Select Board Minutes

Groton Community Building

January 10, 2006

Present:

Select Board: Leonard Doscinski, Debra Tinkham and Richard Kreis

Treasurer: Roberta Dana

Road Commissioner: Brent Smith

Planning: Wade Johnson

Tree Warden: Harry Chandler

Library: Debra Orlup, Diane Kreis & Nancy Spencer

Guests: Edward Avery

Page 1 of 2

Leonard called the meeting to order at 7:01 PM.

Correspondence and Selectboard minutes were reviewed. The December 20th, 2005 minutes were approved.

Edward Avery explained to the Selectboard he would like to have people wanting to dispose of scrap metal bring it to his house to be loaded on a trailer so he could take it for junk and wondered if this would be a problem? The Selectboard would have to check into this and get back to him.

Debra questioned the other Selectboard members on what their thoughts are on charging the fee of $5.00 per hour for the use of the Community Building to help defray the costs of heat, etc? Leonard made the motion to charge $ 5.00 per hour for people using the Community Building. Richard seconded the motion.

Richard: What about Town liability insurance coverage when people use the building for private use? Should we get the people to sign something such as a hold harmless agreement so as not to hold the town accountable?

Linda will send a letter to Blue Mountain Union School requesting a copy of insurance to have on file as the school is using the gym.

Richard presented an article for the Library to be added to the town warning reading, “Shall the voters of the Town of Groton approve the establishment of a reserve fund to be called the Groton Free Public Library Fund, to be funded by grants, gifts, donations, fund raising, existing library investments and other non-taxation sources; said fund to be used for the library improvements, managed by the Library Board of Trustees and dispensed by the Town Treasurer?”

Debra made the motion to add the article to the town warning and Leonard seconded the motion.

Harry Chandler presented some ideas to the Selectboard concerning the timber along the railroad bed, the old town dump and at the Boy Scout camp. Harry also discussed setting up a committee to work with landowners to clean up the roadsides of trees that are going by within the town’s right of ways.

Harry requested a budget for the Tree Warden of $500.00 to work with. Harry advised the Selectboard he is working on obtaining a grant for $4,000.00. Harry will be attending a seminar so Roberta will send in the registration fee.

Debra made a motion that Harry Chandler form a committee. Richard seconded the motion and Leonard agreed.

Brent brought up about boundary lines trees and how this is handled.

Wade Johnson filled the Selectboard in with questions coming from NVDA concerning the flood plain plan and the town plan. Wade will check into this more.

Debra Orlup presented an article from the Library pertaining to the harvesting of timber on the town’s land. The article read, “Shall the Town authorize the Selectboard to charge the Groton Library Board of Directors with the Management of the woodlands owned by the Town of Groton with the intent of enhancing the Library’s ability to meet the needs of the people of Groton?”

Richard explained that Harry Chandler had presented some good ideas concerning the timber in the town’s right of ways. The trees belong to the town while standing and once cut they belong to the landowners so this would not aid the Town or the Library’s funding.

Page 2 of 2, January 10, 2006

Linda added that people had spoken to her questioning why the money from the cutting of the timber shouldn’t be used toward funding any of the town’s buildings. Richard said that the article could be rewritten. After much discussion the Library withdrew their request to have the article added to the town warning.

Roberta presented the draft sub-total of the budget as $ 589,222.00 plus the county tax. Richard made the motion to approve this draft of $ 589,222.00 plus the county tax and to continue this until the next meeting. Leonard seconded the motion.

Roberta asked if the paperwork for the line of credit had been signed by the Selectboard at Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank. Richard Kreis and Leonard Doscinski answered they had signed it.

Brent said that he was all set for the highways.

Brent said that the Fire Department did have a concern as they responded to an alarm going off at the Welch Block Apartments and there wasn’t anyone exiting the building. The people said that the alarms are always going off. Brent and Phillip’s concern as firemen is this might be for real sometime and then what? A letter will be sent to NCMC from the Selectboard.

Leonard explained that Karen from Sterling Design had checked out the Community Building and the Fire Department Building so they make come up with improvement designs.

Debra asked the Selectboard if they would approve putting an article on the warning for the Recreation Committee to establish a reserve fund to read, “Shall the Town authorize the Selectboard to appoint a Recreation Committee and establish a reserve fund of $ 500.00 to be used by the Recreation Committee for any projects and/ or activities?” Richard made the motion to put this article on the town warning; Leonard seconded the motion, so moved.

Richard made the motion to adjourn; Leonard seconded the motion Debra agreed, so moved.

Meeting adjourned at 9:15 PM.

Groton Selectboard

_____________________________

Leonard Doscinski, Chair

______________________________

Debra Tinkham

_____________________________

Richard Kreis

Respectfully submitted by Linda Nunn

Not Valid Until Signed By The Selectboard