Select Board Meeting called to order at 6:00 pm
Roll Call – Andrew Pinard (Chair), Marlene Freyler, and Karen Hambleton, Town Administrator, were in attendance. Mel Pfeifle joined the meeting at 7:25 p.m.
Andrew asked for a moment of silence for Deputy Chief Alan Brown. He also sent his condolences to Nita Jackson for the recent passing of her husband, Don Jackson.
Appearances:
Fire Department – Fire Chief Jeff LeBlanc spoke about two companies, Capital Alarm Systems and Electronic Security Protection (ESP), regarding fire alarm equipment to be installed in the Town Hall. Chief said either system will work, but one was double the cost of the other. The higher quote was due to the addition of a heat annunciator panel so that someone could see where the alarm was originating at the front door rather than having to go throughout the entire building. The larger quote also has a larger monthly charge. Both quotes offered a cellular connection and the timeframe to complete the project was about the same.
Motion: Marlene Freyler motioned for the Chief to go with the Capital Alarm Systems to alarm the Town Hall and to fund the work with the Town Hall expendable trust.
Second: Andrew Pinard
Decision: 2-0
Karen will call the company to set up the installation of the fire alarms in the Town Hall.
Tax Collector – Erica Gross – Erica needs approval to print out letters to send to dog owners who have not paid their dog registrations. By consent, the Board members approved.
Erica showed the 2020 list of residents who have not paid their taxes. Deeding can take place on August 5th, however the Board will discuss individual situations on August 10. Erica will delay the deeding to this date.
There is a campground resident (Cheryl Hinse) who does not pay her taxes and currently owes for five years of taxes for a total of $1,101. She has paid nothing. Karen asked what other towns do. Erica will look into this. Erica said the campground has been informed that she is not paying her taxes.
Erica said there are five campers at the campground that were taxed much higher than they should have been. She said it will be about $700 in total abatement for all of these properties.
Megan Nunes – Karen read a request from a Newbury resident (Megan Nunes) asking if she and the autistic boy that she babysits can use French’s Park. They are not residents of Bradford. Marlene said if we start making exceptions, we will have to make them for others. By consent, the Board will not act on this letter, and this is not an available option. Karen will write back to Megan.
Parks & Rec – Devin Pendleton – Devin wants to start a discussion about a budget for a September Bradford celebration. Karen said to look at the parade line in the Patriot Purposes budget line and suggested this be used for the celebration. Marlene asked what we will do next year. Andrew said we can look at this next year. Karen said that Parks and Rec has a supplies and event line, and Devin could pull money from this line item as well. Devin would like more community involvement. She would like to bring back some fun events that used to take place. Andrew said he would love to participate. Marlene would like to see some food trucks at the event as well. Devin said they would like to have an afternoon parade, a chicken BBQ and music. Andrew said there used to be a fall event in Bradford in the past. Marlene said we could have a potluck dinner as well. Andrew suggested we could do a pie eating event as well. Andrew said they could put a survey out on the website as well to see what people would like at the event.
Michael Malacha – Michael approached the Board to follow up on a letter that he sent to the Selectboard a few weeks ago. He said he is not alone in what he is experiencing with his neighbor. There are two noise issues they are dealing with on an on-going basis. There are the noises due to car revving late at night. He said the Police Chief is currently looking into this. Michael said that there are also small engine noises that are going on all day. He said he has several clips with the repairing of these vehicles. Michael is asking the Town to respect and enforce the Town’s zoning ordinances. The Police Chief has spoken with several other chiefs regarding noise ordinance. The Police Chief likes the noise ordinance that is in place in Sunapee, N.H. Michael requested that the Town adopt a noise ordinance. Michael said that the property is also accumulating more ‘junk’ at the tree line of the property. Chief Valiquet said he is not sure if an ordinance is the way to go. The Chief said he hesitates because usually the townspeople do not approve of adding a town noise ordinance. The Chief said they are continuing to monitor this issue on a civil level. Chief Valiquet said it is challenging to proceed because these actions are not happening in front of the police. Andrew said he thinks they have seen enough evidence and would like to adopt a noise ordinance. The Chief said the Police could enforce a town ordinance or a state law, but not both simultaneously. They have the option to choose how they would like to approach the issue. Andrew said most towns around us have put a noise ordinance in place except for Bradford. Andrew would like to enact a noise ordinance in the interim until it goes to Town Meeting to be approved as a new zoning ordinance. Andrew said there is also a home business ordinance that the Code Enforcement Officer can take a look at. Andrew said he would like to review the Sunapee ordinance and vote on it at the next Selectboard meeting.
Karen asked Michael to send her photos of the property.
Public Input:
Chris Frey said he read the Selectboard minutes from two meetings ago regarding the grinding of East Washington Road. He said he would like to suggest another alternative. He would like to suggest emulsion which would be less money than repaving. He would like to take money from the Roads and Bridges expendable trust fund to start trying this process throughout town. Andrew thanked him for coming in and he looks forward to speaking with the Road Agent about this topic.
Regular and Old Business
- The Board reviewed the minutes of the June 28th meeting.
Motion: Marlene Freyler motioned to accept the minutes.
Second: Andrew Pinard
Decision: 2-0
- The Accounts Payable and Payroll Manifest were reviewed and signed.
- Town Hall – Karen reported that Harry reached out to the Committee members again. Karen and Harry will sit down to discuss what the next steps will be and create a timeline. Mel thinks they should be exploring what the Fire Marshal said regarding the building. Mel would like to be on this Committee. Karen will contact everyone and get a meeting in place. Karen reminded the Selectboard said the Town cannot run this project. There needs to be a general contractor. The Board will revisit this in August.
- CIP – Capital Improvement Program – Andrew asked the CIP Chair for a Joint Board Meeting. The Chair of the CIP Committee would like to discuss this amongst themselves before meeting with the Selectboard. Andrew would like to use the CIP as a long-term planning tool to set long-term goals. Andrew asked what their recommendation is for the CIP Committee in regard to composition of the Committee. Mel thinks the CIP Committee should create the Committee. Andrew said he would like the Selectboard to request that the CIP Committee consider and document the dates/times of the meetings as well as who would serve on the CIP. Mel will relay this information at the next Planning Board meeting. Karen said there are recommendations for CIP members. Andrew said if they could map out their schedule, it will be easier to recruit people for this Committee.
- French’s Park Stickers – Karen distributed the deed for French’s Park. Andrew asked if there was anything they could act on. Karen said if people are not residents of Bradford, they cannot go to French’s Park unless they are the guest of a Bradford resident. Andrew thinks there should be a new sticker issued every year. This puts the onus on the property owner to come in and get a new sticker each year. Andrew would like Karen to get language as to how best to distribute these annual stickers. Karen suggested starting this in 2022. This sticker is good up until six months of registering of the vehicle. Andrew would like the stickers to be distributed at the Town Hall rather than the Transfer Station.
- Masonic Hall – Andrew had not received the proposal from the Planning Board. Mel said that the Selectboard needs to iron out what they want to do, send it to the Planning Board and then send it to the Town Meeting in March. Andrew said if he uses the Community Center as an example, he thinks they need to find out what needs to be done to bring the building up to code. Mel disagrees because this is a totally different process because we are not taking grants and updating the building. We are using it as an incubator to get people invested in the Town. Andrew said the codes and costs are two different topics that need to be looked at and dealt with separately. The third aspect is what the general public would like to see done. Marlene said the Town would be paying for it because it would need to bring the building up to code. Marlene said we have to let the townspeople decide what they want to do with this building. Marlene said we should be asking the Town first then move forward. Karen said this could be done at a public hearing. Marlene disagreed. Mel said she wants to come up with a process to take to the Town. Andrew thinks it is going to take resources to put someone into that building. This will take Town money, and there will need to be a third-party manager. He said this is where the vote of the Town is needed. Andrew said there is not any money allocated to restore that building. Mel said she wants to have the process in order. Andrew said a list needs to be created to see what would bring the building up to code. Andrew said they need to look at everything including parking spaces, asbestos removal, new roof, etc. Discussion ensued. Karen asked what the next steps of building a process should be. Mel said she does not want to take monies from other projects to work on this building, but rather use private money or rent to pay for it. Marlene said she would rather have private money go to the Town Hall. Andrew said it needs to be a financial request to put in a warrant article. Andrew said that process moving forward is to create a financial proposal on what needs to be done to rent out the first floor of the Masonic Hall. Mel said let’s develop the process and see what the Town wants to do. Karen stated that we need to prioritize our projects. Mel said the Town Hall should take priority over the Masonic Hall. Karen said we can have a conversation about what needs to be done to save this building. Andrew thinks it would be beneficial to look at what needs to be done to keep the building protected in the next five years. He would not like to see the building demolished. Mel will relay this information to the Planning Board. The Board will look at possible warrant articles about saving the building, and also possibly maintaining the building.
- Community Center Emergency Lights – Karen said the company tried to replace the batteries, but the lights still did not work.
Motion: Andrew Pinard motioned to authorize Karen to sign the contract in the amount of $990 to replace the emergency lights in the Community Center.
Second: Marlene Freyler
Decision: 3-0
New Business:
- Cressy Road Sawmill Activity – Kimberly Schuster of 249 Cressy Road approached the Board. She said there is a commercial sawmill going on next door to her property. There are large logging trucks coming in. She said this is a commercial business in a rural residential area. Activity is taking place on both parcels of his land (his residence and an empty lot). Kimberly said they are shipping in logs from other locations and the property is being used for this commercial business. George Angeli said he put in a complaint a couple of years ago and it was determined by the Code Enforcement Officer that it was consistent with a home-based business. George stated that is not the case anymore because it has grown. He added that the runoff is terrible. Andrew said his advice would be to send the Code Enforcement Officer to the address as quickly as possible. He would like to revisit this in two weeks. If it is justified, the Selectboard will issue a Cease-and-Desist Order. Karen will ask the Code Enforcement Officer to go visit the property. She will also contact the Conservation Commission to look at this as well.
- Warner River Local Advisory Committee Nomination – The Board members signed the nomination papers for Patty Furness.
- Sign Library Insulation Agreements – Devin said the Library Trustees has not approved this agreement. The agreement came from the Energy Committee but has not been voted on by the Trustees. This was tabled until after the Trustees have reviewed it.
- Sign Freyler’s Driving School Lease – Signed.
Karen reported the Lafayette Marker has been approved. She also reported that the Town has paid off the Road Bond.
Upcoming Meetings:
- July 26
Motion: Marlene Freylermotioned to adjourn to non-public session per RSA 91-A:3II (b) at 9:02 p.m.
Second: Mel Pfeifle
Decision: 3-0
Motion: Marlene Freyler motioned to return to public session at 9:12 p.m.
Second: Mel Pfeifle
Decision: 3-0 in favor
Motion: Marlene Freyler motioned to adjourn the meeting at 9:21 p.m.
Second: Mel Pfeifle
Vote: 3-0 in favor
Minutes submitted by Donna Long, Recording Secretary.