BOARD MEETING MINUTES
July 19, 2006
Selectmen Present: Andrew Clukey, Chmn., Thomas Parker, & Michael Methe
Chairman Andrew Clukey opened the meeting at 9:00 AM.
PRIMARY:
9:00am MEET WITH BILL PRIGGE – NON-PUBLIC SESSION:
· NON-PUBLIC SESSION:
At 9:00 AM, Mr. Parker made a motion to go into Non-Public Session under RSA 91 A:3 II (a). Mr.
Clukey seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0. Roll Call Vote; Mr. Clukey – yes, Mr. Parker
yes, Mr. Methe – yes.
At 9:20 PM. Mr. Clukey made a motion to go out of Non-Public Session under RSA 91 A:3 II (e). Mr.
Parker seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0
10:00 MEET WITH BRUCE NEWTON: Chief Newton stated that we had a couple of burglaries last week. Last
night a dirt bike chained to a tree was stolen. There have been a lot of animal calls lately.
Mr. Parker stated that he was very pleased to see Chief Newton at the antique show and he feels that
he did a very good job.
Mr. Methe stated that he has been keeping an eye on the overtime. He does have a concern. Chief
Newton stated that overtime is used mainly for coverage. Mr. Parker noticed that every Friday night both
Sean Cavanaugh and Lenny DiSalvo are scheduled. He is questioning why this is happening. He feels
that if we are going to have two officers on, one should be a part time officer. Mr. Methe questioned if
there are two officers on duty and there is a mutual aid call, do they both go. Chief Newton stated that it
depends on the call. Chief Newton stated that the problem is the part time officers also have full
time jobs and he has to work their schedule around this. Mr. Parker questioned if the officer leaves
Fitzwilliam, is it indicated on their run sheet? Chief Newton stated that it is and they have a call for
service sheet. He also questioned if we would have a notation if we have assistance. Mr. Parker feels
that we should only be going out of town when absolutely necessary, people do notice this.
Mr. Methe questioned if Chief Newton has done anything with regard to clerical help. Gene Cuomo does
not feel that he has a need for this. Chief Newton stated that the officers are handling their own work.
OPERATIONAL Plan: Mr. Parker feels this is a list of what Chief Newton feels wants. He expected
a document of what Chief Newton expects from his officers with regard to duties. He feels that we need
to get the officers out on the road and have more exposure. Mr. Parker would like to see guidelines of
how many hours he feels the officers should be spending on each duty. He would like to see some
thought given to if there is a better way to patrol the town.
Mr. Methe stated that last weekend it took 2 ½ hours for an officer to respond to a call on Rte. 12. Chief
Newton stated there was a gap in the schedule and state police did not respond because the next officer
was scheduled to come in 2 ½ hours.
Mr. Parker is concerned with the number of time we must respond to Troy. He questioned if there is any
correlation with having a full time officer live in Troy and having a part time officer working full time in
Troy. Chief Newton stated no. They have to respond to calls when they are called.
Mr. Parker stated that he is very much in favor of constructing a new police garage. He feels that it
comes down to what people feel they are getting from the current department when it comes to another
full time officer. He’d rather see hiring office help for 15 hours and have the police officers doing police
work.
Mr. Clukey has heard complaints that there isn’t anyone at the police department. Mr. Methe stated that
he has not heard any complaints with regard to the police department.
Mr. Parker would like the officers to patrol Perry Road. We have had some issues in that neighborhood
with regard to animals. The Heitala’s have also blocked the deeded right of way, which the town is going
to enforce. Mr. Methe stated that the fences are in the town right of way.
Mr. Parker stated she has heard that the camping on Rt. 119 is starting again.
*** NEWSLETTER ARTICLES: Mr. Methe would like to put an article in stating that the board would really
like someone to take this over. This is a very valuable means of communicating and we should also
these people for all their years of service.
Mr. Parker drafted an article, he would like the board to review and make any changes. Mr. Clukey
would like to change the sentence with regard to how townspeople were treated. People were treated very fairly. Mr. Methe stated he heard a complaint with regard to the tone of the letters that went out for the abatements. Mr. Methe stated that he read every letter and approved of them. Mr. Parker feels that the Board of Selectmen put too much of the burden on Mrs. Thompson as she was the one in the office during open hours, not the selectmen when the new values came out. She did not make any decisions, including the decision made by the Board of Selectmen to not provide property record cards. Mr. Parker would like to make a statement in the newsletter that the decision to not provide preliminary cards was advised by Vision, made by the selectmen and was not a decision of the office
staff.
Mr. Methe questioned if, when we find someone who has built without a permit we can charge them the back taxes on that improvement. Mrs. Thompson stated that we cannot. The process is to find when a violation has occurred and make them apply for a permit. The penalty for building without a permit is to charge double the normal fee. Mr. Parker feels that we need to bring these people to court.
*** VOTING: Someone from the phone company, sent by the state came into the town hall to install a dedicated phone line where the handicap voting booth is set up during an election. Mrs. Thompson did not know anything about this. She said that at the beginning of the year Jane Wright, Town Clerk and Tax Collector had attended a meeting regarding the changes to the voting regulations. One of them is a different type of handicap voting booth. It is 4’ X 5’ and much larger than the handicap booth we have been using. The problem will be that this new booth requires more space and we will end up having less of the regular booths. We already have a problem with the number of booths we are able to set up in the lower hall and what is required based on the
number of registered voters. Since Mrs. Thompson was not sure where the handicap booth would be set up or if we will need to change the voting place, she told the man not to install anything. Statutorily, the Board of Selectmen are in charge of the poling place.
The tent will take up space of about two other voting booths. The board will discuss this issue with Mrs. Wright.
*** UPDATE ON 1/3 DATA VERIFICATION PROJECT: Woodbrook is almost completed. They have
started in other areas. They are correcting the problems in Woodbrook with how the mobile homes are being graded. They are also changing the total number of rooms to reflect the actual number of rooms.
They are questioning how the trailer beds are being addressed. If they have wheels we do not assess.
If they are setting on the ground as storage, then we assess them
*** LETTER FROM HARRY AND CHRISTINE PIZER: They are questioning why we suggested to the Bergs
they be given an easement. It is because this is not a town road. It was designed as part of a subdivision which was never accepted by the town. Mrs. Thompson will review Bernie Waugh’s letter with regard to this. The Bergs own the land and their driveway goes across their land.
*** REVIEW INVOICE FROM KEATING PLUMBING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING: Reviewed
The invoice is for $286.14 for plumbing repairs.
*** APPLICATION FOR RENTAL OF TOWN HALL: This is for the Historical Society and the selectmen approved it.
*** CEMETERY GRANITE SIGN: Last year the cemetery department received a donation in the amount of
$5000 from Mrs. Howard Klein. The cemetery commissioners used this money for granite signs. On the
back they are engraved they are a gift from the Howard Klein family. Mrs. Klein’s wish was for the gift to be in another name. The cemetery commissioners will need to fix this. Mr. Parker suggested a plaque could be engraved and set in the store when the current name is.
*** Monadnock Fence: The company has asked for ½ of the proposal to be paid upfront as they have to pay COD for materials. Mr. Methe would like something in writing that states we own the fence materials.
*** LETTER FROM BILL PRIGGE: Reviewed
*** REVIEW DOCUMENTS REGARDING DWINELL LAWSUIT: Reviewed
*** LAUREL LAKE BEACH WATER TESTS: Reviewed
*** DECIDE ATTENDANCE ON LAW LECTURES: Mr. Parker will attend. The other selectmen will look at their schedules and decide later.
*** REVIEW DES APPLICATIONS: Reviewed
*** REVIEW POLICE LOG: Reviewed
*** BUILDING PERMITS: Reviewed and approved
*** DRAFT OF MEMO: Mrs. Thompson said that this was last on the agenda two meetings ago and Mr. Parker had said that he wanted to rewrite it. She is wondering where we are with this. The board felt that at this time, it was not necessary.
*** LGC 2007-2008 LEGISLATIVE POLICY PROCESS INFORMATION: Reviewed
*** Complaint: Kenny Dunton complained the septic system from the trailer that Mr. Ramsey owns has
failed and is running into his property. Mrs. Thompson will ask Wendy Carney to investigate.
*** Jim Pelland asked to speak to the selectmen about inspection work he has been doing on the Old Troy Road trail that goes up Widow Gage Rd. He stated that he is an authorized agent to inspect and patrol on the railroad beds. Mr. Methe asked who he is authorized by. Mr. Pelland said that NH Fish and Game and the Little Monadnock Trails Club. Mr. Methe said that he is quite familiar with Fish and Game and they don’t have a deputy who issues tickets in Fitzwilliam. Mr. Pelland said that he doesn’t issue tickets. He only takes pictures, gathers information and turns it over to Fish and Game. Mr. Pelland said that Fish and Game has grants to pay the town for a part-time deputy and is here to find out if the selectmen are
open to the idea. Mr. Methe said that he will talk to Jeff Grey at Fish and Game who is involved in law enforcement. Mr. Pelland then said that he is acting as an individual. The person at Fish and Game that he has talked with is Eric Hannet. The selectmen said that they do not have enough information to be able to consider this one way or the other.
*** Report of Cut
· Filipi Map Lot All average – pays at 50%
· Kennedy Map Lot All average – pays at 50%
· Gilbert Map Lot All average – pays at 50%
*** Dearani – Mr. Parker went out to Mr. Dearani’s home to look at some discrepancies Mr. Dearani found on his property record card. Mr. Parker said that there was a measurement that needed to be corrected and he changed the upper floor to storage.
SECONDARY:
· Various committee/board minutes
· Newsletters
· Review Police logs/reports
SIGN:
· Minutes
· Correspondence
· Payroll and Accounts Payable Manifests
The board recessed at 12:00pm and reconvened at 7:00pm.
Mr. Clukey reconvened the meeting at 7:00. He then opened the public hearing by reading the public notice posted and published in the newspaper. The public hearing is to discuss the expenditure of grant money and a donation from the Fitzwilliam Fire Department Inc to purchase SCBA’s (self contained breathing apparatus), a compressor and tank filler. There will also be some training. Mr. Clukey read the requisitions submitted by the fire department listing all the pieces of equipment they are purchasing with the grant. Mr. Parker asked what they plan to do with the SCBA’s they have now. Mr. Mattson said that they could sell them or there is an agency that will take them and send them to another country where the departments there do not have any at all. Mr. Clukey asked if there were any other questions. There were no questions. At
7:22pm, Mr. Clukey closed the public hearing.
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