04/25/2022 SB Minutes

Bethlehem Board of Selectmen

Meeting Minutes

April 25, 2022

 

In person – Selectman Caplain, Selectman Jensen, Selectman Morris, Selectman Hibberd, and Selectman Queiroga

Chairman Caplain opened the meeting at 6:00pm and reminded zoom participants to keep their microphones on mute and in-person public members to use podium to speak.

Chairman Caplain – first day of office hours – reminder to people about office hours – Monday’s hour before meeting and Monday’s @ 7pm on non-meeting dates

Chairman Caplain – select board received email – see attached

 

Public Input:

Pam Sullivan – Bethlehem invested into tourism and marketing plan – June 21st hosting event at Colonial Theater – Division of Travel and Tourism – summer campaign and future plans

 

Sullivan Creative – Winter program recap and next steps

Pam Sullivan – formal wrap up of winter campaign – see attached dashboard for marketing info Chairman Caplain – lots of impressions but low clicks – Pam Sullivan – organic searches show desire of people to get to site – want to get website ranking higher – Selectman Queiroga – Rek-lis big driver but do we have stats from town website to click to other businesses in town? – Pam Sullivan – comes from businesses in town, not off our website – lots of photos during COVID so less people in photos – lack of people in photos but fixing that.

Upcoming – Video/Vlog – 16-18 scheduled – new person on staff in the videos – Spring/Fall 2022 – Itineraries – Newsletters – Social Media – Google ads – N.E. Focus, Yankee magazine and digital –

 

Nigel Manley – PILOT program with Rocks

Nigel Manley – old parcel – building taken down with controlled burn – would like to absorb lot into PILOT agreement – lot line adjustment to absorb it into larger lot will be done in future

Selectman Hibberd made a motion to include small plot into PILOT properties – Selectman Jensen seconded – roll call – all – motion passed

Other –

Brett Jackson – trees

Chairman Caplain talked to Brett Jackson about tree removal – David Van Houten went to tree removal company and it is easiest for them to take down all trees instead of pick and choose – monies are in solar budget for their removal.

 

Building cleaning service –

Tim Fleury – current cleaning contractor is retiring. Contacted 3 companies/individuals for quotes on cleaning town offices on a weekly basis.  One received at same rate as current contractor.

Selectman Hibberd made a motion to hire the independent contractor pending insurance info – Selectman Morris – second – roll call – all – motion passed.

Selectman Morris – motion to purchase equipment if contractor hired – not to exceed $750 total – Selectman Hibberd seconded – roll call – all – motion passed

 

Sweep Bank Account Change

Selectman Queiroga – Woodsville bank changing sweep accounts – nightly money moves to high yield account and back in in the morning – now going to multiple accounts to keep transferred amounts under insurance threshold and earn more interest – met with the bank and Frank – ideally will start at month end if no issues.

 

Follow up items with board

Board discussed list – funding opportunities

 

Abatement recommendations from appraiser – 421-9-18 & 19, and 204-50.

Chairman Caplain – from assessor – parcels should be valued at $0 – parcels should be with other parcels in development – they are roads and common areas – 421-9-18 and 19

Chairman Caplain made a motion to approve new amounts – 421-9-18 and 19 – Selectman Morris second – roll call all – motion passed.

Chairman Caplain – Arlington St hotel – Chandler – value was too high; Hotel went to assessor to reduce amount – have not provided requested additional info to assessor – no additional info given – recommendation not to reduce amount

Selectman Morris – motion to deny 204-50 abatement – Selectman Hibberd seconded – roll call all – motion passed.

Selectman Morris – may be appropriate to have Sansoucy assess property if they come back again.

 

Minutes – 4/11/2022

Selectman Hibberd made a motion to accept minutes from 4/11/2022 – Selectman Jensen seconded – roll call all – motion passed

 

Other

Selectman Jensen – off meeting office hours ZOOM meetings – details – town Zoom meeting info

Selectman Queiroga – beneficial to have people submit info in advance to board to help focus on presentations – possible form for presentations – Selectman Morris agree and would like to work on general direction and have info on agenda – Thursday by noon is a good deadline

Selectman Queiroga – new donut truck in town – attached to truck by gas station – cars parked on street and other areas. Truck was parked on sidewalk – Selectman Morris – talked to truck owner – went to select board – Haverhill has put through simple permit – area operating in, insurance, safety certs, etc. – permission to share contact info with vendors – coordinate with other vendors – work with planning board for good sites – WREN, Gazebo, other potential sites – Selectman Queiroga – location across street from local businesses – donuts winter business, hot dogs in summer – next steps? Selectman Morris – asked owner to come before select board with information – Selectman Hibberd – blocks sidewalk with truck – Selectman Morris – planning board meeting this week? – Selectman Jensen – long agenda already, not good week to look at sites – process is needed – local farmers market as well – Selectman Morris – form for property use – board discussed options – will work with insurance company to determine issues – Selectman Jensen – like idea and calendar for property use as well – Selectman Queiroga good to submit and see events in town – Chairman Caplain  – hopefully comes to next meeting – Selectman Morris – should come up with form and process for next meeting –

 

 

At 7:37 pm Chairman Caplain made a motion to go into non-public session per RSA 91A-3 II (personnel, legal, reputation) – Selectman Morris seconded – roll call – all – motion passed.  

Board discussed reputation matter.

Selectman Hibberd motion to hire ZW as jr guard at $10/hr – Selectman Morris second roll call – all – motion passed

Chairman Caplain motion to rehire returning pool staff – Selectman Hibberd second – roll call – all motion passed-

Board discussed interest rebate request on tax bill

Selectman Hibberd made a motion to deny interest request – Selectman Queiroga seconded – roll call all – motion passed.

Board discussed trash on property in town

Board discussed eviction on town owned property.

Board discussed potential junkyard/car repair business operating in town without permission.

Board discussed roll of select board in town issues.

 

Selectman Jensen made a motion to adjourn @ 8:24 Selectman Caplain seconded – roll call – all – motion passed.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Tim Fleury

Administrative assistant