Littleton Board of Selectmen-Meeting
Minutes-July 14, 2004
LITTLETON BOARD OF SELECTMEN
MEETING MNUTES
LITTLETON TOWN OFFICE CONFERENCE ROOM
JULY 14, 2004
Present: Selectman Bill Hight, Selectman Burt Ingerson, Selectman George Hicks, Town Manager Jason Hoch, Executive Assistant Cheryl Sargent
Chairman Burt Ingerson opened the Selectmen’s Meeting at 4:00 pm.
Schuyler Sweet distributed a health needs survey to each of the Board members which they filled out and returned to him. Schuyler explained the survey is being distributed as a planning tool in preparing a needs assessment for Littleton Regional Hospital, North Country Home Health and Hospice and Ammonoosuc Community health Service which is mandated by many of the grants which are received. The needs assessment must be done every 3-4 years. The current survey being distributed asks for the three most unmet health needs. The Selectmen believed these include radiation therapy and the high costs of health care. Of concern to them also is the high costs of prescription drugs. They also believe the health of our local citizens can be improved with better eating habits, nutritional education as well as education and treatment for drugs and alcohol dependency.
Schuyler thanked the Selectmen for their input and for filling out the survey forms.
Chairman Ingerson closed the Board of Selectmen’s meeting and opened the Board of Assessors meeting.
Carol Cullen brought the following items to the Selectmen for action:
Dennis & Carol Sireen – applicants are requesting an abatement in the amount of $53.28 which is the underpayment of 2003 second issue taxes, including interest and fees. The applicants claim they did not get their bill although the bill was sent to the Railroad Street address upon request. Selectman Hight moved to deny the request for abatement. The motion was seconded by Selectman Hicks and carried 3-0.
William Rice – applicant is requesting an abatement on his sewer bill. Mr. Rice has a shallow water line and has been advised to lower the line. To date, he has not corrected the problem and it will continue freeze in cold weather unless the water is left running. Selectman Hicks moved to deny the abatement request. The motion was seconded by Selectman Hight and carried 3-0.
Ariel Hampson – request for abatement on her sewer bill. Applicant believes the increase in her water service from 300 ft. to 700 ft. was due to the construction which occurred on Washington Street. Selectman Hight moved to abate $7.96 which represents a bill for 400 ft. and brings Ms. Hampson’s bill back to her usual service of 300 ft. The motion was seconded by Selectman Hicks and carried 3-0.
Connecticut River Bank – request to abate the value of Map 75-14 by $78,000 to $106,000 due to the steep slopes of the lot. This would calculate to an abatement of $2,354.04. Leveling the slope and retaining walls would be necessary in order to build on the site. Selectman Hight moved to grant the abatement. The motion was seconded by Selectman Ingerson and carried 3-0.
Chairman Ingerson closed the Board of Assessor’s Meeting and re-opened the Selectmen’s Meeting.
Selectman Hicks moved to approve road names for Fallons Way and Sand Road. The motion was seconded by Selectman Hight and carried 3-0.
Selectman Hight moved to approve the release of funds held in escrow for River View Drive into Town funds to cover the payment of paving the road and signage. The original amount of the escrow account was $8,019,29 for road work and $50.00 for signage. Larry Jackson has verified that work on the road has been completed. Selectman Hicks moved to approve the release of escrow. Selectman Hight seconded the motion and it carried 3-0.
Selectman Hight moved to accept River View Drive. The motion was seconded by Selectman Hicks and carried 3-0.
Jason reported there are currently two vacant positions at the Highway Department. The positions have been posted internally. There is also a vacancy at the Police Department.
The Riverwalk Bridge is nearing completion. Some of the roof panels arrived damaged and we are currently waiting for the replacement panels. A railing is also needed for the Mill side of the Bridge to keep pedestrians from falling into the river.
The work on Washington Street is about 98% completed. Clean up work is now being done and the sidewalk construction is underway.
There will be a pre-construction meeting regarding the Bishop Street sewer project tomorrow morning.
The Town has submitted a pre-application to NHDES for a grant for the centrifuge or belt press at the WWTP. Aquarian will assist in completing the paperwork.
Aquarian has also added $200 to the original $200 reward leading to information on the individual or individuals who vandalized the flags on Veterans’ Memorial Bridge.
The lease with Laconia Savings Bank has been finalized. The Town Offices will remain on the second floor of the Laconia Bank Building until 2011.
The Subdivision Regulations are being re-formatted. Carol, Larry and Jason are working on road standards. The fee schedule is also being updated.
Main Street business owners will have a chance to review the most recent Main Street reconstruction plans tomorrow.
Statements of qualifications regarding the proposed Police Facility are due in the office or to Schuyler Sweet by tomorrow. The Police Facility Committee will meet next week to review the submittals.
The Employee of the Year for 2003 will be announced and awarded today at 5:30 pm. at the fire station.
Consideration is being given to more efficient ways for file storage and archiving. There have been several presentations and meetings regarding what the Town has as options to make our documents more readily accessible as well as long term storage of material which needs to be kept for a certain length of time or for ever.
NEW BUSINESS
The Chamber of Commerce has, once again, requested permission to bag the parking meters during the Sidewalk Sale, July 22, 23, & 24, 2004. Selectman Hight moved to grant the Chamber’s request to bag the parking meters. The motion was seconded by Selectman Hicks and carried 3-0.
Jason noted there are currently 3-5 unregistered cars in Town parking lots. Jason would like to amend the wording of the Town parking ordinance to include the following: “Any unregistered motor vehicle parked in a Town of Littleton municipal parking lot in excess of 30 days shall be considered abandoned. Any such abandoned vehicle is subject to towing and the last owner of record of said motor vehicle shall be subject to fines and penalties as outlined in RSA 262:40-c, Abandoning a Vehicle.”
Selectman Hicks moved to amend the ordinance by adopting the text as recommended by Jason. The motion was seconded by Selectman Hight and carried 3-0.
MINUTES
Selectman Hicks moved to approve the minutes of June 23, 2004 as presented. The motion was seconded by Selectman Ingerson and carried 3-0.
Comments made by the Board of Selectmen included a thank you to the Town of Lisbon for helping the Town of Littleton by providing coverage with their ladder truck.
Selectman Hicks stated he was pleased with the performance of the Police Department and feels the Town has a fine Department.
The Selectmen stated they were in favor of the mobile operations unit as long as there is no tax money involved in it. The stated one of their concerns was that this vehicle would become part of the vehicle replacement schedule.
The meeting adjourned at 4:50 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Cheryl Sargent
Executive Assistant
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Chairman Burton E. Ingerson
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Selectman William R. Hight
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Selectman George O. Hicks