Select Board Meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm.
Roll Call: Beth Downs (Chair), Mel Pfeifle, Marlene Freyler
Also attending: Karen Hambleton, Town Administrator; Kathleen Bigford, Recording Secretary
Appearances:
Kathleen Bigford, Andrew Hatch, Community Power Coalition of NH, – Community Power Kathleen introduced Andrew Hatch from the Community Power Coalition who walked the Select Board through the sequence of events to put Bradford Community Power in business in June 2024. The Board reviewed with Andrew the Cost Sharing Agreement and Complete Service Bundle to be signed by the Board if the Town votes to accept the energy aggregation plan (Warrant Article 6). The Board agreed to send the Cost Sharing Agreement and Complete Service Bundle to legal counsel for review. This document should be returned to Karen on or before March 25, the next Board meeting, to be signed. Jenny Howley will take care of emailing the documents to the Community Power Coalition. The Coalition will then start the process of sending notices to Bradford rate payers with instructions for joining Bradford Community Power.
Steve Hall – Highway Department
Winter Road Maintenance: Steve informed the Board that so far this season expenses are $21,000. This does not include gravel.
Line Painting on Main Street is scheduled to happen during the next couple of weeks.
Dump Body. Steve proposed selling the old dump body that was recently replaced on the one-ton truck. The Board agreed that it should be sold.
Mowing. Municibid has a mowing machine available until March 21. The mowing expense last year was $12k for mowing half the roads. Buying a mower would pay for itself in a couple of years. The Board discussed the idea of sharing the machine with other towns. The Board agreed that Steve should investigate possibilities for mowing.
Sweeping. The price for the sweeping contractor has gone up. Steve has negotiated $170/hour. The Board and Steve agreed that decisions of these kinds will need to be made after Town Meeting.
Road Postings: Steve asked Naughton Recycling to hold off using the back roads for a couple of weeks. There was a miscommunication about the load limit posting in Bradford.
Road Committee Meeting. The Committee has reviewed and agreed upon a plan with Central NH Regional Planning for 2024 paving and road work. Planning is ongoing for driveway information and fire lanes, road build specifications.
Fairgrounds Road. The Committee also discussed prepping and paving a section of Fairgrounds Road from Solitude Ridge Road to just past 575 Fairgrounds Road. Prep work would cost about $12,000. Grinding and repaving would cost about $125,000.
West Road. The Committee estimated that it would cost $350,000 to pave the West Road from Bradford Center to East Washington Road. Steve is working to pin down costs.
Bryan Nowell – Fire Department Update
Incidents Based on Dispatch:
2024 Year to date, 46 incidents (29 EMS and 17 fire) Incidents from February 5 to date: 26 incidents, 11 EMS 15 Fire (including assists in Dunbarton and Warner).
FD Activity
- Forestry equipment is being purchased for $2,000 from a grant with a 50/50% share
- An interested Bradford resident is completing an application to join the department. Bryan will bring application to the Select Board for approval.
- Pumps will be serviced on March 25.
- Hazard Mitigation Committee will meet again on March 25.
- Working with Highway on driveway standards. FD is experiencing access issues for both EMS and Fire.
- Waiting for Henniker ambulance contract to move forward.
- Street numbering signs are increasing monthly.
FD Budget
- As of February 29, 2024 expenditures from the FD budget = $12,883.40 for payroll, telephone, electricity and building repairs. Rescue budget has not seen any expenditures.
Seating at Town Meeting. Bryan brought the need for the chairs at Town Meeting being zip-tied together to meet code for assembly. Several possibilities were discussed to be determined before the meeting.
Ed Shaughnessy – Police Department Update
Calls for Service: Year to date the total is 726. Since last update in February there have been 286 calls for service.
Officers are completing trainings. Officer Hubbard is doing the DARE program at the Elementary School. Crisis intervention training is being explored by the department.
Public Input: None
Regular and Old Business:
Town Hall Update. Occupancy date for the purpose of warrantees is February 22, 2024. Expenses outside the contract are under review. Following Town Meeting, planning will begin for moving.
Legal Update. Tax deed issue has been reviewed by legal counsel. Counsel recommended going forward with a quiet deed decree. Documents have been found to help with processing a deed.
New Business:
2023 Measure and List. Measure and List was not been completed in 2023. As the Assessor did not realize this until just recently, thus the money to pay for this was not encumbered to 2024. This has to do with measuring properties for the cyclical valuation. The Board agreed to have the Assessor skip the callbacks this year in favor of catching up the measure and listing.
Accept Unanticipated Revenue – Scholarship
Motion: Beth Downs moved that the Board accept $1,200 in unanticipated revenue per RSA 31:95-b in private donations for the Bradford Scholarship Fund.
Second: Marlene Freyler
Decision: 3-0, all in favor
Sign TAN Note Documents: Signed by the Board
Personnel Action Form: Signed by the Board
Board and Karen discussed setting meeting times for Department Head evaluations.
Adjourn Meeting
Motion: Marlene Freyler moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:18 pm.
Second: Mel Pfeifle
Decision: 3-0, all in favor
Upcoming meeting: March 25, 2024
Respectfully submitted, Kathleen Bigford