Chairman Paul Sullivan called the Board of Selectmen to order at 7:32PM on Monday, April 28, 2008, in the Atkinson Town Hall.

Paul Sullivan, Chairman Craig Kleman, Interim Town Administrator

Fred Childs

William Friel

Board minutes for April 21, 2008 were deferred until the next meeting.

Mr. Dave Gibson, Business Development Director for BayRing Communications was present to discuss their telecommunications services contract. Chair Sullivan said that the contract is near completion. Mr. Gibson said that they provide service in southern Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire and provide local and long distance calling and high speed internet mostly to hospitals, schools and municipalities and that the Town’s infrastructure are located at the highway garage, the library and the community center, town hall, and fire and police stations. He said that the issues are the cost of local and long distance calls, dissatisfaction with phone system, budget constraints in terms of replacement, hosting solutions/ digital Centrex solutions and phones at desk level. He reminded the board that phones were failing and that there was no voice mail (VM) and no internal dialing system. The Town had an obsolete phone system and the decision was made to lease the phones.

Chairman Sullivan asked if the system could be added to in light of the recent Town hall addition proposal. Mr. Gibson said that they could be. He said that the police could use five more phones at the station. Mr. Friel asked if they have multiple agreements with the town and Mr. Gibson said no they do not. He added that the town gets one bill. Mr. Friel followed up and asked about the library and Mr. Gibson said that they are sub accounts. Mr. Gibson said that each department could receive their own invoice. Mr. Sullivan discussed the telecommunication account review that the board wanted and Mr. Gibson said that they would provide this by voice and Internet for all of the different addresses. Mr. Gibson produced a spreadsheet that showed the current contract and the second one showed the renewal pricing. The board discussed the different lines that town hall offices’ use. Mr. Gibson said that upon renewal they would do another analysis of the phone situation. Chair Sullivan asked about Nextel and the renewal and wondered if this was a changing of the plans and Mr. Gibson said that it is not the same that it is not a plan. Mr. Friel asked if the system was technologically advanced and Mr. Gibson said that the Police station has limitations without the use of capital expenditures. He mentioned IP solutions as well as Voice over Internet Protocols (VOIP). Mr. Friel said that the board needs to go out to bid and look at technology upgrades and capital expenditures. Mr. Childs added that the costs would be cheaper and that it is costing the Town more money. Mr. Gibson said that the old phone system was not cheaper versus acquiring a new phone system. Mr. Friel felt that the Request for Proposal (RFP) should be a new phone system v. leasing one. Mr. Gibson interjected that the town owns its own system and is providing traditional telecommunications services. A new system would change the services and reduce the hardware costs and repair time but that the Town would assume more of the risk. Mr. Gibson said that it would give the staff more functionality. Mr. Friel mentioned that the wiring in the walls might limit the system chosen. Board members discussed the price per call and Mr. Gibson said that the new renewal rate was less at 4 cents per call.

On a motion by Mr. Childs with a second by Mr. Friel to go into the Public Hearing at 8:01 PM. Hearing was held to allow the Police Department to expend funds from the Donation Account.

Chief P. Consentino to expend the amount of $1,300.00 from the Police Donation Account on Monday, April 28, 2008. This money is earmarked as follows:

Total Withdrawal from Donation Fund $1,300.00. Public Hearing closed at 8:05 PM on a motion by Mr. Childs, second by Mr. Friel.

Seasonal Highway Laborers - Mr. Friel said that there are two positions in the budget and that there are two individuals that he is comfortable with. Motion on Mr. Friel with a second by Mr. Childs to discuss the recommendations by the Road Agent. Mr. Childs asked how they are going to be used and Mr. Sullivan said that they would work 20 hours a week. Motion by Mr. Friel with a second by Mr. Childs to hire the laborers at 20 hours a week.

The Board discussed the Oil Spill cleanup at the Kimball house and Mr. Friel said that Dave Weymouth was overseeing the project.

Mr. Dave Williams, Cable Coordinator, discussed the sound system for the upcoming Public Hearing dealing with the Large Groundwater withdrawal. He addressed the bids that he had received from four companies. Soundtown let their bid stand. Rainbow Productions adjusted their price downward. The Music Factory (MFI) provided an actual bid. The Fourth Company was not responsive and was unclear with the concept. Mr. Williams was not comfortable with him. Mr. Williams ‘s recommendation was to go with the MFI as they know the site and they will provide the tripod screen and a lumen projector. Motion made by Mr. Childs to go with MFI at the price of $1,032.00 with a second by Mr. Friel. Motion carried 3-0. Mention was made that the groundwater withdrawal hearing would be May 7^th at Dyke Auditorium.

Mr. Friel discussed appointments and the need to get them out. The Budget committee was meeting May 13^th and would make their appointments. He would like a list of appointments due; who applied and the department heads’ recommendation. Mention was made that P. DiMaggio would like to continue on the Planning Board.

Mr. Paul DiMaggio had mentioned that he would like to be on the Emergency Communication Committee for Atkinson and that the same volunteers would come together as a group. Mr. Sullivan said that this was not feasible after the resounding vote. The Committee did not get the ear of the voters. Mr. Childs added that all of their Warrant Articles (WA) was defeated. Mr. Friel said that Mr. DiMaggio did not know why or why not it was defeated and that he received no direction from the voters to go forward with it. Mr. Sullivan said that they should let it stand. Mr. Sullivan mentioned the Building Needs Committee. Mr. Childs said that members would like to continue with it next year. Mr. Sullivan said that the goal of the committee was to expand town hall. He felt that the town had to made do with the space that they have and take stock of the public building. Mr. Friel said that we have to make better use of what we have.

Mr. Childs disagreed with the other board members. He said that they have been collecting dollars for the cable TV and that there were too many large items on last year’s warrant articles. They waited two years to submit a WA in deference to the Library. Mr. Friel said that there are 300k in Capital reserve. Mr. Sullivan said that we should take stock of this building before we contemplate an addition to Town hall. He suggested that Mr. Friel look at it. Mr. Childs said that he could meet any day but Tuesday.

Mr. Friel discussed the telecommunications contract and that he wanted to review apples to apples. He said that next week he will get a quote by the end of next week for Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) and that we should put it out to RFP. He asked that Mr. Kleman contact BayRing and see how fast they can get back to the town with a quote.

Mr. Sullivan discussed the Employee Handbook and the questions that Mrs. LaVallee had given to Mr. Kleman especially dealing with sick leave/ personal days. He felt that the board should set up a workshop to examine these issues. The workshop was set up for May 12, 2008. He asked what other issues should be addressed at the workshop and they felt that inspections, job descriptions and sick days.

Mr. Sullivan said that Code Enforcement staff should meet with the Road agent over driveway permit issues and get back to the board by Monday May 5^th. Mr. Sullivan said that they should use forms to follow up on complaints.

Mr. Sullivan mentioned that there will be a welfare workshop in June for municipal officials and Mr. Childs said that NHLGC would be sponsoring it.

Mr. DeRosa talked about a community fundraiser by Buzz Durkin’s karate studio. He said that the funds will raise money for a family and that this would be on May 17^th from 1030am to 130 pm off of Rte. 111 at the high school and that this would raise money for Cpl. Lapham, the Dare officer whose short term disability and long term disability was running out. He added that Cpl. Lapham is back in the hospital in Boston.

Discussion about the Hearse House and the need to continue the repair of the sill.

Mr. Sullivan asked what needs to be done the National Flood Insurance Program and Mr. Kleman said that a resolution needs to be drafted.

On motion of Mr. Childs, seconded by Mr. Friel, it was voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 8:41PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Craig Kleman

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Paul A. Sullivan, Chairman

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Fred J. Childs, Jr

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William G. Friel