March 21, 2022 | Town Admin TOWN OF SUTTON Pillsbury Memorial Town Hall 93 Main Street Sutton Mills, NH Sutton Mills, NH 03221 Select Board March 21, 2022 @ 5:00 p.m. Dane Headley, Selectman, opened the meeting at 5:00 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Present at the meeting were: Dane Headley, Chair; Walter Baker, Jr., Selectman; Michael McManus, Selectman; Adam Hurst, Road Agent and Elly Phillips, Town Administrator. APPOINTMENTS: At 5:14 p.m. Selectman Headley made a motion to enter into non-public session under RSA 91-A:3,II(a) compensation of a public employee. Selectman McManus seconded the motion. The Board was polled with Selectmen Headley, Baker and McManus voting in the affirmative. Public Session resumed at 5:50 p.m. Selectman Headley made a motion to seal the minutes pending a final decision regarding compensation. Selectman Baker seconded the motion. The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote. Adam Hurst, Road Agent, met with the Board to discuss road postings. Mr. Hurst recommended adopting an ordinance for enforcement purposes. Mr. Hurst has been reviewing ordinances from other towns. Selectman McManus advised that he has been performing similar research pursuant to RSA 232:190 and 191, 41:11 263:3. Mr. Hurst discussed maintenance constraints that he was experiencing due to lack of space for storing materials. Over the previous weekend, the Highway Department ran out of stone. Therefore, he only had enough material to reinforce one side of the affected dirt roads. This posed difficulty for some motorists. Mr. Hurst expressed interest in locating a town property suitable for materials storage. The old ash fill site was discussed as an option. However, Mr. Hurst needs to follow up with the DES to determine whether or not material storage would impact the monitoring wells on site. Mr. Hurst is currently looking at a listing of Town-owned properties to determine if there are other sites suitable for this purpose. Mr. Hurst said that he received many calls over the weekend regarding mud issues. The Highway Department is hauling their own materials, because Henniker Crushed Stone is experiencing scheduling delays due to the requirements of so many municipalities during mud season. Mr. Hurst has also hired a subcontractor to assist with hauling material. At 6:11 p.m. Selectman Headley made motion to enter into nonpublic session Pursuant to RSA 91-A:3,II(b) The hiring of any person as a public employee. The motion was seconded by Selectman McManus. The Board was polled with Selectmen Headley, Baker and McManus voting in the affirmative. Public Session resumed at 6:16 p.m. Selectman Headley made a motion to seal the minutes pending acceptance of the position. Selectman Baker seconded the motion. The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote. The public and nonpublic minutes from March 14, 2022, were approved as written. The Board reviewed and approved the following manifests: Vendor Manifest: $28,162.88 Payroll Manifest: $20,115.90 (Includes retroactive cola increases) BUILDING PERMITS: The Board reviewed and approved the following building permits: Russell Gross, 07-820-851, Whiskey Pine Road, remove metal roof and replace with asphalt, window replacement. Dawn Godkin, 02-697-512, Andrews Avenue, gas insert. VETERANS EXEMPTION: The Board approved an All Veteran’s Credit for John Haynes, Map 02-433,477, Johnson Hill Road. OLD BUSINESS: Selectman Headley distributed a final draft of the Code of Conduct/Personnel Policy. Town Counsel will review the administrative portion. After the policy is finalized, the Select Board will invite the Board and Committee Chairs to a meeting to review the policy. Selectman Headley said that he had spoken to Mr. DeFelice as charged at their last meeting. Mr. DeFelice will contact the Budget Committee members to see how they feel about changing either their meeting time or date. Mr. DeFelice had no objection to a two-week interval between presentations by a Department Head/Board-Committee Chair to the Select Board and Budget Chair but had concerns about all the complicated budgets being presented at the end of the budget review process. The Board briefly discussed Ex-Officio Roles. Selectman McManus has an interest in the Budget Committee and will attend as an observer. The next Budget Committee meeting will be conducted in April. NEW BUSINESS: The Board issued the following OHRV permission permits for access to a property owner’s land via a Class VI portion of Eaton Grange Road West: 2022-01 Joseph Bourgeois 2022-02 Claudine Bourgeois 2022-03 Savannah Bourgeois 2022-04 Benjamin Bourgeois The Board agreed to advertise positions for a Deputy Town Clerk and a Recording Secretary for the Budget Committee since their former scribe was now a member. Michael McManus raised a concern regarding a Class VI portion of Eaton Grange West. Mr. McManus speaking as a citizen and not as a member of the Select Board. Mr. McManus advised that his driveway is a half mile up the Class VI portion of Eaton Grange West. The Board noted that an ordinance has been adopted regarding the closure of Class VI Road to motorized vehicles from March 1 to June 1 (see ordinance below). The signage on Eaton Grange West is faded and needs to be placed at the beginning of the Class VI portion of the road. Mr. McManus was provided with a replacement sign to alert motorists of the ordinance relating to Class VI roads: “Ordinance for Closing Class VI Highways Regulation of Use of Class VI Town Roads Established Whereas the Town of Sutton has as part of its highway system an extensive network of unmaintained Class VI roads; and Whereas these roads are a valued public resource for recreational activities, as well as a means of providing access to back lands for firefighting and other safety equipment as well as access to private lands for forestry activities; and Whereas motorized wheeled vehicle usage during certain seasonal periods of the year cause damage to these public highways; Now therefore, pursuant to RSA 41:11 and RSA 47:17-VII, the Selectmen of the Town of Sutton hereby establish the following regulations for the use of Class VI Town Roads: Restrictions On Use of Class VI Roads ALL UNMAINTAINED PORTIONS OF CLASS VI HIGHWAYS WITHIN THE TOWN OF SUTTON ARE CLOSED TO ALL MOTORIZED WHEELED VEHICLES FROM MARCH 1 TO JUNE 1. The Conservation Commission will be responsible for both the signage and posting of the roads. Permit Required Exceptions to the above stated closure are available, by written permit only, from the Sutton Road Agent. The Road Agent may attach conditions to the use of an issued permit, including but not limited to the duration of the permit, and may revoke a permit without notice if, in his sole discretion, he finds that the holder’s use of Class VI roads pursuant to the permit is contrary to the purposes of this Ordinance. The holder of a permit must have the permit on his person at all times while operating under the permit, and produce it for inspection upon the request of an official of the Town of Sutton. Issuance of a permit does not exempt the user from being liable for damage to the roadway. Exceptions This Ordinance shall not apply to emergency vehicles and to any motorized vehicle operated by or at the direction of the Town of Sutton, nor to the owners of property and their invitees that is accessed by a Class VI road, to the extent the Class VI road is required for access. Penalty Any person who violates any provision of this Ordinance shall be subject to a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $1,000 and may be held liable for damages to the highway pursuant to RSA 236:38 and 236:39.” One of the reasons there is increased traffic on Eaton Grange Road and on the Summer maintained portion of Kings Hill Road, where similar concerns were raised by Kristen Angeli, is due to the wonderful recreational trails and parking areas managed on the Conservation Commission maintained lots. Recreational users should be made aware of the ordinance in the Conservation Commission promotional materials. Mr. McManus acknowledged that he had signed an agreement to maintain and care for the road but recollected that during the public hearing for his building permit on a Class VI road, it was determined that the road upgrade was to be at camp (cottage lane) standards, because it was too narrow for any other use than a single family home. Mr. McManus was required to cut the whole road in and upgrade it. The Conservation Commission has promoted the Eaton Grange property as their premier trail on the web and is attracting numerous recreational users. Mr. McManus said 13 vehicles from a recreational group drove up to the site during this past week. Mr. McManus said this doesn’t just affect Eaton Grange West, it is having a similar effect on Meetinghouse Hill Road. Mr. McManus observed that neither of these roads are likely structured for this type of increased traffic. Mr. McManus discussed the topography in the area and challenges he experienced in maintaining the road. Mr. McManus said there was also an impact from logging. Mr. McManus felt that the Commission should assist by supplying some materials for maintenance of the road. Selectman Baker said he would bring it up to the Conservation Commission. The Board will check with Counsel to discuss regulations especially as it pertains to the not maintained portion of Kings Hill Road. REVIEW OF CORRESPONDENCE: The Board received a letter from HPP notifying the Town of their timber monitoring services. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:55 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Elly Phillips, Town Administrator