TOWN OF SUTTON
Pillsbury Memorial Town Hall
93 Main Street Sutton Mills, NH
Sutton Mills, NH 03221
Select Board

September 12, 2022 @ 5:00 p.m.

 

 

Dane Headley, Selectman, opened the meeting at 5:00 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.  Present at the meeting were:  Dane Headley, Chair; Michael McManus, Selectman; Wally Baker, Jr., Glenn Pogust, Planning Chair; Peter Stanley, Planning and Zoning Administrator, Benjamin France, William Puskas, Barbara Hoffman, Patricia McMahon, and Elly Phillips, Town Administrator.

 

APPOINTMENTS:            

At 5:00 p.m., Benjamin France met with Board to request an extension  until 11/01/2022 to complete removal services at 155 Route 103.   Mr. France reported that the outside is 90% done.  The sheds and the houses have been completed.   All the buildings are passable.  Mr. France shared photos of the project.   Mr. France will contact Jack Noon to review any documents that may have historical interest to the Town.  The Board approved the request for an extension and the Board and Mr. France amended the original contract accordingly.

 

At 5:30 p.m. Mr. William Puskas met with the Board to discuss his claim of ownership of property located at 03-776-234.  Mr. Puskas explained the history of ownership which became complicated due to a flaw in the original deed.  Mr. Puskas subsequently had the flaw corrected.  The problem occurred in 1986.  Mr. Puskas has been paying taxes on the full 190 acres.  Town Counsel reviewed the materials submitted by Mr. Puskas.   Counsel recommended that if the Town wanted to take act in in this regard, an updated title search should be done, and the matter would need to be approved at Town Meeting.  The Board agreed to explore the cost for an updated title search and consider whether an article should be placed on the 2023 warrant.

 

5:45 p.m. Glenn Pogust, Planning Board Chair, and Peter Stanley, Planning and Zoning Administrator, met with the Board regarding the Peacock Hill subdivision.   The Select Board is the enforcing authority to ensure that the conditions of approval for the subdivision are compliant.  Mr. Pogust provided the Board with a thorough checklist for tracking compliance with the Planning Board’s conditions of approval.    The Planning Board and Planning and Zoning Administrator will continue to support the Select Board in that effort.   The developer through his attorney will be attending the next Planning Board meeting to review the conditions of approval.  No changes or modifications to the conditions will  be made except through a formal notification process.   Select Board staff will work closely with the Planning and Zoning Administrator to ensure that the conditions are being met.

The Board reviewed the minutes from September 6, 2022.  Selectman Headley asked that the word farther in the last paragraph be changed to the word further.  Selectman Baker moved to approve the minutes as corrected.  Selectman McManus seconded the motion.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

 

CONSENT AGENDA:

The Board reviewed and approved the following manifests:

Vendor Manifest:  $122,761.33

Payroll Manifest:   $  13,521.52

 

BUILDING PERMITS:

The Board reviewed and approved the following building permits:

Clayton Hadnot, 07-540-038, Kearsarge Valley Road for a shed.

JoAnn Wentworth and Stephen Foote, 04-267-288, Roby Road, interior renovations to workshop.

Douglas Hamilton, 10-003-396, Meadow Brook Road for 2 car barn/garage with lean to.

Walter Partridge, 05-497-323, North Road for a utility shed.

Brad & Olivia Donesky, 04-13-082, Roby Road for a dwelling and garage.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

The Board issued a Letter of Support for KLPA 604(b) Water Quality Planning Grant application.

 

Selectman Baker reported on his site visit to the Sweet property noting that there is a scrape on the pillar that could have been caused by a plow.  There is a gap in the stonework and some rubble has fallen inside the pillar.  Mr. Baker proposed strapping and lifting the pillar, removing the rubble that has fallen inside and re-cementing the stones on the bottom and replacing the pillar.  The Town will require an appurtenance form for the pillar.  The Board also agreed to follow up on drainage issues at the Call property.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

The Board discussed a request from Bruce Kozikowski  to meet with them regarding the disposition of the Police Department’s retired firearms.  The Board determined that the retired firearms will be traded-in to White Birch to offset the costs of the replacement weapons.  Those interested in purchasing these firearms can follow up with White Birch which is a Federal Firearms Licensed dealer.

 

The Board reviewed an abutter request to purchase tax deeded property located at 05-710-520.  Phillips was instructed to follow up on the matter.

 

The Board reviewed a recommendation from Jack Noon (and others) for the 2022 Annual Report Cover.  Phillips was instructed to follow up on the matter.

 

The Board discussed vital statistics for the Town Report.  The vital statistics are compiled by the NH Secretary of State’s Office.  In order to be included in the annual report, there is a square that is checked off on vital records application forms, birth, marriage, and death records.   Frequently, residents miss checking the box.  The Board discussed means to make citizens more aware of this so that they can be included in the annual report.   The Board suggested publicizing this on the website.

 

The Board discussed annual evaluations for Department Heads.  The Board  will schedule a separate non-public work session to complete the evaluation forms.  There was a general discussion regarding merit and COLA increases.

 

SELECT BOARD COMMENTS:

Selectman Baker discussed the State’s project on North Road.

 

PUBLIC INPUT:

Patricia McMahon brought neighborhood concerns regarding speeders on Route 114 and cited some near misses involving young pedestrians.  The Board will convey those concerns to the Police Department so that they can conduct directed patrols.  In addition, the speed limit signs that are being acquired through the Local Equipment Matching Program Grant might be a useful tool to remind motorists of the speed limit.  Ms. McMahon emphasized that measures need to be taken to control this problem.

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:50 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Elly Phillips

Town Administrator