BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING WORK SESSION 12/22

MINUTES of the

BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING

WORK SESSION

Wednesday

December 22, 2010

Board Members Present: Sherman Tedford, Chairman; Roberta Fraser; Theresa Sepe; Gustave Ruth; and Kenneth Gardner. Also present; Rick Meleski Water/Sewer Superintendent, Joan Morel Town Administrator; and Shelly A. Walker, Executive Assistant. The meeting convenes at 9:30 AM.  

1^st Order of Business: Other Business Open Meeting and Acceptance of Minutes

Minutes of the December 15, 2010 regular meeting:  Selectman Fraser makes a motion to accept the minutes.  Selectman Gardner seconds the motion and it passes 4-0 with 1 abstention.  

2^nd Order of Business: Other Business

The Water/Wastewater Superintendent came before the Board to discuss the Boards proposal to revamp the Water and Sewer Departments. The Board is in agreement that having both departments under one Superintendent would save a substantial amount of money for the Town. The Chairman passed out a sample of the proposed budget changes to all Board members. The Water Department budget full time labor line would be changed to part time labor changing that line from $10,747 to $7,000. The FICA line would change from $5,513 to $5,000.  The Medicare line would change from $1,289 to $1,200. The Retirement line would change from $8,569 to $7,377.  The Health Insurance line would change from $33,620 to $15,961. The Flex Plan line would change from $458 to $373. The Dental Plan line would change from $2,666 to $1,477.  The Workers Compensation line would change from $2,521 to $2,455.  The Unemployment line would change from $394 to $295. The Total budget would change from $225,600 to $200,938. The Sewer Budget Retirement line will change from $8,496 to $7,304. The Health Insurance line will change from $33,620 to $22,253.  The Flex Plan line will change from $458 to $275.  The Dental Plan line will change from $2,666 to $1,612. The Maintenance and Repairs line will change from $45,000 to $40,000.  The Water line will change from $15,000 to $12,000. The total Sewer budget will change from $313,380 to $308,184. Selectman Fraser and Sepe both feel that the lines for Maintenance and Water should stay as they are until the plant is completed, up and running. Selectman Sepe makes a motion to change the Total Sewer budget to $308,184.  Selectman Fraser seconds the motion.  Selectman Sepe withdraws the motion after a brief discussion.  Selectman Sepe makes a motion to combine both Water and Wastewater departments under one Superintendent as of January 1, 2011.  Selectman Fraser seconds the motion.  Motion carries 5-0. Selectman Sepe makes a motion to change the Total Sewer budget to $308,184 including the removal of the full time position and the added part time position as proposed.  Selectman Fraser seconds the motion.  Motion carries 4-1.  Chairman Tedford makes a motion to change the total Water budget from $225,600 to $200,938. Selectman Sepe seconds the motion.  Motion carries 4-1.

Chairman Tedford would like to move the Water/Wastewater secretary to the same office as the Tax Collector and Town Clerk for safety and heating reasons.  Selectman Sepe makes a motion to move the Water/Wastewater secretary to the same office as the Tax Collector and Town Clerk.  Chairman Tedford seconds the motion.  Motion carries 5-0.

The Board takes a 5-minute break.

Tata & Howard has sent an update of the Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade revisions and changes. The Board is very concerned because the Board has not authorized these revisions and changes. Rick Meleski discussed the changes with the Board. The Chairman Tedford makes a motion not to sign the Change Order and to have Tata & Howard meet with the Board at 7:00 PM during their December 29, 2010 regular meeting.  Selectman Fraser seconds the motion.  Motion carries 5-0.

An amended Warrant for the Abatement of Property Taxes for the Year 2010 in the total amount of $5,748 has been submitted for signatures. This amount includes the $3,838 of rebates previously approved at the Boards’ last meeting plus 6% interest. Selectman Fraser makes a motion to approve the warrant. Selectman Gardner seconds the motion. Motion carries 4-0 with 1 abstention.

The Board was informed that due to the Public Works Coordinator’s retirement and work schedule changes, there are changes to be made to a few more budgets.  The Board would like to address these changes at their next regular meeting on December 29, 2010.

An Abatement of Property Taxes for Map 27 Lot 3-36 in the amount of $219 has been submitted.  Chairman Tedford makes a motion to approve this abatement.  Selectman Sepe seconds the motion.  Motion carries 4-0 with 1 abstention.

The new “Record Information Request” Policy has been submitted for signatures. This policy was previously approved.  Selectman Gardner makes a motion to sign the policy.  Selectman Sepe seconds the motion.  Motion carries 5-0.

Six “Request for Access to a Governmental Record” forms related to the Record Information Request Policy have been submitted for the Boards approval.  Selectman Fraser makes a motion to approve the forms.  Selectman Ruth seconds the motion.  Motion carries 5-0.

3^rd Order of Business: Warrant Articles

The following Warrant Articles were considered:

        To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $28,450 to be placed in the Capital Reserve Fund established under Article 16 at the 2006 Town Meeting for the purpose of performing the assessing update or revaluation of the real estate in the Town of Winchester scheduled for 2014-2015. Selectman Gardner makes a motion to place this article on the warrant.  Selectman Fraser seconds the motion.  Motion carries 5-0.

        To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $10,000 for the Town’s share of the State road grant reconstruction costs for bridges and place it in the non-lapsing Capital Reserve Fund established at the March 2006. Chairman Tedford makes a motion to place this article on the warrant.  Selectman Gardner seconds the motion.  Motion carries 5-0.

        To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $6,000 to support the annual Pickle Festival.  Selectman Fraser makes a motion to place this article on the warrant.  Selectman Sepe seconds the motion.  Motion carries 4-1.

        To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate an amount not to exceed $18,000 to be deposited in the Evergreen Expendable General Care Trust Fund established by an affirmative vote by the 1998 Town Meeting as Article 11: the source of these funds to be withdrawn from the surplus generated by the perpetual care funds already established for the care and maintenance of lots within the Evergreen cemetery, and not from taxation. Selectmen Ruth makes a motion to place this article on the warrant.  Selectman Gardner seconds the motion.  Motion carries 5-0.

        To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Sixty Five Thousand Dollars ($65,000) for the purpose of purchasing an exhaust removal system to bring the Fire Station into compliance with OSHA Safety requirements. The Board would like more information on this article before making a decision.

A Petition Warrant Article has been submitted from the Conant Library to raise and appropriate the sum of $9,200 to be used to repair and paint the inside of the Conant Library, plus stripping cleaning and poly coating the exterior doors.  The Board have tabled this Warrant Article until their next meeting to be held December 29, 2010.

Selectman Fraser makes a motion to write a Warrant Article for up to $165,000 to complete Old Westport Road.  Chairman Tedford seconds the motion for discussion.  After a brief discussion, the motion failed 4-1.  Selectman Ruth proposed a Warrant Article of up to $99,000 to complete the paving of Old Westport Road.  Selectman Sepe seconds the motion for discussion. After a brief discussion, Selectman Ruth and Selectman Sepe amend the motion to read: to see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate up to $100,000 to continue reconstruction and repaving of Old Westport Road. Selectman Sepe seconds the motion.  Motion carries 5-0.

4^thOrder of Business: Office Documents

• A Pistol Permit Fund Manifest has been submitted for Entenmann-Rouin Co. in the amount of $303.73.  Chairman Tedford makes a motion to approve the manifest.  Selectman Fraser seconds the motion.  Motion carries 5-0.
• A Capital Reserve Bridge Reconstruction Funds withdrawal for Hoyle & Tanner in the amount of $2,465 for the Old Westport Road Bridge over Wheelock Brook Project has been submitted for authorization.  Selectman Gardner makes a motion to approve the withdrawal.  Selectman Ruth seconds the motion.  Motion carries 5-0.
• A Purchase Requisition in the amount of $7,860 for the fourth quarter of Regional Prosecution services.  Chairman Tedford makes a motion to approve the purchase requisition.  Selectman Gardner seconds the motion.  Motion carries 5-0.

5^th Order of Business: Non-Public Session under RSA 91-A: 3II (a)(b) and(c)

Selectman Fraser makes a motion to enter non-public session under (a) (b)and (c).  Selectman Gardner seconds the motion.  A role call vote is taken: four members vote “yes” one member votes “no”, and the Board convenes in non-public session at 11:13 Am after a 10-minute break.  

6^th Order of Business: Reconvene Public Session

The Board reconvenes in public session at 11:55 AM. The non-public minutes under (b) have not been sealed, minutes under (a) and (c) have been sealed.

More Attempts To Censor Public Information ?

MINUTES of the BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING
Wednesday December 15, 2010


7th Order of Business: Any Other Business

The Board has scheduled a Work Session meeting to be held on December22, 2010 at 9:30 and there will be no regular meeting held that night. The next regular meeting will be held on the night of December 29, 2010.

The Board has accepted the resignation of the Water Superintendent as of December 31, 2010.  The Board would like to discuss the merging of the Water and Wastewater departments at their Work Session meeting on December 22, 2010.

The Town Administrator has submitted the Right to Know policy for the Boards’ review.  Selectman Sepe makes a motion to accept the Right to Know policy.  Selectman Gardner seconds the motion.  Motion carries 4-0.  A fee schedule will be set and presented at the Work Session meeting December 22, 2010.

Will they decide a fee schedule to make it so expensive for citizens to get a complete uncensored version of public meeting minutes? Some boards and committees, besides not even posting their laughable edited minutes don't even make audio recordings anymore. Why do our town leaders condone and participate in this disgusting conduct? It's simple, they do not want an accurate record to contradict what they tell you happened at these meetings and they don't want an accurate account that may be used against them if they are taken to court again. When people have nothing to hide and abide by the rules, they don't act like this. 

Merry Christmas To All

We would like to wish all of our faithful supporters and those of you who have contributed to this blog, a very safe and happy holiday.

                                                   

                                                      

You better watch out

     You better not cry

      Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
He's making a list
And checking it twice;
Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!
O! You better watch out!
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town

  Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!" 

IMPORTANT MEETING .. PLEASE ATTEND

SAY NO TO THE ASPHALT

PROTECT OUR CHILDREN

WHY ARE COMPANIES FROM OUT OF STATE

COMING TO WINCHESTER TO LOCATE POLLUTING BUSINESSES ?

 

A MASSACHUSETTS OWNER WANTS TO LOCATE A

POLLUTING ASPHALT PLANT ON OUR AQUIFER 

 

HE DOESN'T HAVE TO DRINK OUR WATER, SMELL THE ODORS 

OR LIVE NEARBY; BUT WE DO !

 

THERE IS A LACK OF CONCERN FOR OUR CITIZEN'S 

AND OUR CHILDREN'S HEALTH !

 

PLEASE COME TO THE PUBLIC MEETING:

MONDAY NIGHT @ THE TOWN HALL

DECEMBER 20TH @ 6:30PM

 

SAVE OUR CHILDREN'S HEALTH

PEOPLE WILL BE OUT TODAY AT THE TOWN DUMP AND IN THE 
AUBUCHON AREA HANDING OUT FLIERS AND COLLECTING
SIGNATURES, ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT. POLLUTANTS FROM
THIS PLANT COULD TRAVEL UP TO 10 MILES ON THE PREVAILING
WINDS AFFECTING NEARLY ALL OF WINCHESTER AND A VERY
LARGE PORTION OF WEST SWANZEY. HELP US SEND A MESSAGE
TO THE OWNER AND THE PLANNING BOARD, THAT THIS IS
SOMETHING OUR TOWN SIMPLY DOES NOT WANT OR NEED.

Why Do We Have Such Rude and Irresponsible People On Our Town Boards?

Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting 11/8/10 – Partial Transcription

Approximately 1:14 into the meeting Mary Ryan is providing expert testimony as an RN (27 years) to the ZBA and those in attendance.
MR= Mary Ryan GR=Gus Ruth  JP= John Pasquarelli
JH= John Hann (chair)  AH=Allen Humes, (co-chair)

(Mary Ryan is speaking about health hazards and the implications of an asphalt plant)

MR: And that’s the next issue – fugitive dust.  This is put out by the State of Colorado.  Out west they have a lot of quarrying and mining going on.  Fugitive dust is a big problem and they talk about the health effects of the fugitive dust.  This is involved from beginning to end of production.  It’s involved in the blasting, it’s involved in the crushing, it’s involved in the moving.  From beginning to end – DUST. 
      Health effects:  exposure to particles can lead to a variety of serious health effects.  Course particles, such as those found in wind blown dust, and fine particles, such as those found in smoke and haze, pose the greatest problems, because they can get deep into the lungs. 
      Scientific studies have linked particle pollution exposure to a variety of problems including decreased lung function, development of chronic bronchitis –

JH: Gus?

(Gus Ruth grabs the microphone from Mary Ryan) 

GR: All this information is very nice for the next planning board.  If you are gonna go through this all again.  And I’m on the planning board and I don’t want to hear it.  See.  What you gotta start with is the plant on one site or the other, and not what it’s gonna produce or what it’s gonna put out through flues or anything else.


MR:  I’ve already covered that and…
(There is an uproar among the crowd)  Hann says something about staying on the subject.

MR:  I know.  But she (Irene Ruth) brought up the issue of health, so I am providing you with lots of evidence about health.  Here’s the woodstove part.  Someone asked a question about wood stoves.  This part here says – this is a study.  This is a study that says household woodstoves produce a tiny fraction of the amount of pollution of an asphalt plant.  There you go.

JH:  I am interested in information about the special exception.

MR:  And I already gave you that but you pretty much ignored it.  Because everybody …..


JH:  You have chosen to deal with the confusion, not the issue.  Why don’t you give me the rest of your documents.

MR:  The first thing I brought up was the ordinance, and I was explaining that a non-conforming use in the agricultural zone cannot be followed by another non-conforming use.  And that was ignored.  So we continued on.  So that’s was why I addressed the other points.  I would have been happy to end it with the non-conforming use.  Where it should have ended.

JH:  Just a second.  Just a second.  Except I would like to hear from some other people in addition. 

MR:  These are further medical reports.  In case I haven’t given you enough of those.
 

AH:  I do think this is germane, in that to answer the question of will it adversely effect the adjacent area.  That is one of the criteria, and I think it is germane to that. 

(someone asks “what are we here for?”)

AH:  We are here to grant the special exception.  One of the criteria that it must meet is that it will not not adversely effect the adjacent area. 


JH:  and we know that in the adjacent area an asphalt plant is allowed.


Multiple people state in unison, “No, it’s not.”

JH:  OK. John.


JP:  My name is John Pasquarelli, and I’m just a stupid convenience store owner right up the road here.  All your information, Mam, is very good information . . . I breathe more crap in my store every single day . . . whether this plant goes in or not . . . from the highway of route 10 out here.  So if they’re gonna shut. . . if you shut down the road for me, Mam, put me in a glass bubble, and make sure I get nice clean air.”


This conduct is unacceptable; it is quite clear just how arrogant and self serving some people on our town boards are. Gus Ruth was asked twice to recuse himself from future PB meetings because of his conduct and refused, he and John Hann  participated in Conservation Commission meetings where they openly discussed approval for this plant which has resulted in a lawsuit and John Pasquarelli; a Margaret Sharra hand-picked alternate on the Planning Board and a member of the RED Committee who endorsed this plant at a recent meeting also was asked to recuse himself; he refused and chairwoman Sharra didn't feel his conduct warranted it.
Just how does the public stand to get fair and just treatment at these meetings when our public officials abuse their power?

How can we help?

We thank all of the citizens of Chesterfield, Hinsdale and Winchester who came out and voted on Nov. 2

We appreciate your faith and confidence in the process and in us. Each one of us is committed to do our best to serve you.

We know that we will need to confront many significant challenges over the next two years. However, talking directly with so many of you has given us a reservoir of strength that will carry us through what may be difficult times.

Over the next two years, if you wish to talk to us about an important policy issue, or if we might be able to assist you with a problem that may involve the state of New Hampshire, please do not hesitate to call any one of us.

On behalf of Bill Butynski, 60 River Road, P.O. Box 105, Hinsdale, N.H. 03451-0105, telephone 336-7498; and Henry A.L. Parkhurst, One Parkhurst Place, Winchester, N.H. 03470-2460, telephone 239-8945

DAN CARR

P.O. Box 111

Ashuelot

telephone: 239-6830

Upcoming Winchester Planning Board Meeting .. December 20th

The Planning Board will be meeting next to continue discussions on the Mitchell application for an asphalt plant in the Town's Protected Aquifer Zone, Monday, December 20th, 2010 @ 6:30pm on the main floor of the Town Hall.


All interested parties from Winchester and Swanzey and anyone else who has objections to allowing this proposal to go forward are strongly urged to attend and voice your concerns.


Also at this meeting at 6:00pm, a decision on whether to grant the request of contractor Robert Van Dyke another extension of time to start building his proposed condominium project on Franklin Mountain beside Shamrock Realty will be handed down. Mr. Van Dyke still has not met the conditions of an approval given to him by the board on August 8th, 2009. These conditions were all administrative and besides having ample time to comply, they remain unfulfilled. He is also under a cease and desist order from the DES on a number of violations. He has appealed this order based on the grounds that he has not done anything on the site; that all of the problems with erosion, run-off and flooding have been caused by his neighbor to the south. Mr. Van Dyke takes no responsibility for anything and disagrees with the findings from the State.