Town of Sutton Selectmen Meeting Minutes

TOWN OF SUTTON
Pillsbury Memorial Town Hall
93 Main Street Sutton Mills, NH
Sutton Mills, NH 03221
Board of Selectman
December 31, 2018 @ 4:00 p.m.

The meeting was called to order at 4:17 p.m.  Present at the meeting was:  William I. Curless, Chair; Dane Headley, Selectman; Robert DeFelice, Budget Chair; and Elly Phillips, Recording Secretary.

The minutes from December 17, 2018 were approved as written.  The Board reviewed and approved the following manifests:

 

PAYROLL MANIFEST:   $12,069.95 (12/21/2018)

VENDOR MANIFEST:    $370,957.70 (12/21/2018)

PAYROLL MANIFEST:   $  11,053.29 (12/28/2018)

VENDOR MANIFEST:    $  33,455.07

 

NEW BUSINESS:

The Board issued an abatement for Scott and James Luca, 02-736-422, $50.08 interest on 1st issue tax bill.

 

The Board made the following  Appointments:

Walter Baker, Conservation Commission for a term until March 2019.

Marc Beauchemin, Zoning Board of Adjustment for a term until March 2019.

Kathryn Schneider, Alternate Zoning Board of Adjustment for a term until March 2019.

Robert DeFelice, Trustee of the Trust Fund, for a term until March 2019.

 

The Board issued a request for disbursement from the Capital Reserves for the Fire Department Addition for Architectural, Engineering and Design Build Services  in the amount of $50,000.

 

The Board accepted resignations from Ed Canane from the Zoning Board of Adjustment

And from Diane Lander from the position of Land Use Coordinator.

 

Phillips advised that O’Connor Legal, Medical & Media Services will perform the recording secretary function at the next Planning Board Meeting as an interim solution given the resignation of the land use coordinator.

 

The Board noted that the Budget Committee COLA recommended a 3% increase for 2019.  The Budget Committee based their recommendations on a study that reviewed COLA increases over the last 10 years (although 20 years of town records were also reviewed).  Although there were various rationales for COLA’s, the budget subcommittee to use Social Security increases as a basis.  The subcommittee went back seven years and determined that there was a 4.3% deficit in COLA’s.  The budget committee will endeavor to prorate the additional 1.3% in the coming years.  Mr. DeFelice advised that the 3% would not affect departments receiving a rate change such as the Police Department, because those are based on the recommendations of the department head.

 

The Select Board agreed with the need to have a rationale for COLAs.  Selectman Curless indicated that the Select Board should give thought to their 5% proposed salary increase in view of the budget committees proposed COLA.   Mr. DeFelice emphasized that the 3% was for cost-of-living only and had nothing to do with a pay increase, step increase or parity adjustment.   Phillips will update the budget worksheet  accordingly for the Board’s consideration in determining their final recommendation.  The possibility of having differing recommendations was acknowledged.

 

Mr. DeFelice observed that the Town’s budget was compiled very tightly and that there was no fluff in the budget.  There was a general discussion regarding the KRSD budget.  Mr. DeFelice advised that the deliberative session was being conducted on Saturday, January 5, 2018 at the Kearsarge Regional High School.

 

The board reviewed their proposed Draft Amendment for Steep Slopes and instructed Phillips to forward it to the Planning Board to schedule a public hearing.  The proposed amendment reads as follows:

“Amend Article XI-STEEP SLOPE OVERLAY DISTRICT to read that: a conditional use permit shall not be required, provided that the current applicable setback requirements are satisfied, for any lot that was:

  1. a) lawfully laid out by plan or deed duly and recorded in the Merrimack County Registry of Deed on or by March 8, 1966 or
  2. b) shown on an approved subdivision plan recorded in the Merrimack County Registry of Deed; or
  3. c) otherwise exempt from such regulations by the provisions of RSA 674:19 as amended, provided that such lot conforms to the area and frontage requirements of the zoning ordinance applicable at the time of said recording or approval.

The terms and limitations of the Steep Slopes Overlay District shall apply, notwithstanding the above, when the existing use or building is being expanded into the Steep Slopes Overlay District.”

Selectman Curless made a motion to encumber the following funds:

1-20-2018-100          Fire Department Addition    $756,172.05

1-20-2018-104          Plow Dump Truck                 $150,000.00

1-49-4000-102          Blacktop Upgrade                 $139,792.13

1-49-4000-104          Library Ramp                        $  17,112.50

1-49-4000-109          State Highway Grant SB38   $  78,165.17

1-49-4000-111          Fire Department Furnace     $  10,741.00

Selectman Headley seconded the motion.  The motion passed by a vote of 2-0.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

Phillips reported that Bedard and Associates were retained by the Town to check the driveway slope for John and Allyson Allen, Map 01-228-503, Eaton Grange Road.

 

There was a brief discussion regarding the upcoming site plan review regarding the application of Vertex Tower Assets, LLC and New Cingular Wireless PCS LLC d/b/a AT&T Mobility to construct a personal wireless facility consisting of a 190’ tall self-support/lattice style cell tower at the property located at Wrights Hill Road, Sutton Tax Map/Lot 02-865-520.

 

The Board discussed the fire department proposed addition and are waiting for final numbers to prepare for a bond hearing.

 

REVIEW OF CORRESPONDENCE:

The Board noted the following items of correspondence.

Planning Board Agenda, January 8, 2019

Shoreland Permit Notification Allan Byam & Carol Belliveau, 02-663-478, 260 Route 114

 

NON PUBLIC SESSION: 

At 5:32 p.m. Selectman Headley made a motion to enter into non-public session under 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 public meeting, and (2) requests that the meeting be open, in which case the request shall be granted.  Selectman Curless seconded the motion.  The Board was polled with Selectman Curless voting, yes and Selectman Headley voting yes.  Public session resumed at 5:50.

 

Selectman Headley made a motion to seal the minutes as it is determined that divulgence of this information likely would affect adversely the reputation of any person other than a member of this board.  Selectman Curless seconded the motion.  The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote of 2-0.

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:51 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Elly Phillips

Town Administrator