Select Board Meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm.
Roll Call: Beth Downs (Chair), Marlene Freyler, Chip Meany
Also attending: Karen Hambleton, Town Administrator
Review Minutes of the February 10, 2025 and February 17, 2025 meetings.
Motion: Marlene Freyler moved to approve the February 10, 2025 minutes as written.
Second: Chip Meany
Decision: 3-0, all in favor
Motion: Marlene Freyler moved to approve the February 17, 2025 minutes as written.
Second: Chip Meany
Decision: 3-0, all in favor
Appearances:
Facilities Use Committee – Town Hall Recommendations.
Bruce Gezelman appeared to report the recommendations of the Facilities Use Committee for the Town Hall second floor theater: Establish a fundraising committee; designate a person to handle the bookings and oversee the volunteers; hire someone to handle maintenance; pursue grants to outfit the theater; market availability of the theater to surrounding towns and others.
Bruce asked the Board their vision of the use of the Bradford Area Community Center (BACC). Marlene responded that she would like to see a Board of Directors established. Marlene sees the Center as a place for people from the community to gather. Beth suggested that the lower level could be used for rental opportunities. Chip agreed with Marlene; the building should be used for community activities only. Chip will meet with the CAP Program Director on Tuesday, February 25. Chip also said the repairs to kitchen equipment need to be completed. Chip would like to see the reinvigoration of the Friends of the BACC.
Department Updates
Police Department – Ed Shaughnessy appeared.
Call report for 2024: 4275 calls. A large proportion of calls later in 2024 and continuing to be
large in 2025 are calls concerning internet and phone scams. Ed has been in touch with the Attorney General’s Office who would be available to do trainings for residents on how to deal with scam calls. Currently the department has had 695 calls in 2025.
Budget: The Police Department had a $20,800 budget surplus in the 2024. $15,000 of this was
for salaries that were reimbursed.
Ed submitted a grant for bicycle helmets and received 48 helmets to distribute during the 4th of
July bike parade.
Trainings: Officers are attending the FBI Leadership School and Interview workshop.
Fire Department – Bryan Nowell appeared.
For 2024 Fire & Rescue had a 29% increase in calls over 2023 – a total of 249 calls. To date in
2025 there have been 31 calls: 18 EMS calls and 13 fire calls.
Events: The Department helped with Parks and Rec events on the January 1st Polar Plunge and
with Winter Carnival on February 15th.
The hazard mitigation plan is almost complete.
Budget: The Department finished 2024 about 12% under budget.
March 8, free pancake breakfast 7:30 – 10:00. March 12, 12 – 4:30 pm Red Cross blood drive.
Highway Department – Steve Hall appeared.
Budget: The Department finished 2024 about 5.9% over budget.
The frost in the sand pile is making it difficult to pull sand from the pit to use the roads.
The Department keeps paper maintenance records organized in notebooks for each vehicle
and piece of equipment.
There was a discussion solving the problem of uncapped wells. As discussed in a previous Select
Board meeting, property owners will be notified by letter.
Public Input: None
Regular and Old Business:
Sign 2025 Town Warrant: Selectmen signed.
New Business:
Donate Life: Flag needs to be replaced. Board agreed to continue to support the organization’s efforts.
Assessor Bids: Karen has put out a request for proposals to six assessors and received one proposal.
Motion: Chip Meany made a motion to accept the one proposal for assessor service.
Second: Marlene Freyler
Decision: 3-0, all in favor
Unanticipated Funds
Motion: Marlene Freyler moved that the Board accept $600.00 in unanticipated revenue per RSA 31:95-b from the Kearsarge Regional School District as reimbursement for the purchase of a voting tablet.
Second: Chip Meany
Decision: 3-0, all in favor
Motion: Marlene Freyler moved that the Board accept $325.00 in unanticipated revenue per RSA 31:95-b from Land & Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) in a stewardship grant acknowledging the timely submission of the 2024 Annual Monitoring Report for the historic Bradford Town Hall.
Second: Chip Meany
Decision: 3-0, all in favor
Motion: Marlene Freyler moved that the $325.00 in unanticipated funds be placed in the Town Hall account.
Second: Chip Meany
Decision: 3-0, all in favor
Adjourn
Motion: Marlene Freyer moved to adjourn the meeting.
Second: Chip Meany
Decision: 3-0, all in favor
Meeting adjourned at 7:13 pm.
Minutes Recorded from Town Hall Streams Video Recording
Respectfully submitted Kathleen Bigford, Recording Secretary