Gay-Kimball LibrarySELECT BOARD MEETING MINUTES
TOWN OF TROY
Monday, December 5, 2016 5:00 p.m.
Selectmen Present: Barbara Guelcher, Allan Bailey and William T. Matson
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Selectmen Matson called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
Present: Dan Drugg, Adam Dubriske
Chairman Matson MOVED to postpone the approval of the Selectmen’s Meeting minutes from November 28, 2016 for later in the meeting SECOND Selectmen Bailey VOTE unanimous
Dr. Kevin Stone, Principal of Troy School, Jane Fortson, Finance from Monadnock Regional School District – Chairman Matson explained how the gift of money is to be used by the PTCO. The Select Board would like the PTCO to match the funds. The Select Board wanted to give the PTCO the money as seed money. Selectwoman Guelcher stated that the most important thing is making sure no student is left behind when it comes to field trips. Selectwoman Guelcher asked what the Bridge of Joy is. Dr. Stone stated that he really didn’t know. Mrs. Fortson stated that the PTCO is not under the School Districts tax id number. Selectwoman Guelcher wants to set-up a meeting with the PTCO in January to go over different fund raising options for them. Selectwoman Guelcher also stated that she has had some complaints about traffic at the school. Selectwoman Guelcher asked Dr. Stone if the children are paired with a parent at pick-up. Dr. Stone said yes for the children who are picked up. Dr. Stone stated he would talk to Chief Ellis about the traffic pattern at the school.
Jim Dicey, Highway Dept Budget – Mr. Dicey’s budget went down $8000 from last year’s budget. Selectwoman Guelcher asked about seasonal laborers. Mr. Dicey stated that was for Michael Jantti for plowing and other times extra laborers were needed. Chairman Matson asked about the old trackless. Mr. Dicey stated that the old one was traded in towards the new one. Chairman Matson MOVED to recommend the Highway Dept budget of $256,555 to the Budget Committee SECOND Selectmen Bailey VOTE unanimous
Jim Dicey, Transfer Station Budget – Transfer station budget went up $9000. The monitoring of the wells is on the upside of testing this year. Mr. Dicey stated that the State of NH said that the methane gas calibration has to be done this year. Chairman Matson MOVED to recommend the Transfer Station budget of $142,953 to the Budget Committee SECOND Selectmen Bailey VOTE unanimous
Jim Dicey, SEP Community Center Budget – The budget was split from the recreation committee budget. Chairman Matson MOVED to recommend budget of $22,000 to budget committee SECOND Selectmen Bailey VOTE unanimous
Mr. Dicey wants a warrant article for Town Meeting for 5 – 8’ rectangle table and 50 metal chairs for a total cost of $1200 for Town Hall for events on the common. Mr. Dicey does not want to lend them out. Chairman Matson stated that it will add $.01 to the property tax based on a $100,000 value home.
Mr. Dicey stated last year after Richmond Rd was voted to be paved he was questioned by residents of Town why West Hill wasn’t’ paved because it was worse than Richmond Rd. Mr. Dicey will put in a warrant article for the paving of West Hill and Tolman Rd. The total cost to pave would be $250,000. $50,000 would come from the block grant and the rest from taxation. Selectmen Bailey asked if the Town’s people asked can we do half of West Hill. Mr. Dicey stated yes but the top part of the road should be done first.
Sand Dam – Mr. Dicey meet with Ted Fellows about the dam repairs. Mr. Dicey will not do the dam repairs this year but it needs to be done in the future.
Town Hall – Mr. Dicey asked if we needed to put in a warrant article for painting the other 2 sides of the Town Hall. Chairman Matson stated that money is being put into capital reserves out of the bequest money for repairs to Town buildings. Selectwoman Guelcher asked Mr. Dicey to get quotes on the painting of the Town Hall.
Mr. Dicey stated that the Transfer Station fund is slowly diminishing every year. This year the fork truck went through the parking lot 2 times. Mr. Dicey stated that the parking lot needs to be overlaid. The quote to do the parking lot is $50,000 price of asphalt is down. Mr. Dicey was hoping to take the money for the over lay out of the Transfer fund but there is only $71,000. Chairman Matson states that every year we discuss the Transfer Station and how much money we put in and we don’t get the return back. Selectmen Bailey asked if we get back the cost it is to recycle. Mr. Dicey said no. Dan Drugg asked if the over lay will fix the problem of the forklifts falling thru parking lot. Mr. Dicey stated that it should last 20 years. Mr. Dicey asked do you want to put in a warrant article for this. The Select Board said yes.
Josh Ellis – Mr. Ellis called in would like a letter from the Select Board stating whether or not the Town was going to fix the culvert in his driveway at 142 South St. Chairman Matson stated that per the RSA we are not liable to fix it. Chairman Matson will look up the RSA and will include it with the letter to Mr. Ellis.
Herb Drugg, Colonial Gardens Mobile Home Park, LLC. – Purchased and signed paperwork for trailer at 16 Colonial Dr for the purchase price of $1,691.11 which was for the last 3 years property taxes.
Herb Drugg, Carl Patten, Mike Cummings, Ben Drugg – Herb Drugg asked how did the Board spend $421,000 of the Towns money from the bequest without allowing a vote from the residents. Selectmen Bailey stated that the Attorney General’s office said it was okay for the Select Board to spend the money. Herb Drugg asked how this is ethically right. Selectmen Bailey stated that the Select Board put an article in the Troy Town News in October for input from the Town residents. Herb Drugg stated that he saw notes of Selectmen’s Meetings where Carl Patten, Norm Dion, and others gave suggestions as to what to do with the bequest. Herb Drugg stated that all these items should have been warrant articles. Chairman Matson stated that yes they should have been warrant articles but then our tax rate would have went up. Chairman Matson explained to Herb Drugg how the department heads came into the Select Board and made points of how to not have taxation on next year’s budget and for a few years down the road. Herb Drugg stated that by making the choice to spend the money the way the Select Board did that it did not save any money and assumed that the Town would have approved everything. Herb Drugg stated that it all should have went before the Town for a vote. Mike Cummings stated that the Town’s people should have voted. Herb Drugg asked the Select Board what they thought would have happened if these items went to Town meeting. Carl Patten asked what if the Town’s people voted to decrease the tax burden. Chairman Matson stated that we get you all disagree with our decision. Herb Drugg asked how the department heads get to choose what the money is spent on. Ben Drugg stated that from reading the article in the Troy Town News that is sounds like the people will be saving 3.71 on their tax rate. Herb Drugg asked about the $70,000 given to non-profit agencies. Herb Drugg asked isn’t it a conflict of interest to vote because Chairman Matson is on the board for My Neighbors House and Selectwoman Guelcher was one of the original directors of the non-profit but has since resigned. Chairman Matson explained the My Neighbors House donation. Herb Drugg stated that it should have went to Town vote to see if this money should be donated. Mike Cummings asked what happens when the $50,000 donation from the Town is gone. Selectwoman Guelcher stated that fundraisers will be done. Herb Drugg stated that this is the reason decisions like this don’t get made in the Selectmen’s Office and should be done at Town meeting. Herb Drugg stated that there should have been a public meeting. Chairman Matson stated that the Select Board appreciates the residents coming in with their concerns but they feel like they made the right decision for the town. Mike Cummings asked if there was anything else the money was spent on that had not been reported in the Troy Town News. Chairman Matson stated that it was approved to replace the doors for $12,000 on the SEP Community Center to be up to code per the Fire Marshal. Ben Drugg asked why the builder was not being held responsible for the doors not being put in to code and is there a way we can get any of the $12,000 back that the Town needs to spend to get them to code. Herb Drugg asked if the Select Board can get any of the money that had been given out from bequest back and wait have it go to Town meeting to be voted on. Carl Patten stated that the trackless could have been purchased for way less than $93,000. Herb Drugg stated that the Select Board is circumventing. Selectmen Bailey stated that they are not, that they are allowed to spend the money. Herb Drugg stated that technically is was legal but you should be running it ethical. Chairman Matson asked what would you like the Select Board to do – not to spend any more of the bequest money? Mike Cummings stated that he hopes that the Select Board can get the money back that was given out. Herb Drugg stated that at Town Meeting this will all be brought back up and there will be motions made. Ben Drugg asked the Select Board what is there next move. Chairman Matson stated that they would discuss the request that was made.
Todd Malliet, 5 Granite St Property Complaint – Mr. Malliet stated the house is a safety hazard. The Select Board stated that they have been in touch with William Paju and the building will be done by the end of the month.
John Sullivan & Cindy Bowen of 32 Central Sq – Mr. Sullivan asked where the Town stood on code enforcer. Chairman Matson stated that it is the Selectmen’s responsibility. Mr. Sullivan stated that there are a lot of code / zoning issues like some of the properties entering and exiting Town such as the junkyards. Mr. Sullivan also states that the house right on the Common is a concern. Chairman Matson stated that we don’t have a lot of ordinances. Chairman Matson told Mr. Sullivan that they should join in on the planning board meetings and offer suggestions. Ms. Bowen asked if it was a health hazard for the people living in a house such as the one on the common.
Selectmen Bailey stated the list of items that was spent from the bequest we can ask for it back but each Board needs to vote to give it back so the Select Board can’t make them. The Police Department vests have been ordered. Will ask Chief Ellis if a contract has been signed for the vests. Selectmen Bailey disclosed that he is on the Board of Trustees for the Library and they are having a meeting on Thursday and he will bring up returning the money and the other 2 Board of Trustees will have to vote. The Troy Bandstand money some of it has been spent. Herb Drugg stated there isn’t a problem with it being repaired but it should go to vote. Selectmen Bailey stated that the My Neighbors House check has already been given to them. Herb Drugg would like the Board of Directors for My Neighbors House to vote on giving the money back to the Town. Selectmen Bailey stated that the check for the Troy PTCO has already been given to them and they are holding the check till the checking account was set-up with the principal and 1 Select Board member as a signor. Selectmen Bailey MOVED to get check back from the Troy PTCO SECOND Chairman Matson VOTE unanimous Alissa Fox to call Sherry Carter first thing in the morning and request the check back. Selectmen Bailey stated that the Cheshire Railroad Depot has already received their check. Selectmen Bailey MOVED to have Selectwoman Guelcher check on the contract for the heating system and if no contract instruct the committee not to sign a contract and get check back, if the contract is already signed then it is okay to have the work done SECOND Chairman Matson VOTE unanimous Selectmen Bailey MOVED to request Historical Society give check back to the Town SECOND Selectwoman Guelcher VOTE unanimous Selectwoman Guelcher stated that she will return the Troy Festivals Committee check. Chairman Matson stated that it is an immediate need to have the doors at the SEP Community Center replaced to code so we will continue with that project.
Selectmen Bailey was approached from the Budget Committee during the Police Department budget hearing and was asked if interest can be added to late bills for special duty. Chairman Matson stated that yes interest can be added.
Selectmen Bailey will contact NHMA to ask about if the Town legally pay for legal expenses from the former Troy Ambulance Inc members.
Selectmen Bailey MOVED to adjourn at 735 pm SECOND Chairman Matson VOTE unanimous