Gay-Kimball LibrarySELECT BOARD MEETING MINUTES TOWN OF TROY
Monday, June 18, 2018
Selectmen Present: Richard Thackston, Barbara Guelcher, Curtis Hopkins
Chairman Thackston opened meeting at 6:30 P.M
Members of the Public Present: Gary Ruotsala, Richard Thackston, Tom Mattson, Elaine Moore
Public Comments: Gary Ruotsala, of Richmond/West Hill Rd asked if he could build a fence on his property, Chair Thackston stated there is no permit for a fence. Board approved request.
Tom Mattheson went before the board at the request of a Don Jenton and Bob Hanson(letter attached) regarding the liens on Troy Mills property. Mr. Jenton and Mr. Hanson would like to assist the Town of Troy in getting the liens removed from the property so Mr. Hanson would have the opportunity to develop the property.
Chair Thackston expressed no objection but he and the other selectmen aren’t comfortable giving up any and all options the Town of Troy may have for the property. Selectmen Hopkins pointed out concerns about Mr. Hanson wanting to assume ownership of Troy Mills property. Board to authorize to go forward with the option of negotiating a proposal from Mr. Jenton and Mr. Hanson. MOTION Selectwoman Guelcher SECOND Selectmen Hopkins VOTE 3-0-0
Correspondence: Chair Thackston read and discussed email from Monadnock School Board fund committee regarding a public meeting they’re having to discuss the three new formulas for the school funding. The meeting is 7-19-2018 at 7PM, Chair Thackston, Selectmen Hopkins and Selectwoman Guelcher all agreed they would attend.
Chair Thackston read through the weeks activities for the Administrative executive summary.
Announcements: Selectmen Hopkins discussed the updating of the Town of Troy’s website; still in process. Also wanted to publicly thank Darline Harris for cleaning up Sand Dam area. Discussed a resident concern of leeches there as well, fish just stocked so
that should cut down on the population. And request for volunteers to install horseshoe pits.
Chair Thackston addressed the town directly through the video recording on Facebook regarding his status with the town, his personal attacks from other town personnel and how improper it was. He also informed the town how roughly the town’s payroll has been handled especially the way Quickbooks was not updated to reflect new tax policies,
social security, medicare, and unemployment. Chair Thackston also expressed how a complaint was filed with the labor board from a town employee and now there is an ongoing audit. Discussed the lack of any procedures in the Town of Troy.
Chair Thackston stressed that he is here to help clean up the current state of the town if the public would like or he can resign but he will not sign anything that is not 100% correct.
Old Business: Selectwoman Guelcher stated that the Notice oflntent to Excavate is still not complete. MOTION Chair Thackston to sign the Notice of Intent to Excavate Map 20 Lot 13 SECOND Selectwornan Guelcher VOTE 3-0-0
Chair Thackston:2015 has been located, 2017 audit is ready to be conducted.
New Business: Approval of Payroll Manifest $9,753.18
MOTION Selectwoman Guelcher SECOND Selectmen Hopkins VOTE 3-0-0 Approval of Payables Manifest $3,175.06
MOTION Selectwoman Guelcher SECOND Selectmen Hopkins VOTE 3-0-0 Approval of Bill for Accounting and Bookeeping RIMA $1085.00
MOTION Selectmen Hopkins SECOND Selectwoman Guelcher VOTE 3-0-0
Chair Thackston discussed unpaid property truces from 2015, board agreed for one more notice to be sent to homeowners.
Selectwoman Guelcher stated that Suzanne Cullen of Rt 12 wanted a variance to allow for a third apartment on her property. Board must deny request to allow for variance
application. MOTION to deny: Selectwoman Guelcher SECOND Selectmen Hopkins
VOTE 3-0-0
Selectwoman Guelcher discussed that the D.E.S took over sewage leak issues and will send letter of deficiency on a property on Rt 12. Also concern over missing Police Department checkbook. Selectwoman Guelcher also stated that the Attorney General will be handling the two recent town issues; a recent incorrect burial on a cemetery plot and the gate removal at a property owned by the Piskloti family.
Chair Thackston requested a 5 minute break at 7:49PM
Meeting went into non-public at 7:51PM. Meeting came out of non -public at 9:00 P.M.
Meeting adjourned at 9:00 P.M
_________________________________________________________________________________
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES
PO Box 147, Meredith NH 03253
Board of Selectmen Town Offices
16 Central Square
Troy, NH 03465
6/1/18
To the Honorable Board:
This letter proposal is written pursuant to the brief 3- way telephone conversation that took place during the Selectman’s meeting on Monday 5/21/18 involving your Board, Robert Hanson and me.
As I explained during the call, Mr. Hanson contacted me several weeks ago to seek my assistance in resolving the Troy Mills ownership issues that result from the most recent decision by the Bankruptcy Trustee and to help him develop and advance an economically viable adaptive reuse plan for the property.
As you know, Mr. Hanson’s company, Troy Mill’s Developers, is one of several entities, including the Town of Troy, and the NH Department of Environmental Services that had a substantial financial interest in the Mill property which were apparently not dealt with by the bankruptcy proceedings.
Mr. Hanson’s view, with which I concur, is that the longer the Mill sits idle without responsible maintenance and management the more difficult it will ultimately be for anyone to develop and implement a plan that returns the property to productive use.
Clearly the uncertainty regarding ownership makes it impossible to chart any plan for redevelopment to say nothing of leaving the property unmaintained and uninsured as it continues to decline in condition and value.
As I understand it, Mr. Hanson has a continuing interest in trying to secure ownership of or development rights for the Mill property in hopes of recovering some of what he invested in during his long term contract with Troy Redevelopment Group (TRG) and he is willing to dedicate some resources in pursuit of that objective.
My involvement as an advisor and consultant to both the Town and TRG on the issues surrounding the Mill property goes back to the early 2000’s and I remain very interested in trying to help bring the matter of redevelopment and productive reuse to a successful conclusion. I believe that my experience working with complex development issues here in NH combined with my long history with the Troy Mills makes me uniquely qualified to help unscramble the ownership situation and chart a reuse strategy.
However, because my relationship over the years has been exclusively with the Town directly or
indirectly through the TRG, I feel strongly that it would be best if any future services are contracted similarly so that in the event the Town’s interests diverge from the other interested parties, including Mr. Hanson’s, as the project unfolds, my 1st obligation will beto theTown asit has been in the past. During most of my time consulting to the TRG the cost for my services was covered by Mr. Hanson pursuant to a 3-party services agreement and he assures me that such a relationship is still acceptable to
him going forward.
Therefore, if the Board of Selectmen is inclined to consider this type of arrangement I request a Board vote to authorize the Chair to work with Mr. Hanson and me to draft a mutually agreeable document outlining the terms and conditions of the relationship for vetting by our respective legal counsel before final execution.
From my perspective some of the key elements for inclusion in the agreement include:
1. A minimum time frame of 12 months with theability to extend for a reasonable time based upon performance and progress.
2. Assurance from Mr. Hanson and the Town that neither will initiate, invite or support
duplicative or alternative efforts with the same intended results during the term of our agreement.
3. Assurance of cooperation, access to relevant information and timely responses to
communication from all parties during the term of the Agreement.
4. Assurance by Mr. Hanson that I will be compensated for my services based upon appropriate documentation on an hourly basis at the rate of $165.00 / hour invoiced monthly. Invoices will be submitted to the Town, promptly reviewed and approved by the Board of Selectmen and passed along to Hanson for payment within 30 days unless otherwise mutually agreed.
5. General agreement that reasonable actions required by the Selectmen and /or Mr. Hanson to advance attainment of the objectives of the engagement will be addressed promptly and in good faith.
Please let me know if you have questions or need clarification.
Very Truly Yours
Donald R. Jutton Senior Consultant