February 8, 2021 | Town Admin TOWN OF SUTTON Pillsbury Memorial Town Hall 93 Main Street Sutton Mills, NH Sutton Mills, NH 03221 Select Board February 8, 2021 @ 4:00 p.m. The meeting was called to order at 4:00 p.m. by Robert Wright Jr., Chair. Present at the meeting were: Robert Wright, Jr., Chair; William I. Curless, Selectman; Dane Headley, Selectman; Elly Phillips, Town Administrator; and Jonathan Korbet, Police Chief attended through teleconference. Selectman Wright 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. APPOINTMENTS: At 4:15 p.m. Police Chief Jonathan Korbet met with the Board through teleconference to discuss the Town’s COVID sick pay policy. The Town’s policy regarding the Cororna virus ended 12/31/2020. At that time, the Board allowed employees to carry unused sick pay into the year 2021. Chief Korbet requested the Town to adopt a policy expressing concern that employees may elect to report to work rather than use their own time for quarantining. Selectman Curless suggested checking with the Governor’s office to see if they are planning an executive order regarding sick time. Chief Korbet noted the employees’ wages are already budgeted so this would not involve any increase to the budget. Chief Korbet recommended allowing employees to work from home if they are able but offering time for people to quarantine. The increased availability of vaccines was also discussed. The Board felt that the issue would be ongoing for the next year. The Board will look into adopting a policy and will revisit the matter at their next regularly scheduled meeting. The minutes from February 1, 2021 were approved as written. The Board reviewed and approved the following manifests: Vendor Manifest: $43,844.96 Payroll Manifest: $12,858.74 VETERANS’ TAX CREDIT: The Board approved a Veterans’ Tax Credit for Justin Parker, 04-517-046, Fox Chase Road, in the amount of $500.00. OLD BUSINESS: Selectman Curless reported on Annual Meeting Preparations at the Kearsarge Regional High School. Selectman Curless observed that the school was exceptionally well set up and suited for conducting Town Meeting. There are Hepa filter air exchangers in the ventilation system. The auditorium is already prepared for 6-foot social distancing. Citizens will enter into the same side door. Selectman Curless will be meeting voters as they come in to guide people to check-in. The music room has been designated as an area for individuals who choose not to wear a mask. The music room is set up with audio-visual equipment. The cafeteria is designated as an overflow area and an extra speaker will be installed as the TV speaker will likely not be adequate. A microphone will be set up at the door for individuals in the overflow area to participate. Individual tables will be set up on the stage for the Select Board, Budget Chair, Moderator, Town Clerk and Town Counsel. Phillips will be on the floor. There will be a ZOOM interface for those that want to view the meeting, but they will not be able to participate. The Supervisors of the Checklist will be located in the cafeteria along the outside wall for check-in. There will be sneeze guards set up for the Supervisors. The Board reviewed the Memorandum of Understanding as revised by the Library Trustees. The Board will review the document in greater detail but felt that the document should be revised so that the balance of funding will be disbursed the second payment after Town Meeting and that it should be scheduled for adoption the first Select Board Meeting after town meeting. The Board reviewed the 2021 Budget and warrant for review after input from the Budget Committee’s Public Hearing. Selectman Curless made a motion to adopt the Budget Committee’s recommendation for 1.3% COLA salary increase as reflected in the budget. Selectman Headley seconded the motion. The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote. It was noted that the Budget Committee had received requests to revise their budget that had not come before the Select Board. Selectman Curless made a motion to revise the Select Board’s recommended operating budget, Article 4, to agree with the Budget Committee. Selectman Headley seconded the motion. The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote. The Select Board reviewed the remaining Warrant Articles. The Board discussed Article 3. Selectman Curless expressed some concerns regarding the timing for the project. Selectman Curless made a motion to Recommend. Selectman Headley seconded the motion. The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote. Selectman Curless made a motion to recommend Article 5, Capital Reserves. Selectman Headley seconded the motion. The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote. Select Curless made a motion to recommend Article 6, Fire Tanker Truck. Selectman Headley seconded the motion. The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote. Selectman Headley made a motion to recommend Article 7, 6-Wheel Plow/Dump Truck. Selectman Curless seconded the motion. The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote. Selectman Curless made a motion to recommend Article 8, Fully Equipped Cruiser. Selectman Headley seconded the motion. The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote. Selectman Curless made a motion to recommend Article 9, Grist Mill/Lane River Embankment Bridge engineering etc. Selectman Headley seconded the motion. The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote. Selectman Headley made a motion to recommend Article 10, Grist Mill Parking Area. Selectman Curless seconded the motion. The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote. Selectman Headley made a motion to recommend Article 11, Cemetery Land. Selectman Curless seconded the motion. The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote. Selectman Curless made a motion to recommend Article 12, Debris Blower. Selectman Headley seconded the motion. Selectman Wright advised that the Budget Committee was not in favor of the Article. Selectman Curless explained that the debris blower would make the job considerably more efficient. One person could do the job that would normally take three people to do manually. The equipment not only removes debris from the road, but also from the ditches. Selectman Curless stated the concern that he had was regarding the life of the equipment. The one they use in New London has been in operation for 10 years. The cost over the life of the equipment would be about $850 a year. The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote. The Board discussed Article 13 for a Library Security System. Selectman Curless made a motion to recommend Article 13. Selectman Headley seconded the motion. The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote. The Board discussed Article 14, for the sale of Tax Deed Land. Selectman Headley made a motion to recommend Article 14. Selectman Curless seconded the motion. The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote. The Board discussed Article 15 to require a Tally on Recommendations. Selectman Curless noted that this was on the Warrant at the Budget Committee’s request. Selectman Wright said that the Board could amend the motion not to include the Select Board. Selectman Curless felt that this was more directed to the Budget Committee. Selectman Wright discussed the rationale for the Budget Committee supporting this was transparency and openness. Selectman Headley felt that it weakened the recommendation and that you either recommend it or do not recommend it. Selectman Wright made a motion not to recommend Article 15. Selectman Curless seconded the motion. The motion passed by a vote of 2-0 with Selectman Wright abstaining. The Board discussed Article 16 by petition. The Board discussed whether or not recommendations were required for this Warrant Article. The Board agreed to come in to sign the Warrant after Phillips made the revisions discussed. NEW BUSINESS: The Board discussed the need to replace one of the garage doors at the Solid Waste Facility. Selectman Curless recommended getting more information regarding the durability of an uninsulated door vs. an insulated door and noted that neither quotation included an opener in their estimates. Phillips was instructed to follow up. REVIEW OF CORRESPONDENCE: SELECTMEN’S COMMENTS: Selectman Curless asked for feedback regarding why the dump was closed during a recent snowstorm and was advised that the Solid Waste Supervisor made the decision due to exceedingly low public turnout during the morning hours and for safety reasons. Selectman Headley reported on progress with the cemetery land test pit. The inspection will need to be completed within the next week in order to comply with the extension. Selectman Headley discussed teleconferencing for Select Board meetings noting that there was no option for muting. Selectman Headley noted that there was a lot of interference on the telephone line. Selectman Headley suggested that further teleconferencing options should be explored. There being no further information, the meeting was adjourned at 5:21 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Elly Phillips Town Administrator