Belknap County Commissioners Meeting

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

Recording

It's not being called
to order.
>> Mr. Wearing, would you kindly send the
pledge of
>> allegiance? I allegiance 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. Thank you.
Next at last meeting's minutes. Any
discussion? A motion for approved?
I'll move second. All in favor? I
>> I motion carries. On to last meeting's
calendar. Any discussion? Any changes?
Any suggestions?
>> I have none. Or I do not. So, we'll move
on to previously signed documents. Any
discussion? And or a motion to make a
motion to approve. Second.
>> All in favor? I
>> I motion carries. Uh next up, Mr. Bossi
is here with a department of page
maintenance. And yes, John, thank you.
How you doing?
>> The room looks great.
>> It looks really sharp. And we will have
some newly minted representatives coming
in in January. This a very nice first
impression on their involvement with the
guy. They came on really good.
>> Well, good evening.
Um, so in your packets, you should have
a an update on me. Um, so I'll run down
through and uh give you an update on
what's been happening.
Now, the sheriff's office fencing
project has been 100% completed.
The sheriff's office flooring project
has also been 100% completed.
new flooring um has been installed and
it's 100% complete in the probation and
parole office and they are extremely
extremely happy. They said almost feels
like brand new space to them. So they
they um they're very very happy with it.
What was nice with that project is
they closed for the week so we didn't
have to deal with staff and that was a
game changer for us.
>> That made it easy.
>> Yeah. Also, it wasn't easier. It was
just easier,
but there was a lot of stuff to move and
we got through it. It did spill over
into a Saturday a little bit, but we got
it done and they were open for business
that following Monday. So, it was great.
Uh, installation of the nursing home
cabinet unit heaters is approximately
95% complete. Um we just have a couple
more um units to install and then go
through and and commission them and get
them running and then do drywall and
ceiling repairs around them.
Um I have 44 new headstones. They've
been ordered for the county cemetery
and um the engraving will be begin
shortly on that.
Design work for the jail infrastructure
repairs has been completed and requests
for proposals have been sent out and
advertised and the bids are due back to
us on August 26th.
Currently, there's $412,886
available to fund this project. Um, we
have been getting a pretty decent
response. I think we're going to
probably have four or five bids in that
project. Um we have two one walkth
through tomorrow and then two
walkthroughs on on um
Wednesday and we had one last today I
think. So
>> great.
>> So we get some response which is which
is good.
um
[clears throat]
was able to um replace the air
conditioning systems for our main IT
server room that's located in the
nursing home as well as this conference
room. Um those are all been completed in
100%. So, I want to add to that that
[clears throat] um
this large server room, the corrections
server room, as well as the sheriff's
communication shed have all had brand
new air conditioners installed within
the past year. Um so, we should be able
to get 12 to 15 years of service out of
those units.
So, that's good that we got those those
accomplished.
Uh currently the county maintenance
budget is 68.6%
[clears throat] expanded. However, all
our budgeted projects have been
encumbered and spending remains aligned
with planned capital projects and
operational priorities. Um the current
projections for the budget right now is
showing um a surplus of approximately
$1,519.
um [clears throat] been preparing the
2027 county maintenance budget as well
as the capital improvements program uh
budget
because some of these projects that
we've done this year um have come in
under budget
was able to look at other things
which included obviously putting new
carpet in this conference room was able
to install a mini split um in Keith
Cormier's office, our county attorney,
as well as installing a mini split AC
and um Seren's been our probation and
parole chief's office. Um so those were
some extra projects that were weren't on
the list that I was able to get done.
Um, recently [clears throat] due to a
um,
our most recent fire sprinkler
inspection,
it was identified that we have 249
recalled sprinkler heads that require
replacement.
I've done an RFP for those and those
bids are due back to us on August 26 as
well. Um, I've already received one
quote for the work in the amount of
$82,000.
So, I wanted to get your guidance this
evening on this as
how you would like me to try to fund
this project. If I were to take the
money out of the CIP funds, that would
leave us $330,886
to go toward infrastructure
[clears throat] repairs of the jail.
another option um unanticipated expense
line or try to include it in the 2027
budget. My only concern with that is one
not being able to get the money through
the budget process and two it is a life
safety issue of
that needs to be corrected. So I'm a
little hesitant. Um,
you know, it's been like this for years
and years and years since the 80s, but
you know, it's new information that I
feel we need to act on. Um,
so
yeah, I was just kind of maybe open for
your guidance as to what you thought
about
funding that
>> from the fire inspection. Did these
heads fail? So the issue the the issue
with the heads is is that if there is a
fire and there's a about a 50-50 chance
they'll either work or not work. So they
may have a fire and then not initiate
and not put a fire out um which could
obviously lead to more damage to the
facility and as well as as people. the
inspection didn't
didn't report a failed status or did it
failed status?
>> So, how we discovered this was that
after a certain number of years, once
the sprinkler had become a certain age,
you have to either replace them all or
pull a sample of sprinkler heads out and
send them to UL laboratory to have them
tested. Mhm.
>> Um when they pulled the heads out to
have them tested, it came back that
don't bother getting these tested
because they're they're recalled
sprinkler heads. So they were never
tested as to whether they would work or
not work. They were just you basically
you have to replace them at some point
sooner than later.
>> Okay. So it was our own inspection that
we were testing them. It wasn't.
>> It was through um our sprinkler contract
vendor that was testing them.
>> Okay.
>> So, yes, it was it was us working with
them sending them out. We also had some
sprinkler heads from the courthouse sent
out for testing as well. Um and those
are those are fine and those are
[clears throat] working. So, you test
them. So, you don't have to incur the
expense of replacing them all. So in the
case of the courthouse for blind, but in
the case of the of just the jail or not,
there's 249 heads in the jail.
>> Is that all of the heads in the jail?
>> Yeah, it is. It's in the mezzanine.
>> It's in the cells. It's in the blocks.
It's in the hallways.
>> And they've all been determined to be
>> So what generates the recall? Did they
age out? But what generates is at some
point there were some fires and the
heads didn't activate at other
facilities prompting you know an
investigation and and then um then you
get the recall that
>> were these factory defective heads.
>> They are.
>> Yeah.
>> And how long have they been in place?
>> Since the early 80s.
>> They were recalled in 1984.
>> We've had them since. We just happen to
have a whole jail full of money
>> and and it's a coin flip that they would
actually work the inventable fire.
>> That's correct.
>> I'd like to be able to ask for this
funding in January with the new budget,
but commissioners, do we have a serious
safety issue here in the meanwhile?
>> Yeah, I don't think so.
>> Yeah, we can't. As far as I'm concerned,
we can't wait because if we get a fire
down there and we'll wait for the budget
people burn, we'll
>> Yeah, we can. My recommendation would be
option one from CIP.
>> Okay. That's just my
>> How about an interest rate?
>> We've got $400,000 of available funds,
then I think we use that and then if
there's more that we need to do after we
expend that, then we talk about
unanticipated. But this point to me this
falls within half a million bucks that
the delegation set aside. We were asking
for
>> seven million
>> or a million
>> million and a half I thought or a
million, right?
>> Clearly more than 500,000.
>> Yeah, it started I think I believe it
started around 1.2. Yeah. Got down to
700. But out of that 700, they're all
the projects for the nursing home us
down to where we we are at.
>> So again, the bids close on August 26.
So I'll obviously be coming back to you.
You know, that $82,000 may be less.
That's the most we're going to pay.
>> So um I'll be coming back to you at some
point with the results of that bid for
the infrastructure repairs. And we all
know that it's going to be well over
what we have. Mhm. [clears throat]
>> So there's going to be a conversation
>> big chunk out for sure.
>> So there's going to be a conversation as
to what we do and what we don't do.
>> Advertising.
>> Correct.
>> Okay. Well, we'll have to
>> We'll have to allocate that funding
then.
>> So based off this, I'll move forward
with
>> I'll be coming to you anyways at
whatever meeting
>> probably the first meeting in September
>> to approve a contract for the sprinks
anyways.
Um, and today we have not experienced
any significant un unanticipated
expenses.
Hope the building doesn't hear me. Um,
we've remained on track with plan,
maintenance, and capital projects um
without the need to defer any steady
work. So, I just want to mention that
that this is the first time in four
years that we haven't had to like forego
these projects to um do other things
that have come up. So, it actually feels
like we're finally turning the corner
and getting the needle pointed in the
right direction.
A lot of infrastructure repairs and a
lot of upgrades and a lot of
improvements.
>> And it [clears throat] to me it feels
like it's finally starting to show.
Um
so again it's encouraging to see that
our investments in infrastructure
through the opera funding and other
budget investors are yield yielding
positive results. Um as long as we're
proactive and disciplined with
maintenance these improvements that
we've done should provide the county
reliable service and extend useful life
for our facilities for for many many
years. Um, you know, we've had
again just to recap real quick, you
know, in the jail in the CCC, we've got
two brand new boilers, two fairly newer
hot water heaters.
The nursing home has two brand new
boilers, two brand new domestic hot
water boilers, new storage system, new
mixing valves, two new boilers at the
courthouse, as well as new rooftop
units. So, we've we've replaced a lot of
stuff.
>> It's great.
>> And it's made a difference. It's made a
difference.
>> Makes a big difference.
So,
so that's what I have for you as far as
far as a report on our department.
Any questions?
>> I do not.
>> Thanks, John. Great work.
>> Thank you.
>> I do have one more quick thing for you.
Um,
>> one
cheap on paper.
It's got to be two one for you. I write
I write some stuff.
>> So, this came in. I didn't want to say
yes or no to this until I shared them
with you. Um, I didn't want to give
direction to any of our our county
partners without your feedback
and asking you first.
Uh, that was supposed to close in July,
John,
>> and it has not closed.
>> I don't know when that deal is going to
get done.
>> Time kills deals.
>> I mean, we're limited on space here.
>> For stuff. The only thing that comes to
my mind is the lower parking lot as you
enter on County Drive.
Then we'd have no trailers there.
>> Do we plow that in the winter time?
>> Sure, we do.
Certainly do.
>> My thought is no.
>> Yeah, I if I could comment, I've had
experience with this in the past and
former communities that I've worked for
and it ends up becoming the community's
problem.
>> Correct. And it ends up um the community
ends up having to retain some ownership
of it even though we don't own the the
trailer or the facility.
>> Yep. And
>> one yes leads to many more requests.
>> But again, I didn't want to say yes or
no without
>> Thank you for that.
>> And we'll as commissioners said, we will
respectfully deny the request.
>> Yeah. Do you have maybe any suggestions
that come to your mind for them? I kind
of racked my brain a little bit, but I
wouldn't mind responding to him saying,
"Doesn't really fit for us, but try this
out."
>> Is there any space, any vacant parking
lot areas up on Lexington Drive,
you know, where um
>> there's plenty of empty buildings up
there?
>> Yeah. Where ball bearing is, I drive
through there periodically, I noticed
that there's a lot of vacant parking. So
perhaps they can make some inquiries
over there and find something that'll be
suitable for that.
>> Is this a state or visit?
>> Honestly, I don't
>> I believe I believe it's regional.
>> Well, thank you for bringing this to our
attention.
>> Sure.
>> Thank you for all the support of all
these projects and everything. It's been
a lot of stuff happening. It's been
>> You've gotten a lot done the last few
years in the shows.
Arena, do we have other business?
>> Um, so we you also have the award bid
for the um computer replacements on the
agenda.
>> Uh, you should have something in your
packets. Um, the you have a computer
miss.
Um so we recently put out two um uh
requests for bids for upgraded um IT
equipment here um at the county
facilities. One is to replace 34
wireless access points. Um all of these
are budgeted in the current um budget
period. Um we received five proposals
for the wireless access points. They
range from $10,188
to 12,310.
After a thorough review of the bids to
make sure we're having a true applesto
apples comparison, it does uh appear
that two of the lower bids um the
companies um that submitted them, one
wasn't an applesto apples comparison, so
it kind of disqualified itself um from
the bidding process. Uh the second one
is um we the reviews as far as um the
company themselves they reported that
they were pretty problematic as far as
order fulfillment and delayed shipping
and timely refunds. So we are proposing
that we take the third lowest bid which
is the 11,100
clean dollars from Southern Computer
Warehouse. Um Tim has um they have
submitted county um proposals before.
they are reliable and a reputable
company. And he feels like although we
traditionally um have contracted with
Mainstay for some of these um other
proposals that have been put forward um
for what they are offering he believes
it's a competitive um price and so he
recommends going with the Southern
computer warehouse for the wireless
access points
>> and you you go along with that.
>> I do yes very much so. And this
[clears throat] price is for them
installed.
>> Um so Mainstay will do the installation
as part of our maintenance um agreement
with them. This is just for the hardware
themselves.
>> Got
I make motion we go with the recommended
southern computer warehouse.
>> Second.
>> All in favor?
>> I carries. And then the second um bid we
put out for IT related um hardware is
the computer replacement project with
which is eight computers, eight monitors
and four uh universal docs for the
computers. Um again we received six
proposals. They range from 9,580 to
19,93.
Um again looking at the proposals to
make sure they are um an applesto apples
comparison. the uh first two um
didn't specify whether they um met the
criteria that was outlined in the
proposal and doing a little research on
them we couldn't identify the main
component is the um USB display port
because all of us are laptops and they
all um you know we all have a port that
goes to the monitors um so the tech
advanced computers which is the lowest
bidder um after reaching out to them
they couldn't confirm or deny I whether
these um were the the the specifications
that we uh submitted in the proposal. Um
so we are proposing that we stay with
mainstay which is our kind of tried and
trueue IT service provider um for
$11,220.
We these also come with a three-year
warranty on them. Um we enjoy working
with Mainay. They've always been
relatively reliable. Um as you can see
they are um right in the the middle
ground if not on the lower ground. As
you can see the Riverside Technologies
is 11948, Summit Edge 165 and then RoK
Brothers was 199. So we are making the
recommendation that we um go with
Mainstay for the computer replacement
project.
>> Did they all offer some type of
warranty?
>> No.
>> Just mainstay.
>> Mainstay.
The recommendation.
>> All in favor? I I motion carries.
Wonderful.
And what other business do you have?
>> I have a quick other business. So,
starting uh July 1, the IRS mileage rate
increased three and a half cents. Um it
went from 725 to um 76 cents per mile.
Um so we are asking for the
commissioners to adopt the new mileage
rate at the uh 76 cents.
>> All in favor? Motion carries. And it it
it technically it went into effect on uh
July 1. So we'll go back and see if
there were any employees every single
one of those give them a retro payment.
>> Um and that's all I have for comment
public comment.
>> Gas's going up and
it doesn't doesn't matter.
>> Is that a public comment?
>> It is now. [laughter]
Seeing no members of the public here,
>> I would like to take a minute though if
I might.
>> Yes.
>> And just recognize
Representative Charlie St. Clair.
>> Um was involved in a terrible accident
and we would like to wish him well in a
speedy and total recovery.
>> Amen to that. And and we're sure hoping
that he pulls through. It's very very
unfortunate that he was so grievously
injured on a fluke. So very unlucky, but
he's a tough guy and if anyone can come
through okay and be around to see us in
Janu January would be Charlie.
>> That's right.
>> Thank you, Commissioner stating that. Uh
okay. Uh seeing no other public
comments,
uh we can go to non-public in accordance
with RSA 91-3
R2A.
>> Do you have a convo?
>> Commissioner Wearing?
>> Commissioner staff? Yes, Mr. Hades.
>> Yes. Okay.