March 15, 2021 | Town Admin TOWN OF SUTTON Pillsbury Memorial Town Hall 93 Main Street Sutton Mills, NH Sutton Mills, NH 03221 Select Board March 15, 2021 The meeting was called to order at 4:46 p.m. by William I. Curless, Chair. Selectman Curless 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. Selectman Curless opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and stated that this would be an ongoing practice. Present at the meeting was: William I. Curless, Chair; Dane Headley, Selectman; Walter Baker, Jr., Selectman; Adam Hurst, Road Agent; and Elly Phillips, Town Administrator. Francis Aguilera was in attendance by teleconference. The minutes from March 8, 2021, were approved as written. The Board reviewed and approved the following manifests: Vendor Manifest: $27,849.87 Payroll Manifest: $11,725.78 BUILDING PERMITS: The Board reviewed and approved the following building permits with the condition that sprinkler systems were required per the Fire Chief and subdivision requirements. Chilin Associates, 09-034-007, Kearsarge Valley Road, for a house. Chilin Associates, 07-032-585, Kearsarge Valley Road, for a house. EXEMPTIONS AND CREDITS: The Board approved and All Veteran’s Tax Credit for Kari Gustad, 07-675-545, Shaker Street, in the amount of $500.00. OLD BUSINESS: The Board executed an MOU Memorandum of Understanding with the Sutton Free Library. The Board discussed a request for permission from Joseph Bourgeois to use an OHRV on a Class VI portion of Eaton Grange Road. The Board will seek input from Town Counsel regarding an ordinance that would be specific for access to property. NEW BUSINESS: The Board certified the 2021 MS-232 – Report of Appropriations Actually Voted in the amount of $3,837,591.00. The Board issued a Yield Tax for Daniel J. Stafford, 03-113-102, in the amount of $1,175.23. Committee appointments. Selectman Curless recommended that Selectman Headley remain on the Planning Board, and that Selectman Baker serve as ex-officio to the Budget Committee. Selectman Curless indicated that this would provide better continuity for the Town. Selectman Headley moved to appoint Dane Headley ex-officio to the Planning Board and Walter Baker, Jr., as ex-officio to the Budget Committee. Selectman Baker seconded the motion. Selectman Baker asked whether there would be a conflict of office with his role as Co-Chair of the Conservation Commission and was advised that there was no conflict with these roles. The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote. The Board reviewed a proposed amendment to the Personnel Policy regarding the Town’s Drug and Alcohol Policy in compliance with FMCSA which is federally mandated. Selectman Headley moved to adopt the FMCSA policy. Selectman Baker seconded the motion. As there was no further comment. The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote. The Board received Budget Expenditure Reports for review at a future meeting. Adam Hurst, Road Agent, met with the Board to discuss various matters. Mr. Hurst advised that Michael McManus, Eaton Grange Road West, had inquired about installing a gate on a Class VI portion of Eaton Grange Road. Mr. McManus is responsible for maintaining a portion of the road to access his property. There has been increased use of the road and the Webb Crowell parking area to access conservation trails during the pandemic. Mr. McManus would like the use to be limited during mud season due to damage being done to the road. The Board will review the matter with Counsel. Selectman Baker will discuss the matter to the Conservation Commission to see if the Commission might want to close during mud season, observing that there were other parking issues that needed to be considered. At 5:20 p.m. Selectman Headley made a motion to enter into non-public session under RSA 91-A:3, II(a) personnel (compensation of a public employee). Selectman Baker seconded the motion. The Board was polled with Selectman Curless, Selectman Headley and Selectman Baker voting in the affirmative. Public session reconvened at 5:34. The minutes from the non-public session were not sealed. At the request of Mr. Cote, he will resume his former position as Highway Crew member and will be compensated accordingly. Crew member Brandon Grendall will assume the position of temporary Assistant Road Agent for a 3-month trial period and receive a pay increase of $1.13 per hour for serving in that capacity. The Board discussed highway department administrative functions and support. Selectman Baker recommended that equipment inventories be included in the Town Report. REVIEW OF CORRESPONDENCE: The following items of correspondence were noted: VLAP Report – Kezar Lake Community Solar – Selectman Headley will share the correspondence regarding a request for with the Planning Board. SELECTMEN’S COMMENTS: Selectman Baker inquired about next steps for the Grist Mill parking area engineering report. Selectman Headley advised that the Town has not solicited a report yet. The next step would likely be to form a committee to make recommendations on the scope of the project for the engineering work. Selectman Baker recommended that the committee get started as soon as the snow is gone or by the middle of April so that the engineering work can begin in May. Selectman Headley recalled that originally a Parks and Recreation Committee was to be charged. Selectman Headley agreed to contact Robert DeFelice regarding the status of the committee. Selectman Curless recommended that the matter be placed on the agenda to be resolved within the next week or so. Selectman Baker recommended public input on the project which was the consensus of the Board. The Board will review the warrant and assign Board Members to act as a facilitator for the articles. Selectman Curless agreed to be the initial point of contact for Department Heads. Selectman Headley emphasized that personnel should feel comfortable approaching any member of the Board. Selectman Curless felt that public Select Board meetings should resume as there was ample room for social distancing. Selectman Baker made a motion to resume in-person public Select Board meetings. Selectman Headley seconded the motion. Selectman Headley indicated that if the public felt that they were being denied access, the matter should be revisited. The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote. The Board discussed Town Meeting and agreed to meet with Carol Merullo, Town Clerk/Tax Collector to discuss Warrant Article 16 which pertained to compensation. PUBLIC INPUT: Phillips reported on citizen concerns conveyed by Jean LaChance citizen which included the size of the grader and the width of Penacook Road and the amount of sand and salt being used in the Kezar Lake area. Mrs. LaChance also objected to the in-person Town Meeting held on March 10, 2021 indicating that it should have been delayed so that there could be greater citizen involvement due to the size of the proposed budget. Ms. LaChance also had concerns regarding the town-wide statistical revaluation conducted in 2020 as it pertained to the land assessments around Kezar Lake. The Board will issue a letter to Mrs. LaChance addressing her concerns. Selectman Headley noted that there were immediate financial concerns that needed to be addressed for instance a time-sensitive purchase and sales agreement on the cemetery land. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:49 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Elly Phillips Town Administrator