Thetford Selectboard Meeting Minutes - FINAL
June 13, 2011
Selectboard Draft Agenda
7:00-7:15 Public Comment
7:15-7:30 Minutes and Warrants
7:30-7:50 Thetford TRORC Representative Issues Review
7:50-8:00 Zoning Working Group Next Steps
8:00-8:25 Highway Update
8:25-8:45 Salary Administration Next Steps
8:45-9:05 Old Business, including
- DRB Appeal Update
- Training for Website Updating Scheduled
9:05-9:15 Other Business
9:15
Adjourn
Tig Tillinghast called the meeting to order at 7:05 PM.
Present: John Bacon (arrived 7:08 PM), Donn Downey (arrived 7:08 PM), Casey Huling, Mike Pomeroy, Tig
Tillinghast, Denise Froehlich (Selectboard Assistant)
Guests: Gus Jaccaci, Charlie Buttrey, Rick Lennox, Sam Van Dam (Transportation Advisory Committee
representative), Matt Fisken, Tara Bamford (TRORC representative), Jay C. Whitecloud, Doug Stone (Road
Foreman)
Public Comment (7:05 PM)
Charlie Buttrey spoke on behalf the Fireworks Committee of the Historical Society. They are planning a
fireworks display for the 250th anniversary celebration on 8/12. The cost is approximately $5000 and he asked
if the Board would consider contributing funds towards the cost. The Fireworks Committee is also soliciting
contributions from other donors. The Board will consider this request.
Charlie Buttrey left the meeting at 7:08 PM. Jay Whitecloud arrived at 7:10 PM.
Gus Jaccaci suggested that the Board hold a social hour once a month before the Board meets to help build
community and foster communication. He also proposed that the Town Meeting scheduled for 9/16 be a formal
Town meeting rather than a mock meeting. Any articles for this meeting would need to be warned 60 days in
advance and the meeting would have to conform to legal requirements. Gus also felt that the Trails meeting
was fantastic and offered that the trails group to which he belongs would be eager to begin work on trails.
Rick Lennox had questions about the trails at the Union Village dam and was referred to the Park Ranger.
Matt Fisken and Tara Bamford arrived at 7:20 PM.
Gus Jaccaci and Sam Van Dam asked about the state park and spoke in support of the town acquiring the park if
it becomes available. The state is considering shedding properties but a decision about which properties to sell
has not been made. The Board will consider whether it should make a proposal for acquiring the state park and
Tig Tillinghast will contact Deb Markowitz, Secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources, to get more
information.
Jay Whitecloud is interested in being considered for the open Tree Warden position. The Selectboard will also
need to advertise the opening.
Thetford TRORC Representative Issues Review (7:30 PM)
The roles of Tara Bamford and Sam Van Dam were clarified. Tara represents the Board on TRORC for general
regional planning issues. Sam represents the Board on the Transportation Advisory Committee, which advises
TRORC specifically on regional transportation issues.
Sam Van Dam discussed several issues with the Board. The town of Strafford would like Rt. 132 to become a
state road. There is evidence that the road functions as a major collector. He is also interested the possible
improvements to Rt. 113 and will research what the impediments to improving it have been. There was also
discussion of the importance of considering how physical planning issues, such as the trails project, the lighting
issue, and improvements to Rt.113, may be connected. It was noted that these particular projects have different
funding sources that must be kept separate. Mike Pomeroy is involved with all three projects.
Tara Bamford discussed the role of TRORC in working on regional planning issues, providing technical support
for grants and acting as a liaison to the state. It was questioned whether TRORC was the best planning
commission for Thetford. There is a statutory requirement to belong to a regional planning commission and,
for the present time, there is not another viable alternative. There were concerns about TRORC’s work on the
Town Plan in the past. Tara noted that TRORC is bound by state mandates regarding town plans. The Board
also discussed the flood control dam in Union Village. This was built to control flooding in Massachusetts and
Connecticut. These states were originally supposed to make payments to the town to help offset the property
taxes that were lost when the land was condemned for the project. These payments have not been made for
years and there was discussion about having TRORC look into this.
Tara will email the Selectboard after TRORC meetings to keep them informed and will also come to
Selectboard meetings at any time if issues arise.
Tara Bamford and Gus Jaccaci left the meeting at 7:56 PM.
Zoning Working Group Next Steps (7:56 PM)
Rick Howard and Liora Alschuler will be the Planning Commission’s representatives for the Working Group on
the Zoning Bylaws. Mike Pomeroy and Tig Tillinghast represent the Selectboard. The group will meet to
finalize a draft of the bylaws, taking into account the input from the first public hearing. This document will
then be brought back to the Selectboard before the second public hearing.
Doug Stone arrived at 8:08 PM.
Highway Update (8:08 PM)
Doug Stone noted that 2 roads remain that are not completely graded. Storm cleanup is ongoing. Equipment is
working well. The ship date for the new grader is 6/14. The Road Crew is functioning well, despite being short
staffed.
There was discussion of whether the Selectboard should develop a Road Policy for issues that may need to be
systematically addressed, and whether there should be a document that clarifies expectations for roads.
Particular issues included plowing, grading, widening of roads and tree cutting. There was also discussion
about obtaining road segment data to inform decision-making.
The timing of the replacement of defaced signs was raised. Doug noted that the federal government has issued
new rules about road signs that will be implemented.
MOTION: Tillinghast/Bacon moved/seconded to go into Executive Session to discuss a personnel issue at 8:30
PM. The motion passed unanimously. Rick Lennox and Matt Fisken left the meeting.
The Board came out of Executive Session at 8:45 PM. The Board agreed to follow the advice of the Town’s
attorney.
Rick Lennox and Matt Fisken returned to the meeting at 8:45 PM.
The Board discussed the need for a policy regarding long-term disability and the timing of terminating an
employee who is unable to return to work. There are statutory requirements and issues of medical and disability
coverage that need to be considered. Denise Froehlich will research the statutory requirements and the policies
that are in place in other towns.
Salary Administration Next Steps (8:54 PM)
The Board reviewed the available data on the scoring of job positions by both the Board and department heads.
Additional scores will be collected and Denise Froehlich will collate them. Tig Tillinghast will meet with the
department heads to review the data and will return to the Selectboard next week with final recommendations to
the Board for scoring. The Board will then tabulate wages and calculate the budgetary impact.
Doug Stone left the meeting at 9:15 PM.
Old Business (9:15 PM)
DRB Appeal Representation Acknowledgement - The DRB appeal is entering mediation. The outcome of
mediation is expected in approximately 6 weeks.
Training for Website Updating Scheduled - Training for the new website will take place on Wednesday 6/15
at 9 AM.
Trails Meeting - The meeting last week was well received and the Board obtained good input from those in
attendance. There is a need to obtain more public input.
East Thetford Property - The Board had previously authorized the offer on the piece of property in East
Thetford, which was contingent on multiple issues.
Property Concern - There has been a complaint about a safety issue on private property. Mike Pomeroy has
been unable to contact the property owner.
Treasure Island Contract – Casey Huling will present final numbers for the salary and lease to the Board next
week.
Other Business (9:25 PM)
Lights – Donn Downey received a call about streetlights out on Rt. 113. He will check the lights. Matt Fisken
raised an issue about a streetlight in Union Village on the Norwich side which is blocked by a tree. He also
noted the need for coordination between Norwich and Thetford on lighting in Union Village. Tig Tillinghast
will get in touch with the Norwich Town Manager regarding this.
Matt Fisken left the meeting at 9:29 PM.
Alarm for Covered Bridge in Union Village – Maintaining the alarm for the covered bridge in Union Village
is a significant expense. There have also been multiple false alarms. The Board would like to discontinue the
alarm. Denise Froehlich will explore this.
Warrants (9:30 PM)
The Board reviewed the warrants.
MOTION: Pomeroy/Bacon moved /seconded to approve the following warrants:
19.1 $ 316,598.90
19.2 $ 7,059.71
19.3 $ 1,111.73
Motion passed unanimously.
Casey Huling left the meeting at 9:32 PM to respond to an emergency call.
Recycling Center - The location of the recycling center was discussed. If an opportunity arose to relocate the
recycling center, the Board would be interested in exploring it. John Bacon will investigate possibilities.
Minutes (9:42 PM)
MOTION: Pomeroy/Bacon moved/seconded to approve the minutes of 6/6/11 as revised. Motion passed
unanimously.
MOTION: Pomeroy/Bacon moved/seconded to adjourn at 9:45 PM. Motion passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Denise Froehlich