02/28/2022 SB Minutes

Bethlehem Board of Selectmen

Meeting Minutes

February 28, 2022

 

In person – Chairman Caplain, Selectman Jensen, Selectman Morris. Absent: Selectman Boisseau and Selectman Hibberd

Chairman Caplain opened the meeting at 6:03 pm and reminded people to leave their microphones on mute.  He continued to remind in person participants to use the microphone so Zoom participants can hear

Chairman Caplain gave a large thank you to Selectman Boisseau for all of his work on the board as this would have been his last meeting but could not make it. Selectman Jensen and Selectman Morris seconded

 

Public Input:

Barry Zitser – admiring and support brave people of Ukraine and their leaders – Freedom House – protects against assault on democracies – Mr. Zitser believes in his lifetime he will see a democratic Ukraine and Russia.

 

Rocks Estate letter:

Chairman Caplain – thanked Selectman Morris for drafting letter – Selectman Morris – Forest Society, not mine – Selectman Jensen – the Forest Society is seeking a letter of support for a grant from the select board – Selectman Morris – they are using community block grants and tax relief money and building a new building and offering more programs – Chairman Caplain – spoke with Nigel Manley and they are going to meet and discuss economic impacts of the Rocks Estate and how to grow it with the town – Selectman Morris – spoke with Nigel and his experience growing the Rocks in the tourist industry

Selectman Morris made a motion to sign a letter of support for the Forest Society – Selectman Jensen – seconded – roll call – Selectmen Caplain, Jensen and Morris – absent – Selectmen Boisseau and Hibberd – motion passed – 3/5

 

Sign Permit – Legacy Used Books

Chairman Caplain – Used bookstore on main street – vinyl banner standing off of building – vertical banner – Chairman Caplain – keeps in character of town – Selectman Morris – looks good

Selectman Jensen made a motion to approve the sign permit for Legacy Used Books – Selectman Morris seconded – roll call – Selectmen Caplain, Jensen and Morris – absent – Selectmen Boisseau and Hibberd – motion passed – 3/5

 

 

Safe Route to School Project

Angela McShane – Chairman Caplain – background – building trails to connect Profile School to Bethlehem and Franconia – working with DOT to make necessary crossings easier – Angela McShane – update – moving along with project – applied for 2 grants – White Mtn Trails Collective and North County Council – waiting to hear back on grants – working on trails in Bethlehem with new route – change in Franconia as well – hoping to stay off road – working on connecting trails in town – going along Route 18 and under 93 overpass in Bethlehem – hoping to work with town to light underpass – The board discussed options with Angela McShane for the route to keep them safe on the roads and what the town can do to assist the effort.

 

Select Board Follow Up Items

Chairman Caplain – question from candidates’ night – Chairman Caplain would like to start an “open items” list and follow with status updates – started with Mary Moritz in past would like to keep it going – Selectman Jensen suggested brief updates from liaisons at meetings –  board discussed projects and possible funding for them – Selectman Morris – final ARPA rule coming up and will discuss uses – working with Selectman Hibberd on PTO policy and disability insurance.  

 

Deputy moderator appointment

Chairman Caplain – Don Lavoie will not be able to attend election – suggested Tim Fleury – will be paid $100 stipend.

Selectman Jensen made a motion to appoint Tim Fleury as deputy moderator – Selectman Morris seconded – roll call – Selectmen Caplain, Jensen and Morris – absent – Selectmen Boisseau and Hibberd – motion passed – 3/5

 

 

 

 

Town building mask mandate

Chairman Caplain – would like to push off to next meeting with entire board here – Selectman Morris – can encourage masks – but not require them in the meantime.

 

Minutes – 02/14/2022

Selectman Morris made a motion to accept the minutes from 02/14/2022  – Selectman Jensen seconded – roll call – Selectmen Caplain, Jensen and Morris – absent – Selectmen Boisseau and Hibberd  – motion passed – 3/5

 

Other

Selectman Morris – Conservation Commission – Adopt a Spot – Nancy Strand – moving to make program accessible and not as daunting – less of a process, small town version – go through waiver – web form and people can pick spots on map – they will run the waiver by the town insurance company and go from there.

Selectman Morris – use agreement for the town forest – basic liability and form for Conservation Commission to use forest – can be for individual event or multiple uses – also looking for members for Conservation Commission to fill vacancies.

Chairman Caplain – request for facade grant come in today – Super Secret Ice Cream – reviewed and approved by committee – needs board’s approval.

Selectman Morris made a motion to approve the façade grant for the Super Secret Ice Cream location – Chairman Caplain seconded – roll call – Selectmen Caplain, Jensen and Morris – absent – Selectmen Boisseau and Hibberd – motion passed – 3/5

 

Chairman Caplain – Barrington Power – USRDA won’t allow to sign contract without engineers reports on 2 roofs – have to pull engineers report out of agreement and do separate contract for roofs and deduct from main contract – The board went over grammatical and content changes needed in the document.

Selectman Morris made a motion to approve limited notice to proceed subject to typographical changes and suggested modifications – Selectman Jensen – seconded – roll call – Selectmen Caplain, Jensen and Morris – absent – Selectmen Boisseau and Hibberd – motion passed – 3/5

 

At 6:52pm Chairman Caplain made a motion to go into non-public session per RSA 91A-3 II (personnel, legal) – Selectman Morris seconded – roll call – Selectmen Caplain, Jensen and Morris – absent – Selectmen Boisseau and Hibberd – motion passed – 3/5

Board discussed building inspector and code officer position.

Selectman Jensen made a motion to hire PD as building inspector and code enforcement officer – Selectman Morris seconded – roll call – Selectmen Caplain, Jensen and Morris – absent – Selectmen Boisseau and Hibberd – motion passed – 3/5

Chairman Caplain made a motion to post deputy building inspector and code officer position – Selectman Morris seconded – roll call – Selectmen Caplain, Jensen and Morris – absent – Selectmen Boisseau and Hibberd – motion passed – 3/5

Chairman Caplain made a motion to accept negotiated settlement with Stored Solar – Selectman Jensen – seconded – roll call – Selectmen Caplain, Jensen and Morris – absent – Selectmen Boisseau and Hibberd – motion passed – 3/5

Selectman Morris made a motion to adjourn at 7:13 – Selectman Jensen seconded – roll call – Selectmen Caplain, Jensen and Morris – absent – Selectmen Boisseau and Hibberd – motion passed – 3/5

 

Respectfully submitted,

Tim Fleury

Administrative assistant