TOWN OF WALPOLE

MEETING OF THE SELECTBOARD

JANUARY 22, 2009

 

Selectboard Present:     Sheldon Sawyer, Whitney Aldrich, Jamie Teague

 

Mr. Sawyer called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM with three people present in the audience.

 

PUBLIC BUSINESS:

SOUTHWEST REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION –Brian McMasters- Andrus:  Brian McMasters from the SWRPC requested that the Selectboard approve and sign two documents in connection with Andrus Associates who are now located and operating in the Dunning Building in North Walpole.  Mr. McMasters noted that the Selectboard are required to schedule a Public Hearing in the near future.

 

Mrs. Teague moved to authorize Mr. Sawyer to sign the NH Community Development Program Periodic Progress Report – Economic Development document for Andrus Associates.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

Mr. Aldrich moved to authorize Mr. Sawyer and Mrs. Teague to sign the Community Development Finance Authority payment request in the amount of $65,735.00 for MEDC / Andrus Associates, LLC.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.      

 

JIM TERRELL – Contract vs. Part Time Workers:  Mr. Terrell and the Selectboard discussed the information received from the Local Government Center with reference to hiring on-call part-timers to do snow plowing and removal.  Mrs. Teague asked Elaine Moore to find out what the liability would be in the event a Selectboard member worked part-time doing snow plowing.   

Mr. Aldrich moved to allow Jim Terrell to hire on-call part-time employees at his discretion but to try to stay within the budget.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the Accounts Payable check register and manifest in the amount of $64,879.01.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

PAYROLL:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the payroll voucher for the week ending January 17, 2009, for gross wages in the amount of $18,121.16 or net wages in the amount of $8,912.08.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

Mrs. Teague moved to approve the electronic fund transfer for the 941 Employer Taxes for Withholding, MEDI and FICA taxes in the amount of $4,569.86.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

MINUTES:

SELECTBOARD MEETING – JANUARY 15, 2009:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the Minutes of the regular Selectboard meeting of January 15, 2009.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

SELECTBOARD NON-PUBLIC MEETING – JANUARY 15, 2009:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the Minutes of the Non-Public meeting of January 15, 2009.  The minutes will not be sealed.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

Selectboard Meeting – January 22, 2009 – Page 2

 

DEPARTMENT / COMMITTEE REPORTS:

The Selectboard received and reviewed minutes of the following meetings:  1) North Walpole Village Board of Commissioners– January 20, 2009; 2) Conservation Commission– Public Hearing Minutes of January 16, 2009; and 3) Planning Board– January 13, 2009.

 

WARRANTS:

WALPOLE SEWER DEBT 2009:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the Warrant for the Collection of the Walpole Sewer Debt 2009 in the amount of $14,885.55.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

NORTH WALPOLE SEWER DEBT 2009:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the Warrant for the Collection of the North Walpole Sewer Debt 2009 in the amount of $14,572.17.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

REFUNDS:

HUBBARD LLC – Map 022-005-000:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the Refund for 2008 Property Taxes in the amount of $17,992.00 for Hubbard LLC.  This is the result of an adjusted assessment.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  Motion passed unanimously. 

 

OLD BUSINESS:

BASORA APPEAL:  Mr. Aldrich moved to send the Basora appeal back to the Board of Land and Tax Appeals and to let Avitar defend this.  Seconded by Mr. Sawyer.

Mrs. Teague advised that she will not vote to send this back based on her research of six other comparable properties and the findings. 

Vote in Favor: Mr. Aldrich, Mr. Sawyer. Opposed: Mrs. Teague.  Motion passed by a 2-to-1 vote to send the Basora appeal back to the BLTA.

 

TRANSPORTATION WARRANT ARTICLE FROM TARA SAD:  The Selectboard acknowledged receipt of a proposed Warrant Article from Tara Sad as follows:  “Shall the town collect $2,550 for the purpose of supporting, wholly or in part, a volunteer driver program through the American Red Cross, to serve the needs of the elderly in the Town of Walpole?” 

Mr. Aldrich moved to recommend that Tara Sad re-write this proposed special Warrant Article and to get the 25 signatures.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

CLARIFICATION OF OVERTIME:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve the revised policy on the Clarification of Overtime.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

POLICE DEPARTMENT:  Mrs. Teague reported that the Police Department received 42 applications for the position of Administrative Assistant / Dispatcher.  The committee narrowed them down to eight but one withdrew.  The committee interviewed seven on January 19th; the interviews went well.  From that group three people were going to be called back for a one-on-one meeting with Chief Hewes.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

COMPUTER PROBLEM:  The Bookkeeper, Teresa Kissell, has been having serious problems with her computer.  The computer company was able to get it up and running but they advised that a new one is needed.

 

 

Selectboard Meeting – January 22, 2009 – Page 3

 

Mr. Aldrich moved to amend the proposed budget during the Budget and Warrant Hearing to include approximately $1,200 for a new computer.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.        

 

PERSONNEL FORM:  Mr. Aldrich moved to approve and sign the Walpole Personnel form for the secretaries to receive $15.00/hour for required time over and above the meetings.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

SMALL OFFICE SPACE FOR MEETINGS:  The Selectboard discussed the fact that heating the entire first floor meeting room space is expensive. 

Mr. Sawyer moved that small groups use the smaller office downstairs with the approval of the Conservation Commission.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

AVITAR ASSESSING TRAINING –January 28, 2009- Elaine Moore:  Mrs. Teague moved to allow Elaine Moore to attend the Avitar Assessing Training on January 28, 2009, in Chichester.  Seconded by Mr. Aldrich.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

STEVE VARONE:  Mrs. Teague advised that Steve Varone offered to do free income tax service for low income folks and senior citizens in the Town if he could use the Town Hall during regular hours.  It will be by appointment only.  The Selectboard approved this request; notices will be posted on the Town’s bulletin boards.   Mrs. Teague will talk to the Commissioners in North Walpole about this service and to request that office space be made available in that area.

 

TOWN HALL – Second Floor:  There was discussion relative to the fact that when the second floor is used for various functions that no one is to go in back of or use the area behind the curtains as that is reserved for the Walpole Players.        

 

LETTERS:

COUNTY TAXES:  Mr. Aldrich moved to send the letter regarding the County Taxes to Tara Sad, Lucy Weber and Dan Eaton, Delegates to the District II Cheshire County Commissioners meetings.  Seconded by Mrs. Teague.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE ADMINISTRATION – Mr. Steve Hamilton:  The Selectboard approved sending the letter to the DRA under Elaine Moore’s signature.

 

Adjournment:  Mr. Sawyer declared this meeting adjourned at 9:56 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Regina Borden, Recording Secretary

                                                                        _____________________

                                                                        Sheldon S. Sawyer, Chair

 

                                                                        _____________________

                                                                        Whitney R. Aldrich

 

                                                                        _____________________

                                                                        Jamie J. Teague

 

(Note:  These are unapproved minutes.  Corrections, if necessary, may be found in the minutes of the January 29, 2009, Selectboard meeting.)