Select Board Meeting - September 16, 2026

Speakers are labeled SPEAKER_N. This transcript is machine-generated.

Recording

He's
joining us again, right? Um, let's make
her bigger.
All right.
>> All right. Good evening. Welcome to our
select board meeting of September 16th.
Uh, we will start with an approval of
the minutes.
>> Do you have I I found nothing
>> only
>> in the the minute.
>> No, I didn't. have have any problem?
>> I didn't feel as though I was Yeah, I
glanced but I didn't.
>> All right. Would you like to?
>> I move [clears throat] that we open this
session.
>> Okay. Well, we're going to move the Y
open the session. How about approve?
>> It's good. Good. That's okay. Just
approve the minutes.
>> That's why you should always look that
way.
>> Tried but
here.
>> I love that we approve the minutes.
>> I second.
>> All right. All those in favor? I.
>> All right.
Uh we're going to start today. Uh now
we're going on to public comment. So
anyone public comment today?
>> Thank you.
>> I'm here to address a pattern of conduct
that should deeply concern every
taxpayer.
>> I want to address the attorney letter.
>> Yeah. and threat of cease and desist
that was sent to me. Using taxpayer
funds to hire a law firm to silence a
resident who's presenting research and
asking tough questions is an outrageous
misuse of municipal resources. Let me
declare the public has a fundamental
constitutional right under the first
amendment and under New Hampshire law to
petition their local government,
speak during public comment
>> and scrutinize how our money is spent.
An attorney letter carries no legal
merit when it tries to intimidate a
citizen who has broken no laws.
Expressing concern over contracts and
job duties is not illegal. It is the
definition of public oversight in
neighboring New Hampshire town. Select
courts use public comment to engage
constructively with residents. They do
not weaponize legal counsel to suppress
input. I want to ask this board
directly. Is this spending taxpayer
dollars to intimidate your own voters?
How you normally deal with the public?
Where is the written policy or
procedures that justifies using town
funds this way?
Regarding ethics and accountability,
does this town require staff and elected
officials to go through mandatory
ongoing ethics training? Right now, our
town employee manual dedicates barely
two pages to basic conduct, entirely
ignoring critical areas like conflicts
of interest, public transparency, and
retaliation against residents. Ethics
cannot just be a brief mention on a
piece of paper. It must apply to every
town job from top management down.
Having thoroughly reviewed the official
town administrator job description
posted right on the town own website, a
position commanding a $100,000 salary
demands genuine executive management
policy implementation and high level
fiscal leadership. When you look at the
actual work being performed, it reads
like clerical and administrative
support. I mentioned this at the last
meeting. Taxpayers are paying an
executive level compensation package for
what amounts to clerical duties. Other
towns structure their management with
clear accountability metrics to ensure
the community gets what it pays for. Why
aren't we doing the same? Why has
transparency been replaced with legal
threats? I'm making a formal request on
the public record tonight under New
Hampshire RSA 91A, the right to know
law, to please provide
the exact unredacted copy of the $12,000
contract currently in question. Under
state law, municipal contracts are
public government records. You have five
days, five business days to respond and
make it available for inspection. The
public has a right to know how its money
is spent, how its town is run, and why
legal threats were chosen over open
communication.
We're not going to be intimidated into
staying silent. And as you know, I
attend every meeting. I haven't I did
miss one because I had a dental a tooth
>> and I just couldn't come. But I am here.
I follow all the minutes which don't
really say that's why having the uh zoom
and the YouTube
uh meeting posted is very helpful. So
I know exactly and you know exactly what
I said last time and that that's all for
now. Thank you. Thank you.
I have
>> no comment. Okay. Is there other public
comment tonight?
Hi, uh Larry Shisel from Newport. I only
merely came uh to introduce myself to
the board and any of the public. Uh I'm
currently the uh Democrat candidate for
district 7 representation. So, um it's a
big district. It takes a little time to
get to some parts of playing field and
way down to uh Charles Town. But uh I
hope to make myself a little bit more
visible over time so that come November
3rd I'm not just a name on the ballot
but a face and certainly if I'm uh if
I'm lucky enough to be elected uh want
to um you know in the future make my
presence uh felt here um and we'll bring
concerns to conquer that.
>> Pleased to meet you.
>> Yeah. Thank you for coming.
>> Thank you. Thanks for coming.
Can I just Marie quickly? You asked a
question but you didn't wait for an
answer.
>> Thank him for coming.
>> Okay, if you can keep it brief, you've
already had a moment for
>> haven't even shown up.
>> So you drive all the way from Newport
and they live right here in Planefield.
>> That's a big difference.
>> Dinner's getting cold.
>> All right. Thank you, Maria.
>> All right. Does anyone Oh, yeah.
>> Yeah. I'm just Leslie, do you have
something for us or
>> No, I'm just Okay. I didn't know. I know
you've been involved in other stuff in
town, so I didn't know if you had a
question. Super. Thank you. Yep.
>> All right. Terrific. Uh we will move on
then. We are going to start I think on
our agenda. We're going to start with
this uh with the Flat Iron Road
followup.
>> Yeah. And it was very brief.
>> Yeah. Okay.
>> Um I
>> I just thought maybe um one of the I
didn't know if any of the residents
involved in this would be here tonight,
so I thought we'd do it first in case
they were.
>> I don't believe any of them are. And I
so I think the update is that at least
for the moment the the trucker has
decided to park his truck the the
trailer of his truck at highway as we
had suggested he'd be welcome to do.
>> Um he's done that at least a couple of
nights now and I think he brings the the
tractor home and parks it on his on his
own property. Um, and so, you know, I'm
not sure what laws, if any, he's
violating when he backs down Flat Iron
Road if he does it in a in a good job in
a nice way and and doesn't damage
property. He certainly stays within the
right of way. Um, I've suggested that he
and Kimble Union should talk if he's
parking on their land. It's not clear
that. I think he may feel like he has a
verbal approval from a previous person
who worked at KUA. I'm not sure he's
touched the base of the current
administration, but at the moment, and
Rich, you may have talked to him most
recently. He came to the shop and asked
where to to leave the truck, right?
>> He called me and asked me where to leave
it.
>> So, so right now that seems to be the
update is that the truck is not the and
I think that part of his work ends in
the next month or so. Um, he's going to
haul concrete blocks longer than he
works for Simple Energy. So when the
tractor isn't transporting fuel and he
doesn't bring fuel to to Planefield um
to to to flat iron, if the truck was
ever there, it was there empty, not not
full. He would take it to the terminal.
Um but he because they don't haul in the
summer as much, he hauls concrete
blocks. And so that's where he is. He
also just asked me to convey I met with
him since our last meeting. He asked me
to convey to you guys and I think
Richard would confirm it that he has
never part he's never ridden driven on
the road while it's posted right. Um
he's done it with Richard's permission
on cold mornings and and things like
other you know trucks and companies do
but essentially at the moment there's
peace in the valley and he's parking
there and we're happy to leave it that
way for the moment.
>> Sounds good. Thanks for following up on
that. Did you have any
>> No, it seems to resolve. He's driving in
there Foxdale.
>> Yeah. Big problem.
>> Great. All right. Thank you.
>> And we'll move on to uh department
reports. And I think and I'm guessing
that's why you're with us tonight,
Kevin. So, we'll start with you, Rich.
>> Um just so Kevin, as always, everyone's
welcome to stay for the whole meeting,
but you may have other you may have
dinner, too. So,
>> sure.
Great.
>> Which was like what?
So he cleaned up the beaver dam over
there and hedgehog. Um they made a
pretty good mess over there so guy can
continue on with his Skip has re
reconstructed the
>> beaver
>> the beaver deceiver and deception is
once again occurring
>> yeah well I mean it yes I mean Skip is
it was amazing.
>> Oh I mean the beavers are already
deceiving it or we're deceiving
>> we're deceiving we're back in the
winning for the very the moment that
just I mean he worked there the entire
Labor Day weekend from what I can tell.
>> I just thought they were already full.
>> Yeah, we have them thoroughly confused
then.
>> Okay, good.
>> And so and the conservation commission
is meeting tomorrow night and looking at
funding for for work
>> and we haven't seen an invoice
>> or an estimate. Okay.
>> But but we are uh but but the
conservation commission I think prefers
the deception to death.
>> Okay. And so they're they they they
there I think will be supportive of of
helping.
>> Let me put up the flags for Labor Day
weekend. Uh we're mowing down on River
Road uh at the moment. Um put the wear
strip down on Copp Bridge. Got that
done.
Um set the peers down at the pet shop
for the beam to hold up the um deck.
um push up on old county with the
greater which and gravel bra camp road
and ditching on Freeman road
and uh started on the border um Braden
and put up the steel beam today
up above so we can start put under it.
>> Is that the annex building?
>> That's the annex building at the highway
guard.
>> All right, grab a pet.
>> Yeah. and
>> and so Rich and I have been talking this
week about and I think it's what Kevin's
here to learn more about the notion of
doing a little bit of a spurt of work
right here at the end of the season
>> um involving hard packing several of the
roads in town. I've had over the course
of the summer I've had conversations
with Chris Barry who has um is now
essentially the road agent for Hover.
Handover has a public works director. So
he he works under that person. But Chris
has a lot of responsibility for the town
of Hanover as we have with been talking
as you guys know for two or three years
with Jim
and Taylor over at Enfield and they
Taylor has taken a somewhat different
approach and now Cornish
>> they all are adding hard pack to their
roads. Jim I think in Enfield they have
been skim coating a couple of inches
periodically to build it up. Um Chris in
handover and I think the road agent in
Cornish are taking a much more
aggressive approach of putting five to
six inches of hard pack. Let's say five
five six inches on collab but let's say
five u inches of hard pack on the roads.
And so I talked to Rich and we've been
having this ongoing discussion with
Kevin about some grading on the steeper
roads in in town. So I had the
suggestion and and talked to Rich and
out of those discussions came the idea
of using Rich and his crew to do some
hard pack work on four or five roads.
The money is going to dictate how many.
We know three that we would do because
they're short sections and they and they
fit in nicely and will provide a much
better level of service for the
residents who are living on those roads.
Um we would definitely want to do long
lane. We would definitely want to do
hell hollow up to where Cornish is
hardpacked. So, [clears throat] we'd
have pavement and the entire road would
be would be hard packed. Um, and then we
might not we'd thought about doing
center town road, the first section
where we always have potholes and mud in
the spring. Um, Rich pointed out some
technical reasons why that might be a
time struggle this year. There's a lot
more driveways there and you've got
intersections and grades to change. Um
but we would also over on Coryville
um we would or what I call Coryville
which is really Hower Lane the the he
calls it Leoo flat. um right there at
hard pack from the bridge out to Leoo
again a flat area that we struggle with
and have a lot of we have mud and we
have potholes constantly and I think we
you know this so
>> we've talked about it for two or three
years but this would make this would be
the hard pack experiment we might do you
know like I said I' I've got more on the
list but I think the money will run out
[clears throat] um and then while Rich
was doing that work have Kevin um grade
some of the steeper roads in town and we
and he we would make available to him
>> a couple of our trucks
>> um to to haul gravel or to take away
digons or or what whatever. Um and so I
think I've identified a funding source
for the money u for the project and um I
think Rich is on board thinks it's an
idea that's got merit and we'd like to
you know you know see if the board was
agreeable to do it.
>> So Rich you're on board. You think it
has merit? Yes.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay.
>> Will it make your life easier long run?
>> Yeah. I'll see.
>> Will it get more would work out?
>> I mean, we've told you many times at
least in in my five and a half years
here that that you know what whatever we
can do to get you some support because
you're you're down. I mean, you're down
that you know you're you're down.
>> Well, I'm really interested in seeing
the
>> we'd like to get
>> the effect of the hard back.
>> Yeah. Yeah, we talked about that for
>> if it makes a difference, right? And so
Rich can spread and roll that.
>> So just so you know, cost of all the
four roads used.
>> Yeah.
>> About $45,500
>> in a hard pack.
>> Yeah.
>> Right. And so we would we we might
adjust a little bit here or there. Um
and but I think it would I
>> we've got to do something. We we we know
that in terms of you know we've and
Chris Barry couldn't have higher res you
know report of a stronger report of the
results they've had in handover. Cornish
is just starting. They had a two-year
plan. They didn't be able they weren't
able to start it last year. So they've
started it in in big guns this year. I
think they just did all of East Road in
Cornish. They did their end of Hell
Hollow and I don't know where else
they've been because I don't drive the
Cornish roads as much as I do the plane
roads. Um, and Jim and Enfield, although
they've taken a longer term approach,
>> he has he said it's it's the road holds
its shape and just like our driveways
typically do, you got to treat them
decent. And also in the winter that in
the spring they have less less mud, less
headaches and in that way. And so and
then the I think the you know Rich and I
when we met we talked about at a minimum
>> True Road, True Hill, Leoo Road, Freeman
Hill, the backside obviously um Cudon
Turnpike uh for for grading for grading
for grading. I mean it would be and I
think we might you know we might go up
Granthm Mountain we're right there if we
can. Grantham Mountain is and Cud and
Turnpike are deceptive in their grade.
It's because they're longer where the
other ones are shorter but are are very
very steep. Um and so I don't know Kevin
and I I mean this isn't a venue to talk
the dollars right and I don't want to
give our dollars away but I but I think
I have I think I have funds that we
could do this project or a big chunk of
it that would be within the highway
department approved appropriation. And
the question is do you guys want to want
to do it and direct us to do it?
>> [clears throat]
>> So we got need and it appears that we
could pay for it.
>> Yeah, it's it's in the operating budget
that we have. I mean we are doing I mean
it's no miracle. I mean the the the
monies that we have available to us each
year, our highway block grant money
which is about 122,000. We spend most of
that on paving and anything that we
don't spend on paving this year and
we're still oscillating as to whether we
we know we're doing Baines Road. We're
100% committed to Baines, Thompson G's
and Whitney. And if anybody knows where
Thompson G's is, let us let us know. You
and so those three which really are two
very little roads and a relatively easy
to do road in Baines Road and that it's
not in that bad a shape and the sh but
it's just it's 1900t long.
>> Baines is Baines is about 35,000
>> dollars. Um,
>> so those we might add tallow. We might
add Pierce Road and a little piece on
Lane
>> this year.
>> Yeah, because we're 45 of 122. We got
122,000 in the budget and we've
committed 45. Um, if we add those two,
one of the things that does particularly
Pierce Road I think is a huge safety
issue. Rich can't grade Pierce Road
without putting a grader right in the
middle of 12A on a bad corner,
>> right? Is cars come down what we think
of as I call it Grit's Hill, but that
that dates me. As you come down that
hill, if the grater's in the middle of
the road and somebody's doing 70, we're
going to have trouble and they would
never do 70 or something.
>> Well, they would, right?
>> Um, so
>> so if uh is [clears throat] it that 122,
is that spended or lose it? Well, it's
part of our it's part of our operating
budget.
>> Can roll over.
>> Anything we don't spend there,
>> which I we need a bunch. We'll go to
we'll go to diesel, right? We in our
budget, we have diesel at 375 a gallon.
We're going to be paying closer to 5506
even without taxes, right? I mean, if
you look at the deli, it's over six or
or Evans or wherever you go to buy your
diesel these days. And so we're we're
already over on diesel right now. When
when we get a load of diesel, it goes
it's we're in the red. But again, that's
you know, the overall operating budget
is falling. The funding for this project
would come primarily from the highway
transportation fund of which we have
about 140,000 total. And we're not going
to spend anywhere near 140. We we
contribute 70 each year, 75 each year to
that fund. But the 70 that we contribute
each year to that fund is for specific
equipment replacement, isn't it?
>> No, that's that's that's equipment.
There's a fun separate fund. There's
there's a fund that we started in 2006
for highway improvement. And I went back
and looked at it to make sure it didn't
say pavement. And what it what it says
is money's to be used to for to for the
improvement of planefields highways. Um
and so it can be used on gravel roads.
It can be used on paved roads.
>> So what you're intending to use as a
funding source is this this block plant
>> plus this fund
>> really the fund think about it as fund
because the block grant we we've
committed that on pavement and anything
that we don't spend on paving
>> we need to keep available for overages
in petroleum related products of which
diesel is only one. You know a tire that
used to cost 300 now cost 500. Um, and
and so I think it's but the real issue I
mean I I wouldn't be proposing it. Rich
and I wouldn't be talking about it if we
didn't if we couldn't make the money
work. What what we really want to get is
the value of the work.
>> Yes.
>> And so that's what we're trying I think
>> so I see the value of the hard pack just
because um
>> and again we'll determine how much we
can do but the but the idea is is the
hard pack.
I guess I just would
>> What's that fun? What's the number?
>> Which reserve fund?
>> Where in the middle? I mean,
>> yeah, this ex excuse me.
>> Yeah, it's the high It's the
transportation equipment fund, Maria. On
like page 72.
>> What's the number?
>> It's page 72 in your annual report.
>> No, no, on your list right now.
>> It doesn't show that.
>> Excuse me, please.
>> Okay.
>> Yeah.
>> Thank you.
Okay.
>> So,
>> so, so, so the transportation fund
>> holds money that we use typically for
road improvements. Okay.
>> We've only allocated 45,000.
So far this year, we're considering
bumping that to maybe 55 or 60 if we do
these other two little spurs.
>> Okay. But that's paving. That's not hard
pack that you're talking about.
>> And that's money that's in the operating
budget. the 122
>> in in the funds that Jesse Stalker holds
which include the equipment fund that
you spoke of
>> and the in paving I mean look at it
there's 25 funds there that you know and
and 12 of them that we put money in
every year [clears throat] that money
that fund right now has a balance of
140,000
>> okay
>> no one's anticipating spending 140 I
think we're anticipating spending more
like 50 or 60
>> okay so I Guess be before I would say
that yes, we should go ahead and do
this, I I would want to know that we're
still leaving um
a reserve in that fund in case we have a
road blowout that we need to take care
of right away.
>> And and we would if if that occurred, we
would use undesated fund balance, which
sits at over a million dollars.
>> Well, when you put it that way,
[laughter]
>> right? Well, no, but but
>> you're making sure that Yes. I just want
to
>> and and essentially and it's not that we
are emptying the coffers. We started the
year with 70
>> and we will end the year with 70 or 80
at least in that fund. That's what
>> what one of the criticisms that we have
heard from our
>> finance committee over the years is
>> the taxpayer money that goes into
reserve funds
>> should in fact be used. It should be
rolled over. It is money that is
intended to do the purpose for which the
fund was established.
>> And I think here with adding hard pack
>> to a few roads to try it.
>> Yeah. We're not spending hundreds of
thousands, we're spending tens of
thousands. Um, we would probably hire a
couple local trucks to haul it because
the 10 wheelers would haul it much
faster than the six wheelers. And um,
and Richard would direct that. But we
try it. A year from now, sitting around
this table, decide if it's any good or
not. Did it was it worth having?
>> Yeah. Did it do a better job than what
we've been doing? Was there maintenance
on the road?
>> It's going to be a better job. Right.
That's why we're doing this. It's going
to do better. Less maintenance. And
that's right away,
>> like virtually right away, we'll see the
difference in the condition and so the
road.
>> And and I think from the grading
perspective on the steep slopes, Rich's
Richard has worked all summer, gotten
the roads into shape. People have been
able to drive on them.
>> Amy pointed out, we are a seven person
highway department. Richard has access
to five people. We are asking Richard
Collins to be our equipment operator,
our mechanic, and our road agent. And
that is not sustainable. He will say he
can do it. He will say he sleeps like a
baby at night. He's in paradise.
>> Yeah. But that's not
>> The reality is we pay him to manage the
roads. Unfortunately, he has to turn the
wrenches because that's a skill he has.
He can run the equipment, but that's a
place we can hire it out and get it done
from somebody else.
>> And then you can double check their work
just to make sure they did it right
instead. So I mean but that's what we're
talking about hiring the grading now
right it is insane to ask him to be
those three positions he just can't do
them all at once and still
>> right and so I think you know we have
had in the years that I've worked for
the town because we didn't do a big
rebuild project this year
>> we have had and we didn't have any so
far we haven't been washed out had major
you know windstorm ice storm Whatever.
Highway has had a really nice summer of
ditching, but we've done a ton of
ditching this year. Um, occasionally a
little more aggressive.
>> Why you would say that out loud? I
really
>> But I still
You're a baseball person. You're
superstition.
>> There's so many superstitions in them.
Yeah.
>> But I'm What I'm saying is we've gotten
a lot of work done and they they've
opened up a lot of ditches. Um, all of
the roads that I think we're talking
about, Rich has been up there in ditch.
You know, Kevin crowns them up the way
you need to for winter. Not too much
ground, not too flat.
>> He's He's got a ditch to go right into
with his mold board.
>> I I think we get that piece done. We do
the hard pack by by Thanksgiving,
November 1st. We've had a really good
summer and we've we've got new pavement
on three roads, maybe four. We've added
hard pack to three or four roads and
we've graded our steepest hills. The one
thing that I think we're a little short
on and Rich and Kevin, you guys can talk
about this a little bit, right? We're
waiting for crusher, the crusher for
gravel. We don't have a huge backload of
gravel at the pit and we're going to
need some gravel on these steep roads,
steep hills.
>> There's no question.
>> Right. I mean, you'll you'll pull in
what you can and move it around, but I
mean, you said today you were hitting
rocks that you wished you weren't
hitting.
>> Oh, I mean, big rocks.
>> Oh, it's it's the the material's gone.
Loo Hill, prime example. You know, it's
it's it needs gravel. It's 20 ft wide,
25 ft wide flat. There's not, you know
what I mean? It needs There's nothing
there to work with anymore. In the real
world, we could put a foot of bank run
gravel up road and then top it, but now
I know that's not going to happen. How
much crush gravel do you have at the
pit?
I guess 700 yards maybe.
>> Yeah. So, I mean, we can put some out.
We'll, you know, adjust the the tough
spots if we can get some of that. So,
and that the only question is you're
going to hire some. So, those trucks you
hire, as you said, you're going to
spread spread it around a bit. some of
the guys that So, are they going to haul
us gravel or are you hard
>> packs? The truck. Yeah.
>> Well, I mean, I think you would tell I
mean, you've got trucks, so we can talk
to you about trucks, right? The ideal
for us to keep it within a reasonable
amount of money.
>> We would I mean, I think the hard pack
makes sense to bring in a big truck,
right? I mean, it's if if we can. So,
Rich has got our greater working on Lton
Lane, you know, somebody's bringing him
hard pack.
>> If you need trucks to haul ditches away,
trucks.
>> Yeah,
>> the ditchings would be slick for the
small trucks because they can get
crossways in the road.
>> They're a lot easier to get around. Save
the big trucks for spreading the right
>> spreading the 3/4 hard pack for sure.
>> Right. I mean, a lot of those have been
>> ditched. So, I'm good. I I feel like,
you know, and there's a lot of
operational things that I think the
three of you can figure out. I guess we
you know, um so I guess the question I
would just have, you know, like Kevin,
do you feel good about this plan? Do you
have time for this plan? You know, I
said you came here tonight thinking, you
know, no be more than happy to help. I
think we got some things to work out for
sure, the three of us, before we attack,
right?
>> There's no question. And um
[clears throat]
>> what is your schedule? I mean, Rich and
I were talking about his year end
schedule. I say year end till winter
hits,
>> right? we can start the the we can't
start this week of course is out and
next week we got to get some of the
stuff done but the first of the
following week so which is the 28th is
Monday so I was thinking maybe Tuesday
the 30th that would get us Monday we
could go look at a few things and see
where you want the greater is that my
bet so the ideal place to start would be
>> Leoo
>> that would be
>> are you going to have us do anything out
for well we
So we can start we can le
>> all right so we'll go from there
>> to true hill.
>> So from the select board perspective
>> you guys don't need to know what
>> no I mean that's Listen I'm listening
but um and following some of it but
would it be helpful then if we do you
need a motion from us to spend up to a
certain amount or or
>> let me come back with the dollars when
we've worked out That would be help.
>> But but I just we did not want to get
Richard, you know, Richard's got to line
up trucks.
>> Kevin's got to line up work.
>> Yeah.
>> I mean, it's, you know, and when we say
spread it around, we try to use our
local contractors. Kevin has a grater
big enough for this work because he has
our old municipal grader. He bought it
and he's going to put it to work for his
company. Um Allan Ra, who we've used in
the past,
>> is just not an option this year. Um and
and yet the other two con construction
guys that are in town both have 10
wheelers and so I don't know what their
schedules are. If they can't if they
can't accommodate at least we asked.
>> But but you're here tonight to make sure
or this request is we are in favor.
>> Yeah. I want to make sure that you guys
are okay with hiring out some grading
and most importantly adding some hard
pack which we've talked about and we we
talk about it again but let's just do
it. Let's do it. Yep.
>> So, I mean, I'll go back to what Kent
said 10 minutes ago, which was just it
sounds like there's a need and and the
funds are available, right? So,
>> yes, we would not be doing it if we
couldn't if we didn't think we and we
won't I mean, Kevin and I and Rich will
not ink a deal that we can't afford. If
we can't afford it, we won't do it.
>> So,
>> you you plent down some or something,
>> right? No, we're going to do something.
There's no question. And we're not but
we're not going to you know my
responsibility at the end of the day is
not to overspend appropriation and
that's what you pay me to do and I'll
make sure we don't do that.
>> Good.
>> Okay. So I don't think we need a motion.
>> Yeah. No, I just want everybody's
nodding their head. So let's go to
>> Yeah, we need numbers.
>> Yes.
>> I think it's a good idea.
>> Good.
>> And thank you for working out the plan
and thank you for
>> Kevin. You and Rich will talk and we can
go for rides. I mean maybe maybe we can
all three of us can take a ride and just
go out and lock. We'll figure it out.
But you guys
>> Yeah. So that seems okay to everybody
that we'll recap. So we're good and we
go back
>> and you guys and you guys talk numbers.
>> Yeah. If you can stop in and have a
number chat with me just so we can I
mean I've got I've got to count the
beads.
>> Yeah. Yeah. No, I know. So
>> you're clutching them. So hold it.
>> You got you got a jar.
>> Yes. I went looking in those corners.
[laughter]
>> All right. We we'll get it done. We'll
make
>> Well, thank you very much. we can to
help and
>> thanks.
>> It sounds like a good plan.
>> Anything else? Did
>> you ever hear from?
>> No. Yeah.
>> The one thing and I think fire will
support this. Rich is getting an
estimate right here where Bonner Road
intersects with um Main Street. We
worked with um Sarah and and Buddy Hill
and they marked a spot that based on
their experience looked right to them.
And Rich, I think concurs with that.
might change it a little bit, but we're
going to add a section of guard rail.
We've had in my time working for the
town, but most recently in the last two
or three winters, we've had five that
I'm aware of, but three recently, people
come down in the snow and try to turn
left and go on Bonner. And you should
never do that. Go down by the deli from
Bonner Road that way. But they make the
lefthand turn and then these guys are
out for five hours.
>> They're gone.
>> Oh, yeah. I know exactly. And so we're
we're going to bumper them back onto the
road where they can't be down over the
bank.
>> That's putting up a metal guard rail
like real guardrail or you put
>> Yeah, like seews and
>> better better than just a split rail.
They'll just go through looking guard
rail. That's just bad.
>> Okay.
>> Right. And so we're going to we're going
to try to do that. I mean it's if you if
your intention is to put these places
where there's obvious need,
>> there's obvious need there. I mean,
that's our I think you guys spent three
or four hours out there standing around
waiting for the wrecker to figure out
how to up over the bank. It's it's
>> the plow truck is bottom side up, so you
>> weigh as much as the tow truck trying to
>> It's a 10 or 12 foot drop there at
least. I mean, you roll right into the
hill. So, so we're going to put a little
piece of guardrail there. And uh and
then
Rich is going to
>> try to do a
>> try to do a little bit of um down on
River Road where we made the repair.
>> Yeah. Remember how dry last summer was?
I did. And so we're going to try to add
a little lom down there and and get some
more grass growing. We will absolutely
put some delineators. Can't use rocks,
but delineators to drive. People should
not be driving on that. We don't want
them anywhere near the riverbank. They
shouldn't eat their ice cream there to
watch the eagles, any of that stuff. And
so we but it would I think help the the
project if it were green and lush and
had good root system and it's kind of
grally and weedy now. So Richard is
going to try to get that done in the
next couple. It's good grass grow.
>> You got a lot going on but
>> he needs a never- ending list, isn't it?
>> Right. We didn't tell you about the
broken equipment. That's other things
that are going I mean nothing bad.
Nothing bad. But but I mean if you have
seven trucks he's always under one of
them. Yeah. Right. I mean it's just the
reality
>> while he's grading. while he's grading
and managing her own
>> throwing [clears throat] volunte.
Yeah.
>> Thank you, Richard.
>> Great. Thank you.
>> Have a good night.
>> Thank have a good night.
>> Thank you.
>> All right. What Stephanie because we
haven't seen you for a few weeks.
>> Oh, she had a wedding anniversary and of
things.
>> Well, you were missed, but I hope you
were having fun.
>> We did. We had a great dinner. Um, lots
going on in town. Um, so first I'll wear
my community resource director's hat.
Um, New Hampshire food bank programs are
going well. Our New Hampshire feeding
New Hampshire where we get the grants to
buy fresh vegetables and fruits from our
local farms is going great. It's almost
um the our grants almost depleted now,
but it's okay. We have reserves, so
we'll still be giving all of our
families fresh veggies and fruits. So,
and um that will be going through the
growing months. Uh our food pantry is
open this weekend, Friday, Saturday,
from 9 to 10:30.
Um school is back in session. Transition
has gone well. Breakfast Club is off to
a great start. We have about 15 kiddos
that come in to get um nourishment
before they start their day, which is
great. Nurse Beth has a bunch of snacks
to help throughout the day. We've also
partnered up with our local 4 group and
so they have their um eat and eat um
pantry. So if kids are going home after
school, mom and dad are still working,
they're hungry for a snack, they can pop
open mac and cheese, beeferoni. It's not
all great stuff, but kids love it. So,
um they can stop into the nurse's
office, pick up a can, go home and, you
know, help themselves until mom and dad
get there for dinner. So, that's going
great. Great. We've also been working
with Cornish um and making sure that
their school has nutrition for their
they don't have a breakfast club but
their nurse um Laura has snacks
available and um cereal and oatmeal. So
that's great. Fresh fruits are still
coming in from Willing Hands which is a
great partner for us. We love having
them. They're gleaning a lot of our
local farms right now. Um you probably
know this but Edgewater always provides
a couple extra fields. Then they have
volunteers come in and they glean and
then they distribute all of the
wonderful stuff around the upper valley.
So that's great. Um you may have heard
that SNAP benefits in our um state
there's some new stricter guidelines
especially for those 65 and under. So
I've been working a lot with our
community members that rely on SNAP for
their nutrition. Um, a lot of people's
snap stopped because they needed to
prove that they were of ablebodied to
work or they needed to get a doctor's
note saying no, they're not able to
work. If they missed that deadline,
their benefits were cut. So, there was
no extra food stamps. SNAP program was
cut for that family. We had a couple
people that for whatever reason missed
the mail, didn't get their notification,
and so they were scrambling. So, um, I
want to say thank you to you guys for
putting in a budget for us because we
have been able to help through our food
pantry purchases to help supplement
these families as we get these new
applications um, done. It's interesting
enough once I help them get their
applications done, they get an emergency
allotment of $76 to buy groceries for a
month. Try to do that.
>> It's impossible.
>> I might be bagging half now.
>> It's impossible. But it's okay. We have
a wonderful community that has been
donating wonderful non-p perishable food
items. We work very closely with BJ's um
who has been fabulous with providing
proteins. So, we are making, you know,
our community safe and healthy. We're
meeting the needs of our community
members, but it's just it's frustrating.
It's really frustrating.
Um,
we have had a wonderful time building a
great partnership with Mountain Valley
over on River Road. I have met so many
wonderful teenagers. They are out and
about in our community sprinkling
kindness, volunteering. It's just
amazing. I love it. Um, there was eight
kids at the food pantry today helping me
build our care packages for the weekend.
So I have another group tomorrow working
at a older family's home that are having
to move into assisted living. So they're
moving heavy boxes from the second floor
down to the garage. Then next week I
have another group coming back to the
food pantry to put away all of our
supplies from our big delivery from the
New Hampshire Food Bank. Believe it or
not, we're already thinking about
Thanksgiving. So we're ordering our
gravy and our stuffing and our cranberry
sauce and our canned beans and corn. So,
they've got good muscles, strong back,
so they're going to be hauling those
boxes for me. Um, we have a lot going on
as far as emergency management. I'm
going to put that hat on now. So,
emergency management director. There's a
lot of things coming down from the
public health council. Chief Elder and I
will be attending a local emergency
forum on emergency shelters in the upper
valley. That'll be taking place next
Tuesday at the city of Lebanon's um town
hall. It's going to be a great forum, a
big wraparound table talking about
what's available in case of a crisis.
What if we're out of power? Where can we
put people safely? We are very fortunate
to have Singing Hills. Very, very
fortunate. Um, thank goodness, knock on
wood, that we haven't used them a lot,
but we know that they're always there
for us. So, that's been fabulous. So,
Bruce and I will go and attend and
represent Planefield really well. Uh
we'll be partnering with the public
health council and the medical school to
do our free flu shot clinic. That'll be
coming up on October 1st at the
Planefield gym. This year it's only 4 to
6. So if you've always waited for that
last hour, 6:00 to 7, because there's
hardly anybody there, uh-uh, I'm 4 to 6.
Um we just found that it it really was
lagging. The the medical students that
came for the last hour didn't get enough
shots practice. So, um, four to six.
We're going to keep people moving in and
out. We will have regular and high dose
shots available.
>> Excuse me, Stephanie. That's strictly
flu. It's not CO as well.
>> That's correct. CO is now available at
um Walgreens, CVS, Walmart. You just
have to make a um an appointment online.
Price Chopper, Hannerfords,
theirarmacies have them as well.
>> Okay.
>> Um fall foliage lunchon. We are starting
to plan our fall foliage tour. We are
going to do River Road this year. Um
again, I'm partnering with Mountain
Valley. The kids are actually going to
cook pans of lasagna for us and package
them up with a garden salad. Um, we're
going to make a a nice horseshoe
kind of drive-in, drive out so they
could the people that come in can see
the farm animals because that's part of
their work on the at the treatment
center is that they work on the farm and
they've got a cute couple cows and
they've got goats walking around and
chickens. So, um, I met with Zach
Schaeer and we're going to make a
horseshoe. We'll come out of Mountain
Valley, travel down, we'll get our Max
Maple, we'll get chocolate milk, then
we'll hit Riverview and get our apples
and everybody will go home and have a
great picnic. So, very excited about the
fall foliage. Um, that'll be coming up.
Also partnering with the elementary
school, we will have a internet safety
presentation that's going to be taking
place on October 28th. um just a lot of
stuff going on in media and
unfortunately our younger um kiddos are
just getting sucked in and so we really
need to do a big presentation on the
scary stuff and so we're hoping that
parents will come out and listen to a
lot of the presenters. We've got great
people coming in. Aaron, who's the
school counselor, is doing a phenomenal
job getting all that organized. Um, so
more details to come on that, but it
will be an evening presentation on the
28th of October at the elementary
school. Babysitting will be available so
that parents can really learn what's
happening.
>> I think that's it. [laughter]
>> Thank you.
>> How did um the Langwood Farm
>> Bloods? Gosh, it was the best day ever.
>> See, I knew I was going to come over and
get my lobster tail, but I didn't.
>> No, we didn't do that. You know what's
really interesting is that we ran out of
food.
>> Wow.
>> Because the caterers were so generous,
everybody either got you supposed to get
either barbecued chicken or sausage with
onions and peppers. They were given both
to everybody. But it was fine. It all
worked out well. Um,
>> you know, do you have a good day? I'm
trying to remember. Was it
>> That's a spot. 85 guests and everybody
was just beaming and um Colleen was
there and she she's just a great host
and one of the things in the barn she
had found this neat tin sign and it said
gather together and that was our theme
for the day was gather together and so
it really it was really great they put
chairs outside people sat in you know
like a half moon and they just talked
Cornish and playing field it was
fabulous it was awesome
>> so thank you for asking That was great.
>> Great.
>> So, yeah. Thank you.
>> All right.
>> Where are you next since you're
>> Sure. Well, been working with Stephanie
a lot.
>> Um, so a year ago, you heard about us
doing all the inspections at KOA for the
5-year renewal. Little be not to us,
they needed a letter that all of a
sudden came up last minute. Oh, we need
this by last Friday, saying that they
fixed everything that we wrote them up
on. So, okay, I walked back through and
they have now have new stage curtains in
the in the theater that weren't fire
before and checked. So, we had
to check up and you have to write a
letter, too.
>> No, I had to speak with the lady down
in.
>> So, anyway, so anyway, that was a last
minute thing um the other day. Tomorrow,
I'm going to go for an old school fire
drill from the theater. I'm getting them
wound up because they they haven't in
the past. They have to have a fire drill
monthly. And if you stock them, pile
them up at the beginning of the year,
you don't have to do them in December,
January, February, when it's snowing.
And three of three or four of those are
supposed to be uh someone from the town
present. So I'm going to do the one when
we pull it in the theater tomorrow. Um I
thought it was today and I showed up and
had the wrong day. Anyway,
>> it was been a real surprise.
>> Yeah. So September's been busy as usual.
So we had seven calls already this
month. That brings us up to 125 for the
year. Um we had four fire alarms, three
of which were they were all spread all
over town. So, it doesn't like there's
any one place, but three of them
required a fire alarm tech to come fix
because they were malfunctioning. One
was smoke and cooking. Picked two trees
up out of the road for the highway.
Well, one state and one town. And we had
an overheating car that someone thought
was on fire, but it was just an
overheating car. Um, last Wednesday, but
then Sunday, we did our auto extrication
drill at Barry Hill. They just posted a
bunch of pictures to our Facebook page
today. So there was 18 of us that spent
from 9:00 in the morning till 2:00 in
the afternoon just playing with all our
extrication tools.
>> I I grabbed a couple of good pictures
for the town of poor. So I have them in
a file. They're good.
>> We all learned something. So I mean we
have Sergeant Deitro that was a retired
full-time firefighter and we have Jamie
Ordway that went to a three-day school
in auto extrication and a couple of guys
from Cornish recently went to auto
extrication school. So the fact that we
didn't have any tools, you know, they
were our our teachers. So everybody and
then Chris Pixley is still a state of
Vermont um instructor
>> for the fire academy. So we had lots of
different people with lots of different
ideas. So everybody learned something
because it's like oh I hadn't seen that
before. Um
>> so that's that's good. And I ordered
some more accessories right beforehand.
So now we have straps and chains and
stuff for stabilization. I just got
those loaded on the engine one in a in a
organized fashion this morning um when I
was there meeting with Brad. So, our
furnace sprung a little leak, but they
got Frank to come and fix our that our
furnace leaked and uh there's not water
on the floor anymore.
Um I did the Planefield School
inspection. I haven't written forms up
yet. They seem to pass. Okay, I've got
to go back cuz all the new doors and the
addition that are brown have a different
master key than the rest of the school.
So, now we're going to have a master B
on it, which means all the brown doors.
Yeah. Hello.
>> And last time I was there, they were
they were still programming the the pad
to get into the new entrance. And I
haven't gotten that code yet. That's
that's on me. I got to stop by and see
Jan sometime. Um
and uh Friday morning, I inspect the
Esther Brook School. I don't expect
that's going to be any hassles. Um yeah,
Rob and I are actually slated there
almost every Tuesday through the middle
of October for their um skills type
workshop. So yesterday we went and they
scavenged in the woods and came up with
tinder and we built the campfire and
cleared their fire pit out and and had
made them extinguish it for like an hour
and a half. So we're going to do a bike
safety one. We're going to do a get buy
some cheap compasses and do have them a
map and be like little scavenger hunts
and just trying to do some outdoor
[clears throat]
fire police safety tech related things
as it fits in.
>> Um
yeah, that that that's about it. really
busy. Um, so in last night's meeting, I
didn't drive all the way to Bradford. I
was able to zoom in, but the subject
that came up, I don't think it's ever
going to come down to your level about
because the mutual aid association
encompasses 35 towns in Manchester,
Vermont. And somewhere in that district,
there's a town that isn't responding to
calls, so another town is having to
cover for them.
>> And so there was questions on whether
they could build a town that isn't
providing enough firefighters to go to
all of their alarms. M
>> and so it got kicked back down to that a
town that town select board can make an
agreement but that's doesn't come
through the mutual aid association. So
the mutual aid association is formed so
that when we go to
>> to Cornish, we're covered because we
have an agreement for insuranceances if
someone gets hurt. And and you know, we
help out Cornish. They help us out us
and we have Lebanon and such and such.
It doesn't
>> doesn't come down to the level of one of
the towns has six firefighters during
the day. No one shows up. So the other
town is constantly having to go cover
their calls for them. And that's that's
a little above and beyond their
>> mutual [clears throat] aid, help each
other.
>> Yeah. Um,
>> yeah.
>> So, I don't think it's going to come
down here slightly level. I mean, we're
sitting pretty pretty good here in the
in our area, but that subject did came
up and there was some discussion as to
>> what was allowed
>> in the mutual aid association. So, that
that was a interesting convers
what what town was having the issue.
>> Interesting. Yeah. Um the brigade
members are back. So we have
>> Oh, I saw that.
>> Yes, we have five returning members from
last year.
>> So we'll have seven new ones. So they
made train on Monday night. They did
dorm drills last night. Um they're doing
ladders and extinguishers at Tom Robs.
I'm from you. You may see smoke. Um on
Thursday night while I'm at a forestry
meeting in Goan and then next week we're
meeting on Monday and Tuesday I believe
it is. And then the new ones will be
able to respond. So, we have a little
bit heavier on the new new new members
than we do the returning ones. Um, it
hasn't been advertised very well because
it just got confirmed yesterday. If you
want to learn CPR, that is at our
station on September 22nd.
>> Um, Jim McGara, it's our annual Cornish
playing field
>> that open to anyone
>> or
>> Yeah. I mean, not not necessarily
general public, but it's it's for the
rescuers and their family. Maybe you've
had school nurses there.
If you know someone,
>> it's an open meeting. People could be
watching on on YouTube at some point.
I'll make sure that they know that you
mean that,
>> right? If someone has a real need, we
can if we can't fit you into that, there
are um others that that you could be be
put into. But yeah, this is usually it's
really kind of lowkey because it's it's
usually a refresher, but there's always
someone new within the class that we run
through. So that's happening on Tuesday
night
>> at the Planefield Fire. It might go
viral.
>> You'll probably see it in Cornish.
The first time they did it was this
Monday morning. So, they'll probably run
it again on Friday.
>> Yeah, I missed it on Monday.
>> All right.
>> Thank you. Thank you.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay.
Should we go? We'll go.
>> I mean, I I usually go to the chief
first because he has to leave, but I
know you don't have to leave today, so
that's why I'm focused.
>> Yeah. You go talk to grand.
>> Would you like me to go next? Yes, be
happy to
>> please.
>> Okay, so um busy season. Um on the
facility front, we finished the painting
at uh Philip Reed Library. That's the
front cornness all the way across the
front, the roadside. Um and it looks
nice and fresh and so that's good. The
sign cover is repaired and I spent a
couple days trying to find the bolts
that I set aside so I wouldn't lose them
in a special.
>> I since found them at my desk, but
anyway. Um, so that cover I'll get
bolted back on tomorrow and that should
be completed. Um, we've had a couple of
issues with boilers and and just
reminding me that we need to get some
boiler service. So, we have four boilers
left in town. Um, two fire stations, the
town hall, the old other town hall and
the highway garage. And I haven't talked
to Rich about whether we want to do a
cleaning of that one, whether there's a
point to that or whether they just want
it to full open. But otherwise, I would
put it on the list. Um, but we'll get
those done in time for for heating
season.
>> Um,
got some help from Rich setting the
concrete peers for Fairy Hill to do the
supports. And so, and they set the beam
this morning and uh, and so I spent the
rest of today moving it into position
and getting it firm and starting to lift
that deck up to flatten it and support
it properly. Um, and then the next step
is to cut the post to fit, which which
will do for me, and and we'll bolt them
in place, and that project will be that
that deck will then be safe enough to
use on a regular basis to get in and
out. Um, and so that's a good thing to
get off the list. Um
I did a little bit of work on the river
road um
steep part by aas um in preparation for
a conversation that Steve's going to
have with with the
>> I'm meeting with him next Thursday. Next
Tuesday. Next Tuesday in the
[clears throat] afternoon. Um Chuck and
I are just going to sit talk about what
he
>> I mean what we're really trying to do as
you guys know is set up an easement for
the future so that when when there's a
problem there which there's going to be
a problem there sometime um and we are
so we're the wearers are willing and
Brad has been using his skills with CAD
and and GIS to so I can have a very
simple map to take to chalk and say
existing road existing right ofway
here's the area that I think we'll will
need um we think we would need and
there's really two areas. There's one
area for the road which is narrow and
then a slightly bigger area for
construction and sloping so we get the
banks back um but really does not affect
their property very much. May help their
property in in a couple of places. And
so we'll I'm I'm going to just sit and
talk with Chuck next week and we'll
we'll see where that goes.
>> So I ran into them at the Noel's Fourth
of July party.
>> Oh, sure. Uh they this came up in
conversation and they are completely
they seem completely willing to
>> Yeah, they they've been they've been
wonderful down there and I think they
they're concerned that if they sell the
property the next person may not be as
interested, won't have the history of of
living there that they have. And so so
Brad's worked up a couple of maps. I
think it'll I'll go down and have a
coffee with Chuck and then if we shake
hands and get a deal of some kind or
bring something back to the board if
there's if it's financial then we'll
once approved we'd have Chris Rollins or
somebody create a map that Barry can do
an easement from. And so you know
there's some work to be done but but the
first step is just to see we have to
show the wearers what we think we need
if it's reasonable for them. Um, it's,
you know, unfortunately like all this
stuff, they've got plenty of land, but
you're fighting right into a bank. I
mean, it's vertical right there. Or not
vertical, but it's steep. And so, in
order to slope it back, you know, we
don't want to put in a $100,000
retaining wall to to keep the the bank
from falling on the river road. And so,
it's but but Brad's doing some nice work
helping us with that. So, that's good.
>> I did that. And then for water
department, we're flushing, doing full
system flush this weekend, Mora and I.
And we're also doing a required lead
sampling. They do a random selection.
The dees gives us a list of places and
we call the homeowners and say we'd like
to either take a sample and it's a a
first draw, meaning you let water sit in
the pipes overnight so that if there is
lead leeching in from solder or old
pipes, you get a better chance of
detecting it. We collect those samples
and they get processed for free. But we
do that work. Um and
>> and that is a noticed flushing to
residents when they they've you know
they've been warned because it tends to
you know
>> stir everything up. The whole purpose is
to scour those
>> pipes out and so some of it's going to
be in the washing machine and that's
always a call but they've had plenty of
notice. The notices went out and I would
hand deliver the worms at Westgate
condo. So that really got the people who
actually live and use the water. Um, and
the IT stuff is progressing. Uh, we got
some new phones in, but not all of them.
And computers are on their way. So, um,
I got some new quotes today, and I'll go
through those tomorrow morning and get
get back with Steve on those, but
probably get those ordered. So, it's all
sort of progressing. Okay.
>> And we got some maybe hopeful news about
hub 66.
>> Someone just asked me about this.
>> Yeah. Well,
>> sorry. Four to six weeks.
>> Four to six. Well, yeah. With all the I
remember the movie The Money Pit.
>> Yeah. Two weeks.
>> Two weeks. Yeah. Exactly. So, with with
all due
>> caution and skepticism, we have been
told it might be as soon as four to six
weeks that some areas of the town of
Planefield would be live with with
fiber. So, March would be working.
>> I believe that's what it means.
>> So, we could be off the Comcast truck.
>> I I just don't dare promise anything. I
am
>> next report.
>> Yeah, exactly. We'll Yeah, we just keep
tabs on it and keep our fingers crossed.
>> Nice job. Thank you.
>> And if you are at your home stuck on the
the M the the the old uh Maritan
Telephone TDS DSL for those of us on the
New Hampshire co-op who had the
Fairpoint DSL um the the the New
Hampshire Broadband. Well, nothing is
perfect.
>> It's pretty damn good. It's pretty damn
good. Yeah, I picked up a that's
>> I mean it's just on it's cheaper money
and it stays on all the time
>> unless the power goes out.
>> I love that.
>> So TDS is also working on their own
broadband.
>> Yeah, I know. I just saw
>> and I think con consolidated is now
Fidium fiber, right? So they're gonna I
mean so the reality is we're everybody's
going to have multiple fiber choices
soon.
>> That'll be something.
>> All right. Thank you. Thanks. All right,
chief.
>> Okay, for September, so far we have 78
calls for service, eight motor vehicle
[clears throat] stops, 16 directed
enforcement patrol, deployed the speed
feedback devices five times, one motor
vehicle accident. We had one fraud case
where one of our residents became victim
of
they ended up spending $7,000 or $9,000
and it was a whole thing where they got
talked into something and but
>> the next community lunchon Rob's going
to get back on the uh the fraud talk to
let everybody know
um Rob went through and we have old
radio equipment that is no longer useful
for the needs of the town or our
department.
>> Mhm.
>> So he's going to be giving it to Doug
Plumber exchange for the services you
provide radio service because he can
find a use for it. So it's
>> Doug's a radio nut and he has been
>> he has done a tremendous amount of work
on the effort to get um you know
highways radios and I think we have
those radios. They just have to be
programmed and rich and mechanic rich
has to install them. [laughter] So yeah,
and so it'll it'll but yes, I think
anything Doug Plameumber is one of those
angels in town if if you've got smoke
electronic equipment that keeps him
happy in his retirement space for the
PD.
>> I mean there's virtually no no cash
value in these. I mean they they
>> and a bunch of the old portable radio
are still over at our station. Jordan
has them and those are you can't break
into those either. And at some point you
just got to let them go. Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> If it's 30 years old and Yeah. In
theory, it should work, but at some
point you just got to let them go
because you had trouble finding
batteries and everything else.
>> Would that would this this will bring
you back to your to your youth, Elder?
Not that you're not in your youth, but
>> would Would a Plron work today
>> if you had it on the right frequency?
>> It would. I mean, the thing that just
went off above your refrigerator and
your your mom at all. won't hang in my
garage, but they change frequencies.
>> Black drone. What a weird name. But then
you would run to the firehouse in
Planefield Village and you would look on
the chalkboard and see where the hell
the issue was.
>> No, I grew up before that. So we had the
red phone in the house that you never
touched because it was a party line
phone and the red one you'd pick it up
and then my mother would listen and then
she'd have a whole bone tree she would
call. So it wasn't any radio.
>> No kid.
>> Chris Barry and I got talking about
that. Yeah. We both grew up with the red
phones in the house that you would never
touch. I can literally remember the
firemen and in the the both both
villages had the audible sound had the
alarms
>> that went off
>> the that when it went off on at noon on
Saturdays.
>> Yes. And then would go off in a fire and
you literally mustered at the fire
station and read the board. Right.
>> Those still those airy sirens are still
up or no?
>> No, they're they're all gone but they
both both villages had them.
>> In the town I grew up in it was that the
fire station there was a I mean a horn,
right? And it was loud and then there
was a code and so it would be like I
remember 27 was the school because every
kid was like is the school on fire
[laughter]
but and it told you you looked in your
phone book and it told you where the
fire was anyway.
>> No, it's true.
>> And on snowy days that
>> 73 you listen to Charlie Kelton
>> and and over at over over at whatever
Kelton Motors and they would read the
school cancellations, right? and you
just prayed like [laughter] will you
hear if you heard Lebanon you knew
playing field was coming
>> and now I have a truck radio I have a
portable radio I've got my pager I get a
text message and I get a phone now
there's five ways I can be no
>> so this is um this will be the we're
going to well we're not going to adjourn
the meeting we are going to go into um
our non-public setup and now uh just
have a exit interview point if we please
do
>> okay so uh I attended did um the uh
playing field uh selection committee for
oh yeah
>> the town administrator and there were
two things that came up by one of the
members of the committee that I thought
were good points that one was
>> if we could provide a line and block
chart or an organizational chart of
maybe one exists already but it's
basically it says like town
administrator uh is subordinate here and
above this and rates these people. Maybe
it's a a dashed line. I mean, the town
clerk's an example, right? So,
>> right.
>> Uh,
>> she apparently works for the select
board, but she gets raided by the town
administrator. Maybe
>> Yeah, even more complicated than that.
But yes, I mean,
>> I know you're going to say,
>> right, she's elected, but also serves as
employee. She serves as an employee as
the off. But, yes, a complicated. find
some way to document that so that we
could pro it may be a question a
candidate may say like can you provide
me the organization
>> right one one of and it's something for
you guys to think about going forward
because as you know town administrator
administrative assistance was which we
were all called in the in the 70s and
80s ' 80s I guess is it's all purely
your discretion right if you went to a
town manager government you'd vote at
town meeting to do that and that person
would have statutory responsibilities
but right now the town administrator
works at the pleasure of the board of
selectmen on a daily basis and just and
duties-wise so every towns will be
different so it is a question that will
come up and I think we did some of that
work we we reorganized Rob Taylor was
here Ron was here we we there's some
I'll see what I can dig up there is
>> yeah see what we can dig up and maybe
dust off
>> I mean it is a fairly flat org chart at
the top
you know I If you are a really smart
town administrator, you work well with
the town clerk and tax collector because
they they are elected officials and you
are not. Um, so it's it's but yes,
>> dotted lines and solid lines.
>> So you're talking about a chart that
says who answers to who.
>> Yeah. Blind block chart
>> and it and it only becomes complicated
with the elected officials because that
they have their own office. You know, it
it is arguable to say that the town
clerk is the most important elected
official in the town given their role
under the statutes, even though the
selectman are in charge of the town,
right? The most visible elected official
is a town clerk. You come in every day,
she does vital records, she does all the
election stuff, all the car stuff, tax
collector, similar. Um, and so in the
towns that you see in the valley news
that are having problems, those
relationships get confused and getting
people get upset and and start feeling
like territories are being stepped up.
We have been incredibly fortunate here.
We've had select boards and town clerks
and tax collectors and town
administrator who have all mostly gotten
along. Not that we don't have our grumpy
days, but mostly have gotten along and
don't get into turf wars. Mostly just
get into can we get the job done. But
it's a great it's you're going to hear
about it like
>> so yes
>> you you will and I'll see what I can
come up with and get to that. And then
the second one was uh if we could come
up with objectives like maybe five
objectives for the the new hire which
may be something like I I don't know
exactly what these objectives would look
like but I would imagine it would be
something like um um
trained up by Sunday or something you
know
>> what like what we expect what the board
expect to see within like the first
right what we would want them to tackle
first I think we
>> I mean one of the things and I don't
know if Bev has brought it up and and
like I said I'm completely divorced from
the process and very happy to be
divorced and the process but I would I'm
expecting I would expect given the world
we live in now [clears throat]
>> that just because of the way we have all
grown up together over the years your
future town administrators and you'll
have more in the next 30 years than
you've had in the in the last 30
>> will want contracts.
>> Yeah.
>> Right. I mean, right now the town of
Planefield doesn't offer employee
contracts. Every I mean, we talked about
it. We've talked about it a number of
times, but whether it's your police
chief, your road agent, your whoever,
some key positions in the town are going
to want the security of a contract. And
that's also a place where you spell out
>> and we might want the security, we would
want the security of a contract.
>> And so, so that's a world we haven't
lived in, but it's probably a world
you'll live in in the future.
>> Anything else? No, that was it.
>> And Steve, I didn't ask you, you know,
we went around.
>> Yeah. No, no, I mean, we generally
that you want to make sure you knew.
>> The only thing, and I'll just throw it
out there, it's it's it's has not
changed since town meeting, but it's
always good to begin in September to
give people that information who might
be listening or watching. Um, we will
work towards setting a tax rate in
mid-occtober. Um, we are, you know, we I
have to put in revised revenues, which
we take a close look at because you
don't you if you want to get your town
in financial trouble in the long term,
you overestimate revenues. It's always
better to underestimate revenues because
they're they're not known, right? We're
setting a tax rate in October for
revenues that you'll get all the way
through December 31st. Um George Hildam
is doing his final work for the MS1
which is the tax base and um we've
gotten our warrant from for the state
tax which is raised here locally but you
don't know you don't think of there
being a school tax at the state level
but there is if you look at your tax
bill you have the town the county the
local school and the state school and so
we know what those numbers are. I
believe as we sit here tonight that our
that and Beth Beerworth really holds the
key because it's how the school finished
its year. Um the school
I suspect that the estimates that we
provided at town meeting of something
like an 80 cent tax increase are still
valid. Um so we are at 1760 and have
been at 1760 for two years and we
believe that as a result of town school
spending in the previous year that the
rate will settle somewhere might be 95
could be 75 but no one should think the
rate's going to be 1760 it's not and
it's not going to be 2760 it's not going
to be that but it'll be probably 80
cents per thousand greater than it is
right now. So that's and you know I we
will as as we firm that estimate up we
always share that with the community
because people need to plan how much do
I need to be putting away every month or
or or whatever their plans are but it is
in line with what we said at town and
school meeting
>> um and I think yeah and and we are
facing
>> we have our first meeting with the
finance committee in October same
finance committee as last year I think
it's the second meeting in October I
think it is so it's it's a little ways
yet Um,
and we always say it at the town level
just because it seems so cozy and homey.
The town is exactly like our h our
homes. Everything we look at for next
year looks like it costs more money,
right? I mean, it is
I can't imagine budgeting for highway,
which I will have to do with the new
town administrator at $7 a gallon for
fuel for for diesel and $5 a gallon for
fuel oil. And everything in highway is
petroleum based. everything they buy,
right, is is is practically I mean all
the stuff we buy comes on trucks.
>> Yeah.
>> And and all of that. So there is no good
news on the expense side of things. Um
but we are preparing to set the tax
rate. We will have you ready to set the
rate. We'll talk to Ken about that and
we'll have some discussions, you know,
what that looks like. You guys have some
authority. Um the the most authority of
everyone when when you set the tax rate
and so we'll talk about those options.
Um, beyond that, right, I told you about
the IT stuff, town office, you know,
we're we're sort of just muddling along,
getting our work done. Um, that's what
we do. And, um, I think we're good.
Great.
>> Thank you.
>> All right. Thank you. And I'd like to
say before we are, so what we're about
to do is go into a non-public session uh
to have an exit interview with the
chief, which makes me realize, and I
should have realized this before before
now, this will be our last uh time
you'll be reporting to us. this is uh
you're here with us for a few more weeks
but uh your last select board meeting I
mean you're always willing to you know
welcome to come and you know zoom
>> out zoom
>> in
I just want to say on behalf of the
select board thank you publicly I mean I
was you know
>> do something later but thank you for all
that you've done and and uh
>> we're sorry you're
>> not here for another 20 year you know as
long as as you had thought you might be
as well. So,
>> and as we know, the market for police
officers, the the recruitment for police
officers is, if anything, has gotten
tougher, not easier. Um, and so we'll
have some challenges and, you know, Rob
and and Eric have worked out a plan as
to how they think they might proceed in
the future, and we'll be talking about
that, but it's going to be corporation
and Yeah.
>> for all that he's done.
>> Yeah. Oh, absolutely.
>> We'd have to depise.
[laughter]
>> And now we will go. So now I need a
motion to go into non-public session.
>> I move that we go into nonpublic
session.
>> I second.
>> All right. And now we need a roll call
vote. So I will start to
>> I will use Angelo I mean I we're not in
public session and we will be coming out
only purpose of uh trick or treating
to that part. Ah
>> yeah,
>> I think we're good.
>> All right. So, we are going we're
leaving the meeting now and uh we will
adjourn the moment the board comes out.
No new business will be done.
>> Correct. I should I make another motion?
No.
>> No, that's good. That's that's fine.
You're fine. All right.