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TOWN OF EATON, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03832
EVANS MEMORIAL BUILDING
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
July 10, 2007
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen took place on Tuesday, July 10th, 2007 at the Evans Memorial Building. Present were: Don Philbrick, and Rick Young. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.
The Board of Selectmen reviewed bills and signed checks.
Nancy Worcester met with the Selectmen. She would like to donate to the Town a flag she received from the Military when her husband, Jim, passed away. However, the existing flag pole outside Town Hall will not accommodate a flag of this size (5' x 9'). Nancy Worcester had researched the costs of a new flag pole and said it would cost about $755 for the purchase and installation of a new pole of sufficient size to accommodate the new flag. The Selectmen noted they had previously discussed replacing the flag pole and said this may be an opportune moment to do so. They said they would review the budget to see if it could be done this year. If not, the cost could be added to next year’s budget. The Selectmen said they would get back to Nancy Worcester on the issue. There was a very pleasant exchange of shared memories of Jim Worcester.
The minutes for the meetings of June 19th and June 26th were approved as distributed. There was no meeting on July 3rd.
Rick Young noted that the Selectmen had been surprised recently at being questioned on a matter mentioned in the minutes before the Selectmen had had a chance to review and approve them. He recommended, and Don Philbrick agreed, that minutes available to the public prior to approval by the Selectmen should be marked "Draft".
Don Philbrick said the Beach kiosk had been vandalized and a window broken. Rick Young said that Dick Brisbois will be repairing the window. Additional passes had been provided to the Beach Attendant.
Debra Johnston from FEMA had been provided with all the data for the April rainstorm. She was hoping to complete the application next week.
A draft copy of the Department of Revenue Administration’s final report on the revaluation was received and will be reviewed by the Selectmen.
Rick Young reported on the Conservation Commission meeting the previous evening. There had been a quorum and two visitors, Kenneth McKenzie and Stewart Heath, had attended. Paul Savchick had indicated the bridge permits for the Willis Bean Rd should be filed by the end of the week. A decision by the Department of Environmental Services will be made within 30 days. The Conservation Commission had voted to go ahead and purchase two bridges which will take 4-6 weeks for delivery. It is expected they will be installed in the fall and Stewart Heath will do the prep and road construction work. Dan Stepanauskas, the Town Forester, had also met with the Commission and outlined the next two proposed timber projects. The Commission had advocated stretching the projects out over a five year period.
Rick Young noted that Kenneth McKenzie had been a regular attendee at the Conservation Commission meetings. He made a motion, seconded by Don Philbrick, to appoint Kenneth McKenzie, as a member of the Conservation Commission. The motion carried unanimously. A letter of appointment will be drafted for next week.
Nancy Burns and Tom Costello met with the Selectmen. Nancy Burns discussed with Rick Young the requirements for a fire pit on her property on Crystal Lake. She asked why the tent platforms on that property were a problem. Rick Young said the Selectmen had already been taken to task over them and reviewed, and Don Philbrick read, the definition of structure in the Zoning Ordinance. It stated that anything in or on the ground was a structure and structures had to meet setbacks. There was no documented evidence to show the tent platforms were grandfathered although it was known they had been on the property for a long time. Other issues and how they related to the definition of structure such as tents and picnic tables were discussed. The Selectmen noted they had previously not been concerned with such issues but the increasingly literal interpretations of the Zoning Ordinance prompted caution. They will seek further clarification from the Town attorney.
A letter had been sent out to members of the Bridge Committee appointed in 2004 but no responses had been received. The Selectmen agreed to set a date for a meeting of the Committee with Matt Lowe of Hoyle, Tanner and Associates when Lee Stack returns next week.
Rick Young discussed the proposed fire pond on the Heath property. The impact upon property valuation will be checked with the appraiser, Jason Call.
Susan Brooks signed checks.
Correspondence received included a check from Lorenz Reibling for legal services. Colleen McCormack-Lane had sent a note expressing appreciation for the new asphalt road into the Snowville Cemetery.
Signature item was a letter to certify the Town’s blueberry fields have not had any chemical treatment for at least three years. The letter, together with a copy of the Cherryfield Foods spraying records from 2002 to 2005 and a map showing the location of the fields, will be sent to Arthur Harvey who is arranging for an inspector to certify the blueberries as organic.
The Legislative Bulletin #26 indicated the Governor had vetoed a statute change to increase damages. Efforts to change the Right to Know Law had died in a joint committee of conference.
The Office of Energy and Planning Fall Conference is on October 13th in Lincoln.
The Selectmen received an invitation to a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Kennett High School on August 23rd.
Mark Griffin and Suzanne Raiche were in attendance.
The meeting adjourned at 9: 35 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
David V. Maudsley
