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

October 18, 2021 @ 4:30 p.m.

 

 

Selectman William I. Curless, Chair, opened the meeting at 4:00 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.  Present at the meeting were William Curless, Chair; Dane Headley, Selectman and Walter Baker, Jr., Selectman; Henry Howell Conservation Chair; and Elly Phillips, Town Administrator.

 

APPOINTMENTS:

At 5:00 p.m.  Henry Howell, Co-Chair Conservation Commission, met with the Board to review Conservation Commission’s 2022 proposed budget.    Mr. Howell reviewed the budget on a line item basis.  Mr. Howell provided a comparison of the 2021 Budget, 2021 actual expenses, 2021 future expenses, and the 2022 proposed budget.

 

Mr. Howell noted that the dues, conferences and publications line item was under budget in 2021 due to COVID and the consequent reduction in conferences.  Mr. Howell explained that the Commission was developing GIS mapping of the trail maps which are to scale and depict contours as well as historic features.  There was a discussion regarding the potential to add a layer showing  the trails on the town’s online mapping.  Mr. Howell and Phillips will follow up.  Mr. Howell discussed a donation system that the Commission is exploring as well as a “Friends of the Trail” sponsorship program.

Mr. Howell discussed the Bioblitz program sponsored by Fish and Game and the Merrimack County Extension Service.  Participates in the program took photographs of interesting flora and fauna on Town land and submitted the photos to Bioblitz.  Sutton was sixth in overall participation.  The data collected was sent back to the Commission and will be used in conjunction with the Commission’s natural resources inventory.  The supplies line item is earmarked for publicity.

 

Mr. Howell reviewed special projects which include snowplowing of the King Hill/Hominy Pot Trail which is a popular winter recreation area.   Professional culvert repairs are planned for the Penacook and the Hominy Pot paths. The Commission has retained a forester to develop a forestry plan for a logging project on the north end of the King Hill Reservation.  Revenue from the logging project will go to the Town’s general fund.  The Commission is exploring access alternative for the logging project.  The Commission also dedicates special projects funds to trail development.  The Commission is requesting $7,537.00 for the 2022 budget which is the same as the 2021 budget request.   There is no change to the Capital Reserve requests.   Mr. Howell explained the Commission’s philosophy for it’s LUCT special fund.  These funds can be used for a land acquisition match or to assist landowners with establishing conservation easements.

 

The minutes from October 11, 2021, and non-public minutes from October 15, 2021, were approved as written.  The Board reviewed and approved the following manifests:

Vendor Manifest:  $811,042.52

Payroll Manifest:   $  11,394.66

 

OLD BUSINESS:

Selectman Curless reported that Hansen Construction was coordinating with the Highway Department for the removal of the Grist Mill Pedestrian Bridge and relocation.  The Highway Department will assist with preliminary site work.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

The Board reviewed options for the 2021 Final Tax Rate Setting.  Selectman Curless made a motion to use $250,000 from fund balance to reduce the tax rate as planned.  Selectman Headley seconded the motion.   The motion passed by a vote of 2-0.   The 2021 Tax Rate is $24.16/000.  The tax rate breakdown is as follows:

Municipal                            $  7.80

County                                 $  2.40

Local Education                 $12.10

State Education                 $   1.86

The overall tax rate was reduced by .71/000 to 24.16.

 

The Board issued a r\Repurchase Deed for Vanderwerff,  Map/Lot 06-935-095.

 

REVIEW OF CORRESPONDENCE:

In response to a memorandum from Chief Korbet, the Board explored the 2021 policy regarding COVID sick time noting that, if possible, employees should be encouraged to work from home.

 

Selectman Curless made a motion to offer 14-days of verifiable COVID leave, on a one-time basis, prorated for part-time employees for the 2021 fiscal year.  Selectman Headley seconded the motion.  The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote.  The policy to be visited at the end of the year.

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:50 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Elly Phillips

Town Administrator