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Warner Board of Selectmen Meeting Minutes Wednesday, Chairman Hartman opened the public session
at In Attendance:
Selectman David Hartman – Chairman, Selectman David Karrick,
Jr., Selectman Others present: Nancy Martin, Jim McLaughlin, Richard Brown, Jeanne
Hand 1. Conservation Commission
– Capital Chairman Hartman asked if the Conservation
Commission will be asking for $50K for the Conservation Fund in 2011.
Chairman Hartman asked for a past year review; the balance in the
fund is $65,585. Mr.
McLaughlin said the major project this past year and the current year is
the Bowers Farm Easement which $70K has been committed to; the final
amount has yet to be determined. There
are no other firm projects at this point. Chairman Hartman asked if the Town is
involved in the Black Mountain Project.
There are 200 acres in Warner; the funds will come from the
Forest Society and other sources not the Conservation Commission. Mr. McLaughlin also added that the
Conservation Commission has not discussed the amount, if any, they would
be asking for in 2011. However,
the Capital Improvements Program, it is felt, based on past surveys and
the Town’s past support that it is reasonable to continue funding
whether or not in any given year the full amount is asked for or not
depends on circumstances; the last two years $30K and $20K was asked
for. Chairman Hartman asked how acreage is
cited to be acquired in certain segments of Town within the Conservation
Plan. Mr. McLaughlin said
the acreage is identified by watershed or specific areas such as the
Mink Hills. Mr. McLaughlin
also said that the Conservation Commission is attempting to address the
question regarding when will there be enough conserved. Chairman Hartman said the Planning Board
Capital Improvement Program has recommended zero funding for 2011.
Selectman The Town Administrator asked when the
Commission will be discussing the capital funding.
Nancy Martin said the Commission could begin discussions at their
next meeting on November 3rd. Chairman Hartman spoke about the public
turn out for the ATVs using Class VI roads.
He said it was difficult to find a way that would please those
for conservation purposes and those who see the roads as public roads.
Nancy Martin said the Commission has talked about the ATV use.
Conservation Commission member Jim McLaughlin feels the Class VI
roads are public roads and are not under the purview of the Conservation
Commission. Ms. Martin said
there are mixed feelings in the Commission because the Class VI roads
are access to the lands that have been chosen to conserve.
Chairman Hartman said the Conservation
Commission needs to recommend a member that can sit on the Planning
Board. Nancy Martin asked about the development
of a committee that would look at the future uses of Class VI roads.
Chairman Hartman said the committee has not yet been formed.
Jeanne Hand thinks the CIP Committee’s
position was to move away from the yearly funding and move back to the
original idea of donations. 2. Fire Department Capital Budget Fire Chief Richard Brown said a new Fire
Station is slated for 2014; there are no capital expenses planned for
2011. The Chief spoke about
the need for a new station; the current one is extremely cramped,
equipment is housed at various locations, new equipment needs to be
customized in order to fit into the current station, and the building is
not able to house full time staff. The
Board asked what triggers full-time.
The Chief said call volume (900 to 1,000 calls), increased
population or if the Town loses the ambulance service.
The Chief will be purchasing new radios
and pagers with the money that is left over in his 2010 budget as well
as budgeting for 2011 & 2012; the current radios expire on Chairman Hartman asked what the life
expectancy is on the Rescue vehicle.
The Chief said in 2019 the vehicle will be 20 years old.
Selectman Karrick asked about the forestry truck.
The Chief said the forestry truck is on the CIP for 2014, but he
is thinking now about remodeling the truck to keep it going for a while.
Chairman Hartman said the largest cost
will be the Fire Station; the question is, continue funding the capital
reserve, take out a bond or a combination of both.
The Chief said most towns build there reserves to purchase
equipment and bond the building of a Fire Station.
Selectman The Board discussed renaming the
Fire/Rescue Vehicle Capital Reserve to the Fire Department Equipment
Reserve so that it can cover vehicles as well as equipment.
Selectman Chairman Hartman asked how the dry fire
hydrants are, do they work well. The
Chief said the hydrants have been tested but there haven’t been any
fires that depended on the use of the dry hydrants.
The Board of Selectmen will be meeting
with the Hopkinton Selectmen to discuss ambulance billing on October 26th.
The goal is to establish an ambulance agreement. 3. Adjournment At
Board of Selectmen David E. Hartman - Chairman
Respectfully submitted, Mary Whalen Recording Secretary
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