2021-04-08 Commissioners Meeting

VILLAGE DISTRICT OF EIDELWEISS

Commissioners Meeting

Thursday April 8, 2021

The Board of Commissioners met by phone at 9:00 am on Thursday April 8, 2021.

In attendance for the full meeting were Commissioners Jay Buckley (JB), Kathy Koziell (KK) and Paula Doyle (PD), Administrator Donna MacKinnon (DM) and Treasurer Dinah Reiss (DR). Kelly Robitaille (KR) and Brad Jones (BJ) attended part of the meeting. The meeting was recorded (audio).                             

At 9:01 am Commissioner JB calls the meeting to order.  

JB made a motion to approve the agenda.  PD seconded.   Motion passed 3-0.

JB noted that he would have changes to the agenda as meeting progressed.

DPW

KR reported that the DPW is getting ready for summer.  Possibly grading roads by end of next week.  Dealing with many pine cones.  Road ban will be lifted by end of next week.

DM raised fill request from 8 Huttwil that was signed yesterday.  KR will handle.

JB made a motion to approve the fill permit from 8 Huttwil.  PD seconded.  Motion passed 3-0.

Discussion on Porridge Shore run off issue which was raised by Beth Gagnon email.  JB observed area.   Discussion about driveway at 10 Porridge Shore that was worked on with additional gravel last year by property owner.  KR believes this is causing the problem and suggested BOC contact this property owner to let them know about problem and ask them to do work on driveway to alleviate runoff.  Discussion on whether 2 houses under construction above this area on East Bergamo could also be contributing to issue – won’t know until this construction complete to see what happens next year. 

JB made a motion to have the office send a letter to property owner at 10 Porridge Shore asking them to correct drainage from driveway.  PD seconded.   PD amended motion that a copy of this letter be sent to Beth Gagnon.  JB seconded.  Amended motion passed 3-0.

ADMINISTRATION

Water bills have been sent. 

2 lien letters were recorded this week.  1 came back undeliverable but has been filed.  

Ted Foley requesting that late fees be waived on back payments from the property formerly owned by his father.  If we agree he will pay back bills and we will turn water back on.   Discussion on whether we should do more research to understand exactly when ownership was changed from bank to Ted Foley with disagreement on whether this would be worthwhile.

PD made a motion to accept Ted Foley’s proposal and to turn water back on at this property upon receipt of payment of past due water bills.  KK seconded.  Motion passed 2-1.


At 9:25, Brad Jones joined the meeting.

PD explained why we asked him to join the meeting and why we had challenged invoice with hours to reformat disbursements.  BJ explained that this was not a learning curve issue but instead because of changes made to the format by Rick Skiranka.   BJ pointed out that many hours had been put in on his part to explain invoices and that he had put in more time than he billed for to explain details on multiple occasions.  Commissioners each spoke about concerns and issues that have occurred. 

JB made a motion to pay the outstanding invoice to Jones & Beach for $686.50.  KK seconded.  Motion passed 3-0.

BOC discussed and agree that the prior approved invoice/check for $1,350 that was being held should also be sent in light of Brad’s explanation.

Discussion followed with BJ, KR and JB on road conditions.  Agreement reached that KR should review the roads with Jake at Dawson to review expectations on getting roads back to original conditions.  JB to attend if available. 

Clarification on manual for pumphouse discussed.  This has already been paid for but is pending completion of pumphouse to be finished at which time the manual will be completed.

At 9:55, Brad Jones left the meeting.

At 9:58 KR left the meeting.

COMMISSIONER REPORTS

JB asked about Primex status on the Wright & Pierce contract.  DM noted that Jerusha has been handling so status on this could be determined upon her return to office.

JB noted email this week on need to complete asset management grant application process. 

JB made a motion to sign the asset management docs.  PD seconded.  Motion passed 3-0.

Discussion on warrant articles.  PD to update word and powerpoint document this week and distribute.

KK noted new line item had been added to budget for accounting contractor services.

BOC agreed that one final meeting should be held on budget and warrant articles to finalize prior to budget hearing.  Meeting scheduled for Monday 4/12 at 9AM.

KK to calculate impact of final budget proposal on tax rate and add to presentation.

KK noted that she had distributed the 2021 budget drawdown which could be discussed in Monday meeting.

MANIFESTS

JB made a motion to approve the manifest for NH Retirement $1,769.41. KK seconded.  Motion passed 3-0.

JB made a motion to approve the payroll manifest for $5,169,67.  KK seconded. Motion passed 3-0.

JB reported that the small claims suit against property owner at 4 Little Loop was filed this week.

Discussion on email from realtor inquiring about property donations for green space.  BOC agreed that DM should reply affirmatively to him.

Discussion on wifi signal in DPW garage based on recomendation from Andrew Harteveldt.

KK made a motion to purchase a wifi signal booster for the DPW not to exceed $175.  PD seconded.  Motion passed 3-0.

Discussion on polycom problems with conference calls.  Issue relates to callcentric software and not to the hardware.  Andrew hoping to resolve it with no action required now.

Ford truck sold on Monday.  Check has been deposited in the operating account in the budget and recorded in Quickbooks as ‘Sale of Assets’.  Insurance coverage on truck has been cancelled.  Funds will go to Unassigned Fund Balance.  Discussion and clarification on how this is accounted for and whether to include in presentation at annual meeting as additional rationale to fund the $50K contribution to the highway equipment CRF from the unassigned fund balance.

DR asked questions about the water extension fund and how to deposit checks from property owners now that this has been officially turned in to a capital reserve account.  KK clarified that this is an expendable trust fund so we can make deposits without taxpayer approval since funds do not come from taxes.  After much discussion, agreement made to continue depositing checks to the operating account and then for district to make deposits to the CRF on a quarterly basis from the operating account to the trustees of the trust funds as she typically only takes deposits quarterly.

PUBLIC COMMENT

DR asked it we have a list of items that need to be complete to finish the Reinach tank project.  KK and JB replied with a list of items including the Upper Lakeview work, the roads near Reinach Tank work, and the pumphouse.  JB also noted that a walk through would be done with contractors with a punch list detailing any final items to be complete.  DR asked if the tank would need to be cleaned and filled.  Also if the old pumphouse would need to be decommissioned and old tanks filled with sand.  JB agreed.  KK noted that per contracts, $64,534 with Dawson was still unspent and this would include $25K for the Upper Lakeview PRV pit and also remarked that $83K of contingency funds also unspent.  DR noted that $80K of reserve funds would have to be spent, KK responded that $5000 of this had been spent.

At 10:47 AM, JB requested a short recess in order to call a non-public meeting at 11:00 AM.  Recording stopped.

NON PUBLIC MEETING

JB makes a motion at 11:02 AM to go into Non-Public for RSA 91-A:3, II (a).  PD seconded.  Motion Passed 3-0.

JB makes a motion to come out of Non-Public meeting under RSA 91-A:3, II (a) and return to Public meeting at 11:52 AM.  PD seconded.  Motion Passed 3-0.

The minutes from the non-public meeting were sealed. 

ADJOURNMENT

JB makes a motion to adjourn the Public Meeting at 11:52 AM.  PD seconded.  Motion Passed 3-0.

Respectfully submitted,

Paula Doyle

Commissioner