February 18, 2024 | Town Admin TOWN OF SUTTON Pillsbury Memorial Town Hall 93 Main Street Sutton Mills, NH Sutton Mills, NH 03221 Select Board Minutes February 5th, 2024, 4pm PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Selectman Michael McManus opened the meeting at 4:00pm with the Pledge of Allegiance. Present at the meeting were: Walter Baker, Select Board Chair; Michael McManus, Selectman; Glenn Pogust, Selectman; Julia Jones, Town Administrator; Bob DeFelice, Sutton Budget Committee (SBC) Chair; and the following members of the public; Lee Booker, Maria Bishop. APPOINTMENTS: At 4:00pm the Board held a public hearing to discuss a proposed Warrant Article to see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $100,000 (gross budget) by obtaining a New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Clean Water State Revolving Fund (NHCWSRF) loan for the purpose of hiring a Certified Lake Management/Engineering firm to prepare a watershed-based plan for Kezar Lake, and to authorize the issuance of not more than $100,000 of bonds or notes in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Finance Act (RSA 33) and to authorize the Select Board to issue and negotiate such bonds or notes and to determine the rate of interest thereon for the sole purpose of obtaining that loan. The plan will address watershed scale stormwater impacts to the lake and prevent future algae blooms. Once the plan is completed, the Town will be eligible for certain grants aimed at reducing threats to the lake’s ecosystem and to remediate identified pollution threats. The bond will be in the form of a loan from the Department of Environmental Services Clean Water State Revolving Fund and the full amount of principal will be entirely forgiven when the plan is completed pursuant to DES requirements. The town will be required to pay interest on the loan amount, however, this article is contingent upon the Kezar Lake Protective Association (KLPA) depositing into escrow an amount sufficient to reimburse the town for all of those interest payments prior to the finalization of the loan agreement; as well as KLPA providing a surety to repay any portion of the principal which is not forgiven, if any. Selectman Pogust highlighted the importance of Kezar Lake to the Town and its recreational use. He added that the watershed-based plan would open the door to grant opportunities for projects to protect the lake. At 4:07pm Selectman Pogust made a motion to open public comment. SBC Chair DeFelice raised a question about the impact of New London’s salt shed on Kezar Lake’s water quality. The Board discussed the question and suggested that grant funds may support mitigation efforts if the salt shed is, in fact, impacting water quality. At 4:17pm Selectman Pogust made a motion to close public comment and add the proposed warrant article to the agenda for Town Meeting. Selectman McManus seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. At 4:30pm the Board met with Town Road Agent Hurst regarding a sign request at the intersection of Main St. and NH Rte. 114. After a brief discussion of the request and plowing at the intersection, the Board directed Road Agent Hurst to order and install a sign directing traffic to 114 at the intersection of Main St. and Village Rd. The sign will be installed when the ground thaws. Road Agent Hurst provided an update on the 10-wheel Plow/Dump Truck. The Town voted to raise and appropriate the sum of $260,000 for the purpose of acquiring a fully equipped, 10-wheel Plow/Dump Truck under Article 6 at Town Meeting, March 13th, 2023. These funds were encumbered by the Board on December 31, 2022, for expenditure in 2023. Road Agent Hurst inspected the truck upon arrival at Freightliner and presented a photograph to the Board. Once the dump body is installed by Viking, the truck will be ready for final inspection and delivery. Road Agent Hurst anticipates delivery will take place in April. Road Agent Hurst, the Board, and SBC Chair DeFelice discussed the maintenance and replacement schedule for highway department equipment. At 4:45pm the Board met with SBC Chair Bob DeFelice regarding the Town’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The SBC Chair presented a report on certain capital reserve funds related to the Fire and Highway Departments. CONSENT AGENDA: MINUTES: The Board reviewed and approved public and non-public minutes from January 17th and January 29th subject to corrections. MANIFESTS: The Board reviewed and approved the following manifests: Payroll: $ 17,966.06 Vendor: $ 17,775.98 INTENTS: The Board reviewed and approved an Intent to Cut 4 acres of 13.04 at Blaisdell Hill Rd. & Archie Sawyer Rd. 02-204-044 filed by the Jeffrey Family Trust. BUILDING PERMITS: NEW BUSINESS: The Board discussed mold remediation at Pillsbury Memorial Hall and directed the Town Administrator to contact the Lawson Group to conduct an independent mold inspection and prepare a protocol. The Board reviewed and approved an application for a 17-acre current use assessment filed by James Westgate for property located at 469 Roby Rd. 01-844-388. The Board reviewed and approved a workplace modification request. OLD BUSINESS: The Board reviewed and reapproved a request for release from current use filed by Robert & Rebecca Harrington for property located at Newbury Road 04-597-495. The original request was approved by the Board June 5th, 2023. The Harringtons paid the tax penalty on time, but the release was never recorded with the registry of deeds. The Board discussed the procedure for securing a Tax Anticipation Note (TAN) and reviewed a projected quarterly cash flow analysis for 2024. The Board reviewed the 2024 Executive Budget and directed the Town Administrator to make updates to certain line items. The Board reviewed an updated premium quote for the NH Paid Family Medical Leave (NH PFML) Employer Plan. The Board directed the Town Administrator to establish a line item for NH PFML premiums in the 2024 executive budget. The Board reviewed and approved a letter of support for SB 398, which proposes to appropriate $14 million for the repair and maintenance of municipally owned bridges and $26 million for municipal road repair and maintenance grants. The letter was signed by the Select Board and Road Agent Hurst. The Board reviewed and prioritized several proposed warrant articles. The Board tabled discussion on the 2023 Round Room Report and the town vacation policy until the next meeting of the Board. REVIEW OF CORRESPONDENCE: The Board reviewed correspondence from Primex on their response to a cyber security attack which took place on Monday, January 2nd, 2024. cyber security response. Primex reviewed the Town’s request to contact impacted parties and provided the following response: Primex’s role in notification is limited to cases where personally identifiable information has been infiltrated and legal counsel has advised there is a statutory duty to perform legal notice which is not the case here. In those cases, assigned counsel directs the notification communication and process required by state and/or federal law. Members are of course free to conduct their own notice as a courtesy to impacted persons and businesses when scam emails are sent from a town email address. The Board discussed the possibility of issuing a notice as a courtesy to parties impacted by the January 2nd cyber attack and considered sample language provided by Primex. The Town Administrator shared several strategies she would be implementing to fortify the Town’s cyber security over the coming weeks and months. The Board reviewed an invitation to join the Merrimack County Community Power Committee for a meeting on Tuesday, January 30th. The invitation was received by the Town on February 2nd. The Board directed the Town Administrator to request a copy of the materials presented at this meeting and express the Board’s interest in attending such meetings with sufficient notice. PUBLIC INPUT: SELECTMEN’S COMMENTS: At 6:55pm Selectman Pogust made a motion to enter into a nonpublic session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3, II (a) The dismissal, promotion, or compensation of any public employee or the disciplining of such employee, or the investigation of any charges against him or her, unless the employee affected (1) has a right to a meeting and (2) requests that the meeting be open, in which case the request shall be granted. At 7:19pm a motion was made by Selectman Pogust to leave the nonpublic session. The motion was seconded by Selectman McManus and passed unanimously. Once back in public session a motion was made by Selectman Pogust to seal the nonpublic minutes. The motion was seconded by Selectman McManus. The motion passed unanimously. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 7:22pm. Respectfully submitted, Julia Jones Town Administrator