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

November14, 2022 @ 5:00 p.m.

 

 

Selectman Headley, Chair,  opened the meeting at 4:00  p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.  Present at the meeting were: Dane Headley, Chair;  Michael McManus, Selectman; Walter Baker, Jr. Selectman; Robert DeFelice, Budget Committee Chair; Diego Solimine, Solid Waste Supervisor; Chuck Nelson, Solid Waste Attendant; and Elly Phillips, Town Administrator.

 

Diego Solimine, Solid Waste Supervisor,  met with the Board to provide a departmental update and review of the 2023 proposed budget.

 

Mr. Solimine identified the following updates to his previously proposed budget.  Mr. Solimine requested that $100 be added to the Building/Alarms/Safety line item (340)  for fire extinguisher inspections.

 

Mr. Solimine increased the appropriation for electricity (410) to $3,200.

 

Mr. Solimine reduced the line item for lagoon maintenance (799) to $1000.  2022 expenditures will be reviewed to determine whether or not this line item can be further reduced.

 

The Demo Dumpster line item (801) was increased to $20,000 due to an increase in tonnage charges.

 

Mr. Solimine discussed complications in allocating the recycling categories.  The vendor is no longer separating these charges.  Phillips will follow up with NRRA to see if more detail can be included with the invoices.  A new line item has been established for plastic recycling (803) and Mr. Solimine requested $8,000 for that line.  The Town is no longer being charged for cardboard recycling line (805) so that item has been revised from $6,000 to $0.  There was a lengthy discussion regarding recycling alternatives.   Selectman McManus agreed to do some research on the matter.   Mr. Solimine explained some of the challenges of recycling and ensuring that recycled materials are handled appropriately.

 

There was discussion regarding funding the line item for hazardous waste.  Mr. Solimine advised the Board that paint was not considered hazardous waste.  It can be dried out and disposed of.

 

The costs for tire removal have been increased.  Mr. Solimine requested that the tire removal line item (809) be increased to $2,000.

Mr. Solimine increased the MSW trucking line item (812) to $12,000.

 

Propane heat (8130) was increased from $2,800 to $3,000.

 

The allocation for glass recycling (816) was increased from $3,500 to $4,000.

 

Mr. DeFelice complimented Mr. Solimine on his proposed budget noting that his budgets are sufficient and that Solid Waste always returns unspent funds which are used to offset a future tax rate.   Barring additional information, the Board supported Mr. Solimine’s Budget as  presented.

 

Capital reserves were also discussed.  Mr. DeFelice explained that each department was being asked to reduce their capital funding by half due to current economic conditions.   Since the Solid Waste Facility Capital Reserve is nearing its cap of $100,000, Mr. Solimine agreed to reduce the proposed appropriation to zero.  Since decommission the lagoons is still in the research phase, the project is likely to carry into 2024, Mr. Solimine agreed to reduce that line item as well.  The Board agreed to schedule a public hearing regarding solid waste fees due to changes in costs to the town.

 

Selectman Baker moved to approve the public and non-public minutes from November 7, 2022, as written.  The motion was seconded by Selectman McManus.  The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote.

 

Mr. DeFelice discussed ongoing issues with obtaining revenue reports from Sutton Free Library.  Mr. DeFelice will follow up with the Library Trustees advising them of the statutory reporting requirements.  Mr. DeFelice stated that the Budget Committee needs to provide both revenue information and expenditure details.  Mr. DeFelice said that this has been an ongoing issue for several years.  Selectman Headley encouraged Mr. DeFelice to find a resolution to this issue as soon as possible.

CONSENT AGENDA:

REVIEW OF MANIFESTS:

The Board reviewed and approved the following manifests:

Vendor Manifest:  $27,758.11

Payroll Manifest:   $15,155.82

 

BUILDING PERMITS:

The Board approved a building permit for Jonathan and Jacquelyn Bennett, Map 07-833-269, Taylor’s Path for an addition.

 

Action was deferred for a building permit for Michael Sigourney, 02-727-241, Old Blaisdell Road, erect garage on existing foundation.  The application was incomplete.

OLD BUSINESS:

The Board issued a Cease and Desist to Gary Fitzgerald, Peacock Hill Road, LLC, Map 01-173-097, East Sutton Road for Zoning violations.

 

Selectman McManus reported that drainage mitigation efforts have been completed on Davis Court.

 

The Board agreed to  conduct a nonpublic performance evaluation for the Road Agent on 11/21/2022 at 4:30 p.m.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

The Board approved the 2023 Dispatch Agreement with the Town of New London in the amount of $22,426.01.

 

SELECTMEN’S COMMENTS:

The Board discussed areas where employee merit increases were requested.  Phillips advised that in most instances COLA increases were calculated based on the 2022 allocations.   Exceptions are in areas where additional hours are being requested and for new hires where benchmark increases are being planned.

 

Selectman Headley advised that he received a great deal of positive feedback regarding the parking area and many citizens felt that it should have been larger.

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:35 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Elly Phillips

Town Administrator