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

November 4, 2020

 

The meeting was called to order at 4:00 p.m. Robert Wright, Jr., Chair read the following announcement into the record:

Due to the COVID 19/Coronavirus Pandemic and in accordance with Governor Sununu’s Emergency Order #12, pursuant to Executive Order 2020-04, this Board is authorized to meet electronically. The public has access to contemporaneously listen and participate in this meeting by telephone by calling 978-990-5000 and entering access code 112820.

 

Present at the meeting was Robert Wright, Jr., Chair; William I. Curless, Selectman; Dane Headley, Selectman; Diego Solimine, Solid Waste Supervisor; Betsy Anderson, Library Trustee; Tom Paul and Elly Phillips, Town Administrator. Attending by teleconference was Robert DeFelice, Budget Chair.

 

APPOINTMENTS:

Diego Solimine, Solid Waste Supervisor met with the Board to review The Solid Waste proposed 2021 Budget. Mr. Solimine reduced the wage line item by $925.00 to $78,000. Water testing was increased by $1,000 due to potential additional required testing. Mr. Solimine recommended a $200 reduction for diesel, an increase of $500 for lagoon maintenance and to retain $500 to fund freon recycling due to uncertainties with the current vendor. Mr. Solimine reduced the fluorescent budget to zero. The Board discussed septage disposal. Mr. Solimine is meeting with a vendor to discuss disposal options and will provide an update. The Board discussed the current permitting. Selectman Curless expressed reservations regarding the benefit to the taxpayers for continuing to offer septage disposal. Selectman Curless noted that the town was paying for maintenance for the lagoons at a cost and felt that there was the potential for future liability. Mr. Solimine advised that the lagoons had brought in almost $10,000 in revenue. Mr. Curless wanted to analyze the cost/benefit.

 

Mr. Solimine cited some of the benefits to the townspeople such as availability for emergency pump outs and that pumping costs have been contained for Sutton residents. Haulers are supposed to offer a discount to local residents due to reduced hauling distances. The septage generated some revenue. Selectman Curless emphasized that this is the budget season and that it is a good time to review overall benefit to the town. Selectman Curless felt that sooner or later there will be groundwater contamination. It was noted that there would be a cost for closure that should be reviewed. Mr. Solimine discussed the groundwater testing process and noted that there was only one occasion where some e-coli was detected. Selectman Curless discussed the substantial costs associated with closing the ash landfill, recollecting that the landfill was approved by the State and thought to be a great cost saving measure for the Town, until such time it was required to close the landfill. The Board will revisit the matter at their next regularly scheduled meeting. Diego noted that the revenue stream outweighed the costs associated with maintenance and testing.

 

The Board discussed pro-ration of insurance for part-time employees. It was noted that under the personnel policy insurance is pro-rated at 40 hours. The Board recently ratified this policy. The Board will revisit the policy and discuss the matter with Town Counsel. There was a brief discussion regarding dump stickers. It was suggested that the stickers could be distributed to residents through the Clerk’s Office during vehicle registration.

 

Tom Paul met with the Board to discuss replacement of the one-way sign on Lover’s Lane. Mr. Paul distributed copies of the 10-12-2015 minutes where the Board moved to make Lovers Lane a one-way road. In August 2020, it was discovered that the one-way sign had to be removed. The Road Agent was notified in August, but the sign has yet to be replaced. Mr. Paul was advised that the Road Agent is replacing a number of signs throughout town, but due to budget constraints the replacement will be done over two years. The signs to be replaced, size and associated cost have been discussed at a number of meetings. The Road Agent has ordered the one-way sign and expected delivery of it last week. To date, the Highway Department has not received the signs but expect them any day. Mr. Paul questioned who authorized the sign removal or whether it was vandalism. It was suggested that a concrete base be used to secure the sign. The Board will follow up with Mr. Paul when the sign arrives.

 

The Board discussed the possibility of storing the hearse located in the Hall at Muster Field. Mr. Paul observed that the Farm liked the idea but finding an appropriate place for storage was a problem.

 

The minutes from October 26, 2020 were approved as written. The Board reviewed and approved the following manifests:

PAYROLL MANIFEST: $ 12,300.00

VENDOR MANIFEST:  $14,486.88

 

The Board reviewed and approved the following Building Permits:

John Lund, Roby Road, Map 01-860-144, for a shed

Christopher Clark and Claudette Lajam, 04-121-412, Meetinghouse Hill, Deck demo/porch reno

Barbara Turner, 06-522-048, Newbury Road, for a shed/ZBA variance approved 9/16/2020

               

OLD BUSINESS:

The Board reviewed the revised COVID Travel Policy which was reviewed by Counsel. Selectman Headley developed a concise policy which prohibits non-essential travel outside of the New England area.   Selectman Wright made a motion to adopt the Temporary Employee Travel Policy During Covid as written. Selectman Headley seconded the motion. The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote.

 

Selectman Curless reported on Corporation Hill rocks. Selectman Curless has contacted a contractor to provide guidance on the scope of the project. The Town is seeking engineering guidance and will need to budget for the project.

 

Selectman Curless will provide information on the pole #’s for streetlights outages that have been reported. The Town will follow up with Eversource.

 

Phillips reported on the Statistical Revaluation which has been completed. The Town is waiting for an appointment to set the tax rate and for the update of data on the Town’s computer. The Board will be provided with rate options based on the use of fund balance. The 2nd issue warrant will be issued as soon as possible and staff is available to get the tax bills out. A special meeting may be required on the morning of 11/09/2020 to approve the tax rate.

 

SELECTMEN’S COMMENTS:

Selectman Headley reported on that Cedar House Sound has ordered the component to connect the telephone system to the sound system.

 

The Board continued their discussion regarding storing the hearse at Muster Field. Mr. DeFelice said that originally the Farm felt that an adequate storage area was behind the managers parking area. Although moving the hearse in and out for events might pose a challenge. The Board will write to Muster Field Farm to follow up on the matter.

 

Selectman Curless brought up the subject of the Town Meeting venue. The High School has been reserved for town meeting. Selectman Curless advised that voting went smoothly and the public seemed pleased.

 

Signage was also discussed. Selectman Headley indicated that the Board should continue their efforts to develop a policy for political signs on Town property. Selectman Curless observed that the vehicle that was parked that displayed signage took up valuable parking space. Selectman Curless felt that the Town should consider expanding the parking area to 25-30 spots.

 

Mr. DeFelice advised that Grist Mill could accommodate 25 slots without interfering with the green area. The designs for 20 slots was selected so that the choice between maintaining the building or demolishing was not based on the number of slots and that the decision would be with the house or without the house. Selectman Curless asked about budget estimates for the parking area for 2021 and was advised that Walter Baker was following up on that. Selectman Curless indicated that the budget should be phased over two years. If the project does not go forward this year, funds should be set aside.

 

Selectman Headley asked for a non-public session to be scheduled for 11-9-2020.

 

Selectman Wright provided a summary of election activities. Selectman Wright noted that everything went well except acoustics were an issue. Over 1,000 citizens opted for in-person voting.   Selectman Wright noted that absentee ballot processing went very smoothly. Voting was steady all day.

 

PUBLIC COMMENT:

Mr. DeFelice advised the Board that Corona virus has been detected in public sewage systems and that the Board should take that into consideration in their deliberations regarding the septic lagoons. Selectman Wright asked that the Town check with the DES to see if they had looked into that or if there are any precautions that the Town should take.

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:36 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Elly Phillips

Town Administrator