October 10, 2022 | Town Admin TOWN OF SUTTON Pillsbury Memorial Town Hall 93 Main Street Sutton Mills, NH Sutton Mills, NH 03221 Select Board October 10, 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; Robert DeFelice, Budget Chair; Wendy Grimes, Rescue Captain, Aaron Flewelling, Deputy Fire Chief; Adam Hurst, Road Agent; Ruth Guin and Elly Phillips, Town Administrator. At 5:15 p.m., the Board met with Wendy Grimes, Rescue Captain, to discuss Rescue’s 2023 proposed budget. Ms. Grimes provided a detailed report of the Rescue Squad’s expenditures for 2022. Ms. Grimes said that there were no changes to the appropriation request for 2023 with the exception of the removal of a $1,200 line item for supporting ambulance charges. Ms. Grimes advised that New London has sufficient coverage for the Town and that mutual aid also provides support services. Mr. DeFelice added that if necessary, funding for these services would be covered through the operating budget. Mr. DeFelice reviewed capital reserve requests for the rescue squad. Mr. DeFelice observed that the Rescue Equipment Capital Reserve had a soft cap at $50,000. The reserve has approximately $47,000 in it with the 2022 appropriation. Ms. Grimes felt that the Squad could forgo funding this reserve in the interest of the overall operating budget. The appropriation to the rescue vehicle for 2023 line item 986 will remain the same for 2023 at $10,000. At 5:30 p.m. Aaron Flewelling, Deputy Fire Chief, met with the Select Board to review the Fire Department’s 2023 Proposed Budget. An increase was requested for electricity based on the current market. It was noted that costs included in a new line item for Alarms and Safety charges for annual inspection of fire extinguishers are allocated to this line item. Otherwise, there were no changes. A discussion regarding capital planning ensued. Mr. Flewelling stated that the appropriation for safety equipment should remain at $37,000 working toward the soft cap for the line item of $185,000. Mr. Flewelling noted that the $185,000 estimate factored in inflation at the time of the estimate. The Board and Mr. DeFelice asked Mr. Flewelling to check to make sure the estimate was still on track based on current economic trends. Mr. DeFelice asked about the plan for fire apparatus replacement. Mr. Flewelling replied that Engine #2 which was acquired in 2014 is projected to be the next apparatus to require replacement. The Department is estimating 20-years of service for Engine #2 and that the replacement cost will be $800,000. Currently the fund is depleted due to the purchase of the tanker. Mr. Flewelling recommended that the line item be funded at $50,000 for 2023. Mr. DeFelice discussed the capital reserve for the fire safety building. Mr. DeFelice recollected that the Town had stopped funding this line item for awhile to focus on the Highway Facility. For the past couple of years, the Town has approved a $100,000 appropriation to the reserve. Currently, there is $700,000 in the fund. Mr. DeFelice advised that last year the Budget Committee had requested that the fire department provide a game plan for the facility. Mr. DeFelice said that the project will be bonded, but the Capital Reserve needs to be sufficient to develop plans and for some site work. Mr. DeFelice advised that without an updated game plan, the Committee would ask that the appropriation be reduced to $50,000. Mr. DeFelice said that if the project is not going to go forward for many years, the Town does not need to have a $1,000,000 sitting in a reserve fund. Selectman McManus observed that there were sufficient funds for plans. Mr. Flewelling felt that a reduction to this appropriation might be perceived by some of the members as shortchanging the fire department. Selectman McManus recommend a design build approach for the project. Mr. DeFelice said that the Budget Committee is taking a close look at Capital Reserves for all of the Departments. At 6:35 p.m. Selectman Headley made a motion to enter into nonpublic RSA 91-A:3,II(b) The hiring of any person as a public employee. Selectman McManus seconded the motion. The Board was polled with Selectman Headley and Selectman McManus voting in the affirmative. Public session resumed at 6:45 p.m. The nonpublic minutes were not sealed. The Board reviewed the minutes from October 3, 2022, and October 4, 2022. The Board reviewed and approved the following manifests: Vendor Manifest: $865,575.40 (Capital Reserve Funding included in this manifest). Payroll Manifest: $ 15,079.84 BUILDING PERMITS: The Board reviewed the following building permits: Henry and Paul Marcy Revocable Trust, 10-082-200, Winslow Road, Shed Dormer, and Deck: no action taken pending further information from applicant. Jason Teaster, 02-790-368, Foothills Road: Approved. OLD BUSINESS: Selectman McManus reported that he will be walking the ash landfill site on October 11, 2022, with the logger and marking the trees to be included in the Selective cut. Selectman Headley moved to execute the contract and intent to cut after Mr. McManus has completed a mutually agreed upon designation of the remainder of the Select Cut. Selectman Headley seconded the motion. The motion passed by a vote of 2-0. Selectman Headley asked what the status is of the signage for the Gile Pond Road. Mr. Hurst is working with Chief Korbet on the location and language for the signs. Any signs located on the interstate right-away will need to be approved by the State. Mr. Hurst will be working on this matter this week. The Board discussed various inquiries regarding purchasing tax deeded properties. The Board agreed to continue the discussion when a full board was present. NEW BUSINESS: The Board reviewed Health Trust Rating information for 2023. It was noted that Health Trust will be offering the BC-2T plan for 2023 but will be discontinuing the plan for 2024. The Board agreed to grandfather the BC-2T plan for employees currently on that plan and will advise these (two) employees that the plan is being discontinued for 2024. The Board discussed a proposed use for the 1993 Fire Tanker. The Highway Department would like to repurpose the pumper for such uses as culvert cleanouts, washing bridges, and calcium chloride application. The equipment would still be available for the fire department’s use. The current highway tank requires multiple trips and does not have adequate pressure to clean the culverts. The use of the retired tanker would save the highway department a lot of time. The Tanker’s sale value was estimated at $8,000. Mr. Hurst said that the garage could be re-arranged to make room for the Tanker. Selectman McManus felt that the use of the equipment for the highway department would exceed the value of a sale of the property. Mr. DeFelice asked about future maintenance costs the highway department might incur for the tanker. Mr. DeFelice also wanted to make sure that this equipment would not be considered as added inventory to the fleet. Mr. Hurst assured Mr. DeFelice that the equipment would not be considered as a permanent addition to the fleet. Selectman McManus said that if the pump on the truck failed the trade-in value would not be affected, because buyers are just interested in acquiring the truck. The Board agreed to discuss the matter with Fire Chief Cory Cochran. REVIEW OF CORRESPONDENCE: Selectman Headley read into the record a letter from Jack Noon regarding clearing at the Old Store Museum. Mr. Noon completed most of the clearing activities and has placed the brush by the roadside for the Highway Department to pick up. Mr. Hurst discussed a tree that needs to be removed that is either on the Town property or an abutters. The abutter has offered to take the tree down. The Board will review the location of the tree to determine ownership. Mr. Hurst will schedule crew members to remove the brush this week. The Board will issue a thank you letter to Mr. Noon. Selectman Headley read into the record Ruth Guin’s letter of interest in serving on the Economic Development Committee. Selectman Headley congratulated Ms. Guin on being the first person to show formal interest in serving on the committee and also on being abundantly qualified to serve. Selectman Headley made a motion to approve Ms. Guin to serve on the committee. Selectman McManus seconded the motion. The motion passed by a vote of 2-0. Selectman Headley said that she will bring Ms. Guin’s letter of interest to share with the Planning Board and invited Ms. Guin to attend the Planning Board meeting scheduled for 10/11/2022. The Board received a letter from Michael Heffernan showing an interest in the granite pieces on site at the Grist Mill Parking area. Selectman Headley reiterated that the granite will be going offered for sale through a bid process. However, the sale will not be held during the month of October. PUBLIC INPUT: Mr. DeFelice emphasized that all departments, including the highway department, will be asked to look at their capital reserve items and reduce them, when possible, at least for this year. Mr. DeFelice said that the Blacktop capital reserve may need to be pulled back. Mr. Hurst said that he would not be able to complete Shaker Road if the reserve was scaled back to $200,000. Selectman Headley emphasized the need to continue blacktop road maintenance at appropriate levels. Mr. DeFelice asked if there was any follow up from the auditors on the questions that the DRA had regarding MS-535. Phillips said that the DRA had noted the Town’s response for their files. There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:46 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Elly Phillips Town Administrator