Warner Board of Selectmen

Meeting Minutes

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

 

Chairman Hartman opened the public session at 5:07 p.m.

 

1. Nonpublic Session

Selectman Carson moved to enter into Nonpublic Session at 5:07 p.m. per RSA 91-A:3 II (b), hiring. The motion was seconded by Selectman Karrick. A roll call vote was taken. Chairman Hartman – yes; Selectman Karrick – yes; Selectman Carson – yes.  Motion passed unanimously.

In attendance: Chairman David Hartman., Selectman David Karrick, Selectman Clyde Carson; Town Administrator Laura Buono, Matt Waite

The Selectmen and Town Administrator discussed the compensation of the Director of Public Works position as well offering the position to Matte Waite who entered the meeting at 5:30 p.m.

Selectman Carson moved to come out of Nonpublic Session at 6:07 p.m.   The motion was seconded by Selectman Karrick. A roll call vote was taken. Chairman Hartman – yes; Selectman Karrick – yes; Selectman Carson – yes.  Motion passed unanimously. 

2. Public Session

Chairman Hartman opened the public session at 6:13 p.m.

In Attendance:   Selectman David Hartman – Chairman, Selectman David Karrick, Jr., Selectman Clyde Carson, Town Administrator Laura Buono  

Others present: Matt Waite, Robert DeAngelis, Linda Hedrick  

3. Motion to Hire

Chairman Hartman announced that the Board of Selectmen is in the final stages of hiring a new Public Works Director.  The Selectman has offered the position to the current Foreman at the Highway Department, Matt Waite.  Mr. Waite has been in the Foreman’s position for two years and has been following closely and trying  to establish his credibility as being the person able to take charge of the Highway Department on the retirement of Allan N. Brown.  Mr. Brown will retire as of December 31, 2010 .   

Chairman Hartman moved to offer the position of Public Works Director to Matt Waite at labor grade 9, step 2 salary position in the amount of $45,077.76 per year.  At the conclusion of a six month probation period, Mr. Waite’s salary will increase to step 3, $47,331.65.  Selectman Karrick seconded the motion.  Chairman Hartman read into the record the following: The Board of Selectmen has discussed the personnel policy where as the Town promotes from within if and when there is a viable and qualified candidate, and the Board has also discussed if the Public Works Director position should be advertised.  The Board feels the Town has a qualified and capable candidate, Matt Waite, who has spent approximately the last year training and shadowing the current Public Works Director and has proven to be an employee that the Board has confidence in and will be able to fill the shoes of Allan N. Brown.  Chairman Hartman called for a vote; all were in favor, the motion passed.  

4. Pillsbury Free Library – Capital Budget

Library Trustees Robert DeAngelis and Linda Hedrick met with the Selectmen to discuss Capital expenses for the 2011 warrant.  

Mr. DeAngelis explained in 2009 an energy audit listed a number of deficiencies at the library.  In the older section of the library the arched ceiling does not have insulation and the windows in the same section are only single pane glass.  The present heating and electric bills amount to $15K per year; there could be a 30% savings in fuel costs if the ceiling is insulated and the windows are replaced.  The Trustees are asking for $13,800 from the Town; the Trustees will contribute $5K.  

Linda Hedrick spoke to the Selectmen about the library’s Integrated Library System.  Currently, the library uses Spectrum, but the technology has come to a standstill.   The State Library is looking to form a consortium with other library’s across the State using ILS with Open Source Software.  It’s free software but, there is an initial start up fee for migrating records.  The Library is requesting $10K; Ms. Hedrick said the advantages are Open  Source Software writes its software so that smaller library’s will be able to take advantage of what in the past only larger libraries offered their patrons as well as the staff and librarians will be able to make better use of the ILS in house.  The savings would be no longer purchasing from a standard company on a yearly basis for upgrades.  Selectman Carson asked if this software is being used at this time.  Ms. Hedrick said the software is used mostly in other parts of the country but is coming to this area.   

Selectman Karrick asked what would happen if for some reason the funding was not granted for the upgrade.  Ms. Hedrick is hopeful that the Pillsbury Free Library will be chosen to be used as a testing ground for ILS.  At this time the library is at the peak of upgrading.  The Town Administrator said another option is submitting a petition at next Town Meeting.  

Selectman Carson asked if historically the Trustees have stepped forward and asked the Selectmen to fund through Capital Improvements or has the funding come from their operating budget.  Mr. DeAngelis explained that a large sum of money was spent on maintaining the building; there are no funds left to complete the insulation.  

The Selectmen asked if the Library Trustees have tried to tighten the budget as well as looking for outside sources of funding.  The library annually receives 1/15th of 1% of the Town’s valuation.  Chairman Hartman feels that these items being discussed should have been worked into the library’s budget if not this year at least for next year.  Chairman Hartman during the CIP process voted against the inclusion of the libraries request because these expenditures are not capital expenses.  The library should establish a capital reserve fund for facility maintenance.  Selectman Carson said there are energy programs available that allow financing and the pay back would be through the savings achieved from lower heating bills.  The Town Administrator asked if this could be a project for the Energy Committee and Selectman Carson didn’t feel it would be.  

The Selectmen at this time are not inclined to consider the libraries request.  

5. Consent Agenda

Selectman Karrick moved to approve the consent agenda for November 23, 2010 .

o             Building Permit for David & Laurette Carroll

Selectman Carson seconded the motion; all were in favor, the motion passed.  

6. Manifest

Selectman Karrick moved to authorize the Selectmen to sign manifests and order the Treasurer to sign Payroll Check number 904 in the amount of $873.50 and Accounts Payable check numbers 45136-45187 in the amount of $131,594.57.  Selectman Carson seconded the motion; all were in favor, the motion passed.  

7. Meeting Minutes

Selectman Carson moved to approve meeting minutes dated October 28, November 1 & 8, 2010.  Selectman Karrick seconded the motion; all were in favor, the motion passed.  

8. Old Business

Inclement Weather Policy

The Town Administrator asked if the Board wants more detail in the policy.  Chairman Hartman noted that the policy does not spell out the priorities very well.  The policy says the first priority shall be the maintenance of Class IV & V roads, bridges, fire hydrants and municipal parking lots.  Selectman Carson said the reason for having a policy in place is so the town is not liable as long as the town does not grossly disregard the policy.  Selectman Carson feels from a public safety perspective that it would be good to tell people what the expectations are. For example waiting until there is 1 ½” on the ground before plowing begins, a communicative policy.  He feels if that information is known then a resident may wait until the plow went through.  Selectman Carson also sent via-email copies of policies from other towns for the Selectmen to review.   

Selectman Carson would like the policy to be more of a communication document and suggests reviewing the policies he sent the Board from other towns to help customize Warner’s Inclement Weather Policy.  

Investment Policy

Chairman Hartman said the library should be included in the investment policy.  Selectman Karrick will contact the Library Trustees.  Another change to the policy is all cash balances shall be reconciled monthly with the Treasurer and Bookkeeper and the Treasurer shall report the reconciliation to the Town Administrator & Selectmen on a monthly basis.  Selectman Carson said the report could also be sent by email.   The Board continued reviewing the policy and made clarifying changes.  Selectman Karrick will make the changes and then contact the library before bringing the policy back to the Board.  Selectman Carson said once the final form is created he would like to post it for comment for the duration of a meeting.   

9. Other Business

Fire Wood Program - Selectman Carson said he sent out an email regarding an Energy Committee discussion about having a fire wood depot that would be available for those on heating assistance.  Selectman Carson spoke with Community Action Program Director Laura Hall who feels it would be a useful program for Warner.  The towns of Hopkinton and Hillsborough have a similar program; the wood is donated and stored at their Transfer Stations (cut, split and stacked by volunteers).  The Town Administrator feels the wood program is a good idea for the Energy Committee, but, she asked why then wouldn’t the funding programs that are available that he spoke about with the Library Trustees be good projects for the Energy Committee.  Selectman Carson said he has two answers and one is the individual interests of the Energy Committee; there is no interest to pursue grant funding.  The Town Administrator said the Energy Committee could just gather the information.  Selectman Carson said the second is if the Selectmen want the Energy Committee to take on a specific project then they should say so.  The Town Administrator is suggesting that the Energy Committee research funding options, the Selectmen’s office can be available to complete necessary paperwork.  Selectman Carson said there is grant funding available through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), it’s a first come first serve basis for energy projects.  The Town Administrator said the Town does not have established projects only the energy audit.  Selectman Carson encourages the Town to look into the CDBG.  The Town Administrator said on the Board level there are no priorities set for what the Board agrees to move forward with; but the CDBG is good information.  

The Town Administrator asked in talking about the Library and the wood program what is the priority for the Energy Committee, or is it the interest of the members.  The Selectmen did not have an answer at this time but did agree that the CDBG information should be forwarded on to the Library.  

Selectman Carson added that a change is needed to the Master Plan because language has been included saying that the Town was going to establish a reserve account for energy projects.  The Town Administrator said energy projects have been included in the Town Hall Building Renovation Fund.  

Chairman Hartman asked if the firewood would be available for this heating season; Selectman Carson was not sure if that would be the case but he will move forward with establishing the program.  

Transfer Station Committee – Chairman Hartman noted that the Transfer Station Committee met on November 23rd.  There was no quorum but all the Selectmen were in attendance.  It was later realized that because of the Selectmen’s attendance the meeting was not posted correctly, no decisions were made only discussion.  

Abatement – Selectman Karrick moved to abate the interest charge in the amount of $185.25 on property taxes due on July 1, 2010 for Mr. & Mrs. Warren Williams.  Selectman Carson seconded the motion; all were in favor, the motion passed.  

Selectman Karrick moved to abate $13.59 on Map 5 Lot 007 and $50.00 for 781 Kearsarge Mountain Road .  Selectman Carson seconded the motion; all were in favor, the motion passed.   

Town Clerk’s Office – The Town Clerk’s office has requested an additional $50 for petty cash.  Because of additional fees the current petty cash is not sufficient to make change.  The Town Administrator recommends taking the $50 from the Contingency Fund and she will contact the auditors on how this petty cash should be accounted for.  Selectman Karrick moved to appropriate $50 from the Contingency Fund for the purpose of petty cash in the Town Clerk’s office.  Selectman Carson seconded the motion; all were in favor, the motion passed.  

Clarification – The Town Administrator said at the last Selectmen’s meeting Jeanne Hand brought up a concern that the school had taken out a bond for $3 million without authorization.  The contingent warrant article gives authorization for the school board to apply for bonds or notes.  And in reference to a vote from the school board via email, the vote was reaffirmed in a public meeting.  The school board member who did not vote through email and was not allowed to vote in the public meeting; that vote would not have mattered if the vote was no because all the school board members voted yes.   

Selectmen’s December Meeting Schedule – The December 21st meeting will be changed to December 28th.  

2011 Budget – The Selectmen will have a discussion on if there will be further employee contribution towards health care.  

Vacation and sick accumulation guidelines will be forwarded to the employees in their next paychecks.  The Board will review the changes one more time, and formal adoption by the Board will take place on December 28, 2010 .  

Northeast Resource Recovery Association – Chairman Hartman reported that he has been elected to a three-year term on the Board of Directors for the NRRA.  

Concord Regional Co-op – Chairman Hartman reported that the tipping fee has been established for this coming year to $67.00.  The Joint Board also voted to withdraw $7 million out of the capital reserve fund for landfill expansion.  The Co-op is continuing to attract tonnage for a single-stream recycling facility, they have a 21,000 ton total, and 25,000 tons are needed.

Selectmen’s Budget Meeting – The Selectmen will meet on Monday, November 29th at 2:00 p.m.  

10. Adjournment

At 8:30 p.m. a motion was made to adjourn.

 

Board of Selectmen  

David E. Hartman - Chairman
David Karrick, Jr.
Clyde Carson

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Whalen

Recording Secretary