Northwood Highway Advisory Committee DRAFT                      Minutes of the March 13, 2013 Meeting

Community Hall – 7:00 p.m.

 

 

Call to Order:  Chairman Steve Bailey called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m.

 

Roll Call:  Present were:  Greg Bane, Bob Knowlton, Marion Knox, Jim Wilson and Steve Bailey.  Absent wee:  Charles Pease, Fred Bassett and Selectmen Rep. Jim Hadley.  Public present was Robert Strobel.

 

Approval of Minutes of November 28, 2012:  Motion by Greg Bane to accept the minutes as presented was seconded by Bob Knowlton, and approved by members present.

 

Road Agent’s Report:  Jim Wilson informed the members that the Selectmen approved the posting of town roads and all town roads have now been posted.  Cold patching is ready to be done and will commence tomorrow and will continue as the weather allows.  Jim had received a call from Wolcott relative to the planned work on Bow Lake Road.  Wolcott will bid the same price for  hot top  as  last year.  Motion was made by Greg Bane to recommend to the Selectmen that a contract be signed with Wolcott for the work on Bow Lake Road.  Motion was seconded by Bob Knowlton and approved by the committee.  

Jim also reported that the trucks have taken a beating this winter.  Most of the problems have been electrical.  He stated that a turn-around is needed on each road.  With the amount of snow this year the roads are not wide enough to turn a truck around without making several turns, or entering onto private property. The cul-de-sac on Angela Drive was used DRA         by residents for parking their trucks which made it difficult to negotiate the turn.  He recommended that future cul-de-sacs be larger so the trucks can make the curve without getting on private property.  He asked Robert Strobel to inform the planning board that he prefers larger cul-de-sacs and no hammer heads for new sub-divisions, and that trees be placed on the cul-de-sacs so they cannot be used as parking lots and to help keep the snow from drifting across them onto private property.

            Greg Bane asked about the winter budget – do we have any money left?  Jim stated he has not looked at it since the last storm, will review it when all the bills are in.  He hopes there is money left.

 

Old Business:

                        The passing of John Lane:  Chairman Bailey stated as the February meeting was postponed because of weather, the committee did not timely talk about the loss of John Lane and the many years he was a faithful member of this committee, and that at the urging of the committee he stayed on as an alternate, even though he wished to retire.  Both he and his wife Jean faithfully came to each meeting and John participated and provided his knowledge of roads and bridges whenever needed.  Marion stated she felt a letter to Jean and the family should come from this committee, and she offered to write the letter.  It was agreed that a letter should be sent.

 

 

 

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New Business:

                        Results of the March 12, 2013 election and town business:  Steve informed the members that the bond failed by 2%, but the budget for 2013 passed.  In reviewing the budget  Steve indicated that we should have the right amount of money available to do the portion of Bow Lake Road that was planned for 2013.  Steve read a Letter to the Editor written by Jim

Hadley,  that was in the Suncook Valley Sun and which indicated wrong figures for the budget and also disagreed with Rep. Bruce Hodgdon’s voting record.  Steve stated Jim is the Selectmen’s representative to our committee, and he has only been to one or two meetings.  Marion stated she was told that he ran for the Selectmen’s position with the understanding that he could only attend two Selectmen’s meetings a month, and no other meetings.  She stated that means we do not have a Selectman attending our meetings, unless the other two make changes in their representation plan.

            Bob Strobel questioned the amount of money we have to spend, as the plan he developed called for $350,000, which is $100,000 higher than previous years.  The Selectmen removed the $100,000 which was for gravel, added minor repairs to roads etc.  Steve explained how the figures within the budget add up, plus the fact that Wolcott is not increasing his bid, stating it will not be off more than $25,000, if at all.

 

                        Appointments that expire for members:  The members discussed the terms of Steve and Charles for three years, and Robert Bailey as an alternate for one year.  Steve agreed to a three year term, and recommended Charles for a three year term, plus Robert for a one year term as alternate.   He also asked Bob Strobel if he was interested in becoming an alternate on the committee as he has a lot of knowledge that would be good for the committee.  Bob stated he would accept an alternate position if it was determined that he could accept because of his present position on the planning board.    Motion by Bob Knowlton to recommend to the Selectmen the following candidates for positions:

                        Steve Bailey –  3 years - member expiring 2016

                        Charles Pease –3 years - member expiring 2016

                        Robert Bailey – 1 year – alternate expiring 2014

                        Robert Strobel   1 year – alternate expiring 2014

The motion was seconded by Jim Wilson and approved by the members present. Marion will send the recommendation letter to the Selectmen.

 

Other Business:

                        Greg Bane asked Jim Wilson about the big hole on Jeffrey Drive, and Jim stated he knew about it and it is scheduled to be fixed by the end of the week.  The status of this road has not been settled by the Selectmen, but Jim stated the road has been maintained by the town for over 20 years, long before he became Road Agent.

 

                        Jim Wilson spoke about Masten Drive and the fact that the Selectmen approved the plowing of the road to allow the residents to get out, after the person hired by the contractor quit plowing.  There are legal problems with this new road that need to be settled before the Selectmen can accept the road as a town road.  Jim stated he only plowed once, and has not

 

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been asked to plow again.  The question of whether the bond on the road can reimburse the town for the plowing that was requested by the residents was discussed.  No one could give an answer.  Bob Strobel stated there are problems between the state and owner about the sidewalk requested, also catch basins, drainage and swale requests by the town.

 

            Steve Bailey stated perhaps now is the time for the sub-committee to get back to the review of the planning board regulations and the changes we want to suggest be made.  Bob Knowlton said that cul-de-sacs, are in the books already, but need to be updated.  He asked if Bob Strobel could be on the sub-committee.  Bob S. indicated he would be glad to assist if possible.

 

            Jim Wilson asked about roads coming out to a main road, like Twombly Drive onto Lucas Pond Road. There is a visibility problem because Lucas Pond Road is not level for a distance at the intersection of these two roads.  When you exit Twombly Drive in a plow truck the plow adds to the lack of visibility, especially looking towards Nottingham.  Bob Strobel said this is where the maintenance money would be used to tackle sight conditions, etc.

 

            Other Business:  There was none.

 

Next meeting date:  Because this March 13 meeting replaced the February 27th meeting, and the next regular meeting was scheduled for March 27, the committee decided to cancel March 27, and meet again, according to the planned schedule on April 24th.  Marion will change the posted schedules, and inform Town Hall of the change.

 

Adjournment:  Bob Knowlton moved to adjourn at 8:20 p.m. and Greg Bane seconded the motion.  Meeting was adjourned.

 

                                                                                    Respectfully submitted,

 

 

                                                                                    Marion J. Knox

                                                                                    Member/Secretary