MINUTES OF HAVERHILL SELECTBOARD REGULAR MEETING

Monday, January 5, 2009

 

Board Members Present: Roderick Ladd, Peter Conrad and Peter Heilemann.

 

Excused: Robert Maccini and David Joslin

 

Town Manager: Glenn English                                                                   

 

Administrative Assistant/Finance Officer: Jo Lacaillade

 

Members of the Public Present: Everett Henson, Doug Henson, Howard Hatch, Harold Brown, Joel Godston, Annemarie Godston, Susan Brown and Eleanor Ingbretson.

 

Special Note: Although lacking a quorum the Board members present took a report from resident Howard Hatch about the Center Haverhill Armory. Mr. Hatch noted that based on his military experience it was very common for armory facilities who had a motor pool to have oil sumps to dispose of waste oil. He had been to the Center Haverhill Armory site and found an exposed pipe which appeared to be an oil dump. He is concerned about possible ground contamination, particularly because the site is near the North Haverhill drinking water source and he wanted to make the Selectmen aware of this potential problem before they took title to the property. TM English stated that it was his understanding that the Adjutant General’s Office is required to do an environmental assessment of all the sites which they are divesting themselves of but we have not received a written report on this. Mr. Hatch was also concerned about the Town running a recycling center on the site and operating a gravel pit which he felt could also affect the water supply. He stated that the Town had a number of gravel pits and had not run them or reclaimed them in a proper manner. The Board members thanked Mr. Hatch for supplying the information and said they would follow up.

 

Call Meeting to Order:

 

A quorum being present, Chairman Ladd called the meeting to order at 6:12 p.m.

 

Approval of Agenda:

 

Peter Conrad made a motion to approve the agenda as presented; seconded by Peter Heilemann and carried unanimously.

 

Approval of Consent Agenda:

 

Peter Heilemann made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda as presented; seconded by Peter Conrad and carried unanimously.

 

Scheduled Public Appearances: None

 

Public Hearing(s): None

 

Town Manager’s Report: TM English reported that, as Mr. Hatch stated, the Town did indeed, at one time, operate a number of old gravel pits which were not properly reclaimed but at the time it was not customary for any gravel pit to be reclaimed. The pit that was opened in Haverhill Corner several years ago received Planning Board approval, although it is not legally required for the Town to obtain a permit. He said that if mining was to occur at the Center Haverhill Armory site that the Town would apply for an excavation permit to the Planning Board, which would include a remediation plan.

 

TM English reported that the Advisory Budget Committee has reviewed most of his budget and that there have been no changes so far. The last meeting of the Committee is Wednesday of this week when they will review Recreation, the libraries and Animal Control.

 

TM English reported that the ad for the 9-1-1 road names public hearing was run with the incorrect date. There will be no charge for the incorrect ad. The ad will run two more times with the correct date of January 19^th for the public hearing on the road name changes. We have correspondence from two individuals about this issue. The hearing will start at 6:00 pm.

 

TM English stated that he had done a draft RFP for the potential recycling center and it was in the Board folders and their input would be most helpful.

 

TM English reported that the bad ice storm in mid-December received a Federal Emergency Declaration which means that some of the costs of debris clean up by the Highway Dept and some Fire department costs could be reimbursable. He will be filing the necessary reports when notified by the State OEM.

 

TM English asked the Board to authorize him to apply for the annual grant funding on the sewer line grant which is done every year. Peter Heilemann made the motion, seconded by Peter Conrad and all approved.

 

Pending (Old) Business: None

 

New Business:

 

Ø    Library Trustees – By-laws and Rules of Procedure: Susan Brown and Eleanor Ingbretson were present, as Town Library Trustees, and Ms. Brown handed out and gave a summation of their draft By-laws and Rules of Procedure. She also gave a history of the establishment of the Town Trustees and stated that they had been working, over the past few years, to coordinate individual library budget requests and help coordinate the activities of the four libraries in the areas of training and program presentations. The Trustees feel that they need some written guidelines to help them function properly. They have worked with Tom Ladd, the State Library liaison, to draft these By-laws and Rules. Ms. Brown was not sure whether the Trustees could adopt these By-laws or whether they had to be approved by the Selectboard or town meeting. Chairman Ladd suggested that they be reviewed by town counsel before the Board took any action. TM English reported that town counsel had them and he would be getting back to the Board after his review. Chairman Ladd thanked the Trustees for coming in.

 

Ø    Airport Commission – Re-Appointment: Joel Godston was present and Chairman Ladd read a letter from Airport Commission Chair Jerry Lyons requesting that Mr. Godston be reappointed to another term on the Commission. AA Lacaillade reported that she had spoken to Selectman Bob Maccini on the phone and, as Selectboard rep on the Commission, he had no problem with Mr. Godston’s reappointment. Chairman Ladd asked for a motion. Mr. Heilemann made a motion to re-appoint Joel Godston to the Airport Commission for a 3 year term, seconded by Mr. Conrad and all approved. Chairman Ladd thanked Mr. Godston for his hard work to date on the Commission and wished him luck in his new term. Mr. Godston replied that it was a labor of love to serve on this Commission.

 

Ø    Selectboard/Manager Goals for 2009: The Selectboard reviewed the 2008 goals with the Town Manager. There has been considerable progress on most of the goals in 2008 and the Board agreed to retain the same basic list of goals in 2009 and make further progress on getting them accomplished in the new year. These goals include:

1.     Continue to Strengthen Town Government, Boards and Commissions

2.     Update job descriptions, revise Personnel Policy Manual and finish office renovations for safety and employee health

3.     Promote the sale of lots in the business park. TM English stated that the paving of the Business Park road was a project submitted for any economic stimulus money that might be forthcoming. Doug Henson asked why this project was given a higher priority than paving other roads. Airport Road is unpaved and has a lot of truck traffic. There isn’t even a ongoing business on the park road; he has an ongoing business, he fights dust all summer long; he brings in a number of people to this Town and he doesn’t have a paved road. The stimulus money comes from us (taxpayers). Chairman Ladd said that the issue they are addressing here is goals, and the sale of lots in the business park. There is no money in the budget for paving the Business Park Road. There is hope that through the establishment of the Trust from sales of lots in the business park that money will be available for maintenance of that road. TM English said that he doesn’t hold much faith that any of the economic stimulus money is going to make its way to Northern New Hampshire but the projects they were looking for had to be ready to go; the Business Park Road is that kind of project.

4.     Continue to assess our preparedness and readiness of the Town to effectively respond to emergencies.

5.     Upgrade office software for assessing and technology.

6.     Website-continue to improve and correct the sign in front of the office

7.     Support of Haverhill Planning Board’s effort to utilize North Country Council to develop land use value based on use trend.

8.     Support further development of Railroad Park.

9.     Use Plan for Center Haverhill Armory Property. There was a brief discussion about the possible recycling center that is being considered at the site.

 

Peter Heilemann made a motion to approve the goals as revised; seconded by Peter Conrad and carried unanimously.

 

Ø    Warrant Article Items:

 

·      Elderly Exemptions: The Board members reviewed a draft of the 2009 warrant prepared by the town manager. TM English asked if he had properly phrased the article changing the Elderly Exemptions. Chairman Ladd reviewed the article and stated that it appeared to be the same amounts which the Board had decided to bring to town meeting. On a question by Doug Henson, Chairman Ladd reviewed the proposed increases in the exemption amounts. He noted that these were exemptions to assessed value not tax credits like the Veteran’s exemption. TM English noted that the effect was still the same which was to lower taxes for qualified individuals.

·      Other Articles: TM English reported that, at the request of the Board, he had put in a new article establishing a Haverhill Business Park Expendable Trust to receive the proceeds of land sales in the Business Park and fund future improvements of the infra-structure in the Park. Also included is a warrant article granting a preservation easement to the Upper Valley Land Trust for the Hazen property. This is being proposed by the Heritage Commission as a way to protect the property from future development. TM English reported that all the other articles in the warrant dealt with money items and were routine.

 

There was discussion about a date for the Budget Hearing and the Board set the date for Thursday, Feb. 5^th at 7:00pm.

 

Presentations and Awards: None

Commission/Committee Reports: None

 

Correspondence: AA Lacaillade stated that she has put correspondence in their packets regarding concerns of the 9-1-1 address changes. The Public Hearing on 9-1-1 address changes is on the agenda for the January 19, 2009 meeting. There is also correspondence from a Michael Bonanno who is seeking appointment to the Planning Board.

Comments of the Public:

·      Joel Godston wished everyone a Happy New Year.

·      Everett Henson talked about the maintenance of Airport Road. He said that the dust on that road is horrible. In the past 10 years or more most of the spare money in this town has gone to historic projects, which are nice, or “pie in the sky” projects for the future that may, or may not be nice; and not much has gone into satisfying the needs of the taxpayer. He has talked to Sam Clough for years and told him to get rid of that vibrating roller. They grade the roads then go over them with that vibrating roller and then 5 days later they will have a washboard there, guaranteed. The Road Agent told him he has been in road construction for a long time and knows what he is doing. Everett said that he knows a little bit about it also. This past summer he spoke with contractors about the vibrating roller and the primary use is for building roads; compacting the subsurface. They are not intended for surface maintenance. Last summer the Road crew did not use the vibrating roller on Airport Road and they did not get the washboarding, which should tell them something. Peter Conrad suggested that Everett tell Sam Clough his thoughts on the difference this past summer. Everett said that he had asked some of the contractors he talked with to come to the Board or the Town Manager and comment on the fact that the vibrator is not what should be used for road maintenance. Everyone that he spoke with said that, in their business they have to be somewhat of a politician and if they speak against Town policy they won’t get Town bids. Everett asked if anyone could see any reason to continue using the vibrator on dirt roads. Chairman Ladd stated that he is not the one to make that decision because it is not a field that he has the knowledge to know what to do. TM English said that in his opinion the roller is one of the best purchases they ever made. The washboard on Airport Road is more function of the material on the road and the speed of traffic than anything else. It may not work well on Airport Road based on the material that is on it but it has worked great in other locations. Peter Conrad said that he has worked County Road and Country Land Drive and the work the Town crew is doing to keep the dust down is extremely effective so maybe it is the different road surface. TM English said that the Town has been adding gravel to roads much more than in the past and after you grade them you need to roll them and compact it. Peter Conrad stated again that Everett should let Sam know his opinion of Airport Road this past summer. TM English said that the Road Agent has a lot of road construction experience and he would defer to him on these decisions. Chairman Ladd said that he had heard positives from Everett during the year regarding Airport Road and the ditching that was done. TM English said that he takes offense to the remark that the Town does not give bids to contractors that question our road maintenance; that assumes that the Town is running some kind of crooked operation here, which we are not. Chairman Ladd said that they would pass Everett’s comment on to Sam that he feels that the compactor not being used this year helped with the dust and then the Road Agent can make that determination because it is ultimately Sam’s decision. Everett Henson read a letter he had written to Boemag America regarding the use of the roller and excerpts from the letter he received back that states that “traditionally the grader is the equipment used for road maintenance. The vibrator roller is used to compact material in new construction, however it can’t really be used to move or reshape the material; the grader or dozer to that.” TM English said that he agrees with that and the vibrating roller is an option, the roller can be used without the vibration. The main reason to use the vibration is to compact the reshaped material; when we do preparation for reconstruction or paving we do shape it with the grader and compact it with the roller. The vibrator is used for extra compaction. Doug and Everett both requested that the vibrator not be used in front of their properties.

 

Comments of the Town Manager/Administrative Assistant-Finance Officer: None

 

Comments of Selectboard Members: None

 

Adjourn Meeting: Peter Heilemann made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Peter Conrad and carried unanimously. Chairman Ladd adjourned the meeting at 7:14 pm.

 

Minutes transcribed by Jo Lacaillade