Town of Stoddard, NH

Minutes of Selectmen’s Meeting

November 30, 2009

Board members present: John Halter, chair, and Sandra Holland. Absent: Arnie Stymest.

Those who appeared before the Selectmen:

·         Carol Clark – Asked the board to use the Town Hall on Saturday, Dec. 19, from 9 a.m.-  1 p.m. for a Walk-a-thon to benefit Cystic Fibrosis. The walk will leave the town hall, go up King’s Highway, and loop around the Hidden Lake Development, and back to the town hall. John Halter asked her to call David Vaillancourt and request the cruiser be parked at the junction of Route 123 and Kings Highway with the lights flashing. Selectmen asked her to complete an application and John Halter recommended the fee to rent the town hall be waived. Sandra Holland agreed. Carol will also have people at each end of the walk, also put out signs, etc. Marylou Stymest said Arnie Stymest is aware of the event and supports the use of the town hall and event as well.

·         Lorraine Joslyn – Asked if her permit to build a shed could be changed to a three-sided shed and be added to their garage as a lean-to. Selectmen reviewed the permit approved last April. The size would change to 48’x16’. John Halter asked Harry Power, compliance officer, to review the map for setbacks. Harry Power asked her to write the footage of the property lines on the map she previously provided. She said she would measure it and give the figures to the Selectmen at Tuesday night’s planning board meeting. Harry said she needs to initial and date the revision. John Halter and Sandy Holland approved it with the requested changes to the map.

The Selectmen then reviewed and discussed the following information:

·         Signature folder: Reviewed the minutes of their Nov. 23, 2009 meeting. John was absent for that meeting. After review, John Halter and Sandra Holland approved the minutes.

·         Computer Problems: John Halter announced their computer is having some major technical issues and being worked on at the moment. There is no manifest tonight and no checks to sign.

·         Administrative Assistant resignation: Both Selectmen discussed the long term vs. short term needs of the Selectmen’s Office without an administrative assistant. Sandra Holland said she researched information with NH Municipal. They could provide a professional for two days a week. The cost is expensive, but they would get the job done. She suggested crafting an ad with a job description and posting it to the town’s website.

John Halter agreed and said this is an opportunity to rewrite the job description. He said the office has a long-term and short-term need. For the short-term, they need someone immediately, but not to make a long-term commitment to the job. He said Evelyn Nadeau, the former administrative assistant, leaves with a wealth of knowledge, but the Selectmen could re-invent the wheel and re-engineer aspects of what the office does. The short-term person could get training from Evelyn and they could pay Evelyn on an hourly basis to provide the training. Evelyn’s responsibilities would not include those of her previous position such as answering the phone, taking minutes, etc. The secondary need is with large projects such as the town report, budget, etc. A new person would be overwhelmed. He suggested they need a person who knows how to do it.

Sandra Holland said she is reluctant to do this and wants to wait to make a decision when they have a three-member board. Said she learned if they are insured by Legal Government Center (LGC), also known as NH Municipal Association, they could request an internal controls audit. They, with Municipal Resources Inc., would also help craft policies and procedures and write a new job description. The cost is free. John Halter agreed. Sandy will call LGC tomorrow.

Both Selectmen said they have never run the bills on the town’s computer system. John Halter said he is concerned and does not want to get behind in payment of bills. They both talked with Pat Putnam and she agreed to provide limited financial assistance until the office is stable. John said their billing program is Quick Books.

Selectmen said they hope Arnie is well enough to attend next Monday’s meeting so they can make a decision on hiring someone possibly short-term. Sandy Holland said they need to program a message on the phone and a notice on the town’s website to say:

“Evelyn Nadeau, administrative assistant, has resigned. The Selectmen’s Office will not be manned until further notice. For immediate concerns or other questions, please call John Halter at 847-9581; Sandra Holland at 446-4300 or e-mail her at sjlholland@gmail.com; or call Arnie Stymest at 446-3402.” Sandy Holland will craft the message and have John Halter approve it before putting it on the phone and website. Pat Putnam will post the information on the door and Carol Clark will add it to the town’s December town calendar.

Before adjourning, the Selectmen approved and signed Carol Clark’s application to use the town hall for the Walk-A-Thon on Dec. 19.

Sandra Holland made a motion to adjourn; John Halter seconded it. Meeting was adjourned at 8:03 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Carol A. Clark