Littleton, New Hampshire

Approved Minutes Jan 8, 2010

TOWN OF LITTLETON
BOARD OF SELECTMEN'S MEETING
FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2010
1:30 PM
TOWN OFFICE CONFERENCE ROOM

Present: Town Manager Chuck Connell, Chairman Eddy Moore, Vice Chairman Ed Boynton, Selectman Ron Bolt, Karen Noyes, Ceil Stubbings
Others Present: Alison Bolt, Linda Massimilla, Jan Mercieri, Ray Bowler, Chief Paul Smith, Lori LaDuke, Tony Ilacqua, Art Tighe, Robert Blechl, Chief Joe Mercieri, Jeff Whitcomb, Art McGrath, Joanna Ray, Todd McKee, Joe Wiggett, Amy Hatfield, George Chartier.
This meeting was scheduled for the Town Office Conference Room but was relocated to the Community Center Heald Room due to the number of people in attendance.
Chairman Moore called the meeting to order at 1:45 PM
Connell stated that this was posted as a special meeting. Connell said the two things that he hopes to accomplish out of this are to complete the budget and the warrant. Next Tuesday is the last day for petitioned warrant articles to be submitted with that said we can get several steps ahead by working with the selectmen on the budget and the warrant. The budget and potentially bond hearing is set for January 18th. The selectmen have been given the new tax calculation rate. Connell said there is a number of warrant articles to come and they have only received two of the social services. Connell said that other than that those are the warrant articles that we know of at this point. Connell said that at the last meeting with the budget committee ended with them recommending we cut $400,000. How does the board want to proceed?
Ron Bolt said he would like to review how we got to where we are today, we decided on a new approach this year. It is the selectmen's budget and never the town manager's budget. We have supported every proposal and the tax rate has been stable. We are not at $20.83 this year but by all estimates it will be below any of those figures when combined with the school. Bolt said that he does not see any unsustainable increase. There has been no growth in our budget. Bolt said the only growth was in legal and in welfare which we have no control. A lot of projects have been deferred. Bolt said they started the year rough and it would be inappropriate to take these cuts out of the operating budget. He assumed the tax rate would be going up. Both bargaining agreements were negotiated and are awaiting town meeting vote. Bolt said that he appreciates the scrutiny the budget committee has given but the goal keeps changing and it is a little unfair that the goal keeps moving. Even some members of the budget committee admit there is nothing else that can be cut except labor. Bolt said there were frequent messages on how to improve efficiencies. He is concerned about how it will affect our services. We have explained to them our approach. There is a paper out from the chairman of the budget committee and to his knowledge the committee has not blessed it. Bolt said it seems to him the staffing has been stable and he dos not think we are overstaffed. Bolt said they have a plan for this year that picks up on some of the ideas the budget committee has put around. We are looking at sharing services with the school and surrounding towns and finally we are going to find out what is an acceptable level of services. We would also like to meet more frequently with the budget committee maybe on a quarterly basis. Bolt said there would be a CIP Plan developed this year into a ten-year plan for the longer-term asset improvements. Bolt said he was pleased with all the efforts everybody has put in.
Eddy Moore said he has done his homework and ruled on his own thinking that he will not adopt the $400,000 decrease the budget committee is proposing. He does not feel the public is ready for that yet. It is at the point now for a public hearing and then a vote. Due to the $400,000 we pared this budget down but now we are at labor. The budget committee is trying to take a position to hold back as much as we can due to the economic conditions of the whole country. Ed Boynton said he foresees no way without layoffs and that is our last recourse. Boynton said none of us want anything to do with layoffs if we can avert it. The public has the final say we are hoping to avoid that.
Chuck Connell applauded the recommendations you have made. Connell referred to what Mr. Bolt said about having a series of efforts to see what is the desired level of services. Connell said where we see the costs going and have the public participate to help to validate the level of services provided. Connell said he would like direction on what is a very soft draft on the warrants. Article 1. is always election of officers. The next one is to accept a donation of land for the purpose of developing a reservoir for the Littleton Water & Light Department. Eddy Moore said the piece of the land was adjacent to the reservoir next to School St., which will be used to replace the reservoir there. Littleton Water & Light will bear all of the expenses to affect the transfer. Bolt said he had a question in the previous draft regarding one warrant article. Connell said that the Littleton Water & Light is not ready to go forward so they have asked to take the article out. Moore said the plan is still there they are looking for some matching funds.
Connell said the next one is to provide an alternative method for the town to acquire land, buildings or both. Connell explained that on March 10th the day after town meeting if someone asks to sell a piece of land we have no alternative now except to wait until the next town meeting. The selectmen can act on recommendations from the planning board and the conservation commission and a series of two public hearings at which the public has the opportunity to hear the proposed sale or donation and comment on it. The selectmen have to make a final decision 10 days after the public hearing. Connell said it is a more efficient way of dealing with issues and establishes a public light on town acquisition of land or buildings. Moore said just for clarification this does not have anything to do with the school system. Connell said the way he understands it the school own their own property. Moore said his comment is it is up to the vote of the people. Connell said he hopes we support it. Moore said they took that power away at some point in time because we did not trust the three people sitting at the table. Connell said the point he would make is there is more occurring in the public eye more than with a warrant article. Bolt said he supports it because it gives us the ability and it gives protection to the public. Connell said he would check to see about accepting a gift or giving a gift.
Connell then moved onto the parking lot article and said one thought is to give it a rest for one year and let the economy improve. Connell advised that this article is revenue neutral. Eddy Moore said he is not the one to present this article. Moore said they were hooked into it and as far as he is concerned we should not be paying 7% interest being a municipality. Moore said he calls it our $700,000 parking lot for five cars. Moore said we don't own it we lease it but we have the option of buying it if we pay off the note. We looked into refinancing the loan but it was not possible. Moore said if they refinance the future payments would be $22,000 every year for 30 years. Moore said the thinks the town should do it. Ron Bolt said he supports it. Ed Boynton said he also agrees to go forward. Connell said his last concern to express is the more times the voters say no the more likely they will continue to say no.
Chuck Connell said the next one is to return the town offices to the Opera House. Connell said that in conjunction with this article we have spoken to the bank about the sweetheart deal that we have right now and were told the deal probably would not continue. Connell said the lease now says at the end of the lease the rate charged would be at market rate. Eddy Moore said it is a good location and the market value rate would $15.00 per square foot. Joe Wiggett said that would be about $75,000 per year. Moore said he wants to go ahead with the warrant. Connell advised the board that both the parking lot and moving would need to be bonded. Ed Boynton said he is for it too. He just feels it is important because they met with the Opera House Committee about a year ago and they had recommended moving the town offices back into the Opera House. Boynton said the building has to be maintained and heated. Boynton said why not give the town employees a nice place to work as it is. Boynton said he thinks it is the right thing to do. Connell said they could refine that number somewhat downward. Moore said he feels we should do this next winter and it would not affect the tax rate this tax year. Linda Massimilla asked where the figure came from. Connell said it is an educated guess. Connell wouldn't expect the cost to move would be more than $25,000 please remember we have no furniture. Depending on the construction cost we can lower the number. Jeff Whitcomb said he remembers how the police station was scrutinized right down to the doorknobs. What are we going to get for the $600,000? Connell said the number would ready the Cottage Street level for office space and would also include central air conditioning for all of the building except the performing venue. Air conditioning becomes extremely important for temperature and humidity control. Alison Bolt asked about the performance venue and said there are things that need to be done. Alison said it seems the performance venue could make money for the town. Alison said we need to be able to identify what needs to be done to make the building fully operational. Connell said the Chamber of Commerce would manage the venue. Connell said currently there are no chairs so they would need to get chairs. Alison said we need a complete plan on what needs to be done instead of a piece meal plan. Connell said that anything that is done can't be done without town approval. Moore said they also have the Division of Historic Resources that tells us what we can do for the next 50 years. Boynton said he does not think we will have as many restrictions as the other floors did. Jeff Whitcomb asked when you're done with the $600,000 what else would need to be done. Jeff said it would make more sense to spend a million dollars and get the building done. Jeff said the board and the Opera House Committee need to tell us exactly what is going to happen.
Linda Massimilla said she thinks that the timing is wrong. Because last year when we had all these big tickets items they were voted down. How can we ask for $600,000 for the town offices when they can stay where they are until 2011? Linda said the schools are falling down and she does not understand how we put $1.5 million into it already. Ron Bolt said he is in favor of deferring this article until next year. Bolt said it does not seem fair when we have been making cuts and further more we know the school is coming forward with a new school project. Connell asked the board if it does not go on for this year or not. Moore said he could not see throwing away $75,000 for the lease over the bank. Bolt said another reason he is in favor of deferring is because of what could happen with Trans Canada. Boynton said that contractors are starving right now and the cost we could be paying would be twice to do it if we wait.
Bolt asked if anyone was here from the Parks and Recreation. Bolt said he surprised to see this article regarding the gazebo. There was no one present from the Parks & Recreation Department at the meeting.
Connell said he had worked with George Chartier and created two lists of options for the roads. Connell said that In terms of road conditions our recommendation is that we plan to do North Skinny Road, which was dropped from the list last year. Moore asked why make a list if we don't follow the list. George Chartier said it was because they had to prioritize. Moore said he likes the second list provided because it seems it would get more done. All three selectmen were in favor of the second option.

Connell then asked if the trust fund for the retaining walls a yes or no for this the year to address. All three selectmen said yes.
The board then discussed the Football Association who was looking at moving goal posts. Connell said he thinks the request has been turned down by the parks department. Bolt asked if Connell had heard anything from Life Bridge. Connell said no. Moore pointed out that Connell had said there was a discrepancy in one of the petitioned warrant articles. Connell said the article in question is the one for the Fire Works from the Chamber of Commerce. Moore said the Police do not have any money in their budget to cover that event if it happens and neither does the fire department. Connell said he would contact the Chamber and let them know about the discrepancy. Art Tighe said he had been in charge of the fireworks a few years ago and back then the cost was about $3,000. Art said the cost then went to almost S7, 000.00 just the cost of the fireworks. Art said when he did it they had never been billed for the police and fire coverage. Boynton asked if volunteers could do this. Connell said that it could not be done because you cannot allow an employee to do a job that he is paid to do. Boynton made the motion to adjourn. Bolt seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0. The meeting adjourned at 2:59 PM.
Respectfully submitted
Ceil Stubbings

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