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Warner Board of Selectmen Meeting Minutes Tuesday, July 28, 2009 Chairman Karrick opened the meeting at
2:00 p.m. In Attendance:
Selectman David Karrick, Jr. – Chairman, Selectman David E.
Hartman, Selectman Clyde Carson &
Town Administrator – Laura Buono Absent:
None Others present: Martha Mical Allan N. Brown Marianne Howlett 1. Cross Country Appraisal
Update Jim Rice from Cross Country Appraisal met
with the Board of Selectmen and reported that out of 2,050 parcels 1,332
have been visited and are ready for data entry.
Chairman Karrick asked if the parcels have been visited both
inside and out. Mr. Rice
said the properties have been visited twice meaning they were either
measured and listed or just measured.
Mr. Rice said notices will be sent to waterfront properties
within the next three weeks asking the property owners to call Cross
Country and arrange an interior inspection before Labor Day and before
the seasonal residents stop coming up.
According to the contract all data collection was to be completed
by the end of this week; Cross Country still needs to complete 718
parcels. The reason for the
shortfall is Cross Country thought they had two data collectors working
in town. One of the data collectors is semi-retired and only works on
fair weather days; with all the rain he will not be coming back.
Mr. Rice said there will be two additional data collectors
starting at the end of this week and one other that will begin next
week. Mr. Rice feels with 4
data collectors the measuring portion should be completed within two
weeks. After all the data
is collected the information will be entered into the computer system
after which notices will go out to properties owners to schedule
appointments for interior inspections.
If property owner do not schedule appointments there will be
another opportunity to have their homes inspected after the values have
been updated. Selectman
Carson asked when Mr. Rice feels all the interiors will be completed.
Mr. Rice feels by the end of August first part of September.
Selectman Hartman asked Mr. Rice if every property is
re-measured. Mr. Rice said
yes, every property is re-measured; the existing property card is
reviewed to make sure the existing information is correct. As far as
interior inspections, if the property owners allow entry notes will be
taken on any changes. Selectman Hartman asked Mr. Rice if the data collectors go
onto properties even if the owner is not there.
Mr. Rice explained by statute the Selectmen are the assessors and
are allowed to go onto any property for assessing purposes. Since Cross
Country works for the Selectmen that right falls to them. He said the
only time they would not enter a property is if there was a no
trespassing sign or if it was barred or gated.
For properties that will not allow interior access Mr. Rice will
research the multiple listing services as far back as 2003, he will find
out all the properties that have closed and have been listed on the
market which provides a lot of information for interior purposes.
Selectman Hartman asked if they have found any outdoor wood
burning furnaces. Mr. Rice said that a few have been found, not many.
The Selectmen had a discussion with Mr.
Rice about yurts and high tunnels (temporary structures).
Mr. Rice agreed that they are taxable if they are on a property
year round or on a property as of April.
He also said the high tunnels are taxable if they are on a
foundation, permanently attached to the ground and have a furnace or fan
hooked up that is not easily detachable.
A yurt is taxable if it is sitting on a platform that is
permanently attached to the ground and has a wood stove or some type of
heating system. Selectman Hartman asked Mr. Rice if he has
any major problems that he did not expect.
Mr. Rice said besides a few irate property owners and dogs, most
everyone has been very friendly and cooperative.
Selectman Carson said there was hope to
have all the parcels completed by the end of this week.
Mr. Rice said yes, according to the contract.
Martha Mical added that the town held Cross Country off for 15
days so the date should be moved to August 15th.
Selectman Carson asked because there will be more people
collecting data how will consistency be assured.
Mr. Rice said the data collectors are trained the same and he
reviews all the information. The Town Administrator brought up Martha
Micals concern about the supervisor not being on site 75% of the time as
stated in the contract. Mr.
Rice said his reviewing the field work is a process that takes place
later in the fall. Selectman Hartman asked if there are any
towns where the Selectmen still complete the assessing.
Mr. Rice said he does not believe so. Selectman Hartman asked when the revised
assessments will be available. Mr.
Rice said prior to April 1, 2010 the Selectmen will receive a report
with both new and old values as well as sale statistics.
Selectman Hartman asked how a property
that is considered a disaster handled in respect to the immediate
neighbors. Mr. Rice said if
the sales in the immediate area compared to other neighborhoods show
lower values then that one property could be bringing the value down or
visa versa. One example
that Mr. Rice used was a pig farm, the farm dropped the value of all the
properties in a one mile radius because of the odor.
Chairman Karrick asked about properties that do not finish
construction in hopes of lowering the value.
Mr. Rice said most people will complete the improvements after
the reval, he flags the property card for review the following year.
If there is no change after a couple of years Mr. Rice calls and
schedules and appointment for interior inspection or at the least speaks
to the property owner over the phone about the renovations.
2. Director of Public Works – Allan N. Brown Mr. Brown reported on Connors Mill Bridge,
he said today is the last day for the curing of the concrete after which
the project will be prepped for asphalt membrane that will be burned on,
after that guardrails will be installed.
Weather permitting the dirt work is scheduled for August 3rd,
after that prepped for paving. Mr.
Brown is hopeful that the bridge will be complete within a couple of
weeks. Selectman Carson
asked if all the project adjustments have been accepted by the State.
Mr. Brown said acceptance will not be known until after the job
is completed, possibly up to 6 months.
The Town Administrator said the Selectmen’s office did receive
documentation from the State approving the relocation of the center
line. Mr. Brown reported that the stone wall
located off of Gould Road has been repaired; Mr. Brown inspected the
repair and said everything looks fine.
Mr. Brown spoke to the Selectmen about the
road that accesses Pine Grove Cemetery.
Mr. Brown said that he advised Wayne and Sharon Face who are
subdividing their property to use that road as road frontage as well as
using the road to access an existing driveway.
But then Mr. Brown learned, which he was very surprised, that the
Town in 1953 voted to close the road and revert it to a Class VI road.
Mr. Brown said in all his years working for the Town he has
maintained the road. Now,
because it is a Class VI road the Face’s will not be able to
subdivide. Mr. Brown
recommended to the Selectmen that they have the authority, if
petitioned, to revert the road back to a Class V road.
Chairman Karrick asked what would be the grounds to revert the
road to a Class V. Mr.
Brown said general use of the public. Mr. Brown also said if the land is
subdivided a driveway permit is not required because there is already a
driveway cut in located off of the road to the cemetery.
Mr. Brown said if the road is reverted it would then need to be
named; Mr. Brown recommended Pine Grove Lane because it is a dead end.
Chairman Karrick said one problem that could arise is someone
else who has property on a Class VI road fairly close to a Class V road
may see this reversion as special treatment.
Mr. Brown said the road technically a Class VI; in character it
is not a Class VI road. The
Town Administrator said you can build on a Class VI road if it is
brought up to standards; this road is already at Class V standard; it
could also be Class V seasonal. Martha
Mical asked if the road could be classified as Class V seasonal. Mr. Brown said yes, this way the Town would not be liable for
maintenance. Martha Mical
said in the past the Town has also required property owners who build on
a Class V seasonal road to record at the Registry of Deeds a Limited
Liability that says the Town is not responsible from December 10 to
April 10. Selectman Carson said he will visit the site to become more
familiar. Selectman Hartman
asked what the width of the Town property is.
Mr. Brown said it is described in the deed.
Martha Mical said the Book & Page listed in one of the deeds
is incorrect, the correct one was found; there are three pieces of land
in total. Mr. Brown reported to the Selectmen what
he knows regarding the reconstruction of the Route 89 culvert.
The State estimates that highway traffic will continue to be
diverted through town until at least late Thursday.
The Board asked who will be paying for police detail for the
duration of the detour and Mr. Brown said the State will pick up that
cost. 3. Inventory Forms The Town Administrator asked the Selectmen
if they wish to continue with the inventory forms, she recommends the
forms for their revenue source. Martha
Mical uses the forms as a source when she is reviewing the student list
as well as for pick-ups (construction updates).
Martha Mical said the cost for the Town to process the forms
including the mailing of the fine notification is approximately $1,500.
The revenue generated last year was approximately $11K, this year
the revenue will be approximately $8K - $9K.
Selectman Hartman moved to
continue the Taxable Inventory Forms for another year.
Chairman Karrick seconded the motion; all were in favor, the
motion passed. 4. Abatement The Assessing Clerk presented information
about a property that has been assessed with a barn that does not
actually have a barn. The error dates back to 2008 and was discovered during this
current revaluation process.
Selectman Hartman moved to
abate $482.94 from the second 2009 tax bill issued to Map 8 Lot 007-2. Chairman Karrick seconded the motion; all were in favor, the
motion passed. 5. Budget Review The Town Administrator and the Selectmen
reviewed the 2009 estimated revenues.
It was learned that the State is not providing $35K in Shared
Revenue. The Town
Administrator asked the Board if it wants money cut from the budget to
make up for the revenue loss. The
Selectmen and Town Administrator continued to review and discussed the
current budget. Besides the
loss of the Shared Revenue from the State, the Selectmen’s office
learned that the Town will be receiving for the next two years the Rooms
& Meals Tax as well as the Highway Block Grant; the funding amounts
will remain the same for the Rooms & Meals Tax; the Highway Block
grant is scheduled for $133K in 2010. The overall shortfall in revenue is $30K which amounts to 11¢
on the tax rate; this shortfall will need to be addressed in the 2010
budget. There are already areas known that were funded in 2009 that will
not be funded in 2010 such as lower fuel costs, lower legal fees, lower
cost for health benefits and some disposal costs at the Transfer
Station. The Town Administrator said that she will contact the current
fuel provider and ask to stop all deliveries.
The new fuel rate takes effect in September.
The Selectmen and Town Administrator talked about the overall
cost of health benefits and how it may be time for employee
contribution. The Town
Administrator explained one option to offset the shortfall; if there is
not $30K left in the operating budget at the end of the year the
Selectmen could take $30K from surplus to offset the budget. The Town Administrator said at this time she will approach
the Department Heads to identify areas in their budget to help offset
the deficit. Currently the
budget is 49% spent, the Town Administrator does not feel at this time
the budget will be overspent. Selectman Hartman asked about the disposal
of the ash at the Transfer Station.
$30K was budgeted for disposal costs; from that, $15K was spent
to dispose of the gypsum. The Foreman feels there will be enough money
left from the demo tipping fees to use toward the disposal of the ash
from the 2009 budget. Marianne Howlett asked if the ambulance
billing could be explained. The
Town Administrator explained the Town of Hopkinton started billing the
Town differently; they are trying to cover more of their budget.
The billing used to be based on calls and unpaid calls.
They have since added a percentage of their Capital Reserve Fund,
their dispatch fees and housing the ambulance.
The increase to the Town of Warner is about $16K a year.
The Warner Board of Selectmen met with the Hopkinton Board of
Selectmen to get a better understanding.
The portion of the bill that the Board of Selectmen object to is
paying a portion of Hopkinton’s dispatch fees, because the fees are
based on population. The
dispatch fees combined with calculations that did not equal out came to
an amount that is felt should be refunded back to the Town of Warner.
The future billings would be reduced but it is still more than
what the Town of Warner has been spending. In conclusion, the Town Administrator will
approach the Department Heads and ask them to identify areas in their
budget that will help offset the deficit.
Marianne Howlett asked if the Town is
keeping separate accounting specific to each project, i.e. Connors Mill.
The Town Administrator said yes because money is coming from
different areas. 6. Manifest Selectman Carson moved
to authorize the Selectmen to sign manifests and order the Treasurer to
sign payroll check numbers 1966-1993 (includes 11 direct deposit stubs)
in the amount of $33,214.79 and accounts payable check numbers
43332-43336 in the amount of $42,120.45.
Selectman Hartman seconded the motion; all were in favor, the
motion passed. 7. Selectmen’s Other Business Selectman Hartman reported that the
Concord Regional Co-op regarding the proposed single stream facility is
moving in the same direction of reasoning.
They are proposing to invest the entire savings account in
building the facility without counting on rebuilding the account.
Selectman Hartman said this is the most likely option that will
probably pass over his negative vote.
The City of Concord will be meeting to decide what they will be
doing. Selectman Hartman also reported that he
attended an Odd Fellows Building Committee meeting at the site of the
building. Selectman
Hartman, Ed Mical, Kyle Whitehead, Bob Shoemaker, Charlie Betz and Jim
McLaughlin entered the building and inspected the cupola.
There are two major leaks, the gentlemen will propose to the OFBC
a strategy to fix the leaks. The consultants (TF Moran) that were hired are developing a
final report of the building. The
consultants will be sending out their solicitations for development
interest, the deadline of submission is by the end of August.
After which, if there is a solid interest in the building, then
there would be a point to fixing the roof.
If there is no interest, the only other option is to tear the
building down. There has
been a quote from an outfit that would recycle a lot of the material.
Marianne Howlett commented on the conceptual design that is on
display at the Town Hall; she feels it is not realistic. The conceptual shows two lanes of traffic on both sides of
the building. 8. Indian Museum Town Hall Rental Request The Indian Museum has asked to use the
Town Hall on September 15 for a benefit concert, but the Selectmen are
scheduled to meet that evening. The
Selectmen decided to meet at 2:00 p.m. on September 15th. 9. Adjournment Motion was made and seconded to adjourn at
4:34 p.m. Board of Selectmen David Karrick, Jr. – Chairman Respectfully submitted, Mary Whalen Recording secretary
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