By Muriel Bristol | July 3, 2020
The Milton Board of Selectmen (BOS) have posted their agenda for a BOS meeting to be held Monday, July 6.
The BOS meeting is scheduled to begin with a Non-Public session beginning at 6:00 PM. That agenda has one Non-Public item classed as 91-A3 II (a).
(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.
This likely has to do with compensation, rather than the other possibilities. (The Town government has posted four positions).
Due to their concerns regarding Covid-19, there will be no public in attendance and, therefore, no public comment. The session may be watched remotely through the usual YouTube means or by teleconference. The links for both are in their original agenda, for which there is a link in the References below.
The quasi-Public portion of the agenda has New Business, Old Business, Other Business, and some housekeeping items.
Under New Business are scheduled four agenda items: 1) Update Regarding Covid-19 (Novel Coronavirus) Operational Activities / Plans, 2) Ira Miller’s General Store – Tax Abatement Agreement in lieu of RSA 79-E application, 3) Jones Brook Discussion, 4) Vote to Authorize Tax Exempt Drawdown Basis Tax Anticipation Note for Fiscal Year 2020.
Update Regarding Covid-19 (Novel Coronavirus) Operational Activities/Plans. One supposes, by the very terms of the meeting announcement, that the Covid-19 is still among us. We will evidently hear an update on those things with which the BOS has been active.
There will be a fifth ReopenNH rally at the State House in Concord, NH, July 4, from noon until 2 PM. This one will include a prayer, a reading of the Declaration of Independence, children’s activities, and a parade.
Ira Miller’s General Store – Tax Abatement Agreement in lieu of RSA 79-E application. Under the Community Revitalization Tax Relief Incentive (RSA 79-E), a redevelopment project resulting in a substantial rehabilitation (at least $75,000 or 15% of the total existing assessed value), any new taxable value directly generated by the renovation can be freed from the levying of property taxes for five years (for a substantial renovation), with an additional four years possible for a property listed or eligible to list on the National Register of Historic places.
Jones Brook Discussion. A bit cryptic. Either the watershed, conservation area, or partnership of that name is to be discussed.
Vote to Authorize Tax Exempt Drawdown Basis Tax Anticipation Note for Fiscal Year 2020. In which Milton’s Town government plumbs the depths: borrowing in order to spend. Taxpayers will henceforth pay not only their taxes, but interest on those taxes. Do you want to pay more in taxes than need be in order to pay interest on borrowed money? I know I don’t.
Aah, but is bond interest in the default budget? Probably not.
Tax Anticipation Note (TAN): “A municipal bond, usually with a maturity of less than one year, issued on the assumption that the debt will be paid back on future tax revenue. Municipalities issue tax anticipation notes to provide cash for immediate or time sensitive needs.”
Tax Exempt: “Federal tax laws require an analysis of a governmental unit’s cash flow needs if the borrowing is to be done on a tax-exempt basis. The need is demonstrated by preparing month-by-month cash flow estimates for the funds for which the borrowing will be made. … The statutes under which notes and warrants are authorized are likely to include a formula or dollar amount limiting the amount of notes or warrants that may be lawfully issued. They are typically payable solely from the taxes or revenues being anticipated.”
Major Hogan: What do you do when you’re short of cash? Lt. Sharpe: Do without, sir. Hogan: You borrow, Richard, from a bank.
Under Old Business are scheduled three items: 5) Request for a One-year Extension for Completion of Project on Tax Deed Auction Property Located at 1121 White Mountain Highway (Issuance of Certificate of Occupancy), 6) Status of following tax deeded structures: 20 Dawson, 79 Charles and 565 White Mountain Highway, and 7) Possible Conservation Commission Appointment.
Request for a One-year Extension for Completion of Project on Tax Deed Auction Property Located at 1121 White Mountain Highway (Issuance of Certificate of Occupancy). The owner of the so-called Blue House, which sold at auction last year, with covenants for repair within the year, has requested an extension.
Status of following tax deeded structures: 20 Dawson, 79 Charles and 565 White Mountain Highway. Properties not disposed of when the prior one sold at auction.
Possible Conservation Commission Appointment. Another “selection” (see next agenda item).
Under Other Business That May Come Before the Board is scheduled one item: 8) Open submissions for Select Board Vacancies and Announcement of Applicant Names.
Open submissions for Select Board Vacancies and Announcement of Applicant Names. Herein lies a tale, no doubt, likely one we will not hear. It would seem that one or more of the selectmen (“vacancies” being the plural form) is to be replaced, per statute, by a special “selection” rather than a special election. Those doing the selecting were themselves elected by a plurality of a minority of the electorate, but they did at least face an election.
The only statute alternative is to have a judge make the “selection” rather than the remaining selectmen. Hmm.
There will be the approval of prior minutes (from the quasi-Public session of June 15, 2020, the quasi-Public session of June 30, 2020, the non-Public session of June 30, 2020, an expenditure report, administrator comments, and BOS comments.
The administrator comments will address the first meeting report of the Local Government Efficiency Task Force™; the receipt of the GOFERR grant reimbursement; and “other.”
The Milton recipients of $288,319.13 in grants from the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery (GOFERR) were Eastern Boats, Inc. ($190,067.26), Shortridge Academy, LLC ($78,393.22), Aerial NDT Inspection Inc. ($11,150.72), Milton Associates, LLC ($4,534.26), and Mary V`S Unique Creations ($4,173.67).
Mr. S.D. Plissken contributed to this article.
References:
GOFERR. (2020). Main Street Relief Fund. Retrieved from www.goferr.nh.gov/
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. (2020, July 3). BOS Meeting Agenda, July 6, 2020. Retrieved from www.miltonnh-us.com/sites/g/files/vyhlif916/f/agendas/07-06-2020_bosagenda_final_0.pdf
Town of Milton. (2020, June 22). Milton Select-Board Vacancy Needs to Be Filled. Retrieved from www.miltonnh-us.com/sites/g/files/vyhlif916/f/news/milton_select_board_vacancy_needs_to_be_filled_003.pdf
Youtube. (1965). Cone of Silence. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1eUIK9CihA&feature=youtu.be&t=19
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