Meeting began at 6:00 pm. Present were Selectmen Cloutier and Campbell. Selectman Stohl arrived at 6:30 pm. Members of the public present: Bob Baker, Franco Rossi (CAI Technologies), Charles Jordan and Nancy Smith (GNWCA).
Mail was reviewed
Checks and manifests were signed.
Bob Baker came to the meeting to discuss his idea of turning the rail road bed into a walking trail. Mr. Baker shared with the Board copies of correspondence he received from Shelley Winters (Bureau of Rail & Transit), Ed Jeffrey (NH Central Railroad) and Lou Barker (Railroad Planner). From his e-mails and conversations, he feels that the State is not saying “no” to this idea and wants to deal only with the Town. Mr. Baker said he wants to look into grant opportunities to be used for surveying and engineering that might need to be done. The Board encouraged Mr. Baker to continue to work on this project and to keep them informed of his progress. Mr. Baker left the meeting.
Franco Rossi (CAI Technologies) entered the meeting at 6:31 pm at the request of the Board to explain how a change was made to one of the Town’s maps. Mr. Rossi said he had been contacted by Joe Daley from Lemington regarding the island which was previously believed to be part of Columbia (New Hampshire) but that is really part of Lemington (Vermont). Mr. Rossi did some research and came up with a 1936 Supreme Court decision which outlined the boundary between New Hampshire and Vermont specifically. This description clearly shows that the island is part of Vermont. The Board and Mr. Rossi also discussed updating the maps and assessing information on the Town’s website. It was stated that this is
the Town’s responsibility (which Marcia didn’t realize). Mr. Rossi will have one of his technicians contact Marcia and instruct her how to do this. Also, in the future if the Town wanted to save money on their map contract (approximately $300.00) CAI would no longer receive the deeds and would no longer provide the Town with a map & lot and/or owner name listing. It was decided to do that and Mr. Rossi said he would adjust our next bill. Mr. Rossi left the meeting at 7:00.
Charles Jordan and Nancy Smith from the GNWCA entered the meeting at 7:04 pm. Selectman Stohl started the discussion by reading a letter which the Town had drafted instructing the GNWCA that any changes that affect life safety need to be done through the Columbia Board of Selectmen not through the Fire Marshal’s Office. Mr. Jordan shared with the Board members pictures of work that had been done and things that were being worked on. Both parties were in complete agreement about which parts of the property can be used and by whom. Selectman Stohl offered to accompany Mr. Jordan on Thursday, August 15th, in measuring the “museum” room and seeing if removing a wall would allow the room to accommodate more than 50 people. (Selectman Campbell left the meeting at 7:40 pm.) The Board also requested that the Town be allowed to put up one of the new “Welcome to Columbia” signs on the GNWCA’s property. Mr. Jordan and Mrs. Smith said they would bring it up to their Board but they felt there shouldn’t be a problem. Mr. Jordan and Mrs. Smith left the meeting at 8:14 pm.
Town Treasurer, Jennifer Wells, entered the meeting at 8:15 pm and gave the Board members an update report on monies the Town has on hand. Mrs. Wells left the meeting at 8:25.
On a motion made by Selectman Cloutier and seconded by Selectman Stohl, the Board approved the minutes of the July 10th and July 24th meetings.
A Gravel Tax Warrant in the amount of $76.22 was signed.
Marcia informed the Board that the Sweatt family had paid the rest of the purchase price of the tax-deed property (Map 402, Lot 31.2). Marcia gave them the deed and they will have it recorded.
Marcia said that she had spoken to Mr. & Mrs. Archambault, who are interested in purchasing the former Falcucci property (tax-deed property known as Map 420, Lot 63). Mr. & Mrs. Archambault have counter-offered $17,500 for the property. On a motion made by Selectman Stohl and seconded by Selectman Cloutier the Board voted to sell the property to Mr. & Mrs. Archambault for the price of $17,500.00. The Archambaults had prepared a Purchase & Sale Agreement which Chairman Cloutier signed.
The Board discussed paving projects. Selectman Cloutier has received a quote from Central Paving in the amount of $76,414.65 for paving Fish Pond Road by Edward Poulin’s and the section that has just been re-done. On a motion made by Selectman Cloutier and seconded by Selectman Stohl, the Board approved the work being done. It was noted that $27,000 of this amount, is monies held over from 2018 for the purpose of paving.
The Board reviewed a letter form Donahue, Tucker & Ciandella regarding the Eversource suit. On a motion made by Selectman Cloutier and seconded by Selectman Stohl, the Board approved Donahue, Tucker & Ciandella to enter into settlement negotiations on Columbia’s behalf.
Meeting adjourned at 8:40 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Marcia Parkhurst, Secretary
Board of Selectmen