Select Board
Thursday, August 22, 2024
Meeting Minutes

The meeting opened at 7:00 pm.

Select Board: Andrew Maneval, Andrea Hodson, and Kathy Scott
Attendees: Todd Horner, Don Scott, Erin Hammerstedt, Ryan Stone, Courtney Cox, Jon Miner, Mary Day Mordecai, Earl Horn, Ned Hulbert, Roxanne Karter, Kully Mindemann, Pete Thayer, Barbara Watkins, and Lisa Anderson

Agenda – With the addition of two items under correspondence, the Board approved the agenda. The SB also approved the minutes of 8-14, which was the joint meeting with the Planning Board, and 8-15.

Southwest Region Planning Commission, Todd Horner – The SB discussed several issues with the Executive Director of the SWRPC and potential areas for collaboration.  The SB requested support from SWRPC to help launch a forum to engage in long-term planning for regionalization, most immediately for Fire and Rescue. The forum could include neighboring Fire & Rescue personnel, SB representatives, SWRPC personnel and possibly county and state reps.  Mr. Horner believes SWRPC can help and will reach out to potential participants and get back to the SB. The group also discussed other opportunities for shared services, such as grant writing, administration and recycling, and the idea of SWRPC’s organizing regional SB gatherings to discuss mutual interests and concerns.

Separately, the SB asked for SWRPC input on promoting voluntarism, including ideas for maintaining, encouraging and developing voluntarism in small towns like Harrisville that rely so heavily on volunteers. Mr. Horner referred to efforts at the state level to foster recruitment for land use boards.

Mr. Horner then shared current initiatives under way at SWRPC in the areas of housing, energy, telecommunications and transportation. SWRPC is also supporting planning boards within the region by organizing multi-board meetings where planning function ideas and needs can be shared. He will send the invite for the upcoming meeting in Gilsum on 9/11.

At 8:00 pm, the Select Board opened the Joint Meeting with the Planning Board and Transportation Committee. The question addressed by all, and for vote by the Select Board, was whether the Transportation Committee should continue as a subcommittee of the Planning Board or move under the jurisdiction of the Select Board.

Representing the Transportation Committee, Mary Day Mordecai reviewed the origin and purpose of the committee’s establishment, their training, highlights of the TC’s work, and the shift in the types of projects undertaken in the past several years. The TC hopes to streamline reporting and eliminate redundancy and the dual reporting to both the Planning Board and the Select Board.  The TC requests to shift primary reporting to the Select Board for project and funding approvals, while maintaining communication with the PB on projects that necessarily and logically involve planning elements. The TC also welcomes maintaining a member of the PB on its committee.

Planning Board Co-Chair Courtney Cox raised the connection of Transportation Committee to the Town’s Master Plan, the Complete Streets Program and the establishment of the Transportation Committee as a subcommittee of the Planning Board.  She and other PB members believe issues such as road safety and signage fall within the planning function and planning oversight, and affect the town’s larger planning goals.  Ms. Cox wonders if the TC is a separate entity creating and undertaking projects on its own that will affect the character of the town, and raised concern about lack of PB involvement in important decisions, recognizing that safety enforcement and all financial approvals are the purview of the SB.

The Select Board and Transportation Committee emphasized that a shift in reporting would not exclude the PB from input on projects. The group discussed the split between advisory duties of the TC and implementation and management once projects are approved, and expressed differences of opinion and perspective on oversight and committee and prior board and committee discussions. Andrew Maneval spoke to the importance of the Select Board and Planning Board relationship and the overlap on many issues, and that he sees the reporting as a question of efficiency and maximization of volunteer time.

Following the lengthy discussion, Mr. Maneval moved that the Transportation Committee report to the Select Board going forward, with the following provisos: 1) that they invite and welcome one or more members of the Planning Board on the TC; 2) that the TC keep the PB informed of work they are undertaking; and 3) that the TC refer matters that fall within the Planning Board’s mandate to the PB.   Andrea Hodson seconded.  The SB voted 3-0 in favor.

Harrisville Pond Association – The SB noted the feedback from the Harrisville Pond Association and its lake hosts that they see no issues related to signage at the Prospect Street boat ramp at this time.

Finance – The SB signed the pay warrant in the amount of $192,680.72 and the payroll warrant in the amount of $28,715.15.

Conservation Commission – Mr. Maneval noted the draft plan for the Laricobious Beetle project has been drafted and is being finalized for SB review. The HCC Chair is drafting a proposed agreement for consultation services of Dr. McDonald.

Correspondence
-Eastside Road, property owner inquiry – The board noted the correspondence from Andrew Macdonald 33 Eastside Road regarding erosion and will ask the Road Agent to visit the area in question as his schedule allows. The board will also ask the Road Agent to explore the cost, and the Finance Coordinator to explore a grant opportunity, for a machine to clean out culverts.

-Beach violation appeal – The board signed the response letter to the Dublin resident, denying the appeal for dismissal of a beach parking violation.

-The SB acknowledged receipt of the Wetland Permit Application for 133 Eastside Road (Map 71 – Lot 2)

-Regarding the letter from Jim Gruber, candidate for the State House of Representatives, who is running unopposed, offering to meet with the SB, the SB will invite Mr. Gruber for a date in October or after the General Election.

-The board acknowledged the thank you message from Julie Lord regarding the beautiful work at the cemeteries.

The meeting adjourned at 10:00 pm.