Selectmen's Minutes
February 26, 2007
Present: Steve Moscicki, Jim Trudell, Elaine Sherry, Donna Clark, Celine Presby
6:00 pm Chairman Moscicki called the meeting to order.
Manifests & Invoices:
The manifest was authorized and new invoices for future payment were reviewed and initialed.
Treasurer's Report:
The Treasurer's Report was read showing a balance of $92,257.28 in the checking account, $97,307.69 in the NHDIP fund and $24,000.00 in the new Laconia Bank savings account.
Committee Reports & Needs:
- Art Wessels noticed Verizon setting replacement poles on Skinny Ridge last week and advised them that the Town has a policy requiring written notification prior to pole setting, a minimum setback of 10' from the ditch line, and that the road agent accompany the installer to determine suitable pole placement. Verizon verbally requested a "variance" to allow them to set some of the 10 poles closer to the ditch than the 10' minimum, but the Board agreed to adhere to the policy as adopted in May 2000. Wessels will inform Verizon of their decision and a copy of the policy will be sent to their headquarters.
- The State will be scraping Clough Hill Road again this week.
Meeting Minutes:
Minutes for Feb 19th were reviewed. Trudell motioned to approve the minutes as written, 2nd by Moscicki, so voted all.
Correspondence:
- Legislative Bulletin #9 and a DRA technical bulletin on View Factor Adjustments Affecting the Determination of Fair Market Value were distributed to the Board.
- North Country Council will be holding a public meeting March 6th on the Regional Bike Map Updates.
- NHDES sent a notice asking for input regarding changing the status of Round Pond to an Artificial Impoundment. Conservation Commission chairman Bob Chenevert will look into the matter and report back to the Selectmen before the mid-March deadline.
- NHDOT announced its new Safe Routes to School program that mainly affects children who walk or ride their bicycles to school. Clark will complete the requested survey.
- As Emergency Management Director, Sherry will review drafts of two Region #2 Emergency Preparedness Plans received from North Country Health Consortium.
Guest:
DRA representative Ron Cote brought Lyman's annual equalization information and explained the significance of the sales numbers and ratios. Also discussed was the possibility of having a statistical update done in 2008 (our assessment review year) or perhaps needing a full revaluation (list and measure of all properties) again in 2010. The State requires a town's assessments be at 100% of fair market value once every five years and our last reval was completed in 2005. Although our ratios are still within acceptable ranges, Mr. Cote recommended the Board review these 2006 statistics with our assessing company and get their advice about how best to proceed. When asked if it was possible to change the town's assessment review year to match our revaluation year cycle, he referred the Board to his superior at DRA.
Old Business:
- The Ogontz meeting with Stan Borkowski scheduled for last Friday has been moved to Feb 28th.
- As required, certified letters were mailed to all Caswell Road abutters Feb 22nd.
- Sherry and Clark will attend North Country Council's quarterly meeting Feb 28th.
- Clark faxed NHDES information on a Skinny Ridge Road property as requested.
- Fourteen Lyman residents attended the School Budget Meeting held at the Town Hall last week. The budget was reviewed line-by-line, all questions posed were answered, and it was mentioned that they may try to hold the Annual School Meeting in Lisbon on Saturday next year to see if that improves attendance. The audience thanked the school board members for their willingness to come to Lyman to present the budget.
New Business:
The annual Dodge Pond family fun day will be held Saturday, March 10th, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the pond. T-shirts, hotdogs, chowders and desserts will be available for sale, as well as games, dog sledding (weather permitting) and a small fire. Bring a chair and visit with your friends and neighbors.
Moscicki made a motion to enter non-public session per RSA 91-A:3, II(a) to discuss an employee matter taking Clark with them, 2nd by Trudell, all in favor by roll call vote.
Resumed public session. Trudell made a motion to seal the minutes of the non-public session, 2nd by Moscicki, so voted all.
Trudell motioned to adjourn the meeting at 7:45 pm, 2nd by Moscicki, so voted all.
The next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 5th, at 6:00 pm.
