Office of the Select Board
Town of Orange, New Hampshire
Minutes of October 14, 2015
Present: Dorothy Heinrichs, Chair; Robert Ells, Lyell ‘Skip’ Smith, and Sandi Pierson (clerical) Others present: Beverly Ells, Bob and Sharon Proulx, Judith Lindahl, David and Kathleen Stacy, Mark
Stetson (Avitar), Jeanne Minasian, Betty and Bill Fulton, Beth DiFrancesco, and Sophie Seace.
Meeting opened at 7:00 PM.
Minutes:
- The minutes of September 22, 2015 were unanimously approved as submitted.
- The minutes of October 9, 2015 were unanimously approved as submitted. (A special meeting to discuss treasurer issues relating to the DRA MS-5 form.)
- The minutes of October 12, 2015 were unanimously approved as submitted. (A special meeting to meet with the treasurer to discuss and work on issues related to the DRA MS-5 form.)
2015 Town-wide Reval: Mark Stetson from Avitar came before the Board to affirm that the town-wide reval process has been completed. He felt that the entire process went smoothly. He submitted to the Board the comprehensive Valuation Update and the preliminary equalization letter. Mark also generated the MS-1 from the software of which the Board later approved and signed.
Mark said that the only item remaining is for the Board to update the pole license agreements in regards to the telecommunication companies. He will then update their values. The Board directed Sandi to submit the pole licensing documents to Attorney Waugh’s office for his review and approval.
Sandi stated that one letter was received by the office questioning their new property value. Mark and the Boards affirmed that since the reval is deemed complete, which included an appointment period for property owners to meet with the assessor, they must now contest their value via the abatement process.
Land Use Change: Mark Stetson stated that he met with the Weekes on Tug Mountain Road and reviewed the delineation of the acreage they are required to take out of current use. He said the property owners will be submitting their map to the office shortly.
Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant: The Board was in receipt of the contract from the NH Department of Safety/Homeland Security for the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant. After discussion, they directed Sandi to forward the contract to Emergency Management Director Brent Stevens.
Building permit: The Board reviewed a building permit application for Jay and Dorothy Heinrichs/148 Cardigan Mountain Road/Map 3, Lot 6 for a 3⁄4 bath. The permit was signed by the building inspector and the application fee was attached. Bob and Skip motioned to approve and sign the permit. Dorothy abstained.
Legal: In answer to a query to Gardner, Fulton, and Waugh as to why they were charging the town for non-litigation work instead of those fees coming out of the annual retainer, Dorothy stated that Attorney Adele Fulton reported that although the two previous Board members signed the 2015 retainer agreement,
they never paid the invoice. After discussion, Bob motioned for the Board to authorize payment in full for the $6,000 retainer fee. Motion passed unanimously in favor.
Intent to Cut: The Board reviewed and signed a supplementary Intent to Cut from Henry Minasian. This is an addendum to his earlier approved Intent (#15-353-T) that adjusts the quantity of timber being cut.
Other:
- The Board was in receipt of a corrective affidavit from the Tax Collector concerning execution and report of real estate tax liens.
- The Board was in receipt of a copy of a letter sent to the DRA from Senator Jeanie Forrester. In her letter, Senator Forrester thanked DRA staff members Stephan Hamilton, Shelley Gerlaneau, and Cate DeVasto for their assistance to the present Select Board following the town government disruption and financial disorder.
- An Approval for Septic Construction was received from the NH DES for MacFarlane/280 Burnt Hill Road/Map 4, Lot 8-1.
- The new stumpage values were received from the DRA.
Trash report: As of September 25, the town has disposed of 59.31 tons of trash and 23.74 tons of recyclables. Large trash disposal: 6.33 tons of construction and demolition were picked up and 0.95 ton of metal.
MS-5 and Treasury Dept.: Dorothy stated that the Board and the treasurer are still working on the MS-5 (Financial Report of the Town) but are being impeded by the disorder and discrepancies of the 2014 treasurer records. The tax collector and Board’s secretary is also assisting. Dorothy said one of the primary problems is that $3,383.44 was paid out by the former treasurer with no corresponding vouchers. The Board is also trying to assess why it appears more was paid out to the school district in 2014 than that year’s assessment.
Jeanie Minasian spoke about accountability and questioned why the Board was not immediately ordering a forensic audit given the excessive accounting discrepancies. Dorothy said she felt that they are very close to finishing the MS-5 and the Board would make a determination at that time if a forensic audit is warranted. She added that the entire state of affairs, including the cost to the town, will be documented in the 2015 town report.
Given the penalties and added clerical costs incurred by the town due to the 2014 financial disorder, the Board discussed if the municipal bonding of the treasurer under RSA 41:29 would cover some of the costs. In the 2015 edition of Knowing the Territory, the New Hampshire Municipal Association writes that “the purpose of the bond is to protect the town against loss through the failure of officers to faithfully perform their duties.” After entertaining public discussion, Dorothy stated she will follow up with the NHMA (which bonds public officials in Orange) to see if they contractually cover any of the costs.
Judith Lindahl said she spoke with Nancy Quilty about her possible interest in being the deputy treasurer. She said that Nancy Quilty has been a bookkeeper in the past. Judith will forward the contact information to Tessa Michetti.
Action and/or tabled Board items: The Board reviewed their list of items discussed at previous meetings. Items resolved include:
- Weekes’ LUCT map
- Roadwork on Razor Hill
- Source of unaccounted deposits in 2014 have been identified.
- Stephan Hamilton from the DRA will host an informational talk on October 22 at 7 PM about the tax impact on municipalities by industrial wind projects.
- The Board has contacted the DRA-recommended auditors for proposal requests.
- A Salary Study Committee has been appointed by the Moderator.
Reports from Boards and Committee: School Board representative Kathleen Stacy said the Mascoma School Board held their October meeting at the Orange Town House. She said that they essentially reviewed policies and conducted general school business. She reported that the high school addition was on schedule and on budget. She said that the Friends of Mascoma has set up a program where people can sponsor the purchase of seats for the auditorium. Dave Stacy purchased the first seat.
Public comment:
- Beverly Ells shared that Linda Landry will be accompanying Canaan Elementary School Principal Amanda Isabelle and former Principal Sharyn Orvis to Washington, D.C. to accept the Exemplary High Performance School award from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. Bev said that Linda Landry has been an elementary teacher at Canaan for over 30 years. The Board agreed to send Ms. Landry and the school a letter of commendation.
- Judith Lindahl submitted to the Board information about the town’s ability to request online an IRS installment payment plan for quarterly estimated tax payments. The information will be forwarded to the treasurer.
- Kathleen Stacy asked where the large trash receptacles were, as well as the Mr. Coffee coffeemaker. Judith said that she had originally donated the coffeemaker but since it appeared that it went unused, she brought it back home. She said she would gladly bring it back if people wanted to use it. Bob Proulx affirmed that the empty trash receptacles were stored in the men’s restroom.
Bills and vouchers were reviewed and signed.
Meeting adjourned 8:00 P.M.
Respectfully submitted, Sandi Pierson
Dorothy Behlen Heinrichs
Robert Ells
Lyell Smith