LITTLETON BOARD OF SELECTMEN
WORK SESSION MINUTES
AUGUST 30, 2006

Present: Selectman Burt Ingerson, Selectman Ed Farrell, Interim Town Manager Tony Mincu. Executive Assistant Cheryl Sargent

Excused: Chairman George Hicks

NON PUBLIC SESSION

Selectman Ingerson moved to go into non-public session per RSA 91A;3 to discuss personnel issues. The motion was seconded by Selectman Farrell. A roll vote was taken and each member agreed to go into non-public. The Board entered non-public session at 2:00 pm.

At 2:50 pm Selectman Ingerson moved to come out of non-public session. The Board was polled each agreeing to leave non-public.

WORK SESSION

The Selectmen opened their work session at 2:55 pm.

Art Tighe gave the Selectmen a break down of expenses on the TCSP project. On handouts provided to those in attendance Art listed items by categories with the amount expended to date per each item. He added that the Main Street Reconstruction Committee has now had two meetings and they are trying to make sense of the figures and get some idea of where the town is and the status of the project. He stated the Committee is trying to figure out who is in and who is out of the picture now and who the contact person for the Town will be. The committee is trying to determine how much money is left and what it can be used for.

The Selectmen told Art that it is their understanding that Cathy Conway’s and Don Jutton’s participation in the project has now ended and the contact person will be from VHB.

Art stated that if Don Jutton is now out of the picture, who will be looking for available funds as this is what he was to have been doing. There will also need to be someone available to oversee the meetings.

In the current phase of the project (engineering), everything is being done by DOT and VHB.

Ed Farrell stated that one consideration may be to offer a Warrant Article at Town Meeting to provide a grant writer for this project.

Art noted that Warrant Article #31 which established the Main Street Reconstruction Oversight Committee stated that a report would be due by June 21st. The Committee never met before that date and have now just had two meetings. The Committee wants to make sure that deadlines are met.

Karen Noyes gave the Selectmen another briefing on the status of the overall budget. She noted she has met with several Department Heads to go over their budgets line by line. Some areas have been identified which can be cut back. She estimated that the Town will need to ask DRA to overspend by about $129,000. She added this figure does not include the Health Insurance. This figure also does not include any layoffs worked into the numbers. Street lighting has increased significantly. The Welfare budget will need approximately another $10,000 to make it through to the end of the year. The Highway Department will use waste oil for heat when possible. The Fire Department is making an effort to go over their budget. Cutting the mileage rate from 44 cents to 24 cents will not cause a huge savings but every little bit will help and shows DRA that we are making every effort to save.

There will be another Department Head meeting in two weeks and Karen will continue to work with the Department Heads on their budgets.

Police Chief Cam Brown noted that he had spoken to the Justice Department regarding drug forfeiture funds and had been told that these funds can be used to pay first year salary for new employees. He is awaiting this information in written form and will forward it on the Selectmen’s office when he received it. Cam estimated there is approximately $21,000 to $23,000 left in this fund.

Tony noted that a highway department dump truck has been put out for bid. The police cruiser, which was bid on but not picked up, will be going to the high school shop for work and then will become a vehicle which can be used by town employees for out of town training and meetings.

In other business, the Board of Selectmen signed a letter to the Attorney General’s office stating that if that office feels an investigation is merited based on the allegations from Growth with Common Sense, the town will cooperate fully

The Work Session closed at 4:25 pm.

Respectfully submitted ____________________
Cheryl Sargent Chairman George O. Hicks
Executive Assistant _____________________
Selectman Burt E. Ingerson
_____________________
Selectman Edward Farrell