DATE: March 14, 2005
TIME: 7:00 p.m.
PLACE: Wilton Town Office
Present: Chairman Jerry Greene, Dan Donovan, Bob MacFarland, Carla Walter, Police Chief Brent Hautanen, and others as noted on the attendance sheet

Mr. Jerry Greene called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

1.) Information mail was distributed and reviewed.  There were no comments from the Board.

2.) Payroll was distributed, reviewed, and approved. Chairman Green inquired about the check for Town Clerk and if it was for Section 125 Dental Insurance. Ms. Walter could not answer the question. Chairman Greene asked for an explanation. Ms. Walter agreed. There was no further discussion from the Board.

3.) Mr. Steve Elliot presented a PO for Laminated Concepts, Inc., for bridge decking for $6,111. The Board approved the purchase. There was a brief discussion of bridge pricing, types, and surrounding town’s similarities. Mr. Elliot inquired about the $2700 for RSMS Process. Chairman Greene explained that the Board is uncomfortable approving the purchase until town meeting. Mr. Elliot presented two sets of detailed plans regarding the renovations needed for Isaac Frye Highway intersection. The Board discussed the right of way needed. There was no further discussion on roadway matters. Mr. Elliot thanked the Board for their time.

4.) The Board of Selectmen minutes of March 7, 2005 were reviewed and signed.

5.) Ms. Tracy Bardsley and Betsy Castro from the Wilton Arts and Film Festival (WAFF) appeared before the Board with a request for a street layout for their festival on Saturday, June 4, 2005. Chairman Greene asked if they had approached the Fire Chief and Police Chief to obtain their thoughts and approval. Ms. Bardsley, Program Director, had agreed that there were preliminary discussions with Police Chief Hautanen but not Mr. Raymond Dick, Fire Chief. Ms. Bardsley further explained that they are proposing whimsical characters inside the Fire Station and an athletic booth area in the parking lot. The Board explained that they first must have the Police and Fire Chief’s approvals before they could offer their support. Chairman Greene requested a street layout of the proposed areas that will be closed. Chief Hautanen offered to have the yellow police tape help defer small children from darting across Main Street to the town hall, where a proposed art display will take place. Ms. Castro confirmed they are proposing two (2) police monitor the streets and several volunteers from the WAFF that will be monitoring the booths and checking safety measures. The hours of the festival are scheduled to be 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. however, demonstrators and such will start to come into Wilton center at 6:00 a.m. and have to be off the street by 9:00 a.m. and leaving at 6:00 p.m. Ms. Castro concluded that the police station parking lot will be used for parking, along with a few other private residences. Chief Hautanen asked that he and Chief Dick be informed shortly before the event. Ms. Castro agreed. There was no further discussion on the matter.

6.) The Board informed the public that they were entering Executive Session with Police Chief Hautanen per RSA 91:A;II(b). The Selectmen entered Executive Session at 7:40 p.m. and adjourned at 7:50 p.m. The Board entered the courtroom to return to public session.

7.) Mr. Ken Wilson and Mr. Steven Page of Isaac Frye Highway appeared before the Board to ask why there are houses being built up the road from their property with driveways that are not being built to code. They further explained they had been in touch with Mr. Bill Condra, Building Inspector and Road Agent Stephen Elliot but has to date not seen the building and construction stop. Chairman Greene asked Ms. Walter to speak to both Mr. Condra and Mr. Elliot and get a report on their findings back to the Selectmen for their March 21, 2005 meeting. Ms. Walter agreed. There was no further conversation on the matter.

8.) Ms. Walter asked the Board if the Town Hall could close on Thursday, March 17, 2005 at 6:00 p.m. instead of the normally scheduled 7:00 p.m. to prepare for the town meeting scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in the Elementary school. The Board agreed there was not a problem. There was no further discussion on the matter.

9.) Ms. Walter distributed several different copies with price estimates on post cards that will be delivered to Wilton residences to inform them of the semi-annual billing that will occur in June 2005. The Board agreed to use the larger print with a cost of $95.00. Mr. Donovan noted a typo in the detail. Ms. Walter agreed to forward the choices and information to Peggy Arn. There was no further discussion on the matter.

10.) The Accounts Receivable Transaction Register was reviewed and signed.

11.) The TE Sidewalk Grant Municipal Grant was reviewed and signed.

12.) The Current Use Penalty Warrant was reviewed and signed.

13.) Mr. Buffum and members of the WLT Ambulance Committee appeared before the Board to discuss their proposed budget for 2005 and continuing services for the town. Mr. Buffum explained that Temple and Lyndeborough recently stressed their inability to afford their service if they will be doubling the cost, which is something that the Lyndeborough town administrator had informed several people of. Ms. Lorraine Strube, Lyndeborough Selectmen asked how many calls in each town were received. Caroline McEntee, WLTEMS informed the Board that 20% of the calls came from the other two towns and 60% of the calls came from Wilton. The Keene base (KMA) currently services 82 communities and has signed a deal with Temple and Lyndeborough should the MACC base not have funding. Currently, both Temple and Lyndeborough have a 90-day agreement with the towns to service them at $50/call but as stated earlier could possibly be doubled. Mr. Nelson Taylor, MACC explained that the proposed new costs are reflected from a breakdown of a per day cost from taxpayers. Mr. Stanley Schultz explained to the Board that the current process for Lyndeborough and Temple is that the calls go to Keene and then they call MACC base.

Mr. Buffum asked the Selectmen why the Budget Committee had requested  $1.00 instead of the $40,953 originally requested. Mr. Cary Hughes, Budget Committee Chairman explained that the Committee had received three different statements on three separate occasions and therefore, could not feel comfortable approving a figure they could not count on. Mr. Buffum stated that they had numerous problems with their software and recognized the error but hoped that they could revisit the issue with the Board at this meeting. Chairman Greene explained that the Budget Committee had made their recommendation and it would be heard at Town Meeting.  Mr. Hughes further explained the motion on the floor at the last Budget Committee meeting was not to fund WLT at all however, by inputting $1.00 it would allow the issue to be heard and voted upon by the residences of the town, and not the Budget Committee. Ms. Strube asked if the money is not funded if the Select Board had another plan for services. Chairman Greene confirmed they did not have a plan at this time. Mr. Donovan stated his dissatisfaction with the structure of WLT and asked why it was not a village district. He also inquired on the Board of Directors. Mr. Buffum explained that currently three Wilton residents, two Temple residents, and four Lyndeborough residents make up the Board of Directors and each member has a vote.  Mr. Schultz asked if Wilton was paying 60% of the funding, why they only had two members on the Board. Mr. Buffum did not know. It was agreed that there is a lack of communication from the WLT to the Selectmen.  Ms. McEntee explained that each town has a member of the Select Board for representation however as of late, Mr. MacFarland, Wilton Representative, had not been to the meetings.  Ms. Sherry Fiske, Temple Selectmen asked the Board if minutes being distributed would help the communication gap. The Board agreed. There was no further discussion on the matter.

14.) Chairman Greene asked Ms. Walter to get the original date of Theresa Allen’s suit and to provide the Board with this letter and the letter regarding MD’s Trash Removal performing the service. Ms. Walter agreed. There was no further discussion on the matter.

15.) The Board informed the public that they were entering Executive Session per RSA 91:A;II(b). The Selectmen entered Executive Session at 9:40 p.m. and adjourned at 9:50 p.m. The Board entered the courtroom to return to public session.

16.) Adjournment

A MOTION was made by Mr. Jerry Greene to adjourn the meeting.

Voting:  3 ayes; motion carried.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 p.m.
 
Minutes respectfully submitted by Carla J. Walter