MINUTES
HOLDERNESS BOARD OF SELECTMEN
MEETING
October 31, 2005
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 6:05 PM.
PRESENT: Chairman Peter Francesco, Vice-Chairman Sam Laverack, Selectmen Barbara Currier, Peter Webster, and Suzanne Peoples, and Town Administrator Walter Johnson.
PAYROLL AND PAYABLES: The Selectmen reviewed and signed payroll and
payables.
The public meeting was moved upstairs to the meeting hall at 6:35 PM and
Municipal Secretary Dee Canavan joined the meeting.
MINUTES; Mr. Laverack moved, Mr. Webster seconded and the vote was unanimous (5-0 in favor) to accept the minutes of October 17, 2005 as written.
VETERAN’S MEMORIAL COMMITTEE: Harry Decker met with the Board to discuss the status of the committee. The name gathering has an end date of November 30. The committee will then place ads in various newspapers the first two weeks of December with an end date of January 15, 2006 for name submission. Mr. Decker asked who would make the final decision on location. Mr. Francesco said the committee would first make a recommendation on location and design. Taking a consensus at March Town Meeting for input from the townspeople was discussed. Mr. Decker stated the existing monument is beyond repair and discussed the option of building a temporary monument or placing a sign stating the “Future Home of the Veteran Memorial.” The Library and Town Hall are
location options that the committee has discussed. The committee will discuss locating the monument at the Public Safety Complex and the Town owned lot at the corner of RT 3 and RT 175, perhaps creating a Veteran’s Park on the lot. The location will dictate the design. Mr. Decker asked what the process is to expend funds from the Capital Reserve Fund. Mr. Laverack stated a warrant article is necessary to release funds from the Capital Reserve Fund and that the committee also needs to draft a warrant article to appropriate more funds for 2006.
VILLAGE SIDEWALK UPDATE: Town Administrator Walter Johnson reported the construction of the block wall has begun and the granite wall will begin in approximately two weeks. All drainage work is completed with the exception of raising one catch basin. Curbing should be set by the 19th with paving immediately after. The weather has put construction behind schedule. After discussion the consensus of the Board was not to hold M.E. Latulippe Const. to the contracted completion date if the delays are caused by weather.
SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE ON 175A: Chair Francesco stated Town Administrator Mr. Johnson and he will attend a meeting scheduled for Wed. Nov. 3, with Holderness School and PSU. The winter maintenance issues should be settled at this meeting.
2006 BUDGET: TA Walter Johnson reported he is meeting with Dept. Heads all this week to review their budgets. He hopes to have the first draft of the budget for the Board’s review by November 14.
WELFARE DIRECTOR: The Board reviewed an advertisement for the position of Holderness Welfare Director. TA Mr. Johnson was asked to proceed with advertising the position.
SEWER DISTRICT DEED: Chair Francesco reported he has met with one former Sewer District Commissioner and that he is reluctant to sign the deed without legal counsel and requests the Town of Holderness pay the legal fee to have his attorney review the deed and make a recommendation. Mr. Francesco stated two of the three signatures are sufficient to legally transfer the district. After discussion Mr. Francesco was asked to make available copies of the deed and the Board will discuss it on November 14, 2005.
CONSERVATION COMMISSION REPORT: Mrs. Currier reported the Conservation Commission met Wed. October 26. There are two properties they are interested in reviewing. Road Agent Peter Furmanick was asked to inspect for erosion, the logging road on the Ray property on Beede Road and the Flenniken property on Perkins Lane. Mrs. Currier also reported the Conservation Commission will expend conservation funds to help offset cost incurred by the Squam Lake Conservation Trust to purchase the Biej property on East Holderness Road.
TRANSFER STATION: Chair Francesco reported the new bailer is operational at the Transfer Station.
TIME WARNER UPDATE: Town Administrator Walter Johnson attended an informational meeting hosted by Time Warner. Because they are still in the acquisition stage with Adelphia, specific details were limited. The corporation will assume all current franchise agreements, the regional office will be in Maine, and the time frame to take ownership of Adelphia is April to July 2006.
TAX RATE SETTING: The Holderness Board of Selectmen will meet with the NH Department of Revenue Administration on Nov. 1 at Town Hall to set the 2005 tax rate.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT: Road Agent Peter Furmanick reported paving was completed today. Mr. Furmanick thanked the Board of Selectmen, Town Administrator Walter Johnson, Ellen King, Alicia Abbott, and Dee Canavan for their efforts in hosting a well attended retirement reception for Mr. Brown.
POLICE DEPARTMENT PURCHASE ORDERS: The Board of Selectmen signed the following purchase orders:
· Neptune Uniform’s in the amount of 727.79 for uniforms.
· Certified Defensive Tactical Training, LLC in the amount of 1,000 for 32 hours of training for 4 officers.
SIGNATURE FILE: After review it was moved, seconded and voted to sign the following items. 5-0 in favor.
· Revised MS-1, Summary Inventory of Valuation, for the Dept. of Revenue Administration.
· Intent to Cut for Wolfsburg Farms Map 251-16, 17, & 18.
· Abatement Manifest – corrected from 10-17-05 (Attachment 1)
· Abatement Manifest (Attachment 2)
NON-PUBLIC SESSION: At 7:25 PM Mr. Francesco motioned, Mrs. Peoples seconded, and the roll call vote was unanimous to go into non-public session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3,II(a) and (b) to discuss personnel matters for Solid Waste and Police. Town Administrator Walter Johnson, Public Works Director Peter Furmanick, and Police Chief Patridge were also in attendance.
ROLL CALL VOTE: Webster (Yes), Laverack (Yes), Currier (Yes), Francesco (Yes), and Peoples (Yes).
ADJOURNMENT: At 8:15 PM Mrs. Peoples motioned, Mr. Laverack second, and the vote was unanimous to come out of non-public session.
NON-PUBLIC SESSION ACTION TAKEN: Mr. Webster moved and Mr. Laverack 2nd to appoint Scott Davis to the position of lead attendant at the transfer station/recycling center. So voted all.
CONTINUATION OF PUBLIC MEETING: At 8:16 PM Chairman Francesco motioned, Mr. Laverack seconded, and the vote was unanimous (5-0 in favor) to continue the public meeting at 11:00 AM, Tuesday November 1, to meet with Robert Anderson of the Department of Revenue to discuss the 2005 property tax rate.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2005, 11:00 AM.
PRESENT: Chairman Peter Francesco, Vice-Chairman Sam Laverack, Selectmen Barbara Currier, Peter Webster, and Suzanne Peoples, and Town Administrator Walter Johnson. Robert Anderson, NH DRA.
Robert Anderson reviewed figures used to calculate a proposed tax rate for the 2005 tax year. After review and revision of the MS 4, a discussion about the fund balance and the clarification of two capital reserve transfers for the police cruiser and library project, Mr. Webster moved and Mrs. Currier 2nd to set the overlay at $40,000 and use $40,000 from fund balance to establish a total tax rate of $13.44 break down as follows: Town rate: $2.62, Local school: $6.41, State school: $2.98, County Rate: $1.43. Mr. Anderson noted this rate should not be published as the established rate until the figures are reviewed and approved by Director Barbara Robinson of the DRA Concord office. Written confirmation from Concord should be forth coming within the week.
ADJOURNED: 12:15 PM
Respectfully submitted,
Dee Canavan, Municipal Secretary
Town of Holderness
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