Office of the Select Board

Town of Orange, New Hampshire

Minutes of August 25, 2015

 

Present: Dorothy Heinrichs, Chair; Robert Ells, Lyell ‘Skip’ Smith, and Sandi Pierson (clerical)

Others present: Beverly Ells,David and Kathleen Stacy, Bob and Sharon Proulx, Henry and Jeanne Minasian, David and Nancy Pike, Tessa Michetti, Anita Garland, Sophie Seace, Danny Hazelton, and Dave Como.

Meeting opened at 7:00 PM.

Approval of minutes:

  • The minutes of August 11, 2015 were unanimously approved as submitted.

  • The minutes of August 18, 2015 (meeting with the DRA) were unanimously approved as submitted.

Action list: Dorothy requested that the Select Board’s action list be posted for public review.

Industrial Wind: The Board discussed reaffirming the resolution that the Select Board not discuss or negotiate, individually or collectively, any proposed wind farm unless it is at a publicly noticed meeting and with the wind project attorney present. After discussion, Bob motioned to approve the following resolution:

The Select Board resolves that no individual member of the Orange Select Board shall engage in any discussion with EDP Renewables or its subcontractors or representatives of the Spruce Wind Project without the consent of the other Select Board members, and that any discussion with EDP Renewables or its subcontractors or representatives shall be in the presence of the Town’s legal counsel. Such consent shall come in a vote taken at a public meeting announced at least two weeks in advance. This resolution also pertains to any other wind project firm that may come before the Board.

Skip seconded. Resolution passed unanimously in favor. Answering a question from Bob Proulx, Dorothy stated that EDP Renewables has initiated no contact with the Board.

Town House locks: Bob Ells stated that the numerical lock for the Selectmen’s office has been installed. It was agreed that along with the selectmen and secretary, Scott Sanborn, Brent Stevens, Don Pfaefflin, and Sophie Seace should be given the access code. Answering a question from Henry Minasian, Bob affirmed that all parties having access will use the same access code. Bob stated that he has also replaced the front door lock. The Board reviewed and approved the list of town officers that will be issued keys to the building. Henry stated that former police officer Andy Ware still has access to the emergency services exterior box (Knox box) that contains copies of the keys. Bob Ells will follow up with Brent Stevens.

Deputy Tax Collector: Dorothy asked Tax Collector Sharon Proulx if she had anyone in mind for deputy tax collector. (Pat White resigned from that office.) Sharon stated that at present she did not and that it was a challenge to choose someone because the office is in her home.

Orange Harvest Festival: Helen Rocke, on behalf of the Orange Harvest Festival Committee, emailed the office and requested use of the Town House on October 18 for the festival. Skip motioned to approve the request. Bob seconded. Motion passed unanimously in favor.

Salary Study Committee: Moderator Danny Hazelton updated the Board on the formation of a Salary Study Committee as approved at town meeting. (Danny is designated to appoint the committee members.) Danny said that two people had shown an interest on being on the committee but only one has followed up. Danny requested that the selectmen’s office send out a town-wide email asking if residents would consider serving on the committee. The Board agreed. Dorothy will also have the information posted on the Orange website. Bob Proulx stated that officers of the town or those getting a salary are not eligible to be on the committee, and that the salary recommendations should be complete before the 2016 budget is finalized. Sandi will be sure there is a copy of the most recent Wage and Salary Survey available which is published annually by the Local Government Center.

Treasurer’s report: Treasurer Tessa Michetti stated that she has defined the town’s cash balance as of December 31, 2013, and has identified the errors and inconsistencies for that year. She said she still needs to reconcile with the town clerk’s office. There are also a few municipal deposits and automatic deposits from the State that need to be identified. She was unclear about how three vouchers for FEMA expenses were processed.

Tessa said she plans on meeting the August 26 deadline for the Workman’s’ Comp audit request for the town’s 2014 payroll summary. She said that if she didn’t, the 10% default increase would only be approximately $50.00. She noted that the town still has a significant “premium holiday” credit balance with the Property Liability Trust.

Tessa said she is gathering data about the untimely payments and inaccuracy of payroll deductions and that the town could still face penalties because of them by the U.S. Treasury. She was unsure of the Treasury’s timeline for their reconciliations.

Dorothy affirmed that the DRA recommends totaling the additional costs due to the past financial malfunctions and Select Board turnover.

Other:

 

  • Correspondence was received from the DRA stating that the unresolved State budget issues will not impact the municipal tax-setting timeline.
  • Correspondence was received from the NH DOT that the fiscal 2016 Block Grant (July 2015 through April 2016) is estimated at $33,331.22. 

 

Trash report: As of present, the town has disposed of 46.05 tons of trash and 17.06 tons of recyclables.

Secretary’s report: The office received an email inquiring if the septic conditions appended to the approved Dugan building permit has been followed up by the Board and/or building inspector. Bob will refer the question to Building Inspector Don Pfaefflin.

Reports from Boards and Committees:

  • Trust Funds: Trustees of the Trust Funds Chair Jeanne Minasian stated that the town’s trust funds are now being handled by another managerial company instead of the NH Public Investment Pool. She stated that there is a new wiring process but other than that, everything is “status quo” and the Trustees still get monthly reports. She said that like other towns, the trust funds are not presently earning interest but that they are secure.

    Jeanne recommended priority funding for the capital reserves of highway equipment, town roads, revaluation, and town house. Dorothy stated that no money was on the 2014 warrant for capital reserves on the rationale that an additional $10,000 was budgeted into the legal line item in the event of necessary legal counsel for an industrial wind application. Because no wind power application has yet to be filed, this led into the discussion of placing the $10,000 into selected capital reserve funds instead of letting it lapse at the end of the year. Because capital reserve funding can only be approved at a town meeting, Bob Proulx suggested it could be done in conjunction with the special town meeting that is planned later this year to vote on the Large Wind Energy Ordinance. Bob said the Planning Board should have the final revision of the ordinance completed this month and will conclude the public hearing on it in October, at which time he will ask the moderator to set the date for a special town meeting to vote to adopt it. Dorothy stated that the 2014 budgeting process for the legal line item did not foresee the nearly $4,000 in legal expenses being incurred by the town due to the two former selectmen resigning.

  • Cemeteries: Cemetery Trustee Chair Anita Garland stated that later this year Donny Dunkerton will be removing trees from the Church and French cemeteries.

  • Highway: Dorothy read a highway department update emailed to the office by Road Agent Scott Sanborn. Focal points included:

    • Downed trees were cleaned up in early summer.
    • Roads are in pretty decent shape following routine spring maintenance.
    • Tasks this fall will include cleaning of shoulders, ditches, and culvert inlets and outlets. Some culverts may need to be replaced or repaired.
    • Some brush and small trees will be removed from Eastman and Wheeler roads.
    • Spot grading of roads is planned for late September.
    • Repairs to the few hundred feet of Razor Hill Road that are in Orange are ongoing. Pavement that has degraded past patching will be reclaimed with gravel and hardpack.
    • Washout and drainage conditions at the Class VI terminus of Skyland Trail will be inspected to ensure Grafton will continue complimentary plowing. (Two hundred feet of the Class V section is in Orange.)
    • The highway budget is in good shape so there is a good chance the department will come in under budget in 2015.
(The full report is posted on the Town House bulletin board)
  • Public comment:
  •  
    • Anita asked that people consider volunteering to deliver Meals on Wheels for the Senior Center. Dorothy said she have Jay post the request on the Orange website.
    • Kathy Stacy stated she was disappointed with the Razor Hill Road highway maintenance and that she is in opposition to the idea of replacing the asphalt section with gravel. She stated that the road washes out at least twice a year and that the pot holes havenecessitated car repairs for some her guests. Bob Ells said that Scott plans on at least a foot of gravel in order to mitigate washouts.
    •  Kathy Stacy asked about the status of an audit of the treasurer’s records upon Cathy Bean resigning. Kathy, a school board representative, said that the vouchers for school payments didn’t always match what was supposed to be paid. Regarding an audit, Dorothy stated that the Board first wants to review Tessa’s assessment after she has completed her reclamation work. Tessa stated that all revenue is accounted for and the tax anticipation note has been reconciled. She sees little risk for the town and that the concerns areprimarily check amounts not matching the vouchers, inadequate data entry, and payroll deduction miscalculations. As soon as she completes the 2014 work, she will begin the 2015 data input and reconciliations. Regarding school payment amounts, Tessa said she does not receive copies of invoices and that paymentsby the treasurer are made according to the amount authorized on the Selectmen’s vouchers.
    • Sharon Proulx asked that the Board request that the missing stop sign be replaced on Burnt Hill Road where it intersects with Cardigan Mountain Road.
    • Bob Proulx recommended that the Board ask Scott to contact NH DOT regarding the present detrimental conditions of sections of Cardigan Mountain Road. Bob felt the State might be more proactive if the request came from the road agent.
    • Bob Proulx expressed his appreciation on how much the Board and other officers have accomplished over the past couple of months.
    • Henry Minasian expressed his appreciation to Sophie Seace for the exceptional job she did on getting the town “back on line again” following the resignation of the previous Board.
    • Dave Como and Anita Garland asked about the timeline for making property visit appointments with a representative from Avitar regarding the town-wide revaluation. Dorothy stated that property owners would be getting notified later this month by Avitar offering appointments but it was unclear if these appoints were for home visits to just discuss the data collection. Sandi will check with Mark Stetson when he visits the office on Friday.

Bills and vouchers were reviewed and signed. Meeting adjourned 8:00PM

Respectfully submitted, Sandi Pierson

Dorothy Behlen Heinrichs

Robert Ells

Lyell Smith