Office of the Select Board 

Town of Orange, New Hampshire 

Minutes of May 22, 2018 

Present: Dorothy Heinrichs, Chair; Robert Ells, Tamara Fairbank, and Sandi Pierson (clerical). 

Others present: Terrance McQueeney, Billie Brockhum, Bev Ells, Judith Lindahl, Gulley Dunlap, Alexander Smith, Alasdair Smith, Douglas Weekes, Aaron Allen, Anita Garland, Tom Dunkerton, and Miles Sinclair. 

Meeting opened at 6 PM. Attendance taken by the secretary. 

Minutes: The minutes of May 7, 2018 were unanimously approved. 

Treasurer reports: The Board reviewed the Treasurer’s reports for March and April 2018 with Select Board reconciliations. The reconciliations were on target and the Chair signed the reports. 

Building permits: The Board reviewed and approved the following building application permits: 

  • Aaron Allen/211 New Colony Road/Map 3, Lot 36A: residential housing. The previously approved driveway permit from the road agent and a septic approval from the NH Department of Environmental Services were attached. The permit was already reviewed and signed by Building Inspector Don Pfaefflin. 
  • Alexander Smith and Gulley Dunlap/50 Tug Mountain Road/Map 3, Lot 26-A: accessory building/astronomical observatory. The permit was already reviewed and signed by Building Inspector Don Pfaefflin. Alasdair Smith gave further details about the structure and its use. The Board commended him on his endeavor. 
  • Tracy Hutchins/326 Tuttle Hill Road/Map 1, Lot 46-A: two-bay garage. The permit was already reviewed and signed by Building Inspector Don Pfaefflin. 

Certificate of Use: The Board was in receipt of a Certificate of Use signed by Building Inspector Don Pfaefflin for a post and beam barn: Dave Delgenio/Tuttle Hill Road/Map 3, Lot 62. 

Cemetery Department: Cemetery Trustee Chair Anita Garland came before the Board to discuss the removal of trees that have fallen into the Common Cemetery on Tug Mountain Road as the result of a wind event. She stated that Cemetery Agent Barry Geddis did not feel comfortable taking on the task. The Trustees have requested Tom Dunkerton remove the trees. Tom said he would remove the trees at a cost of $300. He requested that the Trustees photograph the damage to any stones prior to his work in order to cover his own liability. Tom said he will dispose of the wood and chip all the limb debris. Because the bases of the trees are outside of the cemetery, Anita will inform the abutting property owner of the work. 

Regarding any damage to stones resulting from the fallen trees, Anita suggested that the Cemetery Trustees may request that the Select Board authorize the repairs to be paid out of the Cemetery Monument Capital Reserve Fund. Anita and Dorothy confirmed that there were two students who could help with cemetery tasks to be used toward their educational grants from the Orange Scholarship Committee. 

Health Officer: Dorothy stated that because the current Health Officer Don Pfaefflin is preparing to relocate, Don is recommending the Board nominate Doug Weekes for the position. Dorothy noted that this is a State-appointed position and that the Select Board makes a recommendation. Dorothy shared a resume of qualifications submitted by Doug. After discussion, the Board voted unanimously to nominate Doug Weekes as health officer. They also approved his membership in the NH Association of Health Officers and attendance at an upcoming health officer conference. The Board thanked Doug for assuming the position. 

Town House alarm monitoring: Upon the request of the Board, when Don Pfaefflin relinquishes the duty of being the primary contact for Hanover Dispatch when the Town House alarm system signifies a problem, Doug Weekes agreed that he will assume that role. It was noted that when the primary contact cannot be reached, the call then goes to Scott Sanborn and thirdly to Sandi Pierson. 

Minutes protocol: The Board reviewed and approved a draft letter requesting that all boards and committees submit a copy of their meeting minutes to the Select Board’s office. This will make it easier for the town to promptly fulfill records requests. 

Conservation Commission appointment: Dorothy (who is also the Conservation Commission Chair) said that Tracy Hutchins would like to join the Conservation Commission. After discussion, the Board voted unanimously in favor of appointing Tracy as a member. 

Other: 

  • The Board reviewed a valuation report resulting from the 2018 pick-ups (valuations of property changes from April 1, 2017 to April 1, 2018). The town gained $181,196 in overall valuation. 
  • The Board received notification from the NH Department of Safety that the Orange Hazard Mitigation Plan Update grant has been formally completed (closed). Dorothy explained that the town was awarded a matching grant of $6000 to update the town’s plan, and that the town’s portion was paid for by in-kind hours from volunteers, thus no funds were expended from the town’s budget. The Board thanked the volunteers which included Jason Azze, Dorothy Heinrichs, Judith Lindahl, Don Pfaefflin, Scott Sanborn, and Brent Stevens. 
  • The Board reviewed an invoice from Gardner, Fulton and Waugh (paid for out of the retainer). 
  • The Board was in receipt of a copy of a wetland permit from the NHDES for Dave Como/163 New Colony Road/Map 3, Lot 33. Dave is restoring a washed-out area in the vicinity of the bridge that spans his driveway. 

Perambulation report: Miles Sinclair of Groton submitted to the Board a notebook compilation of the perambulation between Groton and Orange done by him and Scott Sanborn on November 14, 2017. Dorothy explained that a perambulation is the formal walking and marking of a boundary between two towns by representatives from each town. The report contained many historical documents (as early as 1792) and historical boundary markers. The Board thanked Miles for the report. They requested that Sandi have a couple of copies made to share with others. 

Secretary’s Report: 

  • The Board confirmed that Inventory forms that were postmarked after the April 15th deadline are subject to the penalties established by the DRA. The penalties range between $10 and $50 dollars depending on the property valuation. 
  • A resident stopped into the office and requested the Board review an anonymous, religiously bizarre letter she received that she felt was disconcerting. She wanted to know if others had received one. No one present said they received one. 

Reports from other Boards and Committees: 

  • Planning Board Vice Chair Judith Lindahl stated that the Planning Board will continue their deliberations at their June 19th meeting on the issue of the McQueeney/Brockhum driveway permit waiver request. She stated a nonbinding straw poll was taken at the May 15th meeting and the results were 5 members in favor of not waiving the driveway regulations and one member with reservations. 

 

Public comment: 

Aaron Allen made the following highway department-related requests: 

  • Because of the winter sand left on New Colony Road which creates excessive dust, would the town rent a street sweeper at $165 @ day if Aaron donates his time to do the job? The Board suggested he talk to the road agent about the idea. 
  • Aaron would like to work with Tom Dunkerton to remove 100 feet of potential tree hazards on New Colony Road (at his expense) and would like to report the results back to the Board to see if they would consider more town-wide hazardous tree removal. Again the Board suggested he talk to the road agent about the idea. Anita and Judith spoke in favor of the idea, and Judith recapped an event on Razor Hill whereas a tree limb came down though Dave Stacy’s windshield, and had there been someone sitting on the passenger side, they would have been severly injured or killed. Alexander Smith asked if utility companies would remove hazards. Tom Dunkerton said that they trim for their own purposes on a five to seven year cycle, and that many of their lines are running through the woods. 
  • Aaron said he polled the residents on his road and most of them were amenable to having the speed limit be reduced from 35 mph to 25 mph. Judith Lindahl shared her experience of doing the same for Burnt Hill Road and suggested he submit a petition to the Board signed by the neighborhood residents that request they reduce the speed limit. 

Bills and vouchers were reviewed and signed. 

Meeting adjourned 6:45 PM. 

Dorothy Behlen Heinrichs

Robert Ells

Tamara Fairbank