Phone: (603) 237-5255 | Fax: (603) 237-8270 townclerk@columbianh.org

MINUTES August 13, 2025

Meeting began at 6:04 pm. Present were Selectmen Cloutier, Stohl and Campbell.

Checks and manifests were reviewed and signed.

Mail was reviewed.

At 6:20 Craig Washburn entered the meeting. Mr. Washburn came to the meeting at the request of the Board to discuss the speed limit of ATVs on a portion of Bungy Road. Selectman Stohl noted that the trail is posted as 20 mph and that it was the intention of the Board when they granted permission for the trail that the speed limit would be 10 mph. Mr. Washburn stated that most all of the trails are posted at 20. The Board requested that as the landowners, they wished it to be posted as 10. Mr. Washburn said he would try to get some 10 mph signs from the State. Mr. Washburn left the meeting at 6:49.

On a motion made by Selectman Stohl and seconded by Selectman Cloutier, the Board approved the minutes of the July 23, 2025 meeting.

Marcia informed the Board that Cohos Advisors would be at the office tomorrow doing the annual compilation for 2024.

Marcia told the Board that she had been contacted by a State Fish & Game officer regarding camping at Lyman Falls. The Board reviewed the Easement and noted that it does say that “primitive camping” is p

MINUTES July 23, 2025

Meeting began at 5:55 pm. Present were Selectmen Cloutier, Stohl and Campbell.

Checks and manifests were reviewed and signed.

Mail was reviewed.

An Intent to Cut form was approved for Leon Wentworth.

On a motion made by Selectman Cloutier and seconded by Selectman Campbell, the Board approved the minutes of the July 9, 2025 meeting.

Marcia reviewed with the Board a recent telephone conversation she had with Sam Green from DRA. Mr. Green discussed with Marcia the Town’s ongoing assessing issues. The biggest concern is that the “pick-ups” for 2025 need to be completed before setting the tax rate. Mr. Green gave Marcia the name of a couple of assessors that we could reach out to. The Board discussed the current assessing contracts that we have with Brett S. Purvis & Associates and how the financial part of it should be handled. Marcia was instructed to contact the Town’s Attorney for guidance.

The Board discussed an e-mail received from Douglas Rybinski regarding the Board’s denial of his Abatement Application. The Board instructed Marcia to inform Mr. Rybinski that the Board stands by its original decision.

MINUTES July 9, 2025

Meeting began at 6:00 pm. Present were Selectmen Cloutier, Stohl and Campbell.

On a motion made by Selectman Campbell and seconded by Selectman Stohl the Board approved the minutes of the June 25, 2025 meeting.

Checks and manifests were reviewed and signed.

At 6:30 pm. Jimmy Gilbert (Stewartstown Selectman) and Ben Champagne (Coos County) entered the meeting to discuss Transfer Station issues:

1. Price for passenger tires was raised from $4.00 to $6.00.

2. Mr. Champagne suggested that a committee should be formed to work on issues regarding the Transfer Station such as a policy manual for the employees, maintenance issues, etc. Selectman Stohl from Columbia and Selectman Gilbert from Stewartstown agreed to serve with Mr. Champagne to start addressing these issues. The first meeting will be held on August 5th at 4:00 in Stewartstown.

3. Household Hazardous Waste Day – should we have one and how can we lower the cost of it. This will be an issue that the new committee might deal with.

4. Stickers – should we use them or not. How to distribute them?

5. Lithium batteries – how do we store them and where can we get rid of them?

6. Fencing around the C & D container is being replaced.

Mr. Champagne left the meeting at 7:00. Other Transfer Station matters discussed included:

1. Letter received from Normandeau regarding switching to a 40 yard container. Normandeau agreed to keep the price the same ($218.50) for the remainder of this contract and for the next five year contract. Everyone was in agreement with this. Marcia will contact Normandeau.

2. With prices increasing all the time, it is necessary to put some extra “seed” money in the Transfer Station account. Marcia told the group that we usually start the month with about $12,000 in the account. This has been sufficient to pay the monthly bills, however, the last two months the bills have been $17,000+. Part of this is due to the fact that the account is now paying Mt. Carberry directly rather than each individual Town paying. Also, other expenses continue to increase. It was decided that we should add $8,000 to the account and each Town will pay according to the percentage. Stewartstown’s portion will be $5,596.00, Columbia’s – $1,936.00 and Lemington – $468.00. Marcia will send an e-mail to Stewartstown and Lemington informing them of this fact.

Mr. Gilbert left the meeting at 7:20 pm.

A Yield Tax Warrant and Certification were signed in the amount of $1,631.16.

The Board spent time discussing an on-going legal matter.

Meeting adjourned at 7:50 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Marcia Parkhurst, Secretary

MINUTES June 25, 2025

Meeting began at 6:00 pm. Present were Selectmen Cloutier, Stohl and Campbell.

At 6:15 Gail Hanson and (Mark ? – owner of Diamond Peaks) entered the meeting on behalf of the Colebrook Ski-Bees. Mrs. Hanson explained that for the last several years the Ski-Bees have used the “old” Town Garage on Keach Road for storing equipment, etc. They wish to continue using it but would like to do some repairs to the building – siding, roof, windows. They have someone who is willing donate time and equipment but didn’t want to put money into it if the Town was going to discontinue them using it. The Board assured them that they don’t have any plans for the building in the future and would like to continue the arrangement that they have had with the Ski-Bees. The Board also thanked them for doing the repairs, etc. They left the meeting at 6:25 pm.

Mail was reviewed.

Checks and manifests were reviewed and signed.

A Yield Tax Warrant for 2025 in the amount of $14,711.91 was approved and signed by the Board.

An Excavation Tax Warrant for 2025 in the amount of $4.36 was approved and signed by the Board.

A Report of Wood Cut for Mark Roberts was reviewed by the Board.

Marcia reminded the Board that she would be on vacation from July 14 to July 17. Letters have been sent to anyone with registrations due in July.

MINUTES July 11, 2025

JUNE 11, 2025

Meeting began at 5:55 pm. Present were Selectmen Cloutier, Stohl and Campbell.

On motions made and seconded the Board approved the minutes of the following meetings:

April 9th

April 23rd

May 14th

May 28th

These minutes weren’t approved earlier because of various Board members being absent.

Checks and manifests were reviewed and signed.

On a motion made by Selectman Stohl and seconded by Selectman Cloutier, the Board accepted a Tax Collector’s Deed for an approximately 9 acre parcel of land on Fish Pond Road. Marcia will have the deed recorded and write to the property owner informing them that the Town had taken it by tax deed. It was also discussed that the former owner had made a partial payment in June, 2024 which will need to be reimbursed. On a motion made by Selectman Campbell and seconded by Selectman Stohl, the Board voted to abate the back taxes associated with this property.

On a motion made by Selectman Cloutier and seconded by Selectman Stohl, the Board voted to abate the lst installment of the 2025 property taxes on property owned by the Great North Woods Center for the Arts for “just cause”.

Road Agent Dominic Westover entered the meeting at 6:35 to discuss various road issues including missing road signs, bridge signs, work to be done on Meridan Hill Road, etc. Mr. Westover also informed the Board that he had spoken with Braden Rosenberg on Stoddard Road regarding granting the Town a legal easement to be used for turning around Town vehicles, school buses, etc. Marcia said that she had a copy of an easement we had used previously and that she would prepare it. Mr. Westover will speak to the Mr. & Mrs. Rosenberg about stopping by the office to sign it Mr. Westover left the meeting at 7:15 pm.

Selectman Campbell reminded the other Board members that there would be a Dispatch Center meeting on Thursday night. He briefly reviewed items that might be discussed.

Selectman Cloutier informed the Board that during the Planning Board meeting earlier tonight that a person had come to the meeting to discuss erecting a cell town on property off Harvey Brook Road. He would like to schedule a joint meeting of the Planning Board and the Board of Adjustment to move the project along faster. Selectman Cloutier will get in touch with Robert “Bob” Baker, chairman of the Board of Adjustment, to determine a date that would be convenient for both boards.

The remainder of the meeting was spent reviewing the Reports of Wood Cut forms in preparation for Marcia to calculate the Yield Tax bills.

Meeting adjourned at 7:55 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Marcia Parkhurst, Secretary

Board of Selectmen