Board of Selectmen Meeting, February 27, 2023
Environmental contamination issues. E911 dispute. New Town Administrator. Unexpected repairs. Inappropriate campaigning.
Road Salt Damage and Potential Legal Liability
A resident complained that the town was not upholding its agreement to minimize road salt usage on Kelsey Road. He presented documentation about how the salt contamination of his well had now reached 202 milligrams per liter versus the 30 it should be, and was approaching a dangerous level for human consumption, at which point he would have grounds to sue the town. Despite the town’s designation of the area as a low-salt area, the resident said he had counted 27 applications of salt so far this year - before, during, and after snow storms. The high salt levels have already killed trees in his yard. As a 45-year Nottingham resident, he noted that for decades the town only sanded his road and that it was only in the past few years has the town been aggressively salting.
Town’s Use of Environmentally Harmful Rodenticides
Dallas Huggins and Kristen Lamb of the town’s Conservation Commission proposed that the town stop its use of an environmentally harmful rodenticide for which the town is paying a contractor $6.2k/yr to apply to town buildings. Rodents killed by the rodenticide ends up being eaten by scavengers, often killing them, too. It is so harmful that it is not available to consumers. They presented alternatives. The board agreed to get estimates for the alternatives.
3M Subpoena
The state has sued 3M Corporation regarding PFAS contamination of water. 3M has subsequently subpoenaed every town in the state for documents related to PFAS usage. Complying with the subpoena will be expensive ($thousands). The town will not be reimbursed by the state. The board will request that our state representatives try to do something about this.
Unexpected Repair Costs
Interim Town Administrator John Scruton presented a list of unexpected repairs needed, some associated with recent severe weather. As there are so many unexpected expenses and budgets are so tight there was a lengthy and mostly unresolved discussion about which fund balances would be accessed to pay for these unplanned expenditures.
Winterizing the water line to town hall that froze up. $2k
Replacing the town hall’s well pump. $TBD
Replacing the fire station’s hot water heater. $6k
Replacing the fire station’s water softener and sediment trap. $TBD
Damage caused by fallen trees, removal costs. $8.9k
Lamprey Drive E911
Residents of Lampry Drive petitioned the board to formally approve the E911 plan for Lamprey.
At the September 12 Board of Selectmen meeting the board assured petitioners on Lamprey Drive that if they were to build the 150 ft long section of road that was on the maps for the town’s 1962 approval of the subdivision but which was never constructed, then the corrected configuration of Lamprey Drive would meet E911 standards. No resident would need to change their address.
The abutting residents paid for the construction of the road, which was built to the standards required for new subdivisions, and with input from Shawn McLean, the Public Works Director, who modified the original plan to reduce the angle of a curve.
Donna Danis objected to the plan, saying that the petitioners didn’t have the requested survey done. The petitioners said it was done long ago and emailed to the board. Danis objected that there was no engineering plan done. The petitioners detailed how their road construction contractor built the road to the town standards regarding width, curve angles, drainage, drainage pits, and gravel surface. They had also asked the Public Works Director to examine the work, which has not happened.
Danis objected that the road has not been inspected by an engineer. A debate ensued about who should pay for such an inspection. John Morin said he had inspected the road and it looked better than nearly any road in town.
Moreover, the petitioners’ pointed out that they were petitioning for E911 purposes, nothing else. John Morin pointed out that the town had not imposed on Mooers Road the kinds of requirements Danis was calling for.
Eventually, the board voted to accept the petitioners’ request, with Donna Danis dissenting. It was agreed that the Public Works Director should inspect the road and give the board an opinion about whether it should be inspected by an engineer.
The private/public status of the road segment remains an outstanding issue for which the board will be getting a legal opinion.
New Town Administrator
Ellen White, currently Town Administrator in Freedom, NH, will become Nottingham’s Town Administrator on March 20.
Inappropriate Campaigning
At the end of the meeting, Roger Romeo Richard, candidate for Selectman, addressed the board asking for their votes. Board Chairman Donna Danis admonished him that it was inappropriate to campaign at a board meeting.
Watch the video: