Orange Select Board Minutes
June 11, 2012
Office of the Selectboard Town of Orange, New Hampshire Minutes of June 11, 2012 (approved)
Present: Linda Giner (chaired the meeting), Dorothy Behlen Heinrichs, Betty Fulton, and Sandi Pierson (clerical).
Others present: Bob and Beverly Ells, Henry Minasian, Senator Jeanie Forester, Pat Mercer, Pat and George White, Bob Proulx, Judy Lindahl, Ed Saulen, Jay Heinrichs, Barbara Smith, Neil Aitken, and Bill Fulton.
Meeting called to order at 7:00 PM. Attendance taken by the secretary.
Minutes: The minutes of May 22, 2012 were unanimously approved as submitted.
Informational: Senator Jeanie Forester of District II spoke about her experiences and efforts in Concord. She said she is currently serving on the Senate Finance Committee and Public Municipal Affairs Committee. She talked about the creation of a culvert replacement policy that can be reported quarterly without a fee. She has worked with Health and Human Services in remedying welfare administration problems and getting welfare workshops more to the north of the state. Answering a question from Dorothy, she said she did not publicly support nor oppose the Northern Pass project but was active in passing HB 68 which prohibits a private company from taking property via eminent domain. She said she would like to see more of a strategy of putting major utility lines underground. Jeanie welcomed people to visit her website, JeanieForester.com, and urged people to sign up for her monthly email newsletter. The Board thanked Ms. Forester for her presentation.
Minutes protocol: Pat White asked if the exchange between Scott Sanborn and Frank Giner was summarized in the minutes of May 22, 2012. Betty stated that the discussion occurred during the “public comment” segment of the meeting thus were not reiterated in the minutes. She stated that the minutes are a record of the business conducted by the Select Board. Betty shared an email from Paul Sanderson of the Local Government Center that affirmed that the Board’s minutes are “not the place for citizens to register all manner or types of information.” The Board’s consensus was that anyone speaking during “public comment” is welcome to prepare their comments and request they be attached to the approved minutes. If items brought to the Board’s attention require a follow up, the party can request the issue be put on the following meeting’s agenda under old or new business.
Sandi stated she works under the direction of the Board and that she recorded the May 22 public comment as directed to her by the Board. She stated that she personally did not have an opinion one way or another on how public comment should appear in the minutes. She requested the Board direct her on how public comment should appear in the minutes henceforth.
Select Board member appointment: The Board interviewed George White and Henry Minasian, both who expressed an interest in filling the upcoming vacancy on the Select Board. A third candidate, Bob Ells, was interviewed at the May 22 meeting.
Henry Minasian stated that he has lived in Orange for six years and has served on the Select Board for three. During that time he had been the Planning Board ex officio. He said he had a congenial working relationship and was a positive factor on how the Board interacted as a group. He cited his experience with financial ledgers and spread sheets, municipal law, computer skills, statutory requirements, and the state’s MS forms. He added that state and town audits have proven his skills as Board member. Henry was an engineer manager for 30 years and had been active in the Boy Scouts for thirteen years. He is currently on the Canaan United Methodist Church Board of Trustees and he chairs the men’s group.
Answering a question from Betty about working together with their differences, Henry said that he feels he has set aside personal issues since the election and has shown a willingness to be gracious and thoughtful. Linda stated that Select Board members need to work off of each other’s strengths even when they do not agree, and to always be respectful. Betty said that George was knowledgeable in highway matters, the Planning Board, and the Cemetery Trustees and he wants to get people to work together. Dorothy thanked Henry for his graciousness and willingness to help. She said the present position is for seven months and urged those not chosen to think about running for the office in March. Dorothy spoke in favor of Bob Ells, citing that he is highly respected in town and is very knowledgeable.
At the conclusion of the discussion, Dorothy motioned to appoint Bob Ells to the position of Selectman effective upon Linda’s stepping down after the June 26 meeting. Betty seconded. Dorothy and Betty voted in favor and Linda recused herself. The motion passed.
Linda thanked Bob, Henry, and George for their willingness to serve. She suggested having a “candidates’ night” when the next elections are ready to be held. She thanked the people for supporting her during her time as Selectperson and during her thirteen years as treasurer.
Abatement: The Board unanimously approved a property tax refund for Judy Lindahl for $307.21. This stems from changes in valuation to Map 10, Lot 10 and Map 10, Lot 2 approved for her 2010 abatement but were not reflected on her 2011 tax bill.
AED: Linda announced that the Mascoma Savings Bank Foundation has awarded the town a $735.00 grant for the purchase of an AED for the town house. David Como originally brought the suggestion to the Budget Committee for the town to acquire an AED and Dorothy followed up with the grant writing. Answering a question from Pat Mercer, Linda said this would be posted on the spreadsheet as a “non-budgeted item.”
Notes of appreciation:
The Board thanked the Canaan Elementary third and fourth grade students for the Memorial Day wreathe and to Nate Harpootlian for placing it at the town house.
The Board thanked Pat Mercer for the geraniums for the front steps of the town house. The Board thanked Scott Sandborn for installing the new computer router.
- Zero Sort report: On June 1 there were 1.89 tons of trash picked up and .77 tons of recyclables. On June 8 there were 1.34 tons of trash and .49 tons of recyclables. Year to date: 32.96 tons of trash and 12.74 tons of recyclables.
- Dorothy noted the article about the wind turbines proposed for the Cardigan area is posted on OrangeNH.us. The wind energy proposal is targeted for privately owned land. There will be no July meeting of the Conservation Commission.
- Dorothy gave an overview of the Quabbin to Cardigan Trail, an effort to connect a trail route from Quabbin Reservoir in Massachusetts to Mount Cardigan mostly using existing trails. From Cardigan the trail will ideally continue to the Appalachian Trail.
- Dorothy noted a 227-acre parcel in Alexandria known as a “wolf preserve” is being auctioned off. The land abuts property owners in Orange.
Other:
Public comment: The Board entertained and took public comment. Parties that spoke are welcome to submit their comments and attach them to the minutes for public review.
Meeting adjourned 8:30 PM
Respectfully submitted, Sandi Pierson
______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Linda Giner Dorothy Behlen Heinrichs Betty Fulton
Pat Mercer stated that she has made copies of the map she took from the Select Board’s office and has returned the original.
Pat Mercer requested a key to the Select Board’s office in order to access incoming faxes relating to the welfare department. Betty said the Board will decline that request but that she will make herself available if Pat needs access to the office. Judy Lindahl stated that, as an attorney, it was common practice for the secretary in the law office to forward correspondence to pertinent parties without a breach of confidentiality.
Henry thanked the Board for their consideration for the Select Board appointment and congratulated Bob Ells on his service to the town.