Select Board Meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm.
Roll Call: Marlene Freyler (Chair), Chip Meany, Beth Downs
Also attending: Karen Hambleton, Town Administrator
Marlene began the meeting by reading some rules and regulations.
• Code of Conduct for Board members: Board members commit to acting honestly, conscientiously, reasonably and in good faith at all times in the interest of the town and its residents. In the tradition of cooperation, Board members will strive to maintain a tone of collegiality and professionalism acknowledging that there may at times be good faith disagreements concerning the best interests of the Town.
• Rules of order for public participation: The Board may limit public participation to the public input part of the agenda. Speakers must address the chairperson and wait to be acknowledged. Comments about individuals will not be permitted unless deemed appropriate by the Chairperson. Comments must be respectful. Personal attacks, accusations, and disorderly conduct including profanity and disruptive gestures are prohibited. The Chairperson has the right to limit public comments.
• Public comment guidelines: On agenda items the public is invited to request to speak on an agenda item. For non-agenda items members may speak during public input, stating their name and topic. The Chairperson may refer the item to a future agenda, the Town Administrator, or relevant officials for further action. Once comments are made, the topic will not be discussed until the scheduled meeting. Speakers are asked to come forward and identify themselves to speak.
Review Minutes of April 14, 2025
Motion: Chip Meany moved to approve the April 14, 2025 minutes as written.
Second: Beth Downs
Decision: 3-0, all in favor
Appearances:
Erica Gross – Town Clerk/Tax Collector. Erica appeared to discuss the unclear ownership of a parcel of land at the intersection of Route 103 and Breezy Hill Road. After extensive research, Erica has been unable to verify ownership of the property and asked the Board to determine the next steps. If the present taxpayer is not the owner, the Town would owe them approximately $2, 200 in taxes paid since 2015. Karen asked if Town Counsel should look into it. Erica said that would be a good idea. Consensus of the Board is for Karen to send the situation to Town Counsel.
Scott McCaskill – credit card donations. Scott appeared to discuss the question of whether or not the Town can accept donations by credit card instead of only by check. Scott has been researching the possibility of accepting credit card donations with a company. The process would involve donations deposited in a bank account used by the Trustees of the Trust Funds and distributed to the proper trusts monthly. He explained that there is a percentage fee and a per transaction fee for processing. Scott suggested that donations for scholarships could be a test of the process. There was a discussion of the cost to the Town for the associated fees. An unidentified member of the audience commented on the process. Karen expressed some concerns about the financial and legal aspects of the proposal and the need to put a process in place. Karen asked if other towns are using this type of service. There was a discussion of accepting credit card donations as well as invoice-generated payments. Consensus of the Board is for Scott to research the matter further including reaching out to neighboring towns for relevant information. Scott will report findings to the Board.
Scott McCaskill – Economic Development Committee. With regard to an Economic Development Committee mission statement, after research on the matter, Scott did not find an existing mission. Scott will write a mission statement and bring it to the Board.
Bruce Gezelman – Facilities Use Committee. Bruce appeared to present a draft of a facilities use fee schedule. Based on discussion at the Facilities Use Committee, this is the list of recommendations to the Select Board regarding the Bradford Area Community Center:
- That the Board creates a committee, governing board or oversight group to manage
the administration of the Bradford Area Community Center and the Board develop a
specific charge or mandate for this group. - That the Board specifies what their expectations of the BACC are, the expected uses,
the types of programs and businesses that are considered appropriate, and the degree
to which the users of the BACC are expected to cover the costs of the center. - That the Board gets clarification on the use of the kitchen facilities (who can use them,
and how clean-up is to be managed) and develop a complete list of items for use of the
center as an emergency shelter. - That the Board reinvigorates the survey previously developed about what people of the
town want to see in a community center. Andrew has offered to help with this.
Marlene mentioned that the lease for the CAP needs to be finalized. Bruce stated that with these recommendations the Facilities Use Committee has completed their charge. Chip asked if there are grants available for emergency shelter outfitting. Bruce replied that there are some available.
Chip asked Bruce if there would be a problem with disbanding the Facilities Use Committee. Bruce replied there would not.
Motion: Chip Meany made a motion to disband the Facilities Use Committee.
Second: Beth Downs
Decision: 3-0, all in favor
Karen asked for clarification of the building use fee schedule.
Motion: Beth Downs made a motion to accept the building use fees as listed on the draft document.
Second: Chip Meany
Decision: 3-0, all in favor
Karen recommended that members of the Facilities Use Committee be asked to serve on the BACC governance/oversight board.
Highway Department Update – Steve Hall
• Steele Road: In response to resident complaints about the road received at the April 14th meeting, Steve presented the Board with estimates for repairing the road. Marlene recommended that the residents attend a Select Board meeting to hear an explanation of how the road will be repaired.
• West Main Sidewalk: Steve presented information about a section of sidewalk on West Main Street in need of repair. The Board seemed to land on a decision of repairing the section of sidewalk with hardpack.
• Relative to the new truck: Steve explained that a three-year warranty came with the purchase of the truck, and he is investigating extending the warranty to seven years.
• Driveway Permit: The Board reviewed and approved the additions made to the draft regarding the requirement of 250 feet of road frontage. Karen asked about the difference in fees between a driveway permit of $75 and a building permit of $25. The $25 fee covers the application, building costs are additional to the application fee. Karen had several suggestions for making the driveway permit application formatting consistent with the building permit application. Consensus of the Board is to approve the content of the driveway permit application. Consistent formatting will be handled by the office.
• Backhoe: Lease signing later on the agenda.
• Alarm system at the shed needs replacement: During the discussion several separate conversations occurred. The similarities/differences between the highway shed security and the BACC were discussed. The two systems need to be looked at separately.
• Steve asked if the Town should charge KRSD for the clearing of the parking lot at the elementary school. Steve gave a charge of about $300. The Board decided not to charge for this by consensus.
• Radios for the Highway Department: Steve reported that the radios in use are outdated and in need of replacement. Beth said the cost of replacement should be included on the Capital Improvement Plan.
• Work on repairing and extending pavement on Fairgrounds Road is continuing.
• The weight limit posting on the roads has been lifted.
• Highway Department Budget: At the beginning of April, the budget had about 79% remaining.
• Public Thank you to Tyler McIver for sidewalk sweeping done for the Town.
Public Input: None
Regular and Old Business:
Select Board 2025-2026 Goals: Marlene and Chip have a goal of completing the leasing agreement and other items for the BACC. Beth’s goal is to continue working on financial policies for the Town.
Class VI Roads: Karen supplied the Board with feedback from Town Counsel for clarifying the Town’s Class VI Road regulations. Consensus of the Board was in favor of Town Counsel recommendations. Karen will prepare a final document for approval of the Board at the next meeting.
BACC Update: Chip reported: Burners on the kitchen stove are being replaced. The leak in the roof has been repaired and there is an invoice for repair in the amount of $560. The water-contaminated wiring and fixture in the kitchen will need to be replaced. Chip estimates these repairs will cost about $1,000. There are plumbing needs for the dishwasher and sink. Karen recommended that expenses for BACC be applied to the BACC maintenance account. At the end of the year the Board can re-assign the expenses if necessary.
Motion: Beth Downs made a motion for Chip to appropriate the funds necessary to make the above repairs at the BACC.
Second: Marlene Freyler
Decision: 3-0, all in favor
Karen asked for a Board member to spearhead finalizing lease agreements at the BACC. Beth agreed to work with Karen to finalize leasing. Chip asked that kitchen usage regulations be confirmed in the CAP lease. After several simultaneous comments from the Board and the audience Beth agreed that clarification of kitchen use will be included in the final lease. It was agreed that information about electricity usage of the refrigerators and freezers used by CAP be used in determining the CAP lease. Chip suggested that CAP could be charged separately for CAP electricity usage/utilities.
Affordable Tomorrow Team: Marlene would like the clarification of the mission of the Affordable Tomorrow Team. Marlene asked that a representative of the group appear at the next Board meeting to explain the intentions of the committee. Determination of who will ask the representative to appear was not assigned.
Lease Documents for Loader: Marlene read a Resolution authorizing the Select Board to enter into the leasing agreement with Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation.
Motion: Chip Meany made a motion to adopt the resolution as read.
Second: Beth Downs
Decision: 3-0, all in favor
Question from Devin Pendleton: When the Board stated their goals for the BACC for the year, what are the other items in addition to the lease to be accomplished? Chip said that the building needs to be fixed, and he intends to take care of the things that will make it usable and rentable.
New Business:
Rules of Procedure: There were no changes to be made by the Select Board.
After the Fact Building Permit: Karen has collected examples from other towns. Chip will review and give a draft to Karen to finalize.
SB 297 Update: Relative to municipal employee insurance. Karen will draft a letter from the Select Board to the NH Senate opposing the bill. The Select Board will sign.
May Meeting Schedule: The second meeting in May was changed from May 26 (Memorial Day) to May 19.
Unanticipated Revenue:
Motion: Beth Downs moved that the Board accept $940.80 in unanticipated revenue per RSA 31:95-b in from the sale of Highway’s old fire truck body.
Second: Chip Meany
Decision: 3-0, all in favor
Motion: Beth Downs moved that the Board accept $557.15 in unanticipated revenue per RSA 31:95-b in from the sale of miscellaneous scrap metal at the Highway Department.
Second: Chip Meany
Decision: 3-0, all in favor
Motion: Beth Downs moved that the Board accept $431.34 in unanticipated revenue per RSA 31:95-b in from the sale of scrap metal from the old fire truck at the Highway Department.
Second: Chip Meany
Decision: 3-0, all in favor
Motion: Beth Downs moved that the Board accept $88.00 in unanticipated revenue per RSA 31:95-b from the restitution payment for the fire at the Masonic Building.
Second: Chip Meany
Decision: 3-0, all in favor
Meeting adjourned at 7:52 pm
Upcoming meeting: May 12, 2025
Respectfully submitted from Town Hall Streams Recording, Kathleen Bigford, Recording Secretary