Selectmen's Minutes
February 23, 2009
Present: Elaine Sherry, Steve Moscicki, Donna Clark, Celine Presby
Absent: Jim Trudell
Other Attendees: Janice & Ray Choate
6:00 pm Acting Chairman Moscicki called the meeting to order.
Manifests & Invoices:
The manifests for Feb 16th and Feb 23rd were authorized and new invoices for future payment were reviewed and initialed.
Treasurer's Report:
The Treasurer's Report was read showing a balance of $71,106.78 in the WGSB checking account, $129,079.52 in the NHDIP fund and $6,284.08 in the Laconia Bank savings account.
Committee Reports & Needs:
- The Selectmen briefly reviewed a quote on engineering work for the Pettyboro Rd replacement culvert. It will be discussed again next week when the full Board is present.
- Town Clerk Carol Messner's minutes for the Feb 10th Budget Hearing were reviewed and approved.
- The MS-6 2009 Budget for the Town was reviewed and signed.
Meeting Minutes:
Minutes for Feb 9th were reviewed. Sherry motioned to approve the minutes as written, 2nd by Moscicki, so voted all.
Correspondence:
- Legislative Bulletins #7 and #8, the Feb 2009 Town & City magazine, and the 2007 Annual Financial Report were distributed to the Board.
- NH HSEM is holding a series of December Ice Storm After-Action Roundtables to discuss how the emergency was handled and what improvements could be made for future events.
- NH Municipal Management Association's Membership Meeting is scheduled for Mar 2nd at 9:30 am in Concord. The potential effect of Gov Lynch's proposed budget and recommendations for increasing State revenues will be discussed.
- A Safer Road to Tomorrow's "In the Red" booklet explaining the status of the NH Highway Fund was received.
- An e-mail from John Simpson regarding the state budget shortfall and his suggestions for meeting with State legislators was read.
- Congressman Paul Hodes sent an update about current economic proposals.
- Another update on the Ogontz Hall project was received.
Guests:
Janice & Ray Choate spoke to the Board about their plans for reopening Tinkerville Store, hopefully in 3 to 4 weeks. They expect to be open 6 days a week (closed Mondays) and carry grocery items, meats, produce, beer and wine, along with fresh coffee, baked goods and pizza. They will also sell gas, propane, lottery tickets and hunting & fishing licenses. The Selectmen wished them well and offered their support.
Old Business:
- The field work for the 2008 audit was completed in just two days this year. Due to the organization of Town records and the cooperation of everyone involved in the audit process, senior auditor Mike Campo feels that next year his team may only need to spend one day onsite, reducing the cost to the Town.
- All files for the Annual Town Report are complete and have been sent to Harrison Publishing House for printing.
- The Selectmen will attend a State Budget Public Hearing on Mar 16th at 6:00 pm in Whitefield. Gov Lynch's proposed budget reduces state aid revenues for Rooms & Meals and Revenue Sharing for 2009. While he plans to offset these amounts with "state fiscal stabilization funds" to meet his goal of overall level funding for municipalities, there are no guarantees at this time.
- Emergency Management Director Sherry will confirm Jane Hubbard's availability to prepare our Emergency Operation and Hazard Mitigation Plans if funds are approved at Town Meeting. A grant from the State of NH will pay for half the cost.
New Business:
- Information was received on Senate Bill 99 which proposes authorizing car dealerships to register vehicles they sell which would impact motor vehicle revenue to municipalities, among other things. The Town Clerk's Association is working to defeat this bill and will be speaking against it.
- Per an article in the Caledonian Record, bats with White Nose Syndrome have been found in a cave in Lyman.
Sherry motioned to adjourn the meeting at 7:45 pm, 2nd by Moscicki, so voted all.
The next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, Mar 2nd, at 6:00 pm.
