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Littleton Select Board 7/27/26

Video

[music]
to call to order the July 27th select
board meeting. Could we please stand for
pledge of allegiance?
I pledge algiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands. One nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
And now for a moment of silence, please.
>> [snorts]
>> Okay,
everybody enjoying the weather? What a
weekend. What a weekend. All right, we
have a pretty um big agenda. We're going
to do um approve some minutes and we're
going to go into a public hearing and
then we have various business items. Um
all right, so approval of minutes. The
first one is the June 22nd um select
board meeting.
Anyone want to make the motion to accept
or any changes?
>> There's no objections from the board.
I'll make the motion move.
>> Okay.
Second that.
>> Taylor second. Any other discussion?
>> All right. All in favor of accepting the
minutes.
>> I Okay. 40.
Moving right along. July 20th, we did a
work session um and a non-public work
session. We have to do them separately.
So, first I'll take a motion for the
select board work session.
>> I'll make the motion.
>> Thanks, Paul.
>> There's [clears throat] no objection.
>> Anyone else?
>> I'll second.
>> All right. Ed second. Any um changes or
edits?
All in favor accepting those. I
>> Okay. 40 o. And last one is the July
20th non-public work session.
>> Thank you, Taylor.
>> I'll second Ed. Discussion. All right.
All in favor?
>> I
>> I Okay, great. All right. Now, I'm going
to open up the public hearing. Um it's
502
and this public hearing is um about
proposed administrative fee changes.
Vicki has um a copy of them up at the
desk if someone wants to follow along.
Um
go ahead, Troy.
>> All right.
So this evening, this is this uh public
hearing is for the people that are here
uh this evening. I will let you know
that the staff and select board um we
probably started a process last year
looking at our fee system committed to
going through all of them. This is our
um second phase. Last year we did the
transfer station. I think everyone
probably pretty much aware of the fees
that changed um last year transfer
facility. We're calling these the
administrative fees. These are pretty
much your town office fees and also the
upper house rental. So, the select board
and staff spent uh at least two work
sessions talking about the fees. Uh what
you have before you this evening is our
recommendation.
State law requires that the select board
can make any changes to the town fees
that legal notices are published in the
paper and uh we gain or seek public
input from the residents.
So I um I'm not going to go through all
the fees unless we think we need to. Um,
but basically for administrative fees,
we really just took a look at what we're
trying to capture the best of our
ability what we feel uh the actual true
cost is um to the town, but also
balancing that, you know, we don't want
it too expensive. Um, we want the
residents to be able to to come in and
apply for permits. we want them um to be
able to utilize the notary services, get
photo copies [snorts] and stuff like
that. So, it's it's our attempt at um
balancing that, you know, trying to
capture the uh true cost um but not so
expensive that it prohibits people from
from doing these transactions.
The biggest change I really think um is
in two areas. in our um planning and
zoning fees.
We recently discovered that because we
don't actually have a building inspector
per se. We don't inspect per building
code and primarily when you have a fee
structure that's based on square footage
that is usually trying to capture the
cost of the time that the building
inspectors out there from the start to
the finish of the project. we really
have more of an application process and
we go through that process just to make
sure that everything's consistent with
our zoning ordinance. So, we've come out
with a flat fee uh and and changed the
transition more to an application type
fee.
And the other area that you see a total
change in in our um fee structure is the
opera house. Um we've
we've we've had a few work sessions on
in this area. We had it broken out
previously with uh a different rate for
nonprofit groups for private residents.
um the m and we you know didn't have
um a different fee structure for high
demand times like for example a lot of
people when they're going to have a
wedding reception or wedding anniversary
um you would probably want to have that
on a Friday or a Saturday and those are
peak times right so in private sector
usually you pay a lot more money to use
a facility than you would on a Tuesday
um during the workday
so we've restructured ed it to try to
capture um peak times, but also kind of
felt that we we could try to lower the
fees or at least make them very
affordable for off peak time in hopes
that we'd stimulate more use of the
facility.
Um so that's what you see. We don't we
don't we figured that
we're trying to capture the cost of
operating the opera house. So whether
you're a nonprofit group or a private
group or resident, the fee is the fee
and this is the cost to use the
facility. So that's all gone. You just
have um the different rooms that are
available, the different uh time frames
and the peak times and the off peak
times.
I guess I would leave it at that.
Anybody want to say anything before I
open it up?
Any comments before I open it up?
>> I don't think so. We talked about this
talked about a couple of times.
>> We beat it up pretty good,
>> right? All right. So, public comment
just uh I guess state your name and town
of residence and
or not everybody. All right.
Going once, going twice. No. Okay,
then we will close the public hearing
and then we can vote. We'll close a
public hearing at 507, Vicki,
and then we need to do a vote on these
changes.
All right.
Now, any comments or discussion or
anything?
>> I'll make a motion to approve the new
feed schedule.
>> Thank you.
>> Second.
>> Second, Taylor. Okay. All in favor? I
>> All right. Wonderful. All right. Moving
on to business. Um first um on the
agenda is road surface pedestrian
infrastructure project and we got North
Country Council folks here for that
presentation.
>> Nick, are you giving that presentation?
>> And then you
um so I think everyone should have a
copy of the presentation before you
prepare. So, um, we met at length, I
think from December when I first met
with Troy about this, um, talking about
kind of the needs of the town for
pedestrian kind of road conditions, road
conditions, understanding them, and kind
of we had talked about some of the
previous work products the town had had,
pedestrian infrastructure plans, some of
the the parking plan we had helped the
town with back in 2018 and 19,
>> and we developed these two projects,
road service management
um and pedestrian infrastructure
assessment to kind of,
you know, bring things up to speed and
then move things forward for, you know,
really looking at capital management and
planning out. Um, you know, road
improvements, pedestrian improvements,
things like that. Um,
so there's that quick background on
that. But so for us, you know, we've
been working with the town, you know,
we've been in the region working on
different things for decades. we've been
around the block. Um, so I don't know if
you hate the whole whole spiel about it
section, but um, you know, really our
role that we try and kind of work with
towns on is to provide objective
information and planning tools to towns
that they can, you know, make informed
decisions and, you know, make projects
happen and and really, you know,
accomplish the things that they've had,
you know, on the agenda, been talked
about forever and trying to make those a
reality. Um so these are two projects
and using two different planning tools.
We've got the road service management
system and the pedestrian infrastructure
assessment um programs. So those are
through New Hampshire sades which is out
of HTT
um which are two great online platforms.
The road service management system is
basically we're going to be inventorying
and assessing pavement conditions all
through town all local locally
maintained roadways. Um, we're going to
model long-term maintenance needs under
different scenarios. So, thinking of
does this need just paving, does this
need, you know, middle and overlay,
what's the best thing to, you know, kind
of do when this overall is to support,
you know, capital improvement planning,
the long-term thinking cuz this is going
to be road service management. We have
different scenarios that we look at a
10-year horizon of what's the interest
look like, the inflation rates look
like. It's kind of mapped into this
today into the system. Um and overall
the pavement management kind of program
really tries to answer the question you
know how much should be invested each
year to maintain and improve the network
to keep it at a good level and and
improve it over time. um the pedestrian
infrastructure um project that we've
developed and tool we're using. Um
similarly, we're going to be
implementing pedestrian infrastructure
that at the core includes sidewalks,
crosswalks, and curb ramps. Um and we'll
we're going to be taking pictures. We're
going to be looking at a bunch of other
stuff, too, and we can include that in
the report. Um we're going to be
evaluating accessibility, safety,
connectivity, um to develop a community
support and improvement plan because the
pedestrian infrastructure, we're also
working in a um public outreach and
engagement to not only work with town
officials to get, you know, their ideas,
but the um local residents to really
understand, you know, where things
should be focused, what's the priority
for projects um you know, cuz they're
the ones walking it, cycling it, what
what have you. Um but so for workflow,
you know, we we've been having some
meetings with Troy and Eric um just to
go over the basics, talk about some
specifics they know about. You know,
we're we're looking for local knowledge.
That's the thing that underpins this is
getting that local knowledge. Uh right
now we're doing field data collection.
You may have seen Courtney and I today
in the hot sun um collecting data on all
on some um crosswalks and things
downtown. Um, right now there's going to
be a little split.
Once our assessments is collected, it's
going to be a lot of analysis and
getting, you know, those scenarios done.
Um,
for the pedestrian infrastructure, we're
going to be doing the data collection
and then leading into the fall be doing
community input. We have a community
survey. We're planning on doing a public
workshop um, and possibly a focus group
on that front as well to get that local
knowledge and the expertise from the
residents. And then hopefully the the
goal is for spring 2027 to have both
reports done so that the town can then
kind of do capital planning and move
things forward.
We also have just quickly we have a
couple of pages on kind of what we
collect or what we look for. So for road
service management, it's all about
cracking, running, potholes, patches,
what the roadway junk,
>> the the smoothness or roughness of the
roads, you know, we we end up driving
around a lot and kind of we do
windshield surveys, but we also get out
and kind of check things out. Um and so
just really quickly that road service
management we each road gets a 0 to 100
score and then we prioritize it and
figure out we'll work with Troy and Eric
to kind of figure out what we should do
and what takes priority and things like
that but um things can be pretty rough.
So it's an interesting kind of it's an
interesting system to quantify it and
then develop reporting on it. Um for the
pedestrian infrastructure, it's all
sidewalks, crosswalks, curb ramps, um
and detectable warning panels, the the
raised.
>> Yeah. Checking checking the where where
they are, where they are not, where they
they probably should be, things like
that. Um and really it's all about
inventorying the facilities to
understand the connectivity and safety
and you know what is really needed. Um
let's see here. So that
um
you know both of these you know despite
differences in how they're going to get
done. They we're hoping that it'll just
lead to better planning decisions on you
know capital planning of timing of road
work with sidewalk work and things like
that. You know, you hate to see one done
without the other and not integrated,
you know, thinking. I know this is kind
of a conversation about water and sewer
projects and road projects and how, you
know, beautiful road might get cut up
because there's a water water line
project or something like that. Um, but
just kind of integrate those ideas
better and help plan a little better.
Um, and we really wanted to introduce,
you know, community input. Um just
because you know from the expertise of
you know road department and all the
maintenance staff and even just talking
to local officials and residents it's
you know road conditions, sidewalk
conditions, you know, accessibility
issues with getting on and off the road
or using the road. Um you know and
really the community is the one to tell
us where people walk, where improvements
are needed, where walking feels unsafe.
And even today we were talking to
someone who was talking about they walk
around town a lot and they said oh this
spot that spot oh over here is really
bad. Um you know what connections are
most important and also
you know just just what are those
priorities that you know should take
center stage once the project is done
and you know we can put that in the
report so you've got that. Um, but you
know, it helps us understand, you know,
how people use the transportation system
every day, what what's important, what's
what might be less important, things
like that. Um,
but you know, right now, like I said,
engagement and participation. So, we're
planning on doing a online community
survey, a public workshop, and a focus
group. Um so we'll end up sending out s
links for that and you know updates on
that. Um
you know hoping to get a good group
together for at least the workshop and
the focus group so we can have that
expertise from different you know um
perspectives. It's really about that is
trying to get the different perspectives
on there. So um
>> hi everyone I'm Courtney. So I'm going
to be leading a lot of um the work on
this project. So um just to talk a
little bit about the focus group, we're
looking for community members um who are
users of the pedestrian networks and
this is specific to pedestrian network
um use. So, we're looking for uh maybe
uh highway folks who are maintainers, um
other police if they have perspectives
to share, accessibility um advocates or
um folks with um accessibility
uh challenges. We're looking for
seniors. We're looking for anyone. And
with the focus group, if you're if
you're interested in participating in
the for focus group, contact me. My
information is in this paperwork. Um,
and it's going to be probably a one-time
meeting where we have discussion
altogether. And this will help inform
whatever comes of the project work and
the planning um report that comes from
this. And then for the public workshop
that'll be open to everyone. We'll have
opportunities for um anyone to engage
with what we have. um probably focus
group will help us narrow down
everything that's going to be presented
in the public workshop and then the
community survey as well that'll be for
anyone to participate in and provide
feedback again use that to narrow down
>> great
thank you
any questions or thoughts yeah Taylor
>> um is thank you is uh is this something
that the town has done before or is this
new this type effect.
>> We've done ex so we have a previous plan
that we helped the town with that was a
bit more general for pedestrian
infrastructure, but it didn't we kind of
identified possible projects but didn't
go super in-depth about cuz we're going
to be mapping every single curb ramp,
crosswalk, every sidewalk section and
getting a score to the town of what
conditions it's in, things like that.
Even the grade, the road grade, the
sidewalk grade, things like that.
That'll all be with the town. will be
much more in depth to provide more
granularity for planning.
>> And you talked about somehow considering
in this the ability to work with
multiple departments and multiple users.
So like water and light often has to get
in the road. Um and you know different
uses of the road those are all
accommodated for in this in some way.
Um just a point of clarification that
the road surface management project. So
that is a 10-year forecasting tool will
assess the condition of the roads as
they are today. Um and then use that
data to forecast treatment options in
the future to get the road conditions
increased or or maintained. Um so the
information we've gathered, we've
requested um project work timelines and
all that so that we know what roads will
be touched in the future or what's going
to be touched for patching if there's
sewer work. So yes, it will it will be
included or considered in those
forecasting tools a little less so for
the pedestrian infrastructure piece,
>> right? But it would be great to have if
if we can get a meeting with them,
that'd be great behind you.
>> Okay. Happy.
>> Um, last just comment would be as you go
through this to be sure that the school
ser school system is involved because
>> you know I think Littleton still luckily
has a lot of kids who walk to school
when they can and I know I think the
school has those types of so obviously
safety but you know riding bikes and
walking to school in those areas I think
needs to be um a big part of it.
I think that's it.
>> Yeah. No, it's it's going to be a good
project. It's going to give um director
all of our um you know the ability to
capture the existing conditions of both
pedestrian and and our roads and
prioritize on our approach of the year.
identify what the cost is and those that
tool is going to be, you know, part of
the conversation with the select board,
the town manager and budget committee
and the folks that um deliver the
session as to, you know, why we need
this money and what we're planning on
doing.
The final product um I I know we'll have
communication with Lilton Water and
Light. Um,
but the final product will identify
those roads and streets and sidewalks
that need to be addressed, you know, the
next, it's a 10-year plan, but let's be
realistic, you know, the next 5 years.
And we can then have sit down and have a
good conversation with water and light
and say, "Well, we want to do X, Y, and
Z." And, you know, I've done this before
in other towns. They'll say, "Well, can
you put off this road and this road
[snorts]
until next year, and we'll try to get
little white lines in or some shut offs
changed out hydrant. But we've also got
storm water drains in these roads too.
So it's our own department where we have
the storm water dances. Um but a good
example is my complaint cuz I go to
Dunkin Donuts every day when I leave
Littleton. I go off Maple Street and I
still didn't win the battle to get that
ro pay this year.
Keep trying.
And but you take a look at that road and
you know I have no idea what the storm
everything that's underneath that road
what condition it's in and the the
curving and the sidewalk. I mean that's
a very short road but it's in dire need
of attention and there's some serious
cost associated with that road.
So it'll be a good tool.
>> Yeah. And it's it's a little imperfect.
So the road service management, it does
kind of track inflation over that
period, but as we've seen for the past
five, six years is that things go a
little haywire. So we try the best to
try our best to get costs input that are
realistic.
>> Um but kind of perfect more
some of it's a little wishlisty, but it
does try to stay um within fiscal
constraints of what the budget is and
things like that.
yourself.
>> So, I get that this initiative is like
just the assessment, gathering
information, but I know you all work
with grants, too. Like, are there like
would it be that'd be a whole separate
thing, but is there are there grants out
there for this kind of work sometimes?
>> Yes, there's there's off the top of my
head transportation alternatives program
is the classic one that is used, which I
think still exists.
>> Okay. Um and then also um safe streets
and roads for all is a federal level
grant at FHWA that's been really popular
which you know with federal grants
programs change all the time but there's
usually some sort of pedestrian funding
available. So um if you have a master
plan or one of these reports and then
you kind of develop that it's
>> easier to get a grant when you have the
work done. Yeah. because it'd be nice to
be able to get some of that paid for for
the safety pedestrian because there are
definitely some that need to be
improved.
>> Um, so thank you. That's great.
>> All right. Thank you so much.
>> All right. Next, we have up the solid
waste transportation proposals. And
Troy, do you want to start this and then
>> Yeah,
>> I'll open it.
>> Yeah. This is okay.
This is probably uh this conversation
probably a good year and a half old now.
probably just about the time I started
working for the town. Uh Steve Bean was
the transfer station director and he had
gone out and got proposals for
transportation services because the town
had decided or the site decided to to
move from Casado's facility to the um
facility in Berlin.
>> And so with that we were looking at um a
much greater distance hall. and he had
got some quotes from two modeling
services. Um, and the town had decided
that they would use Normando
um based on uh information that Cassella
would not be able to go and dump at the
Berlin landfill. So anyhow, when when I
Steve left shortly after, I started
working with Mike and we put the we put
the brakes on this and said, "Hey, let's
let's start over again. We put this up
to bid and we got tangled up and the
transfer station fees and other things
that came on before you knew it. A year
and a half had gone on before we got
this up to bid." So, finally, we got
another bid. And so, this evening, we've
had two sealed bids. um they've not been
open. So, they be open publicly here to
this evening. I'm going to assume that
um we're probably going to need to open
them, just disclose what the bids are,
and then review them, come back with
recommendation
>> pretty obvious, but the bid I had the
bids.
Um, I had the biders be able to bid a
flat rate with um just a flat rate and
then the other one a flat rate with an
escalator um for a fuel cost. And a
third optional would be just to get
creative and tell me a different way to
do it. I don't know if there's bigger
equipment or even longer trucks, um
different compactors, but
so that's why there'll be three
different areas if they chose to uh put
together prop the third option.
>> Trying to see if I
>> Why did we choose a 15-month period, why
not 3 years or something? Well, um I
didn't want to
I [snorts] figured if I want to make
sure whatever contractor we we have um
that we have one, you know, 15 months
basically going from September till next
December trying to get us on that
calendar year budget sort of aligns with
our our fiscal budget and um really just
make sure that we have at least you know
about a year to make sure we we're happy
with the quality of work.
>> All right. Should I read this?
All right. So, the first one is from
it's Normando, right? Normando. Um,
okay. His proposal bid proposal with
requested items. Um, Normando Trucking
operates 365 24/7 with on call drivers
and three local area rolloff trucks.
There is no distinction between MSW,
CND, and emergency rates. one rate per
trip covers all three. So he actually
made it um he spaced out September to
December 31st 27. He did the next 3
years he priced it out um annual 5.89
fixed rate three term 615 a load and
then the double for a second trip it
goes to 565. I mean, I'll give you
these, but I mean, and then from 28 um
from January 1st, 28 to December 31st,
28, 61250,
615 is a fixed rate for all three years
and 587 for the double trip. And then
the 2029
637 annual fixed rate of 615 and double
the double trip is 611.
Um, the only thing I see, all trucks may
be subject to a fuel search charge at a
$5.25
trigger per gallon in 25 cent price per
gallon increments.
All hall rates are based on the per
gallon rate at the fuel pump the day of
the trip. And so there's a fuel search
chart sheet. Um,
there's on-site handling of $165 an hour
when requested and then the fuel search
charge sheet. Um, base rate is done at
$5 per gallon. Um, based wait, fuel
search charges start at 525 per gallon.
So that's the main that's the main
prices. I have to say what were we
paying now for Cassella? It's 5.95 per
hall right now.
All right. You want to pass that around?
There's more information, but I don't
think to read four pages. It's a lot of
more narrative.
All right. And this one's from Cassella.
the pricing.
All right. So, they did the bid form um
for MS MSW Hall 62475,
CND Hall 62475,
emergency hall 62475.
Um fuel adjustment. They put no bid on
the fuel adjustment.
not
>> that implies that price include there is
no fuel option or a base cost.
>> Yeah.
>> And do they anything not under option C?
>> Um for alternative cost proposal biders
are encouraged to submit alter Oh no
they just in no it just has what you
[clears throat] offer. So they didn't do
any
>> Did you
>> one fix?
>> Yeah. And I will you see if there's
something for C. I don't think there's
something with the fixed I mean the
alternate cost proposal. I don't think
there was on Norman doses either.
>> Okay. So those are pretty close the two
of those. So there's a lot more
paperwork here. So I do think we have to
like look at it a lot more and read
through all of this and
How do you want to do this? We want to
>> do a work session at one point or take
get a copy all of us to get a copy of
this maybe to
>> Yeah, we can rescan but I think um Mike
and I will we'll sit down analyze it.
Okay.
>> And uh you know come back with a
recommendation to the board but we'll
get these all scanned and sent out to
you so you can see.
So more of that later. The idea is to
start September 1st, 2026 with whichever
hauler we decide to go with. You want to
look at those.
>> Okay. Oh, yeah. Sorry. This came with
normals, too. Got it.
All right. Guess there's not too much to
discuss about that yet without being
able to look at it at a deeper level.
>> That be a next meeting decision. Likely
recommendation is
>> August 24th. Okay.
Okay. Good.
>> All right. All right. Um, next is annual
review of our purchase policy. Actually,
we're going to move this next item until
August because we just got this and
it'll give us a little bit more time to
read through it. So, removing three.
>> The uh unfortunately the the cover memo
made it into a packet, but the policy
itself didn't make it.
>> Um, so we'll defer the annual reviews.
>> Yeah. So basically for those um that
don't know we're going through every
policy and renew looking at them again
and um making changes if we find any but
just reviewing policies on the yearly
and this one is due so the purchase
policy. So we'll do that in August. All
right. So next up is um me town manager
employment contract extension. So I will
start with this and we all have some
things to add but um over the last I
guess two or three months we have been
working um especially Ed and Taylor have
been working quite a bit on um a
contract for Troy. So um I'm pleased to
announce that we have executed a new
contract with Troy with an extension. um
he has worked for us for two years now
and um we've been very pleased with the
work he has done for us and the amount
of things that have happened since he's
been in um in this position in this
role. Um we all very much felt that we
need continuity in the town and it's
really hard if a town manager come and
goes and the volatility with that. Um
and we really wanted to keep him here
longer and keep him here till retirement
if we could. So, we um worked on a um a
contract for him. I kind of want to go
over a little bit about Troy before we
get into the contract. Um there is his
resume.
I have it, but I his resume is very
impressive. He has worked for 30 plus
years as a town administrator, town
officer. He started the tender age of
what, 24, Troy, in Maine. He was the
youngest town manager I've ever heard
of. And since then, he's not stopped.
He's worked in all kinds of towns and
he's stayed in towns um for all of them
for a long time except one town you know
out of the seven or so he's worked for
he's worked in Hollis, London, Derry,
Lichfield, Meredith, Littleton um he has
we are pretty sure probably a town
manager with the most experience in the
state of New Hampshire we have him.
though. And when I went down to NHMA,
which is the municipal association, when
I went down for their conference, and um
everybody was like, "Who'd you get for
your next town manager?" And I told
them, they're like, "All I heard was
from people were like, "Oh, wow. You got
Troy Brown." Like, that's awesome. So,
I'm sorry. I don't hope I'm not
embarrassing you, but he's these are
some of the things, but this is why we
want to keep him. Some of the things
that he's done so far in two years or
been a part of and worked alongside the
department heads and the select board.
We've worked on pilots. We've worked on
policies, fees, and fee structures
trying to get more revenue. We've um
Cottage Street is happening. He got Eric
into the position. He got Eric Mike into
he's had three or four department head
changes and picked really great people
that have stayed and are doing
incredible work. Uh we got Riverfront
that's going to be starting. Main Street
phase 2, he purchased a municipal
building. We're going to have a new
municipal building. um union contracts.
He's worked on restructuring of our
whole parks and recre and cultural arts
where he moved Riley into a new
position. Um
so much more. There's a lot of good
things. He's very um easy to talk to,
works hard, and he's very available to
the chair and the board and we've had a
great time working with him. Um, so
yeah, we wanted continuity and um, I was
part I think I'm the only one on this
board that was part of the hiring
committee when we had Troy come and I
remember it very well. We had like
multiple applications like 30 something
and we got it down to like eight that we
brought in for interviews and when he
came in and interviewed and he walked
out in my mind I was you know I was
open-minded but I was like that's our
guy. this guy had so much experience and
he just um
had done all you know has done he has
seen some new things in Littleton he's
told me you know he's always an
adventure and works it's exciting for
him but he has the experience when
something comes up he's like oh I've
done that before I know how to do this
so I feel great about that um I'm going
to pass it on to I think Ed to explain
the contract but it goes till 2030 which
so 4 years more years so Go ahead. You
want to describe it more?
>> Sure. So, as Kerry mentioned, given that
Troyer was entering the last year of his
contract, we wanted to understand what
happened to continuity, but if if he
intended to retire or move on, we also
wanted to start planning for that
because a change of town manager uh is
significant. It takes a long time um to
evaluate. So, this is essentially uh
taking the last year of his contract and
and extending it, making a four-year
contract. All right. Um
the other things um uh the pay. All
right, we're the the contract has a pay
of $159,000.
That is below the high end of when this
job was um advertised 3 years ago. Um
and the leave is fairly standard for
senior actually it's a little less than
some other directors in the town that
the leave provisions. Uh he's also
agreed and this is also al obviously
always a concern for a town when someone
with decades of experience retires is
there's a lot of builtup leave and and a
[clears throat] kind of a balloon
pavement. He's agreed to limit that that
payout to I think 240 hours. Uh so these
are some favorable provisions that I
think you have understanding of that. Um
other things is uh you would not be
eligible for a raise or a cost of living
increase until January 28th at the
earliest. So town employees will
presumably get another cola raise. He
will he will be missing that one. So um
we we felt it [clears throat] was a it
was a good contract for the town. Um his
experience is unmatched. Um there's lots
of things that are boring and then we
don't see like purchase policy gradually
going through policies for the town and
there's dozens of them. Some of them
have not been reviewed in many years.
Some of them are required to be reviewed
annually. So we were not meeting the
law. Some of them as good practice and
good governance should be reviewed.
investment policy, purchasing policy,
meeting policy, how we run the town, and
and Troy's done a lot of work about we
need to get up to speed on these things.
This is the boring stuff of a town
manager. Uh, and unfortunately Troy
actually likes that stuff. Um, it's
critical though. It's critical. All
right. Um, cuz there's a lot of towns
that are there's policies stuck in a
drawer somewhere and it becomes ad hoc.
That is not the way to run a town
efficiently. It's not a way to spend
money for the taxpayers efficiently and
St. Troy has made a lot of work in
modernizing town policies in a way that
may not be very apparent but is
important.
Um I don't think there's anything else
significant. Uh he also agreed to we
asked for a u some of the contracts with
department heads and others have a
30-day notice for resignation. We got a
60-day uh again the expectation is when
his contract is nearing the end, there
will be a transition period. Um we would
like to have him involved and have time.
We had 30 candidates last time. It's not
an easy process to hire a new town
manager uh that runs all the day-to-day
things. So that was another provision
that was uh important to us.
That's what they have.
>> Yeah. Thank you. Anyone else want to
say anything?
>> I think you guys have done a good job.
[laughter]
>> I was going to say he pretty much walked
over the whole thing. So,
>> yeah.
So, he's agreed, by the way. So,
>> we'll start with him.
>> So, get used to that mug. He's going to
be around here a while.
All right. Great. Um, all right. Last
order of business is appointment of a
new select board member. So, as you all
know, Linda McNeel um resigned. She
moved to Oklahoma and we missed her, but
we got no 107 today, but um we had to um
fill the spot um and we opened it up um
to applications basically and resumes.
And then we had that work session that
was public on the 20th where the
candidates came in. We asked them, it
was very gentle uh interview I guess but
just more of a round kind of a chat. It
actually went both ways. They asked us
questions too and it was a really nice
meeting. Um, and yeah, and we've decided
on somebody and we think it's going to
be a really great fit and um, yeah,
would anybody want to make the motion
before I
or say something before you make the
motion?
>> Well, I'll say something. I think uh,
Dave Harkless will be a great addition
to uh, this board. Someone who's had
significant uh, community experience. uh
ran a business successfully for decades
in this town,
>> finds himself with nothing better to do.
>> Uh so be careful what you I would make a
motion to to um appoint Dave Park as our
next member of the select board.
>> Who would like to second that?
>> Go ahead. I'll second.
>> Okay. Paul seconds and now discussion.
>> I want to point out this is just to
serve until next March. All right. And
then the remainder of Linda's term,
which has a year on it, uh Dave or
whoever would need to run for either
that one year to finish out that term or
three year.
>> All right. And then another
year after that for a full 3 years. So
this is a a fairly temporary appointment
um that allows Dave or whoever is
selected here to um learn the ropes,
contribute, and may decide, you know, I
don't want to be the complaint
department for town. Um and then he has
the choice as anyone else does to run
for either a one year or threeear seat.
So it it commits [clears throat] to no
longer than until next March 8th
>> town meeting vote.
>> Yep.
>> Yep. All right. We had a first and a
second and um Yeah. Any other
discussion?
Ready for a vote?
>> All right. All in favor?
>> Okay. 40. Welcome. And um we can do the
oath now if you want cuz we're done with
business so there's nothing we're voting
on.
Yeah. Sure enough. Sure.
>> All right. I'll do it. It's my first
time doing the
>> All right. Um raise your right hand
please.
>> Um I state your name.
>> I David Hart.
>> Do solemnly and sincerely swear and
affirm. do solemnly and sincerely
>> swear and
>> I'll go shorter not that I will
faithfully
>> that I will faithfully
>> and impartially discharge
>> and perform all the duties
>> incumbent upon me
>> as an interim select board member
>> of Littleton New Hampshire
>> indefinitely
>> according to the best of my abilities
>> agreeable to the rules and regulations
of the Constitution
>> and the laws of the state of New
Hampshire
Hampshire.
>> So help me be God.
>> This I do under the pains [laughter]
I do under the pain
>> and penalties of
>> penalties of perjury.
>> All right, here's one. Congratulations.
[applause]
FEEL
free to uh feel free to sit at the table
if you want. Chair over here
August. You'll be here. Yeah, you'll be
here in August. All right, great. We'll
sign this and we'll get this into Vicki.
All right, great. That is the end of um
[clears throat] business. So, now we're
on town manager report. And I think
there were copies of that too, right
over there? If you
Go ahead, Trey.
>> Okay, so the first one is give the board
an update on revenues. We don't report
on revenues that often. Um, just a
reminder that revenues are an
interesting animal in the municipal
world. We actually will set um and
finalize our revenue in at the same time
we set the tax rate. So sometime in
September, October, we'll be setting
those those revenues. So what we
benchmark against um after March
election is what we use to estimate what
we think that the uh 26 revenues will
be. I don't suspect that there's going
to be any significant changes, but some
of those funds that come from the state
go, you know, federal or state, um, they
could get changed or adjusted, uh, later
in the year, but everything right now is
trending exactly where uh, we want it to
be. We um, we have 56% left to um,
collect and we should be at about 58%
left to collect. So, um, we're, you
know, right where we want to be. Um, no
concerns
when we get into September, we'll know
more about what the actual revenue
sharing uh, amount will be. We know that
for for sure. And um, and when our
highway block grant funding will be the
two big numbers that we don't we don't
know and until September, October.
So that's that's revenue. There's a
question on that pilot payment. Why is
that not in prior year? But it's in this
year. Sorry, I'm already digging that
on the board.
>> What page?
>> Uh first page of the small print.
>> Oh yeah, I see it. Um yeah, right here.
>> Line 3186.
>> Yep. Y
>> was a $2 million plus pilot payment.
Just question on is that coming twice a
year and
>> and we know it's coming in. Why is it
not in projected already?
We're shown in prior a year. Well, it
should be let's see where where are you
again
right here and just looking at
um your line 3186
page one of the unless you have page
one. No, it's not.
Go back. Oh, that's page one.
Let's see. Payment of taxes.
I
>> think we got part of it with
>> Yeah, it looks like it's twice a year
payment.
>> Yeah. 4 million.
>> Oh, I'm just curious as to why the the
previous year shows a zero.
>> We 25.
>> Yeah, it should it should be there. Um I
don't know. I'll have to ask Lori about
that cuz we got our we finalized that
pilot agreement in 25 as a pilot.
>> So,
but anyhow, the big pilot payer
obviously is
>> Great River Hydro
>> um they pay twice a year. They pay just
over $2 million. They just did
>> 2.25
>> and then they'll pay another you know
the balance
December.
>> So, it's not quite half and half. It's
2.17
>> 7 and 2.25. Okay. So, it's roughly half
>> cuz it's 4.42.
>> Sorry. I mean,
>> send you off the
>> There's others that have zero as well
down here. So, I don't
>> I mean, moves and meals is usually zero
cuz you can't project it. It's it's it's
u as it comes in. I guess you could use
last year
>> last year's more of an accounting
perspective like you want to use last
year's number minus 10% as estimate.
That's more just internal accounting.
been legislation that actually got us
more rooms and meals tax,
>> right? When you don't know how much
money it is, it's a zero.
>> So maybe that's why it was
>> when you really know I mean you have to
project property taxes, right? But
that's based on the rate that was set by
year,
>> right?
>> Yeah. I mean, that's part of the
calculation. You can see when um back of
the memo when she Lori tries to back out
um some of these things like the overlay
>> and the grants the amount to be
collected from property tax. So it all
gets thrown into the general fund
revenue schedule. But what we're really
trying to track is is our revenue
projections. you know, the the permit
fees, the the pilot agreements, the
they're all right on way on. Yeah. The
interest rates that we get back. So,
and for now, we did uh the June um
general fund expense report and nothing,
you know, major changes. I know the last
time I gave reports that we're kind of
concerned about um the cost of diesel
fuel and the regular fuel and we'll
start to see that heating fuel cost as
we start to fill the tanks again here
this fall. Those are the two lines that
we're really uh keeping an eye on. Um
nothing yet that we're seeing is going
to cause any any concerns. Um, in fact,
at this point, midway through the
budget, we're 2.6%
under the budget. So,
um, about $331,000 under budget. And
remember, some of the bigger ticket
items that are property liability,
workers comp, those are all paid January
1st. So some of those paid 100% of and
we just paid um 100% of all the um the
groups that individual warn art folks
that raise money for certain groups.
>> So those are not like you know paid on a
monthly basis throughout the year wait
until the first tax bill and then we
pay.
So actually
there's something really good
>> question. I apolog I don't remember.
Have we factored in an assumed
unassigned fund balance we want to end
up with or is that going to just see how
it ends up?
>> No, that's the um you can't we can't
factor that in.
>> You can't you don't budget for it?
>> No. Okay.
>> No, you can't budget for it. It's just,
you know, the auditor will be here at
your next meeting and um and he'll
report on that. And it's basically uh
your unassigned fund balance grows every
year, we hope. Um you know, we turn back
unexpended funds. We collect more
revenues than we budget and we don't use
all the money in overlay. And those
three, if they all have a surplus, that
goes back to the unassigned fund balance
and those are the only sources.
>> Those are the only three sources. Yeah,
Mr. and he run over. Um,
well, you have to draw from that or
potentially draw from that. Yeah.
I think the point
what I'm trying to get at from now I
understand is that building out a signed
fund balance even to the bare minimum
the DRA recommends is going to be a slow
incremental process. It may take a
number of years to do that. Yeah, I
think we said like 3 to 5 years or
something it might take.
>> And that's assuming no setbacks,
>> Okay. So, that's your um budgetary stuff
and I only do this to you, you know, six
times a year cuz we have it on
our summer break schedule. I wanted to
quickly go over a very high level of a
lot of different projects and issues
that we got going on. Um, so let's just
jump right into it. Riverfront Commons
project, we uh got all our grant funding
extensions in in progress right now.
Feeling really good about those. Our
contractor, the project went out the
bid. We've done our contractor selection
official. units. Um we've been working
with the low bidder and we had a meeting
face toface meeting and um filling up
the contractor about you know would you
be willing to reduce his proposed cost
and working on areas identifying areas
that we could reduce the cost. We're
looking for I think just you know over
$200,000 of reduction in in the bid
cost. And we're looking at things like
the concrete stage area, uh,
landscaping, some curving in the parking
lot, sight fixtures, but overall, we
haven't determined exactly what we're
going to cut. But there's definitely
we're very confident that there's um we
can reduce the scope of work and still
uh complete the project and and have a
foundation there um that can meet the
demands of the you know as a as a
community gathering place
and we can we can add stuff um in the
future. I think we all know about the
town pool closure question. Do you still
anticipate breaking ground on that this
year?
um that that's the goal. If we do, it's
going to be it's going to be late. Um
but that is still the goal.
We we have to work through um a few more
steps and then you you need to get we do
have to coordinate with all the funding
sources uh before we authorize the
shuttle to go on the ground. So
um the town pool closure, this was
closed. Riley Clark, our director, had
came to me and um was discussing
concerns about the pool. They're trying
to troubleshoot.
And from that conversation, a week
later, things start to, you know,
progress to a point where um it was
determined that there was just no way
that we could filter the water and have
a safe uh condition for the public to
use the pool. And so, as you all know, a
decision was made to close the the pool.
And unfortunately, the amount of repairs
that are needed just to the filtration
process um is so expensive that it would
even if we had all the money in the
world, uh we wouldn't be able to make
those repairs and have them in place for
this season. So, the pool is closed for
the season. um because we're we're
identifying not just filtration issues.
We we've got concerns about the
condition of the pool structure itself,
some of the underground [clears throat]
uh plumbing. We've reached out to Weston
Samson. Um they have a division within
their engineering firm that specializes
in public and private um pools.
And so they've been up um or we've done
a a zoom had a good conversation. They
are going to be here tomorrow with a
dive team and uh they'll be doing an an
overall assessment of the pool and we'll
we'll have a better understanding of
what the concerns are overall in the
pool. Uh staff and some of our
departments highway and fire helped
Riley. Riley's worked all weekend. um
draining. We had to drain the pool,
clean the pool, and fill the pool. Um
and we had to get all this done um for
tomorrow for the dive team to show up.
So, uh we need water and light. We had
to coordinate with them. Can't just
drain the pool. We got to put the garden
holes in there, just sucking all kinds
of water. I'm sure water and light is
going around all weekend trying to find
out where the big leak is, you know. So,
uh, over the last 48 hours or more,
we've been, uh, working closely together
to get this into a condition so that we
can do this assessment, uh, work.
Really good news on the bond sale
results. This board's been working on
that. You remember, we went out to bid.
We didn't like, uh, the responses. We
were getting somewhere from the 5%. and
we decided that we would reject those
bids and we would try to participate in
the New Hampshire Municipal Bond Bank
sale in July. And the outcome of that
was we secured uh a 10-year note um for
the $2.5 million emergency town meeting
that we had back in December for the
wastewater treatment facility and also a
previous uh debt for that involved the
Del project and some various CO
projects. So, we were able to to do the
$2.5 million emergency bond and uh
refinance
u the Dell's Dam and Culver bond and we
were able to get a 3.1% interest rate.
So, um saving on already incurred that
uh over the life of that bond uh
$40,000. So, real good process. Um I'm
very pleased with it. Lori uh worked so
hard over the last 6 months, even going
back to our emergency town meeting
trying to, you know, coordinate
everything um to make sure that these
hearings and the steps that we did um
met and satisfied the very strict rules
for towns to defer death. If you make
you miss one step, um you got to start
all over again and it's it's it's it's
quite difficult. So, uh, kudos to to
Lori for championing us through that
process.
>> Construction.
>> Do we have one more bond that we're
working on or am I
>> So, the other the other bond we we um
we'll be looking at that. The one that
just got approved in March,
>> right? Um, we're not in the need for
that bond yet and we're still working
with other federal agencies on low
interest loans and so whatever the
difference is of what we're going to
need, we'll be looking at that. Maybe
the January sale, the bond bank does two
sales per year. They do the January and
July. So, you're working on getting the
amount we need to finance down. Great.
We're going to be using some of the
state programs um clean water,
>> Revolving fun to get the terms.
>> Mhm.
>> Yeah. Good.
>> Um construction projects, as you all
have seen, activity going around town
with our sidewalks and paving doing a
great job. Local company. Um really
pleased with the quality of work that's
being um done over there. Cottage Street
sidewalk project going right along. I
think visually now we're starting to see
uh some progress. It was tough. I know
at the start of this where you seem like
we, you know, we're just digging little
holes in the ground and accomplishing
nothing. But starting to see some
progress. Uh it's going to really move
fast uh now once we get into August. And
the landscaping is that come back next
year realistically the green strip was
that you really think we do that this
year as well.
>> Really?
>> The project will be completed this year.
>> Wow.
>> Okay. Wow. So trees planted everything.
>> It looks so different.
>> It's going to be amazing.
>> It's going to look really different.
>> Fantastic.
>> We don't we don't talk about Dell's Dam
that often
right now. You can see there's a lot of
work going on.
>> And um that's a result um of the floods
that we had a couple years ago. And so
>> um what's going on there is we're
basically doing um repairs to the
outlet, increasing the capacity
um of the dam and the outflow water so
that when you have another storm event,
the dam can allow for uh accept that
surge in water. And um so
[clears throat] that's what's going on.
Everything's going as planned. Um the
one thing that Eric still, you know,
we're working on is finalizing the cost
of the pedestrian bridge. When we put
this out the bid, we didn't have the
money for the pedestrian bridge, but we
wanted to proceed forward, at least get
the structural stuff done and leave the
girders in place so that when when we
get the pedestrian bridge one day, we
can drop it in place. But we think we're
hopeful that we we'll be able to procure
and install pedestrian bridge.
>> My my hope is that by this meeting next
month, we'll be able to present
something.
>> Oh, [clears throat] okay. I've been
working with Cooper um the general
contractor to come up with ideas. He's
going to present give me stuff that I
can present.
>> And um unfortunately the the parking lot
there that was not part of the project.
So we'll continue Eric and I and
conservation recreation I guess. Um
try to figure out you know once this
project's done how we address the the
parking lot there too.
wastewater treatment plant. We haven't
talked about wastewater treatment plan a
while. So, uh because everything's been
behind the scenes, we've had our
problems, right, Eric? We have setbacks.
We have um challenges, but everything is
finally starting to fall in place. So,
the deatering equipment, remember,
that's the thing that failed. And um
right now we're currently renting a
unit. Very expensive every month, but
it's in place. It's working. We've
selected uh the replacement equipment,
ordered it, and it should be here in
early 2027.
That's um that was a big, you know,
process of getting that selected and
getting it ordered. Um the clarifiers,
we have two clarifiers. So clarifier 2
is just installed last week. It's
operational.
And clarifier 1, which was installed
last summer.
>> And um unfortunately when we we didn't
have time to get clarifier 2 installed
last year. They were both supposed to be
installed. And um but anyhow, clarifier
one had uh some minor warranty work uh
that needs to be rectified. Um, and so
as soon as uh another few weeks, the
companies will be coming back and
they'll be working on clarifier one, but
you know, maybe around September 1st,
we'll have two clarifiers totally
rebuilt um in really good shape. It
should serve the community well for the
next 8 to 10 years.
Um, now all going on Eric's on Zooms. I
get invited to be part of them sometimes
too. And behind the scenes right now, we
have a lot of engineering design work
and bidsp specs that are being done for
the future expansion of of I shouldn't
expansion but expansion of the treatment
plant. So that all that stuff starting
to come together. And I think the first
Eric, the first bids that will go out,
it's all going to be around the
headwork, the head works and your
oxidation dishes.
>> Yes, the head works, oxidation dishes,
uh the HVAC system to get H2O out of the
trailer and back into the main building.
So
>> Okay. So, we as pro, as as we promised
you a few months ago, um once we get
things tidied up a little bit better
down there, um we definitely want to do
a field trip with the board so you can
see these things and understand what
what it is we're talking about. It's
been a uh a very exciting learning
experience for me. I've worked with two
events before. It's been fun. Um,
another thing that's going on
[clears throat] right now that you
haven't heard much about is our storm
water collection system assessment. So,
Eric's been working with oil tanner now
for at least a year and a half and
they've been using cameras and doing
smoke tests and just doing a whole
assessment of our storm water system.
That report's going to be coming out
soon. The significance of this is that
um if we and we will identify areas
there um are um infiltrating our storm
water system and eventually making it to
the treatment facility. So the more
storm water we can capture and get it
out of the treatment facility, the less
we're incurring cost, treatment cost,
and of course um that storm water is
taking up our capacity which could be
used by businesses and other purposes.
So, it's actually um uh it's it's been
kind of quiet in the backgrounds, but
it's an important assessment report that
have come out and with an action plan
much like our road surface plan and
pedestrian plan.
Now, the fun part is department heads
have been working really hard and we've
got a lot of grants that are going to be
coming to you for um public hearing and
acceptance. Um, some of these are just
grant applications, some of them in the
process of being awarded. So, um, I just
wanted to rattle them off and just give
you an understanding of where we at. We
have $68,000
from Homeland Security. Um, that's going
to be awarded for South Street Culbert
replacement. So, remember back when I
talked about the Dallas Dam and the
>> covert
>> um projects, the bonding, these now are
leveraging um some of that pond money.
So,
>> so $68,000 for South Street Culver
Replacement, $150,000 grant application
for Bronson Street cover replacement. We
just got word that $1.4 million of FEMA
hazard mitigation grant for Mansill
replacement. recall this was always in
the works and then the last second uh
somehow through sty's calculations and
methodology
the the project which was we thought was
in the process of being approved was all
of a sudden um disqualified because we
didn't meet certain parameters in the
scoring mechanism. This board asked uh
the state to go back and and look relook
at this. They did that
>> and uh
turning the decision and we got $1.4
million for Mansill color replacement.
Big project. Um and right now $450,000
FEMA for you know um to continue to work
on the design um and and I think work
for the mil street
might
>> as well [laughter]
gradual wooden slope but now slope
>> that one hasn't come through Eric that
one still in the process.
>> It's still in the process, but FEMA has
accepted the overall.
>> Great. Good. Good.
>> That was up from like the 15,000 they
offered us to start.
>> I ain't going to do it.
>> Couple band-aids.
>> Chief Chief Miller's This is I think he
has a check in hand. Um,
>> oh, [laughter]
>> Chief Miller received $150,000 for from
the grant United Way.
>> Um, OPI um program for his mobile
integrated health.
>> That's great.
>> So, that's going to be coming to you for
a public hearing next meeting. Um,
pretty exciting stuff. and the police
department um chief mil is working on a
grant application right now looking for
$400,000 looking for the maximum I think
that you can apply for um to establish a
police department social worker and
expand um the MIH program to have a
paramedic uh available just just for
that purpose.
>> We'll keep you posted on that. We will
have a hearing at our next meeting. We
have to formally accept the community
development block grant for this
community house.
>> Remember that's a half million dollar
grant
>> y
>> that we um although we you know this
isn't we part
we sponsored it
>> and uh we have to administer it. And
Chief Smith he's got an application
pending right now. I was seeking um
funding from congressional directed
spending uh for social worker
application kind of tied into that
school.
So I don't know if you add that up. I
think we're like at $3.3 million of uh
potential grant funding that's going on
really good.
>> Good job department heads.
>> Yeah. Commercial development activity. I
know everyone's seeing the new
development for the VIP tires and
service uh building. And we also I think
I saw an excavator there today, but we
got word Maple Fields Gas and
Convenience Station network is really
starting
>> out there on Cottage Street. Yeah.
>> That'll be a big um It's going to be
bigger than the other one. It's a 247
bigger
>> 24/7 uh truck accessible as well. No
overnight trucks, but it'll be 24/7.
It's right by the the on-ramp tele.
>> It's a lot more land there than you than
you realize. It goes
all that land.
>> How many?
>> I think it's 2 and 12 acres.
>> Oh. Oh, that other piece is for sale
behind there. There's
>> It goes It goes back quite a ways. So,
>> but it's only two. Okay. Well, two.
>> I think they're going to have like a
retaining wall and there's a whole
stream that actually goes through there.
>> correct.
>> There's a lot of work to it, but it's
going to be bigger than the other maple
fields
>> and 24/7. Huh?
>> 24/7, I believe.
>> Right. to the full restaurant and then
but the high high pumps for trucks as
well.
>> Oh wow.
>> All right. With a a truck will be able
to ser I think the pumps will be on the
side.
>> But they can't sleep there in the truck.
>> No, that was a question came up during
the Tony board.
>> No overnight trucks. Okay.
>> And they will I think they're going to
circle so they're not mixing with cars.
They will come in around the back and
we'll have the high bay pumps on on the
>> What if they're going to do shower? I
wonder if they're going to do a showers
and like like Pur P&H truck stop.
>> Yeah. I don't know if it's at that full
level where showers and all that for
>> not as they proposed because we have a
zoning definition of truck stop.
>> Oh.
>> So it begins to start to
>> fly like a duck and swim like a duck.
>> They'll have to file for that. And so
they weren't they weren't interested in
that. So I'd
>> be surprised if there's any of those
type of amenities.
>> Be a nice though. But they they want to
be in the in the facility by the fall
and they're on the time to our home.
>> Well, that's going to go really quickly.
>> They want to be slow.
>> So they Well, fall's still November, so
maybe late fall.
>> Serious first.
>> Little friendly competition
trucks back.
Um the church the church main street
sidewalk crossing or street crossing
>> safety assessment uh that's been we've
had a resident Karen Lord who's been
asking the board for quite some time now
to to try to take a look at that
crossing make some improvements to it
and we reached out to North Country
Council. they had some engineering funds
available that they use as um their
discretion on certain projects in the
region. This project qualified for that.
So, we've used HB engineering. We did a
site visit last week and uh they've
they've also reached out to the citizen
who's been asking um you know to have
this looked at. So they reached out to
her, we remember there Eric, um myself,
they're going to come up with three
different types of approaches that we
could do and I believe that'll be
presented to this board at some point in
time.
>> just do a little recap on personnel
matters cuz as you get into the budget,
you you'll start hearing, you know,
stuff about personnel and it's good that
we um talked about it. One, I wanted you
to be aware that the fire department
union is in the process right now of
trying to separate from ask me unit and
and um I don't know where you know what
where they're going to go once they
separate. Um but that process has
started. They are one of the uh union
contracts that are up for negotiations
this year. So, we're we're monitoring
that um working with them. Um you know,
the required steps that the town has to
take as they go through their legal
process to separate. Um this week, I've
got a couple hearings uh regarding
police union grievances. So, we'll be
dealing with those. Um the part-time
opera house recreation assistant
position started last week. So looking
forward to having that person come on
board and get up to speed and really
give some um additional administrative
time to to Riley so she can um continue
to grow the rep and cultural arts
department. Our full-time transfer
station attendant position was vacant
went vacant on us a couple months ago
and we think we got very lucky and found
some starting work tomorrow. So, we uh
wish Mike might be luck with that. It's
hard down there for those guys to be
down in person.
Our wastewater technician position is
still vacant. Um this is the person that
worked with Eric and um is in charge of
uh overseeing all of our our commercial
and residential um wastewater
um permits,
>> everything that's related to um the
collection
of our waste water. We have a full-time
police officer vacancy right now. We
have a full-time firefighter, a medical
leave, and um I'm not really sure where
that one's going to go. So, that could
be a vacancy for for a while. And
full-time highway employee or medical
leave that and out for at least a couple
months and that's going to be a few more
months, too. So,
um those is what's going on. some of the
highlights and personnel budget 2027.
You guys set some guidance and adopted a
new policy. Lori was able to get the
budget forms out to everyone.
>> Those forms are due back to the town
manager September 1st. Um gives me u a
few weeks to to finalize everything. I
will have to have the budgets to you
September 25th. The select board will
have a window of opportunity to review
and question and ask make changes
between September 28th and and October
15th. And our goal right now is um to
get a recommended budget to the budget
committee on October 15th.
>> is that last year?
>> Starting already.
>> Um
>> last year.
>> And then just a just a reminder u couple
meetings and events. First Friday will
be coming up here August 7th. The next
select board meeting August 24th and we
have a budget committee meeting. That's
our joint budget committee meeting
August 26.
>> So two meetings that week. That'll be a
busy week.
>> That's my report.
>> All right. Great.
>> Good question.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Uh has there been have you heard
anything uh Troy officially on the
Artemis bankruptcy issue? It relates to
the town. I have
>> it was in the paper recently.
>> Yeah. Other than obviously we all saw
the but
>> yeah no um
nothing nobody's reached out. They've
had we've had um some contact with the
tax collector's office and that's it. I
mean if they go to liquidation right
service credit union are they the
primary lead holder or we first would
require a transfer before we get paid
>> we have 2025
before the lead actual okay so we do
have right now they owe us taxes and 26
we're going to ride on
>> it's about 300,000 I think they just
over 300
>> I mean the other thing that we have out
there too is the agreement on the the
wastewater piece
>> right
>> and I I don't have a sense as to where
that goes. If there's a change um if
that conveys in a bankruptcy proceeding,
I don't know the answer to that. Just
>> follows it. It may
>> um that's probably part of the value of
it, right? If someone else will pick it
up.
>> Yeah. But I think that the project was
going to pay for the bulk of that as I
recall.
So if someone comes in and tries to get
that property, they have to know that
has to be a part of it.
>> That agreement if that agreement holds
if it follows it.
>> H that'd be a good question.
Interesting. I could get a legal opinion
on that
>> cuz it might be auctioned off in
October.
>> No, because I think that's the direction
it's going.
Is that considering an asset that they
own? I guess it is like a lease or any
other agreement.
>> I don't know. Yeah. In a [clears throat]
full bankruptcy, a lot of that gets
wiped.
>> But it wasn't a right. It's not
considered a
>> I guess it is.
>> I mean, the line's not in place,
>> right? It's not there.
>> It's not there. Yeah.
>> It's an agreement to put it in place and
to have them pay
>> for it.
>> And I think there were pump station
upgrades as well. So,
>> uh that that becomes a big cost item if
that's not there.
>> If someone buys it and says, "Okay,
town, you have to pay for all this."
>> Mhm. They're still going to be requiring
sewer.
>> Sure. Their their ZBA approval requires
municipal water and sewer.
>> They have to come to us.
>> They have to make it. Yeah. Work with
us. Good. Well, that's good to know.
>> Oh, Lori.
>> Um, yeah, Lori, go ahead.
>> The property does not have municipal
water.
>> That's correct. Yeah. Right.
>> Oh, they have their own. Yes, but it's
not part I was informed that it was not
part of the collateral and probably will
not transfer
>> the the wells for the prop that were
designed to feed the property are on an
adjoining privately owned diesel.
>> Yeah, that's right. It's like a little
bit off the property water.
>> It's very strange.
>> Sure. They need to have the water they
don't have. But
>> they'd have to make a deal with the next
property the owner next to it.
>> There's there's a lot of hate to see it
just sit there. Oh, I know.
>> Well, start saving your money and go for
20 something million.
>> I have two other items. I forgot to
mention the head of Pennsylvania. Um the
first one is uh we were notified Mary
Mens um resigned. Meny has resigned from
the budget committee. So, we just needed
to get direction from the board um how
you want to go ahead and and fill that.
Do we just advertise again? And
>> I think we have
>> we need the interview. We just wait and
advertise and have them get their
letters of interest in like a couple
weeks.
>> We'll just reassess what we have.
>> We can talk about it now just so we know
cuz Vicki can we can get this
>> until the next meeting. That's a lot of
time. It's almost a full month for
>> So we're thinking
>> we could, you know, get the legal notice
out
>> and then that way if we put a
>> give 2 and 1/2 weeks notice, you know,
and we can we can share the
>> and then once we know what the interest
is, you can decide whether you want to
interview or not.
>> Yeah. Right. We might just get one or
you might get multiple. So I don't know.
>> Does that sound good to you all? I think
so. Then yes, let's do [clears throat]
that.
that in the paper you did but like the
remainder of her term as whatever that
may be
>> it was a three she just was appointed
for a new threeear set so it's somebody
it would be for three
>> almost three and a half whatever
>> and the last thing was um I think in
your read file signature file there was
um the assessors had placed in there
recommend commendation for
a hemp property um 262 Cottage Street.
>> And so they've been their assessed value
uh went when it went through the rebound
went from 1.1 million to 6.6 million.
>> they uh they did file for an abatement
and I think Sans Susi did identify some
adjustments and and got it down I think
to the 6.6 six. Um they still uh so at
this point in time I think they're still
dissatisfied with that the assessors
wrote up something for for the board to
sign which would be to deny um their
abatement request
and they've also made a reference that
they wanted to um talk about a pilot
agreement and I think that was the
concern that I heard from some of the
select board members like we don't want
to do any pilot agreements and so but I
wanted
By signing this, we are not uh we're
just denying the uh their application
for an additional abatement
and it will elevate it to a the next
level, the appeal level. So, I don't
know if it's, you know, a flat rule
against any pilots. It depends on the
circumstances. But what my concern was
someone's filing a bon say my tax are
too high. Give me a pilot agreement. And
that's the wrong procedure to go through
that,
>> right? It has to be determined strictly
on the abatement. So that the cover memo
>> kind of confus I'd rather you claim that
says this is either proposed to be
denied or accepted without complicating
it with other language in there. I know
the cover memo doesn't have any
>> status to it. That's why I was like I
need to know more before I would sign
it.
>> And I publicly I have to recuse myself.
I'm on the community land trust board
which is and it heads a board that's
works directly with the head. So I think
I have to recuse myself in this. Yeah.
>> All right. Well, we'll put it I mean you
signed this evening but but by signing
this all we're doing is denying u
request.
>> What comes out of that? You know this
discussions
>> um another day.
>> Are they behind in taxes already or no?
Uh
I I don't know.
>> I don't know. Okay.
>> I mean it's it's different situation. If
they're in a rears and they want to
negotiate a payment schedule that's you
know or to rebate some interest that
sometimes is looked at but just say give
me a pilot is uh it's just I don't think
that's the way to go. That's not the
process for Okay. Okay.
>> So I can hand this around and
>> try again.
>> Try again. But again, if you sign it,
you're just denying it and we'll see
where it goes
and that's it. I'm going there.
>> I signed that.
>> That's right. You are an official
member. I don't know.
>> Probably um you know what? There's
there's majority here.
>> Yeah, I'm recusing myself and unless you
feel like you know, you're probably not
as versed on it yet. So maybe
>> I'd probably like to read something.
>> Yeah, but you could. Yeah. Right. Right.
So, you don't have to. I guess what I'm
saying if they are all in agreement, but
if they're
>> have to read through this again,
>> we can we don't have to do it right
during the meeting.
>> Yeah. We'll put the sign. Yeah. I'm
ready to sign it just yet.
>> Yeah. Yeah. We can take more time with
it. All right. So, are you good?
>> I'm good now.
>> Select board reports. Um, let's see. you
covered some of the things I was going
to say, Troy, which is great. Um, I like
those reports, by the way. Every
meeting, not necessary, but but every
once in a while, it's like it's so
thorough. I learn so much. I'm like,
"Oh, that that grant's coming in or this
is, you know,
it's good for me because I reach out to
all the departments and talk to them,
make sure the facts right, and I learn
too,
>> right? There's no way to keep up on all
of it all the time." So, it's a really
nice um overview. Um, no. I guess I was
also just going to um talk about a
little bit about the pool. You gave that
update. Taylor and I met with um Troy
and Riley the other day and got a tour
of the pool and we're staying involved
with that and having a lot of open
communication with the department head
which is Riley. Um I think we're in good
hands with her and commissioners um and
the engineering piece. Um, also Troy and
I attended the parks and recck
commission meeting and so we're trying
to think of this as a kind of like work
together um, type of deal. And so that's
I have that really just about the pool.
>> I'm sorry.
>> I will ask maybe next meeting that
there's some explanation of the fund
that goes under parks and wreck and pool
fund and just its status. It it's a
little bit of one of those other kind of
>> You mean the 280,000
>> under fund type of thing? I want to
understand that word and why it's not
under budget brought under the general
budget capital more formal capital
reserve.
>> And after [clears throat] the um
engineering study is done, we'll have
maybe we can ask the commissioners andor
Riley to come in and give an overview of
what they find or something like that.
It's obviously a hot topic in town.
Everybody wants to talk about the pool.
>> that's it. I don't think I have too much
else but go ahead Taylor.
>> Uh I thought I would mention um as the
select boards member on planning board
um we had a planning board meeting I
think last week.
>> Um they're part of the discussion
continued around uh the data center um
question that we had talked about here
at our last meeting. Um nothing huge
other than I think there was good
discussion around what are the current
rules related to basically large scale
users of um property of water of
electricity. Um what are the current
zoning rules in town as it relates to
those specific questions? And I know
Lori and water and light are looking at
very seriously at the um the impact that
a high user electrical user and water
user and these these facilities as you
know take significant amount of power
significant amount of water there's a um
there is effectively a limit as to how
much we can we can provide to a single
user and I think um those are issues
that the commission and Lori are
involved with and and working with the
planning board in coordination with uh
the conversations that they're having. I
think um that went very well. There's
still a lot of work to be done. I I
suspect that there'll be some uh
recommendations or some uh outcome from
that over the next couple of meetings,
but I thought I would just share that
with everybody.
>> Yeah. And there um this probably the
last two meetings it's been um um people
have been speaking about it. I went to
the last meeting the environment came up
too just the environmental um issues
with these things with the water you
know it's the heated water can really
like mess up a lot your ecosystems and
stuff so but I think people heard it
took it very seriously and Joanna was
going to talk to council about the
wording and different things that we
could do to protect ourselves from
>> I mean there was some debate as to
whether or not if in an instance someone
came in and said they were going to do
this is there anything that the town or
the residents of the town would be able
to do to have a pretty strong say on
that and it was kind of unclear
>> because the state doesn't have a there's
not something at the state level that
gives towns the ability very you have to
get creative
so
>> that's all I got
Paul
>> you covered it all as far as I'm
concerned
>> Ed more All
right. Great. All right. So, now we're
going to move on to public comment. I
know there's a few people that would
like to speak. 3 minutes each and yeah,
just state your name and go for it.
Wait a minute. Are we have public
comment time? Yes, we are.
>> Oh, I couldn't see it. Sorry. Go ahead.
>> Yeah. I just wanted um just to ask a
question. uh those in chapter 26 uh has
voted in uh in 2024 allows for
permission to ask um permission to camp
on town land. So I'd like to know what's
the process that I go through. I want to
ask permission to camp on town land. So
I'd like to response how do I go about
doing that? That's the ordinance states
I can do. How do I do that?
There there is no process right now. the
this board's on record of um
not having an application process.
So there is no so the exemption that was
voted in as part of an ordinance is
essentially the vote I don't have the
ordinance with me right now to refresh
my memory but the ordinance
um prohibited camping on town property
with an exception without uh unless you
had a permit and this town
or the select board [snorts]
voted not to issue permits. So, we're
not accepting applications. Is this
board's decision that we're not going to
have applications and we're not going to
grant um anyone the right to camp on
town own property? That's that's the
position of the board right now.
>> Okay. So rendering that aspect of the
ordinance nonvoiding essentially I mean
the ordinance the ordinance is in effect
that says no camping on town property
unless
you get permission from the psych.
So you go to the selector board. Slack
board says we're not granting permission
to camp on time. Friendly. Okay.
>> Yes. I'm sorry. What's your name?
>> My name is Jennifer.
>> Jennifer.
>> Yes.
>> Nice to meet you.
>> And I don't know if you guys reply right
away. I've been to town meetings where
you just present. Yeah.
>> And then someone comes and talks to you.
>> I just have two things and I don't know
how you guys do it.
>> I wonder about um the transfer station.
Yes. and I haven't been in a while is
there's it's not zero sort. You have to
sort your recycles yourself, right? I
want to propose that zero sort. That's
that's make that's just yeah I mean I
don't have whatever that's my thing. Um
we don't even have to talk about it at a
specific moment if we don't want to. I
don't want to run out of time. The other
thing too is I live out on 135 heading
towards Dalton and there is a there
everywhere but I live in this spot a
total dead zone.
It's it's bad signal for cell phones,
internet, all of that. So, I didn't know
if maybe again proposing big stuff, but
a towel out there or something in the
vicinity to get better signal because I
plan on working from home and I don't
know if anyone else in that area does
that, but I can't have I wouldn't be
able to have that
interruption, if you will. So, that's
all I have.
>> There's been a new tower going up, not
in Littleton, but I know we got a
notification. I forget what town it was
and another town was going
>> but near little like Dalton.
>> Yeah. I don't know which it's like
Groton or something.
>> No, that's not going to help her. Yeah.
>> You know, one thing um you should check
to see if uh cuz the town had a lot of
rewiring of fiber over the last couple
>> if they're coming by out that way. Um
there's requirements on getting to your
house that are associated with those
funds that they use to build out that
system. So if that's an issue or
whatever um that might be there worth
worth checking
>> probably going to transfer from Spectrum
to Fidium try it.
>> Yeah. Call you know what I mean? I just
didn't know. I was like Alfred I have
five acres to tell or might not. They
might they might take you up on that. So
I just that that's um I'm going to try
Freidium and I'm probably going to
attend meetings moving forward.
>> You can always look at the Starlink,
right? That you know there's no South Co
where I am staring well. It's just it's
really expensive as well, right? And and
you got to go out in the winter and
clear the snow out or else it won't
work.
>> But sometimes the business covers it if
you're working for I see Lor's hand up.
Go ahead, Lori.
>> So actually 135 has been a challenge. We
actually reconducted the lines um going
out to 135. So that's good news for you
for working from home. You're going to
have more consistent voltage in that
area and that project's only got another
two weeks to finish.
>> Oh, yay.
>> There we go.
>> And um Mike, zero sore is not a thing
here,
>> right? Because of Cuz it just because of
the way it's picked up and everything.
>> Yeah, we bail we bail our own stuff with
shipping to a zero source place. We bail
stuff and sell it ourselves like
woodboard and
>> cans and stuff.
>> So I I would have to go in there and
sort every single solitary thing
separately
>> or you do it at home like a lot of Yeah,
a lot of people do them at home in
>> different I just want to break them.
>> They help you. They're pretty helpful
there.
>> But if you do pickup like Cassella, you
could do zero sort.
>> So if you get the pay for the bins, they
do. Yeah, I kind of wanted to Okay. All
right. But at the transfer station, you
sort it,
>> right? But I hiring Cassella is an
option for me.
>> I don't know. You'll check with your
neighborhood. I think they go out there.
>> You can there there are residents that
have
>> I had it for a while.
>> A higher trash pickup.
>> Okay. There's a number of agencies that
provide that.
>> Oh, it's also Whitings. And
>> Whitings says, "I'd like to keep it
local." And Whitings Company is a
regular trash, but not the recycle.
>> Do they not do recycling?
>> They they stopped because it wasn't
really advantageous for them.
>> Gotcha.
>> Yeah. Okay. I'll um I don't want to step
on my toes, but that's personal. Okay. I
appreciate it. So, there's no there's no
chance of zero at all. Right. Not right
now.
>> Not now.
>> Got you.
>> Anybody else?
>> Roger.
>> Um I want to bring up the uh bring up
Bera.
>> Bera.
>> I'd like to know what the plan to do
with Bera. I went through all the uh
selections meetings minutes from the
previous year and on last thing I could
find was March 23rd
uh review of the town manager's report
was his projects and grants was uh
number 11 was a opera house and birth
and location of the opera house. um on
December 22nd of 2025
um is when the conservation I mean the
historical society was granted the right
of second refuse on the opera house. Um
before that was like February of 25
um business transfer
of $1,500 donation to Eureka that you
had the donation you had gotten. Mhm.
>> So, it goes all the way back to um you
know, it's been we've had Bertha in town
now for a while and we still haven't
made any move on to House Birther.
Birther is currently in the old tire
warehouse building. Um it was moved to
Val Poston's property early this year
for a short period of time. Um it has
been moved back to the old tire
warehouse property. That property is
going to be either demolished or raised
or something very soon.
Um, birth it needs heat for the winter.
Uh, we're back in the position we were
last year where we said, "Oh, we'll find
a place on Union Street or in April or
somewhere. Somebody will find a place
somewhere." Um, still hasn't been done.
so there's there's still the old fire
station,
the opera house. Um, we do have the uh
where the fire trucks used to be, which
is still a space available down there.
It would require put in two 5T doors, 5
foot wide doors by 8 ft high. Um, I've
talked to uh Chris Lloyd about making
doors. He said, "No problem. You know,
the problem is is that we have to go to
through the New Hampshire historical
preservation because the building is
historically preserved,
>> but it's kind of hard to go through the
historical preservation when you don't
have any movement from the from the town
from the select board and stuff like
this. So, um
I would really think that it would be a
great asset for the town to have it in
that town home fire station. Um it could
be made visible to the town's people.
Um, it could be lit up at night. I think
it'd be a great great asset for people
driving by for stoplight just to look
over and take a quick look look at
Bertha. Um, and we don't need the whole
floor like what was proposed. And they
said, "Oh, we got to get a grant to do
the whole floor down there. All we need
is just a room for Bertha to get in the
doors and room to get Bertha in there."
Um, it doesn't I believe I can check
with my fell next to me, but I don't
believe it has to be fireproof in the
fact that if the gasoline is taken out
and you have like a gas tank for like a
boat, motorboat where you can just pump
it, get the gas into the uh engine and
drive it out and have the battery moved.
I think it then it just becomes static
and that there should be no reason that
it can't be in that building. Um, but in
order to do something, we have to have
the boards
say so to go ahead and put it somewhere.
And and so far everything's been
stagnant as far as I can see. If
something has been discussed, I don't
know anything about it. Um,
one of the big things was we said we
wanted the vehicle for parades and for
shows and stuff like this. I know that
uh recently the Franconia asked to have
Bertha come out for the old home day in
in Franconia and it was decided that it
wouldn't go out because it has to be
trucked on a flatbed. You can't risk it
breaking down on the road so it can be
used in town but uh we weren't going to
let it go out to other places and tell
us it was on a flatbed. So, um I just
need a commitment from the board to what
we're going to do with this truck, uh
one way or the other. Um we need it to,
you know, get going and so we can put it
somewhere. It's going to find a home for
the winter.
>> Is there did you do you guys have a like
a presentation or like cost or any kind
of
>> Did you guys go to or just any of the
>> Do we have any I didn't get any
information about it. So, I didn't know
this as far as happening. So far,
there's been donations made by private
citizens.
>> No, I know that, but I mean the agenda
item I didn't come to us, so I didn't
know we were I didn't know we were
discuss I didn't know we were being
presented with it and what the ideas
were. We hadn't really
>> It's just a comment. Okay.
>> I don't didn't want to take a 20 minute
or you know get on the agenda. I just
wanted to bring it up um as a comment
and I would like the board to start
thinking about it and doing something
about it to move ahead because it's it's
July. Nothing's been even talked about
since March and nothing has been done
except a lot of talks since last year.
Um we've got we got to stop sitting on
it and just we have to move with it.
>> So have you gone to the to the
department heads about it for to ask
them?
>> Heads about what?
>> The um opera house like Riley and I
guess I've spoken to Riley. I asked
Riley to meet with town manager and her
and myself. Um nothing came out of that.
Um, I've spoken to Chief Miller a couple
of times. Um,
not much has come out of that. You know,
we we know we realize it's got to be
moving on, but I think it's up to you
people,
>> but we need more. We don't have the
information in front. I mean, we have
the information of where you want it to
go, but I don't have any of the
information of the impact or how much
the cost will be for the cost. Oh,
>> you have that.
>> I think the problem is, to be honest
with you, I don't have, you know, I'm
kind of aware of Bill Lula um has been
on the sidelines doing a lot of work.
Um, but I think what really what needs
to happen is to address the concern that
nothing's happening. is maybe if this
board voted this evening to authorize or
empower the town manager and the fire
truck um to find a temporary location
and um a permanent location. So charge
us with that task
>> so that I know it's not this citizen,
this volunteer citizen, this group
Riley, I just need it black. I just need
it very crystal clear that I think it
would be good. I think it should be the
fire chief and the town manager and and
we can you can work on this.
>> You going to make a motion?
>> Yeah, I mean that works for me. I want I
want it to be seen, but yeah, I don't
know enough of the information or has it
come to us about
>> it? Could we make a motion to do that
and then have you guys come back and
>> Yes, that's what we need. We need
someone [snorts] to come and present it.
Okay,
>> I'll make that motion.
>> All right. Um and anyone want to second
that? Paul second. So the motion is for
town manager and Chief Miller to be able
to coordinate information about Bertha's
location and bring it to us hopefully
sooner than later.
>> I can deal with the because the winter
is
>> cuz winter's coming. Okay. How long do
you have? Can it stay where it is right
now?
>> I have no idea.
>> It's at Val Pulson's right now.
>> No, it's at the U
>> tire warehouse.
>> Where would the old tire warehouse?
>> As soon as possible.
>> Soon as possible. All right. All right.
So we have a
>> I just don't know and I think I have no
idea. I haven't talked to the people
from the casino and what when it has to
be out, but I
>> guess I'll let you know.
>> I'm under the understanding it's it's
going to be out before winter.
>> Yep. Yep. All right.
>> They've already moved. They have a
building offices down there. The only
person down there now is uh Red Wagon.
>> Yep. Yep.
>> And uh
>> So, I just hope that we get someplace to
put it that's safe and for the winter
and warm.
>> Y
>> um
>> Yeah, for sure. All right. So, we have a
first and a second. That was Taylor and
Paul.
>> Okay. I'm going to take a vote for this
one. All in favor?
>> I All right.
>> For you for you to do. Thank you. All
right. Thanks for coming, Roger.
Any other comments? Did you have your
hand up?
>> Oh, December has his hand up. Yep. Go
ahead. December. Um so the day after the
elections this is March supervisors of
the checklist initiated the process to
remove me from voter registration here
in Littleton. Um based around not having
any evidence at all just decided to
start that process. Uh it took me four
months to fight them on this issue. at
the June 2nd supervisor of the checklist
meeting. I had that I advised them that
I would be at that meeting, a public
meeting. I would be recording that
meeting, which is my exercising my
right, the public meeting. When I showed
up at that meeting, uh Deputy Chief
Gardner was at that meeting.
>> Turn that off, right? Turn that off.
>> Deputy Chief Gardner was at that
meeting, which uh the police don't have
any police are not involved in any
election capacity at all. They're not
legally part of that process. There's no
legal reason for them to be as
supervisor of the checklist meeting.
During that meeting, Deputy Chief
Gardner participated in the meeting
itself, asking me questions about my
residency, asking me questions about uh
answering questions when I was asking um
questions of this provider and acting in
capacity outside of his responsibility
as a police officer. He is not an
elected official dealing with elections
at all or any capacity.
He told me that he was there. He was
asked to be there because I said I was
going to record that meeting. I have a
legal right to record that public
meeting. So his presence in that meeting
as well as participating in that meeting
and then after the meeting he wanted to
speak to me outside
all voter suppression and intimidation
tactics. They have nothing. He has
nothing to do with voter registration at
all in this town. No police officer
does. And it has had a chilling effect
on me as a registered voter and my
rights to remain a registered voter in
this town. Now, the supervisor checklist
came back twice and said that I have
multiple 30-day letters that I've
received over the last four months and
stating that again they had reached out
to the state and the state advised them
that if I don't comply that I'm going to
be removed. So, I called the election
division of the state. I talked to state
attorney. He reached out to the attorney
general's office. Both of them concluded
that supervisors of checklist had it
there was a lack of evidence for them to
even start the process. So they
shouldn't have even started the removal
process for me and that they should keep
me as an active voter in Littleton.
I went to the last supervisor of the
checklist meeting and discussed this
with them and their response was well
they didn't have to listen to the state
but they did listen to the state. It's
not their duty to listen to the state.
They're a separate entity. They're not
they're not they don't have to take what
the state says. um and but to keeping me
active in Littleton. So the supervisor
of the checklist misapplied
RSA 654 in attempting to remove me from
active voter registration. Um so
whatever steps come next out of all of
this, there's already been taxpayer
money wasted on trying to solve this
problem because they had to mail me
letters which I received and responded
to. They sent certified mail to me which
I received and responded to. So they've
spent taxpayer money already on trying
to remove me from the list and whatever
actions are taken next and whatever tax
money taxpayer money is spent dealing
with this issue because they illegally
tried to remove me from the list is on
the supervisors of the checklist. they
are refusing to concede that they
misapplied the RSA.
Uh and um and so both the state attorney
and attorney general's office both
concluded that they were wrong and they
should not try to remove me from
checklist. I just it's egregious and it
just has a chilling effect on the
overall rights that I have as a as a
citizen of the United States, as a
resident of this town for them to even
to start the process that I don't live
in Middleton or to even even try to
site that I don't live in. They had no
evidence and they had no nothing. So, I
just it's it's been a 4mon process. It's
it was ridiculous. Um, I should have had
to deal with police when I'm trying to
just settle my registration, voter
registration issues. The police are not
part of that process. So, I don't
understand why they were there. And when
speaking with Chief Deputy Gardner about
it, he told me that he was at the he was
present instead of one of his younger
officers who may have been a little
quicker to react to things I might have
said. So, he wanted to make sure he was
the one present at that meeting. That
way the the younger officers or the
newer officers didn't overreact or
didn't react unfavorably to the
situation. Again, there should be no
reaction to me showing up to to to to
secure my voter registration in
Littleton. So, I don't I don't
understand why that was part of the
process. I don't understand how how the
supervisors came to the conclusion and
then even after presented with the
attorney general general's office
calling them and saying put people on
the list they didn't have the evidence
they still were unwilling to concede to
the fact that they had misapplied RSA
654. So, I'd like I'd like the the board
to to you know, I don't know if it's an
independent committee or something, but
on numerous occasions while talking to
supervisors and check this, they they
stated that they this is a new thing.
They didn't know how to deal with it and
and and so they don't there seems to be
a lack of knowledge on how to handle the
situation on that side. I'd like to see
some sort of outside oversight from
someone else in the town to look at this
problem so that this doesn't happen to
someone else. According to Deputy Chief,
I'm the first unhoused resident to
register to vote. That that that makes
me a party one. And so that that's opens
a whole another legal aspect that we're
dealing with here. if they have
questions, they should be reaching out
to the proper people up at the state,
not the helpline, which is what they
call. They didn't call the state's
attorney. They didn't call and talk to
anyone of any sort of upper level
authority. They just called a a hotline
and got help and that for them that was
good enough. So, I would like some
oversight because they don't know what
they're doing and they have misapplied
that RSA. So, that I don't want this to
happen to someone else. I'm registered.
I'm I could register to vote. I am going
to stay that way if they they told me
that. But I don't want this to happen to
another unhoused resident who wants to
vote. We should not be confronted by
police presence at these meetings. We
should not be questioned by police at
these meetings. And we should not be
asked for a conversation after the
meeting when I'm just there to talk
about my right to vote. police have zero
duty in in in engaging or participating
in that process and that is a clear
violation of my rights all through this
whole process. I'd like to see some
oversight happen from from this board um
and looking in so this doesn't happen to
somebody else. You know, I'm secure, but
um for
but there are other measures I'm going
to take to make sure that things can't
go they can't change their mind down the
road. So I just like to see some
oversight and looking making sure this
the police do not involve themselves in
election matters and also that there's
there's the the the people who are even
if they're elected they have they have
an idea of what they're doing and they
understand what they're doing and they
understand how they're affecting my
right to vote and then when I try to
fight for that right to vote I'm being
told that I should just sign paperwork
that I should just I should I should
offer and grace because they made a
mistake or whatever. Well, it wasn't a
mistake. They actively tried to remove
me from from voting and so I'd like to
see some more respect for that. Thank
you.
>> I want to add one one comment on that.
>> My understanding the board has no
jurisdiction over the supervisors a
checklist and that's with good reason.
They are elected separately all to
manage the poll. There's a reason why
this white board does not have a say in
that. That's legal separation.
Understand your dispute with the
supervisors. This board, I don't
believe, pass the statutory power to get
involved or interfere in the way
elections are run. In fact, that would
be probably out of line. All right. U
because it's also elected board. I'm I'm
not an attorney, but that's my
understanding is we we don't have
oversight over um that board. [bell]
>> Sounds like fairy terms.
>> That's all comment.
Uh I just would like to comment first of
all that the uh deputy chief was there
for request of the the um supervisors
for safety and uh the last thing the
police department does is participate in
voter suppression. That may be your
opinion but it's not legally binding.
It's your opinion.
>> He engaged.
>> I I gave you your point. Let me give you
my
>> It's not opinion facts.
>> Okay. He engaged.
>> One second. Let Wait. Let him speak. He
didn't intro. We'll let him speak and
then you can
>> certainly first I wasn't there discuss
that whether he should participate or
not but he was there for safety reasons.
We do not engage in voter suppression. I
just want to make that on the record.
>> You did you participated in the meeting.
He was not authorized.
>> Why don't you you could have a
discussion with him after too. He
doesn't like having meetings after that.
>> You hit the 3 minute mark long ago.
>> Yeah. All right. So, our next meeting is
August 24th. August. Yeah. August 24th.
Unless you see anything posted before
that, which sometimes there are other
public work sessions or non-publics that
get posted. Um but yeah, I will look for
a motion to
>> make a motion to adjurnn.
>> All right, Paul motion. Second.
>> Ed second. All in favor?
>> I I Okay.
>> [music]
>> Heat.