Town of Colebrook
Selectmen’s Meeting
April 9, 2008 4:30 pm
Members Present: Frank Dumaine, Beno Lamontagne, and Roland Cotnoir
Others: Gail Purrington, Donna Caron, Chief Steve Cass, Kevin McKinnon, and Melissa Shaw.
Guests: Dennis Boudle, Buddy Boudle, Greg Placy, Ray Gorman, Sylvia Goodrum, Barry Jenkins, Claire Lynch, Mr. St. Laurent.
Meeting was called to order by Chairman Beno Lamontagne at 4:30 pm.
Selectmen signed all vouchers and manifests. Abatement approvals and current use applications were also signed.
Chief Cass received the bids for the new cruiser and Lewis Ford came in at only $800 over the State Bid. He said the price was very good and that with the savings and the grant he applied for, he will be able to purchase the video system for the cruiser. Chief Cass stated that the officers are not using the old cruiser for any distance travel. The officers have been using their own vehicles while attending the Police Academy in Concord and not charging for mileage.
C-Pal softball and baseball will be starting. Uniforms and equipment will be paid for through a grant. The program is for 7th and 8th grade boys and girls. Chief Cass hopes that he gets enough children signed up to do the program this spring.
Incident report comparison to 2007 has not been that different thus far this year. Chief Cass said that Officer Caron has been doing an excellent job with DWI enforcement, which has brought the numbers up. Assault cases are down thus far in 2008 and these are simple assault cases.
Mr. Lamontagne recommended to Chief Cass and his staff that they continue to work hard at cutting back and keeping expenditures down. He said that the economic issues are really being felt in the North Country and 2008 is going to be a hard year.
Chief Cass said that he would be getting a demo on the new video camera system.
A vote is needed to approve Chief Cass purchasing the new cruiser. Mr. Cotnoir asked if the cruiser through Lewis Ford was the same as the cruiser purchased through the State. Mr. Dumaine said that it was. Both have the police package. The cost of the vehicle through Lewis Ford is $25,653 and the cost through the State is $24,853. Purchasing the vehicle through Lewis Ford, a local dealer, will be beneficial for service calls and routine maintenance. Mr. Dumaine made a motion to approve the purchase of the new cruiser through Lewis Ford. Mr. Cotnoir seconded the motion. All approved 3-0.
Recreation Department Director, Melissa Shaw, met with the Selectmen. She discussed the summary of her programs including revenues and expenditures. Mrs. Shaw asked for the signatures of the Selectmen approving the purchase of a PlayStation and a Digital camera for the Recreation Department. The Recreation Advisory Board approved the purchase request, but Selectmen signatures are required first. She said that these items are not being purchased with Town funds. The Selectmen signed the two requests. Mrs. Shaw said that she will be emailing the Recreation Advisory Board minutes to the Selectmen for their review. She presently emails them to Mrs. Caron. Mrs. Shaw gave each of the Board members draft copies of the program flyer for 2008 for their review. She said that advertisements for the summer
staff are out now. She will be sending them to Bristol for an excellent playground workshop. She said that this is a great program especially for new counselors. The Recreation Department has received a golf grant for the golf camp this year. She said that again, this year, financial assistance for those who are in need will be available. Mr. Dumaine said that he had a couple of issues that he wished to discuss. He asked why programs that had a low enrollment were not discontinued. Mrs. Shaw said that the Advisory Board was looking into discontinuing these programs and that it was ultimately their decision, not hers. Also discussion was held in regard to having a Select Board member or their designee on the Advisory Board. Mr. Dumaine said that Mr. Rappaport was very knowledgeable about the Recreation Advisory Board as it was created when he was a Selectman. Mr. Dumaine would like to invite Mr. Rappaport to the next
meeting to discuss the Recreation Advisory Board’s function. Mrs. Shaw said that she had been having some issues with the bus company and planned to talk to Cheryl Covill from the SAU to negotiate bus usage. Mr. Dumaine said that this type of discussion should include Mrs. Caron and that Mrs. Shaw should work with her in regard to any type of busing issues. Mr. Lamontagne reiterated to Mrs. Shaw what he told Chief Cass in regard to 2008 being a difficult economic year and that anything her Department can do to cut costs would be very helpful.
The Board met with Dennis and Buddy Boudle to discuss their extremely high water bill for the mobile home park. It was determined that there was obviously a leak in the water line in the park. They were seeking an abatement of some of this cost as they were not aware of the leak. Dennis Boudle asked if there were any way that the meter could be set up above ground so that they could better monitor the water usage. Mr. McKinnon said that the Town could put in a new meter with a remote meter on a pole above ground for better accessibility. The cost would be approximated $350 charged to the Boudles. It was suggested that they check with their insurance company to see if any of the cost would be covered by the insurance. At this point no decision was made by the Selectmen. Mr. Lamontagne said that
the Board would have a decision for them at the next Board meeting.
Mr. McKinnon met with the Board in regard to the following items:
1. He needs to purchase new torches for the Town Garage. He checked with Merriam Graves and Smith. Both had prices of $450 per set. The sets include gauges, hoses and tips. Mr. Cotnoir made a motion to approve the purchase of new torches. Mr. Dumaine seconded the motion. All approved 3-0.
2. There have been several residents giving a Town employee a hard time at the Transfer Station and he has done very well not letting them provoke him. The Board were very glad to here this.
3. Mr. McKinnon discussed an issue that has come up with the landfill that will be costly to the Town and that Mrs. Caron said she had not included in the 2008 budget.
4. The 100 acre Town property located on South Hill Road needs to have a Forestry plan. Mr. McKinnon said he would like to see this property stay in the tree farm system.
Greg Placy met with the Board to discuss his qualifications to be the Town’s representative to the new ambulance board. He did not feel that his position on the hospital board would be a conflict of interest. Also, Ray Gorman met with the Board stating his interest in being on the ambulance board. The Board thanked both Mr. Placy and Mr. Gorman for their interest and said that they would make a decision on this matter at the next meeting.
Sylvia Goodrum and Barry Jenkins, representative for the Trinity Church on Bridge Street met with the Selectmen to discuss an issue they recently discovered. In the process of doing some plumbing and ground work repairs at the Church, they discovered that the Church was not connected to the Town sewer line. The Church has been paying sewer bills for over 25 years without receiving any service. Mrs. Goodrum and Mr. Jenkins asked the Board if they would be willing to abate a portion of the payments that have been made over the years. The Board informed Mrs. Goodrum and Mr. Jenkins that they will make a decision by the next meeting.
Mr. St. Laurent a resident who lives off of Russell Road asked the Selectmen if Russell Road could be paved because it is so muddy this time of the year. Mr. Lamontagne said that the Town will not pave Russell Road as there were no funds appropriated to do so. He offered to be the Town building inspector because of his experience in the construction business. The Town thanked him for his interest, but said that Colebrook does not utilize a building inspector.
Mrs. Caron gave the Board the yearly contract from Crane and Bell for the audit which requires their signature. The Board signed the contract.
The Board also signed the approval to appoint James Smith as Deputy Fire Warden.
The Board signed the First Colebrook Bank collateralization authorization.
Warden Blaisdell contacted Mrs. Caron in regard to work details to be done by inmates from the State prison. The work will start this spring.
The Town received the DRA equalization rate for 2007, which is 90.4%. Mrs. Caron explained that the rate is on the border of being low because sales in Colebrook have been off.
Mrs. Caron informed the Board that the Town received the grant for the Grange building, which was applied for in January, 2008, from the NH Charitable Foundation for $85,000. The grant amount applied for had been $100,000.
The Board appointed Gail Purrington as Selectmen designee to the Recreation Advisory Board. Mr. Dumaine made a motion to appoint Gail. Mr. Cotnoir seconded the motion. All approved 3-0.
The Board agreed to abate the Trinity Methodist Church $1,500 towards their years of paying a sewer bill when the Church wasn’t even hooked up to the Town sewer. The motion to abate was made by Mr. Dumaine and seconded by Mr. Cotnoir. All approved 3-0.
The Board requested that Mrs. Caron inform the Town attorney, Bernie Waugh, that the Town will not be paying any fees that might be incurred should Robert Shaw contact him with questions on the Landfill. It will be Mr. Shaw’s responsibility to pay any amount incurred.
Mrs. Caron reported to the Board that she had received a $3,000 anonymous donation for projects around Town. She asked the Board to be thinking of any projects that they might like to utilize this donation for.
Meeting adjourned 7:30 pm on a motion by Mr. Dumaine and seconded by Mrs. Cotnoir. All approved 3-0.
Mr. Cotnoir suggested putting an advertisement in the paper looking for anyone interested in being on the Ambulance Board. Mr. Lamontagne and Mr. Dumaine agreed. All thought that this would inform the Town that this position is available.
Respectfully submitted,
Gail A. Purrington
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