Board of Selectmen - Regular Meeting

um to order. Uh as is our tradition on the first meeting following a town election to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Um, so we're going to do a few things out of order today. Uh, since it is our first meeting following the election and congratulations to Select and Colby on winning, um, we're going to do our board elections and committee assignments first. So, that's where we'll start.

Okay. Make a motion to nominate as chip. Second. We have a motion, a second. Any further discussion? All those in favor say I. I make a motion to begin as I share. I'll second. We have a motion to second. Any further discussion? All those in favor say I. I. All right. Um, we'll just proceed right into the meeting. And again, I know Sorry, we were doing committee assignments.

Oh, sorry. We are. So, committee assignments. Um, anyone maybe we'll start. Does anyone want to switch a committee assignment? Do we have a copy of the page? Yeah, cuz it's out of order. It's in the discussion items. Oh, okay. 15.

I wanted to talk about what looked like a proposed committee um for water. Uh, it's empty as conquered water line. Um, I'm really if this is an an intended committee to establish, we have an established drinking water committee. Um, and I would propose that we add to their charge as opposed to making a whole new committee. I think I honestly agree with you. I think it's premature to have a committee for that. I think a slight board rep or two could be

um impanled to kind of in charge with reaching out to conquer and seeing if there's any uh engagement at all. Uh and that's without that there's no reason to be in charge of the drink committee obviously the experts there you don't well yeah I mean there's there's four very wellqualified people on that committee that you know should be coming along with any water discussion that we have. So, so is the idea that there would be one of us assigned to speak with conquered and coordinate between David, the board and drinking water committee.

Actually, I think it's less than that. I think it is one or two of us, probably two of us assigned to have a meeting with Congress to see. They've read the newspaper, too. They know that we had this vote and they know we passed it. They're not going to be surprised when we show up and say, "Are you do you want to engage?" So, somebody needs to say that to them so they can say yes or no. That and I would like to if that's the case, I would like to volunteer to be either the representative or the alternate and I'm happy to do it as well. So, if you want to tag on it and Angela Perfect who could be co and it's not that's actually not the only place for it. Right.

Right. Uh, I make a motion that we outside of the committee assignments that we uh empower a chairwoman. I'm sorry. That's fine. Did you want to redo what we just did? Uh, as our representatives uh to discuss water relationship with confidence. I'll second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. I.

Eyes have it. I have nothing. So, in terms of the other um committees, both reps and backups, does anyone have a request to change anything? We can start there. I I for my sake, I'm happy to serve in the four places my name exists. If somebody wants one of those, I'm happy to give them one, but otherwise, I'll keep this to

I would be more than happy to continue with the Heritage Commission. Um the only question I had was um for uh Selectman Nicolopoulos and Chairman McDaniel if they still feel that their schedules are okay that I can remain a passive alternate because budget and planning are too very complicated. Yeah. And I usually and I even just because of your schedule especially understanding on Thursdays I've often been said Chris can you step in planning happy to remain on planning. Um so should we change those two you take BDC and I'll take planning.

Yeah that's fine. Well before I say that's fine is BBC meeting on Thursdays? No Wednesday. It's usually the first Wednesday. Wednesday. First Wednesday. Morning. Morning. Okay. Okay. In the whole year, I've not been once. You need either goes or doesn't tell me he's not. We found a cancellation. So, all right. So, what are we? Yes. So, what does that mean? Planning will be myself and Chris. BDC. Um, sorry. Business development will be Ian and Elena. Yeah. CIP will be Kip and Angela. Budget will be Chris and Elena. Yep.

Um, heritage will be Elena and Ian. The tiffs will be Chris and Ian. Um there will be no conquered water line separate, but we just made that motion. Building of facilities, Angela and Ian. Hazard mitigation will be Elena and Ian. And 300th anniversary will be Elena and Kip. Does that work for everyone? Correct. Okay. Uh do we need a motion for to approve that or Okay. All right. Moving on. We're going to go to public comment. If anyone's here who wants to speak to something that is not on the agenda, now would be the appropriate time. Seeing none, we're going to go to public hearings. We have

If we have people here for other items, not the public hearing, make sense to invite them up and did not. I don't assume people are here for public hearing. Um Jared, I know is here for the last item. So, let's move item or second last item. It's number eight, BAC road race request. Jared, you want to come up and sit at the microphone? We just want to get you out of here as quick as possible. Hey, appreciate it.

So, just turn it on. Press it. It will turn green and say your name and address. My name is Jand. Uh, Ford River Drive, B New Hampshire. Um, so it's listed as BAD. This one's actually personal. So, uh, I think a bunch of you know Jen Hiddle. Jen Hill has um taken upon herself to um fund raise for Visionaries uh visionaries blood cancer awareness. And so she's doing a um she's doing sort of a uh campaign to try to uh raise funds for this uh goal and she reached out to me to try to help. And one of the things she wanted to try to do was to uh host a road race. So, having a little bit of a background doing that, I told her that I would reach out to you guys and see if the town would allow us to have a race on uh 5:30 26. And we were looking for a 10 a.m. start time.

And what what's it going to require for closed roads? Kind of like the be similar to turkey trot so that we wouldn't actually have to close anything down. It would just be uh going to a lane and a half of traffic. Um and you've got you've already talked to chairman police. I'll make a motion to approve um the road race on 53026 on a course similar to what we've historically allowed for turkey trot provided police and uh DPW stay on on board.

Second any further discussion. Um just quickly um as a question um there are a number of individuals who raise funds for a ton of different organizations and will be the position of this board to allow anyone who wants to organize a road race for a fundraiser or is this a one-time thing? um just because you know we all know people that do a lot of charity work and I would hate for anyone to feel slighted that or feel like there's favoritism or anything like that towards any one particular organization

or another. So should we expect that there will be a number of road races in the future or I can just speak for myself making the motion. I don't know J I don't think I know Jen Riddle and I don't know this organization. I've not looked it up. I think it's a we have a pretty decent course for it, a very active community. If people want to participate, I think let's go, right? And if if nobody shows up at the road races and people don't want to do them, then we're going to see that as well. And until we have an issue with managing them, I think this is awesome. Personally, just wanted to throw it out there so that, you know, we are considering all aspects. um because they're certainly

not super easy to do one of these. So I would say you're probably going to run into some people might think it's a good idea to do it and then they realize how much leg work is actually involved and it's not as easy as it sounds. Yeah. Yeah. I just my only thing is that it's an individual and not an organization. Like it's one thing if BAC as an organization of the town is hosting one. It's another thing for an individual to have this request for a specific um charity. Yep.

And I I'm sure we have so many people in town who are well organized and who could throw one together and maybe there's a little race every weekend. Who knows? But guess we'll deal with that when the time comes. Do we know if uh the men's club? It's the week before. The week before. Okay. I was just worried about Memorial Day. Yeah. Yeah. Like, no way you're going to do it. Just wanted to make sure that we weren't gonna cross events. I just had one concern. So, is Jen an individual or is she an organization? She is she's a representative of Visionaries, which is a blood cancer uh charity.

Okay. All right. So, because I was just concerned with liability, so we're going to be getting event insurance. Yeah. Yep. Just make sure. Thank you. And can um can either you or Jen or whoever helps help helps to organize make sure to send a copy of that to CI. Perfect. Thank you. Thank you. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. I. I have five nothing. Thank you Jared. Thank you guys for Jim. When's baseball opening day? First weekend I believe. Perfect. First weekend coming up right down the road. Awesome. She's here too.

Okay. So, we'll move I uh second fing saying that number five request for permission to place a shed at the old town hall with the Girl Scouts is on there as well. If you come forward, you just state your name and address. Uh my name is Jennifer Archer. My current address is 33 Cemetery Street in conquered. My children reside in Bow continually. Okay.

Um I am a Girl Scout troop leader with a cadet troop of girls. So, it's seventh and eighth grade girls who are doing multiple community projects. We probably have seven different troops in bow of different Girl Scouts and we are housing items in our basement and attics and all kinds of things. And so, when we need something, we all have to decide who's home, what times to collaborate. Um, we're hoping to be able to put a shed similar to Bowmen's Club and the Boy Scouts um in the space that's available at the back parking lot um of the Bow Old Bow Town Hall. Um, and it will be much smaller than the ones that are there cuz I went over today and it looks like there's at least three and a half parking spaces of space behind the last shed that is existing there now. and ours would be maybe half the size of that last small shed that's available. Um, we're also willing to look into any spaces if you did not prefer adding another one there. Anything else that would be an option um so that we can have a collective space for camping gear. We have a bridge, flags, different supplies.

I'm happy to make a motion on this. Um, in fairness, you know, it would surely be awful if we had the men's club with a shed, the uh boy scouts with a shed, and that we would deny potentially the Girl Scouts. I certainly want wouldn't want to be that town. That being said, um if we can coordinate with Tim on or whoever is necessary for um getting the shed placed and if that is the most appropriate spot um and all of that, I will say that um it would be my hope that we would not get a ton of requests for um club sheds on town property. But it's got to be fair. And uh so I'm happy to make the motion to support uh the Girl Scouts getting a shed on town property where you know whether it's town hall or um or old town hall or another site.

I don't I don't disagree with you. Um I need a second. I I will second that for discussion. I think I know where you're going where we had kind of already said we were done over at Old Town Hall with putting sheds. Well, two things. That would be great. Yeah, I think that was one. Heritage was not happy about having more sheds there. I I recall that. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that that was one thing. And then I believe the spots that were available might be on a leech field and I think Chris was concerned about that. I could be wrong, but I I was I'm recalling something similar to that. There is a leech field where you're to the left, I believe, but not to the right. Okay, that's right. That's what I recall as well. Okay, down the end.

Correct. So, I I agree with Select Woman Brennan that we should we should do this but find a different spot. And I'm wondering if there is any room at the fields um as an example. Um I think I'm going to vote in support of it provided there's a space. Mhm. Uh we'll have to deal with whether or not you have to gift it to us and then we rent it back, which I think is how it will work and we might have to modify the amendment for that.

Um I I think it's a I think it's slippery slope to find a different location. Um I would like at some point to have a solution where there could be a place for these community organized behind our old town hall. And we can figure we could figure that out and build a couple garages somewhere, but for today, a movable shed behind Old Town Hall is going to get my vote. Yeah, I I agree. Um, but unless we are willing to remove the men's club sheds or Boys Scouts sheds, I think club has one as well.

Yeah, I I don't think that's what we're saying. I just No, I I'm in favor of it provided it's consistent with the other agreements. Yeah. Yeah, I already had specific asks though for the last one for gardening club had to be a certain color and did was am I remembering this correctly?

Well, and I also I want to be very careful because I I do not recall off the top of my head uh when we did get a request after the garden club shed prior to the Girl Scout shed. Did we approve or deny a request from um the Marines? And I I would like to I would like to say I remember that vote, but I do not. Um and I would prefer to know that we have not said no to one and are saying yes to another. The Marines was a trailer and I don't remember if there was a Yeah, it was a trailer. I again it's fuzzy. There is a trailer. There is a red trailer there as of today. Okay.

Between two of the sheds. So then we we might have said yes. I don't know if it's a boy scouts trailer. Yep. Yeah, they had um they had big events this weekend. They pine were derby this weekend. Um well, if somebody motion to say that it would be consistent with past practices of it being transferred to the town, rented back. Yeah, we got a vote. Okay. Yes. So moved. Did you say? So moved. They'd have to both agree. All right. All those in favor say I. I. I. Opposed. Eyes have it. Five nothing. Can you work with David on the process for to the extent that you can be consistent with color and shape, you know, and with heritage,

you have to make sure that the placement is not on field. If it can't be placed without being on Leechfield, we're going to have to come back. Absolutely. Thank you. Thanks. Thanks for all the girls, too. Girl Scouts, too. All right. Thanks for cookies. We'll move on to the public hearing. We have a public hearing uh on entering into a payments and l of tax agreement with Kios Bo LF LLC related to a renewable solar electric generating facility to be located on tax parcel 14-4-65 for a period of 20 years with two options to extend for an additional 5year period.

So David, do you want to give us any more context on this? Um other than our town council, you know, at the direction of the board, uh went and negotiated the lease and this agreement. Um we're also going to do an off offload or um so this has been vetted by and written by our attorney. So it was about a year ago we last met with them. Uh, and what we were what we're very concerned with is that the pilot here that we entered into had terms that would be acceptable whether we were the property owner or not. Um, there there are expectations in New Hampshire that when you're enter pilot with one generator that there's fairness for the next one.

And Eric kind of assured us that this version of this agreement would be consistent with what we might enter into with someone who isn't us. You could imagine the town saying, "Well, we don't need taxes because we're getting the benefit of the the bargain, but this is a market rate deal, the best he could uh figure for us." I I can't believe it's been a whole I think it's I think it was before Tommy last year that we gave him the authority on this.

Yeah. And it's been a long process. And part of the negotiation was to make sure that we were being fair, that everything was legal, that everything was in the best interest of the town. Eric was went over every sing our town council went over everything with a fine tooth comb. Every single word. It has taken forever, but I am grateful for his diligence on uh on this and for uh all of the communication that he did um on our behalf with Karge.

And just to be clear, um could we identify the site without the tax parcel number just so that people know where this is going? I believe this is landfill. Yes.

Yes. And this is um this um public hearing and what is being requested here is consistent with the vote um at town meeting that was overwhelmingly supported by the voters. This is merely a formality to just check every legal box. Um it is no different than what was proposed at town meeting and the voters supported. And ultimately, I think our our final vote, as outlined uh by our attorney, our final vote would have to acknowledge and accept uh have a finding that a term a pilot term in excess of 5 years is necessary for Kos to obtain financing.

Yes. And so, uh that will be a requisite part of our if we were to get to approval. So, the agreement being discussed tonight is for one location and that is the landfill that is near Bo High School. Um, yes. Falcon Way. Okay. I think it has a number, but I'm not sure. Everything Everything's numbered, but unf. Just for the record. All right. I'm going to open the public hearing. Tom, if you could step up to the microphone, Tom Donovan from Boot Spaces. Um, who owns the land underneath that lot? Tab owns land. Perfect. Thank you. That took a lot of uh that's a great question because we thought for some time that the school owned it.

Yeah. And uh we found out during some work we were doing many years ago that in fact now it was the town. Turns out nobody wants to own an old landfill. I got to close the public hearing. I do want make a motion to approve. Um, oh actually do we need a motion or is this just the public hearing and then we take we have to take a vote at the next meeting? Oh no, you can now you can take a vote following the hearing.

I'll make a motion to enter into a payment in rule of tax agreement with Kir Sarge um as written here in the public hearing notice with all of the legal language. I'll second and you have to authorize and authorize manager town manager and a finding that a term of excess 5 years is necessary to allow Karage to obtain financing requisite to fund the deal. Does that have to be included in the motion? Uh we had to make that finding. Gotcha. Right. I have a motion a second. Any further discussion? I do have a question. If the bills that are bill in the state house right now does not pass, what happens with this?

Which bill? You only have 20 years right now? This is 20 years. This is for 20 years with the option with the option to extend to extend. But that's my concern because by the time this is executed, what happens with because um because there's a another extension of five years, it is um a separate issue. So it would be for the 20 years um and then there would be another vote to decide if we wanted to extend so it would be within the parameters of the bill that's moving through the state house. Perfect. Just making sure we don't have to do this again in a year. Let's hope. Thank you for saving us the time.

All right. All those in favor say I. I. I. Nay. Eyes at five nothing. Now move on to the uh meetings. We'll have community development director Carrie Mannin on a department update.

Hello, I am the community development director Carrie Mc. Um community development. So um I think you all know but community development includes the building planning zoning economic development and assessing through our uh contractor Whitney Consulting. Um, this year has been busy with some staffing shifts. So, I have been training people all year. Um, hiring, more training, we're doing multiple roles. Um, Ginger moved from the planning and zoning role to the building and assessing. So, um, she scooched over to the next desk um, and is learning learning new tasks there. Um, Don was working in uh, planning and zoning and for a short period and took a job in another community and we have a new land use assistant that starts next week to take her place. So, we have um about a month hopefully to train her before I go on maternity leave. Um, so hopefully she'll pick it right up quickly. she does work in another community doing an very similar role. So hopefully it'll be a easy transition for all of us. Um we also have a new building inspector, Will Dinsour, who started December 1st. Um he's extremely knowledgeable on building codes. He actually sits on the building code review board in Gonker now. um and he's been very thorough and interested in improving our our practices, making sure that we are following all all the requirements that are out there. Um, I will be on maternity leave for a few months this spring and while I'm away the staff will be just fine and and uh we'll have Matt Monahan from the Central

New Hampshire Regional Planning Commission um doing circuit writing for the basically the planning and uh planning board meetings and CBA meetings if anything comes up. Um, so he'll come in and review the applications and provide the staff support to those boards. Um, and I'm four minutes away if there's an emergency. Um, and let's see. So, we uh the scanning of our property records is now complete. We have all the records scanned and in Docstar we're working on making sure we feel comfortable that the accuracy is there and that everything is where it should be. We're not in a rush to get rid of the paper files just yet. Um cloud permit or online permitting software is still working well and just recently about a month ago maybe we incorporated the fire department's permits into cloud permit as well. um they've had staffing changes in how they handle their permitting. So um we've found that it works well to handle their oil boiler alarms, sprinklers, and blasting permits right through cloud permit. Um because people often come to us trying to do those things anyway. So it just makes sense that they're able to do it online and we can help them and then it just automatically pops up a request on the fire department's end for them to do the review and the inspections. So far that's working out. It's very good uh coordination between the departments. Um we're working on the master plan update. It's going to be a 2027 update which aligns with the 300th which I think is pretty cool. Um we are finishing up year one of the three-year update and tomorrow night is our community visioning session. So I hope everyone's invited to join us. We're hoping to have a big crowd although it's hard to tell. There'll be pizza and

child care and and so yeah, good deal, right? Um it's at 6 6:30 to 8:30 at the high school and there'll be five different breakout sessions on various topics. So, and you'll get a chance to do two of the topics. So, you don't have to pick just one. Um we'll have each breakout session will be staffed by u regional planning commission staff and or master plan steering committee members and um it'll be just a chance to to hear from the public what they think about some of these issues that will shape shape the plan. Where are the five again? Thanks Dave. That's a housing

I thought he was your friend. Housing one. There's a land use and economic development one. There's a community facilities and cultural resources, natural resources, and

thank you. Transportation. I knew a lot of these people help transportation. Um, yeah. So, it's a a good array of topics. So, we hope to see you. We hope to see a lot of people there actually. Um, and we we completed a survey. We received about 500 responses to the survey. So the visioning session is basically the follow-up to the survey where you can actually have discussions instead of just, you know, typing away your your thoughts by yourself. Um, we're expecting lots of upcoming planning board activity. I've been meeting with lots of developers and engineers over the past few weeks. Um, so I think it's going to be a busy spring at the planning board. Um, lots of commercial activity. Um, some I know are on their way, some are just asking questions and interested. So, I think it will be a good spring for for commercial activity. And I hope the planning board's ready. That's actually a great segue to something I wanted to say to you while you're here. And that is it's been a fast four years now, I think. Right.

Three and a half. Yeah. So, yeah. Um, and when I look back to the shoes you had to fill and a team that was here and cohesive and well respected, I thought that's it's going to be a tough job. And you have done it so seamlessly. Yes. And keep and it it's continued to keep moving forward. And I think the team that preceded you changed the view of BO to commercial developers and that's only gotten better and our response to them and the planning board and the zoning board's ability to respond has gotten more professional and I attribute that to you and your team and so I want to take a second and just say thank you. Yes, thank you. I've learned a lot and every day

you're doing a good job of benefiting from it. It's you know it's not an accident that people are coming here and saying I'd like to develop. Right. Right. And that commercial development as a reminder helps our taxes, our property taxes for residential. So just keep that in mind when people are uh looking at the commercial development that it's all good stuff.

I would say building permits have been somewhat slow over the winter, as one would expect, especially since we had a real winter. Um but they're starting to pick up now that we have days like this. Um, lots of interest in accessory dwelling units. That's continued. Um, and lot lots and lots of interest, but we actually are seeing people build them, too. Um, and apparently that hasn't been the case in other surrounding communities as much. Um, I assumed it was happening everywhere, but um, from what I've heard, it's there was a change in um, law this year that opened up ADUs to be basically be allowed on any lot as long as you can provide water and sew uh, water and waste removal. Um, so it's really opened up the opportunities for them and we've seen the resulting increase in in people actually building them. Mhm.

I have no questions. I speak to you almost every day. So, okay. Anyone else have any? No. Very grateful for you enjoying maternity leave when you go on maternity leave as much as one can and hopefully you'll be sleeping some. Yeah. I hope so. Yes. Congratulations and best of luck. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Carrie. All right. Next on the agenda is a drinking water protection committee. Um invite you up here to the to the table keeping in mind that we've authorized Angela and Alberta to engage with you and with Conquer on the that that issue.

Yeah. Thank you. Cindy Cleven uh drinking water u protection committee chair

Tom O'Donn water committee. Uh we had four things and the first one was um the conquered extension. Congratulations that we uh passed the vote and uh the next step on that we wanted to ask uh the select board for how we can support that and to encourage you to reach out to to conquer. So glad to thank you for for taking that vote earlier uh for any movement you can get there. And so that you know uh Penrook is also doing the same because of course Penrook needs the water main extension as well. So, so it might be um a good thing to to reach out to Pemrook Waterworks the is the entity. It's not the town of Pemrook. Penrook Waterworks is the is the entity that that um that needs the extension as well. So, uh Matt Gadney Gagy is the operator, the superintendent over there. You could reach out and the contact information is is uh public information if you want. I'm happy to share that. Um the next step on that is to uh submit an application for the to lock in the funding the grant and the and the um forgiveness the loan with forgiveness and that's due May 1st. So um I believe DES has reached out to to Dave so that you look for that paperwork.

I'm going to make a motion that we authorize David to submit that and sign it. Second. Any further discussion? I may one. Yeah. by May one. Maybe just before May one. All right, motion second. All those in favor say I. I. I just have a final. All right. Okay. Second topic was uh on that topic. Real quick recognize there is a clock on that money. That money does not sit indefinitely. Yeah. And that clock is actually pretty short.

What is the What is that clock? So once you submit the application that locks it in and then u that would go to governing council for approval and then the grant agreement and the loan agreement will have a timeline. Usually it's a couple years. Um it can be extended but that's the the timeline for putting it finishing the design putting it out to bid and actual construction. Okay. That that's a reasonable timeline provided concrete says yes. Yeah. They they could run out the clock though in C, couldn't they? They could say no. So they could Right. Yeah. Yes. Yes. Yes. We'll do it. We'll do it and then run out the clock and Right. which is different than saying no. Mhm. Uh well, if they just responded anyway, that would be Yeah,

that would be great when they responded. That's that's a better way of putting it. Um second, u was a topic that we brought up before. There's a consolidation uh study grant that's available from the drinking water trust fund uh to support both the concrete extension u evaluation further and the extension to hook it. Those two consolidation u um evaluate or encouraging that both of those consolidations can are eligible for the grant. Uh and it's up to 10,000. If more is needed, the the town can ask for additional funding with a waiver from the from the trust fund. Is that for engineering?

That's for any evaluation. So, yeah, any kind of study. I thought we had already well you might have approved it, but it has not been submitted. Okay. So the additional work that needs to be done and the committee is is uh willing to support that is to put together anformational package to facilitate uh getting consulting quotes for that for u for that evaluation. Would you like us to make a motion to authorize you to finish that and have David sign it for the grant?

Um okay, sure. make I'll make a motion to uh empower the drinking water um protection committee uh to work in concert with David to submit a grant for the maximum amount allowable for us to further a study um interconnection or consolidation uh both towards cockt Angelo was first any further discussion hearing none all those in favor say I

eyes 5 So th those two parts of it are are fine. Again, we'll put together an information package to get consultant uh quotes. The third part of it is a water rate study for the existing municipal system that would not be eligible for the grant, but the idea would be to put that out for quotes as well so that you would have information to do all three um evaluations. So we'll work on that. Um anything else on on that? Third topic is um the hookset uh extension design that is at 60% status from divorce and king. They were going to submit it yesterday. Um so I don't know if that has come in yet. We ask that that the drinking water committee be uh copied and the request to the select board is if with your approval we can forward it a copy to Hooks Village Water Precinct who is waiting to to look at that the routing and the and the plan so that they can provide comments back to the town. So that's

yeah make a motion make a motion to do exactly what Cindy just said. Second well maybe Dave you could give one king a call and say come in on Monday. Okay. They are also doing a survey of water use and then and they're working with Carrie uh to to get that completed but that's independent of the design. So um and the last No, those were my four things because I already did the stud. Oh yeah, the salt. You've got support on all four so far. So, so the last thing is uh have to you might have seen in the news that Marramac was successful in getting a low salt uh zone from uh from DOT.

So, we think we recommend that the that the town reach out to DOT again to say well it was possible in Marramac can't we have something similar in both for the 3A um salt application. We reached out to DOT previously. They sent a very senior rep into our session to chat with us. Mhm. You made it very clear to us that 3A would not be considered for a salt restriction zone. Right. And that was based off of traffic. Correct. The traffic traffic and route size and a couple other kinds of things like that. Right. We made it very clear to him we didn't like that answer. Right. Yes, we told him.

And that they use contractors I think is another complication. It's it's not directly DOT, but they they have contractors doing that. And when we were asked if BO could act as a contractor for BO on that state line, they seemed open to that, but they don't fund it if it's another municipality is I'm trying to recall as as selectwoman Brennan and I were at that meeting. Yeah, I think uh because yes, some towns serve as a contractor, but I don't I don't know that Bo had the capacity or the interest to do that. So that's why so yeah, maybe additional investigation into that. We can definitely add that to the list of things to talk to DOT when we bring them back.

For sure. This time we might want to bring them here to this table to chat rather than to the committee to continue to increase the emphasis with DOT.

Absolutely. um something to consider and and maybe this, you know, maybe I don't know if I'm playing devil's ad advocate here or I I don't want to uh defend DO's decision, but I would just like to note that the town of Marramac is the fastest growing municipality um in the state right now. Um, and so I don't know if that factors into their decision as far as traffic and um increase development there. Um, so yeah, just putting that out there as a as a note and we'll still do what we can to advocate has some of the worst water in New Hampshire due to man inflicted problems. They don't have a drinking water committee. They have a small drinking water army.

Uh, and it goes on and on. Yes, we know that Bo does not in this context. Exactly. Correct. Right. Right. So, yeah, just making a note of that that uh we will do our best advocating for the town of Bow, but it is a different situation. That's all.

Understood. Thank you. if it's possible um since both of you are such a wealth of information uh and now that seleia and I will be tasked with uh communicating with conquered uh the information that you've shared with us today and any other uh relevant information that we should take into discussions with conquered if you could you know include sele and I on an email that maybe we can make sure that we're best informed with your knowledge Um, that would be great. Okay. Much appreciated. All right. Thank you. Thanks for everything. Thank you. Moving on to the consent agenda.

Make a motion to approve the consent agenda. Sorry, you have questions.

No, it's an open Good question. Would it be prudent for us to set a deadline for us? um for our own. Well, you authorized them to do it. I I assume to do it has been getting the consultants closed and getting this the so until the money runs out, the money will run out. Well, that that where's my where my concern lies. if we don't set some sort of deadline for ourselves as far as you know maybe checking back in or um that the money could run out

right uh since we have a May 1 deadline of for the other grant I wonder if we did like another 30 days on top of that is is that something that would be reasonable if we said like May 30th just for our own is or does that risk before Carrie goes out. Right. Right. So, okay.

I forgot. Let's try for May 1st as a Take your laptop with you, Carrie. It'll be good. Try and do both grants by May 1st before May 1st. Great. Thank you. So if we could just to hold off the meeting that follows May 1st. Tanya, did you get that? We want to update on all things water and the meeting following May 1st. Okay. Thank you. Consent agenda. Um to approve the consent agenda as presented. Second. Any further discussion? The only question I have is David, do we ever have our town forester audit the yield tax? No, we do not. Is that a thing? Um,

it's totally self-reported. Yeah. Well, I'm just a property owner who who failed to do it and then then received an audit from a town um forester and the number was shocking. Not not 1,200. And so I'm just I'm having trouble understanding um if this is appropriate for as much tree cutting. It's not this. No, it's not here. This is a private land owner on South Bow Road. Okay. Um who's creating a driveway and a house and so so that would explain why this feels I don't Yeah, that's that's the

property. Okay. Uh maybe you could ask him for our next meeting. Uh what would be an appropriate protocol for a town to adopt for auditing? At what size does it make sense to to audit these? I think with fiduciary duty to our taxpayers to have a process in place because having done it myself, it is totally self-reported. Yeah. And there didn't seem to be any check. So when you say, do you mean like acreage? Do you mean you listed it's a it's a standard form and you're listing types of wood and the volume and I think there is I assume there is a threshold that they would say well that's that's normal and self-reporting is appropriate and then there's a threshold where yeah

it's a it's a a valuable asset that's being sold in town and we have a right to collect tax on it. Yeah. And what we'll do is we also we used to with the previous person that was handling this would take a look and if there was a question we have a state forest not our own forester there's a state forestry person who will come out and and take a look and help assist with enforcement where if we notice someone that hasn't filed at all and they've cleared the lot this person will go out and have us assess the doomage on it.

Right. there. So there are some checks and balance and Ron our town Ron Kamarzik our town for is very well verssed and knows the players as well. So we kind of Right. You certainly you know who the bad people are. Correct. Yeah. You know who to look for but Yes. I'll find out. I'll talk to Ron. Great. Motion a second. Any further discussion on the consent agenda? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. I have a five nothing. Yes, I made the motion. Chris made the motion. Angela second. Is there a consent general pack? I I just got it. I'm doing my best.

Town manager report. Yes. Community power withdrawal. The chair and I are meeting this week with town council to determine our next steps with moving forward with that. The letter that we will be submitting that we are withdrawing.

Yep. um annual audit. We did get the report and I think all of you should have a copy on your desk. Um meeting room B painting. I thought I'd recognize our facilities people doing a great job in there. It'll be the last room that's this color scheme. So what I tried to explain is we'll be able to save money, but we'll also know there's one uniform Turban Williams 12948 is what we use on all our walls. So, it'll make it much easier and and cheaper. We buy big five gallon jugs. Now, uh community visioning session that was mentioned at tomorrow night. Uh juvenile investigative officer position. Uh we've established a new juvenile investigative officer position. Uh we've been talking about it for a few years. Uh SRO shooter is going to rotate out of her SRO role at the end of the school year. She'll serve in that new position. Um, she not only will be doing juvenile, but will be providing much much needed assistance to uh, uh, Sergeant Detective Cody, who has a lot that he has to deal with and a lot of not so nice stuff. So, it'll be kind of good to spread that around a little bit. So, it'll be both juvenile and adult criminal investigations. Uh we did post the uh SRO position internally. Um I think it's still open. So we haven't I don't think we've had anything anyone express interest yet internally. Training room upgrades. The department and the fire working with the fire department um bought some replacement tables and they have a smart screen thing. You know, one of those. And uh but one of the benefits of it is they just did a

uh FBI training class um and we're allowed to have people in the class at no charge. So for example with this one we save $1700 that so and they're very popular. It's a great location. Good good location for everyone that comes from all around. So uh 300th anniversary badge. They're have a little initiative going that they're working on. Sergeant Welch has taken on the idea of getting a commemorative badge for the 300th anniversary. Um, we don't have anything for estimates or anything yet, but they're working on that. And then water sewer on and we did have that meeting with uh Tom and Cindy and a few others. So, we're we're we're kind of looking and planning ahead on when our contract is up with Whitewater. Maybe there's some better alternatives on what we do.

Dave, I have two follow-ups. Yeah. Um, one, uh, Community Power I, uh, there was a recent article, uh, around to some of you, um, that Community Power was doing a reset with in some of their communities and 52 of the 60 communities they're in. They're sending postcards out basically saying in a vague way, um, oh, you know, K power, we do great things. Uh, you're going to be reenrolled, people who had opted out. And so they're hoping for some 18,000 people who had opted out of community power across their 60 communities are going to fail to respond and reelect to be out of community power. I have not heard that Bose is getting those, but I think uh to the extent that you're talking to Eric, we need to be cognizant of that possibility and we need to convey to them that we are

by no means interested in them reenrolling people who have opted out. Um I I think it's um borderline fraudulent what they're doing. It's manipulative minimum.

The second this may not be the right venue for it, but you brought it up and so I'm going to I'm going to just raise my concern. I'm concerned with creating a detective position that's targeted at just the juveniles here in Bo. I think that sends the wrong message. uh absolutely sends a wrong message that we are going to take one of our 13 officers and dedicate them to um finding work which would be investigating and charging our minors here in town. I think it it is the wrong message. I think it's the wrong perception. If we need a junior detective, let's have a junior detective. Um but I would encourage you and hopefully others in this would agree with me. I would encourage you to find a a better and more suitable title.

I agree. Completely agree. I I was actually caught off guard and motion I'm going to make a motion uh that the board um does not support the creation of a junior investigative officer role. Second. Do you want to say ro I say title is what you're saying. I I don't I don't want the recurring new job title, new job role that is targeted at solely juvenile, right? That in their title it says I'm going to harass Oh, yeah. Maybe we should more kind of have a a a job description, right? Like what what is actually the the en like what are we encompassing here? Is is it just we're picking the name or is it

Well, I think it's important to know that people will only see the title. They will not be looking at a job description and so I don't disagree with you, but what what's their I don't know what their intent is. They've long said that they need support in the detective. Right. Right. So then it should be so make whatever the is make it that provided it fits within the budget that we have allocated. Um but the last thing I want is calls from parents saying you've created this role and now there's somebody spending 35 hours a week looking for Okay, I agree. And yeah,

I don't recall this title or this specific role coming before the board in the budget process or in any of the presentations that we've received from the police department. Um, so like I said, it was very jarring to see the title. The title. Yeah. um without ever hearing anything about it before and I imagine there will be a number of parents who would feel the same way and so I fully support uh Selen Nicolopolis on this motion. Yes, same pay grade that she's at but let's look at the title and duties.

All right, so we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I.

I hat five. Anything? I just want to highlight to the uh report out about the training that was done at the police department that are we are very fortunate to have such a facility to host these trainings. Um, it is to the town's benefit and I just want to make people aware of that that we have a facility capable of hosting from towns, municipalities, police departments, FBI AC from across the state. really come to Bow for these trainings and it's great work and it it's you know part of I think uh the relationships that the chief has developed with um other municipalities and other law enforcement throughout the state. And so I just want to applaud the chief for making sure to bring uh bring those relationships to uh Bow as a benefit to the town of Bo. um with community power, wasn't didn't we didn't we say with community power that or when they were here, wasn't there a presentation basically on April 1st you they're they're automatic renew re uh reenrolling people based on what you said? But wasn't there wasn't there a topic that they said the adjustable rate or or the variable rate

would would be val April. Do we know if that that is the idea the when you can look ahead to what the variable rate is uh month by month or what it's projected to be from unitil and if um if people are looking to um unenroll themselves March I believe is a good month to take the action to unenroll because the uh variable rate does go down for the month of April and so We should continue to advise the community on that. Doing so in the month of March is advisable and to residents benefit.

I don't see that we ever put out announcements or have ever. So I wonder if maybe it's time to and it could be as simple as not up to me to decide the but it becomes political. Yeah. Just as an FYI, variable rates are down. Uh anyone in who's enrolled in community power can unenroll themselves by the end of March and receive the unit variable rate, which will be less than the community power rate for the month of April.

It'll be I think I think they know what those are going to be for the next six months and it's going to last for all of those. Um okay. Uh, I make a motion to accept the March 9th meeting. Second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. I. I. Five. No. Um, discussion item one. Somebody would have to draft it for you for it to go out. Yes. Um, I'm happy to help if it's helpful. Uh, because I I now realize why she's here. We'll go to number four. Request for wetlands training. She's here all the time. want to be polite though. So,

so I'm wearing but uh Sandy Crystal one sure Oh, can you press the button please?

I wonder where that is the hat. Sandy has Sandy Crystal one show drive. Um uh so I was actually contacted by um dees a former colleague because um every 5 years uh EPA does these wetland assessments um and uh they were arranging training um the um group has the watershed group at dees now has their um boat shed you can that's down um Silk Farm Road. You can see it from the highway. And so they've actually arranged with uh EPA to do their classroom training there. But then there's a field part and um five years ago when I was involved in doing the training uh we actually for a smaller group um used a site in um uh in Nodding Cook that's um off of um Woodhill Hookset Road kind of at the um kiosk at the end of the um uh area and uh so dees guess with the EPA contractor said, "Oh, yeah. Well, we'll use that site again." Um, and the EPA contractor asked about putting um a portaott um in the parking lot there for the um it's the 3 days that of training and actually maybe that they would drop it off on the Monday and pick it up on the Friday. I make a motion to welcome NDES and US EPA to BO to do their once every 5-year training uh and to permit them to place a portaotti on the property for the week surrounding June 2nd to June 4th of 2026.

Second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. I. Five. Nothing. Great. Thank you. It is consistent with the easement because I pulled out the easement and took a look. Thank you very much. All right, moving on to the street light request. David, could you give us a briefing on Yes, a condo on top of page.

Few residents, right, have uh one in particular, he's working with another resident. They're looking uh and submitted a request to install street lights at each end of Sawmill. So on White Rock Hill Road and Paige Road. Um I've asked DPW and PD to look at it. Tim took a look. His his suggestion is is just to perhaps we speak for the neighbors first as well, the abutters to see and kind of get a feel for what they're thinking. And then uh police, I'm waiting for a report from the chief as far as visibility and safety wise. And so one of his night people is going to give us something. So we don't have that yet.

Um that would be really helpful data. Would you also find out what the cost would be to add uh to both the installation and the uh monthly maintenance cost um on that? So when we make a decision, we have all of those data points. Um, just for folks that weren't here 10 or 11 years ago, 12 years ago, it was a tough budget year back then and we actually turned off all our street lights as a budget saving effort. Uh, since then, a number of different residents have come and for safety reasons, we've turned some of them back on. Uh, and so when I first saw this, my default was, oh, it's, you know, it's going to be a slippery slope. Everyone's going to want to turn these lights back on. And then the pragmatic Chris thought, we just built $18 million houses and are getting

$360,000 in taxes a year. If this is a safety issue, this is what we do, right? And so with that information and the cost, we can make that uh and this wasn't part of their site plan. Um I'm assuming at this point, I don't remember, but I don't believe so. Is it Can we make sure that it wasn't a part of the site plan? We can check, but I'm almost certain it's not. Is it not consistent? Typically, I I could be wrong and correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like a lot of new streets and new developments all have street lights at at at the top of them at the intersection. Yeah, it's been t that's tend to be where the board will approve these. Yeah,

99% are at intersections. So, I think it would behoove us to check and see if the planning board did make a request. Sandy. Yeah,

Sandy. Crystal sure you drive. Um, speaking I Well, a couple things. One is I recall that it used to be the practice that at any intersection um where um there was development yeah houses subdivision whatever that they put up a street light and that a street light was um installed and then I think over time the idea was do we really want this at every single block in our town and so um and I don't know whether the site plan regulations changed or or whether there's some written official thing that changed, but basically the practice of doing that kind of um stopped as an automatic thing. Here's my concern is that if it wasn't part of a site plan or if it wasn't part of a planning board discussion, then the neighbors and the butters didn't have an opportunity to weigh in and say, "Listen, I'm not opposed to this." to this place, but a I want street lights or b we don't and here's our public hearing. I I just feel like we're kind of skipping a step.

Yeah, I think the street lights may not come up because it's not something that the developer typically installs that it it just may not get put on the It's usually just name signs and stop signs that the developers required. I do. We don't have all the data. So, I think Chris needs to come to the next.

The other thing that I wanted to um mention is that I would like to see that for any any um street lights that are put up that they're definitely more of the dark sky kind because I know we changed over to LED stuff a number of years ago, but those really weren't very dark sky uh oriented. They they really kind of spread kind of wide. And I hope that we use something that's a little better where we treat the birds right. Excuse me. We'll treat the birds right. Yes. Interrupt migration patterns. That's right. Thank you.

So for next meeting, can we have a report from the police report on cost and anything from DPW as well and we'll put that on the agenda for the next meeting. All right. Uh moving on. A little a bid for painting from Pike Industries. I'll make a motion to accept the bid uh from Pike Industries. Um making that motion and also huge huge thank you to Tim Tim Sweeney for his stellar negotiation uh on this quote. It is amazing to see the uh comparison to what other towns are paying for their uh painting. Second,

uh, couldn't have said it better. Pike has been a tremendous partner to the town of Bow for a number of years. It's always beaten the price. I think they're willing to do work here because we're a good partner with them and have a good crew that helps them get through it. And so, it's two-way street and we're very lucky. All right, I have a motion, a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. Eyes have it. 5 nothing. Oppose 2026 27 meeting schedule. You have it. It's labeled as page 25. Um, how did is that this? No, no, no. Next page. I thought the same thing.

Maybe if people could just eyeball it and make clear if there's something that just simply does not work for them. And obviously we try to attend all meetings, but so for example, May 12th, I'm not in town. I think I'm most concerned about Okay. So, summer uh at this point I know some head off into the yonder and I just want to make sure that we have well they they are

two dates that are solid that people can attend. Well, it will interrupt my Bastile Day plans, but I I will be here July 13th and August 11th. Yes, we can commit to those. Yep. Cuz it's really difficult in the summer when we have to swap a schedule. Uh I will not be here on August 11th. Okay. Um as long as we have a quorum, but and I also we've been good over the course of the year of adjusting if something comes up. So, we'll just keep that practice I think. Um, but there's here that I would need changed just acknowledging that like for May 12th I will move I could probably zoom in but yeah.

All right. Anything else on that? Are we going to put these in our calendar now? That would be that's why I wanted it on so that you all could decide if you have any changes and then I can put it on the calendar as well. Can you put it to both my calendars? Yeah, but I need that subject one. I don't have that one. Okay. um plan or two in your pocket. I don't I don't I run almost everything now is in one calendar, but All right.

Wait, I'm sorry. Is anyone opposed to meeting June 23rd? I know it says no meeting some meeting in June, July, and August. I just think with water and process and I mean we're trying to get some stuff done here between my preference would be keep the schedule and then call a special meeting if we need it. Okay.

All right. Because we we could meet one June, July or August and we have in past had to call a meeting for um something. Okay. All right. Read on town organizational goals third quarter status report. Yes, it's kind of small. I was hoping we were going to print them out sideways, but it decided to go this way, I believe. So, um, yep. For the third quarter, we can just run down our objectives. Uh, the community building project. We held our meeting with the chief and Chris Andrews on June 10th. Uh, board made these determinations. And then at this point, we've just been continuing to get appropriations approved to put into capital reserve fund. So, I don't know if there's anything else that the board was hoping or wants to do beyond where we're at.

We can think about Yeah. Not right now for me, but um the trails mapping the there's been some efforts uh here and there, but the the one thing that we need to do is come up with a unified understanding of the scope on exactly what people want or think they want or need. I know Sy's looked at say trail conditions and bridge conditions and maintenance things. Um, Smoke Club would love to have their trails in there in the in the GIS and I know there are some levels cuz you you met with Carrie and everybody correct, right?

A while back. So, I think it's just kind of getting an understanding and then to see what cost is attached and how it could be implemented. I think the main focus with that should start with how does this work serve the town and how it best serves the town initially in my opinion is that we map walking trails if they notify if it's a sliking trail and we map snowmobile trails.

So that is the the biggest way we can benefit the community right is by identifying those. Then from there we can go into more detailed analysis. But this initially was just so we know where the heck the trails are and the and then we dig down, right? We dig further. Can we get emergency vehicles there? Can we not? Is is a bridge out? Is you know those are details I feel like we can add in

after. Sandy Orange you drive. Um with the trails we're um I think all the trails I mean basically are mapped. I mean, the regional planning commission, Central New Hampshire Regional Planning Commission has done mapping in the past and they have a lot in GIS and I think they even may have the snowmobile stuff in GIS, but it's basically the line on the ground and I think the um addressing the hazard mitigation thing. So, what trails could vehicles travel on? Um I think also any of the you know uh picking up information about culverts or bridges. Um and then you know hopefully also being able to map kind of uh information about condition. But some of these things you can start with the maps that you have and then add it's like a database. You could add additional fields and just pick up the other stuff. And I know that um Craig Tufts has done, you know, a lot of work on this stuff with the regional planning commission. They actually have trail cameras or um trail counters to count people, which I think is also something that might be helpful. And

how do we then generate GPS maps? Because that was the the purpose I think that was the the overarching goal and then we kind of mushed that in with the hazard mitigation goal. We said, "Look, we have two goals here. We we wanted to find out we wanted GPS mapping of the snowmobile trips." Can I Can I jump in? Sorry, I'm not going to interrupt you, but we can There was an adoption.

There was an adoption, but like I have an answer for you. There there's an app called Sled Sled NH, right? So, it's specifically a snowmobile uh app, and I used it a bunch this winter. It has a ton of trails pinpointed to where you are on your you can look I can look at my phone and see exactly where I am on a trail. Corridors uh roots it it's there. It's all it's all there. Is that ago? It's uh or is that I we made it on our own. We we said it's an app. I don't know.

No, but I'm Right. Right. data that's accessible and useful in GIS or is it something that you proprietary but it exists problem we have is that some of these apps say hey this is so and so's you know honey bunny trail I guess when honey bunny trail isn't a real trail right um this is someone did it on their own and said hey guys you can go this way exactly actually renamed existing trails. They keep calling the Robertson Trail the Journey Trail, right? And so, well, and then they they have numbers. It's all numbered. So, like corridor 11, it's like, for example, a wide enough trail where you could drive a truck.

And I think a lot of that stuff has been done by the regional planning commission. They've been providing the GIS support for the town pretty much for a lot of the mapping for, you know, they do it for the region for the master plan. They've done I think they've done some things for the uh snowmobile club. Whatever. The issue is we need more we should have more than a line on on the on a piece of paper or even a line that you know could be imported to um you know an app or something. So what are the next most important things I think is what we need to ask ourselves. If we can generate trail maps, if someone calls up the town of Bow and says, "Hey, I need a snowmobile map." If we can click print and

or send someone a map, then solve problem number one. The snowmobile maps, there are some snowmobile maps online, but the thing is that it's like what scale because printing printing maps doesn't really work so well. uh you know and in fact we had somebody email us and complain that the uh Nodding Cook maps that are available online don't show topography and they didn't know how steep the trails some of the trails were. Um, but I think adding in additional information and I think we should talk with Craig Tus at the regional planning commission and figure out um kind of some options, but I think the type of trail, the width and um and such and confirming the trails and identifying also if they're road trails. I think that's also part of it. But we do need to sit down and set up a scope. But I think talk with Chris uh Craig Tus may be helpful.

So why don't we do that? Maybe that should be the next step then with with the trails is to talk with Craig. Um sounds like that problem solved itself. Yep. So that's called map skier. Who owns that app? And it's got all the Yeah. I just sent you the picture. I don't know if you heard of maps. Oh, Texas. No, I'll take a peek at that. A lot of those are pulled from publicly available data. And so it I mean it shows a lot of trails. The concern is if you go, let's say you go off trail, right? And you don't know you're off trail. You think it's trail, but you're off, you're on someone else's trail and you call 911 and Chief Ko is trying to find it. Actually shows you where you are. No, I'm just

like in the middle of the woods. I'm saying if Chief Como tries to find you, if somebody's lost, if someone is lost, uh, or if someone is hurt and they cannot identify your location because you think you're on a trail, but you're really not.

That's where this is born from. There are I I've been in some town forests um where they've actually given um a real ident like some unique identifier to certain intersections so that if you go through an intersection you could say well I passed intersection you know 30B or something like that. Um so that if you you know you can say I'm on X trail. Well X trail is like three miles long. Yeah. um you know that would be more specific. So that's something that we can also look into is um where that's used and is that something that would be useful to have an hour. The goal was to find people and know what equipment the police uh department and fire department can take to get to X person.

Right. So that's my goal. Sorry. Um so we have next steps to meet with I guess correct would be the next step. Yeah. Good. All right. Continue on the organizational goals.

All right. The mixed juice feasibility study. I know when uh Sluckman Kobe mentioned, geez, didn't we talk about this a year ago? Well, you're correct. It was 62325 that they announced the grant and then they don't they didn't obligate it till August 11th. And then bottom line is we finally have a notice to proceed uh dated 226. So now we will work with regional planning commission to develop the scope and the RFP and then get that published.

Um and we are required to have assistance that was part of our application was when we brought on uh regional planning commission. So we're getting there. The interconnect. So that one is that does that include this KBY property land here? Yeah, it's the whole um this the whole mixed use district um which is south street and whole being down to conquer. Yeah.

And so where does the status of that? So imagine we undertake to do this work in the grant. It's very likely that you know they clear cut the property. I think it's likely we're going to see planning appro planning applications soon. Does that change our goal? Does it interfere with their plans potentially? I think what it does is it could change our goal and the whole concept of the mixed use zone. you know that the envision we envisioned the Tuscan Village Jr. on that lot which was residential, retail. And so so somebody's told those property the property owner

but you know once that goes we may not have a choice and then we're down to they just say look it's not economically feasible. Yeah. To still hang on to this concept of the mixed use. Maybe there's a better way to go. Maybe to be clear, we had some we had a proposal on that property that maybe wasn't quite like um Tuskan Village Junior, but was closer to that and that developer pulled out uh after a lot of issues

a lot of issues that came to light and a lot of community feedback. So that is not the vision that the community will support. But we want commercial development to help uh provide property tax relief to residential taxpayers. Then if there needs to be a revision to the goal in order to spur commercial development to provide that taxpayer relief, then we need to enter that discussion at Yeah. I just I think it's important for seeing

for the community to kind of be heard and echo our desire for a true mixeduse development there. And we did have uh we did have a a proposal to put a partial mixeduse development there, but it if we're candid, it was a residential development with oh maybe someday later we'll build some commercial space. There was no commitment to build a true mixeduse uh timed development of that property and we've not seen that yet. And so I just don't want this goal to get lost by some, you know, instant application for uh for loose. I think we also to consider that just because we want something doesn't mean that we will get it too. And so if if we desire a true mixeduse development that looks like a Tuscan Village Junior, there has to be a developer willing to put that in. Otherwise, the private property owner in this particular instance has to hold on to their land to wait for, you know,

exit water. Well, no, and we just want to make sure that we're considering the property rights of that property owner, private property owner. I feel like we're in debate club, but to be clear, the property owner purchased the property understanding the town had adopted a mixeduse zone there. It already exists. they they bought into to that commitment, but I don't think that's about to grow. N um thank you, David.

All right. And then the uh Yippo hooks it the you heard a update that we're at the 60%. I have not seen the plan yet. Um but we are moving with that and the river road section. So they've divided into two components, the river road and the extension to hook it. uh water extension north that's on hold uh as part of the that study you know we're going to see if it makes sense bringing up water and I know the last task we gave them was to look at a storage tank or a pump booster pump but they've been concentrating now we we've kind of shuffled them back and forth but now they're concentrating on conquered and then hooks it

and um conquered water extension I would propose We should add that as an objective not on here at all. It's just water extension north. So would we want to add or change it to conquered interconnect as a goal given that the town voted to uh like the town just voted and the board just voted to have two select board members work on that. So should we add a number four under business development so that we retain the extension north as a just those are separate propert.

All right David let's have that updated.

Okay we'll do that and then the river road bridge project. We're moving right along with that plan is to put out the bid late fall and construction in 27. municipal building projects. We've we did talk about the parking lot. Um I think I can't remember if it's in this current budget that we were going to put up gutters and a few other things that we were going to do to try to to mitigate the problem that we have. But um there's still an issue and we need to somehow address the drainage particularly in a winter like this. I'm in workers comp now because of my my people have fallen. Of course, I'm old. Um, and then the hazard mitigation projects. I just I I don't know with Lee leaving if we're going to lose anything we had going with that or I don't know who

the chair necessarily is. We can we can pick it up. All right. Um, who was the Was there a chair? We didn't have one. I don't believe um I would propose we also add uh the rec center um building project to this list somewhere.

Actually I have an update for everyone on that. Um I met with Chris today um because I had made a commitment to the budget committee when they added um when the budget committee added back um the funding request for this. Uh Jeff Wright had said, "Well, he had some ideas where Chris might be able to save some money." Uh and so I met with Chris today and and talked generally about uh this project. He he thinks and there appears to be a couple of um biders, sub bidders who might be interested in delivering a project on budget consistent with um consistent with what was allowed at town meeting. So, under under $175,000 for a 30 by32 extension on the street side of the building. Yeah. Um, and because there appears to be interest in a actual contractor doing the actual project, um, I would like us to encourage him into or to to vote to support putting that out to bid one more time, uh, to see if we can in fact get u a contractor to to put a bid in to complete that project consistent with our updated plans for under the allotted amount. If that is a motion, I will second that motion.

It is. And I will also ask that we add it to the objectives so we don't lose track. Miss make number four. Yeah. Do you have a motion and a second? Any further discussion?

This is and just to be clear on what this motion is, this is uh to put forward another RFP. And what is what would the timeline on that be? uh because we're hoping to get it built for the spring. It would be if this was agreeable tonight, I would expect within the next week and RP would go out, there would be a 14-day window period. Um and then we would open bids and if some someone met our requirements and could do it for under $175,000, which is a absolute drop dead amount, can't do it if it's not that. Um that we would um seek to have it done this summer. And what is the uh what is the consequence if the bids that are received are potentially under the 175 hardline. Um but there's been an adjustment to the scope of the work that doesn't meet the needs of the department. Um, would we have the ability to move forward with an in-house plan or uh what might be necessary outside of the what we received for bids?

Uh, if if somebody off if the best bid was uh something less than the plan as outlined uh in RFP, it wouldn't be an acceptable bid and we wouldn't accept it. Uh and then I think the the the backup plan is for us to uh GC the project ourselves, right? GCing the project ourselves. Some of which we will do ourselves, right? The reason the reason I think this is the right solution is it was very likely we were going to end up with six or seven or eight different projects that triggered the individual RFP process. And so if we thought the electrician was going to be 15,000, we'd have to go through the RP process for that. And so this is a solution to get us around that.

I appreciate that. I just wanted to make sure that I fully understood and that we wouldn't be uh boxing ourselves in to a situation where the recck department wouldn't get what they needed or there would be uh delay to the point where, you know, it it wouldn't be helpful. Whether we get a uh an all-encompassing bid or not, uh it would still be incumbent on Chris to finish the work he's he is doing to see if we can cobble together enough subcontractors to do it under the cost. And so I don't think that work is stopped. Okay. Thank you. Thanks. We have a motion and a second. Any further questions? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. I.

Eyes have it. Five nothing. All right. Do we have does anyone have Sorry. Go ahead. I just have one other quick note. um under energy efficiency um complete solar field projects. Do we want to isolate out Allen Road from the closed landfill since the landfill is carrying forward but we don't have an update on Allen Road or is that I think that should be two two separate projects and it'll probably be on your next I would think the next set of goals right for the next fiscal year. So, if we can separate out those two projects for solar, that would be good. Sounds good. Thank you. I'm sorry to interrupt.

No worries. Any other requests for this? Has anyone had a committee meeting since the election? No. There's a very

building facilities met on uh building and facilities met last Tuesday. I was awfully sick and could not attend. Um, but I believe it was to start planning and preparing for the next year's worth of um work and projects and starting uh to prepare for the CIP process and all of that. So that's building facilities. The only thing I have to go and say because our budget did like they did haven't met since we last for a bit. I think this is the first year where all the comments related to town meeting. Um I I just want their budget hasn't met since uh the last meeting um since town meeting in the budget process or or my committee. Uh this is the first year that we ever had town meeting where all of the comments that I heard the next day were positive.

That was a long meeting. We got through a lot, but I think universally people appreciated how prepared we all were, how much work had gone into our budget, and I think the votes represent that. Um and I think it's a testament to that process for us. And so I'm just thankful that um in this kind of political environment that we can pass a budget like we did um with not unity but clear majorities. Sounds suspiciously like a bottom line. It does sound like a bottom line.

So we can continue on that. Um having said that though with that I I think like when I mentioned that people think that the budget committee kind of operates in a vacuum you know maybe we announce we announce when there are select bill meetings maybe should we announce when there are budget meetings non budget meetings as well just to we do that's part of there are public meetings and there are notices that go out and people subscribe we put them on the Facebook page I know it's it's required but do people see it like they see these meetings our website calendar for public meetings. I don't believe it goes on Facebook, but it does go on the public where the agenda

is on the website and then posted and people can people have to look for that. But I'm saying like if they are scrolling, you know, town pops up, right? and just make it easier on us because every, you know, we're all accused of operating in a vacuum and the budget committee not being

Well, we think it's a good idea to remind people that um our website and and the uh public meetings calendar is set up as such where people can easily subscribe to getting notices for any and all public meetings. Um it is delivered by your choice uh text and or email and those notices uh go out when an item is put into the calendar and I found them to be very helpful. Um I know a number of folks have is so this is a good reminder. Our website uh makes it very easy to subscribe to these public meetings notices.

All right. So bottom lines, Miss Colby,

um I live have a list of events uh that I would like to put on everyone's radar if that's okay. I will try to go in chronological order. Uh B men's club flags across bow is on now. So you can reserve a flag to have it put outside of your house uh for holidays. The 300th anniversary committee is having its first meeting on the 30th of March at 5:30 at the municipal building and we are still open for volunteers. The Rotary speech contest is 3:31 at 6:30 at the Bakerfree Library and Bo Garden Club is having their plant sale on 4:13 at Old Town Hall this year, not at the community building. I think that's an important change. Uh, and thank you to all the election volunteers and and all the volunteers for town and school meeting. And I am looking forward to another three years with all these friendly faces.

So, go again. Uh, first I would like to just point out that how nice it is without that fan noise. I don't know if this is our second meeting without it, but boy, I'm just Yeah, it's just unbelievable how great that is. But also, yeah, thank thank you for everyone uh election day and volunteering and town meeting and things wouldn't happen without without pe without people in the town. So, it's long days, Tuesday, Wednesday, school meeting, long days. So, thank you for everyone volunteering. So, Brendan, uh, first and foremost, congratulations to Select Woman Colby on your overwhelming victory.

It was, it was very overwhelming. So glad that you will be with us on this board for the next few years at minimum. Um, also like to say congratulations to uh, chair Kip McDaniel and new vice chair Ian Flanigan. Um, we got ourselves a little new club here for chair and vice chair. It's great. Um, hope everything goes smoothly this year and um, yeah, that's it.

All right. I'd like to thank Suckling Breton for her service as chair and vice chair. And I also congratulations to Elena. It is very nice to have a group of people who generally seem to get along uh working to, you know, do well for the town. So, all right. So, we are going to go into non-public uh session to discuss a personnel matter. Um, so we'll need a motion to do that and then we will come back out of um non-public and dismiss, but we're going to turn off the recording now because we need to clear the room of everyone except the select board.

Uh, I motion to go into a non-public session under RSA 91- A column 3 uh 2A. Second. I have a motion and a second. All those in favor say I. I oppose. Nay. All right.