May 31, 2024 | Town Admin Town of Sutton Pillsbury Memorial Hall 93 Main Street Sutton Mills, NH 03221 Select Board Minutes May 20th, 2024, 5:00pm Pledge of Allegiance: Select Board Chair Michael McManus opened the meeting at 5:00pm with the Pledge of Allegiance. Present at the meeting were: Michael McManus, Select Board Chair; Glenn Pogust, Selectman; and Julia Jones, Town Administrator. Also present at the meeting were: Jordan Peters, Department of Transportation (DOT) Right of Way Agent; Tom Schamberg, NH State Representative; Lee Booker, Allison Dobrowski, Benjamin Dobrowski, and Thomas Lorden. Appointments: At 5:00pm the Board met with Diane Lander regarding Merrimack County Community Power, a program that allows the county to procure electricity on behalf of its residents and businesses on a competitive basis through bulk purchasing. Diane explained that any municipality within the county may, by majority vote of their governing body, request to join Merrimack County Community Power by adopting and submitting a resolution to the County Commissioners. In joining the program, a municipality elects Merrimack County Community Power as the default electricity provider for their residents and businesses on an opt-out basis. Municipalities that elect to join prior to June 28th, 2024 will be eligible to participate in the October launch and enrollment of customers. The Board discussed the timeline for joining and notifying residents, concerns related to automatic enrollment, and the option for any resident to opt-out of the program. The Board directed the Town Administrator to gather additional information on the June 28th deadline and to schedule a meeting with a representative of Merrimack County Community Power on June 10th to learn more about the program. At 5:15pm the Board met with Treasurer Joanne Lord regarding a proposed Town Investment Policy. The Select Board is required to adopt an investment policy pursuant to RSA 41:29, which authorizes a limited number of investment options available to the treasurer for the purpose of investing any excess funds not immediately needed for expenditure. The Board discussed the proposed policy and the possibility of bonding the Treasurer. The Board directed the Town Administrator to have Town Counsel review the policy and advise the Board on the possibility of bonding the Treasurer. At 5:30pm the Board met with Ben Dobrowski and Allison Dobrowski regarding a turnaround on Birch Hill Rd. The Dobrowskis shared that it was unclear whether the turnaround, which has been used and maintained by the Highway Department for at least 17 years, is private or Town-owned. Confusion over the ownership of this property has created conflict among certain residents of Birch Hill Rd. The Dobrowskis shared that Jared Labelle has restricted access to the turnaround, with impacts to snow removal activity on the road. In response, the Dobrowskis created another turnaround on their own property for snow removal. The Board discussed the ownership of the turnaround and its importance to the Town for road maintenance and snow removal. The Board directed the Town Administrator to ask Town Counsel to draft an easement for the turnaround to be presented to Jared Labelle. The Road Agent advised the Dobrowskis that they need to file a driveway permit for the turnaround they created on their property. At 5:45pm the Board met with the Road Agent regarding the sale of the 6-wheel dump truck and estimate for repairs to a front-end loader. The Road Agent notified the Board that Freightliner declined the Town’s offer to sell the dump truck for its trade-in value by issuing a separate check to the Town. The Road Agent confirmed that Rowe Brothers Excavation remained interested in purchasing the dump truck for its trade-in value. The Board authorized the Road Agent and the Town Administrator to sell the dump truck to Rowe Brothers Excavation for its trade-in value. The Board reviewed an estimate for repairs to the Highway Department’s front-end loader. The Board considered the possibility of trading in the front-end loader for a replacement. After further discussion and review of the balance of certain capital reserve funds, the Board authorized the repairs based on the estimate presented. Minutes: At 6:26 pm Selectman Pogust made a motion to accept the public minutes from May 13th subject to certain corrections. Chair McManus seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. Manifests: The Board reviewed and approved the following manifests: Payroll: $ 17,186.34 Vendor: $ 61,410.31 Vendor: $ 10,000.00 Intents: The Board reviewed and approved the following intents: Intent to cut 45 acres of 67.2 submitted by Margaret Birney Vickery for parcel 03-983-475 located on Eaton Grange Rd. Intent to cut 6 acres of 52 acres submitted by Greatwoods, LLC for parcel 01-120-477 located on Eaton Grange Rd. Building Permits: The Board reviewed and approved the following building permits: Building permit to screen in porch submitted by Bruce A Androphy for parcel 05-898-463 located at 41 Gile Pond Rd. $21,056.59 building permit for a furnace/hot water heater submitted by Antonio and Diane Malaquias for parcel 06-610-001 located at 53 Nelson Hill Rd. New Business: The Board certified the following Yield Tax Levies: $8,461.63 Yield Tax Levy for timber cut from parcels 01-338-510 & 03-406-095 by Great Woods LLC, operation #23-439-01-T $326.44 Yield Tax Levy for timber cut from parcel 10-124-023 by Robert Bristol Charitable Trust, operation #23-439-11-T $4,790.54 Yield Tax Levy for timber cut from parcel 07-080-513 by Alessandro Valmarana, operation #23-439-09-T $20.60 Yield Tax Levy for timber cut from parcel 05-703-110 by John Brown and Sons, Inc., operation #23-439-02-T The Board reviewed an estimate for proposed upgrades to the PA system at Pillsbury Memorial Hall and directed the Town Administrator not to move forward with the proposed upgrades, in favor of sharing the existing wireless microphones. The Board reviewed and approved a request from the Cemetery Commission to attend training. The Board discussed a Highway Safety Equipment Grant pursued by Chief of Police Jon Korbet for e-ticketing software and equipment. The Board directed the Town Administrator to see if Chief Korbet would be available for a June 3rd public hearing on the grant. The Town Road Agent and the Board discussed the possibility coordinating the Keyser St. culvert project with paving on the same road. Old Business: Review of correspondence: The Board reviewed correspondence from Heather Turner regarding a Proposed Short-Term Conditional Use Rental Permit, Application, and Regulations. The Board acknowledged the thorough research completed by Turner in preparing the proposed permit, application, and regulations. The Board discussed the merits and challenges of the proposed regulation and agreed not to pursue the proposed Short-Term Conditional Use Rental Regulations at this time, citing the cost and effort to administer and enforce the proposed regulations. The Board directed the Town Administrator to thank Turner for her efforts, and to notify her of the Board’s decision. The Board reviewed correspondence from New Hampshire Department of Safety, Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management: Soliciting Letters of Intent (LOIs) for the Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Program. The Board reviewed correspondence from Nancy Glynn, Chair of the Trustees of the Sutton Free Library regarding landscaping, annual furnace maintenance, and the questions raised by the Trustees of the Sutton Free Library in response to conceptual plan for the Sutton Free Library lift. Selectman Pogust shared that Chair Glynn shared the same list of questions with him, and that he had already responded. The Town Administrator shared that the furnace is scheduled for maintenance on May 21st. The Board met with Jordan Peters, Department of Transportation (DOT) Right of Way Agent to discuss an Estimate of Compensation (EOC) for an easement requested by the State for work conducted on town property bordering interstate 89 during the period when the culvert work would be performed. Mr. Peters advised that the DOT calculated the value of that temporary easement at $500.00. The Board reviewed and approved the easement and EOC. The Board reviewed a Work Zone Agreement for Culvert Replacement from the New Hampshire Department of Transportation Bureau of Highway Design and authorized the Town Administrator to sign the agreement. The Board reviewed an appropriation request from the Kearsarge Area Council on Aging, Inc for 2024 and directed the Town Administrator to notify the Council on Aging of their decision to postpone the release of their appropriated funds until after the first issue tax warrant. The Board reviewed correspondence from New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration regarding 2023 Total Equalized Valuations. The Board reviewed a notice of public hearing for an application by Vertex Towers, LLC for a Special Exception to the Town Community Planning Ordinance sent by the Town of Stoddard Zoning Board of Adjustment. Public Input: The Board and the Town Road Agent met with Thomas Lorden regarding road upgrades that Lorden would like to perform on Nelson Hill Rd. The Board directed the Town Administrator to research the classification of Nelson Hill Rd. Select Board Comments: Selectman Pogust shared information gathered from the Town’s New Hampshire Department of Revenue Municipal Advisor on naming the Select Board as agents to expend from the Town Bridges Capital Reserve Fund 1-14-4914-982. Selectman Pogust shared that the Board should revisit plans for the Keyser St. culvert in the next two weeks and consider holding a public hearing to name the Select Board as agents to expend from the Town Bridges Capital Reserve Fund 1-14-4914-982 for the purposes of expending funds for the Keyser St. culvert project. The Treasurer and Town Administrator shared their appreciation for the Bookkeeper an Executive Assistant’s responsibilities and workload, and her exceptional service to the Town. Chair McManus directed the Town Administrator to invite Lorri Himes, Executive Assistant and Bookkeeper to meet with the Board Monday, May 28th. Adjournment: There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 7:15pm. Respectfully submitted, Julia Jones Town Administrator
