The Town of Northwood, New Hampshire - Highway Advisory Committee Minutes

Roll Call: Present were Fred Bassett, Joe Holmes, Jim Wilson, Steve Bailey, John Lane, Marion Knox and Robert Bailey – Jean Lane recording.
Absent were: Paul Belliveau and Alden Dill

Approval of minutes of July 29th meeting: Chairman Bailey asked for any corrections or omissions to the minutes. Hearing none he declared the minutes approved as received.

New Business and Road Agent’s Report:

Marion stated the figures are those she got from David Stack today. David told her that after the meeting last night they found a bid envelope in the outside mail box. David said it wasn’t there at 6 p.m. when they started the meeting, so it was not opened. Bob Bailey asked whom it was from and Marion said she thought Merrill.

The members reviewed the bids received from seven bidders as listed on the attached sheet. Steve Bailey stated there is one correction in the figures, that David Stack is checking the figures received from J. Parker and Daughters, Inc. as there appears to be a mistake in one of the figures. The last column figure should be 119,906.00. Steve then explained the figures in the different columns on the sheet:
Alternate 1 52 feet of steps are changed to 22 feet which is 2000 difference
Alternate 2 grass instead of pavement on side of road which is 900 difference
Alternate 1&2 equal 2900 reduction which should make a balance of 119906,
not 110906 as shown on the sheet and on Parker’s bid.

John Lane asked how much money we need to do the complete project, and Steve said $123,000, plus $16,000 the Selectmen need to pay Underwood for their services, which is $139,000 total. Steve stated further that the 2009 warrant article was for 93,600. FEMA has paid us about $23,000 towards the road, and we still have some coming from the State. That money was encumbered last year in the highway budget and was used on the emergency road. If you subtract the 93,600 from the 139,000 we need to come up with $45,400 to do the complete project. David Stack said he talked with Jim and the Selectmen last night and they have some ideas where to find the money. Before the Selectmen award the contract they want some input from us. Marion asked the question, stating the 16,000 was never part of the 93,600 warrant money, and Steve said she is correct. Marion stated she feels the Selectmen authorized the Underwood amount and should find it in their budget, not the highway budget. Steve feels the same and stated he thinks that is what the Selectmen are thinking. Marion asked whether the beach portion of the project could be done separately, and Steve said it must be included in the package, if we separate it out we would have to go out to bid all over again which would cost another 15,000. Steve said going further, we could hire Parker and then negotiate stating that the town doesn’t want to do all of this, which might be a possible alternative. Marion asked if the town could do the beach themselves, and the answer was no, it all has to be done together.

Steve stated that FEMA did not reimburse us for the tree cutting, culverts and making the emergency road 16 feet wide, which made the cost to the highway budget higher, and took money away from the rest of the project.

Robert Bailey asked about planned work for Blake’s Hill Road and Old Turnpike Road paving. Jim stated he has a purchase order waiting approval for Hodgdon for $8000 for ditching Blake’s Hill Road, and he will use town trucks and manpower for hauling which will add $2000 – total $10,000. Jim stated he has approval for Wolcott to do the paving on Old Turnpike Road – cost $191,000 to do the complete project. If the one inch top coat is not done this year it will be $50,048 less. The committee reviewed the Paving and Reconstruction budget which totals, as of the end of August 248,869, and includes 191,000 for Old Turnpike Road reclaiming and paving. The balance left after the Old Turnpike Road project would be 57,869. Discussion was held on doing the complete job versus raising money in 2010 to complete it. John Lane stated he felt it would be better to complete Old Turnpike Road before any ditching was done on Blake’s Hill Road. He stated we have done the top coat the next year on roads before, and have found the road did not hold up as well. More discussion on finishing the road this year or next year. Marion stated we need to have money for winter plowing also as that budget is down to 2.56% ($3880.24). Committee feels the project should be completed this year, the ditching should be started on Blake’s Hill Road, brush cutting must be done on all town roads, and some money kept for winter maintenance.

The committee decided to recommend to the Selectmen that they find 16,000 for Underwood in their overall budget, but not within the highway budget. The committee reviewed again the money available in the 2009 budget as follows: The total of $248,869 is available for this year’s road construction, which includes $191,000 for Old Turnpike Road, leaving $57,869 to cover ditching work on Blake’s Hill Road, brush cutting on all town roads, plus money for winter maintenance

Joe Holmes motioned to recommend, as a committee, to the Selectmen that they accept J. Parker and Daughters, Inc. bid of $122,806. Motion seconded by John Lane and made unanimous by the committee. Fred Bassett asked what the timeframe on the bid is. Jim stated it is 105 days to complete, which surprised the members as it is three months’ time.

Jim Wilson then spoke of the 2010 budget preparation that he needs to begin. His problem at this time is the fact that the Selectmen are now requiring that he get a contract for work instead of hourly bids. He said he has a purchase order ready for signature for Hodgdon for 80 hours of equipment work on ditching Blake’s Hill Road, and the Board approved the work but did not sign the P. O. He has been six weeks trying to get this done. He has two hourly bids for roadside mowing of all town roads, and the Board wants a contract for the complete job instead. Jim indicated that he has been held up on getting work done, and to obtain contracts he would have to provide each bidder with a complete description of the work, amount of materials needed, etc. which would take him many additional hours to prepare. For instance for mowing, he would have to describe the work to be done on each road, and the persons who have bid have done the work several times and have complete knowledge of the procedure to be followed already.

Jim stated there were only two Selectmen present at the last meeting – Alden Dill was on vacation. He said he needs to get this straightened out once and for all. Jim asked the committee members to be present with him at the Selectmen’s meeting on the 8th of September, at 6 p.m. to discuss this matter with the Selectmen. General discussion and comments relative to the impact on getting work accomplished were made. Marion asked if this pertains to all town departments or just the highway department. It was suggested that that question be asked at the September 8th meeting. Marion agreed to remind the committee members of this meeting.

Gulf Road: Marion stated she has provided the members with additional information on what has transpired on the former Gulf Road project – information she has received from Andy Turner’s files. She stated the letter from Attorney Mark Gearreald stated that the town doesn’t have any right or title to the discontinued Gulf Road portion, that the land is now owned by the abutters, who in the case are the Boy Scouts. Steve indicated that in Bernie Waugh’s book “A Hard Road to Travel” it is indicated that this may not be the case regarding Gulf Road as the law changed over the years.

Bob Bailey stated he feels we need to concentrate on doing a new road instead of attempting to use the old road, that he anticipates Anthony’s field will be built up with houses before long. He stated Winding Hill Road needs to be upgraded to Class 5 and the town should put their money into doing that instead of attempting to open the old Gulf Road. He stated he and Steve Anthony own the land between what the town owns and the old part of Gulf Road that is in Gulch Mountain Acres. It is his feeling that a road can be constructed without involving the Boy Scout land at all. He briefly described how his and Anthony’s land abut the Boy Scout land, and what the terrain is like. Bob stated the Boy Scouts probably would sell house lots on the entire Gulf Road section in the future, so the town needs to protect themselves and open a new section to tie in with what the town already owns and Winding Hill Road. Marion stated from the information she has provided it would be about 2600 feet of road involved.

Marion asked if this is a good time to approach the Selectmen with the information we have and ask that Gulf Road Extension be placed on the Capital Improvement Plan so money can be raised for future planning and road development. She also asked if she should also request that the town’s attorney be asked to provide an opinion of the ownership of the discontinued portion of Gulf Road. If it is found that the town doesn’t have ownership of the discontinued portion of the road, the town needs to know the correct procedure for transferring it to the Boy Scouts. The committee approved of Marion providing these requests to the Selectmen on behalf of the committee.

Marion stated she has received approved Planning Board minutes of the April joint meeting the committee had with the Planning Board and Strafford Regional Planning Commission. She stated that any member that wished a copy of the minutes should let her know and she will provide them.

Bob Bailey returned to Winding Hill Road area, and stated that he feels both he and Steve Anthony can provide a way through on their properties, not touching the Boy Scout land at all. It is his feeling that Steve Anthony would agree to provide part of his land.
Fred Bassett asked if Deerfield is planning to do anything with their part of Winding Hill Road. He was informed that the Deerfield part is already passable to the town line, it is Northwood’s portion that needs work.

Meeting Dates: Tuesday, September 8th 6:00 p.m. with Road Agent and Selectmen
Wednesday, September 30th – 7:00 p.m. regular meeting at Community Hall

Adjournment: John Lane motioned and Joe Holmes seconded a motion to adjourn at
8:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Marion J. Knox
Member/Secretary

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