Select Board

Subscribe via Email

Monday, May 8, 2023, 6:00 pm until 7:00 pm
A meeting of the Select Board

Selectboard Meeting - 5 Academy Hill Road, Conway - 6:00 p.m.
Meetings are now held every other Monday and are at this time accessible via Zoom.

Meeting of Select Board

Members: (Quorum)

• Present: Christopher Waldo, at 6:00 PM
• Present: Philip Kantor, Chair, at 6:00 PM
• Present: Erica Goleman, at 6:00 PM

Also Present:

• Ron Sweet
• Marilyn Webster
• Cayte McDonough
• Walter Goodridge
• Chief Baker
• Chief Ouimette Chris Herrmann
• Peter Jeswald
• Lee Whitcomb
• Russell French
• Laurie Lucier
• Veronique Blanchard and Adam Reed

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 6:00 PM

Meeting closed: 7:02 PM

0. Meeting Preliminaries

   • Meeting Opened / Attendance Taken (see above).

   • Minutes Approved: Mon, May 1 - Selectboard

1. Warrants

   • - Vote to approve the Accounts Payable Warrant; the Payroll Warrant, and the Payroll Deduction Warrant.

     MOTION, moved by Erica Goleman, seconded by Christopher Waldo: .

     Pass: Aye: Erica Goleman, Philip Kantor, Christopher Waldo.

     1. Conway_W23-24_AP_Warrant.pdf
     2. Conway_PW23-24_Payroll_Warrant.pdf
     3. Conway_PDW23-24_PR_Deduction_Warrant.pdf

2. Meetings Attended by Select Board Members

   • General Discussion...
     Phil attended the Mass In Motion planning session.

3. Public Comments. None

4. Unfinished Business.

   • None.

5. New Business

   • - Presentation by the Public Buildings Committee on future plans for a public safety building addition.

     General Discussion...
     The Public Buildings Committee presented an update regarding the Public Safety Building's progress. An initial conceptual design was shown as well as updates about the well and septic system. The long range plan is to have offices for police, fire and ambulance at the Public Safety Building and move the remaining departments in the Town Office to the Town Hall. This will then allow the town to decide what to do with the Town Office building.
     
     It was stressed that the funds for this project are coming from the town's remaining ARPA money and the savings from the Highway Facility project. It should be noted that thanks to the committee, with an emphasis on Ron and Ken's work, the town should not have to borrow any additional funds for the project. The Select Board was thanked for holding on to the ARPA money specifically for this project.
     
     There will be an public forum at the Public Safety Building on May 25 to present this information to the public.

   • - Discussion on a Request to the Board of Assessors that 2 categories of Property Tax Reductions be established in Conway: A) Senior Work Off program: Under state law the applicant must be 60 years of age and the maximum $$ reduction is $500. Town decides income, asset and work requirements; B) Municipal Employment program: amount of deduction, age, income, and asset requirements determined by Town.

     General Discussion...
     The Senior Work Off Program is being used in some other towns. The program allows seniors to do work in town in exchange for a reduction in property taxes. The jobs could range from garden projects for the town, to helping with office work such as town mailings or filings. It was discussed that any senior could not be paid over minimum wage for the hours they work and there would be a cap of $500 per year. Money would come from the overlay funds to off-set wages to the seniors. If this program is adopted at Special Town Meeting in December, the Select Board would have to set the pay rate, the cap on earnings, the number of positions to offer, criteria for hiring and other administrative requirements.
     
     A Municipal Employment Program was also mentioned, but at this time Lee has note been able to find any reference to this on the state site.

   • - Report from Phil Kantor on establishment of working group under the Mass in Motion program.

     General Discussion...
     The Mass in Motion group met for the first time to discuss programs for seniors in town. The town will be receiving an initial $4,380 that will need to be spent by June 30 and then an additional $4,380 will be granted July 1. One suggestion was to use part of the money to pay someone that will investigate and write grants that will benefit our senior population.

   • Discussion on loose trash at transfer station.

     General Discussion...
     Loose trash is considered any standard household waste that is in a kitchen bag but is put in the dumpster without the bag. Loose trash causes litter and safety issues when the dumpsters are collected and is therefore not allowed by the hauling company or the receiving transfer station. The Select Board would like to hear from the employees at the transfer station to get suggestions on solving the problem. Unfortunately loose trash disposal will have to end and the board will be seeking solutions that will satisfy citizens and staff.

6. Items Not Anticipated 48 Hours in Advance of the Meeting

   • None.

7. Town Administrator update

   • 1. TA_2023-05-08_Update.pdf

8. Selectboard member comments/concerns

9. Mail

   • - Pole hearing request for 161 Thompson Road.

     General Discussion...
     The hearing was set for May 30 during the normal Select Board meeting at 6:00 p.m.

10. Announcements

    • None

11. Meeting Wrap-up

    • Next Meetings:
      1. Mon, May 15, at 5:30 PM "Selectboard"
      2. Mon, May 22, at 6:00 PM "Select Board"
      3. Tue, May 30, at 6:00 PM "Selectboard" -- CANCELLED

The listing of matters is those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law.

Minutes approved on Monday, May 15, 2023