Skip to content
Home » 01/06/2014 – Minutes

01/06/2014 – Minutes

[et_pb_section admin_label=”Section” fullwidth=”off” specialty=”on”][et_pb_column type=”1_4″][et_pb_tabs admin_label=”Quick Links” global_module=”2685″ saved_tabs=”all” active_tab_background_color=”#6689ac” inactive_tab_background_color=”#a9c7e4″ tab_font=”|||on|” tab_font_size=”24″ tab_text_color=”#ffffff” tab_letter_spacing=”2px” body_font=”Open Sans|on|||” body_text_color=”#888888″ background_color=”#f4f4f4″ use_border_color=”on” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]

[et_pb_tab title=”QUICK LINKS” tab_font_select=”default” tab_font=”||||” tab_line_height=”2em” tab_line_height_tablet=”2em” tab_line_height_phone=”2em” body_font_select=”Open Sans” body_font=”Open Sans|on|||” body_line_height=”3em” body_line_height_tablet=”2em” body_line_height_phone=”2em” body_font_size=”15″ body_font_size_tablet=”15″ body_font_size_phone=”15″]

AGENDAS & MINUTES
TOWN REPORT
WHERE IS BETHLEHEM?
BETHLEHEM ELEMENTARY
PROFILE SCHOOL
BETHLEHEM RECREATION
WHO IS MY LEGISLATOR?
PUBLIC LIBRARY
HERITAGE SOCIETY
VISITOR CENTER
COUNTRY CLUB

[/et_pb_tab]

[/et_pb_tabs][et_pb_sidebar admin_label=”QUICK LINKS” orientation=”left” area=”et_pb_widget_area_1″ background_layout=”light” remove_border=”off”]

[/et_pb_sidebar][et_pb_sidebar admin_label=”Sidebar” orientation=”left” area=”sidebar-1″ background_layout=”light” remove_border=”off”]

[/et_pb_sidebar][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ specialty_columns=”3″][et_pb_row_inner admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column_inner type=”4_4″ saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″][et_pb_post_title admin_label=”Post Title” title=”on” meta=”off” author=”on” date=”on” categories=”on” comments=”on” featured_image=”off” featured_placement=”below” parallax_effect=”on” parallax_method=”on” text_orientation=”left” text_color=”dark” text_background=”off” text_bg_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0.9)” module_bg_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0)” title_all_caps=”off” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]

[/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]

Bethlehem Board of Selectmen
Meeting Minutes
Bethlehem Selectmen Office
January 6, 2014

Present: Chairman Blanchard, Selectman Culver, Selectman Laleme, and Selectman Fiorentino, Selectman Glavac.

At 6:00pm Chairman Blanchard opened the meeting and announced that it will be a work session.

Chief Ho-Sing-Loy came before the Board to discuss his budget. He passed out crime stats to the Board. The Chief explained to the Board that having that extra officer would save on overtime. He said he would need to revise his budget to reflect the overtime need that will change based on cutting the officer. Chief Ho-Sing-Loy said he would need to increase his budget approx. $26,000.00 for overtime to cover the hours that the additional officer would have covered. Chief Ho-Sing-Loy gave the Board some comparisons with Littleton Police Dept although he told the Board that Bethlehem and Littleton are too different and shouldn’t be used as a comparison but he wanted to clear up some items that the Board discussed the previous week. He explained that Littleton has a separate prosecutor, two administrative assistant and other positions Bethlehem doesn’t have. He also pointed out that Littleton is 51 square miles and Bethlehem is 91 Square miles. There was discussion about why the officer who is on deployment was included in the budget for the whole year if he is not due back until May. The Chief explained that he has to budget for worst case scenario in case the officer comes back early. There was discussion about how the officer handling the prosecution is not patrolling because the prosecuting is very time consuming. The Board asked the Chief to prepare a proposed budget with the officer returning to Part-time when the deployed officer returns. The Chief will return next week with the new proposed budget.

The Board discussed the new copier lease for the Police Dept. We are still waiting for the buyout amount for the old one to go further with this. The Chief will contact WB Mason.

At 6:55 Selectman Fiorentino moved to go into 91a for matters of personnel. Chairman Blanchard seconded. Chairman Blanchard did roll call with all members agreeing to go into non-public session.

The Board discussed personnel.

At 7:05 Chairman Blanchard moved to go back intopublic session. Selectman Fiorentino seconded. Carried 5-0.

Chief Ho-Sing-Loy told the Board that it has taken awhile to get the crime numbers down and they will go back up quickly without adequate coverage and he reminded the Board that Bethlehem has3-4 treatment facilities and 5 schools.

Sara Guild and Cheryl Jensen came before the Board to discuss the Town owned Mt. Cleveland Road property. Sara said she heard the Board will re-notice the former owner of the Town’s intent to sell the property.
She said they are working out an agreement with the former owner for the land and is also working with ACT
(Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust). Selectman Laleme said the Board did decide to re-notice but have not set a sale date yet. Sara said they are looking for a timeline so they know how long they have to do what they need to do before the sale. Chairman Blanchard said they should start doing what they need to do now because he didn’t anticipate that they would remove it from a sale again.

The Board reviewed the Warrant Articles. They discussed proposed warrant article #14 about the Cedarcroft property and the boundary line adjustment. Selectman Laleme said they should have a memorandum of understanding from the school board first to make sure the school will accept the boundary line adjustment giving them the extra piece of property. Selectman Laleme moved that Chairman Blanchard and she go to the school board meeting on Monday the 13th at 5:00pm to explain the subdivision and lot line adjustment they propose to do. Selectman Fiorentino seconded. Carried 5-0.

The Board discussed The Warrant Article for making the pool ADA compliant. They discussed the option of putting the first year’s operating cost for the pool in the warrant article as well. Selectman Fiorentino
moved to have the warrant article for just the $18,500.00 for ADA compliance and leave the operating costs in the budget. Selectman Glavac seconded. Carried 5-0.

The Board discussed the Warrant Article to change Town Clerk salary from salary and fees to just salary with the salary amount to be $26,302.00. Selectman Culver explained that we can’t find any record of how the Town initially voted to pay the Town Clerk/Tax Collector.

The Board discussed creating a Warrant Article for the Pleasant Street property to sell to Habitat for $1 if it doesn’t sell in the sale. Chairman Blanchard moved to draft a Warrant Article that if the Pleasant
Street property doesn’t sell in a Town sale to sell with a 12 month option of sale to Habitat for $1.00.
Selectman Glavac seconded. Carried 5-0.

Chairman Blanchard reviewed the encumbrances for the pool pump repair, pool seal, the asphalt, and the audit for an estimated total of $27000.00. Selectman Laleme moved to approve encumbrances of up to
$27,162.00 Chairman Blanchard seconded. Carried 5-0.

Chairman Blanchard said the library driveway permit is continuing to be an issue and would like to bring all parties together at a Select Board meeting to discuss it. Chairman Blanchard moved to bring all
parties together for a meeting on 01/27/14. Selectman Fiorentino seconded. Carried 5-0.

The Board reviewed the quote for the storage container that was initially thought to be $3000.00 but is actually $3200.00. Selectman Laleme moved to purchase to container for $3200.00. Chairman Blanchard seconded. Carried 5-0.

Selectman Laleme informed the Board that we have a quote from an electrician to add some additional outlets in the old library space to have enough for computers, calculators, etc.. Selectman Laleme said we will also be getting new locks for the library door. Selectman Laleme moved to pay for additional outlets and to replace locks. Chairman Blanchard seconded. Carried 5-0.

The Board discussed the lots that Butch Lucas purchased from the Town property sale. They reviewed advice received from the Town attorney. The Board wants to ask Brenda about posting this and what to do if abutters contest it.

The Board reviewed the minutes from 12/30/13. Selectman Laleme moved to approve as written. Chairman Blanchard seconded. Carried 3-0. Selectmen Culver and Glavac abstained.

At 8:10 Chairman Blanchard moved to adjourn. Selectman Laleme seconded. Carried 5-0.

Respectfully submitted,

April Hibberd

Administrative Assistant

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column_inner][/et_pb_row_inner][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_section]