Meeting Minutes of the Select Board
| Location: | Town offices | Date: July 1, 2021 | ||
| Opened: | 7:00 pm | Adjourned: 9:00 pm | ||
Select Board Members: Andrea Hodson, Jay Jacobs, Kathy Scott____________________
Attendees: Kathy Bollerud, Noel Greiner, Pamela Worden, Charles Faucher
Agenda – With the added topics of trash pickup and fireworks, the agenda was approved as amended.
Minutes of 6/25– Members approved the minutes as submitted.
Quitclaim Deed Request – Skatutakee Road Right-of-Way– Having reviewed the documents submitted by Ms. Worden’s attorney and the email correspondence from attorneys for both sides, the board summarized its options as follows: To agree to the request to grant the quitclaim; to hold a public hearing on a proposal to alter the right-of-way along Skatutakee Road; to present the request to voters at Town Meeting; or to take no action.
Members presented their views on the options, each taking a different position and/or debating between multiple options. The property owner reiterated her position that the SB is within its authority to act without the need to go to Town Meeting. Attendees Noel Greiner and Kathy Bollerud agreed. Jay Jacobs reiterated his stance that the granting of quitclaim deeds by previous Select Boards was always for parcels with buildings on them, and that the right-of-way offers one of the few public access points into the lake.
SB members debated the usefulness of this public access and the value of the right-of-way across this particular parcel to current townspeople and future generations. They also debated with Ms. Worden and Charles Faucher the intent of both the 1978 and 2007 Warrant Articles related to the town’s previous negotiations with Skatutakee Road property owners.
The SB informed Ms. Worden and Mr. Faucher of town counsel’s recommendation that a quitclaim deed include a surety bond and indemnification clause to protect the town against any action related to execution of a deed. The property owners stated they would not agree to any such language. The board will get further clarification from town counsel on his opinion and get back to Ms. Worden and Mr. Faucher. Following this, the board will plan for the possibility of a public hearing or will move in the direction of acceding to the quitclaim request.
Audio loop technology
Andrea Hodson has identified the possibility of a more flexible indoor conference room audio assistance system but needs more time to research it. She will get back to her colleagues at a later date.
Projects with budgetary impacts 2022
The board discussed project priorities that will or could affect the 2022 budget, including: the Gravel pit(Kathy Scott will catch up with the Road Agent); repairs to the wingwall of the South Road bridge(the board will review the file and engineering studies); digitizing of property files(the Assessor is obtaining a quote); and securing road layout and surveyinformation(existing and potential). The SB aims to have the necessary information by mid-September to make budget decisions.
Blood Hill Road – Andrea Hodson will draft a road maintenance agreement letter for discussion with Akhil Garland at July 8 Select Board meeting.
Special Election– The Secretary of State has set a Primary date of Tuesday, September 7, and a general election date of October 26 to fill the seat vacated by the passing of NH District 9 Representative Doug Ley. The candidate filing period is July 6-9. Should no primary be needed, the regular election will occur on September 7.
Document review – The SB signed the pay warrant in the amount of $35,063.71 and the letter to state officials regarding the passing of Warrant Article #9 to promote fair and non-partisan redistricting.