Littleton, New Hampshire

Approved Minutes Jun 27, 2011

TOWN OF LITTLETON
BOARD OF SELECTMEN’S MEETING
MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011
5:00 PM
COMMUNITY CENTER HEALD ROOM

Present: Interim Town Manager Fred Moody, Chairman Ron Bolt, Vice Chairman Marghie Seymour, Selectman Mike Gilman, Executive Secretary Ceil Stubbings, Finance Director Karen Noyes, Tax Collector Joe Wiggett

Others Present: Bob O’Conner (Channel 2), Paul Vialle (WLTN), Chief Paul Smith (Littleton PD), Bryan Hadlock (Parks & Recreation Commissioner), Eddy Moore, Milt Bratz, Mary Edick, Bryan Hadlock, Robert Blechl (The Caledonian), Kayti Burt (The Courier), Amy Hatfield, Gerry Lesage, Ed Boynton, David Ernsberger, Janet Costa, Cheryl Wiggett

Bolt called the meeting to order at 5:00 PM.

Pledge of Allegiance

Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes:
June 13, 2011
Gilman advised he had no changes to the minutes. Seymour moved to accept the minutes as presented. Bolt had a couple of changes under citizen’s concerns where Eddy Moore wanted to discuss the lawsuit regarding the Edick’s. Bolt suggested the minutes be amended to read Edick, Northrop and Magoon vs. Town of Littleton Planning Board. Bolt further advised the following amendments be made to the section of the minutes regarding the Hazmat Water Supply as follows: “His second request was for the selectmen to adopt the Rural Water Supply Plan. Seymour moved to adopt the plan. Gilman seconded the motion, and the motion passed 3-0. His third request was for permission to apply for a research grant that would fund the engineering required for a rural water supply site. Mercieri explained that any request for town funding to actually purchase and install a rural water supply system would be brought forward as a separate request at a later date. Seymour moved to authorize the Chief to research grant funding for the engineering of a water supply system. Gilman seconded, and the motion passed 3-0." Seymour amended her motion to approve the minutes with the recommended amendments. Gilman seconded the motion. Motion passed 3-0.

Feedback:
Bolt advised the Health Officer Search and the sign off on CDBG Grant will be addressed under old business. There was a question raised by Mr. Moore regarding the town seeking reimbursement for legal fees and was also asked by Mr. Ward previously. The Town contacted their attorneys and it was determined the Edick, et als, V. The Town of Littleton is a black and white legal appeal. There is no legal appeal for the town to seek reimbursement. As a follow up to the storm damage report from two weeks ago, Moody and Bolt met with Chartier and found that there is a need for a revision on the inclement weather policy. There will be a need to add rest periods along with other adjustments. By the fall they will have a presentation ready. It did look like two weeks were spent on the storm recovery which put the department two weeks behind schedule. Trash pickup on Main Street took over one hundred hours. Chartier said there were requests for extra work on Main Street. The Board of Assessors has met twice on the 15th and the 23rd. There were fifty two abatement requests. They denied twenty two and approved thirty. To date the cost of all the abatements is about $70,000. The final ribbon cutting for the River Walk is on the 29th. Bolt said he believed they should leave the committee in limbo for now in case anything should come up. Dave Ernsburger provided a brief update on the pianos on Main Street. This Friday there will be three additional pianos added to Main Street. They changed the theme for the 4th of July to “be glad be proud make music.”

Appointments: Maximum time per appointment is 15 minutes
Janet Costa had volunteered to be the Town’s Deputy Treasurer. Bolt understands that she has to take an oath of office so therefore paperwork will have to be done. Seymour made the motion to appoint Janet Costa as the Deputy Treasurer. Gilman seconded the motion. Motion passed 3-0.

Joe Wiggett – Tax Collector
Bolt thanked Wiggett for everything he has done for the town. Throughout the years Wiggett was a former selectman, a member of the Zoning Board and the Opera House Committee. He also served as the Health Officer and the Facilities Manager. Wiggett asked for a few minutes to speak to the taxpayers who made his job a pleasure. Wiggett said he had two questions for the board. Why was he chosen to be laid off and why was he not asked to continue as the Health Officer. Bolt said that on the Health Officer situation he assumed that with his leaving the work force that he wouldn’t be interested. Wiggett said it would have taken only a few minutes of the Board’s time to talk with him. Wiggett said it really bugs him and if that situation could happen to him he wonders how the other employees felt. Bolt said his approach to the layoffs was that this is not the budget we wanted and they had to deal with it. Bolt said it would have been seventeen or nineteen people who would have to be laid off so he wanted to save as many positions as he could. The second approach was to take some out of every department. Wiggett said that Connell had worked out a new schedule for the tax collector for the New Year working a twenty eight hour work week throughout the year. He would have been the least expensive employee in the town. Connell had told everyone and the board approved it. Bolt said it was strictly a numbers game when they had a set of numbers from Connell and then another set of numbers from the finance director. Seymour said there is no easy way for anyone to deal with layoffs. Seymour said she was very sorry that it was so personal for him. Wiggett said it is the process that bothers him and how that is no way to treat people.

Bryan Hadlock was present to request a letter of support in working with the New Hampshire Trails Bureau. They would be removing the remaining rails and ties from the railroad bed in Littleton to create a recreational trail. The trail would be extended from where it currently ends near the Paul McGoldrick Bridge in Littleton to the Littleton/Bethlehem town line. Hadlock said they would divide the trail during the warmer seasons so that they could continue with a walking and bike path. The OHRV traffic speed would be posted at the State minimum. Seymour asked if he had some examples of the separation of trails one for bikes and pedestrians and one for four wheelers. Moody asked about the right-of-way. Bryan said he assumed it was fifty feet. After some further discussion the Board was in general agreement to send a letter of support.

Citizen’s Concerns:
Eddy Moore was speaking for the Water & Light department. He asked when Redington Street Bridge was going to be completed. Moody said Winterset has just come back from vacation but the bridge is still on schedule.

Town Manager’s Report:
Town Office Reorganization
Moody presented the reorganization of the town office and asked the board for authorization to proceed. Consensus was given by the board to authorize the town manager to implement the plan.

Main Street Trash Receptacles
The Highway Department has been picking up trash on Monday’s and Friday’s and they have been working with another department to pick up on Wednesday because of demands. Bolt said he has been told citizens and business owners are using the receptacles for their personal and business trash. It is a strain for the Highway Department to take care of the trash and their other duties.

Bolt said he would like to start scheduling spotlights on the various departments. Ideally he would like to get each department at least once before the budget starts in October so they can provide updates on what they are experiencing due to the budget cuts. Seymour thought it was counterproductive to show how the cuts have hurt us. The departments are doing the best they can with what they have. .

Old Business:
Rotobec CDBG Approve Grant Documents:
Financial Management Plan
Seymour made the motion to approve the Rotobec CDBG Financial Management Plan. Gilman seconded the motion. Motion passed 3-0.

Code of Ethics
Seymour moved to approve the Rotobec CDBG Code of Ethics. Gilman seconded the motion. Motion passed 3-0.

Town of Littleton Investment Policy
The investment policy had been reviewed at the previous meeting and was passed over to allow the BOS time to review the document. Gilman made the motion to approve the Investment Policy. Seymour seconded the motion. Motion passed 3-0.

Police Officer Training Costs – Conditional Offer Clause
Moody said there was a question at the last meeting regarding officers who had left the town. The question was if
the officers should have to repay the training costs. Moody said they would have to pay fourteen weeks
salary at a prorated amount. Ed Boynton said there is a two year commitment for the town to invest in an officer’s training. Karen Noyes asked why would an employee want to make a commitment with the
Town if there is no commitment on the other side. She would like to see more of a commitment from both sides in
writing. Bryan Hadlock added that this type of thing is happening everywhere and he agrees with Noyes.

Budget Committee Re-appointments
Gilman made the motion to reappoint Stan Fillion and Linda Ward to the budget committee. Seymour abstained from the vote. Bolt seconded the motion. Motion passed 2-0.

Health Officer Search – George Chartier
Moody said Chartier has agreed to finish out the rest of Joe Wiggett’s term. Moody advised the state makes the appointment and the town officials make the nomination. Gilman made the motion to nominate George Chartier as the Health Officer. Seymour seconded the motion. Motion passed 3-0.

Highway Safety Committee – Pleasant Street Stop Sign
Smith said the committee met last week and discussed the request to change the stop signs at the intersection to yield signs. A vote was taken by the members and they voted unanimously not to make any changes.

Bolt advised they had a candidate for an alternate member of the Zoning Board. Tom Loughlin has served on the Opera House Committee and the Police Building Construction Committee. Seymour moved to appoint Tom Loughlin as an alternate member of the Zoning Board for a three year term. Gilman seconded the motion. Motion passed 3-0.

New Business:
Chief Paul Smith (Littleton PD) – EUDL Grant
Smith requested the BOS accept a grant in the amount of $3,000 to police underage drinking. The grant is 100% reimbursed. Seymour moved to accept the $3,000 EUDL Grant. Gilman seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0.

Quit Claim Deed - .15 Acres to Dale Gilbert per 2011 Town Meeting Action
Moody said that at town meeting the voters agreed to discontinue completely a portion of the Old Dells Road. The voters authorized the town to give the land back to the abutters. Bolt asked if they could bring this back to the next meeting. Seymour said she had no time to review the documents.

Summer Meeting Schedule
Bolt said the board decided to try one meeting for July and August. If the BOS should have to meet they can always call another meeting or work session. The next meeting would be Monday, July 25, 2011 at 5:00 PM at the Community Center Heald Room. Seymour moved to adjourn. Gilman seconded the motion. Motion passed 3-0. The meeting adjourned at 6:33 PM.

The Town of Littleton prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, marital or family status. The Town of Littleton is an equal opportunity employer.

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