|
|
|
|
TOWN OF EATON, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03832
EVANS MEMORIAL BUILDING
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
November 20, 2007
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen took place on Tuesday, November 20th, 2007 at the Evans Memorial Building. Present were: Don Philbrick, Rick Young and Lee Stack. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.
The minutes for the meeting of November 13th were approved as amended.
Rick Young said he had called Bob MacDonald about the additional electrical outlets requested for the basement. He can still do them by December 8th.
Bert York, a surveyor retained by Hoyle, Tanner and Associates in preparation for the new Potter Rd bridge, had called Rick Young and the Town Hall about issues relating to Potter Rd, specifically the width of the road. Rick Young said the road width is presumed to be ditch to ditch. There is nothing in the Town records that stipulates the width of the road. The Selectmen noted that the new Potter Rd bridge may require realignment of the road in which case the Town will need an agreement with the property owner(s)affected. Preliminary designs for the bridge are due in December.
Lee Stack distributed a copy of a proposed letter to the Town seeking input on the issue of broadband access. It detailed what has transpired so far, the inability of the Town to meet the housing density requirements for expanding cable, and the uncertainty of FairPoint Communications efforts to purchase the Verizon landlines. The letter will be sent out with the tax bills. Lee Stack recounted his latest communications with Verizon.
Lee Stack had spoken with Sargent West of Troop E on the issue of speeding in Eaton Center. He was sympathetic to the situation and indicated the State Police would try and patrol more frequently and perhaps even stop at the Eaton Village Store for coffee and a chat.
Chester Lucy has retired as the Eaton representative on the Henney Historical Trust. The Selectmen signed a letter to David Hastings II requesting more information on what the Trust does.
David Maudsley discussed his visit to Cartographic Associates. They are updating the tax maps and will be making a proposal to convert to digital.
The Coalition Communities were discussing "adequate" education costs and supporting a constitutional amendment on the education funding issue.
The final report from the Department of Revenue Administration on the property appraisal was received.
The Department of Environmental Services is holding workshops on the changes to the Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act on December 11th and 12th in Concord.
The MS-5 has to be updated to reflect changes made last year by the Department of Revenue Administration,
The Mt Washington Economic Council is holding a meeting on the state of the State budget on December 6th.
Time Warner has issued new rates for cable television.
Mark Griffin met with the Selectmen to discuss the letter they sent last week about health insurance coverage. He objected to the letter and said it did not apply to him. Don Philbrick said the letter was in response to his bill seeking insurance reimbursement. Don Philbrick recounted the history of the employee policies adopted in 1996 and that health insurance coverage was available only to employees that worked 15 or more hours a week. The Town had never reimbursed employees who chose not to take the insurance coverage. Mark Griffin said that when he was running for the position he had been given to understand that health insurance was provided. The Selectmen said they were no aware of that and it did not come from them. Mark Griffin said he was not now interested in the health insurance. The Selectmen said that it had been provided to the previous Town Clerk because of her personal circumstances and prior to the adoption of the employee policies. The only elected official receiving health insurance is the Road Agent who was receiving it before the adoption of the employment policies and works more than 15 hours per week for the Town. There was further discussion about whether elected officials are employees. The Local Government Center maintains they are not but the IRS, workers compensation insurance coverage and the Department of Labor all regard officials as employees and FICA and Medicare have to be deducted from any compensation received as wages or fees. There was an extensive discussion about the lack of communication between the two sides and an understanding to try and improve upon it in the future.
NONPUBLIC SESSION
Rick Young made a motion, seconded by Lee Stack, to go into nonpublic session to discuss legal matters under RSA 91-A:3 (e). On a roll call vote, the Selectmen voted unanimously to go into nonpublic session at 9:10 p.m.
The public session resumed at 9:20 p.m. The Selectmen voted unanimously to seal the minutes.
The meeting adjourned at 9:21 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
David V. Maudsley
