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TOWN OF EATON, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03832
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen took place on Tuesday, January 2, 2007.
at the Evans Memorial Building. Present were: Joyce Blue, Don Philbrick and Rick Young. The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m.
The minutes for the meeting of December 19th were accepted as amended.
The Selectmen reviewed the Veteran’s exemptions to confirm eligibility. In order to qualify for the exemption certain criteria for military service had to be satisfied. Certain dates or medals as laid out in RSA 72:28 have to be covered. A letter will be sent to those where questions of eligibility have arisen.
Don Philbrick said there was some unhappiness about land in South Eaton being posted for no hunting. The files will be checked to ensure the property owners are not receiving the recreational adjustment.
The Public Hearing for the budget was scheduled for Thursday, February 8th at 7 p.m.
Joyce Blue reviewed the Planning Board Public Hearing on the proposed Zoning Ordinance amendments. The first two amendments were at the request of the Zoning Board of Adjustment to better qualify conditions for a special exception. These were non controversial. A third amendment to define emergency situations for aircraft and helicopter landings and take offs generated one objection. The amendment was modified slightly to be more inclusive. A fourth amendment, to adopt the Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act, generated the most discussion. After a lengthy debate, it was extended by including more specific details on enforcement. Subsequently, the issue as to whether the Board of Selectmen have the authority to enforce the Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act was raised. A fifth amendment dealing with paper roads was shelved. A second Public Hearing on the zoning amendments will be held on January 17th at 7:30 p.m.
Alphine Web Design is reviewing the Eaton web page and will be coming back with some recommendations and costs.
David Pandora had been contacted about two homes that need occupancy permits.
The Local Government Center has issued the first Legislative bulletin for the year as well as details and dates on some workshops for safety in the workplace.
Primex has a workshop on fiscal integrity on January 23rd in Concord.
Caes Hermanson picked up a permit.
The Coalition Communities have a meeting on January 30th in Concord for a legislative update.
The Conway Library had submitted their annual report on usage. In Eaton, 82 families and 9 seniors had used the facility in 2006. Rates for 2007 are going up to $70 for a family card and $35 for a senior card.
Phil Bodwell had called and will try and make it up next week to review the abatement requests.
Colleen McCormack-Lane and Suzanne Raiche were in attendance.
The meeting adjourned at 9 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
David V. Maudsley
Approved:
Board of Selectmen
TOWN OF EATON, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03832
EVANS MEMORIAL BUILDING
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
January 9, 2007
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen took place on Tuesday, January 9, 2007.
at the Evans Memorial Building. Present were: Joyce Blue, Don Philbrick and Rick Young. The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m.
The Board of Selectmen reviewed bills and signed checks.
The minutes for the meeting of January 2nd were accepted as amended.
Rick Young said he had left a message with Bob MacDonald about repairing the exterior light over the rear entrance to Town Hall. They are waiting for a part.
The last Fire Report is in and they will be forwarded to the State.
The Conservation Commission had continued discussions on blueberries. Correspondence from Kenneth McKenzie documented the visit to the Sunrise Blueberry Cooperative in Maine and he was urging the Conservation Commission to work towards a cooperative. The Conservation Commission had concluded that managing the blueberries was too much for a volunteer and decided that a manager was needed.
The permit applications have not yet been filed for the two bridges on the Willis Bean Rd.
Joshua Luttinger came in to pick up a certificate of occupancy (#200701) for property located on Cove Camp Rd (Tax map R1, lot 15).
Don Philbrick discussed the location of Crystal Lake Rd and it effect on abutting properties.
An objection to the petition for laying out the old Lary Rd has been filed by Attorney Randall Coooper on behalf of two affected homeowners, Robert Kennett and Peter Aitken. The Selectmen are scheduled to meet with the Town attorney on Thursday about the issue.
Carol Mayhofer signed checks.
An annual report was received from Executive Councilor Ray Burton.
A handout on the hazards of radon exposure was received from the Department of Environmental Services.
Budget expenditures and projections were reviewed and discussed. The Budget Public Hearing is on February 8th. The deadline for petitions is February 6th.
Colleen McCormack-Lane and Suzanne Raiche were in attendance.
The meeting adjourned at 9 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
David V. Maudsley
Approved:
Board of Selectmen
TOWN OF EATON, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03832
EVANS MEMORIAL BUILDING
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
January 16, 2007
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen took place on Tuesday, January 16th, 2007.
at the Evans Memorial Building. Present were: Joyce Blue, and Rick Young. The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m.
Marnie Cobbs discussed with the Selectmen participation in the Conway Recreation Program. She would like to see Eaton involved with it again because the other children at Pine Tree can participate in the programs. She said she had met with Earl Sires to determine whether there was any flexibility in cost allocation for the program. The Selectmen explained that the Town had voted unanimously not to continue to participate because Conway had changed the formula for calculating costs from one based on the number of participants to one based on the Town’s valuation and the costs had risen significantly. The Selectmen in Eaton had met with Conway Selectmen to discuss the issue, a committee involving Eaton, Albany and Conway had discussed the issue following the Town Meeting but Conway was not prepared to change the formula. The Town had made arrangements for children in Eaton to join the recreation programs in Madison or North Conway. The Selectmen suggested a petitioned article to get the Town to discuss it again. They agreed to send a letter to Conway asking the cost of rejoining the program.
The Selectmen also discussed with Marnie Cobbs the blueberry picking and brush cutting on Foss Mt. Rick Young said the Conservation Commission had agreed to hire a manager to mange the blueberries. Arthur Harvey has done some brush cutting on the areas he will be managing and the Conservation Commission was arranging to have brush cutting done on yhe rest. A prescribed burn is in the offing but needs to be carefully planned.
The minutes for the meeting of January 9th were accepted as amended.
For the record, Joyce Blue noted the Selectmen had met last week with Attorney Tim Bates to review the objections to the petition to lay out the old Lary Rd. Tim Bates will be speaking with the legal representative of the petitioners (Fay Melendy) to determine if they wish to proceed with the petition.
Phil Bodwell from Commerford Nieder Perkins LLC had been in to review the abatement requests.
Forms have been filled to transfer the webpage from Emerlyn Technologies to AlpineWeb Design.
The Department of Environmental Services was requesting that the Annual Report for the Solid Waste Facility be completed.
Letters were received from Nancy Malvesta and Lee and Valerie Stack with their objection to the petitions to layout the old Lary Rd.
The Department of Revenue Administration Newsletter discussed assessment procedures, Village Districts and training for municipal officials.
The UNH "Road Business" journal discussed slip lining culverts, ethics and the safety of crosswalks.
The Local Government Center‘s Legislative Bulletin discussed upcoming legislative hearings on the RSA 91A (the Right Know Law).
Medstar will level fund the ambulance service for 2007 at $3,622.50. They also provided an annual report showing there was a total of 26 calls in Eaton last year.
Colleen McCormack-Lane and Suzanne Raiche were in attendance.
The meeting adjourned at 9 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
David V. Maudsley
Approved:
Board of Selectmen
TOWN OF EATON, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03832
EVANS MEMORIAL BUILDING
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
January 23, 2007
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen took place on Tuesday, January 23rd, 2007. at the Evans Memorial Building. Present were: Joyce Blue, and Rick Young. The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m.
The Supervisors of the Checklist were in session
The Board of Selectmen reviewed bills and signed checks.
The minutes for the meeting of January 16th were accepted as amended.
The Planning Board had held their second Public Hearing on the proposed zoning amendments last Wednesday. There had been two visitors from Conway, Tom Deans and John Edgerton) who discussed the Conway shoreland protection zoning and expressed a willingness to work with Eaton on areas of mutual interest. The amendments had been approved by the Planning Board and will be on the ballot in March.
The Selectmen signed an occupancy permit for Steve and Elizabeth Farrell for property on Woodland Acres (Tax map R6, lot14).
A letter to Conway Selectmen seeking some input on a the cost of Eaton rejoining the Conway recreation program was signed.
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services is scheduling a homeless count for January 25th.
The Local Government Center has published the latest edition of the "Town Meeting and School Meeting Handbook".
The Department of Safety has issued information on funds available for highway safety issues.
Karen Brisbois inquired about the use of Town Hall basement for the Community Circle. The Selectmen had no objection provided steps were taken to limit the access to the upper floor.
The DRA is holding a course on revaluation contracts and assessing standards in Derry on February 8th.
The Legislative Bulletin #4 was distributed.
The updated 911 maps were delivered this morning. They need to be reviewed before the Selectmen sign off on them.
The Selectmen reviewed the budget and proposed new numbers for 2007.
Colleen McCormack-Lane and Suzanne Raiche were in attendance.
The meeting adjourned at 9 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
David V. Maudsley
Approved:
Board of Selectmen
TOWN OF EATON, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03832
EVANS MEMORIAL BUILDING
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
January 30, 2007
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen took place on Tuesday, January 30th, 2007, at the Evans Memorial Building. Present were: Joyce Blue, and Rick Young. The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m.
Marnie Cobbs met with the Selectmen to update them on progress with respect to Eaton’s participation in the Conway recreation program. The bill for 2007 will be $14,009. A petition was drafted to collect signatures to put an article for that amount on the warrant for the Annual Meeting.
The minutes for the meeting of January 23rd were accepted as distributed.
Joyce Blue said she will not be running for re-election to the Board. Later in the meeting, Colleen McCormack-Lane said she would not be running for Town Clerk/Tax Collector. She said she will be taking a full time job in the Secretary of State’s office in Concord.
Scott MacIntyre discussed the state of the current flag pole and the need for a new one.
Carol Mayhofer came in to pick up some financial print outs.
Elwyn Thurston discussed the budget for the Highway Department. The budget will be increased to include work on Potter Rd. The appropriation to the Capital Reserve Fund for Highway Equipment will be increased to $13,000 per year to meet anticipated increases in costs for trucks and equipment. Elwyn Thurston indicated the truck renewal period could be increased to five years. A special article will be put on the warrant for $25,000 to cover reditching, resurfacing and replacing culverts on Old Carriage Rd, reditching and resurfacing on Hatch Hill Rd and culvert replacement on Youngs Rd.
Signature item was a letter to Kenneth McKenzie listing the cost of the legal services to the Town in 2006 involved in his actions against the Town.
The Selectmen reviewed and revised the budget. They discussed with David Maudsley extending office hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays to accommodate the public and the increased work load.
Rick Young said the Conservation Commission will be meeting with a prospective candidate for managing the blueberry fields. Rick Young said a property owner complaining about the appraisal on his property had been advised to file an abatement request with the Town.
The Department of Transportation indicated they will be doing a paver shim on the Brownfield Rd to the Maine line and on Rte 153 from Freedom.
The Legislative Bulletin #5 was distributed.
Gilbert Cass had questions about the reappraisal of the Cass property on Crystal Lake. A letter from Attorney Diane Bolander indicated the property was in trust and she was the sole authority in determining whether an appeal would be filed.
An update on the Solid Waste District Ordinance was received. Changes related to electronic waste and fees.
Two petitions for the Annual Meeting were received (White Mt Health Center and the Gibson Center).
"Zoning Practice" from the American Planning Association discussed affordable housing.
The Local Government Center has issued a new edition of the "Town and School Meeting Handbook".
Colleen McCormack-Lane and Suzanne Raiche were in attendance.
The meeting adjourned at 9 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
David V. Maudsley
Approved:
Board of Selectmen
TOWN OF EATON, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03832
EVANS MEMORIAL BUILDING
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
February 6, 2007
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen took place on Tuesday, February 6th, 2007, at the Evans Memorial Building. Present were: Joyce Blue, Don Philbrick and Rick Young. The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m.
The Board of Selectmen reviewed bills and signed checks.
Kenneth McKenzie met with the Selectmen. He submitted a letter to the Town noting the Supreme Court had ruled in his favor in his case against the Zoning Board of Adjustment and put the Town on notice that he was of the opinion that the Burns shed could not be moved anywhere else on the property since accessory buildings could not exist in the absence of a primary building. He also stated in response to the letter from the Selectmen of last week that the client/attorney privilege did not apply to correspondence between Attorney Waugh and the Selectmen since his suite had been against the Zoning Board of Adjustment. The Selectmen subsequently agreed to refer these issues to the attorneys.
The minutes for the meeting of January 30th, 2007 were accepted as distributed.
Don Philbrick said his email was now with roadrunner.com indicating that TimeWarner Cable has started to change over from Adelphia in this area.
Rick Young discussed the problems with radio communications between the forest fire wardens during the Potter Rd fire last year. Don Philbrick said some new radios has been purchased a few years ago but their location or condition was not known. The Selectmen agreed to include a warrant article for $3,000 to cover the replacement or repair of the radios for fire fighting and fire prevention purposes with funds to come out of the General Fund. Rick Young said he was working towards finding someone to replace him as the chief fire warden.
Correspondence was received from Attorney Fay Melendy that the petition for laying out the old Lary Rd was withdrawn.
Colleen McCormack-Lane had a request from Alice van Boven to use the Town Hall parking lot on August 25th for overflow parking from her property on the Brownfield. The Selectmen agreed on the assumption it was not going to clash with a Community Circle event.
It was the closing date for petitions for the Annual Meeting. The Selectmen reviewed those received which included one for the Conway recreation program.
Don Philbrick said the School Committee had held their public hearing on the budget the previous evening. The turn out has been the customary few. The warrant will contain an article for a new trust fund to assist with future tuition costs. Don Philbrick also said there is a surplus that will be used to reduce taxes.
Carol Mayhofer signed checks.
The Department of Environmental Services has issued a permit for septic construction for the Kent property on Ridge Rd (Tax map R3, lot 7).
Conway had submitted a bill ($2,427.33) for the first quarter of the 2006 recreation program (i.e. last year).
The Primex Annual Meeting is on May 23rd and 24th in Meredith.
Signature item was a letter to Gilbert Cass with a property abatement request form.
Legislative Bulletin # 6 was distributed
The New Hampshire Municipal Management Association is hosting a session with Legislative leaders on "Legislative issues of Municipal Interest" in Concord on Friday, February 16th.
The New Hampshire Department of Transportation 10 year road plan is being rereviewed in light of increased costs.
Correspondence was received from Earl Sires, the Conway Town manager, indicating that Eaton’s share of the recreation program for 2007 will be $14,009.
Copies of correspondence from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services to the Reibling Trust requesting an update on the status of the shoreline restoration plan was received.
Colleen McCormack-Lane and Suzanne Raiche were in attendance.
The meeting adjourned at 9 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
David V. Maudsley
Approved:
Board of Selectmen
TOWN OF EATON, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03832
EVANS MEMORIAL BUILDING
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
February 13, 2007
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen took place on Tuesday, February 13th, 2007, at the Evans Memorial Building. Present were: Joyce Blue, Don Philbrick and Rick Young. The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m.
The minutes for the meeting of February 6th were accepted as distributed.
The Selectmen agred a copy of a letter to Gilbert Cass should be sent to Attorney Diana Bolander.
Joyce Blue said the minutes for the School Committee had been updated on the web. She noted there were a few formatting issues when adding pages to the web site and Alpine Web will be contacted for input.
Glen Williams has passed away and Joyce Blue noted there was a well attended funeral service this afternoon at the Little White Church.
Don Philbrick reported on the Public Hearing on the budget that was held last Thursday. There had been three members of the public present and a good chat was had by all. In light of a recent bill from the Town of Conway for the first quarter billing for the recreation
programs for 2006, the Selectmen had agreed to raise the proposed recreational budget by $2,500 to $11,500.
Rick Young said he had again recommended that a property owner submit a letter if they felt their property was over valued.
Rick Young said the Conservation Commission had met with a prospective manager for the blueberry fields last evening. The Commission will decide next month on which direction they wished to follow.
Rick Young said that Paul Savchick had indicated the bridges for the Willis Bean Rd had been ordered and that he will be going to Concord to sort out the permits.
Attorney Fay Melendy had written indicating the petition for laying out the old Lary Rd was being withdrawn. A letter of acknowledgment will be sent.
Signature item was a letter to Kenneth McKenzie reiterating the confidentiality of correspondence between the Selectmen and the attorney.
The current community profile was received from New Hampshire Emplyment Security.
Forums will by the held around the State by the new Joint Education Task Force to receive public input on how to define an "adequate" education.
The Coalition Communities had submitted a financial accounting of their expenses to date while requesting additional contributions from donor communities.
Correspondence from the assessing company ‘Avatar; discussed the view tax issue.
Carol Mayhofer said all further correspondence for the Zoning Board of Adjustment should be referred to Randy Cooper.
Legislative Bulletin # 7 was distributed.
According to correspondence from the Pemi-Baker Solid Waste District, the Northeast Resource Recovery Association appears to be in some hot water after recent actions on the part of the Board of Trustees. A special meeting of the Association is to be held on February 28th in Concord.
The Town report is due at the printers next Monday. Several reports are still due.
Colleen McCormack-Lane and Suzanne Raiche were in attendance.
The meeting adjourned at 9 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
David V. Maudsley
Approved:
Board of Selectmen
TOWN OF EATON, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03832
EVANS MEMORIAL BUILDING
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
February 20, 2007
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen took place on Tuesday, February 20th, 2007, at the Evans Memorial Building. Present were: Joyce Blue, Don Philbrick and Rick Young. The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m.
The Board of Selectmen reviewed bills and signed checks
The minutes for the meeting of February 13th were accepted as distributed.
Joyce Blue said she had proofread the Town Report which had now gone off to the printers. There was no Conservation Commission financial statement in time for the report. Joyce Blue also noted the increase in the School Budget. It is scheduled to rise 9.6%. The number of students continues to decline going down from 54 in 2005 to 45 in 2006.
Rick Young noted the number of people retiring or resigning from public service in the last year. He had counted an accumulated total of over 50 years worth of service. He said their contributions will be recognized at the Town Meeting.
Carol Mayhofer signed checks. She said she was still an alternate to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
Signature item was a letter to Attorney Fay Melendy acknowledging receipt of her letter withdrawing the petitions from Waterman and Schilson for laying out the old Lary Rd as a public highway. Also signed was the MS 6 budget form and the warrant for the Town Meeting.
The Department of Revenue Administration had analyzed the property sales in Town and concluded the equalization ratio to be 100%. There were, however, less than 20 valid sales. Given the revaluation that has just taken place, a number of 100 was to be expected.
Joyce Blue signed an approval form for the "Reach the Beach Relay" to be held September 14th and 15th.
PSNH has issued details on transmission line easements, procedures and survey requirements.
The Selectmen agreed to leave the issue of rabies certificates and registering dogs with the Town Clerk.
The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance is hosting an Old House and Barn Exposition on March 24th and 25th.
Legislative Bulletin #8 was distributed.
Colleen McCormack-Lane and Suzanne Raiche were in attendance.
The meeting adjourned at 9 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
David V. Maudsley
Approved:
Board of Selectmen
TOWN OF EATON, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03832
EVANS MEMORIAL BUILDING
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
February 27, 2007
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen took place on Tuesday, February 27th, 2007, at the Evans Memorial Building. Present were: Joyce Blue, Don Philbrick and Rick Young. The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m.
The minutes for the meeting of February 20th were accepted as amended.
William Voss met with Selectmen and filed a property abatement request. He inquired about which structures were permitted on land in Eaton. Joyce Blue said all dwellings had to have water and septic and meet State standards.
Nancy Burns thanked the Selectmen for their efforts in the McKenzie versus the Eaton Zoning Board of Adjustment New Hampshire Supreme Court case.
Ray Desmarais filed a building permit application on behalf of Deborah Bryant for a garage, barn/workshop for property located on Stewart Rd (Tax map 2, lot 11). The application was reviewed, approved and signed by the Board of Selectmen (Building permit # 2625). The fee of $59.30 was paid by check. The building permit noted the accessory building was not to be used for living purposes.
Don Philbrick said he had spoken with Bob Bridgham about HB 143 which the New Hampshire House had just approved. The bill, if upheld in the Senate, will likely affect the liability potential of defendants in law suites. The Local Government Center had pointed this out in a recent Legislative Bulletin. The Selectmen agreed to send a letter in opposition to the bill when it gets to the Senate.
Tom Costello said that he will shortly be removing or dismantling the shed on the Burns property.
Joyce Blue reviewed the Planning Board meeting last Wednesday. They had discussed zoning changes for next year. They will be doing the Master Plan this year. The Planning Board will also be looking for a new member.
Don Philbrick said that Dick Shaw was willing to donate a small piece of land to the Buttermilk Hollow Association in an effort to resolve his property issue. The Selectmen noted that a boundary line adjustment approved by the Planning Board would still be required.
The Selectmen reiterated their position that weddings involving payment to the host were not permitted in the rural residential zone.
Rick Young said a bill will be forth coming for the purchase of election materials.
The Selectmen noted that they have recommended to the Planning Board that structures such as garages, barns and storage sheds be permitted on lots even in the absence of a primary building. They noted that had been the custom of the Town in the past.
The abatement requests were reviewed and approved. Commerford Nieder Perkins LLC will be contacted about recent applications.
David Sorensen discussed a range of issues with the Selectmen including building permits, elections, and the joys of being a Carroll County Commissioner.
PSNH is hosting an informational meeting for municipal officials on March 23rd in Lancaster.
Colleen McCormack-Lane provided copies of a letter from the State Veterinarian on the issue of rabies certification and registration of dogs.
Attorney Diana Bolander had written asserting her role as court appointed trustee to the Cass property.
Signature item was a letter to Cherryfield Foods requesting documentation of their spraying activities on the blueberry fields on Foss Mt.
The UNH Cooperative Extension Service is offering a workshop entitled " Landscape at the Water’s Edge" on March 27-28 in Northwood.
The Coalition Communities provided an update on the status of the State education issue.
Legislative Bulletin #9 was distributed. It contained details on HB 143 discussed earlier.
Colleen McCormack-Lane and Suzanne Raiche were in attendance.
The meeting adjourned at 9 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
David V. Maudsley
Approved:
Board of Selectmen
TOWN OF EATON, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03832
EVANS MEMORIAL BUILDING
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
March 6, 2007
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen took place on Tuesday, March 6th, 2007, at the Evans Memorial Building. Present were: Joyce Blue, Don Philbrick and Rick Young. The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m.
Kurt Fisher discussed the emergency radios. He said he would continue to look for them and return them if he finds them.
The minutes for the meeting of February 27th were accepted as amended.
Don Philbrick said he will be visiting Washington and may miss a meeting sometime in April.
Rick Young said he had spoken with Dennis MacDonald of the Center Conway Fire District. He had indicated that the District will have to raise its contract price for fire and rescue services next year.
A building permit application from John Edge was reviewed, It needs setback distances.
Gary Karp from the Department of Revenue Administration had been in with the forms to be sent to the charitable organizations (Little White Church and the South Eaton Meeting House).
Phil Bodwell of Commerford Nieder Perkins LLC has been contacted about setting up a date to review the remainder of the property tax abatement requests.
Don Philbrick drew attention to HB 882 which seeks to remove the liability cap for damages for the State and for municipalities.
Responses to abatement requests from Luttinger, Borden, Russell, McKendry and Verney were reviewed, approved and signed.
A Department of Revenue Administration mini course on the current use rules and criteria will be held on April 26 in Rochester.
The Local Government Center is launching an interactive website for the Property Liability Trust.
Primex his holding a workshop on unemployment compensation on March 26th in Concord.
The Department of Environmental Services has issued a septic approval for construction for Lawrence Cassidy for property on Thurston Rd (Tax map R5, lot 25).
The Office of Energy and Planning is hosting their spring conference on April 28th in Manchester.
Legislative bulletin # 10 was distributed. It contained details of HB 882 referred to earlier.
Paper flow and paper load were reviewed. It was agreed to extend office hours for the Selectmen’s office to Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Colleen McCormack-Lane and Suzanne Raiche were in attendance.
The meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
David V. Maudsley
Approved:
Board of Selectmen
TOWN OF EATON, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03832
EVANS MEMORIAL BUILDING
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
March 13, 2007
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen took place on Tuesday, March 613th, 2007, at the Evans Memorial Building. Present were: Joyce Blue, Don Philbrick and Rick Young. The meeting was called to order at 11:15 a.m. It was Town Meeting day.
The minutes for the meeting of March 6th were accepted as distributed.
Joyce Blue thanked her colleagues on the Board for their support during the last three years.
Don Philbrick said there had been two fire calls recently, one of which involved an alarm going off.
Paul Hennigan met with the Selectmen saying that one of the petitioned warrant articles for the Annual Meeting had two signatures that were not registered Eaton voters. That reduced the number of signatures to nine which is one less than that required by statute. He proposed a way round the issue by tabling it and addressing it under other business.
Rick Young said there was an issue over building without a permit for a property on Conway Lake. A visit to the site last Friday revealed four structures for which no permits existed. He also said there was uncertainly on which lot the new primary building was located since part of the lot line was difficult to determine. Subsequently, the Selectmen sent a letter to the owner issuing a cease and desist order and giving them till April 1st to re-establish the property line so the setbacks for the new structures could be established. The letter was sent certified as well as regular mail. Rick Young noted the construction had started after the revaluation and may never have been picked up until the next revaluation with loss of significant revenue to the Town.
Rick Young also discussed a four lot subdivision on the section of old Lary Rd, accessed from Rte 153 and renamed Long Pond Rd. The subdivision had been approved in 1983 and there was a clear 50' right of way to Map R5, lot 8C. This subdivision had been researched because of a claim by the property owner that this parcel did not have a legal access point.
Rick Young reported on the Conservation Commission meeting held the previous evening.
They had decided to proceed with negotiating a contract for managing the blueberry fields.
There has been no response so far to the request of Cherryfield Foods for records on spraying on Foss Mt.
The Conservation Commission had also voted to approve the purchase of two bridges. There will be additional permit fees of $400. The Conservation Commission had also appropriated $1,200 for Eaton children to attend Tin Mountain Summer Camps.
Correspondence was received from Attorney Diane Bolander together with a copy of the court order appointing her trustee of the Cass Family Trust/ The Selectmen agreed not to proceed with the abatement request from Gilbert Cass.
Legislative bulletin #11 was distributed.
The meeting adjourned at 1:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
David V. Maudsley
Approved:
Board of Selectmen
TOWN OF EATON, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03832
EVANS MEMORIAL BUILDING
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
March 20, 2007
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen took place on Tuesday, March 20th, 2007, at the Evans Memorial Building. Present were: Don Philbrick, Rick Young and Lee Stack. The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m.
The Board of Selectmen reviewed bills and signed checks.
Lee Stack was welcomed as the new member of the Board.
The outgoing Tax Collector, Colleen McCormack-Lane, noted that the number of liens filed on property this year was the highest she had known (20).
Don Philbrick and Rick Young updated Lee Stack on the current issues facing the Board. They included a building permit issue down on Conway Lake and property abatement requests following the last revaluation.
The minutes for the Annual Meeting were distributed.
Carol Mayhofer signed checks.
Correspondence was received from Jim Cobbs concerning his tree farm.
Legislative Bulletin # 12 was distributed. It contained information on proposed bills before the Legislature on collective bargaining units and the interest to be charged on late tax payments.
Mark Griffin and Suzanne Raiche were in attendance.
Mark Griffin met with the Selectmen and discussed personnel issues.
The meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
David V. Maudsley
Approved:
Board of Selectmen
TOWN OF EATON, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03832
EVANS MEMORIAL BUILDING
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
March 27, 2007
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen took place on Tuesday, March 27th, 2007, at the Evans Memorial Building. Present were: Don Philbrick, Rick Young and Lee Stack. The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m.
The minutes for the meeting of March 20th were approved as amended.
Rick Young recounted a visit he and Lee Stack had made last Friday to a property on Conway Lake where construction was still taking place without a permit even though a cease and desist order had been issued and received by the owner the previous Monday. Lee Stack provided a written summary of the Selectmen’s visit. Six workers were counted on site. Work had been stopped. Thorne Surveys are reestablishing the boundary line and they have indicated a boundary line adjustment will be necessary since the tennis court does not meet setbacks. A discussion with the contractor revealed that a septic tank had been installed but no permit had been issued by the State. Apparently no application had been filed with the State and Thorne Surveys are currently drawing up a septic design. The Selectmen will do random checks to ensure work does not proceed until all permits are in place.
Lee Stack will be attending a Local Government Center workshop for Public Officials on April 26th in Lincoln.
Lee Stack reported that the Planning Board did not have a quorum for the last meeting but were delayed (briefly) from going home immediately by a slide presentation by David Maudsley The Selectmen discussed the issue of board membership and the general shortage of volunteers.
Peggy Westcott met with the Selectmen to discuss putting up a sign advertizing her business. The Selectmen reviewed the Zoning Ordinance for off premise signs which indicated a maximum of 4 sq ft. Peggy Westcott noted the signs at the beach. The Selectmen noted that approvals for installation of signs on Rte 153 or the Brownfield Rd were up to the State.
The Selectmen reviewed the abatement reviews that Phil Bodwell had completed. They agreed with the new values (with the exception of one property) and signed off on the abatement forms.
The Selectmen discussed correspondence from the Department of Motor Vehicles seeking input on an application to operate a dealer transporter on the Brownfield Rd. The Selectmen agreed it was not a permitted use in the Rural Residential District and did not support the application.
Legislative Bulletin #13 from the Local Government Center was distributed. It discussed changes in the Right to Know Law, liability damage caps, wind turbines and zoning, the LCHIP program and collective bargaining.
The New Hampshire Government Finance Officers Association will hold their Annual Meeting in North Conway on May 3/4.
The North Country Council is sponsoring two Planning Board workshops on April 19th and May 17th.
Correspondence was received from Patrick
regarding the construction work on the Reibling property on Conway Lake. .
A report was received from Gary Karp of the Department of Revenue Administration summarizing the status of the DRA’s monitoring of the revaluation.
The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests is holding a conference on "Saving Special Places" in Londonderry on April 14th.
In response to a Department of Revenue Administration requirement, signature items were letters to Bob Bridgham and Barry Varney requesting information on the tax exempt status of the Little White Church and the South Eaton Meeting House, respectively.
The Public Officials Surety Bond was received from the Local Government Center.
An article in the Assessors Exchange discussed the view component of the property appraisal process.
Zoning Practice discussed the changes in composition of American households and local land use regulations.
Mark Griffin and Suzanne Raiche were in attendance.
The meeting adjourned at 9 20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
David V. Maudsley
Approved:
Board of Selectmen
TOWN OF EATON, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03832
EVANS MEMORIAL BUILDING
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
April 3, 2007
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen took place on Tuesday, April 3rd , 2007 at the Evans Memorial Building. Present were: Don Philbrick, Rick Young and Lee Stack. The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m.
The Board of Selectmen reviewed bills and signed checks.
The minutes for the meeting of March 27th were approved as distributed.
Adam Nelson filed a building permit application to construct a new home on property located off Rte 153 (Tax map R3, lot 26C). The application was reviewed, approved and signed by the Board of Selectmen (Building permit #2701). The permit was conditional upon the existing trailer being removed prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
The fee of $268 was paid by check.
All three Selectmen had made independent visits to a property on Conway Lake to see if the cease and desist order on further construction was holding. None of the Selectmen had observed any construction activity.
Rick Young said he had prepared a draft of potential contracts with Arthur Harvey and Ryan Bushnell for managing the blueberry fields on Foss Mt. They will be reviewed by the Conservation Commission next week.
Rick Young said he is still seeking a replacement as the forest fire warden.
Lee Stack, referring to the report from the Department of Revenue Administration on the status of the revaluation, asked how the revaluation numbers were calculated. Phil Bodwell of Commerford-Nieder-Perkins LLC will be contacted for further information.
John Edge had filed a building permit application to construct a farm storage shed on property on Ridge Rd (Tax Map R2, lot 4). The application was reviewed, approved and signed by the Board of Selectmen (Building permit #2702). The fee of $168 was paid by check.
Patrick Wansor had visited Town Hall this morning indicating that the new Reibling building
would be converted into a non habitable one. He had been informed that was not possible with the current Zoning Ordinance.
Mark Griffin discussed with the Selectmen an issue over dog licenses and rabies certification where the local veterinarian did not recommend a rabies shot because it might not be good for the health of the dog. The Selectmen provided a copy of a letter previously sent to the Town, from the State Veterinarian, stating that all dogs had to be licensed and the statutes did not currently provide for exemptions to the rabies certification requirement.
Legislative Bulletin #14 was distributed. It discussed changes in the Right to Know Law and also proposed changes to the size of collective bargaining units.
The North Country Council provided information on a planning workshop to be held April 19th in Franconia Town Hall.
"Municipalis", a newsletter from the law firm of Donahue, Tucker and Ciandella, discussed the hardship test for a use variance, a planning board’s exercise of administrative discretion and tax deeding.
Carol Mayhofer signed checks.
The Coalition Communities were seeking support for a Legislative hearing on a constitutional amendment for education funding.
The Town of Conway had forwarded information on the Recreational Programs.
Mark Griffin and Suzanne Raiche were in attendance.
The meeting adjourned at 9 10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
David V. Maudsley
Approved:
Board of Selectmen
TOWN OF EATON, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03832
EVANS MEMORIAL BUILDING
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
April 10, 2007
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen took place on Tuesday, April 10th , 2007 at the Evans Memorial Building. Present were: Don Philbrick, Rick Young and Lee Stack. The meeting was called to order at 7:04 p.m.
The minutes for the meeting of April 3rd were approved as distributed.
Don Philbrick said the emergency plans for a pandemic had been received from the Town of Conway. There is a meeting on May 4th that requires a representative from the Town. Don Hall will be contacted.
Rick Young said the Conservation Commission meeting scheduled for last night had been postponed at the request of the Chairman. There was still some delay over the bridges for the Willis Bean Rd. Rick Young noted he had drawn up proposed contracts for managing the blueberry fields and the Commission and the Board of Selectmen needed to review them soon so work could begin.
Lee Stack relayed some discussions held at the Eaton Village Preservation Society meeting recently. They were proposing smartening up the Town Beach to increase the organization’s visibility beyond that of the Eaton Village Store. Lee Stack said that if it involved Town funds any appropriations should be for permanent improvements. Rick Young noted that this kind of work, such as setting and painting the perimeter posts, painting the picnic tables etc, used to be done by a group of volunteers. Temporary beautifying features such as potted plants etc were donations and not from Town funds. There was an extensive discussion about the status and standing of the Eaton Village Preservation Society.
The second item that Lee Stack said had been discussed by the Eaton Village Preservation Society was the concern over fire protection and response time with an apparent yearning to return to Conway Village for services or the Town to get its own fire engine and/or department. Rick Young reviewed the history of fire and rescue services to the Town. He noted that Conway Village, when it provided services to the Town, had decided to change the formula for calculating the cost to Eaton. Originally, costs had been based on the number of calls but changing to cost based on property valuation was going to raise the cost from approximately $16,000 to over $40,000. Conway Village Commissioners were unwilling to reconsider so the Town shopped around for alternatives. Both Freedom and Center Conway Fire and Rescue Departments, with backup from Medstar, were very interested and made proposals that totaled approximately $16,000 with Freedom covering the southern part of Town and Center Conway the remainder. In 2000 the Selectmen accepted their proposals. The total cost of fire and rescue services in 2006 was just over $19,000 exclusive of the forest fire off Potter Rd. It was noted that Albany, where the valuation is similar to that of Eaton, paid approximately $80,000 in 2006 for fire and rescue services from Conway Village.
Rick Young noted there had also been attempts for Eaton to form its own fire department but these had been rejected by Town Meeting, in part, because of costs and the shortage of trained volunteers to provide a basic minimum level of service 24/7. The NH Municipal Association had also recommended against such a development because of insurance and liability issues.
Signature item was the Department of Revenue Administration MS-2 form of appropriations approved at Town Meeting.
The State Department of Transportation will be contacted about the status of the bridge aid fund for the Potter Rd bridge and when funding for it could be expected.
The annual report on the condition of the Town owned bridges was
