doing with the Recreation programs. The Board told her that she was doing a great job and that their only concern was not to go over budget.
A brief discussion regarding the cutting of trees taking place near the entrance to Lynch Road was held. Mrs. Caron explained that there wasn’t enough cutting being done for an Intent to Cut to be filed. She said that just a few trees were being cleared away from the road. Mr. Sambito from the North Country Community Recreation Center (NCCRC) had spoken with Mrs. Caron about clearing some of the trees along this area heading up to the Community Pool. No one was sure if the area to be cut was considered a wetlands area. Mr. Sambito was going to contact the DES and fill out any paperwork, if necessary.
Mrs. Caron informed the Board that Colebrook had received a commercial burn permit for the South Hill Road site.
Mrs. Caron presented a Memorandum of Understanding between the Town of Colebrook and the University of NH for an experimental Coal Ash project to be conducted in the berm at the landfill. The University takes all responsibility for any possible future damage. The State of NH DES department requested the town to do this experiment for them.
Mrs. Caron reported that the Town has received an approval to decrease the number of times needed to monitor the wells at the Landfill.
As just an informative item for the Board, Mrs. Caron found an old deed in the Town Safe Deposit Box dated 1878. It was a land agreement between the Town of Colebrook and Alba Hicks.
Cable franchise issues were discussed. White Mountain Cablevision has an agreement for 10 years with the Town to conclude in 2010. The Board feels that White Mountain Cablevision is not fulfilling their part of the federal regulations. Mrs. Caron said that if the Town wanted to cancel this agreement it would have to start the process three years in advance. Mr. Rappaport suggested that Mrs. Caron invite White Mountain Cablevision to attend a Selectmen’s meeting to discuss what they would be willing to do to work with the Town to fulfill the agreement.
Mr. Lamontagne made a motion to accept the Selectmen’s Meeting minutes of May 8, 2007. Mr. Dumaine seconded the motion. All approved 3-0. Mr. Lamontagne said he liked the way the minutes are being presented and thanked Gail Purrington for her work on the minutes.
Mrs. Caron reported to the Selectmen that the 2007 Annual Municipal Conference was being held in Portsmouth this year. She said that while they usually have some very good workshops, they are too spaced out for her to attend for just one day and get them all in on that day. She said that right now she is not sure she will attend.
The Selectmen asked Mrs. Caron if she was able to follow up on the Gastis issue in regard to obtaining funds to fix the cement wall on the Mohawk River along Academy Street. Mrs. Caron reported that she had written letters to Rep. King and Rep. Stohl, but has not had a response to date.
Meeting adjourned at 7:05 pm on a motion by Mr. Dumaine and seconded by Mr. Lamontagne. All approved 3-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Gail A. Purrington
| 
