Minutes
of Meeting
Board of Selectmen
Meeting held upstairs in Town Hall Monday – May 7, 2007
Attending: Town Manager Edward Samson
Selectmen David Stickney, Leo Enos, Sr., and Allan Carr
Town Administrative Services Manager Becky Newton
Others attending: Mike Beattie, Alan Savage, Murray Vashaw, Rev Don Williams, Joe Bachofer, Ann Hawthorne, Melissa Grimma and Charlotte Sheltry, Reporters.
The meeting was opened at 6:30 P.M. by Chairman David Stickney followed by the Pledge to the Flag.
APPOINTMENTS:
Mike
Beattie spoke to the Board on behalf of the Lancaster Alumni Association. They
at their last annual meeting had discussed putting a monument in
Mr. Beattie also said that the Snow drifters have applied for a grant to continue the trail trough the town forest and if they get the grant would the town let them continue. The Board agreed that they could.
Mr. Beattie also asked when Unicel would be on the tower. Edward Samson said that they have submitted their application and it was approved, they are only waiting to sign paperwork with Dr. Beattie.
OLD BUSINESS;
Review and approve the minutes of the April 18th meeting.
A motion was made by Allan Carr and seconded by Leo Enos to accept the minutes as written. A vote was called for and the motion carried.
Department Head up-dates: None
Signing of various paperwork:
Appointment of Leon Rideout to Zoning Board.
Auto Recycling License – Leon Rideout. Allan Carr asked if he had kept up with the
set-back regulations given him, Edward Samson said that he had not. He needed to sign a compliance with DES and
has done that and there is a copy attached to the license.
A motion was made by Leo Enos and seconded by Allan
Carr to grant the license. A vote was called for and the motion carried.
Veterans Exemption Credit – Katie Bennett
Intent to Cut – Linda Wheeler by Alan Bouthillier. She has a 300 acre lot that had a lot of wind damage.
NEW BUSINESS;
Discussion on Propane & Oil bids w/school. Edward Samson said that he was not comfortable with this as they are not only doing our school district. The are including other districts and there municipalities in an attempt to get a low price. A concern is that if we join them we are locked “in” and must purchase from the winner of the bid. We have gone with our school district in the past, but we pay more than the school because they can take larger delivery trucks. Ed recommended we get prices from our local area oil companies. Mike Beattie said that he felt that with the price of fuel going up you will see people conserving and then you will see the price come back down. David Stickney said that he would rather see our business stay local.
A motion was made by Allan Carr and seconded by Leo Enos that we NOT go with the school on the oil bid. A vote was called for and the motion carried.
Purchase of new ambulance. Edward Samson brought up the issue that the Town had not planned to by an ambulance this year. But a member of the Budget Committee had talked with someone and found out about one that was for sale. A 2001 Ford w/ American LaFrance Box, it has l5,000.00 miles and is 6 years old and the cost is $75,000.00. (To get a new one to specs would cost between $l50,000.00 - $l60,000.00) We did not budget for one this year. We could take the $75,000.00 from the Capital Reserve Fund to pay for it and not have to pay any interest with a loan, and then for the next 2 years put extra money back into the fund. (Will check into documentation for spending of that money in Capital Reserve.) We could also do a Lease/Purchase. For 12 months - $3,841.64 a month; 36 months - $2,222.79 a month or 48 months - $2,074.07 a month. It was asked if there was a warranty on it. Ed said that there was the remainder of the manufactures warranty with it. Mike Beattie asked if the Board had the authority to enter into a Lease/Purchase. Ed said that they did as long as it came from Capital Reserve.
It was asked if there really was a need for a third ambulance. The third one is mainly for transfers, and that is the one that makes most of the money that makes the corp self-sufficient. A report is given to the Town Manager every month. It was also asked why we needed a third one if there was a private company in Town that offered services. That company did not want to do just any transfers, they picked and choosed what they would do. It was asked what the attendants get for pay. $9.00 - $9.25 per hour. It was said that we were fortunate to get that kind of coverage for that kind of money. It was asked it the other ambulance was ready to go why not keep the one that we would sell and use it also. The Board said that the town’s people would not go for it.
The Board feels that they should have a public meeting for the town’s people to come to and hear what they would like to do, it is not necessary but they want to keep everything above board so to speak. Mike Beattie asked what would happen if we only had 2 ambulances. There would be no transfers and we would have to limit the towns that we had contracts with.
There was also in the packet a letter to NH Bureau of Emergency Management Preliminary Damage Assessment for Public Assistance. This was due to the storm and loss of power.
Letters from George Sansoucy on 2007 Update of Utility Assessment Values.
INFORMATION;
Letter from
CDGA re:
Letter from BTLA re: Administrative Rules re: eminent domain case & reassessment petitions.
Fax from NHDRAkk re: preliminary review of 2007 appropriation.
Peddlers Permit from Steven Bissonnette.
\ Minutes of meetings of Trustees of Trust Funds.
Letter from NHDRA re: Equalization
Letter from Dept. of Resources & Economic Development re: Tourism & Economic Development workshop on May 16-17
Becky Newton gave an up-date on the Town Hall electrical bids. There were 4 contactors that picked up plans Davis, Tim White Electric, Ray’s Electric and . 3 of the contractors did walk thru. The only bid that was submitted was from Ray’s Electric for $526,200.00. (which is way over our budget) For Alternate #1, which is the Masonic Hall the amount was $ll9.420.00 and for Alternate #2which is the Auditorium the amount was $106,800.00. We have a grant in $150,000.00, and if we don’t use the money we lose it.
It was suggested that we go back out for bids. Becky said that with the time frame that we have it would be close as it has to be in place by the end of the year.
David Stickney suggested that we do the basic work and go to others for other things. Maybe contact Kipp and Lufkin Alarms and see what they could give for a figure.
David Stickney suggested that maybe Ed and Becky could negotiate with Ray’s Electric on the contract.
A motion was made by Leo Enos and seconded by Allan Carr to reject all bids and have Town Manager Edward Samson and Administrative Services Manager Becky Newton negotiate with Ray’ s Electric on the contract, and also return his deposit.
A vote was called for and the motion carried.
Rev.
Williams asked about the paving at the Transfer Station and
Alan Savage asked why the Town Crew was working on Saturday. He was told that they were being paid out of Parks and Recreation Funds. David Stickney said that if that were put out to bid it would cost a lot more to be done.
Ann Hawthorne came to the meeting to say that the Town had pushed trees on to their land. She had spoken with Dennis Donnelly who said that they would take care of it during the week and to date nothing had been done. She does not want any heavy equipment tearing up the land where the trees are on. She also wanted to know if there was a town policy on cleaning up brush that was on the side of the road and when would the trees be taken care of. Edward Samson said that he was aware of the trees and he and Mr. Donnelly would go to the site on Tuesday May 8 and check it out.
Noting that there was no further business to come before the meeting a motion was called for to adjourn.
A motion was made by Leo Enos and seconded by Allan Carr to adjourn. A vote was called for and the meeting adjourned at 7:40 P.M
Respectfully submitted: Approved:
Sandra E. Doolan – Clerk David
Stickney – Chairman
Leo
Enos, Sr.
Allan
Carr
Board
of Selectmen