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

February 14, 2022 @ 4:30 p.m.

 

William I Curless, Chair, opened the meeting at 4:30 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.  Present at the meeting were:  William I. Curless, Chair; Dane Headley, Selectman; Walter Baker, Jr., Selectman;
Robert DeFelice, Budget Chair; Gail Guertin, Budget Committee, Co-Chair; David Croft, Merrimack County Sheriff; Tom Schamberg, State Representative; Michael McManus and Elly Phillips, Town Administrator.

 

APPOINTMENTS:

Merrimack County Sherriff David Croft met with the Board to introduce himself and to share information regarding the Sheriff Department’s duties and services.  Sheriff Croft is meeting with leaders throughout the county.  Sheriff Croft said that his department has a substantial budget and that it is important town leaders have an understanding of how tax dollars are being spent.  Sheriff Croft advised that the County was presenting a 0% increase in their budget this year.

 

Sheriff Croft provided information regarding his background.  Sheriff Croft has been in law enforcement for about 38 years.  He previously served with the Boscawen Police Department for 25 years and for 14 of those years as police chief.  In 2007, he began serving with  the Sheriff’s Department in the County Attorney’s Office overseeing the alternative to prosecution office for approximately 15 years.

 

Sheriff Croft advised that the sheriff’s office is the highest ranking enforcement division in the State.  There are 70 staff members in the Sheriff’s office both civilian and sworn officers.  The civil unit is the largest and they are responsible for bringing in the most revenue which is in the neighborhood of $320,000-$330,000 dollars a year.  Covid affected revenue because the courts were closed but that has been picking up in the last few months.  The civil division involves service of paperwork such as a landlord tenant writ, domestic violence petition, divorce petition, payment default issues etc.  The civil division is responsible for evictions on a weekly basis.  Sheriff Croft found the eviction process troubling, so he looked for a way to help folks by sharing resources for such areas as mental illness, substance abuse or with housing assistance.  This has worked out well.

 

There is a transportation unit which pre-covid did about 327 transports a month.  The Sheriff’s Department is responsible for transporting people throughout the United States to face charges.  There is a warrant unit that has two deputies assigned to this unit.  There are approximately 400-500 active warrants from minor infractions to major drug crimes, homicides.  The unit averages between 70-80 arrests a month.  The Detective Unit has three employees assigned to assisting agencies with investigations.

 

Sheriff Croft commended Chief Korbet and Sergeant Crone of the Police Department, adding that the Town was very fortunate to have them.  Sheriff Crone observed that Sutton was not alone in having difficulty recruiting a replacement officer, advising that the State Police is currently down 60 troopers.  The Detective Unit does background investigations for potential employees.  The Detective Unit received a grant for an employee who specialized in ICAC which is Internet Crimes Against Children.  Sheriff Croft informed that Board that internet crime against children has increased by 300% in Merrimack County, likely as a result of both perpetrators and children staying home due to COVID which increases opportunities for perpetrators.  In the six months that the ICAC officer has been on duty there have been 14 search warrants have been issued taking down some major pedophiles.  This position requires a unique expertise.

 

This Sheriff’s Department dispatches for 17 communities in Merrimack County and Sheriff Croft considers the employees the first responders in law enforcement responding 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with lower pay and in Group 1 of NH Retirement.  Staffing has been difficult, but the County has been good about offering incentives such as sign-on bonuses for dispatchers.

 

The Sheriff’s Department has a court security unit which is responsible for all the security in the Merrimack County courts.  The Sheriff’s department has a deputy assigned to Homeland Security which handles human trafficking cases.   Two undercover deputies are assigned to the Attorney General’s Drug Task Force.  There is a deputy that assists with the Dare Program for communities that don’t have the manpower to offer the program.    The Dare program helps establish relationships with children and lets them know that law enforcement is approachable.

 

Sheriff Croft shared his belief that County government is here to give back to the citizens and wants his units in the communities helping people when they can or are needed.  Sheriff Croft also has 2 units out as a night patrol and be available at hotspots for assistance and transports.

 

Sheriff Croft is working on a grant to get a crises intervention team for responders and for training which would expand out to fire departments and DPW who are often present at tragic scenes.  Eventually, Sheriff Croft hopes to add a canine unit as well.

 

Sheriff Croft concluded his discussion by assuring the Select Board that the Sheriff’s Office was out there to help the Sutton Police Department in any way that they can.

 

Selectman Baker asked about the Sheriff’s Department process for assisting with the eviction process and was provided with contact information.

 

The Board thanked Sheriff Croft for coming to meet with them.

 

The Public and non-public minutes from 2/7/202 were approved as written.  The Board reviewed and approved the following manifests:

Vendor Manifest:  $18,940.89

Payroll Manifest:   $11,736.45

 

 

NEW BUSINESS:

The Board issued a cemetery deed for John and Sybil Leland for the Millwoods Cemetery.

 

The Board signed the 2022 Warrant for Town Meeting.

 

The Board took into consideration a request for an extension to the end of the month to come into compliance with their taxpayer agreement to forestall deeding of 07-787-052.  The Board deliberated on the matter, reviewed recommendations from Counsel and issued correspondence to the taxpayer.

 

In view of the fact that February 21 is a holiday, the Board agreed to meet on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, at 4:00 p.m.

 

REVIEW OF CORRESPONDENCE:

The Board discussed an Email from citizen Hnizdor objecting to mask requirements at the Pillsbury Memorial Hall as well as an Email from Buckley providing information for consideration.  Selectman Curless suggested that the Board start thinking about criteria for masking.  Selectman Curless asked for confirmation that these emails were from Sutton citizens.

 

Selectman Headley stated that the CDC recommended 5% positivity for 14 days noting that we are at 11 now.  Selectman Headley observed that from that measure we’re not really where we need to be, but it is close.  Selectman Headley acknowledged that the Board had differing opinions on the matter.  He stressed consideration for the staff that has to be here daily for so many hours.

 

Selectman Headley asked how the staff felt about it.  Phillips responded that she had not spoken with all the staff yet.  However, Phillips did not think it was onerous for citizens to mask for while in the town hall.   Selectman Headley said that recently there has been an increase in cases at the Town Hall.  Selectman Baker agreed with the 5% benchmark and also consideration of the staff’s feelings.

 

Selectman Headley said that we all have an eye and ear to what’s going on with COVID, and when it gets to be that time, the Board will bring the discussion up.  Robert DeFelice said at the beginning of the mask requirements, the Board agreed to follow CDC guidelines.

 

The Board received a copy of the 2021 Auditor’s letter for review.

 

SELECTMEN’S COMMENTS:

Selectman Curless said that he was advised about a potential junkyard problem by an anonymous citizens.  Selectman Curless said that although it was not an official complaint, he was able to observe the condition by using google earth.  Selectman Curless said that he had asked the Town Administrator to verify the complaint.  Phillips said the condition could not be observed from the road.  Phillips will follow up with Town Counsel on the matter.

 

Selectman Headley commended Bob DeFelice, Budget Chair and Gail Guertin, Budget Committee, Vice Chair on their good presentation at the Budget Committee public hearing for the 2022 proposed budget.

 

Selectman Curless recommended that the original Boston Post Cane be displayed in a case in the Pillsbury Memorial Hall.

 

 

NONPUBLIC SESSION: 

At 5:31 p.m. Selectman  Headley made a motion to enter into non-public session under RSA 91-A:3,II(c) Matters which, if discussed in public, would likely affect adversely the reputation of any person not a member of this Board.  Selectman Curless seconded the motion.   The Board was polled with Selectmen Curless, Headley and Baker voting in the affirmative.  Public session resumed at 5:47 p.m.   The minutes were not sealed.

 

At 5:50 p.m. Selectman Headley made a motion to enter into  non-public session under RSA 91-A:3,II(c) Matters which, if discussed in public, would likely affect adversely the reputation of any person not a member of this Board.  Selectman Baker seconded the motion.  The Board was polled with Selectmen Curless, Headley and Baker voting in the affirmative.  Public Session resumed at 6:11 p.m.  Selectman Baker made a motion to seal the minutes as matters that were discussed might adversely affect the reputation of another person not a member of this Board.  Selectman Headley seconded the motion.  The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote.

 

At 6:12 p.m. Selectman Curless made a motion to enter into non-public session under RSA 91-A:3,II(e) Consideration or negotiation of pending claims or litigation.  Selectman Baker seconded the motion.  The Board was polled with Selectmen Curless, Headley and Baker voting in the affirmative.   Public session resumed at 6:15 p.m.  Selectman Curless made a motion to seal the minutes due to the legal nature.  Selectman Baker seconded the motion.  The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote.

 

There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 6:16 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Elly Phillips

Town Administrator