Present: Fred Childs, Chair, Phil Consentino, Jack Sapia and Town Administrator Russell McAllister.

Mr. Consentino made the motion to open the Public Hearing concerning bonding for the construction of a new library. Mr. Sapia seconded the motion. The public hearing opened at approximately 6:03pm.

Elaine Woodbury, Library Trustee, addressed the Board noting that this was the second public hearing to discuss the bond issue associated with construction of the meeting. Ron Lamar, the architect for the project, explained the concept of the library and it’s layout along with assurances that there would be a guaranteed maximum price. The total cost in the warrant article for library construction was $3,111,860 and the square footage planned was 13,590.

Katie McDonough, Library Director, spoke to the need for a new library building. Ms. McDonough noted that the current building had structural problems particularly with the flooring systems ability to support the weight of additional books. The building also had mold issues, the sills were rotten and animals regularly crawled through the walls and into the library itself. The building did not meet ADA requirements and the electrical system was not up to code.

The Board agreed that there was a need for a new structure, but wanted to insure that a "Clerk of the Works" oversee the project to prevent cost over runs and unnecessary change orders. The Board also discussed debt issues and the impact bonding would have on the tax rate. The TA explained that a 5.2% interest rate with a term of 15 years may result in a .24-cent increase on the tax rate, and the same interest rate with a term of 20 years produced a .19-cent increase in the rate.

Comments from the audience were solicited. Hearing none Mr. Sapia made the motion to close the public hearing. Mr. Consentino seconded the motion. The public hearing was closed at approximately 6:32pm.

Approval of Minutes:

Mr. Sapia made the motion to approve the non-public minutes of January 9^th. Mr. Consentino seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved. Mr. Sapia made the motion to approve the public minutes of the January 9^th meeting with corrections. Mr. Consentino seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved. Mr. Consentino made the motion to approve the non-public minutes of the January 11^th meeting. Mr. Sapia seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved. Mr.

The Board reviewed two veterans’ exemptions and land use change tax. Mr. Childs made the motion to approve the veteran’s exemption for 126 Maple Avenue. Mr. Sapia seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved. Mr. Consentino made the motion to not approve the veterans exemption for 27 Lexington Avenue because no service medals were awarded as required by RSA 72:28 V(h). Mr. Sapia seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved. The Board next reviewed a land use change tax application where 12.1 acres were merged with another lot thereby removing the land out of current use. The full value of the land at the time of the change was $66,700; therefore the 10% land use change tax is $6,670. Mr. Sapia made the motion to approve the land use change tax of $6,670 for Atkinson Farm, Inc. Mr. Consentino seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved.

Mr. Consentino stepped down from the Board and sat in the audience where he addressed the Board as Police Chief. Mr. Consentino spoke to the issue of the warrant article for creating a revolving account for Police Details. He read the warrant article as listed below.

Mr. Sapia voted to approve the warrant article as presented. Mr. Childs seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous with Mr. Consentino abstaining. Mr. Consentino rejoined the Board.

Mr. Stewart noted that recent extremes in temperature in conjunction with several rain events had led the use of more road salt. He explained that the budget for road salt would be 50% expended at the end of January. Mr. Stewart also acknowledged a malfunction in one of the trucks sand/salt spreaders that lead to the dispersal of more material than what was originally calibrated. The controller was sent out for repairs.

Te Board addressed a recent complaint from a property owner about his lawn being plowed up during a recent storm. Mr. Stewart noted that the Town had a right of way that extended beyond the paved surface of the road to the shoulder of the road. He explained that many property owners had grown their lawns up to the edge of the road and that they should not have done so. The Board noted that the 50’ section of lawn that was plowed up wasn’t the result of a tremendous amount of snow blocking the plow driver’s view of the road, rather it seemed a driver error and according to the property owner it had occurred twice. Mr. Stewart noted that he was entirely within his rights to plow to the edge of the Town’s right of way. Mr. Sapia explained that customer service entailed being considerate and doing a good job and that there was a difference between Mr. Stewart’s right to do as he did and the right thing to do. Because visibility was not an issue with only several inches of snow the right thing to do was to avoid plowing-up the lawn, and if the lawn was inadvertently plowed-up, then talking to the property owner about his concerns would have been better customer service.

Mr. Childs noted that the auditors wanted to see highway department employees complete and sign their own time sheets. Mr. Stewart acknowledged that he filled out employee time sheets himself; but that he would now have employees complete and sign their sheets and he would sign off as supervisor.

Mr. Sapia asked whether or not Mr. Stewart could provide a preliminary work schedule for the highway crew in advance. Mr. Stewart noted that his schedule at this time of year was less predictable because of weather events, which directed his schedule.

The Board recessed for 5 minutes at approximately 7:40pm The Board resumed the meeting at approximately 7:50pm.

Mr. Childs noted that last week’s appointment of Mr. Stewart to the Planning Board, as a full member did not specify the length of his term. Mr. Consentino made the motion to appoint Mr. Stewart to the Planning Board as a full member, replacing Nicole Chenney who had resigned, and whose term expires April 1^st 2006. Mr. Sapia seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved.

The TA explained that inspections associated with Signal Tower as part of the Stipulation Agreement were now being scheduled.

Mr. Childs announced that trash pick-up would follow the same schedule despite the Holiday. Mr. Childs also noted that the Board had misplaced a letter from Mrs. Killey expressing her gratitude to Chief Consentino for his and the members of the police department for their service to both her and her late husband during his illness.

The Board directed the TA to set up a meeting with KNA for January 30^th at 6:00pm. The TA agreed to do so. The Board agreed to hold a non-public session to discuss personnel issues with the Town Clerk staff for January 23^rd at 3:00pm. The TA agreed to do so. The Board agreed to begin reviewing the personnel policy again. The TA agreed to place it in the next agenda packet.

Mr. Consentino spoke to the issue of inserting a warrant article onto the warrant that was a multipart question concerning the placement of the Vietnam honor roll. Mr. Consentino noted that he had contacted the ladies in the Historical Society to see whether or not they wished him to bring the issue up for a vote with the Board, but members of the Historical Society declined the offer noting that the issue was now in the courts.

Mr. Consentino stepped down from the Board and sat in the audience where he addressed the Board as the Police Chief. Mr. Consentino broached the subject of a salary increase for Lt. William Baldwin noting that Mr. Baldwin was promoted six months ago without an increase in salary. Mr. Childs noted that the Board had discussed the issue in non-public session. After some discussion Mr. Sapia made the motion to adjust Mr. Baldwin’s salary by the 3% COLA effective April 1^st and then add a separate $1.00 / hour on top of the 3% salary adjustment. Mr. Childs seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous with Mr. Consentino abstaining.

Mr. Consentino explained that he was having difficulty with the Bay Ring phone bill. He noted that he had not anticipated the cost and had not budgeted enough for the cost in next year’s budget. Mr. Sapia noted that the Board didn’t have anything in front of them to look at.

Mr. Sapia discussed the merits of instituting a requisition system for purchases of $100 or more. The Board discussed the issue. Mr. Consentino noted that the amount was too low and Mr. Childs concurred. A more appropriate amount was determined to be purchases of $500 or more. Mr. Sapia made the motion to have all department expenditures of $500 or more approved via a requisition / purchase order by the TA prior to purchase. Mr. Consentino seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved.

Mr. Childs spoke briefly about the probability of replacing the HVAC system in the PD and the need to raise the issue on the floor of town meeting.

There being no further business to come before the Board Mr. Consentino made the motion to adjourn. Mr. Sapia seconded. The vote was unanimous and so moved. The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:40am.

Respectfully,

Russell McAllister

Town Administrator

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Fred Childs, Chair

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Phil Consentino

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Jack Sapia