Chief P. Consentino announced that he would be awarding 3 scholarships to 3 Atkinson students graduating from Timberlane Regional High School this June. One each will be awarded to a student continuing his/her education in Music, Computer Science or Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement. He asked if the Selectmen would make a presentation at one of their meetings as well. The Selectmen enthusiastically agreed. Chief P. Consentino said he would notify the Board when the scholarships are announced.

Officer S. Lam was hired as an "at will" employee of the Police Department on December 19, 2005, at the prevailing rate of $13.00 per hour. Chief P. Consentino said that he had forgotten to submit Officer S. Lam for permanent appointment and a step increase for which Officer S. Lam was eligible in 2007. Chief P. Consentino is now requesting an increase in pay for Officer S. Lam to $14.85 per hour, which is commensurate with his position. P. Sullivan asked how many hours Officer S. Lam worked in 2007, if he met the department’s minimum hours worked for a part-time officer. Chief P. Consentino said the department no longer had an 8-hour per month minimum, but would require part-time officers to work at least 8 to 10 hours per week, and added that he would get Officer S. Lam’s 2007 hours worked to P. Sullivan.

Chief P. Consentino indicated that he would like to make an Offer of Employment to a candidate who applied for the part-time non-union Dispatch position, at the rate of $13.50 effective Monday, March 3, 2008. He added that he has not yet done the background check for this individual. P. Sullivan said he wanted to discuss the pay to be offered. F. Childs asked how long it should be before getting the results of a background check. Chief Consentino said it should be complete by Wednesday, February 27.

Lt. W. Baldwin said that there were two prevalent scams around Town:

P. Sullivan asked Chief Consentino how many hours he expected to use the two new part-time officers. Chief Consentino responded that together the new officers would not exceed 40 hours per week. P. Sullivan said he would not approve more that 30 hours per week combined. More than that would be short-changing the public, inasmuch as a full time officer would be more fully trained, as well as having had physical training, agility, psychological testing, etc., whereas a part-time officer has less intensive training and minimal testing. Lt W. Baldwin said that, while part-time officers hired before January 1, 2001 were exempt from much of the testing, the part-time officers hired subsequent to that date did have to be physically fit and agile, as well as having to pass psychological testing, per NH Standards and Training. Chief Consentino assured the Board that he would have the new-hires undergo psychological testing.

P. Sullivan read the February 15 letter from B. Christiansen at Comcast (attached) requesting a copy of the Town’s "Safe Streets" Ordinance, and noted that he could find no such Ordinance. Chief P. Consentino replied that he had sent Mr. B. Christiansen the information he requested, including the reference material, RSA 105:2-a (attached) and APD Standard Operating Procedure #195-6 and 195-08 (attached). He went on to explain that of the 173 streets in Atkinson, only 24 were considered to need a Police Detail, and then only if the maintenance/repair were to take longer than 30 minutes. He added that the Police Chiefs of several surrounding towns got together and standardized the Detail rate at $41.00 per hour, of which the officer receives $33.00 per hour, with an additional $8.00 per hour for a cruiser.

Chairman J. Sapia reiterated his request for an Organizational Chart of the Police Department, to include all personnel i.e. full and part time officers, Union and non-Union personnel, etc. Chief P. Consentino said he would get an Organizational Chart to the Board.

Chairman J. Sapia asked Chief P. Consentino how Main Street was during the last two storms. The Chief replied that Main Street was plowed very well, and the Department of Transportation (DOT) Division 6, of which Atkinson is a part, noted that the potholes were opening wider as fast as their personnel could fix them.

Chief P. Consentino had a conversation with Road Agent E. Stewart concerning on-street parking during snow removal. The Chief indicated that he wouldn’t encourage issuing tickets to an occasional parked car on the side of the road when the road was clear of all ice and snow, however, those who regularly park in the street are causing a serious impediment to snow removal operations, especially on the narrow roads up in the lake area. They concluded that perhaps the Selectmen would ask the Code Enforcement Officer to speak with the offending residents. The Board replied that this was a Police function, not Code Enforcement.

Notify Selectmen’s Office RE: Scholarship presentation date

Get Officer S. Lam’s 2007 hours to P. Sullivan

Results of background checks to Selectmen

Results of New Hires’ Psychological testing

Get Organizational Chart to J. Sapia

Enforce on-street parking ban during snow removal

Invite Purvis to discuss reval in one year v. 5 years

Invite S. Killam to interview Recording Secretary

Invite Library Trustees and R. Lamarre to discuss New Library

Get prices for two-month audit of Town Clerk’s Office

Finalize alternate methods of selecting a new Town Administrator