MINUTES of the BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING Wednesday February 9, 2011
Board Members Present: Acting Chairman, Roberta Fraser; Theresa Sepe; Kenneth Gardner; and Gustave Ruth. Also present, Joan Morel; Town Administrator, and Executive Assistant Shelly A. Walker. The meeting convenes at 7:04 PM. Chairman Sherman Tedford arrives late.
1st Order of Business: Open Meeting and Acceptance of Minutes Selectman Gardner makes a motion to accept the work session minutes of January 26, 2011. Selectman Ruth seconds the motion. Motion carries 4-0.
2nd Order of Business: Other Business The Mt. Pisgah Sportsman’s Club has asked permission to use the Town Beach for their Ice Fishing Derby to be held on February 19, 2011 from 8 AM to 12 PM. The Board was in agreement to grant this request.
An application for Veteran’s Tax Exemption has been submitted for Map 8, Lot 85. Selectman Gardner makes a motion to approve this application. Selectman Ruth seconds the motion. Motion carries 4-0.
Chairman Tedford arrives at 7:08.
Previously, The Town Clerk came before the Board to discuss a Bill in the House that would allow auto dealers to register cars. The Select board asked the Town Administrator to draft a letter of non-support in the strongest terms possible to be sent to Senator Molly Kelly and State Representatives Butynski, Smith, Carr and Parkhurst. Selectman Gardner makes a motion to sign the letter. Selectman Fraser seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0.
Four copies of the revised Warrant from the Deliberative Session were signed.
Kristine Carle the leader for the 4-H Showtime Club has requested permission to use the gazebo located next to the Police station to sell flowers on Sunday February 13, 2011. The Board was in agreement to grant this request.
Two Intents to Cut Timber for Map 11, Lot 18 and Map 5, Lot 8 were signed.
Previously, a petition letter from residents of Winchester and surrounding communities concerning the decommissioning of Vermont Yankee and it’s effects on its employees and neighboring towns and cities was submitted by Jennifer Bellan. The Safe and Green Campaign had composed the form letter to be presented to neighboring communities. The intent of this letter was for Towns and Cities to review the letter, change it as they wish, and decide to support it or not. The Board was in agreement to make revisions to this letter and submit a copy to Jennifer Bellan. The Chairman read the Board’s revised letter. Selectman Sepe makes a motion to sign the revised letter of support, and direct the Town Administrator to send a copy to Jennifer Bellan. Selectman Ruth seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0.
The Chesterfield Board of Selectmen has sent an invitation to the Winchester Board of Selectmen to meet with them and other surrounding towns to discuss the 15.4% increase in the County budget. After a brief discussion, the Board was in agreement to invite our State Representatives and the Budget Committee to discuss the County Budget increase before meeting with the Chesterfield Select Board.
The Chairman gave a brief update of the progress on the Old Westport Bridge project. Backfill work has begun, and should be done on Monday.
Selectmen Fraser cited an article in the Keene Sentinel that stated State Education Aid may be cut as much as 41% for some New Hampshire towns.
The Chairman reminded everyone that the School Deliberative Session is tomorrow night at the Winchester School Gym and will be held at 7 PM.
3rd Order of Business: Open to the Floor (15 minutes) Theodore Whippie came before the Board to discuss the history of the VA property exemption. Mr. Whippie noted that back in 1943 VA exemption was $1,000, and today this same exemption is only $300.
4th Order of Business: Office Documents - A Capital Reserve Request Bridge Funds Manifest in the amount of $9,972.32 for November 26, 2010 through January 1, 2011 has been submitted. Selectman Fraser makes a motion to approve this manifest. Selectman Gardner seconds the motion. Motion carries 4-1.
- An Ambulance Billing Manifest for October through December in the amount of $6,317.00 has been submitted. Selectman Fraser makes a motion to approve the manifest. Selectman Gardner seconds the motion. Motion carries 4-1.
- An Ambulance Billing Manifest for January has been submitted in the amount of $1,366.13. Selectman Fraser makes a motion to approve the manifest. Selectman Sepe seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0.
5th Order of Business: Non-Public Session under RSA 91-A: 3II Selectman Fraser makes a motion to enter non-public session under (a) and (e). Selectman Sepe seconds the motion. Selectman Gustave Ruth requests discussion of his BTLA abatement case in public. The motion and the second are withdrawn.
6th Order of Business: Avitar’s Recommendation on a BTLA Case Selectman Ruth steps down as a Selectman for this discussion. The Chairman reads a letter from Avitar stating their recommendation for a settlement for Map 15 Lot 15. The Chairman noted that Avitar clarified some corrections to data on the property card, that are reflected in the settlement amount for tax year 2009, and in the value changes for tax year 2010. There was some discussion on Avitar’s assessment and a private appraisal. The Board settled on an amount to be offered to the property owner. Selectmen Gardner makes a motion to offer a settlement of $325,782 assessment for tax year 2009. Selectmen Fraser seconds the motion. Motion carries 4-0. Selectman Ruth rejoins the Board.
7th Order of Business: Non-Public Session under RSA 91-A: 3II Selectman Sepe makes a motion to enter non-public session under (a) and (e). Selectman Gardner seconds the motion. A role call vote is taken and all members vote “yes”, and the Board convenes in non-public session at 8:37 PM.
8th Order of Business: Reconvene Public Session The Board reconvenes in public session at 9:39 PM. The non-public minutes under (e) have been sealed. Two non-public minutes under (a) have not been sealed.
9th Order of Business: Any Other Business Selectman Fraser makes a motion to authorize the Chairman to sign the Settlement Agreement for the Map 15, Lot 15 BTLA case. Selectman Gardner seconds the motion. Motion carries 5-0.
10th Order of Business: Adjournment Selectman Fraser makes a motion to adjourn. Selectman Sepe seconds the motion and it carries 5-0. The meeting adjourns at 9:41 PM.
Respectfully recorded, Shelly A. Walker Executive Assistant
February 9, 2011 BOS Regular Minutes approved by: Sherman Tedford, Chairman Gustave Ruth, Selectman Theresa Sepe, Selectman Roberta Fraser, Selectman Kenneth Gardner, Selectman | 
8 comments:
OK - this is confusing! Map 15 Lot 15 according to the 2007 - 2008 Annual Report was valued at $360,320. Last year's annual report lists it at $360,765.
"The Board settled on an amount to be offered to the property owner. Selectmen Gardner makes a motion to offer a settlement of $325,782 assessment for tax year 2009. Selectmen Fraser seconds the motion. Motion carries 4-0. Selectman Ruth rejoins the Board."
So, if we do the math - does that mean that they knocked off $35,000 from the value of the property? So, he will receive a refund of $1,000 roughly? Check and make sure I did that correctly.
Requested that it be a public meeting and then went into a Non Public and then came out of the Non Public and accepted the agreement. Very Odd!
Just think, Winchester resident's could register there new car, nights and weekends. Whats the problem, I would imagine the town will still get there town tax. Maybe the car dealers have found a way to roll the registration fees into the payments for those people who cant come up with the money any other way.
I think that the people who filed for an abatement under the screwed up Avitar system that got denied by this bunch should take them to tax court and submit these minutes and show how they favor one of their own over the rest of the citizen's in town. What makes Gus Ruth so special?
Wouldn't it be nice to be able to register that car you just purchased without having to wait 3 days to do it because the town isn't open on a Friday or Saturday like others so we can do our business. What in hell are we paying for?
We're paying for lazy self centered over paid people to come and go as they please, getting the best benefits our maoney can buy and being rewarded every year with performance bonuses, 10 hours of pay for a holiday and numerous 3 day work weeks. How is this service to us?
Maybe Gus can now afford to pay us back for the damage his beaver pond flooding did the road out here. How about it Gus, you gonna cough up that money you owe us taxpayers or continue to screw us because you're now a big dog selectman?
Heck, the problems that the union public employees are having in Wisconsin could be solved with the governor and legislature adopting a policy similar to the one that runs our town hall. They could get all the union benefits and not pay any union dues.
what exactly is creating the increase in the county budget? the jail? I heard on the radio that people want to keep the old jail, but it would cost $100,000 to maintain it each year. Is this correct? Did Parkhurst bother to show up for the discussion?
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