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Select Board Meeting – 03/03/25 — 25-March-03-Minutes-Draft

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Town of
Northumberland
Office of Selectmen
19 Main St

Groveton NH 03582
Phone (603) 636-1450
Fax (603) 636-6098

www.northumberlandnh.org

Town of Northumberland
Board of Selectmen
Meeting Minutes - Draft
Date: Monday, March 3, 2025
Place: Town Meeting Room — 10 Station Square
Time: 6:00 P.M.

Board members present: J. Tierney, J. Weagle, K. Bronson

Others present: Tammy Letson, Glenn Cassady, Al Rossetto, Cliff Bramlett, Judy Fox, Reginald
Charron, Deb Miles, Melissa Dano, Doug Dano, Andre Brasseur, Sheila Smith, Rebecca St Cyr -
Minute Taker

1. Chairman Opens the meeting: J. Tierney opened meeting at 6:00 pm
2. Pledge of Allegiance: All
3. Acceptance of Minutes: 02/18/2025

Motion to approve the 02/18/2025 minutes by: K. Bronson
24 by: J, Weagle, All in Favor 3-0

4. Department Head Business: Highway/Water/Sewer

Highway - Glenn Cassady, Road Agent

- Thanked Tammy for covering for him last month.

- Purchased another 4 loads of salt, we went through the other 4. We have been averaging
4 loads/month and he likes to keep 4 loads ahead. Glenn reviewed the usage over the past
3 years. Last year was a low number, we had 6 loads in the shed at the end of the season.
Everyone has gone up a third in usage. We have purchased 382 ton since the first of year.
The cash value is approx. 36K. Glenn discussed with Tammy if it looks like we will go over
the budget, it can be amended at Town Meeting. The annual usage has been 16-17 loaded
and we are at 12.

- Had an emissions problem with the one ton today, it’s derating. We took it up to Noyes
Chev. It derates by 10 mph increments, especially going up hills. It’s something with the
emissions.

- Removed a lot of snow and are pretty much caught back up.

- Glenn got some pressure from the State, re: cold patch on State St (where the water leak
was). It was an expensive patch. He called Pike but they store their cold patch outside. We
decided to go with the bag stuff, but it’s expensive. He called Cameron Coating & Patching,
they have a hot box which they brought up. It was easier to work with the bags, it came
out pretty good. It was approximately a $4,000 patch job.

- Will be setting up for the voting on Thursday.

- We will be helping Al Rossetto with a door.

- He has some cold patch, Church St. is breaking up on the shoulders, we had a couple of
manhole drains to clean out, we had a couple of minor breakdowns.

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Tammy noted in 2024, the budget was $41,500, at the end of February 2024 you had spent
about $18,500. So far in 2025, the budget is $43,000 and have spent $27,000. You are 1.5
times higher than last year. In March and April 2024, looks like you worked on filling the salt
shed. Glenn talked about running out of salt some time ago and it was 3 weeks without any.

Water / Sewer - Reggie Charron, Supervisor

- Sewer Dept - We lost an aerator motor February 1, a bearing let go, we will be digging it
out in the spring. He had 4 in stock and is now down to 2. He will send out 2 more in the
spring. The cost is approx. $1,300 - $1,400 apiece depending on what's needed.

-  Eversource has been after him; they had Asplund cutting out a transmission line and found
a crossmember is broken. We will try the outage on Wednesday it should take about ¥
hour. J. Tierney asked if they could come up with a generator? Reggie said it’s 3 phase
power so there isn’t a set up for that.

- Water Dept — On Feb 1 we were aware that we were losing water. Lost Nation we got fixed,
now we saving water 3,038 gallons/day. Groveton - after we found the issue at OSJL with
the sprinkler head. We were lucky that Nick St. Cyr (who lives next to Bruno McKenzie’s
lateral that goes across the field and wetlands) heard water running, there was a 1” plastic
line that was dumping! We told Melcher Court that they had a major internal issue, they
were using a lot of water. We told them to start looking. There was one apartment where
the toilet was gushing. Between those 2 leaks we went from pumping 257,000 gallons/day
and now we are down to less than 210,000 gallons/day. We have saved 37,000 gal/day.
With the one State St. that was another 19 gallon/min.

Groveton pumped almost 8 million gallons in January; in February we are down to 6.1
million; Lost Nation was 185,200; we are down to 82,200 in February. We had a lot of help
from the Highway Dept. it was a lot of hard work but it was for big savings.

- Keith and Bart will start reading meters for ending Quarter 1.

- We did the backflows for a mandated State report that’s due in April.

- Hill project - Reggie has been in contact with the head of construction, Steve Duncanson;
he will be living up here and he will be in charge of all the construction. He’s been looking
for a landing spot for equipment, material, etc. We’ve recommended a couple of areas,
there is a spot on the backside of river (privately owned). The snow dump is not a good
place, it’s very muddy. Trying to get 18 wheelers down through Odell Park, West St. - it
wouldn’t be the best place. The property on the backside of the river, there is plenty of
room out there, it a big area and makes more sense. Glenn talked with Albert Cloutier and
we're talking about 20,000 yards of material coming out that needs to be stored. Further
discussed some areas on the Chapman property where it might be dumped. J. Tierney
suggested asking Chapman if they would like it for fill. Tammy will mention that to Steve.
DES says what you can use for fill. Reggie said the biggest concern is radon in the rock,
which might be an issue. Reggie said EPA is going through some big things right now.
They are all proving their jobs right now and making it difficult. J. Weagle asked about AB;
discussion ensued about other options, re: dumping, what's dumped, etc. During the last
project, the area near Dollar General was used for dumping fill. Glenn and Reggie
discussed further.

We have a lot going on, waiting for Spring!!

Tammy will speak with Steve about the snow dump area. Reggie further discussed the
project.

5. Requested Agenda Matters:

6. Town Administrator Business:

Easter Egg Hunt — Granite Guild asked about putting one together. The Board didn’t know of
anyone currently doing one.

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Hazard Mitigation Grant Extension - Tammy - we have a grant extension that the
State sent to us to be signed. There isn’t anything to sign, the Board needs to say for
the minutes that they are ok with the extension of the grant and the payment that
goes with that will be extended to the end of the Hazard Mitigation Project.

Motion that the Board is ok with the extension of the grant and that the payment

will be extended to the end of the Hazard Mitigation Project By: J. Weagle

2"4 by: K. Bronson, All in Favor 3-0

Fire Department Title - The State opened the option to put fire plates on the fire
trucks. We've done that for one; Andre would like to put them on all of the trucks. It
doesn’t cost anything except for the decal $8.00 for each. Romi called DMV and they
said we can’t do that, the Town can’t own it, the Northumberland Fire Dept needs to
own them to get the plates. The titles need to be re-done, which doesn’t cost
anything, this goes against what was previously advised. All the trucks have been
added to our list of re-titles to be fixed. Andre asked if the Highway W/S trucks would
need to be updated also. When we went to register the Tahoe (police cruiser) they
mentioned that towns typically do that. The vehicles are titled to Town of and then the
department they belong to. If we want the special plates or anything else specific
moving forward it has to be to the individual departments. If the Board is willing to
allow the special plates on the vehicles, someone needs to sign everything as the
buyer and seller. J. Tierney will stop into sign.

Plow Truck Title - When going over the exposure for our property liability, we did
multiple jobs at once. We've sold and bought some vehicles and didn’t have all the
titles. We came across the title for the truck that Glenn drives, which is an
International, but is listed as a CAT. The purchase and sales agreement was correct,
the title app was incorrect. J. Tierney said usually the dealership does the applications,
Tammy commented not always on the big trucks, We just need to do corrective
paperwork to get it fixed. We need someone to sign it. J. Tierney will stop in tomorrow.

Motion to have J. Tierney sign all the paperwork by: K. Bronson

2nd by: J. Weagle, All in Favor 3-0

Town Forest Yield Tax - Tammy said Rick Evans from DRA had a training session with
Niki on this. Rick (and Niki) came in and told Kathy that she would have to send the
logger a bill under the Towns name. Tammy then said we don’t bill the logger for a
town stumpage cut. Mr. Evans asked if the Board of Selectmen had agreed to this ina
public meeting? Tammy said no because they don’t take care of the cuts for Town
forest. Evans said they take care of the yield tax, the only way it’s allowed is if the
Board of Selectmen agree that it’s ok that we do not bill ourselves for yield tax bill
because we receive more in stumpage.

Motion that we don’t bill the Forest Yield Tax to ourselves for both the cut
that’s finished and any upcoming contracts by: J. Weagle
2"4 by: K. Bronson, All in Favor 3-0

Al discussed DES and the landfill with reserves, the District had to go from millions to
multiples of 5 times that amount and didn’t tell anyone about it. Talked about cutting
taxes, having shortfalls, different rules, etc. bill re: valuations on homes, etc.

J. Tierney talked about a bill that was killed, it wanted to change the SWEPT (statewide
education property tax). This year it would have changed from $1.12/thousand on
home valuations to $5.00/thousand. In Groveton, it would have gone from approx.
$220,000 of SWEPT for the whole Town to $1 million. Statewide it would have gone
from $363 million raised to $1.62 billion raised. J. Tierney further discussed.

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e. NHWLI Acceptance - NH Women’s Leadership Institute. Tammy said this is a series of
sessions that Primex, NHGFOA and others have put together. She applied and was
awarded; there were 126 applicants to fill 24 slots. The sessions are free; she will be
out of the office to attend 5 sessions total, which includes 2 conferences. Starting with
the Primex conference in May and ending with the NHMA conference in November.

7.  Applications/Permits and Warrants:

a. Abatement Application (3): Map/Lot 251-006; Map/Lot 214-029; Map/Lot 224-001 -
Motion to send all three abatement applications to the assessor by: K. Bronson
24 by: J. Weagle, All in Favor 3-0

b, Tax Credit Applications (2):

Map/Lot 102-023 - Veterans credit
Motion to recommend to deny by: J. Weagle, 2" by: K. Bronson, All in Favor 3-0

Map/Lot 107-112 — Veterans credit
Motion to approve by: J. Weagle, 2"¢ by: K. Bronson, All in Favor 3-0

c. Warrants-Timber (2):
Map/Lot 209-001 - $2,364.36 taxable.
Motion to sign the Timber Tax by: J. Weagle, 2"! by: K. Bronson, All in Favor 3-0

Map/Lot 224-007 - $652.37 taxable.
Motion to sign the Timber Tax by: J. Weagle, 2" by: K. Bronson, All in Favor 3-0

8. **Public Comment:

- This is J. Tiernery’s last Selectmen meeting, J. Weagle thanked him for his years of
service as Selectman, he’s not re-running this year.

9. Announcements:
Planning Board Meeting will be Wednesday, March 5, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.; 19 Main St

Town Elections (voting) will be Tuesday, March 11, 2025 from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; 10
Station Square (meeting room).

The Town Meeting will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.; the High School
gym.

10. Next Board Meeting Date: Monday, March 17, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.

11. Non-Public Session: (Pursuant to RSA 91-A:3, II (b):
Motion to go into Non-Public Session by: J. Weagle
2"4 by: K. Bronson, All in Favor 3-0
Roll Call: J. Tierney - Yes, J. Weagle - Yes, K. Bronson - Yes
Into Non-Public Session at 7:06 pm
a, Resident matter - Minutes SEALED

Motion to come out of Non-Public session by: K. Bronson
2"4 by: J, Weagle, All in Favor 3-0

Out of Non-Public session at 7:23 pm

***This Institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer***


Into Regular session at 7:23 pm
Motion to seal the minutes of the Non-Public session by: J. Weagle
24 by: K. Bronson, All in Favor 3-0
Roll Call: J. Tierney - Yes, J. Weagle - Yes, K. Bronson - Yes

No further business was discussed.

12. Adjournment:

Motion to adjourn by: K, Bronson,
24 by: J. Weagle, All in Favor 3-0

Meeting adjourned at 7:24 pm

“Agenda is subject to change
**Deadline for Agenda items is 12:00 noon on the Friday before scheduled business meeting (by vote of Board of

Selectmen at 7/11/2005 meeting). This deadline may be amended by the Board of Selectmen at will (by vote of Board of
Selectmen at 06/17/2024 meeting).

***This Institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer***