Present: Jack Sapia, Chair, Paul Sullivan, Fred Childs (Selectmen) and Russell McAllister (Town Administrator).

The Board observed a moment of silence.

The Chair acknowledged Mike Mascola. Mr. Mascola announced the Atkinson Energy Fair that was scheduled for October 27^th from 9:00am through 1:00pm at the Community Center. Energy saving ideas would be highlighted. Mr. Mascola who is also on the school board announced that the proposed administration budget was scheduled for presentation on October 25^th at the PAC center beginning at 7:00pm. A public hearing for the SAU budget was scheduled for November 28^th and the public hearing for the school budget was scheduled for January 15^th.

Chief Consentino provided a brief schedule of upcoming events noting that the senior flu vaccine clinic was being held on October 27^th from 10:00am through 2:00pm at the Community Center. A homeowner’s gun course was also being offered through the department on November 2^nd from 7:00pm through 10:00pm.

Mr. Sapia explained that the Board would be holding a non-public session to discuss personnel issues. Mr.Sapia next made the motion to enter into non-public session under RSA 91-A:3 II(a) to discuss personnel issues. Mr. Childs seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved. The Board entered non-public session at approximately 7:40pm.

Library Construction Update

Library Trustees Kaye Galloway and Eleanor Fuerer provided the Board with a construction status update for the Library project noting that footings, frost walls and insulation, backfilling and compaction activities were is various states of progress or completion. Ms. Galloway was also pleased to announce that Dave Weymouth, maintenance supervisor with the Town, was the Clerk of the Works for the project. She believed the $12,000 allocated for the activity would be sufficient. Ms. McDonough announced many of the scheduled library activities for the month.

The TA explained that the Baker’s were in front of the Board seeking a building permit for a structure located on a Class VI road. The process of issuing a building permit on a Class VI road was proscribed under RSA 674:41 and entailed three things. The first included the property owner receiving planning board approval, the second required that the property owner complete a deed addendum whose language exempted the Town from any liability associated with living on a Class VI road that was not maintained by the Town. The third component required Board approval to instruct the Building Inspector to issue a building permit. Brief discussion ensued between the applicants and the Board. Mr. Childs made the motion to approve the issuance of a building permit for the Baker’s property located on 16 Chase Island Road. Mr. Sullivan seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved.

Ms. Kormonick addressed the Board about previous work to get sidewalks installed from the Police Station to the Fire Station. A synopsis of the history of the project was provided. Ms. Kormonick next addressed her concerns over the Board’s decision to allow the Papalardo’s (a property adjacent to the community center but located in Plaistow with an exclusive and permanent deeded ROW that is located in Atkinson) to erect a sign on Atkinson property that also had a deeded conservation restriction on the community center parcel. Ms. Kormonick was also concerned that all three Board members attended a ZBA hearing and that the Board’s attendance constituted a meeting. Board members disagreed and noted that they participated very little and that their attendance was as property owners (Selectmen oversee all town property). As such they had been noticed of the ZBA hearing as abutters. Ms. Kormonick expressed her concern that the Board was likely to lead to a lawsuit between the Town and SPNHF. The Board argued that they were simply following a common sense approach. The Papalardo’s allowed the Town to use their right of way to construct a second means of egress (gated access road) to the community center parking lot that enhanced public safety. The construction of a new bridge resulted in the loss of the Papalardo’s sign, which was located in Atkinson. The Board worked with the NHDOT and Mr. Papalardo to place his sign on his own deeded right of way. Ms. Kormonick argued that the deed restriction disallowed commercial signage on the property. Board members noted that Route 121 was a commercial corridor with numerous signs already located on either side and across from the community center. Therefore, the Papalardo sign was not out of character for the Route 121 location. The TA also explained that a 1982 site plan approved by the Plaistow Planning Board showed the old sign as located in Atkinson. The TA noted that the sign was a pre-existing use prior to the deed restriction of late 1989. Whether or not a deed restriction could be applied retroactively to a pre-existing use was a decision for a judge to make. More discussion ensued.

Citizen Comments - Mark Acciard

Discuss - Town Response Letter

The Board acknowledged Mr. Acciard by cautioned him with respect to discussing employee issues. Mr. Acciard asked about the un-posted non-public session the Board held on October 15^th and where were the minutes to the meeting. He also inquired about the vote to seal the minutes and when it was done. The Board noted that the meeting was posted and that the vote to seal the minutes was done in non-public and acknowledged to the audience when the Board had emerged from the non-public session. Mr. Acciard also asked the Board to explain what procedures it followed when it reviewed his employee complaint? The Board advised Mr. Acciard that he was veering towards employee issues. Mr. Acciard submitted a letter to the Board amd exited the meeting.

Budget Review - Highway Department

The Board reviewed the highway department budget. Discussion over labor costs due to the inclusion of a full-time position, and COLA’s were reviewed, along with maintenance and paving items, utility and telecommunications costs. Discussion about truck replacement size and lease payment was also discussed along with inclusion of chipper costs. Mr. Childs made the motion to preliminarily approve the Highway Budget in the amount of $422,135. Mr. Sullivan seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved.

The Board next reviewed and discussed the Street Lighting, Recycling and Solid Waste portions of the budget. Mr. Sullivan made the motion to preliminarily approve theStreet Lighting budget in the amount of $27,000, the Recycling Budget in the amount of $46,305 and the Solid Waste Budget in the amount of $527,887 for a total of $1,023,327. Mr. Childs seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved.

The Board moved on to review of Care of Grounds. Mr. Stewart noted that bids had been issued for the care of grounds and that the amount was up from last year primarily because of the proposed purchase of specialty chips for the playground. He noted that the cost of the chips was high, but child safe, and the hardwood chips lasted a long time. The Board discussed field maintenance issues. Mr. Sullivan made the motion to preliminarily approve the Care of Grounds budget in the amount of $29,500. Mr. Childs seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved.

The Board next revisited the Hearse House repair bids noting that they had received another bid from Labor Source for $2,495. Mr. Sullivan made the motion to award the repair work for the Hearse House to Randy Bishop for $1,260.

Winter fuel bids

The TA noted that the Board had yet to bid on the winter fuel bids. The results of the bid are listed in the table below.

* Selkirk plus .20 w/capped price. No service charge for building systems.

** Service cleaning charge is $139.95 per building.

The TA addressed the Board with respect to conducting a records inventory. It was explained that an inventory of records would lead to a report that helped to gauge the physical space needs. The report or further service offering could also be used to design a records management system and help the Town get such a system up and running, from inventory to space design and storage systems. The Board agreed that the necessity of better records management and space was important. The TA agreed to continue looking into the costs.

The Ta explained that the DRA has several types of contracts Town’s may enter into including, general assessment, cyclical revaluation, and annual review of data. The current contract expired December 31^st. The Board determined whether or not they would go out for bid for the contract, and also what type of assessing contract they wanted to adopt. The NH constitution requires that, "there shall be a valuation of the estates within the state taken anew once in every five years, and as much oftener as the general court shall order." The General Court (NH Legislature) has ordered such valuations to be ‘much oftener’ and indeed revised inventories shall be conducted, "Annually, and in accordance with state assessing guidelines, the assessors and selectmen shall adjust assessments to reflect changes so that all assessments are reasonably proportional within that municipality." The Board may enter into a contract for general assessment services renewable on an annual basis, or enter into a contract for cyclical revaluation assessing services for a five-year period so long as the requirements of the constitution and general court are met. Mr. Sullivan noted that the bid did not necessary need to go out for bid if they did not want to, either. The Board agreed to revisit the issue.

The TA explained that he had brought the issue before the Board because they had previously expressed a desire to have the Town join the Nation Flood Insurance Program to make flood insurance more affordable for residents. The Board agreed to revisit the issue

The TA presented a firm price for the installation of a wireless connection for the Conservation Commission. The cost was $975. The Board asked where the funding would come from. The TA explained that the cost of the wireless installation was about the same as the purchase of the Global Calendering software for the Exchange Server. The TA would simply not make the software purchase. Mr. Sullivan made the motion to approve the purchase and installation price of $975 for the wireless connection. Mr. Childs seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved.

The TA provided the sample policies for Right-to-know requests from other town of the same size, Enfield and Northwood, as the Board had asked. The Board discussed the issue noting that some requests involved significant staff time and that there should be a charge for it because of the limited size of the staff. The custody of Town records and the way in which some individuals reviewed and copied those records was also discussed. The Board reviewed the policies and asked the TA to conduct further research. The TA agreed to do so.

The Board spoke about a library trustees meeting that they had attended. Mr. Sullivan spoke about the regional health meetings and the emergency response planning that had taken place for pandemic and natural disaster scenarios.

Mr. Childs spoke to his budget committee meeting noting that the Fire Department, Recreation and Community Center budgets should be scheduled for the next Board meeting.

Mr. Sullivan spoke to the issue of Veteran’s Day and the installation of the Vietnam Panels. There was a request from Carol Grant to have the building open for use of the restrooms and well as use of some chairs from both the Town office and community center as well. The Board noted that that is what occurred previously.

The Board re-entered the public session of the meeting at approximately 10:40pm. There being no further business to come before the Board Mr. Childs made the motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Sullivan seconded the motion. The meeting concluded at approximately 10:40pm.

Respectfully,

Russell McAllister

Town Administrator

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Jack Sapia, Chair

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Paul Sullivan

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Fred Childs