TOWN OF SUTTON
Pillsbury Memorial Town Hall
93 Main Street Sutton Mills, NH
Sutton Mills, NH 03221
Board of Selectman
March 19, 2018 @  4:00 p.m.

 

The meeting was called to order at 4:03 p.m. by Robert Wright, Jr., Selectman.  Present at the meeting was:  William I. Curless, Chair; Dane Headley, Selectman; Robert Wright, Jr., Selectman; Carol Merullo, Town Clerk/Tax Collector; Robert DeFelice, Budget Committee, Chair; Gail Guertin, Budget Committee Member; Kathy Gill, Supervisor of the Checklist; Walter Baker, Jr.; Donald Davis, Jr.; Fran and Sue Esposito; Robert and Linda Preston; Marcy McNamara, Jennifer Call, Robert Nelson and Elly Phillips, Town Administrator.

 

ELECTION OF CHAIR:  Selectman Wright made a motion to elect William I. Curless to the Chair.  Selectman Headley seconded the motion which passed without dissent.

 

APPOINTMENTS: 

Selectman Curless called for a short recess prior to the 5:00 p.m. scheduled appointment. 

 

Walter Baker, Jr. presented to share his concerns regarding compensation for the new Town Clerk/Tax Collector.  He was a surprised to see what the compensation was perceived to be and what it turned out to be.  Although Mr. Baker did not feel that the newly elected Town Clerk/Tax Collector should get the $40,000 proposed in the 2018 appropriation,  he did feel that the starting point should have been higher since there was no prior set amount. 

 

Mr. Baker contacted the Secretary of State’s office regarding this matter and spoke with David Scanlon, Deputy Secretary of State, regarding compensation of town clerks.  Mr. Scanlon indicated that there was no standard in the secretary of state’s office for how compensation for clerks was arrived at.  Mr. Scanlon thought that the town would determine that. Mr. Baker felt that standards should be set for compensation and praised the qualifications of the newly elected Town Clerk.  Mr. Baker felt that further negotiation should be conducted to arrive at a fair rate of pay.  Mr. Scanlon suggested that the matter be reviewed with Town Counsel.  Selectman Curless stated that Counsel will be consulted to see what the Town can and cannot do. 

 

Robert DeFelice, Budget Committee Chair advised that the number that was suggested at Town Meeting was based on research that he had done.  Mr. DeFelice added that the amount was merely a recommendation, and that it was ultimately up to the voters to decide.  Mr. Baker felt that a salary should have been established for the position.   

 

Gail Guertin felt that a set salary range should be predetermined with a starting salary for the position, opining that someone who runs with no experience could cost the Town a lot.   Ms. Guertin felt that next year at Town Meeting the salary could be raised.  Sue Esposito asked if there was a guideline, a job description, and a list of qualifications for the position.   Ms. Esposito was advised that employees have a job description, but the Town Clerk/Tax Collector is not an employee and that anyone can run for the position; therefore, there are no baseline qualifications required. 

 

Ms. Call observed that when she left in 2009 she was making about $32,000. In 2000 the Town Clerk/Tax Collector salary was $30,000 a year.   Thus, over a period of nine years, the salary has only gone up $2,000.    Ms. Call felt cost-of-living should be considered.  Further according to outgoing Clerk, Linda Ford’s letter to the Intertown Record, Ms. Ford stated that she only received cost-of-living increases, with the exception of a $1,500 merit increase, despite certification.  Ms. Call wondered how the Town could take the wages back to what they were nine years ago?  Selectman Headley felt that one should know what their compensation is going to be going into a positon.  Mr. Baker agreed.  Mr. Baker felt the wages should be laid out based on the position as well as  qualifications for the position.

 

Selectman Wright reminded those present that running for office is a choice.  Selectman Wright observed that cost-of-living has been pretty much flat-lined for the last 8 years.  Selectman Wright stressed that one needs to look at the entire package including benefits.   Selectman Wright emphasized that the Board of Selectmen must make decisions based on procedure as well as what the law allows.  Selectman Wright reiterated that the Town Clerk/Tax Collector position is regulated by statute.   

 

Gail Guertin indicated that she and Mr. DeFelice had discussed salary considerations and what if scenarios in the event that Ms. Ford did not get re-elected and arrived at the proposed $32,000 annual salary.  To arrive at the salary recommendation, training, cost-of-living and certification were considered as a basis for the recommendation  Ms. Guertin asked whether Ms. Merullo was given a figure for salary prior to running for office.  Phillips responded that she thought Ms. Merullo was under the impression that she would earn at least what the outgoing Clerk was making (approximately $35,000). 

 

Selectman Curless wondered if the $32,000 salary established at Town Meeting was effective January 1, 2018 or began at the first pay week in March and asked that that avenue be explored.  Mr. Baker encouraged the Board to explore the matter further.

 

There was a general discussion regarding capital reserves and agents to expend. 

 

Sue Esposito inquired about Ms. Merullo’s certification and asked whether Ms. Merullo would be allowed to perform the functions of the position without being certified.  Ms. Esposito was advised that certification was not necessary in order to perform Town Clerk/Tax Collector duties. It was an added step available to the Clerk/Collectors which combined workshops, networking and comradery.  Certification is not necessary to perform the functions of the job.  Ms. Merullo will need to complete 30-days shadowing MAAP agents prior to being allowed to register vehicles. 

 

 Mr. Baker asked whether Ms. Merullo would be trained for elections and was advised that she would participate in election training.  Kathy Gill, Supervisor of the Checklist provided Ms. Merullo with a training schedule.  Phillips stated that both the Town Clerk/Tax Collector and her Deputy will be receiving a great deal of training in the near term. 

 

Mr. DeFelice indicated that he would forward research salary information to the Selectmen’s Office

 

Bud Nelson asked what would happen in the interim period between when the Town Clerk/Tax Collector get necessary training and completes her internship.  Mr. Nelson asked how will residents register their vehicles etc.?  Mr. Nelson was advised that the Town was waiting for communication from the State.  An audit will need to be performed and has been scheduled for 3/21/2018.  A Tax Collector’s recommittal will also be required.  A realistic goal would be to have the office open for vehicle registration by 3/21/2018.  In addition, Sutton has made an arrangement with the Town Clerks in Wilmot and Bradford for registration support during this transitional period.  Mr. Nelson asked whether the Clerk’s office would be open during the normal hours.  He was advised that Sutton would be open, although the neighbor town’s may be providing support for some of the hours to accommodate staff commitments that were made prior to the election as well as during training.  Appreciation was expressed for our neighboring towns willingness to help the Town of Sutton during this transitional period.

 

Marcy McNamara was concerned with the emphasis that people were putting on the certification. Ms. McNamara stated that she was not happy with what happened to the Town Clerk/Tax Collector’s salary at Town Meeting.  Consequently Ms. McNamara, did a great deal of research regarding the matter.   Ms. McNamara also spoke with  Deputy Scanlon regarding requirements that the Town Clerk had to meet.   Deputy Scanlon advised that there were some requirements from motor vehicles that should be looked into.  Ms. McNamara called motor vehicles and spoke with the municipal help line.  Ms. McNamara was advised that motor vehicles was in communication with the Town of Sutton and was assured that things were moving forward.  Ms. McNamara felt that people were bringing certification up to the level of professional licensing.  Ms. McNamara was advised that to be qualified to do the registrations there was a 3-day course.  There are more courses available for clerks, but they don’t have to do all of them.  For certification, you need two years of service as Town Clerk/Tax Collector.  Certification is through the New England Association of Town Clerks.

 

Ms. Esposito expressed a concern that vote of the citizens who took the time to show up at Town Meeting is adhered to. 

 

Mr. Preston spoke about the learning curve for the job and wondered whether when the Town Clerk/Tax Collector met occupational milestones whether she could be compensated on that basis.  Mr. Preston was advised that the Town would operate on what can be done as specified by law.  Selectman Wright reminded that a ballot vote occurred.  The Board would review the matter and act within the confines of the law. 

 

Interested members of the public were asked to address their concerns in writing in order to ensure that all citizen concerns were addressed. 

 

The minutes from March 12, 2018 and March 15, 2018 public and non-public were approved as written.  The Board reviewed and approved the following manifests:

PAYROLL MANIFEST:   $   12,986.75

VENDOR MANIFEST:     $   10,658.49

 

BUILDING PERMITS:

The Board approved the following building permits:

Christopher Clarke, 04-121-412, Meetinghouse Hill Road, for interior renovations.

Amy Hall, 07-732-335, Shaker Street, for a garage

 

NEW BUSINESS:

The Board executed the MS – 232:  2018 Statement of Appropriations Actually Voted.

Selectman Curless administered the Oath of Office to Carol Merullo, Town Clerk/Tax Collector

The Board executed the Oath of Office for Bill Bastille, Library Trustee.

 

Phillips reported on the transition in the Town Clerk’s Office.  Motor Vehicles will be performing an audit on Wednesday, March 21, 2018.  The Tax Collector’s recommittal audit has tentatively been scheduled for March 29,2018. Cindy Stillman, Deputy Town Clerk Tax Collector will be reinstated as a MAAP agent.  Carol Merullo, Town Clerk/Tax Collector will need to fulfill the DMV’s requirement to shadow a MAAP agent for a 30-day training period.  The Town’s of Wilmot and Bradford have been granted permission from the DMV to provide backup assistance to the Town of Sutton indefinitely to facilitate the transition and training period. 

 

Both Ms. Stillman and Ms. Merullo will be attending training sessions for both Clerk functions and Tax Collector functions including voter,vital records and tax collector functions.  Training on the Town’s software will be arranged in-house.  It was noted that NH Vital Records can be obtained at any NH State Town Clerk/City Clerk office.  Surplus office supplies will be redistributed throughout the Town Offices.  A log of the redistribution will be kept for budgetary consideration. 

 

Phillips discussed providing support to the Tax Collector’s Office in the form of printing statements or reprinting tax bills subject to the Tax Collector’s verification.  Selectman Wright made a motion to allow the Selectman’s Office to have access to reporting functions such as tax bills and tax statements for reprinting.  Selectman Headley seconded the motion which passed by a vote of 3-0.

 

Selectman Wright made a motion to authorize software access in order to generate the property tax warrant.  Selectman Headley seconded the motion which passed by a vote of 3-0.

 

Selectman Curless discussed ongoing efforts.  Phillips was instructed to coordinate changing locks in the building.  The Board discussed re-charging the road committee.  Membership on the road committee was discussed.  Selectman Curless said that existing members should be asked if they want to remain on the committee.  Selectman Curless suggested that the committee should be comprised of  a Sutton citizen representative, a member from the Board of Selectman, Planning Board, Budget Committee, as well as the Road Agent.   It was noted that Charlie Forsberg had offered and will be invited to serve on the Committee.  Selectman Wright was designated to represent the Select Board on the road committee.

 

Philips advised that there would be a public hearing on March 26 regarding snowmobile use along the non-traveled portion within the Town’s right-of-way in order to connect the snowmobile trail system in North Sutton.  Although not statutorily required, the meeting was advertised and a courtesy mailing will go out to affected abutters.  The purpose of the meeting is to adopt regulation to allow the proposed use.  Phillips was instructed to provide draft regulation for consideration at the meeting. 

 

Selectman Headley discussed a recent mailing that he had issued relative to his campaign efforts and advised that some of the postcards were returned as undeliverable.   Selectman Headley asked whether the Selectman’s office was interested in reviewing the addresses.   The Selectmen’s office could use that information to check on accuracy of assessment/tax records, but any updates to the voter checklist would need to be done through the Clerk’s office and through the Supervisors of the Checklist.

 

The Board discussed reappointment to Town Board’s and committees.  Sitting members will be reappointed and the Board would like to have an ex-officio member on the Conservation Commission. 

 

There was also discussion regarding forming a committee to work on the Capital Improvement Plan with representation from the Budget Committee, Board of Selectmen, Planning Board, Department Heads and residents. 

 

The Board agreed to meet with Department Heads on a monthly basis and will meet ½ hour early to allow sufficient time for the department head meetings.

 

Selectman Wright suggested that the Board explore the possibility of commercial zoning.  Selectman Curless indicated that the planning board needs to review this matter in conjunction with the Master Plan.  The Planning Board is considering hiring a contractor to assist with this effort. 

 

Selectman Wright conveyed concerns raised by Greg Gill regarding Election Training.  

 

Selectman Wright provided information for the record and website on the historical society’s application to nominate School House #9 to the NH Historic Register.  Selectman Wright acknowledged Jack Noon as a valuable resource in the application process.

 

 

OLD BUSINESS:

 

REVIEW OF CORRESPONDENCE:

The Board noted email correspondence from the Diane Sullivan and will review the matter at their next regularly scheduled meeting.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

 

Elly Phillips, Town Administrator