Town of Colebrook, NH - Town Meeting Minutes

Official Town Meeting Minutes

Colebrook, New Hampshire

Moderator Jon Frizzell declared the Annual Town Meeting opened at 7 p.m. All in attendance stood to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a prayer conducted by Father Bellefeuille.

To bring in your ballots for the selection of Town Officers to be elected by ballot for the Town of Colebrook for the ensuing year.

To see how the Town will vote on the following three proposed amendments to the Colebrook Zoning Ordinance, to be voted on by official ballot. Copies of the complete proposals, as well as the current Zoning Ordinance, were available for review at the Town Clerk’s Office, and were available during the election.

Amendment # 1: Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 1 to Article IV. Section 1 as proposed by the Planning Board for the Town of Colebrook as follows:

No new lot shall be approved by the Planning Board unless it has at least 150 feet of frontage either on a public street or on a private street approved by the Planning Board. No building whose use requires an approved sewage disposal system under Town or State law shall be constructed on any lot without at least 150 feet of frontage on a public street or approved private street, unless that lot legally existed as a separate lot, as reflected by properly-recorded plans or deeds, prior to March 14, 2006; provided, however, that all such buildings shall be in compliance with the current RSA.

Amendment #2: Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 2 to Article III as proposed by the Planning Board for the Town of Colebrook as follows:

1) Temporary Signs: Any sign placed outdoors for a period of time of 30 days or less.

Amendment #3: Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 3 to Article IV, Section 11 as proposed by the Planning Board for the Town of Colebrook as follows:

3) A temporary sign (one placed outdoors for 30 days or less) is allowed without a permit or fee, provided however that: (a) prior to the erection of the sign, the Town of Colebrook shall be notified of the sign, its location, and expected time of removal, using a form provided by the Town; (b) the date of sign placement shall be shown on the sign itself in letters easily read from street level; (c) no temporary sign shall violate the provision of Subsection D, “Prohibited Signs”; and (d) any temporary sign remaining in place for a combined total of more than 30 days without a permit shall be a violation of this Ordinance. (Placement would be in Section 11.B as subparagraph #7.)

Greg Placy made a motion, seconded by Larry Rappaport, to raise and appropriate the

sum of $1,772,483.00 for General Government, as follows:

1) Executive - $91,579.00

2) Election, Registration and Vital Statistics - $36,370.00

3) Financial/Assessing/Tax Collection/Treasurer - $129,330.00

4) Legal and Data Processing - $42,400.00

5) Planning & Zoning - $15,887.00

6) General Buildings - $49,954.00

7) Advertising & Regional Association - $2,145.00

8) Police/Fire/Ambulance/Emergency Management - $363,779.00

9) Highways & Streets - $583,347.00

10) Sanitation, Landfill & Recycling - $336,149.00

11) Health Agencies/Animal Boarding - $31,760.00

12) General Assistance - $7,750.00

13) Recreation/Patriotic - $70,308.00

14) Economic Development - $11,675.00

15) Debt Service - $50.00

Irene Bean questioned the location of the new burn dump on South Hill Road. She remarked that the fire was less than two feet from the fir trees and no one appeared to be present, creating a safety issue. Town Manager Donna Caron stated the site had been approved by the State; however, taking into consideration the concerns aired, the Selectboard perhaps should review their decision to make this a permanent site. The motion passed with a voice vote.

Moderator Frizzell stated that a petition for a secret ballot on this Article had been received; therefore, this Article would be passed over until ballot clerks were available for ballot vote.

Greg Placey made a motion to raise and appropriate the sum of $212,501.00 for the following Capital Reserve Funds. Moreover, to see if the Town will vote to list the Selectmen as agents to expend form these Trust funds until rescinded.

1) Equipment Purchase (1999) - $45,000.00

2) Police Cruiser (1999) - $15,000.00

3) Digital Mapping (2005) - $35,000.00

4) Bridge Fund (2003) - $40,000.00

5) Re-evaluation Monies - $17,501.00

6) Main Street Reconstruction Expend. Trust (2000) - $50,000.00

7) Communication Enhancements (2005) - $10,000.00

Larry Rappaport seconded and the motion passed with a voice vote.

Larry Rappaport made a motion, seconded by Grey Placy, to raise and appropriate the sum of $ 532,481.00 for the Colebrook Water Works and the Colebrook Sewer Facilities.

1) Water Department - $329,840.00

2) Sewer Department - $202,641.00

Granvyl Hulse asked the status of the new wells. Larry Rappaport explained that land had been purchased across from the State Rest Area on Route 3; test wells had been approved by the State and it appears there will be enough water for at least two production wells. The motion passed with a voice vote.

Greg Placy made a motion, seconded by Larry Rappaport to raise and appropriate the sum of $95,746.00 for the support of the Colebrook Public Library, $85,116.00 of which to be raised through taxation and $10,630.00 of which is to come from other Library balance on hand January 1, 2005, book sales, donations, trust funds, non-resident fees, other communities, over due fines, book resale’s, copying fees etc., such funds to be expended under the direction of the Board of Library Trustees. The motion passed with a voice vote.

Larry Rappaport made a motion to raise and appropriate the sum of $66,487.00 for the operation and maintenance of the Colebrook Cemeteries, the sum of $54,487.00 to be raised through taxation and $12,000.00 to be raised from burials, cemetery trust funds and other Colebrook Cemetery revenues. Greg Placy seconded and the motion passed with a voice vote.

Larry Rappaport made a motion, seconded by Greg Placy, to raise and appropriate the sum of up to $10,000.00 to be added to the Colebrook Cemetery Grounds Maintenance and Reclamation Fund (Expendable Trust created 2005), and to authorize the use of the December 31, 2005 fund balance in that amount for this purpose. The motion passed with a voice vote.

Greg Placy made a motion to raise and appropriate the sum of $201,514.00 for the Colebrook Dispatch Center, (Capital Fund created 1999) of which $ 120,023.26 will be raised through taxation, $17,700.00 will be withdrawn from the Colebrook Dispatch Savings Equipment Fund and the remainder to be offset by revenues raised from the participating towns. Larry Rappaport seconded the motion and it passed with a voice vote.

Larry Rappaport made a motion to modify the elderly exemptions from property tax in the town of Colebrook , based on assessed value, for qualified taxpayers, to be as follows: for a person 68 years of age or older, $15,000.00. To qualify, the person must have been a New Hampshire resident for at least 5 years, own the real estate individually or jointly, or if the real estate is owned by such person’s spouse, they must have been married for at least 5 years. In addition, the taxpayer must have a net income of not more than $13,400.00 or, if married, a combined net income of less than $20,400.00; and own net assets not in excess of $35,000.00 excluding the value of the person’s residence. Greg Placy seconded and the motion passed with a voice vote.

Greg Placy made a motion to authorize the Selectmen to grant a fifty-foot (50’) right-of-way to Morris Sage across the southeast corner of land owned by the Town known as the “Parsons Lot” (Tax Map #114-16) located off Lynch Road. (By Petition) Larry Rappaport seconded and the motion passed with a voice vote.

Granvyl Hulse made a motion, seconded by Camilla Stewart, to accept, ratify and confirm the reports of the Agents, Selectmen, Auditors and all other Town Officers. The motion passed with a voice vote.

John Fothergill made a motion, seconded by Sharon Nelsson, to raise and appropriate the sum of $100,450.00 for the support of the Colebrook Ambulance Corps Building Fund, which will house the ambulances that provide emergency services for the Town.” (By Petition) Moderator Jon Frizzell recognized Ed Laverty to address the article. With the aide of a PowerPoint presentation, Mr. Laverty reviewed the history of the ambulance corp., finances and why this question appeared on the warrant. Discussion ensued regarding who would own the building, be responsible for maintenance and whether a committee should be formed for collaboration between the ambulance corp., fire department, radio dispatch, selectman, and hospital board personnel.

Moderator Frizzell read the petition requesting that Article 4 be a secret written ballot and the polls were opened. The motion was defeated with the following ballot results:

To transact any other business that may legally come before this meeting:

Linda Haynes and Sandra Riendeau expressed their desire to have the school board members and selectmen hold budget hearings and annual meetings together and informed the public present that they had a petition available for signature to that affect.

Town Manager Donna Caron thanked Greg Placy for his three years of service as selectman.

Terrence Rosi asked the Selectmen to look periodically at the affect the continuous large truck traffic to the landfill is having on Titus Hill Road. He felt the Selectboard should keep the residents of Titus Hill updated regarding this project and check with the residents more frequently to hear their concerns.

Ronald Hughes made a motion, seconded by Camilla Stewart, to adjourn the meeting. The motion was seconded and the meeting was adjourned at 8:55 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Sheila M. Beauchemin