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
October 29, 2018 @ 4:00 p.m.

The meeting was called to order at 4:00 p.m. by William I. Curless, Chair; Dane Headley, Selectman; Robert Wright, Jr., Selectman; Robert DeFelice, Budget Chair; Stephen Bagley, Road Agent; Adam Hurst, Assistant Road Agent; Michael Sailer, Tom Schamberg and Elly Phillips Town Administrator.

 

APPOINTMENTS:

At 4:30 p.m. Stephen Bagley, Road Agent, and Adam Hurst, Deputy Road Agent met with the Board to discuss proposed 2019 Capital Reserves and Warrant Articles.  Mr. Bagley reported that two members of the Highway Crew would be attending the Green Snow Pro workshop.  The Board invited Robert DeFelice, Budget Chair, to join the discussion.  Mr. DeFelice presented the CIP for Highway Capital Reserves as drafted by the Budget Committee Capital Reserve subcommittee.

 

For bridges, the goal for the reserve is $500,000 (benchmarked for 2024) which will require an annual appropriation of $50,000.  Mr. DeFelice provided a detailed history of previous years appropriates to the bridge reserves.

·         For highway equipment trucks the 2019 appropriation will be $170,000.  There is an acquisition planned for 2019 for a 4 X 4 Truck equipped.  The estimated cost for the 4 X 4 is $170,000 (funded from capital reserves).   The 4 x 4 is on a 16 year replacement schedule the remainder of  the trucks are on an 10-11 year replacement cycle.

·         The grader appropriation will be $26,000.  The next acquisition of a grader is planned for 2029.

·         Heavy Equipment is on a 15 year replacement schedule and the projected annual appropriation is $27,000.  The individual backhoe account will be discontinued to fund balance.

·         There is also a projected appropriation of $120,000 for blacktop and $30,000 for gravel.

·         There will not be an appropriation to the tree reserve in 2019 or to the capital reserve for the pickup truck.

Mr. DeFelice recommended reviewing the capital reserves on an annual basis, reminding the board that the CIP is a dynamic process.    Mr. Bagley recommended establishing a capital reserve for small equipment.  Mr. DeFelice stated that the subcommittee will look at establishing a small equipment reserve next year for the 2020 budget.  Mr. Bagley will review the recommendations of the budget committee subcommittee and get back to Mr. DeFelice.

Michael Sailer met with the Board to formally request for permission to temporarily use a family occupied trailer to be maintained as living quarters on property located at 01-576-410, 195 Birch Hill Road.  The trailer is connected to a state approved septic system.  It was noted that previously such a request would go to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.  However, due to a recent joining change such permission is now under the purview of the Board of Selectmen.  The Sailer’s are currently seeking a Conditional Use permit for their driveway and will be following up with a building permit upon approval of their driveway.   Selectman Curless made a motion to approve the use of a temporary family-occupied trailer to be maintained as living quarters at 195 Birch Hill Road pursuant to Article III H 3 and 4 for a period of 1 year with an option to renew for an additional one-year period upon approval of the extension by the Board of Selectmen.  The motion was seconded by Selectman Wright.  The motion passed by a unanimous affirmative vote.

Mr. Sailer expressed concern regarding the steep slope ordinance, noting that it causes additional expenses to the applicant.

 

The public minutes from October 22, 2018 and non-public minutes from October 24, 2018 were approved as written.  The Board reviewed and approved the following manifests:

PAYROLL MANIFEST:   $  13,773.01

VENDOR MANIFEST:     $388,623.01

 

BUILDING PERMITS:

The Board approved a building permit for Karen Booker, 06-380-154, Main Street for a ground-Mounted, Grid-Tied PV Solar System – (ZBA decision – approved 10/17/18).

The Board approved a building permit for Janis Stokes, 08-265-552, Felch Road for a home subject to septic design approval.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

Phillips reported on the status of property owners who are facing tax deeds.

 

Phillips reported that the 2018 2nd issue tax warrant should be ready for signature this week.  The Board agreed to come in during the week to execute the warrant.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

The Board unanimously agreed to have Counsel issue a letter to Thomas Stotler, Map 01-407-067, Route 103 advising of potential legal enforcement action.

 

REVIEW OF CORRESPONDENCE:

The Board noted correspondence from CNHRPC regarding Ten Year Transportation Improvement Plan Update.  Phillips will contact Dean Williams to make sure the Sutton portion of Route 114 is included in the plan.  Mr. DeFelice advised that the North Sutton section has been skim coated but will require skim coating approximately every two years.

 

SELECTMEN’S COMMENTS:

Selectman Wright reported that school house #9 has been approved by the State Historic buildings department.

 

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

Mr. DeFelice reported that the Selectmen will be invited to a joint School Board/MBC and Boards of Selectmen.  Mr. DeFelice also explained why Sutton had the largest increase this year.  Last year Sutton received the benefit of $100,000 from the Claremont decision.  Mr. DeFelice advised that the increased student population was a factor in the increase in local school tax for Sutton property owners.  The matter of apportionment was also revisited as well as items of discussion for the deliberative session.  Mr. DeFelice reviewed funds that have been established for special circumstances.

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:17 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Elly Phillips

Town Administrator