Notes from Last Night's Select Board

Dorothy Heinrichs gave us these notes. They're not the official Board-approved minutes, or minutes of any kind--just notes. Feel free to comment if you have anything to add.

Select Board met early to have Road Agent Scott Sanborn lead a tour of ongoing FEMA work. The group visited sites on Burnt Hill and Tuttle Hill. It is important to note that ultimately it is FEMA that will determine when work is completed as required. The big washout on Burnt Hill requires a special state permit; the Orange Conservation Commission is reviewing the permit application.

Back at the Town House for the regular meeting, the Board got a report from the Hardy Hill Snowmobile Club on the work they agreed to go on the New Colony Rd extension up past the beaver pond. The storm damage from Irene was extensive, and the club expects to take several years to complete the work. Nonetheless, they hope to have the trail passable by the time the snow flies.

The Board decided it needed time to review Town Attorney Bernie Waugh's email on the proposed contract with Casella for trash collection and will discuss the contract at a future meeting.
The Conservation Commission will hold a clean-up day at the mica mine on Saturday, October 6. Bring work gloves and meet at the Town House at 10 a.m. 

The Commission hopes to host renowned black bear expert Ben Killian speak on living with bears as our neighbors. Tentatively scheduled for mid-November.

Three Women

Sandi Pierson sent us this photo of Orange's all-women Select Board, the only one in the town's history. Now that Bob Ells has joined the Board (replacing Linda Giner), it's two to one. (Click on the thumbnail for the full size image.)

We welcome pictures, which go on this post as well as the photo albums.

FEMA Meeting

The Select Board will meet at 6 PM with the road agent on Tuesday, August 14, to do an on-site review of FEMA work locations. They expect to be back at the Town House at 7 PM to commence the regular Board meeting.

Notes from the July 24 Select Board Meeting

Dorothy Heinrichs wrote these up for us.  There's been some confusion over what constitutes minutes and what doesn't. This site posts the official minutes after the Board Secretary writes them up and the members vote to approve them. Any reporting done here, or by Pat White in the emails she sends out, doesn't constitute the official minutes. 

Feel free to comment below or on the discussion board.

It was a fairly brief meeting.  Dorothy Heinrichs chaired. Bob Ells commented that all board meetings used to open with the winding of the clock. Dorothy promised to bring a AA battery to the next meeting since the clock in the meeting room has stopped.

The board received Catherine Ells’ auditor’s report (2011MS-60).  Each board member will review prior to the next meeting when the board will vote whether to accept the report.

The Board received and approved a building permit from Gloria and Brent Stevens; they reviewed an invoice from Cross Country which was inaccurate. The Board decided to request a new invoice rather than pay a portion of the incorrect one. 

The NHDOT sent an updated estimate of Block Grant Aid payments to Orange for highway work. The amount is several hundred dollars more than the amount in the budget approved at Town Meeting.

Pat White hopes to have information from the State soon on the implementation of the new voter ID rules.  Apparently, the state plans to offer vouchers so that those without an official state issued photo ID can get a free ID. With the September primary coming up soon, we hope to have information no later than the next Board meeting on August 14.

At the previous meeting, Anita Watson had asked about junk in people’s yards and what the town could do about it. Bob Ells will review the booklet "Junk and Junkyard Regulations" before passing that on to the Planning Board for discussion.

Also at the earlier meeting a question was raised about liability issues for those who wish to use the Town House for other than official town business. There is an option through the Local Government Center for people to purchase one-day liability insurance. The cost ranges from $90 to $400. Given that requiring insurance for people to use the building would be a change from past practice, Dorothy asked for volunteers to explore the issue. Judith Lindhal agreed to chair the ad hoc committee; Pat White and Pat Mercer also agreed to serve. Among the issues to resolve will be what constitutes an "official" town function. They will also find out whether someone other than a town employee can drive the town truck.

Finally, vouchers were signed. Dorothy said that in the future all hours due to the Welfare Agent will be paid separate from any other reimbursements. In addition, the Board will reimburse Pat Mercer only for those expenses for which she submits receipts. The amount the Board approved at the meeting was for expenses claimed by Pat Mercer in March. Though the Selectboard has requested proof of purchase since March, the receipts have never been provided.

Finally, Dorothy reported on a conversation she had with attorney Paul Sanderson of the Local Government Center regarding the voided voucher for Pat Mercer. It was his opinion that the Selectboard acted entirely properly and within the law. 

When the voucher which had been voted on and signed by the Board to reimburse the Welfare Agent for food, fuel and gas was discovered to be for the wrong amount, the Board Secretary voided the voucher. That was, according to the Local Government Center, the proper procedure. Paul Sanderson said it was also correct for the Town Treasurer to refuse to issue a check for a voided voucher. Sanderson said it was in line with 91-A (the Right to Know Law) for the Board to wait until an open public meeting to approve a voucher for the correct amount.

Vouchergate, Part Two

Sandi Pierson is back from a five-day backpacking trip and wrote up a report on the welfare officer issue. We'll summarize it here and put the full text on the discussion board. You may have read the draft already; she sent it out as a reply to the chain of emails sent to many town residents.

According to Sandi:

• During the Select Board meeting, the Board voted to reimburse Pat Mercer for food expenses but not for credit card interest. 
• Two of Pat's vouchers for a shopping trip stated an expense of $244 for "food."
• The voucher Sandi was getting ready also listed "food" as the expense but requested $320. This larger amount apparently included credit card interest as well as other items.
• Sandi apparently emailed the Board, and one of the members told her the voucher would have to be rewritten at the next meeting.
• Sandi immediately emailed Pat about the inaccuracy in the vouchers and expressed regret about the delay.

Again, you can read Pat's full email on the discussion board. Feel free to comment below or, if you're a member of this site, add your own two cents to the board.