Bethlehem Board of Selectmen
Meeting Minutes
January 28, 2019
Present: Chairman Moritz, Selectman Moore, Selectman Boisseau, Selectman Glavac, Selectman Ubaldo.
Chairman Moritz opened the meeting at 6:00 pm.
First on the agenda is a report from the Transfer Station Committee. Chris McGrath summarized the report. He said the committee first were planning on a closure date of 2021 but that is now extended a couple of years. He said they looked at options of the town garage, leasing Trudeau Road spot or using Littleton Transfer Station. He said they are hoping the Select Board could take the next step and said they would need an engineer report to see what the 116 site would need.
Mr. McGrath also said for the Trudeau Road site they would need to give them a proposal and for Carberry they need to give them a formal request for them to consider us. It was stated that a speaker they had come said there was no way to run a transfer station “tax free”. Mr. McGrath said he would like to see a survey given to residents to see what the town wants. Selectman Moore said they need prices on each option before doing a survey. There was discussion about the possibility of doing a survey during the election of 2020. Mr. McGrath said Mr. Normandeau came in to speak to the committee as well as someone from the Littleton Transfer Station and from North Country Council. Mr. McGrath said he is leaving the committee and said the next steps are getting financial information. Barry Zitser of the Transfer Station Committee said they also haven’t looked at the feasibility of curbside pick-up yet for in town or out of town sharing. He said they would need to ask for RFP’s for engineering studies. Mr. Zitser said Carberry will be the closest landfill and said having a compacting truck come to a site a few days a week is also an option. The Transfer Station Committee is asking $35,000 for the Solid Waste Capital Reserve Fund for this year.
The Board discussed the police cruiser lease warrant and received advice on it. They explained it was done incorrectly due to it being a lease and using capital reserve funds for a lease payment which cannot be done if there is an opt out clause, which there is. It was explained the money will be returned to the capital reserve fund and the payment will come out of surplus.
Selectman Glavac said the warrant article placeholder for the conservation easement will not be needed. Chairman Moritz said there is not an amendment to the easement because there is already infrastructure there.
The Board discussed the special revenue rescission of the country club warrant article and explained this is just changing the type of account that it is. Selectman Glavac moved to change language in warrant article 5&6 to this administrative change is mandated by Department of Revenue and is necessary for the country club to operate. Selectman Boisseau seconded. Carried 5-0.
PUBLIC INPUT
Cheryl Jensen asked what the next steps were with the Transfer Station Report. She was told the Board needs time to process the report and set a date of 02/11/19 to discuss the report.
There was discussion about having a candidate’s night on March 5th. Chris McGrath said last year it was a free for all and suggested the questions go to the moderator like it was previously done.
Mr. McGrath asked the Board for approval to have his little fire on election day as long as Mary Lou Krambeer also approves. Chairman Moritz moved to approve to allow him to have the fire. Selectman Moore seconded. Carried 5-0.
Rita Farrell read from a report about the Sierra Club gas to energy and the increased greenhouse gas emissions.
The Board reviewed minutes.
Selectman Moore moved to approve the minutes from 01/07/19. Selectman Glavac seconded. Carried 5-0.
Selectman Moore moved to approve the minutes from 01/14/19. Selectman Glavac seconded.
Carried 5-0.
Selectman Glavac moved to approve the minutes from 01/21/10. Selectman Moore seconded. Carried 5-0.
Mrs. Farrell asked for the reference used for the decision for stuff being there for the easement. Chairman Moritz explained the attorney went over it and didn’t initially realize the infrastructure was already there. Mrs. Farrell asked if it allows certain things and if they were allowed when the easement was made. Chairman Moritz said the attorney felt it was allowed. Selectman Glavac said the attorney didn’t realize there were other uses allowed in the easement. Julie Seely asked if a copy of the easement was in the office and was told yes. Mrs. Jensen said it is interesting that Selectman Glavac has a different take than Selectman Moore and no one has gone out to look at what we had which is supposed to be done by law. Selectman Moore said if they avoid that piece of the easement they would have to go through wetlands. Mrs. Jensen also said it bothers her the attorney didn’t know there were other approved uses in the easement.
At 7:04 Chairman Moritz moved to go into non-public session per RSA 91A:3 II for matters of personnel. Selectman Boisseau seconded. Chairman Moritz did roll call with all members agreeing to go into non-public session.
The Board discussed personnel involving the country club.
Chairman Moritz moved to have the attorney send the no action letter for the conservation easement if it is determined it is needed. Selectman Moore seconded. Carried 5-0.
At 7:23 Chairman Moritz moved to adjourn. Selectman Moore seconded. Carried 5-0.
Respectfully submitted,
April Hibberd
Administrative Assistant
