Date: November 8, 2004
Time: 7:00 pm
Place: Town Office
Present: Selectmen Robert MacFarland and Daniel Donovan and Recording
Secretary Peggy Arn
1) Selectman MacFarland called the regular Selectmen’s meeting to order
and then made a motion to adjourn to a non-public session per RSA 91-A:3,II(a).
Selectman Donovan seconded the motion, with all in favor.
2) The regular meeting was called to order at 7:15.
3) Dawn Tuomala attended the meeting to give the Board an update on
the progress at Carnival Hill. She informed them that she had been
at the site this morning and that she had conveyed her concerns and requests
to the person working on the project. She gave the Board a detailed
list of items to be completed or areas of concern. They discussed
the items in detail. The issue of payment to Don Wheeler was discussed
and it was agreed that more progress had to be shown and that a decision
about payment would be determined by the end of the week. Mr. MacFarland
asked that Steve Elliott be asked to put up some sort of fencing along
the drainage ditch and that a gate be installed. Dawn asked about
the parking lot work and Mr. MacFarland stated that it was not part of
the contract and that the town would be responsible for paving the parking
lot.
4) Mr. MacFarland recognized Dwight Sowerby, Selectman from Lyndeborough
and Stanley Schultz. Mr. Sowerby stated that he was attending the
meeting partly because of the letter the Board had written to the Ambulance
Association. The letter referenced a statement made by Mr. Sowerby,
that had been given to the Board by MACC Base representative, Stanley Schultz.
Mr. Sowerby stated that he wanted it to go on record that he was “miss-quoted”.
He said that he had asked the question, “would it be possible to have two
dispatch centers?”. It was a question, not a statement.
Discussion ensued as to what could be a resolution to another system working
with MACC Base. Mr. Sowerby stated that he wanted to set the record
straight and that he was not trying to push the Ambulance in any direction.
Lyndeborough has made their decision to have their Fire and Police Departments
leave MACC Base. Mr. Schultz stated that he was sorry if he miss-quoted
Mr. Sowerby and that he had misunderstood his “question”. It was
stated that a meeting with the Selectmen from Lyndeborough, Temple and
Wilton will be scheduled to further discuss the dispatch center question.
5) At 7:50, Selectman MacFarland adjourned the regular meeting
and called a non-public session per RSA 91-A, II(a). The regular
meeting was called to order at 8:00.
6) Next on the agenda was Jay Schlinsog from Downtown Professionals
Network. He was here from Illinois for a two day meeting with Main
Street Association and Main Street Merchants. Beth Arsenault, a member
of the Main Street Program from Concord and members of the Wilton
Main Street Program also were in attendance to answer any questions the
Board might have. They informed the Board that the meetings were
going well and that many of the Main Street Merchants had attended the
meeting. Mr. Sclinsog’s main object was to address “surviving construction”
when the Main Street sidewalk construction takes place. The engineering
phase will start in 2005 and construction will start in 2006. Jay
will submit a report of the meetings and a copy will be given to the Board.
One of the biggest concerns was the parking during construction and how
the shops will be accessed during this project. The general consensus
was that if the merchants work together with a project manager and plan,
the impact will not be significant on business. George Anderson stated
that a project manager needs to be appointed to work with the town, engineering
and construction personnel. Stuart Draper made several suggestions
that could be incorporated into the plans, such as making sure the water
and sewer goosenecks are up-to-date, raising up the sidewalks to make stores
handicap accessible and making the crosswalks of a different material than
the road. It was agreed that these kinds of ideas need
to be developed now before the engineering phase is started. It was
also suggested that the engineering firm for the project would make a recommendation
as what type of person would be best for a project manager.
7) The Board next spoke to Bruce Rafter. He told the Board that
he would like to see the regular Veterans Exemption raised from $50
to $250. After a discussion of how this would impact the town tax
rate, Mr. Donovan stated that the Board would discuss his request when
they had a full Board in attendance. He also suggested that Mr. Rafter
get a petition of registered voters to present to the town.
8) Spencer Brookes attended the meeting to bring the Board up to date
as to what the Conservation Commission was working on. They are working
on an easement for the snowmobile trails and they are working on a national
resource inventory that would map in great detail, the trails in the Town
of Wilton.
9) Selectman Donovan made a motion that the following persons be appointed
to the Heritage Commission and for the specified term as follows:
Corinne Blagbrough 2005, Alternate Members: Leslie Wharton
2006, Robert Chouinard 2006, Michael Dell’Orto 2005, Gail Hoar
2006, Nancy Clark 2007
Selectman MacFarland seconded the motion, which carried.
10) The Board signed one Intent to Cut application, one Warrant, and
one Lien Release Form.
11) The bills and payroll for the week ending November 6, 2004 were
reviewed and approved.
12) The correspondence and informational material was reviewed.
13) The minutes from the previous meeting were read and signed.
14) Peggy informed the Board that the Department of Revenue had set
a date of Friday, 11/12/04, to met at Concord and set the tax rate.
15) The Board discussed setting a date for meeting with the Selectmen
from Lyndeborough and Temple and decided that more information was need
before a date was set.
The meeting was adjourned on a motion at 9:55.
Respectfully submitted;
Peggy Arn, Recording Secretary