February 9, 2024  |   

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

January 29, 2024, 4pm

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:

Select Board Chair Walter Baker 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, Lorri Himes, Bookkeeper, Bob DeFelice, Sutton Budget Committee Chair, and the following members of the public: Robert Wright Jr., James Christopher, Marjorie Davison, Valerie Crone, Kevin Faria, Johanna Sheffler, and Alison Jones.

 

APPOINTMENTS:

At 4:00pm Sutton Budget Committee (SBC) Chair Bob DeFelice met with the Select Board. SBC Chair DeFelice presented a draft report of municipal capital reserves for the year ending December 31, 2023. He also presented a draft report of the Trustees of the Trust Fund for the year ending December 31, 2023. The purpose of certain capital reserve funds was discussed, including 1-14-4914-103 “CR Computers Admin,” 1-14-4914-967 “CR Town Hall Facility,” and 1-14-4914-989 “CR Municipal Building Fund.” Chair DeFelice shared feedback on the Wage & Benefits Study conducted by Municipal Resources, Inc. on behalf of the Town.

 

At 4:30pm Marjorie Davison met with the Board to request that a road sign be installed near her property located at 957 Route 114 06-391-121. Davison presented photographs documenting damage to her property caused by motorists driving over her property between Main Street and NH Route 114. The Board agreed to discuss signage options with the Town Road Agent.

 

At 4:35pm the Board met with the Town Administrator and Lorri Himes to provide an update on 2024 expenditure and revenue information requested by Selectman McManus.

 

CONSENT AGENDA:

 

MINUTES:                  

Chair Baker made a motion to accept the public minutes from January 22nd as written. Selectman McManus seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. The Board agreed to table a review of public minutes from January 17th at the request of the Town Administrator.

 

MANIFESTS:

The Board reviewed and approved the following manifests:

Payroll:                        $          18,138.19

Vendor:                       $          23,932.71

 

INTENTS:

 

BUILDING PERMITS: 

The Board reviewed and approved a $5,000 building permit for a battery retrofit on an existing solar array, which was submitted by David and Julie Griffiths for property located at 106 Cottage Lane 02-055-155.

NEW BUSINESS:

  • At 5:44pm Chair Baker made a motion to appoint Selectman Pogust as Ex Officio Selectman to the Planning Board. Selectman McManus seconded the motion. Selectman Pogust abstained. The motion passed unanimously with one abstention.
  • The Board agreed to table discussion of the 2023 Round Room Report at the request of the Town Administrator.
  • The Board discussed mold remediation at Pillsbury Memorial Hall and directed the Town Administrator to contact a third service provider to provide an estimate.
  • The Board discussed the NH Paid Family Medical Leave (NH PFML) Employer Plan, a voluntary insurance plan that provides NH workers with 60% wage replacement (up to the Social Security wage cap) for up to 6 or 12 weeks per year for absences from work for covered common life events. The Board acknowledged that employers may enroll in the program on a rolling basis. The Board directed the Town Administrator to request an updated quote for the NH PFML Employer Plan for their review.
  • The Board agreed to table discussion of the executive budget to allow for further review by the Select Board.
  • The Board reviewed information on 2024 expenditure and revenue estimates requested by Selectman McManus. The Town Administrator will provide additional information at the next meeting of the Board.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

  • The Board briefly discussed the Town Vacation Policy and agreed to continue the discussion with Town Department Heads at a meeting scheduled for Thursday, February 1st at 1pm at Pillsbury Memorial Hall.
  • At the January 22nd meeting of the Board, the Town Administrator asked the Board to consider adjusting the public hours of the Office of the Select Board and Office of the Administrator to better align with the Town Clerk’s public hours. After further discussion, the Board adopted the following schedule of public hours for the Office of the Select Board and Office of the Administrator: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday 8am-4pm effective Monday, March 18th, 2024. The Board agreed to announce the new schedule of public hours at Town Meeting and directed the Town Administrator to publish the new schedule in the Annual Report.

REVIEW OF CORRESPONDENCE:

 

PUBLIC INPUT:

Johanna Sheffler asked the Board for more information on the terms and pricing of a contract with Municipal Resources, Inc (MRI). for preparation of the Wage Classification Study. The Board provided an overview of the contract, which was priced at $20,000. The Board acknowledged that the Town of New London commissioned a similar study performed by MRI. The Board directed the Town Administrator to contact New London Town Administrator Kimberly Hallquist for more information on the terms and pricing of New London’s contract with MRI. A debate on the strengths and weaknesses of the Wage Classification Study proceeded.

 

Alison Jones asked the Board for more information on the purpose of certain capital reserves, and the procedure for expending funds from those reserves.

  • Jones asked if funds from capital reserve 1-14-4914-998 “CR Historical Records Preservation” could be used to digitize town records stored at Pillsbury Memorial Hall. SBC Chair DeFelice explained that the purpose of capital reserve 1-14-4914-998 “CR Historical Records Preservation” was to preserve materials of historical value to the Town. SBC Chair DeFelice recommended capital reserve 1-14-4914-103 “CR Computers Admin” as the appropriate funding source for the digitization of town records.
  • Jones asked if capital reserve 1-14-4914-967 “CR Town Hall Facility” or 1-14-4914-989 “CR Municipal Building Fund” could be used to fund repairs to Pillsbury Memorial Hall. SBC Chair DeFelice shared that the purpose of this capital reserve is for emergency expenditures.
  • Jones asked if there was a capital reserve that could be used to fund an audio-visual system to host municipal meetings over Zoom like other towns in the area. SBC Chair DeFelice recommended capital reserve 1-14-4914-103 “CR Computers Admin” as the appropriate funding source for this purpose.

 

SELECTMEN’S COMMENTS:

 

At 7:00pm Chair Baker made a motion to enter into a nonpublic session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3, II (c) matters which, if discussed in public, would likely affect adversely the reputation of any person other than a member of the Board. The motion was seconded by Selectman McManus and passed unanimously.

 

At 7:24pm a motion was made by Chair Baker 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 Chair Baker to seal the nonpublic minutes. The motion was seconded by Selectman Headley. The motion passed unanimously.

 

ADJOURNMENT: 

 

There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 7:24pm.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Julia Jones

Town Administrator