By Muriel Bristol | January 5, 2019
The Milton Board of Selectmen (BOS) have posted their agenda for a BOS meeting to be held Monday, January 7.
The meeting is scheduled to begin with a Non-Public preliminary session at 4:30 PM. That agenda has six Non-Public items classed as 91-A:3 II (c), 91-A:3 II (a), 91-A:3 II (a), 91-A:3 II (d), 91-A:3 II (b), and 91-A:3 II (d).
91-A:3 II (a) The dismissal, promotion, or compensation of any public employee or the disciplining of such employee, or the investigation of any charges against him or her, unless the employee affected (1) has a right to a meeting and (2) requests that the meeting be open, in which case the request shall be granted.
As before, the language of this RSA encompasses dismissals, but that would run very much against trend in the Milton Town government. Likely, this has to do with a promotion, or raise, or both.
91-A:3 II (b) The hiring of any person as a public employee.
Probably having to do with the truck driver posting.
91-A:3 II (c). Matters which, if discussed in public, would likely affect adversely the reputation of any person, other than a member of the public body itself, unless such person requests an open meeting. This exemption shall extend to any application for assistance or tax abatement or waiver of a fee, fine, or other levy, if based on inability to pay or poverty of the applicant.
These (c) items are perennial favorites. There is only one of them this time.
91-A:3 II (d) Consideration of the acquisition, sale, or lease of real or personal property which, if discussed in public, would likely benefit a party or parties whose interests are adverse to those of the general community.
Again, one would certainly hope that nothing additional is being acquired or leased. The Town owns quite a few properties, which have been abandoned or seized by the Town. The Town has RFPs for demolitions out for bid. There is also the proposed $1 sale of historic District No. 1 Schoolhouse.
The BOS intend to adjourn their Non-Public BOS session at approximately (*) 6:00 PM, when they intend to return to Public session.
The Public portion of the agenda has New Business, Old Business, a smörgåsbord of Outstanding Items, and some housekeeping items.
Under New Business are scheduled three agenda items: 1) Discussion on [SIC] the Demolition of Town Owned Properties (Stan Nadeau), 2) Adjust BOS Meeting Dates Due to Town Observed Holidays (Heather Thibodeau), 3) Request BOS Approval to Pay CAI Technologies from the GIS CRF (Dana Crossley).
ZBA Vice-chairman Stan Nadeau wants to speak to the Town’s planned demolition of its condemned properties. This has become a much-discussed issue lately, with some favoring demolition (paid by the Town) and sale, while others would prefer sale and demolition (paid by the new owner). Or some mix of the two approaches. And now we will hear from the ZBA Vice-chairman.
It being much too early to concern ourselves with St. Swithin’s Day, or even Employee Appreciation Day, one assumes that the holidays to be worked around are Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday, January 21, 2019) and President’s Day (Monday, February 18, 2019).
Paying CAI Technologies from the GIS Capital Reserve Fund is likely paying for this year’s subscription for the GIS online mapping system. When the BOS approved the GIS online-mapping system, they also set up for perpetual subscription fees.
Under Old Business are scheduled five items: 4) Sign LCHIP Agreement (Betsy Baker), 5) Vote on Warrant Articles (Heather Thibodeau), 6) Town Beach Associated Fees (Andy Lucier), 7) Status of Recreation Commission (Andy Lucier), and 8) 2015 International Property Maintenance Code (Andy Lucier).
Sign LCHIP Agreement. The title leaves little doubt that the BOS will sign the Milton Free Public Library’s (MFPL) Land & Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) grant. LCHIP is “an independent state authority.” Its taxpayer money comes from county registry of deeds fees and Moose license plates. (TANSTAAFL).
Voting on Warrant Articles. Ordinarily, one might expect everyone to get out their inkpads and rubber stamps, but Selectman Lucier had formerly some concerns about the traditional pro forma addendum to warrant articles.
The Town Beach Associated Fees, as well as the Status of Recreation Commission, reach back to the beginnings of this administration. Several meetings have devoted time to seeking an exact breakdown of fees: admission fees, boat ramp, etc. Early meetings questioned too whether the Recreation Commission, which reportedly had gaps both on its board and in its minutes, was even still a valid commission.
2015 International Property Maintenance Code. Selectman Lucier wants to install this Trojan Horse in Milton’s ordinances. He claims its use will never go beyond his personal hobby horse of “cleaning up in this town.”
One need not look very far to find it being misused to require: display of visible addresses on all property, establishment of appropriate size of bedrooms and occupancy requirements in dwelling units, setting water temperature requirements for hot water in dwelling units, insect screen requirements, length of grass, exterior paint standards, etc., etc. Cities implementing this have also “Neighborhood Assessment Teams” to assess violations.
There is also the boxed item list at the margins entitled Outstanding Items, as held over from prior BOS sessions. It features much from Selectman Lucier’s Bucket List. They include this time: Town-Owned Property (see Non-Public Session above), Recreation Revenue and Office Discussion (see Town Beach Associated Fees above), Website Update, Property Maintenance Code (see 2015 International Property Maintenance Code above), Town Report, Atlantic Broadband Contract, NH Listens, and Junkyard. In no particular order.
Finally, there will be the approval of prior minutes (from the BOS Workshop Meeting of December 17, BOS Meeting of December 17, Joint BOS-BC Meeting of December 18, and the BOS Meeting of December 26), the expenditure report, Public Comments “Pertaining to Topics Discussed,” Town Administrator comments, and BOS comments.
Ms. McDougall has called a fifth meeting of her Milton Advocates group. It will take place again in the Nute Library’s Community Room, on Saturday, January 19), at 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM. All town residents are invited. Bring your best manners. (Not her words).
Mr. S.D. Plissken contributed to this article.
References:
International Code Council. (2015). 2015 International Property Maintenance Code. Retrieved from codes.iccsafe.org/content/IPMC2015
LCHIP. (2018). Land & Community Heritage Investment Program. Retrieved from lchip.org/
State of New Hampshire. (2016, June 21). RSA Chapter 91-A. Access to Governmental Records and Meetings. Retrieved from www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/VI/91-A/91-A-3.htm
Town of Milton. (2018, January 4). BOS Meeting Agenda, January 7, 2019. Retrieved from www.miltonnh-us.com/uploads/bos_agendas_866_1532474265.pdf
Town of Milton. (2019). 2019 Town-Observed Holidays. Retrieved from miltonnh-us.com/uploads/page_right_491_2175221961.pdf
Youtube. (1965). Cone of Silence. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1eUIK9CihA&feature=youtu.be&t=19
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