Meeting Location: Town offices
Date: April 25, 2019
Members present: Jay Jacobs, Kathy Scott, Andrea Hodson
Meeting opened: 7:00 pm; Meeting adjourned: 9:45 pm

Members of the public: Don Scott

Documents signed and reviewed
:
-SB signed financials in the amount of $1,891.65.
-SB signed meeting minutes of April 18, 2019 with the request to amend the number for total financials, which was $153,421.03 and not $156,230.56 as stated.

Executive session:
At 7:40 pm, the SB, per RSA 91-A:3II(1-a) moved to enter into non-public session to discuss matters with the Tax Collector. Following discussion, the SB moved and voted unanimously in favor to accept the waiver request, as advised by the Tax Collector, for penalties and interest related to timber tax.SB also moved and unanimously voted in favor to accept two separate payment plans for Tax Maps 30-Lot 21-05 and Map 73-Lot 16.  On two requests for deed waivers, SB moved and unanimously voted in favor to approve a waiver for Map 31-05 but will await the findings of additional research on Map 10-Lot 9. SB moved and voted unanimously to exit non-public session at 8:10 pm.

Department updates:
Highway – SB notified Road Agent of the meeting with the DOT scheduled for Tuesday, May 7th, beginning at 9:15 am, to discuss the South Road bridge.

Town Hall operations – SB discussed timing of posting meeting agendas and agree to attempt to post by the Tuesdays prior to the Thursday meetings.  Separately, regarding vendor authorizations, SB requests that Angela draft list of authorized users on each account. On a third matter, following a first quarter review of bookkeeping and in the interest of streamlining processes, SB moved and unanimously voted in favor to approve of Andrea Hodson’s consultation with an accountant for the estimated cost of $500.00.

Library – SB acknowledged request for service to assess the septic at the library. SB will contact provider.

Other business:
Don Scott presented the Streetlight Committee report, which includes the plan to refurbish the entire inventory of lights incrementally, and for the SB to budget $1,500 in 2019. The committee would cover the cost of replacing the three LED demonstration lights at $200 each. The committee still needs to confirm with Eversource if they will cover the cost to replace the three “non-conforming” halogen or high-pressure sodium lights. Mr. Scott also reported that three of the recently replaced lights are out and the committee will work with Eversource to determine the cause. During discussion, the SB requested one week to assess the budget request. Jay Jacobs noted he doesn’t believe the committee or the SB has a legitimate right to make these decisions based on town meeting votes. He also doesn’t see the sense in replacing functioning lights and doesn’t understand the decisions of the committee from an environmental standpoint. Subsequently, Kathy Scott moved for the committee to submit a work order and request quotes to replace the three nonfunctioning lights with LED bulbs and to replace the three non-conforming lights. The vote was 2-1 in favor with Mr. Jacobs voting no for the reasons stated above. The SB clarified for Mr. Scott that it okayed Step 1 of the report, to replace the three non-functioning lights at poles 1/18, 1/46-3 and 110/11, but that Step 2, to replace the non-conforming lights, and Step 3, to replace the demonstration lights, were on hold until the work order was submitted and Eversource supplies the necessary information.

Conflict of interest – SB discussed Kathy Scott’s inquiry to the NH Municipal Association about potential conflict of interest, particularly the existence of any conflict when a recording secretary also serves as an alternate or regular member of a board. Ms. Scott claimed she had received questions and that the concern related to access to information, and potential influence of a decision, prior to a public hearing. The SB asked that such matters be discussed as a board prior to seeking outside guidance and also clarified that there is no legal or conflict of interest issue. They further noted the track record of other boards, in town and in other towns, with members serving the dual roles, and emphasized that any information board members and recording secretaries are privy to is public information available in public files.

Banking services review – SB will discuss at a later date.

Old Home Day / Sesquicentennial – SB postponed discussion to a later date.