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

September 23, 2019 @ 4:00 p.m.

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

The minutes from September 16, 2019 were approved as written.  The Board reviewed and approved the following manifests:

PAYROLL MANIFEST:      $  10,422.08

VENDOR MANIFEST:       $394,108.43

The Board reviewed and approved the following Building Permits:

Malcolm and Marilyn Milne, 05-936-1555, Pound Road N, for a garden shed

Patrick and Roger Doherty Ramirez, 06-366-296, Corporation Hill Road, Cabin

 

APPOINTMENTS:

Robert DeFelice, Budget Chair, met with the Board for an update.  He advised that the Budget Committee will begin meeting with the Department Heads in October.  Mr. DeFelice discussed COLA’s which he felt may be indicated at a rate of 3% based on last year’s COLA study.  Capital Planning was also discussed.  Mr. DeFelice explained that the Budget Committee had a goal to hold the line.  A full CIP for the roads needs to be developed.  This year the Committee is looking at $200,000 for Blacktop.  Selectman Curless asked about how much was being set aside for governmental buildings annual/preventative maintenance such as painting, roofing etc.   Mr. DeFelice stated that some maintenance items are included in the Building and Grounds operating budget.  Mr. DeFelice will bring the matter up for Budget Committee consideration.

Mr. DeFelice discussed Trustees of the Trust Funds annual reporting as well as data entry requirements for the new DRA reporting portal.  Mr. DeFelice suggested reviewing procedures including filing of hard copies.  Selectman Wright made a motion that copies of the MS-9 and MS-10 be placed on file with the Select Board.  Selectman Curless seconded the motion.  The importance of hardcopies was discussed as a backup to computer files.  The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote.  Mr. DeFelice encouraged a practice of the Trustees meeting two times a year, once as a group and once with the Select Board for reporting purposes.  Selectman Wright made a motion that the Board of Trustees meet with the Select Board on an annual basis for reporting and transparencies purposes.  Selectman Curless seconded the motion which passed by a unanimous affirmative vote.    The Board reviewed the membership of the Trustees of the Trust Funds as follows:  Michael Cornelio, Robert DeFelice and Beth Renzulli.    Mr. DeFelice advised that he was going to develop a tracking form for NHPDIP transactions for transparency and accountability.

Adam Hurst, Road Agent, met with the Board to discuss various issues concerning roads and provide a monthly departmental update.  Mr. Hurst reported that he had met with Dennis O’Connell regarding his driveway and discussed options for his driveway.  Mr. Hurst recommended a longer pipe and widening the drive.  Mr. O’Connell was also concerned about his wall down from his driveway being washed out or falling down.  There is a culvert in proximity to the wall that Mr. Hurst inspected and observed some decay.  Mr. Hurst advised Mr. O’Connell that the pipe was not on the maintenance schedule for this year, but future plans (2020) would be to turn the pipe up the hill a bit and fill that area in which may alleviate problems with the wall depending on the topography.   Mr. O’Connell was interested in having the work done this year and was arranging a contractor to do the work.  Mr. O’Connell had also consulted with the Selectmen’s office regarding the work on Barker Road.  Mr. O’Connell was advised that he would need to make a written request and receive written approval from the Select Board.     Mr. Hurst indicated that Mr. O’Connell could replace the pipe on his driveway.  Mr. Hurst expressed a preference to have the highway department perform the work.   Mr. O’Connell was not present for a scheduled appointment to discuss the matter with the Board.

Mr. Hurst reviewed a complaint from a citizen regarding posting and upgrade on a portion of Birch Hill Road, which the Town felt was discontinued to Class VI.    The Town believes that the Birch Hill Road is Class V up to the turnaround and Class VI up to the Dobrowski property.  The Warner end was discontinued to the abutters.  Selectman Curless agreed and recollection actions in the 1970’s that supported this interpretation.  Phillips noted that there is oftentimes confusion over discontinuance of roads from non-maintenance, discontinuance  to Class VI and discontinuance to abutters.    The Board asked that the matter be referred to Counsel prior to any further action.  The Board will revisit the matter at a future meeting.

Mr. Hurst reported on a complaint regarding Blaisdell Hill Road.  Mr. Hurst check the road noting that the road is misshapen and could use some repair.   The Board noted the complaint acknowledging that there are higher priority roads, such as Shaker Street.

The Board complimented Mr. Hurst on the Newbury Road project.

The Board discussed a small underground brush fire discovered by the landscapers near the accessible ramp at the Pillsbury Memorial Hall.  The Highway Department contained the fire.   It appears that the fire may have been smoldering underground for a number of days.  It also appears that there was an attempt to put out the fire over the weekend, but no one reported the fire.  The suspected cause of the fire was a cigarette butt.

NON PUBLIC SESSION:

At 5:30 p.m. Selectman Wright made a motion to enter into Non-Public Session under RSA-A:3:II(c) to review an appeal of a civil forfeiture.  Selectman Curless seconded the motion.  The Board was polled with Selectman Headley, Selectman Wright voting in the affirmative.  Public session reconvened at 5:54 p.m., the minutes were not sealed.  A payment agreement was negotiated for payment of the fines in order to forestall a court appearance.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

The Board reviewed a draft TDS Cable Franchise Agreement which was prepared by DTC.  The Board felt the proposed agreement looked acceptable, but the Town was still awaiting information from TDS regarding the coverage area to see if there were areas of possible expansion.  Phillips to follow up.

The Board discussed the DTC Public Right of Way 5G Deployment Ordinance.  The Board felt that the technology wasn’t likely to come to Sutton.  Selectman Wright made a motion to table.  Selectman Curless seconded the motion which passed by a unanimous affirmative vote.

The Board discussed progress on Pillsbury Memorial Hall/Library annual maintenance activities.  It is anticipated that the scaffolding for roof repairs will be installed shortly.  Additional work will need to be done on the front of the building where there is a falling slate problem.  The Board will get a proposal for the project and estimates.  There is some work that needs to be done on the building trim while the electrical wiring is banded.  The Board will look for contractors to perform that work.

The Board reviewed a Sound System Proposal for the Pillsbury Memorial Hall.  The Board would like to meet with Mr. DeGange to discuss the proposal in further detail.  The Board will research the technical details in the proposals.

Selectman Wright reported on a meeting he and Mr. DeFelice recently attended that was hosted by the DOT and CNHRPC.  The ten-year plan has been pre-determined by the DOT.  At this time no funding is proposed for Route 114.  Renumbering by mileage markers will be done on Route 89.

NEW BUSINESS:

The Board authorized the Town Administrator to lock in the electric rate contract for a one-year period.  Phillips is currently working with NEXTERRA as they have always offered the best rate.  The rate is refreshed daily.

The Board noted that the Town Administrator will be out of office on September 24, 2019.

 

SELECTMEN’S COMMENTS: 

Selectman Wright reviewed articles from Town and City that he felt might be of interest to the Board.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:54 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Elly Phillips

Town Administrator