December 14, 2020 | Town Admin TOWN OF SUTTON Pillsbury Memorial Town Hall 93 Main Street Sutton Mills, NH Sutton Mills, NH 03221 Select Board December 14, 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 were: Robert Wright, Jr., Chair; William I. Curless, Selectman; Dane Headley, Selectman; Jonathan Korbet, Police Chief; Carol Merullo, Town Clerk/Tax Collector; Yvonne Howard, Library Trustee; Tom Schamberg, State Representative; and Elly Phillips, Town Administrator. Selectman Wright read the following announcement into the record: 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 public minutes December 7, 2020 were as approved as written. The December 7, 2020 meeting was continued to December 11, 2020. The meeting was opened at 5:10. The Board reviewed notes regarding the library MOU. The notes to be typed. The meeting was adjourned at 5:15 p.m. The Board approved the non-public minutes from December 7, 2020. The minutes to remain sealed. APPOINTMENTS: At 4:30 p.m. Jon Korbet, Police Chief, met with the Board to discuss several items. Chief Korbet discussed the Police Department’s proposed wage increases and asked the Board to support the department’s request, noting that police personnel were out in the front lines. The proposed increases were based on merit. Selectman Curless observed that there were a lot of people on the frontlines and expressed concerns for the citizens of the town who were also experiencing hardship at this time. Selectman Curless said it was a difficult decision, but the decision not to give raises was based on the difficult year ahead and economic uncertainties. Phillips expressed support for the Police Department noting that they are more vulnerable and exposed than other staff members. Selectman Wright stated that he was not going to be on the Board next year and that he wanted to give his fellow Select Board members the maximum flexibility to deal with the budget, and he felt 2021 was going to be a more difficult year. Selectman Wright reiterated that merit raises are granted on a percentage basis and recommended that future increases are proposed on a percentage basis. Selectman Wright advised that the increases could be brought up at the Budget Hearing or Annual Meeting. Chief Korbet indicated that this may be an item for discussion next budget season or on the floor of Town Meeting. Chief Korbet asked if the Board would approve the acquisition of a sanitizing fogger for disinfection of surfaces and vehicles. The unit cost is $785.00 plus the cost of detergent. The Police Department has funds available in their operating budget and will still meet the 10% reduction requested by the Board. Without objection, the Board approved the acquisition of a sanitizing fogger. Chief Korbet asked the Board to consider allowing sick time to be accrued noting that COVID leave would end at the end of the year. Chief Korbet asked the Board to consider changing the policy on sick time to allow employees to accrue up to set amount. Chief Korbet did not request a payout for accrued sick leave at the time of separation. Chief Korbet advised that Adam Hurst, Road Agent, supported this request. Selectman Wright read from the current policy: “Each full-time employee and each salaried employee will be credited with seven days sick leave beginning January first of each year. Sick leave days credited for part-time employees will be pro-rated according to the number of hours in their regular working week. Unused days will be canceled as of December 31 in each year.” Chief Korbet provided a brief study of several towns noting that generally 96 hours of sick time are given at the beginning of the year. The average number of hours that towns in the study accrued were 541 hours. Selectman Curless indicated that the Town might consider an extended COVID-19 sick leave policy if the federal policy expires. Chief Korbet recommended the accrual of a minimum of 300 hours of sick leave. Action on the matter was deferred pending further consideration at the next meeting. Selectman Curless recommended 14 days accrual and to give the matter further consideration in 2021. Carol Merullo, Town Clerk/Tax Collector, met with the Board to review tax collections. Currently 3% of the 2020 1st Issue Tax Billing is unpaid and 20% of the 2nd Issue Tax Billing remains uncollected. Ms. Merullo will look at payment trends at the request of the Board. The Board also discussed escrow payments which are about 25% of the total tax base. Ms. Merullo discussed conduct of Town Meeting noting that Zoom meetings will be allowed. However, if the Town chooses to go in that direction a number of mailings will be required and decisions will be made through the ballot process. The Board will review the matter with the Moderator. The Board approved the following manifests: PAYROLL MANIFEST: $13,224.88 VENDOR MANIFEST: $40,745.79 The Board approved the following building permits: Glenn & Susan Pogust, 10-457-439, Summit Road, for a garage Stephen Foote/Joann Wentworth, 04-267-288, for a furnace conversion The Board approved an Intent to Excavate for Mark West, 09-437-245, for 1.5 acres out of 163 . OLD BUSINESS: The Board discussed the proposed Memorandum of Understanding brought forward by the Sutton Free Library. Selectman Curless provided and outline of discussion items as follows: The town is responsible for doing the payroll for all “library employees.” The town pays out the budgeted amount for the year minus the wage line item once a year. Any and all necessary information needed by the budget committee will be provided by the library trustees at budget time. A paperwork schedule will be provided. The library will provide all materials requested by the auditor in a timely manner. The town owns the library building and as such is responsible for any and all maintenance and work necessary to maintain the building. The interior of the library and contents are the responsibility of the trustees. The trustees will notify the town of any deficiencies to the building in a timely manner. All exterior maintenance workers are employees or subcontractors of the town. The library to release information regarding contributions and investment and interest income used both public and private. The Board discussed a request from Steve Gunnerson and Susan Lewis to purchase Map 04-212-391, Meeting House Hill Road. The Conservation Commission had requested that the Town retain the property as it abuts conservation land. Mr. Gunnerson and Ms. Lewis expressed a willingness to place a conservation easement on the property. The Commission had no objection to the sale provided Gunnerson/Lewis places a Conservation Easement on the property. Past due taxes and valuation of the property were discussed. The property has been off the tax roles since 2013. The Board asked that assessors to review the assessment based on the property being non-buildable due to wetlands. The sale of tax deeded property is subject to approval at town meeting. The Board issued correspondence to Jean LaChance and Peter and Deborah Rucci regarding tax assessment and the appeal process. NEW BUSINESS: The Board issued the 2020 Fox Chase Betterment Assessment in the amount of $1,742.29. The Board agreed to an early closing on December 24, 2020. All town offices will close at noon. REVIEW OF CORRESPONDENCE: Notification from KRSD of COVID Policy SELECTMEN’S COMMENTS: Selectman Curless recommended that the Board charge a facilities committee to develop a CIP for Town Buildings to identify maintenance schedules, replacement schedule etc. noting that Town Buildings are deteriorating. Makeup of membership for the committee was discussed. Selectman Headley recommended referring to Marshall Swift to develop benchmarks for infrastructure. Selectman Curless suggested keeping the item on future agendas to continue the planning process. Selectman Wright advised the Homesteaders would be holding the Christmas Pageant as an online event on December 20, 2020. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:51 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Elly Phillips Town Administrator