Bethlehem Board of Selectmen
Meeting Minutes
November 4, 2019
Present: Chairman Boisseau, Selectman Moritz, Selectman Moore, Selectman Jensen, Selectman Caplain.
Chairman Boisseau opened the meeting at 6:04 pm. He asked if there was any public input and there wasn’t any.
At 6:05 Chairman Boisseau opened the public hearing to discuss accepting the municipal aid money for $33,836.60 and using it for a marketing campaign for the town. Chairman Boisseau explained this was received this year and was unanticipated and will receive a similar amount next year. He said the Board can use it as they see fit after having a public hearing and said last week they had a meeting with a marketing firm to get input on how to market the town, how we are currently marketing the town and how to identify our goals – more businesses and 2nd homes. Chairman Boisseau said the Board recognized the money could be used in a lot of different ways and they feel this plan would help with the growth of the town. He said the estimates they received last week could be offset with grants and reductions from current expenditures that are repetitive like consolidating websites. He also explained it is a broad marketing campaign and not just a website and has the potential to bring more revenue in.
Chris McGrath said it should be a town vote and said he thinks money should be spent on fixing things in the town building. He also said it would be cheaper to fix the website and train in house staff then get a new website.
There was discussion about the project going out to bid to hire a marketing firm.
Harold Friedman said people are struggling and money should be used to reduce taxes.
Chairman Boisseau said he is looking at this as an investment in the town to bring in more people which will lower taxes.
Selectman Caplain said it will bring more tourist, businesses and residents.
Steve Dignazio said Bethlehem is well positioned with young people moving here, remote workers living here, Reklis expanding and theater expanding. He said he thinks it is great and the theater did it and saw 30% increase in revenue.
Michael Bruno suggested using Paul Greenlaw and Carol Kerivan to do what the marketing firm would do and said they can do it.
Sally Fitzgerald said a website is good but also suggested a video to be distributed.
Selectman Jensen said Bethlehem’s brand goes way beyond the website, that it is just one small part of it. He said it will be marketing beyond the tourist, also retired people.
Selectman Moore said all the tourist magazines we advertise in are all different and we want one “brand”.
Selectman Jensen said from the 2016 Master Plan goals and objectives are to encourage economic development, promote Bethlehem as great place to play, visit etc.
Pam Sullivan said she lives in Bethlehem and every dollar that state spends gets $12.34 back. She said a marketing plan done right gets buy back. She said community coming together and identifying assets and community needs is part of the process and people need to buy in to it.
Paul Greenlaw said the Master Plan was done by the community so reflects what is wanted. He said they (Bethlehem Reimagined) are not professionals at this and needs to be done by professional like Pam’s firm. He said he is willing to help focus on future and said he feels this is very valuable thing we should do.
Selectman Caplain said it will be very important to have people like Bethlehem Reimagined involved.
Colleen McCarthy said she has never used a town website to find out about a town, she uses Wikipedia etc. so doesn’t think a website should be a focus.
Selectman Jensen said the website makes it easier for people who live here to find out information.
Jane Storella said she agrees with Paul Greenlaw that a marketing manager knows things we don’t.
Ian Dowling said social media is everything.
Cheryl Jensen said it is more than a website and we don’t need a town meeting, it is in the Master Plan and the Business Retention and Expansion plan.
Selectman Jensen said the parking committee, energy commission, trails association – all volunteers who are dedicated professionals to focus on this.
Peter Roy said the bulletin board out front is dilapidated, and money could be spent on a digital sign that could announce things going on with Bethlehem events, concerts, etc.
Chairman Boisseau said Bethlehem Events is working on better signage.
Ed King said using professionals, an RFP, and bringing businesses to town, is very important to utilize people in town and would be nice if local business gets this.
Julie Seely said having a town website is helpful and supports this. She said it will pay for itself if 3 people choose to buy here and said there is a lot to offer here.
Elizabeth Meehan said word of mouth is important.
Mary Ellen Russell said she sees Instagram as supporting a website because it brings people to the website.
Jim McCann said it is a bigger, broader theme and a unifying idea and thinks it is a great idea.
Carol Kerivan said it is a multifaceted campaign to grow Bethlehem and will raise the tax base. She said Bethlehem spent less on marketing in 2018 then Littleton spent on flowers.
Rita Farrell said many people here live in poverty and wants to see those people helped. She said from the Master Plan people like quiet simple life, small town feel, lower taxes, more businesses.
Colleen McCarthy asked about getting a sign like exit 32 has that list the attractions. It was stated that businesses pay for that and is $400.00/year.
Steve Dignazio said part of the process will be surveys, focus groups, etc.
Selectman Jensen said we need to determine what the firm does. He also told Mrs. Farrell that long term it will lower taxes and said there are grants for lower income people.
Pat Foody said she moved here because of the golf course and because of 3 being so close by and the town is leasing it. She said now with the garbage situation and not having a place to bring garbage when the landfill closes, she asked what will be done about that and will business come if they have nowhere to put their garbage.
Chairman Boisseau said there is an update on the country club on the agenda tonight.
Selectman Jensen said there is a committee working on the garbage and planning for when the landfill closes.
It was stated that 500 tons of waste is from resident’s waste and the landfill doesn’t necessarily take commercial waste from Bethlehem, they take waste from other towns and out of state and also that Lincoln doesn’t have a landfill and people are moving there.
Selectman Jensen said this is helping businesses and attracting new residents and $5.00 off a tax bill wouldn’t make an impact.
Paul Greenlaw said there are grant opportunities to partner for grants and partners give you more legitimacy and more bang for your buck. He also said Bethlehem and Littleton are the only towns in the state getting younger so now is the time.
Ian said social media is the answer.
Selectman Moritz said part of this is finding out who that person is and need that professional platform. She said this is an opportunity to move Bethlehem forward.
Chairman Boisseau closed the public hearing at 7:14.
Chairman Boisseau said they have done due diligence with discussing this.
Selectman Moore said it was very valuable hearing input and thinks it is worthwhile investment in future of town.
Selectman Caplain agrees with Selectman Moore and said they can address other things with return from investment.
Chairman Boisseau moved to use the municipal aid money for marketing campaign. Selectman Moore seconded. Carried 4-0 (Selectman Moritz recused herself).
Jim McCann, President from Bethlehem Trails Assoc. came before the Board to give an update on the trails. He said “people’s court” is behind the school where the old tennis courts are, and it is 5 miles of single tracks up to Agassiz. He said they now have their 501c3 status and said they have double track trails in the national forest. Mr. McCann told the Board they will be having a fundraiser to hire trail crew and hoping to add 6 miles of trail.
Selectman Caplain said the real estate firm has been marketing the country club and there has been a couple of interested parties. He said one found it would cost too much so backed out and the Board asked the firm to also look for buyers. He said the town will be running it next year. Selectman Jensen said the appraisal showed it would take $450,000 to fix the clubhouse and course to bring it to good level and said it has been breaking even because it hasn’t been maintained. Rita Farrell asked if he looked at the list from the historical preservation and was told that he called them and has not heard back yet. There was discussion about the possibility of selling it and having to go to a town vote because the Board does not have permission to sell it, only to lease it as a golf course.
The Board discussed the assessing software update and the need to update the server as well due to the assessing update. It was explained the server was going to be needed anyways and can be purchased from the tech capital reserve funds. The Board also discussed quotes from the IT company for a firewall and upgraded wireless for the town building. Selectman Moritz moved to go forward with the server quote and pay it from the tech capital reserve fund. Selectman Jensen seconded. Carried 5-0.
Selectman Moritz moved to accept the quote for the wireless. Selectman Jensen seconded. Carried 5-0.
Selectman Moritz moved to accept the quote for the firewall. Selectman Moore seconded. Carried 5-0.
The Board reviewed the insurance rates for health, dental, property & liability, workers comp, and unemployment. Health insurance went up 2.5%, dental went up just under 4%, property & liability is up 7%, workers comp is down, and unemployment stayed the same. The Board discussed whether to change the % the town pays for the employees’ portion of their insurance. They all agreed to leave the %’s the same. Selectman Moritz said they should consider changing the % for new hires.
The Board reviewed the Department of Revenue equalization ratio form and signed it.
The Board reviewed the minutes from 10/28/19.
Chairman Boisseau moved to approve the minutes. Selectman Moore seconded. Carried 5-0.
Selectman Jensen told the Board the 2006 F150 highway truck is dead, and Brett Jackson is thinking about what he wants to do to replace it. He also told the board that he went to Oxbow Road with Mr. Jackson and saw the sign saying private road and said he could talk with the police chief to ask that they talk with the resident about removing the sign.
Selectman Moore said Peter from Copper Cannon camp will give the Board a tour of the area around the camp where there was the other private road sign issue.
At 8:02 Chairman Boisseau moved to go into non-public session per RSA 91A:3 II for matters of personnel. Selectman Moritz seconded. Chairman Boisseau did roll call with all members agreeing to go into non-public session.
The Board discussed personnel.
At 8:15 PM Selectman Moritz moved to come out of non-public session. Selectman Caplain seconded. Chairman Boisseau did roll call with all members agreeing to come out of non-public session.
At 8:15 Selectman Moritz moved to adjourn. Selectman Moore seconded. Carried 5-0.
Respectfully submitted,
April Hibberd
Administrative Assistant
