NOTES OF JUNE 19, 2017 RYE BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING
Final Revision B – Provided by the Rye Civic League
Present (clockwise around table): Town Administrator Michael Magnant, Selectmen Craig Musselman, Priscilla Jenness and Phil Winslow. Not present: Finance Director Cyndi Gillespie.
Also present and sitting in the audience: none.
Members of the public included: none.
Editor’s
note: For ease in finding particular
sections using the archived video and audio on the Town website, the elapsed time
is indicated. Use the slider and the
elapsed time indicated at the bottom of the video window to fast forward to the
desired section. Videos on the Town website may currently be accessed
at www.town.rye.nh.us by clicking on
“Town Hall Streaming” at the bottom left of the screen. Follow the link for “Town Hall Live
Streaming,” then find the meeting by date under “Previous.”
The video starts
at 5:07:24 p.m. (0:00 elapsed). The
audio is off until 5:07:34 p.m. (0:10 elapsed)
Summary
Sealing of minutes
The motion of Selectman
Jenness to seal the minutes of the non-public meeting just concluded carried
unanimously.
Raffle request from Ray Tweedie, St. Theresa Men’s Club (1:15 elapsed)
After Selectman Winslow
recused himself, indicating that he is also a member of the club, the other two
Selectmen voted unanimously to approve the request to hold raffles during their
summer meetings.
Rye/New Castle Bridge Maintenance Agreement
Selectman Musselman
explained the situation. There is a
similar agreement that was entered into in 2007 relating to the Foyes Corner
Roundabout, however, that says that snow removal on the sidewalks would be done
in accordance with the Town’s practices and procedures. As the Town did not then, and does not now,
clear sidewalks of snow, lacking the equipment to do so, they have not been
clearing the sidewalks at Foyes Corner.
Town Administrator
Magnant said that he had spoken with DOT staff and they are unwilling to add
the language about practices and procedures to the Rye/Newcastle bridge
agreement.
Selectman Winslow said
that, although he understands that New Castle signed the agreement without any
intention to maintain the sidewalks, he cannot support having Rye do the same
thing. The Town should either maintain
the sidewalks or not enter into the agreement.
Selectman Jenness
agreed. She said that it would make more
sense to extend the bike lane over the bridge than to have a sidewalk.
Selectman Musselman
moved that the Town Administrator be authorized to send a letter to DOT stating
that the Town could not sign the agreement in its current form as it lacks the
necessary equipment to perform maintenance, and suggesting that a bike lane be
provided to accommodate access. All were
in favor.
Town Hall LCHIP application (6:46 elapsed)
Selectman Musselman
explained that the Heritage Commission has been working on an application for a
$60,000 grant to pay half of the cost of painting Town Hall, associated
necessary repairs and an historic structures assessment.
Since the last Heritage
Commission meeting they have determined that there are regulatory
constraints. Before funds are expended
there must be a project agreement. At
the end of the project, the Town would need to enter into a five year
stewardship agreement that would restrict sale and renovation (exterior or
interior) of the building. A legal
opinion and indications from LCHIP indicate that the Town can apply for the
grant and decide later whether or not to accept the conditions. The grant award would be announced in
December 2017, with painting not starting until 2018. There is a conflict with the “Loftus
article,” he said. Editor’s note: This is an
anticipated warrant article. In 2017, Article 34 passed, 873-700,
providing for Mr. Loftus to, at no cost to the town, do a conceptual design of
a new Town Hall, with the assistance of an
architect. The article did not state that the existing Town Hall would be torn down.
It is anticipated that Mr. Loftus will
put forth a warrant article in 2018 to provide funding to construct his
design. If bond financing is sought, a
60 percent vote would be required.
Article 34 failed to achieve this level.
Selectman Musselman said that, in accordance
with conversations with the grant provider, there is time to get Town Meeting
approval prior to accepting the grant as well as to obtain more information on
possible use of a part of the Rye Junior High for town offices. Editor’s
note: In accordance with 2018 School
Warrant Article 3, which passed 1177-312, a committee is looking into possible
uses for surplus Rye Junior High space, as well as the possibility of combining
the elementary and junior high schools in one location. Selectman Musselman said that there would
be time to consider the long-term implications of the stewardship
agreement. The real decision would be
made after 2018 Town Meeting, he said.
The
motion to approve submittal of the grant application, which is due June 23,
2017, carried unanimously.
The meeting was then
adjourned and the video was off briefly.
Selectman Musselman then modified his motion to allow the Town
Administrator to send the application with a cover letter explaining the
circumstances in which the Town finds itself.
The meeting then adjourned.