Selectmen's Minutes
February 9, 2009
Present: Jim Trudell, Elaine Sherry, Steve Moscicki, Donna Clark, Celine Presby
6:05 pm Chairman Trudell called the meeting to order.
Manifests & Invoices:
The manifest for Feb 9th 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 $53,755.79 in the WGSB checking account, $129,003.04 in the NHDIP fund and $6,281.42 in the Laconia Bank savings account.
- The Board will not meet Feb 16th due to the President's Day holiday, but authorized Presby to sign payroll and pre-approved payables checks.
Committee Reports & Needs:
- Trudell, Lisa Linowes and Beth Hubbard will sign new signatory paperwork at WGSB this week for the Permanent Cemetery Fund accounts.
- Tom Smith and Scott Stuart have signed up to attend two UNH T2 Classes this spring, weather permitting.
Meeting Minutes:
Minutes for Feb 2nd were reviewed. Moscicki motioned to approve the minutes as written, 2nd by Sherry, so voted all.
Correspondence:
- Legislative Bulletin #6 was distributed to the Board.
- Road Agent Tom Smith is included in the 2009 NH Roads Scholar Directory.
- Notices were received for North Country Council's Feb 18th Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting, an Informational Workshop on NH Current Use Tax Rules being held Mar 11th in Canaan, and a North County Resource Conservation and Development Area Council Feb 17th dinner in Plymouth.
- PSNH's 2008 NH Economic Review booklet which includes many interesting statistics about New Hampshire's growth, employment, income and taxes was received.
- Executive Council Report #2 from Raymond Burton was reviewed.
- A letter from Terry Simpson expressing her concerns about the effect of town and school budgets and property taxes on Lyman residents was read and discussed.
Old Business:
- At a Jan 12th public hearing, the Current Use Board received extensive written comments and testimony concerning their proposed forestland rate changes. The Town of Lyman was one of many who requested the Board to reconsider the significant rate changes they planned to implement April 1, 2009. At a later meeting, they voted to adopt forestland assessment ranges that would gradually implement the rate changes. Clark prepared a spreadsheet that indicated the revised rates will lower Lyman's current use land valuation by approximately $135,000 as opposed to the $620,000 loss that the originally proposed rates would have would created.
- Mike Campo and his auditing team will be doing the 2008 field work at the Town Offices Feb 16th - 18th.
- The Board reviewed the 2009 proposed budget and backup documentation that will be presented at tomorrow night's Budget Hearing. The Board will meet at the Town Hall at 6:00 pm and the hearing starts at 7:00 pm.
New Business:
- A representation letter required by Plodzik & Sanderson to release the Town's 2007 audit reports was prepared and signed.
- Town Assessor Commerford Nieder Perkins sent quotes for a 2010 Statistical Update ($26,000) and a 2009-2010 Revaluation ($59,000) which will be discussed at the Budget Hearing and Town Meeting. There are no plans to take any action in 2009 unless the State mandates it, in which case it would be funded by the Property Revaluation Capital Reserve Fund.
- Janice & Ray Choate will attend the Feb 23rd Selectmen's Meeting to discuss their plans for re-opening the Tinkerville Store this spring.
Moscicki motioned to adjourn the meeting at 7:45 pm, 2nd by Sherry, so voted all.
The 2009 Annual Budget Hearing will be held Tuesday, Feb 10th, at 7:00 pm.
There will be no meeting Feb 16th due to the President's Day holiday. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, Feb 23rd, at 6:00 pm.
