November 3, 2024 | Town Admin Town of Sutton Pillsbury Memorial Hall 93 Main Street Sutton Mills, NH 03221 Select Board Nonpublic Minutes August 26th, 2024, 6:00pm At 6:27pm Glynn made a motion to enter into a nonpublic session pursuant to NH RSA 91-A:2 III. (d) consideration of the acquisition, sale, or lease of real or personal property which, if discussed in public, would likely benefit a party or parties whose interests are adverse to those of the general community. Present at the meeting were: Glenn Pogust, Select Board Chair; Michael McManus, Select Board Member; Nancy Glynn, Selectboard Member; and Julia Jones, Town Administrator. The Board discussed the attached e-mail from Dorothy Jeffrey addressed to the Friends of Wabasso Working Group, which was forwarded to Pogust. On Sunday, August 25th at 10:45am, Jeffrey wrote: To the Friends of Wabasso Working Group: The Town of Sutton has decided to take an active role in acquiring the GSEMA properties, which shifts the direction of our working group’s plans considerably. In a non-public meeting last night, the Select Board confirmed the town’s and donor’s intentions. On behalf of the anonymous donor, Relax & Company will propose that ownership of the property and endowment ultimately transfer to the town. The change in strategy is in part because the donor wanted assurance that the owning entity remain intact. As part of the acquisition process, the town will work with interested nonprofit groups in an open and transparent manner to determine usage for the benefit of the regional community. As stipulated by the donor, the town will enter into lease agreements at the time of property transfer with selected nonprofits that will conduct day to day operations of creative impactful programs supporting the common good. Two points to note: – Any and all previously permitted uses of the properties are null and void. As the camp has not been used in over two years, the Sutton Zoning Ordinance deems the property abandoned. Previous uses cannot be grandfathered and proposed uses will require new permits. As the property is zoned residential, this creates significant hurdles to reinstate previous uses of the property. – The donor intends to place a conservation easement on the property after the sale to secure conservation tax credits. They will not agree to having the Girl Scouts place any easement prior to the sale and transfer of the property. As we adjust to these changes, let’s focus on contributing to a resource that will benefit the broader community. Our working group will meet via Zoom as planned tomorrow, Monday, August 26 at 1 PM to discuss these latest developments. See link below. Andy and Dorothy Pogust acknowledged that the email was not inaccurate, but contrary to their agreement that the meeting would be non-public. The Board discussed how to respond to the email and the importance of confidentiality and transparency. The Board discussed the role of Relax & Company, LLC. and the management of a $10 million endowment proposed by Bruss on behalf of the donor. The Town Administrator shared research findings that confirm that such an endowment, if given to the Town, must be managed by the Trustees of the Trust Funds, not a private entity. The Board discussed the role of local organizations and interested parties. The Board discussed the timing of the proposal submission to the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts (GSEMA) and the need to make a public statement on recent developments related to the Camp Wabasso properties and the Board’s intention to support a proposal for a donor to purchase the properties and donate them to the Town of Sutton. The Board agreed to schedule a public meeting to sign a letter of support for the Camp Wabasso proposal. The Board discussed a letter addressed to Barbara Fortier, Executive Director of the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts (GSEMA) from Cynde Robbins, President of the Blaisdell Lake Protective Association. In this letter dated August 20th, Robbins made the following request: In order to protect one of the last undeveloped properties on the lake and to ensure that its benefits continue to positively benefit Blaisdell Lake and Billings Pond, we are requesting that the GSEMA place a Conservation Easement on the Camp Wabasso property prior to its divestment. Glynn shared feedback from Town Counsel clarifying that the use of Google Docs is not advised under NH RSA 91-A as it allows for simultaneous communication. The Board agreed not to use Google Docs. The Board discussed public access to Blaisdell Lake and perceived opposition from the Blaisdell Lake Protection Association. Discussion about the public access to Blaisdell Lake and the opposition from the Blaisdell Lake Association. At 7:01pm McManus made a motion to leave the nonpublic session. Once back in public session McManus made a motion to seal the nonpublic minutes. Glynn seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. Respectfully submitted, Julia Jones Town Administrator
