Selectmen Minutes
October 19, 2021
Present: Fred Woodhouse, Diane Callahan, Gary Backstrom
Call to order by Fred Woodhouse at 5:30 pm.
Motion to approve the minutes of 10/7/2021 (Backstrom/Callahan). All in favor, motioned carried.
Motion to approve the 10/19/2021 payroll (Backstrom/Callahan). All in favor, motion carried.
Motion to approve the 10/19/2021 manifest (Backstrom/Callahan). All in favor, motion carried.
Discussion about enforcement of zoning. Mr. Backstrom informed the Board that he has been reviewing information on Grosbeck. Mr. Backstrom will review the Select Board minutes, ZBA minutes, attorney letters, and attorney bills and then draft a letter to Mr. Grosbeck. Once the information has been summarized the Board will need to decide if it wishes to file a claim in Small Claims Court.
Deb Harling spoke to the Board about the Monadnock Squadron unit of the US Sea Cadet Corps. Ms. Harling explained that this is a youth organization that generally drills at South Meadow Middle School. Since COVID hit, the school has not allowed them to meet there. Ms. Harling requested permission from the Board for the Sea Cadets to meet at the Sharon Meeting House until the school allows them back in. The building will be cleaned after each use. Motion to allow the Sea Cadets to drill at the Sharon Meeting House until they are allowed back into South Meadow School (Backstrom/Woodhouse). All in favor, motion carried.
The Town Administrator informed the Board that she had contacted the Town Attorney regarding the town’s possible involvement in the Von Adler estate. The town should have no involvement in this estate. The Town Attorney has been asked about the process when a landowner dies without a will and there are no known heirs. No response has been received at this time.
Ms. Callahan:
Contacted the owners of 41 Temple Road regarding the container located on the edge of Temple Road. They are storing items while work is being done on the house, this container is not permanent.
Discussion of the draft complaint form. Ms. Callahan thinks this form should be available to all residents. Motion to have the complaint form available to residents (Callahan/Backstrom). Callahan – yes; Woodhouse and Backstrom – no, motion fails. Mr. Backstrom explained the form has not been finalized yet, and the purpose is to track complaints and be used as a document to start the process.
Mr. Woodhouse:
Email from Ben Tirey regarding an adjustment for the solarium removed – this has been completed.
Anne Booth sent the information regarding conservation easements.
The Department of Safety has excess hand sanitizer and wipes. Does the Town want any of these products? The Board was in agreement that the Town should have some of these products, Ms. Callahan will contact the State and pick these up.
Mr. Backstrom:
The Planning Board meeting focused on discussion of setbacks and what size vehicles would be able to be parked on a property. The Planning Board is looking at allowing one-ton trucks or less. The Planning Board is looking at continuing to allow agricultural stands. The November meeting will be a public hearing on these items in anticipation of zoning amendments.
Discussed possible document control procedures. Mr. Backstrom has the opinion that source documents should be on the Town Administrator’s computer in both word and PDF. When a town board is looking at changes they should obtain the document from the Town Administrator, once the document changes have been approved the new document should be noted and sent to the Town Administrator. It was suggested that document revisions be noted for future reference.
Discussion of the Noah Olson request to “unmerge” lots on Turnpike Road. Ms. Callahan has been researching these lots. There is a question about whether the separation of the two lots was done legally in the early 1970s. More research is still needed.
Motion to change meeting dates to the first and third Tuesday of each month. (Woodhouse/Backstrom). All in favor, motion carried.
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Meeting adjourned at 6:47 PM.
Minutes taken by Debra Harling. Approved on 11-02-2021.