Town of Fitzwilliam, NH - 2008 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Minutes 03/11/08

The Annual meeting opened at 11AM by Moderator William Prigge. The empty ballot box for the accu-vote machine was displayed. The first voter was Susan Bemis. Assistant Moderator Winston Wright served for the remainder of the day. Voting was heavy at times and busy throughout the day. The polls closed at 7:10pm. A total of 644 people voted.

Are you in favor of amending the Fitzwilliam Land Use Code by repealing Chapter 119-1 of the Code of the Town of Fitzwilliam and replacing it with Chapter 127, Article IV, Overlay Districts, Section 127-16.3, Historic District Overlay Ordinance, a comprehensive ordinance that is in compliance with RSA 674:46 (1983)?

Note: In 1969, the Town of Fitzwilliam voted to create a Historic District Commission charged with defining a historic district in the town, and in 1970, the town adopted what became Chapter 119-1 of the Town Code, which established and defined the Historic District of Fitzwilliam. In 1983, the New Hampshire legislature revised statutes pertaining to historic districts, and the adoption of this amendment would put the language of the town ordinance in conformance with state statutes. The proposed ordinance does not change the boundaries of the current Historic District or the purpose and scope of the Historic District Commission. Please see the supplemental section of the Town Report for the complete ordinance.

127-8 E. Livestock Keeping. Livestock as defined in RSA 427:33 II, is permitted in the Town of Fitzwilliam in accordance with the Department of Agriculture’s Best Management Practices and the UNH Cooperative Extension Housing and Space Guidelines for Livestock.

The evening meeting opened at 7:20pm by Moderator William Prigge. He asked for a vote to close the polls until after the business meeting and then reopen the polls for five(5) minutes at that time. Voted in the affirmative.

Selectman Carmen Yon spoke about the people that had passed away this year that had served on various boards, committees and departments for the town; Daniel H Bemis, Howard Shay, Wendy Carney, and George Chapman.

Bruce Newton,retired Police Chief,serving for over 25 years in the Police Dept. Retiring Town Clerk Jane Wright was given a standing ovation and presented with a gift from the Board of Selectmen for her 37 years as Clerk. Selectmen Yon made a motion and it was seconded to pass this article and the reports as written in the Annual Town Report. Article passed.

NOTE: This warrant article (operating budget) does not include appropriations voted in any other warrant articles. Carl Hagstrom III Chairman of the Budget committee, made a motion and it was seconded to pass this article. After some discussion this article was passed.

ARTICLE 6- (By Petition)Voted to raise and appropriate the sum of $15,000 to be added to the Conservation Land Expendable Trust Fund created by ARTICLE #19 of the 2005 Annual Town Meeting. Paul Kotila made a motion and it was seconded to pass this article. Pros and cons were voiced about this article. Article was passed in the affirmative.

ARTICLE 7- (By Petition)Voted to authorize the Board of Selectmen to implement a fee schedule for the use of the ambulance. Gretchen Whittenborg made a motion and it was seconded to have a ballot vote on this article. The results of the voting was 121 ballots cast; YES 73 and NO 48 Article passed in the affirmative.

While the ballots were being counted on Article 7, Selectman Tom Parker spoke about Town Road signs for entering the Town at all directions; North, South, East & West. It will be a total $7,760.00 for the signs and $1,100.00 for the granite posts. Suggested that people could make donations toward this project.

ARTICLE 8- (By Petition) Voted to create an Ambulance Revolving Fund pursuant to RSA 31:95-h. 100% of the money received from fees and charges for ambulance service shall be deposited into the fund and allowed to accumulate from year to year, and shall not be considered to be part of the town’s general fund unreserved fund balance. Up to 50% of these funds may be used for operating expenditures and the remaining 50% for the purchase and equipping of an ambulance and equipment. The town treasurer shall have custody of all monies in the fund, and shall pay out the same only upon order of the Board of Selectmen (no further approval required). These funds may be expended only for operating and capital expenses of the Ambulance Department as stated in RSA 31:95-h, and no expenditure shall be made in such a way as to require the expenditure of other town funds which have not been appropriated for that purpose. Gretchen Wittenborg made a motion and it was seconded to pass this article. Article passed in the affirmative.

ARTICLE 9- Voted to raise and appropriate the sum of $8,200 for engineering and plans for road work to deal with water drainage problems on Upper Troy Road. Selectman Tom Parker made a motion and it was seconded to pass this article. Article was voted in the affirmative.

ARTICLE 10- Voted to raise and appropriate the sum of $200,000 to repair and maintain roads (including but not limited to preparation and paving). Highway Agent Gene Cuomo made a motion and it was seconded to pass this article. Voted in the affirmative.

ARTICLE 11- Shall the town vote to modify the Exemption for the Elderly under the provisions of RSA 72:39-a from property tax in the Town of Fitzwilliam, based on assessed value, for qualified taxpayers, to be as follows: for a person 65 years of age up to 75 years, $30,000; for a person 75 years of age up to 80 years, $60,000; for a person 80 years of age or older, $120,000. To qualify, the person must have been a New Hampshire resident for at least 3 consecutive years, own the real estate individually or jointly, or if the real estate is owned by such person’s spouse, they must have been married to each other for at least 5 consecutive years. In addition, the taxpayer must have a net income of not more than $25,000 or, if married, a combined net income of not more than $35,000; and own assets not in excess of $60,000?

ARTICLE 12- Voted to raise and appropriate the sum of $250,000 to purchase and equip a tanker truck for the use of the fire department; said appropriation to be funded by authorizing the Board of Selectmen to accept and expend a Homeland Security Grant in the amount of $237,500, with the balance of said appropriation in the amount of $12,500 to be funded by current taxation. Edwin O Mattson Jr made a motion and it was seconded to pass this article. Voted in the affirmative.

ARTICLE 13- Voted to raise and appropriate the sum of $21,000 to purchase a defibulator; for the use of the Fire Department Ambulance, said appropriation to be funded by authorizing the Board of Selectmen to accept and expend a donation from the Fitzwilliam Fire Department Inc in the amount of $10,500, with the balance of said appropriation in the amount of $10,500 to be funded by current taxation. Edwin O Mattson Jr made a motion and it was seconded to pass this article. Voted in the affirmative.

ARTICLE 14- Voted to raise and appropriate the sum of $12,000 to purchase computers and related software for use of the Police Department and to pay for related installation/set up costs, and further to authorize the selectmen to accept and expend any grants monies that may become available for this purpose.

ARTICLE 15-Voted to raise and appropriate the sum of $26,000 to be added to the Town Buildings Maintenance and Repair Expendable Trust Fund created by ARTICLE #24 of the 2005 Town Meeting. The Selectmen propose the following projects for 2008; Town Hall electrical upgrades, replace Police Department door, repairs to the Village Cemetery shed, replace carpet in the Town Hall. Selectman Michael Methe made a motion and it was seconded to pass this article. Voted in the affirmative.

ARTICLE 16- Voted to raise and appropriate the sum of $10,000 to be added to the Town Master Plan Expendable Trust Fund created by ARTICLE #30 of the 2005 Annual Town Meeting. Carlotta Lilback-Pini made a motion and it was seconded to pass this article. Voted in the affirmative.

ARTICLE 17- Voted to raise and appropriate the sum of $10,000 to rebuild a portion of the stonewall at the Village Cemetery. Commissioner Michael Grab made a motion to pass this article. Voted in the affirmative.

ARTICLE 18- Voted to dissolve the SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) Expendable Trust Fund created by ARTICLE #25 of the 2005 Annual Town Meeting, with all accumulated funds, including interest, to lapse to the General Fund Balance. Selectman Carmen Yon made a motion and it was seconded topass this article. Voted in the affirmative.

ARTICLE 19- Voted to raise and appropriate up to the sum of $17,200 (this sum represents the funds from the dissolved SCBA Expendable Trust Fund plus any interest that might be attributable to the Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Expendable Trust Fund for the period from December 31, 2007 through the date of the closing of said Fund), said appropriation to be added to the Fire Department Expendable Trust Fund created by ARTICLE #20 of the 2004 Annual Town Meeting for the purpose of purchasing protective clothing (bunker gear) and pagers for the use of the Fire Department, said appropriation to be funded by withdrawing up to $17,200 from the 2008 General Fund Balance. Edwin O Mattson Jr made a motion and it was seconded to pass this article. Voted in the affirmative.

ARTICLE 20-Voted to amend the purpose of the Fire Department Expendable Trust Fund created by ARTICLE #20 of the 2004 Annual Town Meeting, for the purpose of purchasing protective clothing (bunker gear) and pagers, to include the purchase of Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), so that said Expendable Trust Fund may be used for the purchase of Self Contained Breathing Apparatus, protective clothing (bunker gear) and pagers for use of the Fire Department. (2/3 majority vote required)

ARTICLE 21- To see if the town will vote to discontinue an approximate 400 foot section of Royalston Road, running from Derby Mill Road to the former Royalston Road and abutting Tax Map 2 Lot 25 and Tax Map 2 Lot 06-01, said section of roadway having been replaced by a newly laid-out and established section of Royalston Road at the location in 1987. Selectman Tom Parker made a motion and it was seconded to pass this article. Richard Dwinell spoke against this article. A poll of the house vote showed YES 40 NO 53. Voted in the negative.

ARTICLE 22- Voted to authorize the appointment of the Town Treasurer rather than the election of the Town Treasurer, in accordance with RSA 41:26-e. In the event the vote on this article is in the affirmative, the appointment of the Town Treasurer would take place after the close of the business meeting of the Town in 2009, in accordance with RSA 41:26-e and RSA 669:17-d.

ARTICLE 23- To see if the town will vote to designate the Katie Metzger Town Forest, Tax Map 9 Lot 18 and Tax Map 10 Lot 19, a Town Forest in accordance with RSA 31:110. Dorothy Zug made a motion and it was seconded to amend the article by replacing “designate” with the word “establish” since this is the wording in the RSA. Voted in the affirmative for the amendment.

“Resolved: We the citizens of Fitzwilliam, NH believe in a New Hampshire that is just and fair. The property tax has become unjust and unfair. State leaders who take a pledge for no new taxes perpetuate higher and higher property taxes. We call on our State Representatives, our State Senator and our Governor to reject the “Pledge”, have an open discussion covering all options, and adopt a revenue system that lowers property taxes.” Selectman Michael Methe made a motion and it was seconded to pass this article as written. Voted in the affirmative.