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09/10/2012 – Minutes

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Bethlehem Board of Selectmen
Meeting Minutes
Bethlehem Town Building Meeting Room
September 10, 2012

Present: Chairman Jerry Blanchard, Selectman Mike Culver, Selectman Sandy Laleme, Selectman Martin Glavac.

Excused: Selectman Mark Fiorentino

At 6:30 Chairman Blanchard opened the meeting.

Chairman Blanchard called Carol Boucher from the BRLF to the Board. Carol explained the loan to the Board that it is for Dottie Champagne for a hair salon on the corner of Main St. and Strawberry Hill. Selectman Laleme moved to allow the loan as written. Selectman Glavac seconded. Carried 4-0.

The Board opened the culvert bids. There was one bid and it was from EJ Prescott for $12,875.00. Selectman Culver moved to accept the bid from EJ Prescott for $12,875.00. Selectman Laleme seconded. Carried 4-0. Chairman Blanchard signed the agreement.

Chief Ho-Sing-Loy came before the Board to get approval to purchase a digital radio. The Chief explained that he had one more analog radio that needed to be replaced with digital. He said
the cost for the radio is $3,406.40 and it will be paid out of the police equipment capital reserve. Chairman Blanchard motioned to accept proposal to purchase the radio and fund it from the police equipment capital reserve. Selectman Culver seconded. Carried 4-0.

Chief Ho-Sing-Loy requested the Board to authorize establishing a special revenue non-lapsing account to be named the Drug Forfeiture Fund. The fund will be established with $788.40 that is the Bethlehem Police Department share of funds seized by the New Hampshire Drug Task Force. These funds have to be used for drug related investigations. The funds are controlled by the Chief of Police and a request will be submitted to the Finance Office for expensing the funds. Treasurer, Frank Claffey, said to put on the request that it needs to come from the Drug Forfeiture Fund. Mr. Claffey said he needs the approval from the Board to open the account.

Julian Czarny asked if the radio is for one vehicle. Chief Ho-Sing-Loy said it was. Selectman Laleme said the radios are mandatory.

Selectman Laleme moved to give Frank Claffey authority to set up a special revenue account for the Drug Forfeiture fund. Chairman Blanchard seconded. Carried 4-0.

Chairman Blanchard said he erred in last week’s meeting in saying we were getting rid of the 4th cruiser. He said we are keeping the cruiser as it has little value but it can be utilized by the department for traffic situations. Chairman Blanchard apologized for misspeaking about this at last week’s meeting.

Dick Robie said he has concerns that we now have 4 cruisers that will all need maintenance, insurance and someone to drive them. Mr. Robie asked which vehicle the chief will be driving to Lyman.

Chief Ho-Sing-Loy said all the cruisers are paid for and they have all been voted on to purchase. The Chief also said he recently put $600.00 into this cruiser for brakes, tires etc. and the dealership was only going to give a $500.00 trade in for it. He also said that this cruiser will help to keep the mileage down on the other cruisers. The chief said he is on call 24 hours a day and the Board decided when he was hired as the chief that he would drive a cruiser home. He has been driving the new one because it is not properly outfitted yet and can’t be used by the officer on duty yet.

Selectman Culver said we haven’t paid enough attention to buildings and vehicles and the Board is trying to find a way to get things on rotation.

Rita Farrell said that state vehicles are taken home by state employees because they are on call.

The Board reviewed the 2 quotes from Floorworks for the entry way of the Town Hall. One quote was for $3,297.93 and the other was for $1,519.95. Selectman Laleme moved to go with the 2nd quote of $1,519.95 and take it out of building maintenance. Selectman Glavac seconded. Selectman Culver asked how much is left in the building maintenance line. Selectman Laleme said about $9000.00. Carried 4-0.

The Board reviewed the quote for the alarm panel. This is a 2nd quote that Fire Chief Anderson got and is from Able Security for 1760.00. Selectman Laleme said the cost for 2 repair calls on the current panel was over $1200.00. Selectman Laleme said there is money left from the energy project and we can take the money from that. Frank Claffey said the money should be moved and could be used for this. Selectman Laleme moved to go with the quote from Able Security for $1760.00 and to pay the repair bill out of GGB equipment repair. Chairman Blanchard seconded. Carried 4-0.

Jim Baker asked the Board about the metal sign where Mrs. Millers garden is. Selectman Laleme said the Board had approved it being removed. Mr. Baker asked if it was worth fixing.

There was discussion about who was in charge of the sign and someone thought it was the BRLF. Chairman Blanchard will contact Ronny Lyster about it.

Mr. Baker asked if anyone was promoting the Town of Bethlehem. He was told about the Chamber and the website.

Mr. Baker asked about 2323 apt. building that burned and if at town meeting we can make a provision or ordinance about buildings partially destroyed that if the owner doesn’t have the means to fix it then the town can demolish it. Selectman Laleme told Mr. Baker that the Planning Board does the ordinances.

Dick Robie said that having a lien on a property doesn’t mean you can do what you want with the property. Mr. Robie also said the village district got their money for 2323 before the fire from the bank. He suggested that the Board should look to see who owns the property.

Chairman Blanchard went through the correspondence:

Letter from Len Reed about 2323 Main Street.

Letters from Littleton Police Dept thanking the police chief for the assistance of Bethlehem officers in a fatal accident they had in Littleton. Another letter was to the Fire chief praising one of his firefighters for his help at the accident scene.

Chairman Blanchard motioned to sign the release for Cartographic for state mapping. Selectman Laleme seconded. Carried 4-0. Chairman Blanchard signed the release.

The Board reviewed the minutes from 08/27/12. Selectman Glavac moved to accept the minutes from 08/27/12. Chairman Blanchard seconded. Carried 4-0.

Chairman Blanchard announced that the Board terminated the services of our assessing firm. He said the Board is looking for services from another assessing firm. Chairman Blanchard said the Board is working diligently on this. Rita Farrell asked Chairman Blanchard to explain what happened with the assessing. Chairman Blanchard said the Board was approached by the state and was told we were non-compliant.

Selectman Culver said the 2011 values were supposed to meet value anew. DRA said we didn’t meet values anew (values done every 5 years). He explained that DRA said we haven’t proven that we have met them, not necessarily that we didn’t meet them but couldn’t prove it. Chairman Blanchard said the assessing firm came in to meet with the Board and were told we need to get in compliance but we were not satisfied with the response from the firm. Rita Farrell asked if we need a complete reappraisal. Chairman Blanchard said it is too late for 2011. Chairman Blanchard also said DRA has been very helpful to the town during this. He explained how we enjoined with them to go to the BTLA. Selectman Culver said if we didn’t go with the DRA the BTLA could have dictated what assessing firm we use.

Rita Farrell asked about the permit modification and she also said a Board member had said the
application (permit modification) was a no brainer to bringing the landfill up to code. Mrs. Farrell said this was not true, the request is asking to be excused from being up to code. Mrs. Farrell also said the people have the right to have a public hearing and then the state will explain what is going on. She asked the Board to cell DES and ask for a hearing. Chairman Blanchard said he had called DES but will follow up and ask about a hearing.

Selectman Laleme said the windowsills will be done this week. Selectman Laleme also announced that Visions who came up to provide training waived the fee for training.

Chairman Blanchard moved to go into non-public session per 91A for matters of personnel and reputation. Selectman Laleme seconded. Carried 4-0. Chairman Blanchard did roll call with all members agreeing to go into non-public session.

At 9:45 Selectman Culver motioned to adjourn. Selectman Laleme seconded. Carried 4-0.

Respectfully submitted,

April Hibberd

Administrative Assistant

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