Selectmen’s Meeting Minutes
December 9, 2002
7:00 pm Meeting opened
Present: Selectmen R. Pride, J. Hite, W. Berry.
Clerk: W. Johnson, T.A.
Media: None
Bills and manifest reviewed and approved for the week.
7:35 pm H. Paquin in to discuss the transfer station/recycling budget 2003. Several line items were discussed. MSW tipping fees are anticipated to increase in 03 due to property tax surcharge by NCES. MSW was revised to $40,000 and may be adjusted again prior to the final warrant based on the 02 actual costs. Also discussed the administrative expense cost that has not increased in several years. It was agreed to increase the cost to $6,000 for the year. Administrative cost includes all the management time required by the BOS, TA, bookkeeper, and auditor during the year to manage and operate the department. This cost is included in this budget to be shared by Lyman and Landaff. The revised proposed budget for the department is currently $160,309 a 3.6% increase. Additional budget revisions may be necessary based on the
entire 03-budget picture. HP left the meeting at this time.
WJ reported he has been contacted by all the property owners that were recently given zoning violation notices and all are prepared to work towards compliance including the Estate of Donald Dustin, Donald Clough and Barbara Baines. The only owner who has not responded is Blodgett on Water Street. The Board instructed WJ to impose the maximum allowable fine if they do not respond immediately.
Board reviewed and approved with signatures the 2002 MS-1, the report on property values in Lisbon for the 2002 tax year created as a result of the town-wide revaluation. WJ will fax the MS-1 to the DRA for calculating the 2002 tax rate after the meeting tonight. If all goes well WJ will meet with DRA on Thursday in Concord to set the rate. WJ expects to have preliminary figures on Wednesday for the Board to discuss using any portion of the fund balance to reduce the rate.
WJ presented a proposal to change the employee health insurance program to MT05 provided through the NHMA from the current plan through George M. Stevens. WJ explained the total of the NHMA program rates compared to the Stevens program is slightly higher but there is no deductible therefore there would be no need to fund the employee health insurance trust fund established to pay deductibles in the 2003 budget. We have projected a $5000/year contribution for the trust. This would result in an overall savings to the town budget and better coverage for the employees. Because the rates are based on a different group process the single person rate will go up more than the two
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December 9 and 11, 2002
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person and family plans. After discussion, WB moved and JH 2nd to use the program with NHMA Health Trust for 2003. So voted all.
WJ and RP reported on the meeting last Thursday with Councilor Burton, Claire Monier from NHHFA and others regarding the South Main Street housing project. WJ believed the meeting was positive and that NHHFA now has a clear vision of the Town’s interest in improving the entire neighborhood and not just the four properties in the project. The use of additional funds from AHEAD and the leftover funds from the 1986 CDBG housing program will be used to assist other property owners with improving their homes with small grant and low interest loans. Also the plans to work with the State DOT to acquire Webster’s Garage as part of the project was well received by the NHHFA reps. David Wood of AHEAD will prepare a supplement to our application to NHHFA explaining the comprehensive effort the Town has for the other
properties around the project properties. WJ asked the Board to allow the $8,200 in CDBG repayment money be available for this neighborhood project to assist other owners. WB moved and JH 2nd to use all the 1986 CDBG repayment money for the project. So voted all.
WJ brought forward a request from K. Clement to authorize the hiring of a part time snowplow driver for the Town. With the departure of Charlie Hampson this summer only Jay and Kevin are qualified and trained to operate the dump trucks on the roads outside the village. If one of them were not unavailable to work for any reason there would only be one truck working outside the village causing a delay in snow plowing and sanding. This could create a liability for the Town, as we may be unable to meet our snow removal policy goals. Nick Ianno has agreed to work on an on call basis nights and weekends if needed. He presently has a fulltime job at DCI working 6am – 3pm. WB suggested we train Todd or have Harvey cover if needed with the dump trucks. WJ explained Todd is presently plowing the village in the pickup while KC
is plowing outside the village. Moving Todd out would leave the village area with just Lester in the one ton. WJ also noted this person would only be use on an “as needed” basis and could get us by without hiring an additional fulltime person for the department this winter saving a substantial amount of money in salaries and benefits. JH agreed with WB on the matter. RP was not in favor of denying the request at this time. WB moved and JH 2nd not to hire a part time on call person for the highway department. WB yes, JH yes, RP no.
WJ presented a request from Nicky Woods at LRS to hold a Christmas tree recycling program at the transfer station. Trees would be colleted and later chipped into mulch to be sold to local folks. This program may require some assistance from HP and staff. The Board supports the program and will provide the necessary assistance. WB offered the possibility of using his chipper.
JH moved and WB 2nd to move to non-public session per RSA 91:A-II 3 to review an application for assistance from the Buffington fund.
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December 11 and 13, 2002
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WJ asked the Board’s position on a Christmas Party for the employees. After discussion, it was decided to sponsor a party in the good weather when a storm would not prevent the highway personnel from attending. A spring or summer party will be planned.
WB moved and JH 2nd to recess this meeting until Wednesday, December 11, 2002 at 12 noon. The agenda will include reviewing budgets with department heads, reviewing the final tax rate information and any other business that may come before the Board. So voted all at 10:10 pm
Wednesday, December 11, 2002. 12:15 pm. The Board met in the fire station meeting room to discuss budgets for the following departments: highway, police, and water wastewater. K. Clement met with the Board from 12:30 until 2:00 pm and discussed several issues regarding the public works department. Discussion items included: 3% wage increases for personnel, current salary line includes hiring back a fifth person, blacktop line and to place a warrant article for additional paving money to complete resurfacing the roads involved with the water line replacement project, it was suggested the funding for all capital reserves for 03 be canceled and that amount be directed towards paving as well as any funds remaining in the hwy budget for 2002 be encumbered for paving as well. Board plans to meet with Steve LaFrance of Provan
and Lorber to assist in working out the details of the work for the contractor and the town personnel as soon as possible. Chief Tavernier presented his proposed 2003 budget to the Board, discussion items included a 3% wage increase for department personnel, the hiring of a full time person and the proposed forth person and the proposed schedule, the amount of overtime budgeted for the year was noted a high especially adding an additional person, keeping the contract prosecutor was discussed and agreed it was a good value for the money, the purchase of the new cruiser is anticipated to cost $24,000 including the changeover of equipment. Terry Welch of Welch’s Water and Wastewater Services presented the water and wastewater budgets for 2003. Items discussed include the reduction in the wastewater salaries line to reflect less time for Glen this year in that department and the reduction in the line replacement line due to the work being done on the water system no time will be
available for sewer work except some camera work and the line replacement on Grafton Street at School St. The water budget includes less money for line repair due to the big project. The cost of dealing with the corrosion problem was discussed; TW estimates the cost to add a soda ash treatment system would be $20,000-25,000 for the system he is recommending. TW will provide more exact figures for system in a week or two. The cost of the chemicals for the system each year is estimated at $4,000. 4:00pm TW left the meeting.
WJ provide the Board with the preliminary figures for the new tax rate. After discussion JH moved andWB2nd to use $106,500 from the fund balance to offset the tax rate maintaining a rate of $29.99. Otherwise the rate would be $31.29. So voted all. WJ will be
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December 9 and 11, 2002
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meeting with the Lisbon DRA rep. on Thursday morning at 9:00 to review the figures and confirm the rate.
WJ reported a matter regarding the assessed value for the hydro facility owned by White Mountain Hydro. The DRA Utility Division has a preliminary figure much higher than the one from Nyberg and Purvis but DRA is not prepared to defend the preliminary assessment. After discussion, JH moved and RP 2nd to use the Nyberg assessment for 2002 and revisit the State assessment in 03 to see if their figures are firm. Hite, yes Pride, yes, Berry abstained due to conflict of interest with the property owners.
Adjourned: 4:45 pm
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