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

January 18, 2022 @ 4:30 p.m.

 

 

 

William I. Curless, Chair opened the meeting at 4:30 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.  Present at the meeting were:  William I. Curless, Chair; Dane Headley, Selectman; Roger Wells, Planning Board Chair; Glenn Pogust, Planning Board Vice Chair; Peter Stanley, Planning and Zoning Administrator, and Elly Phillips, Town Administrator.

 

APPOINTMENTS:

At 4:35 p.m. Selectman Headley made a motion under RSA 91-A:3,II(a) Compensation of any public employee.  Selectman Curless seconded the motion.  The Board was polled with Selectmen Curless and Selectman Headley voting in the affirmative.  Public Session resumed at 4:42 p.m.  The non-public minutes were not sealed.

 

At 4:45 p.m. Roger Wells, Planning Board Chair; Glenn Pogust; Planning Board Vice Chair, and Peter Stanley, Planning/Zoning Administrator met with the Board to review the draft Master Plan.  Mr. Wells displayed a bound draft of the Master Plan and suggested that the appendices be bound as a separate document.  There is a critical summary at the beginning of the plan which has been formulated as a concise document.  The Board will be reviewing the plan with the other departments and  focus groups who participated in the planning.  Mr. Wells also displayed a sample advertisement which will be placed in the Intertown Record and Kearsarge Shopper.  The next step will be a public hearing.  After the planning board has finalized their review, the draft Master Plan will be posted on the town’s website.  The final step will be for the Planning Board to have a public hearing to adopt the plan.

 

There are twelve primary recommendations in the Master Plan.  The key results of the questionnaire determined that the primary areas of citizen concern were:  Rural Atmosphere, Sense of Community Friendliness, Historic Villages, and Improved Tax Base.

 

Rural Atmosphere:

Review and adjust the existing cluster ordinance to ensure that it complies with the subdivision regulation and properly protects own space.  Create a table of uses allowed by  right and by special exception in the Rural Agricultural Zone and to review the possible expansion of scenic roads and views and additional protection of mountain crests, very steep slopes.

 

Sense of Community Friendliness:

Provide affordable housing for young families and long time residents.  Mr. Pogust expanded on the need for affordable housing in Sutton.  Create a leadership Council for improving outdoor recreation opportunities including an expanded town-wide trail system.   Mr. Wells noted that the Council could provide recommendations for signage, access and parking for recreational uses.  Make town facilities available for expanded community use.

 

Historic Villages:

Adjust zoning to allow for limited mixed uses and a variety of housing types with incentives to reuse existing structures.  Use Planning Board’s conditional use process so specific types of small commercial activity can occur where appropriate.  Adjust subdivision requirements while maintaining the historic character of the neighborhoods.

 

Improved Tax Base:

Get the Town to form an Economic Development Committee to help bring appropriate land uses to the town, and thereby improve the tax base.   Selectman Curless felt it would be useful to have a Select Board representative participating in this process to help promote the Town.   Create a Commercial/Light Industrial/Hospitality Zone at/near Exit 10 along Shaker Street.  Consider the land surrounding the country Club of New Hampshire Golf course for a new village through Planned Unit Development (PUD).

 

Mr. Wells reviewed the priorities of the Master Plan survey respondents.  For the rural atmosphere, the greatest concern was open space and the quality of the environment.  Of equal importance was recreational opportunities.

 

Mr. Wells stated that for sense of community, the schools are very important and valued commodity.  Selectman Curless noted that we are the only town in the district that has all four schools decreasing the amount of busing required.  There is considerable concern for the constantly increasing taxes and the inability of longtime residents being able to stay due to lack of affordability.

 

Mr. Wells advised that there were 250 respondents to the survey.  Glenn Pogust discussed the respondents’ unfavorable reaction to multi-unit housing.  Mr. Wells said that development of a PUD might result in a more favorable response especially if review is in conjunction with a conditional use permit.   Selectman Headley emphasized the importance of planning for adequate parking.  Mr. Pogust replied parking review would be part of the Conditional Use process.

 

Selectman Curless complimented the Planning Board on the amount of work they have done in developing the Master Plan.    Mr. Wells said that it is very important to protect the environment and history in addition to providing affordable housing to maintain the friendly community.    Planning Board goals for 2023 were discussed.  Selectman Headley commented on the amount of time and effort the planning Board members.

 

The minutes from January 10, 2022, were approved as edited.  The Board reviewed and approved the following manifests:

Vendor Manifest:  $12,571.73

Payroll Manifest:  $12,565.57

 

The Board reviewed and approved the following building permits:

Teresa Hosmer, 09-750-178, Route 114, for an addition (3-season room)

Ian & Mellissa Pollard, 05-948-405, Pound Road, for an accessory dwelling.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

Selectman Baker will represent the Board at the continued Stotler Hearing on January 25, 2022.   If he has a conflict, Selectman Curless or Headley will attend.

 

Selectman Headley discussed research that he has done regarding developing a Code of Conduct.  The Board will review the matter in greater detail when a full Board is present.  The Select Board can adopt at a public hearing.  The employee code of conduct will be combined with the personnel manual.  The Board will be updating the personnel manual in 2022.

 

Phillips discussed revisions to the American Rescue Plan (ARPA/SLFRF) rules which appear to allow for expanded use of the funds.

 

The Board deferred finalizing recommendations for 2022 Budget until their meeting scheduled for January 24, 2022.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

The Board issued a thank you letter to Erin Foley and Raymond Jameson for X-MAS sponsorship of a family in need.

 

Selectman Curless executed the Dingee Contract for a Fire Pumper for the fire department.  Phillips advised that Counsel had recommended one payment upon delivery.  The Fire Chief preferred the phased payment plan due to an additional charge for one payment upon delivery.

 

At 5:42 p.m., Selectman Curless made a motion under RSA 91-A:3,II(a) Compensation of any public employee.  Selectman Headley seconded the motion.  The Board was polled with Selectmen Curless and Headley voting in the affirmative.  Public session resumed at 5:50 p.m.

 

SELECTMEN’S COMMENTS:

Selectman Headley reported on the most recent Budget Committee Meeting that he had attended.  The Budget Committee had concerns regarding two of the Warrant Articles the Select Board were considering which pertained to the debris blower and appointment of the Select Board as agents to expend for the Solid Waste Facility Capital Reserve.  The Board discussed the life expectancy of the Solid Waste Backhoe.

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:06 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Elly Phillips

Town Administrator