Selectmen’s Meeting Summary ~ August 7, 2019

Chairman Ken Ross-Raymond Present
Selectman Pete Ballou Present
Selectman Jim Hoyt Present
Town Administrator Margaret Warren Present
Municipal Assistant Jill Colardeau Present
Visitors: Steve Wheeler, Marcia Murphy, Sandy Miller, Bill MacDuffie, Gayle Landry.

Chairman Ross-Raymond opened the meeting at 6 PM.  
Chairman Ross-Raymond congratulated Joe Landry on his retirement after 38 years with Unitil.  He gave a big thank you to Joe for his help volunteering with the Christmas decorations over the years and providing a bucket truck for some of the projects in town.

 
  
Chairman Ross-Raymond also thanked Mary Heath for maintaining the lovely potted flowers along the wall at Maplewood Cemetery.  He noted she is a great example of someone working quietly behind the scenes doing good things for the town.

Regular Business:
o Review and Approve Minutes of the 7/17/19 meeting.  Chairman Ross-Raymond made a motion to accept the July 17, 2019 meeting summary.  Selectman Ballou seconded.  All voted in favor.
o Review Accounts Payable & Payroll registers.  Select Board moved and accepted.

Departments: 
o Fire Chief MacDuffie - Stats for July 2019 - Total: 5.  4 - EMS Calls; 1 - Motor Vehicle Accident.
• Fire Chief MacDuffie asked if we had received a check from the Cheshire Medical Center from their evacuation in April 2019.  TA Warren noted we had and it has been dispersed.
• Fire Chief MacDuffie noted they are going over their vehicle maintenance budget since a lot of things are breaking down on them.  General discussion of equipment cost – new tanker is working out.
o Road Agent MacDuffie - 
• Pike Industry is paving the base coat on parts of North Road and GMI Asphalt will be paving the top coat and the shoulders.  
o NH State Police - Stats for July 2019 - Total: 24 
1 - 911 Hang Up; 1 - Abandoned Vehicle; 1- Assault Past Tense; 2 - Burglar Alarms; 
1 - Criminal Mischief; 1 - Domestic in Progress; 3 - Hazardous Operators; 1 - MV Accident; 
6 - Request for Services; 1 - Restraining Order; 2 - Sex Offender Registrations; 2 - Shots Fired; 
1 - Theft; 1 - Welfare Check.   Report on file in Selectmen’s Office.  

Old Business:
o Approve Personnel Regulations -
• Before signing, the Selectmen noted they have changed the Town Administrator’s job description and benefits to become effective on January 1, 2020.  Chairman Ross-Raymond suggested after 20 years of service the Town Administrator’s vacation will be 4 weeks annually.  He noted the Town Administrator’s position would no longer receive any sick days and TA Warren could use her vacation time if she were out sick.  Chairman Ross-Raymond decided to hold off on signing the Personnel Regulations until changes are made on it to match the job description.  Chairman Ross-Raymond made a motion to no longer provide sick days for the Town Administrator’s position effective as of January 1, 2020.  Selectman Ballou seconded.  All voted in favor.  
o Facebook Page Update - 
• Chairman Ross-Raymond noted the Town Facebook page went live and has been a hit so far. 
TC Landry noted the Facebook page has over a 1,000 likes so far and people are looking at it.  She noted the Facebook committee has a meeting scheduled at the end of the month.  They will be working on getting the Town Facebook page to mirror the Town Website.  
• Selectman Hoyt noted he would like to see more up-coming events posted on a regular basis on the Town Facebook page.  TC Landry has posted the need for someone to chair the Recycling Committee and the Old Home Day flyer with a schedule of events, on both the Town Facebook page and on the Town website.  
o AED at Town Hall -
• Fire Chief MacDuffie brought the new AED to the meeting tonight for Chairman Ross-Raymond, who will install it at the Town Hall in a couple of days.
o Penacook Rescue Contract - 
• Fire Chief MacDuffie noted the Penacook Rescue Squad switched lawyers so we are still waiting on the final contract.  Fire Chief MacDuffie noted he has a copy of the contract but Penacook’s Town Counsel has not finished reviewing it yet.  Selectman Ballou noted we would need the contract soon with the budget coming up.
o Barn Store -
• Fire Chief MacDuffie spoke with the Barn Store about the old police surplus equipment and they offered the Town of Salisbury a $450 credit for everything but the firearms.  Selectman Ballou offered to pick up and bring the firearms in to get an estimate from The Barn Store.  Chairman Ross-Raymond asked if there was a written inventory of items from the Evidence room and that it would be a good idea to keep a list of everything.  Selectman Ballou said he could also take the firearms to Marshall’s Firearms for prices.
o Sound System for OHD/Academy Hall -
• Chairman Ross-Raymond picked up a sound system for OHD.  He added on a tote bag for the speaker.  The sound system can be added onto with additional speakers - up to 4 more large speakers in the future. 
o Speed Limit Signs for Rte. 4 & 127 - Road Audit Survey - School Zone 
• We are still waiting to hear back from the State regarding a 4-way stop sign.  A letter was sent to 
William R. Lambert, P.E. at the NH DOT Bureau of Traffic requesting approval for a couple of School Zone/Driver Feedback signs on Route 4 and in the vicinity of Whittemore Road by the Salisbury Elementary School.  General discussion followed regarding the number of accidents, severity of the accidents, and fatalities over the last 3 years and is being researched by Secretary Rollins at the Safety Building.  Selectman Hoyt noted he has a call in to the Director of DOT, Victoria Sheehan, regarding this matter.  Chairman Ross-Raymond noted the CrimeLine grant application for this year had already expired and awarded to someone else. 

o Meeting Updates: 
• Governor Sununu Informational Budget meeting (7/19) - No one was able to attend.  It was noted that the Governor was looking for support after vetoing the budget.
• Conservation Commission (7/24) - Nothing noted.
• Cemetery Trustees (8/1) - Chairman Ross-Raymond thanked Sexton Bentley and volunteers for taking on the job of sealing the stone wall at Maplewood Cemetery.  The job will be completed once more sealer has been purchased. 

o Meeting Reminders:
• 8/8 - Recycling Committee - cancelled on 8/7.
 The Recycling Committee will be taking a short hiatus at this time.  If anyone is interested in stepping up to run the meetings and keep the group going, please contact Barbara Carr at #648-2249 and/or the Town office at salisburyadmin@tds.net or call #648-6320. 
• 8/8 - Old Home Day Committee pre-meeting 6:30 PM at Town Hall/Town Green.
• 8/9 - Old Home Day: Pet Parade 6:30 PM; Ice Cream Social 7:30 PM; Karaoke 7:30 PM; & Fireworks
9 PM at Maplewood Field on Rte. 4 next to the cemetery. (Rain date Sat. 8/10 @ 6:30 PM).
• 8/10 - Old Home Day: FARM DAYS - Parade 10AM at Town Green. 
• 8/11 - Dudley Laufman - Old Time NH Barn Dance 3 - 5 PM at Town Hall. 
• 8/12 - Hazard Mitigation Committee Meeting 4 from 5:30 -7:30 PM at the Safety Building.
• 8/17 - American Red Cross Blood Drive 9 AM – 2 PM at Town Hall.  
 Selectman Ballou asked how people can register for this prior to the date.  Selectman Hoyt arranged a second blood drive and asked TC Landry for her help again during the blood drive.
• 8/19 - Planning Board 7 PM at Academy Hall.  
 Chairman Ross-Raymond noted the Andover Planning Board deemed the Andover excavation project a regional impact with the Central NH Regional Planning Commission and Lakes Region Planning Commission.  
• 8/26 - Hazard Mitigation Committee Work Session 4 from 5:30 - 7:30 PM at the Safety Building.

New Business:  
o Salisbury 2019 Citizen of the Year - 
• Chairman Ross-Raymond congratulated Walter Scott, Jr. for being nominated for Salisbury 2019 
Citizen of the Year and that it was well deserved!  He also thanked TC Landry on posting the write up on Walter on the Town Website.  

o Part-time Transfer Station Attendant Position - 
• TA Warren informed Transfer Station Manager Steve Wheeler that Jerry Williams would need to come in and sign the criminal background check paperwork for the Part-time Transfer Station Attendant position.   
• Chairman Ross-Raymond would like someone hired sooner than later so they could train with Bill Coughlin before he leaves at the end of August.  He noted Bill has done a really nice job at the Transfer Station.  He also thanked Transfer Station Manager Wheeler for all his help with this the open position and taking part in the interviewing process.  He also noted they could use more backup at the Transfer Station.  
• TA Warren asked TSM Wheeler if she would need to sign Jerry Williams up for the next DES training class.  Selectman Ballou asked if the new person could do any qualifications or classes on-line.  TSM Wheeler noted Jerry Williams would need to become a qualified operator and the next DES basic training class will meet in the first part of October.  Unfortunately, there is a class scheduled in Concord tomorrow, which he would not be able to make.  He noted the basic training would require the candidate to do three hours of training every year for continuing education and that each NRRA meeting would qualify for 1½ hours of continuing education.  
He noted he did not have any issues with Jerry Williams and thought he would be very capable and good mechanically for this position.
• Chairman Ross-Raymond made a motion to hire Jerry Williams on the condition he passes the criminal background check for a 6-month trial basis.  Selectman Hoyt seconded.  All voted in favor. 
o Academy Hall & Safety Building furnace cleanings - 
• TA Warren noted both Academy Hall and the Safety Building are scheduled for furnace cleanings on 8/15th.  Sandy Miller asked if both buildings run on propane and how often these cleanings are done.  TA Warren noted both buildings have propane heaters and two town buildings with heaters/furnaces are done each year.

Public Comments:  
o Sandy Miller asked what the total cost of the loan was for the Safety Building, which TA Warren noted was paid off last month.  Final payment was less than expected, about $ 6,000.
Other:  
o Selectman Hoyt has contacted the new Chief of the Webster Police Department about patrolling for the Town of Salisbury, maybe 20 hours a week.  Selectman Ballou noted the NH State Police are busy with untimely deaths and the Sheriff’s Department does a lot to do that we are not even aware of.  General discussion about the shortage of police, budget restraints, using resources locally, keeping costs down, and looking at other options to be proactive instead of reactive.  The Webster Police Department does currently do random runs through areas of Salisbury.
o Selectman Hoyt has contacted an accountant to do an audit of payroll/books for the town.  He had an estimate of $1,000.00 for this endeavor. 
• Marcia Murphy, the Chair of the Budget Committee, asked why we would be having another audit done?  She asked if we had a contract with the current auditor and if so, how much is the charge?  She asked if there is an issue with the current auditor?  TA Warren noted the current auditor, Plodzik & Sanderson P. A. Certified Public Accountants, did an annual audit this year in February and are under contract at around $9,400.00/yr.  Chairman Ross-Raymond noted they were not getting the information they were looking for and was not sure how to ask the question.  The Board decided TA Warren would provide the Board with contact information for Plodzik & Sanderson P. A. Certified Public Accountants so they could be called.  

Other/Recap: Decisions Made at this Meeting:
o Make changes on the Personnel Regulations and Town Administrator’s job description.
o Chairman Ross-Raymond to install the AED at Town Hall
o Selectman Ballou to pick up and bring firearms to The Barn Store and Marshall’s Firearms to see if either place would want to purchase them.

Selectman Ross-Raymond made a motion to adjourn at 6:55 PM, Selectman Ballou seconded.  All voted in favor. 
Non-public Session: At 7 PM a motion to enter a Non-public session per RSA 91-A:3: II (c) was made by Chairman Ross-Raymond.  Selectman Hoyt seconded.  All voted in favor.  
Roll Call Vote:  
 Ken Ross-Raymond -   √   Pete Ballou -   √    Jim Hoyt -   √_   
Selectmen returned to a public session at 7:40 PM.   The Board moved to seal the minutes and adjourned at 7:40 PM.  All voted in favor.

NEXT MEETING: August 21, 2019 at 6 PM
Respectfully submitted:
Jill Colardeau, Municipal Assistant
Meeting Summary reviewed and accepted at the August 21, 2019 meeting.
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Selectmen, Town of Salisbury