Town of Groton
Selectmen’s Meeting Minutes (Amended)
January 13, 2009
7:00pm
In Attendance: Michael Brogna, Miles Sinclair, Pamela Hamel (Administrative Assistant)
Audience Members Present
Mike Brogna called the meeting to order at 7:03pm and read the appointments, announcements and the minutes of January 6 to the audience. Mike asked Pam to get a list of Town Office positions available for election and post it. He also let the audience know that the period for signing up for office runs from Wednesday, January 21 until Friday, January 30 at 4:00pm. Miles asked to amend the minutes as follows
Change: Miles verified that the minutes of the 1927 town meeting…. to Miles verified that the minutes of the 1928 town meeting…. Mike made a motion to approve the minutes as amended, Miles 2nd, all in favor, so voted.
Miles gave an update on the Groton/Hebron joint police department. He spoke with Hebron Selectman Bruce Barnard over the weekend. Mr. Barnard reported that the Hebron Board was not interested in pursuing a joint department at this time. He apologized that their Administrative Assistant had not yet sent Groton a letter of response.
The Board will be meeting with the Dorchester Board of Selectmen on Thursday, January 15 at 7pm at the Town House to discuss a possible mutual road aid agreement between the two towns. The Board would like Groton’s road agent to be at the meeting. It is at the discretion of the Dorchester Board whether or not they have their road agent attend.
Miles gave a brief update on his conversation with former state plumbing inspector Michael Capsalis. Mr. Capsalis is presently with the state fire marshal’s office but is very interested in the current situation here. He is very familiar with the use of composting toilets, the type of plumbing in the Abbott’s home and recovery systems. He is willing to accompany the current state plumbing inspector in an inspection of the Abbott property. Miles also spoke with Mr. Stata about the situation. Mr. Stata expressed a lot of frustration over the issue. He believes the Board has been overreacting with this and he has gone along with this as much as he can tolerate. He wants nothing more to do with it and would like to issue Mr. Abbott a warning. He feels the situation has been sufficiently investigated. Miles does not feel they are in a position to make a decision yet as they are still fact finding. Mike concurred with this. Mike would like to get some guidance with the State Health Department as the Town Health Officer and the Board are not in agreement.
Mike made a motion to contact the State Board of Health to see if they can receive some assistance from them, Miles 2nd, all in favor, so voted.
Mike made a motion to set February 4 as the snow date for the budget hearing, Miles 2nd, all in favor, so voted.
Mike made a motion to set the 2008 check posting cut off date as January 15 with the one outstanding bill to the Town of Hebron for fire to be dated for 2008 once it has been signed off on by the Fire Chief, Miles 2nd, all in favor, so voted.
Miles made a motion to approve Robert Allen’s application for a veteran’s tax credit, Mike 2nd, all in favor, so voted.
Miles made a motion to thank Mr. Allen for his service to our country and include this in the Board’s letter of response to him, Mike 2nd, all in favor, so voted.
Mike made a motion to order the eyewash station for the Transfer Station and make the Transfer Station Supervisor aware of the need to maintain a suitable temperature in the office in order to keep the solution from freezing, Miles 2nd, all in favor, so voted.
Mike made a motion to table the 2009 Andover Geologic contract until next week, Miles 2nd, all in favor, so voted.
Mike read a letter of resignation for Shirley Leone as a supervisor of the checklist. Mike made a motion to accept Shirley Leone’s letter of resignation, Miles 2nd, all in favor, so voted.
Mike made a motion to forward this letter and a small packet of information from Ms. Leone to the remaining supervisors, Miles 2nd, all in favor, so voted.
Jackie Brogna announced that the Library Trustees have accepted the resignation of Pamela Yinger as Librarian. The Trustees have met and are considering Ms. Yinger’s replacement. Mike thanked Ms. Yinger and Ms. Leone for their service to the community.
Ken Martell presented his proposal for a garage for the police cruiser. Cost of the project is $64,000. This will be placed on a warrant article. There is a possibility of receiving a grant totaling 35% of the project. Ken submitted all the numbers for the proposal to the Board. Miles will be filling out the grant application this week. The deadline is January 20. The Board thanked Ken for his hard work in putting this proposal together. At this time, the Board is not in favor of expending any extra funds. They see this as a want and not a need but believe it is up to the town’s people to make the final decision. If they choose to vote for it, the Board will look to see it implemented at the most reasonable cost.
Mike made a motion to go into nonpublic session at 8:10pm pursuant to RSA 91-A:3 II (b), Miles 2nd, all in favor, so voted.
Mike made a motion to go into public session at 8:45pm, Miles 2nd, all in favor, so voted,
Mike made a motion to seal the minutes of the non public session, Miles 2nd, all in favor, so voted.
Mike submitted a letter from the Board for the Town Report. Pam will type it up and forward it to Miles for his input. Mike also submitted his completed performance evaluation for Glen Hansen. Miles had also completed this evaluation.
Board discussed that they believe the proposal for the garage for the Police cruiser was quite high. They are concerned that when the grant application is reviewed, it might appear as though the town is trying to have it fully funded by submitting a high proposal then contracting it out for less.
The Board discussed the issue of keys that have not been turned in by former Selectperson Clark. The Administrative Assistant will try to reach her as well as contacting Bonnie Lane to see if she can assist. Also, Sergeant Austin will be asked to go to her home in Hebron to collect the keys.
Miles also mentioned that one thing he did address with Chuck Stata is that he does not feel bound by decisions made by previous boards. Mr. Stata has agreed to meet with the Board to discuss what direction they would like to go in, what he has for open cases, and prioritize what needs to be dealt with first.
Miles asked about whether or not the road agent and his assistants take lunch breaks when they work long shifts and if they are being paid for them. Mike said he believes they are being paid but are not taking long breaks. If they are only stopping for a quick sandwich he doesn’t have a problem paying them but if they are taking long breaks then they shouldn’t be paid. He would like to ask Glen Hansen about it.
Mike made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:00pm, Miles 2nd, all in favor, so voted.
Respectfully submitted,
Pamela Hamel
Administrative Assistant