Date:  February 6, 2006
Time:  7:00 pm
Place:  Town Office
Present: Selectmen Daniel Donovan, III Chair, David Glines and Jerry Greene
  And Recording Secretary Peggy Arn

1) Road Agent Steve Elliott attended the meeting and the improvements to Marden Road were discussed.  Steve asked how far the improvements were going to go, from the beginning or to the end of  Carriage Drive.  After discussing the cost of both plans, it was agreed that they should go to the end of Carriage Drive. The Board agreed that they would recommend the entire project at the town meeting.  Selectman Glines stated that after they have a drawing of the proposed improvements, he would like to have another public information session.

2) The next issue discussed was Paul Tardif’s request for the town to repair a drain that he feels is in the town’s right-of-way.  Research was done to make sure who owned the road.  The ZBA minutes from February 24, 1987, state that the property has no direct road frontage.  It was the conclusion of the Board of Selectmen that it is not the town’s property and their policy is that the town does not do work on any private property.  A letter will be written to Mr. Tardif with this finding.

3) Mr. Elliott then brought the Board up to date on the progress of the TE Sidewalk Project.  There will be a Warrant Article written in the amount of $42,000 for this year  to cover NRPC and the engineering costs.  It was then suggested that the Committee meet with the Water Department to discuss the replacement of the water main under Main Street.  It was suggested that this work could be part of the town’s portion of the match of the grant.  Steve reported that the Committee is meeting with DOT on March 6, 2006 to review what can be included in the town’s portion of the grant.  Steve will keep the Board informed of their progress.

4) Chairman Donovan signed a letter of agreement between Wilton Main Street and the New Hampshire Main Street Center.  This agreement is the Board’s acknowledgement of the Wilton’s Main Street’s compliance with the State’s Main Street organization.

5) The Lyndeborough Selectmen Lorraine Strube, Dwight Sowerby and Steve Brown and Administrative Assistant Neal Cass attended the meeting.  They stated that they were at the meeting because Lyndeborough does not have the room in their present office for booking and retention by their Police Officers.  They were representing their Police Chief to ask if Wilton would enter into an agreement for the use of the Wilton Police Department building by Lyndeborough.  Chairman Donovan stated that there would be no problem using Wilton’s Police Building except that there would have to be an agreement when there was evidence involved.  The custody of evidence would be a concern.   The Boards agreed that the Wilton and Lyndeborugh Chiefs of Police should work out the arrangements.   The Wilton facilities are presently used as part of the mutual aid system.  Lyndeborough averages 45 arrests per year.

6) Jim Quinn and Tom Quinn, Jr. attended the meeting to discuss the Current Use Penalty to be assessed on the land that they have the excavating rights to. The area of land that will be taken out of Current Use is approximately 33 acres.  Discussion ensued as to how Mr. Quinn felt the penalty should be assessed and the basis of what the Board of Selectmen and Assessing Agent Todd Haywood based their assessment.  It was noted that there are many extraordinary circumstances associated with this operation.  Mr. Haywood stated that he based his assessment on the cash flow generated by the sale of the excavation rights from the Davidson Trust to the Quinns.  Discussion also included the question of what the land has been used for and what the future use might be and the fact that there is a twenty year lease on the land.  It was noted that regardless of the zoning, gravel pits are being valued as commercial use.  Mr. Haywood recommended to the Board that they whatever amount of penalty was agreed upon, it should be considered a settlement and not an assessment.  Chairman Donovan informed Mr. Quinn that the Board would discuss the issue further and get back to him with a decision.

7)  The Board discussed the issue at length and arrived at a value of the land to be presented to Mr. Quinn. This amount will be offered to Mr. Quinn as a settlement which cannot be contested in the future.

8) The Board reviewed a letter from Attorney Sullivan asking the Board if a property is being sold and to be used as it always was, would the Planning Board require a site plan.  After a review of the property in question located on 101 in Wilton, the Board agreed that if the use of the building was not changing, they did not require a site plan.

Selectman Greene moved to conclude that it is not necessary to go before the Planning Board for a site plan review when a property is sold and will continue to be used as it has been for years. Chairman Donovan seconded the motion.  The motion passed with two in the affirmative and one negative

9) Ms. Arn informed the Board that Matt Fish would like to know how they feel about a formal impact fee being adopted in the Town of Wilton.  Selectman Greene and Glines stated that they would not be in favor of one.  Selectman Donovan stated he would support one but was not in favor of spending a lot of money to up-date the master plan and CIP.

10) The Board discussed and agreed that Stuart Draper’s picture should be the front cover of the town report this year.  They would also like Hal Melcher’s picture be on the inside of the cover.  Discussion ensued about creating some type of memorial to be placed in the town hall commemorating Mr. Draper for all his work and dedication to the town of Wilton.

11) The payroll for the week ending February 4, 2006 was reviewed and approved.

12) The correspondence and informational material was reviewed.

13) The Board reviewed a revised plan by Land Surveyor Robert Todd for the Isaac Frye highway corridor relocation.  The Board had questions and would like to look into a different layout before approving it and the invoice submitted for his work.

14) The meeting was adjourned at 9:45 on a motion, with all in favor.

Respectfully submitted;

Peggy Arn, Recording Secretary