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

June 15, 2020 @ 4:00 p.m.

 

 

The meeting was called to order at 4:00 p.m. by Robert Wright, Jr., Chair.  Present at the meeting was Robert Wright, Jr., Chair; William I. Curless, Selectman; Dane Headley, Selectman; Adam Hurst, Road Agent; Robert DeFelice, Budget Chair (by phone) and Elly Phillips, Town Administrator.

 

Selectman Wright read the following statement:  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

 

The minutes from June 8, 2020 were approved as written.  The Board reviewed and approved  the following manifests:

REVIEW OF MANIFESTS:

PAYROLL MANIFEST:  $ 11,440.83

VENDOR MANIFEST:  $205,883.49

 

The Board approved a building permit for Rick Stockwell, 04-052-029, Roby Road, for a shed.

 

The Board approved an Intent to Cut for Stefanie Rossmann, 01-698-531, for 35 acres out of 48.

 

APPOINTMENTS:

At 4:15 p.m. Adam Hurst, Road Agent, met with the Board to discuss concerns raised with citizen approaching highway crew members in the work zone, at times in a threatening/intimidating manner.    Incident reporting protocols and documentation were discussed, and concerns were raised regarding citizen safety in the work zone.   Counsel will assist with drafting a formal procedure for crew response.  Selectman Wright emphasized the Select Board is responsible for the roads and felt that concerns should be addressed by the Select Board.  Select Curless expressed concerns for the safety and morale of Town employees.  Mr. Curless felt that if there was any criminal threatening it should be pursued.  Mr. Hurst stated that most of the time there are no issues and questions can be addressed by explaining the projects.  Mr. Hurst’s primary concern was the moral and retention of staff.  The importance of documenting interactions was discussed.  Selectman Headley agreed that concerns regarding highway projects should be directed to the Select Board.  Selectman Wright discussed the Board’s past process for addressing highway issues with citizens which included public meetings and site visits.  Concerned citizens should be counseled to make an appointment with the Select Board to review.  Phillips and Hurst will work with Counsel to develop a formal process to address citizen concerns to ensure that crew members know how to respond, and citizens have a fair process to express concerns.  Specific responses to vehicular violations occurring in the work zone were also discussed such as obtaining license plate numbers.  Phillips and Hurst will report back to the Board.

                               

OLD BUSINESS:

Knollwood Engineering will assist with Sutton Septage Lagoon renewal permitting and DES PFAS response.    The town will seek an extension to the DES July 1, 2020 response deadline in order to perform water testing.  The Board will also look at closure requirements

 

The Board noted that a Meeting with KRSD Representative Emilio Cancio-Bello to discuss KRSD budget approach COVID-19 matters has been scheduled for June 22.  Mr. DeFelice will be submitting a report on capital reserves immediately afterwards.   The Board will be attending the KRSD meeting scheduled for June 18, 2020.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

The Board executed an Emergency Operations Grant Agreement Amendment to request an extension to  August 31, 2021.

 

REVIEW OF CORRESPONDENCE:

The Board noted the following item of correspondence:  HealthTrust regarding Coronavirus/Return contribution.

 

SELECTMEN’S COMMENTS:

Selectman Headley reported that sneeze guards for the Select Board and Town Clerk’s office should be available for installation on 6/16/2020.  Selectman Curless observed that now that the State is opening up and that the police department is fully staffed the Stotler clean-up should proceed.  Selectman Curless suggested that if the Sutton police department is unable to provide stand-by for the cleanup,  Chief Korbet could provide guidance and coordinate with the appropriate agency.  Selectman Wright observed that the Stotler’s have not progressed in the cleanup of the property and that court fines are ongoing.

 

Selectman Wright advised that Old Home Day will likely be cancelled due to Covid-19 concerns.  Selectman Wright will update the Board on Old Home Day at their next regularly scheduled meeting.

 

PUBLIC INPUT: 

Mr. Defelice noted that sound is muted on the teleconferencing equipment.  Mr. DeFelice volunteered to research speakers or microphones for the teleconferencing and requested permission to acquire the equipment.  The Board approved the acquisition of microphone/speakers for the teleconferencing equipment.

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:59 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Elly Phillips

Town Administrator