Selectmen's Minutes
September 24, 2007
Present: Steve Moscicki, Jim Trudell (arrived at 7:20 pm), Elaine Sherry, Donna Clark, Celine Presby, Tom Smith
Other Attendees: Lisa Linowes
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 $106,000.47 in the checking account, $49,125.71 in the NHDIP fund, $24,104.74 in the Laconia Bank savings account and $175,000 in the TAN.
Meeting Minutes:
Minutes for Sept 17th were reviewed. Moscicki motioned to approve the minutes as written, 2nd by Sherry, so voted all.
Correspondence:
- The Board received a letter from the Grafton County Coalition (formerly known as the Grafton County Municipal Association) asking that participating Towns read and sign two resolutions pertaining to the formation of the group. The topic will be brought up again next week after the Selectmen have a chance to review the information.
- A Grafton County Criminal Justice Steering Committee Meeting on the Jail Planning Project will be held on Sept 27th. Sherry may be able to attend.
- An LGC workshop entitled Preparing for Town Meeting is scheduled for Oct 27th in Concord. Clark will attend if none of the Selectmen are available.
- State Representative Lyle Bulis sent an update on two bills that the Board had expressed interest in - SB 88 and HB 796.
- Moscicki signed a 911 Database Liaison Appointment Form naming Clark as the main contact for 911 addressing.
- The first North Country Transit e-newsletter was distributed to the Board.
Committee Reports & Needs/Audience Participation:
Road agent Tom Smith was present to speak to the Board about a change in the gravel situation. After only a few days of crushing gravel at Aldrich's new pit, Beattie Crushing ran into sand. As noted in the minutes of the Sept 19th emergency Selectmen's meeting, Moscicki and Trudell inspected the material at the pit. They saw some sand but thought it looked okay to continue, perhaps by adding other soils around the pit area if necessary.The next day, Trudell saw Smith working on Quebec Road and agreed that material being hauled at that time was becoming sandy again and would not hold to the road well. Trudell asked Clark to have Moscicki visit the pit that day but he couldn't make it. Moscicki was disappointed as he thought there was more good gravel at the pit the night before, but said that Smith should get all the suitable material he could from Aldrich's pit and get a price for ¾" crushed gravel from Presby so that graveling could continue. Smith understood from Trudell that he had permission to get gravel from Presby as soon as the other ran out since the Town had hired an additional truck and brought back a temporary employee to work during this time, and that the purchase order would follow on Monday night. Resident Lisa Linowes expressed concern that unilateral decisions were made, that the crusher was pulled out of Joe Aldrich's pit without his knowledge and without a formal meeting of the Selectmen to make that decision, that the Town's purchase order to Joe Aldrich is a contract so there is still an obligation to him, and that the road agent proceeded with getting gravel from another source without a signed purchase order. After a lengthy discussion, the Board chose to hold off on signing the Presby purchase order that had been prepared for 5,000 yds of ¾" crushed gravel. Joe Aldrich and representatives of Beattie Crushing will be asked to meet with the Board and the road agent next Monday evening to discuss why the pit owner and the crusher have such differing opinions of the gravel left in the pit, and if there is anything that can be done to bring it up to the quality required. Additional quotes for gravel and delivery will be also obtained. Clark will find out who tested the gravel at Joe's original pit last year and what the results were. Gravel will be tested in the future before commitments are made.
Meeting Minutes:
Minutes for Sept 19th were reviewed. Trudell motioned to approve the minutes as written, 2nd by Moscicki, so voted all.
Old Business:
Clark reminded the Board that the Selectmen's Office would be closed Thursday as she and Trudell are attending a Budget & Finance Workshop in Lincoln.
Sherry motioned to adjourn the meeting at 7:45 pm, 2nd by Moscicki, so voted all.
The next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, Oct 1st, at 6:00 pm.
