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Minutes of 11/26/2007

December 1st, 2007

Carroll Board of Selectmen
Meeting Minutes
November 26, 2007
"These minutes of the Town of Carroll Select Board have been recorded by its Secretary. Though believed to be accurate and correct they are subject to additions, deletions and corrections by the Select Board at its next meeting when the Board votes its final approval of the minutes. They are being made available at this time to conform to the requirements of New Hampshire RSA 91-A:2."

Minutes recorded by Susan Kraabel, Secretary

Board members present: Bonnie Moroney, Allen Strasser, Rena Vecchio

The meeting was called to order at 7:04 PM.

Members of the public present: John Burt, Jeff Duncan, Mike Gooden, Evan Karpf, Joan Karpf, Tadd Bailey, Bill Rines, Rick Armstrong, Roberta McGee, Mike Rouillard, Karen Wante, Oliver Cole, Amy Westwood, Matt Dieterich, Art Nicholson, Harold Garneau, Carmine Fabrizio, John Trammell, Kelly Trammell

Pledge of Allegiance

The board announced the approval of bills and signing of checks.

Chairman Moroney moved to accept the minutes of November 13, 2007, as written. Selectman Vecchio seconded, and the motion passed. Selectman Strasser abstained, as he had not attended.

Stan Borkowski’s report is posted on the bulletin board.

Amy Westwood from Celebration Associates and Bretton Woods Land LLC, came before the board to discuss the technology changes at the resort. She stated that when they acquired the resort the purchase included the cable company, and they are not interested in becoming technology providers. After researching providers, they have chosen the Bretton Woods Telephone Company to be their franchise provider. They currently provide voice and data services, and will now add video to their package. The intent is to use underground fiber optic cable, and eliminate the satellite dishes in Bretton Woods. As the franchise authority rests with the town, Ms. Westwood asked the selectmen how they wanted to go about making this change. She was told that a transfer of ownership such as took place in 2006 was acceptable, and Ms. Westwood said they would draft the paperwork for the board’s approval.

Rick Armstrong, whose residence is on Rte. 115 recently received a $1,500 bill from the town for his hookup to town water, and he wanted to know if the bill was correct. He was told it is the standard charge for connecting to town water, that it covers installation of the water meter, backflow preventer and other equipment. Mr. Armstrong said he thought that when the tap and curb stop were put in 20 years ago, that covered any charges for hooking up. Billy Rines said that was done when the expansion took place, but individual hookup charges take place when the meter is put in. Mr. Armstrong told the board he thought the fee is outrageous, that as a plumber, he doesn’t feel the charge is justified. He asked if we’re using the meters, and how rates are set. Selectman Strasser explained that Dr. Morency is advising the selectmen on rate structures, and that a preliminary meter reading had taken place last fall, another one will be done soon, and we expect the meters to be on line soon after that.

Chairman Moroney stated that the police have a new website, www.carrollpd.org, and John Trammell said there are forms, reports, and logs online. He said there is a 2 week delay in posting the daily log. The secretary will contact Veronica Francis about setting up a link from the twinmountain.com website. Also to correct the spelling of the Fire Department email address.

The following items were approved and signed.

PSNH Pole License for poles off Little River Road
Intent to Cut – Cersosimo Lumber on USNF land
Water Abatement – Flumerfelt
Water Warrant – Saffian, Gilman
Current Use Tax Warrant – Ouellette
LGC Health Insurance Agreement
Certificate of Occupancy – Rogers, Hibbard

Mr. Rines said he’d viewed the Lancaster Highway shed, but doesn’t have a cost for construction yet. He said he thought the design would be adequate for our needs.

John D’Urso’s trailers were discussed, and Mr. Borkowski’s opinion that the second older trailer is not being used for anything now, it is just being stored on the property. Mr. Borkowski said Mr. D’Urso told him it is being stored there until such time as it will be removed. Selectman Vecchio expressed the concern that he is in violation of the zoning ordinance, and she will talk to Mr. Borkowski about this after reviewing the legal opinion from Town Counsel.

The possibility of a warrant article for a town administrator was discussed. Selectman Strasser said a detailed job description must be written before he’d be in favor of this. He wants it spelled out how an administrator would manage employees, and what kind of authority the person would have. He said there are RSA’s for town managers, and we’d have to modify these for an administrator. Roberta McGee mentioned the opinion given by MRI in 2005 that we don’t need an administrator. It was pointed out that the town has grown since then, and Evan Karpf stated that the whole state is looking at the impact the Bretton Woods development is going to have. He feels we need to prepare rather than wait for it to happen. The secretary has not yet gotten information from area towns about salary information.

A list of land use board members and their term expiration dates was read.

PLANNING BOARD
John Birknes, Chair 2010
Evan Karpf 2010
Rena Vecchio 2010
Connie Oliver 2009
Charlie Cohn 2009
Ernie Temple 2008
John Sweeney 2008
Donna Foster, Alt 2010
Bill Smalley, Alt 2009

ZBA
Pam Walsh 2010
Paul Bussiere 2010
Leslie Bergum 2009
John Goodney 2009
Joan Karpf, Chair 2008
Jim Early, Alt 2009
Nancy Mitiguy, Alt 2008

These dates are based on when each member was appointed and all terms will expire in March, at the time of Town Meeting. Chairman Moroney made a motion to affirm these appointments as of 3 years prior to the expiration date for each member. Selectman Vecchio seconded the motion, and it was passed unanimously. Mr. Rines asked about chairman changes, and was told that a chairman is elected each year by the boards.

With regard to the Chamberlain property, it was explained that Juliah Chamberlain has owned abutting properties, one in Bethlehem and one in Carroll. We know that Roberta Daly has been paying the taxes on the Carroll property, and the two trailers on that property belong to her. A sale of the Bethlehem property to Ms. Daly has been recorded at the Coos Country Registry of Deeds, but we’ve not been notified of a recorded sale of the Carroll property, even though a letter from Ms. Daly says she now owns that property.

The Paquette Circle property was recently sold and the deed recorded, but no activity has taken place at the property.

The need for a Tax Anticipation Note (TAN) was discussed. On this date we are approximately $313,000 short of cash to pay the county in December. Given the fact that the 2nd issue tax payments are not due until December 31, and we have additional bills and payroll to fund between now and December 17, when the county payment is due, Chairman Moroney made a motion to apply for a TAN in the amount of $450,000. Selectman Vecchio seconded the motion, and it was passed unanimously. The loan will be paid back in about 2 weeks from its inception.

Jeff Duncan presented his revised warrant article for the lease/purchase of a new fire engine. The original did not specify that $65,000 would be raised by taxation. Chief Duncan explained that he’d researched our old warrant articles, and most did not have that phrase in the language, and he hoped that if the selectmen adopted the new version, they would include the same language in all the warrant articles they approved. He also asked that they include the cost per thousand for taxpayers to see. Ms. McGee asked why he was proposing a lease/purchase rather than buying the truck outright, and Selectman Strasser asked what it would cost to purchase, and the cost under his proposal. Chief Duncan said that a purchase price would be $350,000, while the lease/purchase cost will be around $400,000 spread out over 5 years. The reason for a lease/purchase is that there will be no big tax increase if we lease. If we were to purchase now, we would have to raise $200,000 in taxation, where the lease payments would be made instead of putting the same funds into capital reserve. He said they would ask for no money to be put into capital reserves in the years beyond 2008 until this engine is paid for. He also explained that at the end of the lease, we would probably pay only $1 or $100 to actually purchase the truck. When asked about the life of this engine after the 5 year lease period, he said we could expect to get at least 15 additional years from it. He also said the cost of engines is going up $20-$25,000 per year. He plans to talk to as many people and groups as possible to explain the need to pass this warrant article. Chairman Moroney moved to accept tonight’s revised version of the warrant article. Selectman Vecchio seconded, and the motion was passed unanimously. Selectman Strasser then moved to add the selectmen’s recommendation on that article. Chairman Moroney seconded, and the motion was passed unanimously.

A warrant article was presented to see if the Town of Carroll will vote to name the Selectboard as agents to expend on the Fire and Emergency equipment Capital Reserve Fund. Chairman Moroney moved to accept and recommend the article. Selectman Vecchio seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.

Selectman Strasser noted that last year some of the dollar amounts were changed on warrant articles at the Deliberative Session, and the selectmen did not discuss changing their recommendations on the articles. He wants the selectmen to be aware that they must do this at the March 2008 session, so as to have the voter ballots reflect the selectmen’s feelings about the amended articles.

Selectman Strasser noted that road ordinances were discussed at a previous meeting, and that by statute there are no weight limits on roads. Mr. Rines said the only time we can set weight limits is in an emergency or in the spring when ground thaw takes place. Selectman Strasser feels we need an ordinance stating there are no restrictions except in those cases.

Selectman Strasser talked about the Bretton Woods development and how the concept plan has worked in the past. The plan calls for a maximum number of units and not all those units are in the Town of Carroll. Some will be in Bethlehem and some in Crawford’s Purchase. He said that as areas are developed and the maximum for an area is not built, the unbuilt units are then added to the maximum number of units left to be built. He said the current owners are already planning to limit the East Mountain expansion of the ski area, and put some of the residential units there. He said impact is also affected by the fact that all those units will not be built at the same time. Evan Karpf stated that the Planning Board will meet on December 6th and they will be dealing with these issues in public session at that time. He stated that he disagreed with Selectman Strasser to some degree on the impact of units built in Bethlehem and Crawford’s Purchase, as there are only 2 roads that lead to the areas in question. People will travel through Carroll on Routes 3 and 302 to get to these units. Dr. Karpf said he has an issue related to an email that came from Bernie Waugh, the town attorney. Dr. Karpf had asked him for a legal opinion as he gathered information for the December Planning Board meeting, and Atty. Waugh responded to Dr. Karpf, the three selectmen, and the Administrative Assistant. He said this information is confidential and privileged, and is now in the hands of the attorney of Bretton Woods and CNL. He said he didn’t give it to them, and he didn’t know who did, but whoever did is violating their position in our town, and he asked whoever did to stop doing it. Dr. Karpf said that he’d received a call from Atty. Waugh, who was upset; he thought his email was confidential, and he’d received a call from the resort attorney who has a copy of this email. Dr. Karpf said he didn’t know if this breach would have any impact on the meeting, but he said to function as a town we have to be able to trust the participants, and this incident has violated that trust. He also said he’d spoken to Mike Brunetti today, and that Mr. Brunetti had been given the impression that there are people in town who resented them. Dr. Karpf said no one had said anything to him like that, and reminded Mr. Brunetti that everything that had been brought to the Planning Board thus far has been approved. Selectman Strasser said he’d replied to Atty. Waugh’s opinion by “replying to all.” He was concerned that the attorney’s opinion was contrary to past practice in dealing with the concept plan, and wanted him to know what has happened. Dr. Karpf stated to the group that his original question to Atty. Waugh was whether the 2007 Planning Board was required to hold to the agreed upon concept plan from 1990. Because John Birknes is an abutter to the proposed Dartmouth Brook subdivision and must stand down from the proceedings, he, Dr. Karpf will be chairing the hearing on Dartmouth Brook, and he’s trying to gather as much information as possible to conduct the meeting properly. He said that as a result of all this, the resort attorney and our attorney will both be attending the Planning Board meeting.

At 8:50 PM, as there was no additional business, Chairman Moroney declared the meeting ended.

Action Items:

Response letter to Bretton Woods land offer
Warrant article - Property tax exemptions
Industrial Park land use - CEDC
Chamberlain property
Paquette Circle house
Website
Bank change/PDIP
Highway Shed
Warrant article – town administrator

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