[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[0:00] Good evening, Salem, and welcome to the September 14th meeting of the Town Council.
[0:06] If everyone would please join me and rise up and pledge the allegiance.
[0:12] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for
[0:18] which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
[0:29] I thank everyone. I will start off by asking Ms. Withrow for the minutes.
[0:37] I would move the August 3rd, 2026 public session.
[0:40] Second.
[0:41] Motion to be made and seconded. All those in favor?
[0:45] That's seven to zero at the moment.
[0:48] Go ahead.
[0:49] I would move August 17, 2026 public session.
[0:51] Second.
[0:52] Motion to be made and seconded. All those in favor? Okay, that takes care of that.
[0:59] And see, that's why I did that for us.
[1:02] Good job.
[1:04] The Chairman will have no comments tonight.
[1:07] The agenda was long enough without me babbling about something.
[1:10] So I'm going to move on with the introductions around the table.
[1:14] To my far left is Mr. D.J. Bettencourt.
[1:17] Good evening.
[1:18] To his right is Keith Stremalia.
[1:20] Good evening.
[1:21] To his right is Paul Pelletier.
[1:24] Good evening, sir.
[1:25] To my immediate left is the Vice-Chair, Mr. Sweeney, Joe Sweeney.
[1:31] To my immediate right is the Board Secretary, and that is Lisa Withrow.
[1:35] Good evening.
[1:36] To her right, Kathy Stacey.
[1:39] Good evening, Mr. Chair.
[1:40] And all the way over to the far right here is Bonnie Wright.
[1:44] Hello, Salem.
[1:45] And then finally the Town Manager, Mr. Joe Devine.
[1:48] Good evening.
[1:49] My name is Bob Bryant, and it has been an honor for me to serve in this position.
[1:53] So we'll move with the Consent Agenda. If anybody has a motion, I'll take it.
[2:00] Go ahead, Mr. Sweeney.
[2:01] Mr. Chairman, at this time I move we adopt the September 14th Consent Agenda.
[2:05] Second.
[2:07] Motion has been made and seconded. Should we read all this stuff first?
[2:12] We should, right?
[2:13] What's that?
[2:13] We should, right?
[2:14] We should, yes.
[2:15] As part of the Consent Agenda, I'll read the following.
[2:17] The community service department has received a $2,500 gift from the Friendship and Garden
[2:23] Club plantings at Hedgehog Park.
[2:27] The Friends of Salem recreation have donated $400 towards plantings also at Hedgehog Park.
[2:33] The Friends of Chris Tardiff, $50 to senior services.
[2:38] The police department has received the following donations, CLMN Enterprises, $500 for national
[2:46] National Night Out, Lowell 5, $250 for National Night Out, the Route 97 Automotive, $500 for
[2:54] National Night Out, Salem Lions Club, $500 for National Night Out, and Stand Up Salem
[3:02] has donated $2,726.05 to Community Services Unit.
[3:10] Municipal Services Department has received a donation of $500 from the Salem Area
[3:15] Free a women's club, free library shed at the Town Hall, and I think that's it.
[3:20] So that's all part of the consent agenda, which I have a motion and a second on.
[3:25] Anybody else have anything?
[3:26] All those in favor?
[3:28] And we're at 8 to 0.
[3:30] Thank you very much.
[3:35] Page 2 of a bunch.
[3:37] Additions in are requested by the public.
[3:39] There was nothing up on the podium, so we're going to move to Employee of the Month.
[3:42] Mr. Devine.
[3:43] So we're going to be recognizing the August and September Employee of the Months
[3:46] today.
[3:46] I'm going to start with the August Employee of the Month, which was Officer Mike Cummings.
[3:51] Chief Dolan, if you want to come up and just say a few words about Officer Cummings.
[3:58] Thank you, Mr. Manager.
[3:59] Good evening.
[4:00] My name is Joel Dolan.
[4:01] It is my honor to serve as your Chief of Police.
[4:04] Hello, Councilor, Mr. Chair.
[4:06] And I am pleased to introduce Mike Cummings as the August Employee of the Month.
[4:12] Mike received six nominations, which I think is certainly a record from coming from
[4:16] within my department of our nominees, and as you'll hear, they're extremely well-deserved.
[4:23] And the theme remained consistent throughout all of them.
[4:27] Mike is currently assigned to the Special Services Division as one of our community
[4:31] problem-oriented police officers.
[4:33] In over 12 years with the Salem Police Department, Mike has earned a reputation as someone
[4:37] others can count on.
[4:39] He is consistently described as professional, hardworking, positive, patient, and always
[4:45] willing to step in and help, regardless of whether the task falls within his normal responsibilities.
[4:51] What stood out most in the nominations was the impact Mike had over the new employees.
[4:56] As a failed training officer and a member of special services, he has become somewhat
[5:00] new officers and employees naturally turned to for guidance.
[5:04] One of our newest employees specifically described how Mike took the time to teach, answer
[5:08] questions, coordinate additional training, assist with calls, and even make sure
[5:13] they had everything they needed when purchasing their first uniforms.
[5:17] That same willingness to extend, to help extents throughout the department from training interns
[5:22] and assisting fellow officers to supporting department projects and representing us at
[5:27] community events.
[5:28] Most importantly, Mike does all of this with a positive attitude and a smile and to
[5:33] prove his dedication.
[5:34] He's actually here on his day off and night off.
[5:36] He came in for his recognition.
[5:37] So for his professionalism, mentorship, dedication to his co-workers, and 12 years of service
[5:43] to the Salem community, it is my pleasure to recognize Officer Mike Cummings as the
[5:47] August employee of the month.
[5:59] Thank you.
[6:00] Thank you.
[6:02] Well,
[6:05] you got all dressed up.
[6:07] Congratulations.
[6:08] Congratulations.
[6:08] Thank you so much.
[6:09] Thank you so much.
[6:09] Yeah.
[6:10] Congrats, Mike.
[6:11] Thanks.
[6:13] Thanks for what you do.
[6:16] Thank you.
[6:16] Appreciate it.
[6:17] Picture?
[6:40] And next will be our September employee of the month.
[6:43] Our September employee month was Bridget Garde, Bridget's administrative secretary in the planning
[6:47] division and Jacob LaFontaine is here to speak about Bridget a little bit.
[6:53] Thank you council.
[6:54] Jacob LaFontaine, planning director.
[6:56] Many of you know Bridget. She serves in a position that really is kind of the front of house of Town Hall.
[7:02] Her Diane and Pam are kind of the face of Town Hall, if you will.
[7:07] And she's typically the first point of contact for residents, contractors, and developers,
[7:12] and she consistently provides excellent customer service.
[7:15] She approaches every interaction with patients, professionalism, and a helpful attitude
[7:20] and ensure that community members feel supported and informed as they navigate the land use
[7:25] and permanent process.
[7:28] For professionalism, kindness and dedication make a meaningful difference in the experience
[7:33] of everyone who interacts with our office and positive feedback and compliments are
[7:38] routinely received from the public regarding Bridget's performance.
[7:41] That's not always the case in Zona as you can imagine, but with Bridget it's very
[7:46] unique people are routinely coming in compliment and unprompted about the experience they had
[7:52] with Bridget. And this is exemplified by a recent email received by residents Pam and
[7:58] John Quigley who came to Town Hall for a zoning inquiry, which they later referred to as
[8:03] a purely delightful visit, which I don't think is always the case. But in this instance
[8:09] they just said, yeah.
[8:11] This remisses Quigley noted that Bridget went overboard in their opinion to try
[8:14] and help them. She listened and explained in an understandable language what was needed.
[8:19] She provided a map and material showing their property lines. She never rushed them and made
[8:25] sure they didn't have any questions. She gave them a copy of the tax map for their files
[8:30] and made the whole visit easy.
[8:32] Mr. and Mrs. Quigley noted that their visit to Town Hall made them glad to know they
[8:37] have people like Bridget represent in our town. It's truly been a joy to work
[8:42] alongside Bridget. She approaches every interaction with positive attitude and a genuine willingness
[8:47] to help. The town of Salem is lucky to have people like her and it is great to see her
[8:52] to receive this recognition that she's so deserving of.
[9:08] You're welcome.
[9:09] Thank you, Shod.
[9:10] Hi.
[9:11] Good job.
[9:12] Congratulations.
[9:14] Thank you.
[9:15] No, but this came with a ticket to Hawaii.
[9:17] Oh, it does?
[9:19] Congratulations.
[9:20] Thank you.
[9:21] Congratulations.
[9:21] Good work.
[9:22] Thank you.
[9:22] Thank you.
[9:23] Thank you.
[9:24] Thanks so much.
[9:25] Very nice.
[9:27] Thank you.
[9:27] Jacob, come on, Jacob.
[9:29] Jacob, come on down here.
[9:30] Yeah.
[9:31] You don't get away.
[9:50] Okay,
[9:54] next up item number seven on the list is Municipal Building Advisory Committee, Mr.
[9:58] Devine.
[9:59] So next on our agenda tonight is going to be MBAC and T-GAS, which is our architect,
[10:04] reviewing the conceptual design for self-fire.
[10:06] I would invite Facility Superintendent MBAC Chair James Pacheco to the mic to take
[10:10] off the presentation.
[10:14] Good evening, everybody.
[10:15] My name is James Chico. I am the superintendent of facilities as well as the impact chair.
[10:20] So today I am here to present the South Fire Station project to everybody.
[10:26] It's a pretty exciting second project that we have as we were just about to finish up the first project of the Salem Police Station.
[10:32] It's a little bit of background information.
[10:34] South Fire Station project had a building index of 36.
[10:38] So, as you all know, we started last year, the BCI report, where we went around and scored
[10:44] every single one of our buildings a number behind the project.
[10:50] 36 are the South Fire Station, one of our lowest scoring buildings, minus our, you
[10:56] know, Millville, Bathhouse and smaller buildings in that nature.
[11:01] So this existing facility has numerous deficiencies that need to be addressed, space needs,
[11:06] needs, ADA compliance, health concerns for employees, asbestos throughout the building,
[11:11] no dedicated contamination control zone.
[11:13] So it has no decomp area for anyone to come into.
[11:16] So right now our firefighters, as they enter the building, they are bringing everything
[11:20] from a call with them into this building.
[11:23] So one of the things that are one of the major needs for this building is an area
[11:26] that has that.
[11:28] There's no energy efficiency, or it's not energy efficient, sorry.
[11:31] And there's no gender restrooms or showers.
[11:34] Next slide.
[11:35] But the key project dates that we've had is May 20th of 2024, the Town Council authorized
[11:42] $123,300 of opera funds for the exceptional design of Fire Station 3.
[11:49] On December 9th of 2024, the Town Council authorized $76,000 for PSIF for exceptional
[11:58] design and cell station in August.
[12:01] On April 7th, 2025, Town Council supported a new construction option as preferred for
[12:07] the options for a cell station, which was through the design we had figured out that
[12:12] we needed to knock down the entire building and through that process we went forward with
[12:16] adding a third bay to that station.
[12:21] In December 15th to 25th, Town Council authorized $150,000 of PSFI funds for the next phase
[12:29] design and engineering of cell station on a June 1st of 2026, Town Council endorsed the
[12:34] cell fire station reconstruction project with the inclusion of the 27 warrant and ballot
[12:39] and with the authorization of MBAC and the fire department began planning the public outreach
[12:43] for the related project. So as we now move forward, TGAS has continued to work on schematic
[12:49] design of this project and there's been an internal working group behind it going through
[12:53] the design of the self-fire station in oh that's okay so now I'm going to be
[13:00] forth Ted Galant from TGAS Group to show the the design of the self-fire
[13:07] station.
[13:13] Good evening
[13:23] everyone. Good evening. Nice to see you all again.
[13:30] We're
[13:30] excited about this project because they really really need this building. What
[13:35] they have now is in tough shape and I think we have a good solution that I think
[13:40] is gonna work well and we're gonna show it to you any second now. I'm just
[13:45] building suspense for everybody.
[14:02] In the meantime, I'll just talk about the police
[14:04] station because I'm really excited. The police station is turning out. The
[14:09] building looks fantastic. It's lit up well. It's welcoming. It's inviting.
[14:16] It's a nice, durable, handsome building. I'm very proud of that building.
[14:19] So I'm looking forward to getting that open and ready to roll for the police department.
[14:24] We are too.
[14:30] Okay.
[14:31] Okay.
[14:32] Thank you, Joe.
[14:33] So the replacing fire station three, it's in the south as it's known, we're modifying
[14:41] the site plan a little bit, putting the building pretty much where it is and it's really
[14:48] a two-part building.
[14:50] There's the apparatus base side and there's the living quarters side and then there's a little you know
[14:56] That there's a turnaround a drive-through as it were with the
[15:00] There's a generator in the corner there, and so there's parking off to the front, apparatus
[15:03] can come out of the front, and there's a, the overall site plan is kind of contained and
[15:09] compact and organized around the existing building.
[15:12] Next slide, please. Floor plan is pretty simple. We use these colors intentionally. The red
[15:20] is the hot zone where the vehicles come in, a lot of their turnout gear is stored.
[15:29] It's
[15:29] there's a room specifically for decontamination. The yellow areas are in between the hot zone
[15:36] and they're called a transition zone. They're in yellow. And on the right-hand side of the
[15:41] plan, there's some support spaces there. And then there's a few of them scattered about,
[15:45] one is known as the dirty restroom where the firefighters can take off their turnout
[15:50] gear, go into that restroom, clean up, and then go into the green zone. And so these
[15:54] These are physical separations, as well as HVAC separations.
[15:58] We pressurize the zones differently, and the current building is missing that, and that
[16:03] will go a long way to firefighter health, which is what we're really focusing on.
[16:08] The green area is the living quarters.
[16:09] There are some bunk rooms on the left-hand side, kitchen and dining area up in the
[16:14] top of the plan, and entrance down at the bottom of the plan.
[16:17] Next slide.
[16:18] There's a little mezzanine because, you know, when we're storing firetrucks,
[16:22] There's a really tall ceiling, but the support spaces only need to be eight or nine feet,
[16:28] and then above that.
[16:29] So we use that space efficiently, and so we're putting a mezzanine in that portion
[16:32] of the building.
[16:33] That's also a hot zone.
[16:34] It's in red, and we're trying to put some training props in there, so a confined space
[16:40] training because there's a manhole cover that we can lower someone down with a tripod
[16:44] or there's a window to practice pulling somebody out of the window, those kinds
[16:48] of training exercises that the firefighters need to do.
[16:54] The building starts to look like this.
[16:55] On the right-hand side is the apparatus bay.
[16:58] We have the name of the building along the top.
[17:00] There's three apparatus bays on the right.
[17:05] On the left is the entrance with a tiny little tower, sort of announcing entrance a little
[17:12] different than the other portions of the building.
[17:13] building, and then the living quarters on the far left. It's a combination of masonry
[17:20] and cement board panel is what we're using to articulate parts of the building but keep
[17:27] it in the vernacular of a fire station. Just some interior views. We're starting to think
[17:36] about exterior materials. We're in the design development process, so there's a lot
[17:40] of pieces that are being developed. The interiors, we haven't started selecting finishes and talking
[17:46] to the fire department about that, so that's the next layer that we'll put in there, but
[17:50] you start to see dining areas and, you know, there's a day room where the people can sit
[17:57] and watch TV and wait for the next call and that sort of thing. So there's a way of
[18:01] relaxing and a way of working in that area. This is a perspective of that. The next
[18:06] slide please. Typical bunk room, each would have their gender neutral rooms and so each
[18:12] would have, there's one bed in the room and then there's four lockers and each shift has
[18:18] their own bed clothes, they can keep their clothes in there. They come to work, change
[18:23] into their uniform. Those are lockable and so each bunk room has that little desk,
[18:28] sleeping area and storage. Next slide. This is the apparatus bay that I talked
[18:34] talked about where there's the overall floor, where the trucks would be stored with the
[18:38] overhead doors, the support spaces, the lower space with the doors along the far right side
[18:44] of the slide, and then a stair up to the mezzanine, and beyond the column kind of in the middle
[18:50] of the drawing you see a little window, and that's one of the windows that they might
[18:54] set up a ladder and practice extraction, for example, something like that.
[18:59] On that mezzanine, down into one of those rooms is where they would have the training
[19:03] prop where the manhole cover for confined space training, things like that.
[19:09] And then really just going around the building from the – we don't ever see the building
[19:14] like this, but these are elevations that we draw to show what the building would look
[19:19] like.
[19:20] And so it's Station 3, and so then 3 is on the side, Salem Fire, the entrance
[19:26] on the left, the apparatus bay on the right.
[19:29] next slide looking from these these are smaller windows that are into the
[19:33] bunk room area so each bunk room would have natural daylight with window shades
[19:38] because firefighters really like it dark but would have window shades in there
[19:42] next slide from the rear of the building the three apparatus bay doors
[19:47] on the on the left hand side and then the living quarters on the right hand
[19:51] side and the next one and that's really just there's some high windows
[19:55] windows in the apparatus bay to get some natural light into the building. They're actually
[19:59] up on the Mezzanine area. And so there's some windows along there, an overhead door at the
[20:07] fitness room, and some windows and doors that open up to go outside from the kitchen area.
[20:13] So that's basically where the building is. I think we are delivering a set of design
[20:20] development documents in the middle of November, and I think Mark LaHulier will
[20:26] talk a little bit about budget and schedule. Thank you. Good evening,
[20:37] everybody. My name is Mark LaHulier. I'm with the training group and we've been the
[20:43] only project manager for several projects here in town. You'll recall as we were
[20:49] going through the process on the South Fire Station that about a year and a half ago
[20:54] or so, we looked at three different options and the town council back a year or so ago
[21:02] agreed that the appropriate path would be to take the building down and replace it.
[21:10] Since then, we've had a couple of conceptual designs that TGAS has been working through,
[21:21] and obviously we're settled on this concept.
[21:28] Budget is always a concern.
[21:31] You'll recall, I think about a year or so ago, that as we went through those three
[21:37] of four different scenarios, we're ranging for all-in costs of somewhere just under $10
[21:44] million to around $11 million. And that would include all of the costs for the project,
[21:50] high construction costs, contingencies, soft costs, and some relocation costs.
[21:57] Since that time, we went through two separate budget exercises, and we were always still
[22:08] hovering in that $10 million range, all told.
[22:12] And this recent effort, we just completed a couple or a week and a half ago or so,
[22:18] and we are just over that $10 million mark so right now things are still
[22:27] trending you know within what the original concept was we did have to make
[22:33] some value engineering efforts in order to to keep things at that ten you
[22:41] know near that $10 million range and most of those types of things they
[22:47] about $470,000 of changes that TGAS and the committee were able to consider to get us there.
[22:58] So I'll told, we're trending as we were hoping or expecting about a year and a half ago,
[23:05] which in this day and age is a good thing. So as Ted indicated, we've released them
[23:13] to continue with the design development and we'll go through another estimating and budget
[23:20] phase and expect to have that total warrant article dollar amount around the first or
[23:27] so of December.
[23:30] Any questions?
[23:31] Fantastic. Questions? No, I think we're ready to move on.
[23:36] All right.
[23:37] Well, thank you.
[23:38] Thank you.
[23:42] So I promise I'll get better as I do more of these type of things when I talk and
[23:45] I promise.
[23:45] That's okay.
[23:46] So so last slide we have the South fire station finance group working group as you recall during the PD process
[23:53] We had a finance committee that set up and looked over the finance of the project
[23:57] So what we were asking for men back and from the council is to
[24:01] Select our request that the or for you guys to select two members from town council for this finance working group
[24:08] Request that the budget committee select two members and that the finance committee select one member, please
[24:15] okay
[24:17] Okay, I'm open to anybody who would love to volunteer for a fire project of this size.
[24:25] Maybe somebody that used to own an antique flyer truck.
[24:31] I still do.
[24:32] Oh, you still do?
[24:34] You just push that one out and put the other one back in.
[24:38] So I've got Keith, anybody else want to do it?
[24:42] Okay, great.
[24:43] So you've got your two.
[24:44] I appreciate it.
[24:45] We also have the chief here as well, if anyone has any questions for the chief.
[24:49] Oh yeah, if anybody has any questions.
[24:52] I only have one question, chief, and I know this is probably going to create a need for more budgetary issues down the line.
[25:02] But all the equipment they're talking about to help your firefighters get into what they call a clean area
[25:13] Yes.
[25:14] And not be adjacent to all that nasty stuff that you bring back, is that all currently
[25:24] available in any of our other facilities?
[25:29] Somewhat in North Salem.
[25:31] Somewhat.
[25:31] A little.
[25:32] It's not.
[25:33] That would be the most recent.
[25:34] Yeah.
[25:35] Yeah.
[25:36] It's not perfect in North Salem, but it's better than Central and Station 3.
[25:41] Central and Station 3 do not have that.
[25:42] Just started to ask,
[25:48] yeah, we want to be kept abreast of that situation, but anybody else
[25:53] have any?
[25:54] Oh, Lisa, I'm sorry.
[25:54] That's okay.
[25:56] Is this planned at all for expansion?
[25:58] Is there any need for expansion?
[26:00] How long do you anticipate this being suitable for what we need?
[26:03] I believe this would be suitable for that district for decades.
[26:09] Yeah, I don't anticipate that we would add staffing at that district.
[26:12] we're at five now and you know I think that that's the right number for that
[26:18] for that district so if we were ever to expand I think it would be somewhere else
[26:21] perfect thank you yep okay anything else for anybody thank you I appreciate it
[26:30] thank you all yeah thank you yeah somebody want to make a motion to a
[26:37] point go please this time I move that the town council appoints Lisa
[26:43] of Withrow and Keith Stramaglia to the Self-Fire Station Finance Working Group, request that
[26:48] the Budget Committee appoint two members to the Self-Fire Station Finance Working Group,
[26:52] and further request the Finance Committee appoint one member to the Self-Fire Station Finance
[26:57] Working Group.
[26:58] Second.
[26:59] Motion has been made.
[26:59] It's seconded by Kathy Stacey.
[27:02] Any further discussion?
[27:03] Not seeing any.
[27:04] All those in favor?
[27:05] We have it.
[27:07] Eight to zero.
[27:09] Thank you.
[27:11] Thank you to the volunteers too.
[27:14] Okay, number eight, first read of a resolution.
[27:17] So this will be first read of resolution 2026-14 of the Union Development Department,
[27:21] which is to consider the amendment to a commercial tax credit program.
[27:25] If you recall back, I believe it was June or maybe the first meeting in July,
[27:28] there was a proposal before the council.
[27:31] You had tabled it at that point for further discussion.
[27:34] So we have tweaked it and we are bringing it back before you guys.
[27:37] The Economic Development Committee also has reviewed this as well, just to gain support
[27:42] or see other changes at their August 18 meeting.
[27:46] Assistant planner, Crane Brubaker.
[27:48] First time announced of that.
[27:49] See that?
[27:51] So, it's here to speak a little bit more about it.
[27:54] Hi, members of the Council.
[27:57] So like Mr. Devine mentioned, these are some recommended updates to the Salem
[28:04] commercial and industrial property tax program in light of kind of the past three applications
[28:09] now that we've had some time to digest the program and look at what can be improved.
[28:13] We're bringing these recommended changes to you. Just a little bit of background in June 24,
[28:19] the council passed the program as an economic development tool for the town.
[28:24] In November 2024, we tweaked it a little bit to update the defined uses, amend the tax
[28:31] relief period and increase the number of public benefits needed and again as town
[28:36] staff has further reviewed the program we're bringing forth these changes kind
[28:40] of a high-level overview of the changes are updating and adding of certain
[28:45] definitions of terms moving the qualified area of Salem from the
[28:50] whole town to all non-residential districts so commercial industrial or
[28:54] mixed use or the districts that it's allowed in, kind of focusing, looking at Salem, there's
[29:03] not a whole lot of undeveloped land left. So kind of transitioning the thought process
[29:08] of the program to be more redevelopment focused, revamping of the public benefit section to
[29:14] include some mandatory public benefits and then some additional ones that applicants
[29:18] need to achieve as well as clarifying the application process and including the
[29:25] EDC in the process with a recommendation to the council. And again, the EDC looked
[29:30] at these changes at their last meeting and recommended unanimously and I'm
[29:33] happy to answer any questions. Questions? Ms. Withrow. So I have a few. I have a
[29:39] couple on specifics to the plan and then a big picture one, but I'll go with
[29:43] the smaller ones first. So I think it was in section 8-2. There's no
[29:47] specific value to increase commercial industrial activity, any business expectation of growth
[29:54] qualifies. So I know like there was last time there was some talk about what kind of jobs
[29:59] we're bringing in.
[30:00] But it seems like it's not limiting anything, so it's any kind of improvement would qualify. Is that correct?
[30:05] Yes, so for a point to the kind of thought process of the mandatory benefits are to keep them more generalized. Yeah.
[30:12] So we couldn't use that. I just, I'm looking forward, right?
[30:15] I just don't want somebody saying, well, those aren't good enough jobs. We're not going to allow it.
[30:19] So do we need to put any language in there to say not specifically for any specific kind of job or job qualifications?
[30:28] I'm just I'm thinking out loud your fields. Just want to put it out there. We could we could take a look at that
[30:34] I think the
[30:36] It's kind of hard to quantify certain certain jobs with such a broad
[30:41] Array of businesses that we have in Salem, but we could certainly take a look at that if you'd like
[30:47] I want to be shut somebody shut down later. Yeah. Yeah, I think I think and if you're coming in for the program and you're expending your business or
[30:54] or revitalizing your building, things like that.
[30:57] I think just about anything that adds to your business
[31:00] or expands upon that would qualify for that.
[31:03] Absolutely, continue.
[31:05] I think I'm gonna, thank you.
[31:06] I think I'm gonna go to big picture on this one.
[31:09] When we first looked at this,
[31:11] it was my understanding that it was gonna be revitalization.
[31:15] To me, that's updating dilapidated properties.
[31:19] It's not stick built from a blank piece of land.
[31:23] So this includes all of that. I personally have a problem with that thinking on the town's behalf
[31:27] I mean, it's great for people coming in and I don't want to be you know
[31:30] Bad to any business that wants to come in but personally I feel that that's leaving money on the table if somebody is going for the town
[31:36] If somebody's gonna come in and build a building on a blank piece of land
[31:39] They've done the math and it's gonna be beneficial to them
[31:43] It's more beneficial and it's what they're gonna do it regardless
[31:45] So the town should be making the tax money on that if somebody is gonna put the money into
[31:49] fixing what's already there and looking bad for the town.
[31:53] I think that's where the focus of this should be.
[31:55] That was my understanding from the beginning
[31:57] and that's my expectation now of what I would support.
[32:00] I wouldn't support this for new build construction.
[32:04] Yep, so in this program,
[32:06] we kind of break it out into two tables.
[32:08] So we call it additions, renovations,
[32:12] substantial rehabilitation or replacement
[32:15] of qualifying structures.
[32:16] That's just any structure that's currently existing.
[32:19] that it has the full same property tax exemption and then anything for new
[32:23] construction is proposed at zero in that. So they would not get any benefit.
[32:30] Correct. If this program were passed the new construction would not be eligible
[32:35] for the program. Okay so I think it references new construction in this
[32:40] document a few times so you know I'll be honest I didn't read through that
[32:42] table totally. But I did see a lot of references to new construction. Then to now I want to
[32:50] touch on the structure. Can somebody throw a shed there for two years on a blank piece
[32:54] of property and now all of a sudden they're going to get this break because they pulled
[32:57] that down while they're waiting to go through the permitting process and they get a break?
[33:01] So I think we might need to clarify that a little bit.
[33:03] So we added the term new construction in the definition to put it in that second
[33:09] table and to say that it would be proposed with zero percent with no increase in assessment.
[33:17] And that's just kind of how the, because of the way the RSA is written, but as proposed,
[33:22] it's not in there.
[33:23] Or we added a definition and then we said, if this is new construction, it's basically
[33:28] ineligible for this program.
[33:30] Okay.
[33:30] So should we qualify what a structure, define what a structure is then?
[33:34] We do define what a structure is.
[33:36] and I believe new construction is, so in 6.7,
[33:40] it's the completion of a new building or structure
[33:43] on previously undeveloped or currently vacant land
[33:46] where buildings were removed more than two years ago
[33:48] before the application.
[33:49] Yeah, and if I, one more?
[33:50] I mean, tie to it.
[33:51] Yeah, go ahead.
[33:52] So my concern is the definition of structure, right?
[33:56] So I understand that it's not qualifying
[33:57] for certain things, but if there's a blank piece
[34:01] of property, an empty piece of property, just dirt,
[34:03] and somebody puts a shed there
[34:04] And they know that they're going to, you know, maybe a little bit of vigor than a shit, right?
[34:08] And they know that they're going to buy it.
[34:09] They know they're going to develop it.
[34:10] They know they're going through the process.
[34:12] And it's going to take two years to get through all that property, all that process.
[34:15] Now there is a structure on there.
[34:17] So it kind of circumnavigates the intent of this.
[34:21] So I think maybe we should whittle down a better definition of structure.
[34:27] we can do that the currently the qualifying structure is in that definition it says the addition
[34:35] renovation substantial rehab or replacement so it kind of outlined specifically those those four
[34:42] things and does not would not include so I think if you come in with a shed and call that new
[34:47] construction I don't think that could be that wouldn't be well they say in that case they're
[34:52] to be replacing it with something more than 20% bigger than it.
[34:55] So it would look like they qualify, right?
[34:59] If they were, I guess if there's a shed, yeah, and they replaced the shed.
[35:04] So I think we need to qualify a little bit what a structure would be, just to protect
[35:10] the town moving forward.
[35:11] This is my opinion.
[35:12] Okay.
[35:12] Thank you.
[35:13] Take a look at that.
[35:14] You good?
[35:15] Yes, thank you.
[35:16] Absolutely.
[35:17] I got it.
[35:18] I'm on you, Joe.
[35:19] So I saw you before I turn, I just wanted to make sure she was good.
[35:23] She had several questions.
[35:24] You're up.
[35:25] Thank you.
[35:25] Off of that, off of what Councilor Withrow raised, how would we define you got a parking
[35:31] lot that's just a flat surface lot and somebody's coming in and they're going to revitalize
[35:35] their property and they're just going to build infill office building on the corner
[35:40] of the parking lot?
[35:41] Is that new construction, is that revitalization?
[35:45] How does that, where do we define that?
[35:47] because it could be if they're not keep it if they're not touching their existing property,
[35:51] but they have you know 30 spots or whatnot or whatever maybe they're building a garage or
[35:57] something and because we have giant we have these giant parking lots right and I want I want to
[36:02] develop the parking lots keep the grass in the trees where they are and just build up on
[36:07] the parking lots that's that's my interest here is that new construction is that revitalization
[36:17] to me that's new construction because I think they're gonna do it regardless of
[36:20] this program so why wouldn't the town get the money in the taxes to help offset
[36:25] residential taxes in a situation where they're going to do it regardless rather
[36:29] than a motivation to hey this place looks bad let's fix it for the time
[36:34] in other words stop playing the angles yeah okay I just don't know where it
[36:38] to apply to that.
[36:40] If we're describing that infill development
[36:44] on parking lots as new construction,
[36:46] then what actually is revitalization rehabbing?
[36:50] Like if we want people to just rebuild the strip mall
[36:52] that they have in place, or build it taller
[36:55] instead of building it along the road
[36:56] like the depot plans were for,
[36:59] or we're trying to fill in that already paved over space,
[37:04] that's a, to me, the property is being revitalized.
[37:08] we're just shifting around where people park on it versus where people work out of it.
[37:13] So I think – to your original point, to your original question, I think some sort
[37:19] of clean metric where if you're creating X amount of jobs per the property value that
[37:24] is proposed to be increased, you qualify for the program.
[37:28] If you're just going to be a large redevelopment that has a lot more property value but
[37:33] it's not bringing those jobs, like I think we should treat it as a jobs program
[37:36] where we want more people working in town because when they work here they shop
[37:41] here they eat here they interact here and that's where we're going to see bigger
[37:46] property value increase anyways to where if this is helping them hire more
[37:50] people or pay better benefits or what what have you that's where I see this
[37:55] program maybe being refined to really thrive and we make it more of a we're
[37:59] focused on drawing in large employers to the town not necessarily the you
[38:05] revitalizing the strip mall where they have 30 employees today and they're
[38:09] gonna have 30 employees tomorrow sort of thing I don't know that's just
[38:13] speaking out loud right we have like this is a working yeah well let me get
[38:17] mr. Bettencourt in for the first time thank you mr. Chairman so the beginning
[38:21] part of that dialogue kind of dovetailed into my question which is I'm not
[38:27] opposed to tax credits but when you have a tax credit there's obviously a
[38:32] loss of revenue on the front end that you hope to make back and, of course,
[38:38] exceed on the back end. So front end cost, back end you're going to pick that up
[38:43] and hopefully get more. So, and this may not be an answer that we have tonight,
[38:48] but I'd love to know what the history of this tax credit has been in terms of
[38:52] the cost versus the benefit. So what's the ROI on this particular tax credit?
[38:59] Because if we're going to talk about how we're going to adjust it, I think
[39:01] we need to have a better understanding of how it has performed historically and start
[39:06] to try to target it that way in part.
[39:14] You're up.
[39:16] So, to that question, the town has received three applications and two of them are approved.
[39:21] One was for the 142 Main Street for the day care that they renovated the right aid
[39:26] into a day care.
[39:27] The others are for the North Jewel buildings, Tuscan, and those have that tax exemption
[39:32] has not gone into a fact that begins April 1st, 2027.
[39:36] So we don't really have the metrics per se.
[39:39] So what I'm hearing is that it's too soon to tell.
[39:42] So it's too soon to tell, but we're
[39:43] trying to figure out how we make adjustments to it already.
[39:47] All right.
[39:51] You wanted to follow up with that?
[39:52] Yeah, if you don't mind.
[39:53] I just so I guess you said, where would it qualify?
[39:56] To me, my initial thought, how I took it,
[39:58] so this is what was in my brain.
[40:00] If there's a mall that's been there for 50 years
[40:04] and it looks old. And now we can use this in this test rather to motivate them to maybe
[40:08] make it a bigger building, a taller building, maybe instead of just that one little tiny
[40:11] strip mall, maybe it can be a taller, closer to the road, parking behind. So it's that
[40:16] kind of revitalization that I anticipated this being a motivator for, not new construction.
[40:23] You can. I agree because that is some conversation that I'm sitting directly in. And I'm thrilled
[40:35] with what's going on so far. Go ahead. I agree completely. We're also we're
[40:40] always not going to be here right so our vision of it is not going to matter
[40:43] and if ten years from now somebody's coming in with hey they're building on
[40:47] the edge of the parking lot and they're gonna tear down the existing
[40:50] structure and make that parking or make that a garage they look at the
[40:54] definition and that might be new construction that might be revitalization
[40:57] and it's just not crystal clear as to because I want that what you
[41:03] described is what I want. I want them to be building stuff on parking lots,
[41:08] revitalizing the overall property. It has a little bit of new construction to it
[41:12] because they're probably just going to tear down the existing structure for the
[41:15] parking and then build up along the road or build up anyway. So I just want
[41:20] to make sure that what we write in this gets to that because that's the
[41:24] point. That's the goal is to, and I think other, I think Rochester and
[41:28] other places have made it where if you do bring it up across the street
[41:31] and you build it up taller so that it has the property value increase, that's when you start
[41:36] qualifying for either this program or the 70-90. There's so many tools, right? There's so many
[41:41] tools that the state makes. We're going to have another one in a week for special assessments
[41:44] that's going to be big too, where people that are developing properties can bond out the
[41:49] infrastructure right through the town, which is great. Like if there's pipes or parking
[41:54] garages or stuff like that, that unlocks the development, they can now talk to us about
[41:58] it which is a whole different ballgame from this but I just want to make sure we
[42:01] have the tools right and I think the way you described it though I'm on board
[42:05] with I just want to make sure the definitions for new construction verse
[42:09] revitalization match that so if it's if it's infill commercial infill where
[42:15] they're building on a parking lot and revitalizing the property that way
[42:18] that's revitalization then I'm good with it it seems like Greaton's got a
[42:23] work cleaning this up. So sorry. A little dusting up today. I mean I know I'm most of
[42:29] the conflict here so I'm fine if you want to meet or if you want to email me
[42:33] or whatever and I can clarify my vision anyways. I'm happy to do that but I'd
[42:37] like to see I can't support it as is so I'd like to clean it up a little bit.
[42:41] Happy to work with you on the definitions. Thank you. This is DeVettancourt.
[42:45] Thank you. One last question. So once we clean it up we get it to where we
[42:49] want it to be the question for me then becomes what are we doing to promote the
[42:54] tax credit what are we doing to let developers and potential businesses
[43:00] that are looking at Salem what are we doing to make them aware that this tax
[43:05] credit exists because in their calculation when they're making choices
[43:09] about where they want to go I would assume that this is going to be part
[43:13] of the package that we are using to entice them here.
[43:17] So we currently, when developers are coming in, we make them aware of the program.
[43:22] The state through BEA also is aware of it.
[43:24] So when they're speaking to developers in other states, trying to get them to come
[43:29] into New Hampshire, they're using that as a selling point to bring them to Salem.
[43:34] Analogics, when they came to Salem, they knew about this program.
[43:36] They had made a commitment that they weren't going to use any tax exemption money when
[43:40] they did it.
[43:41] But they were aware of it, and so that's – using the state is really how we've been
[43:45] trying to utilize this at this point.
[43:49] You might want to think of other things too.
[43:52] Further?
[43:54] Great.
[43:54] If I may.
[43:55] Absolutely.
[43:56] Yeah.
[43:56] When we reviewed this with the EDC, we talked about how we promote our economic development
[44:00] programs, and currently we have this program and the ERZs.
[44:04] In January, the EDC held like a public workshop, and they were thinking once we
[44:08] We passed this amended program of doing something similar to that for this specific program.
[44:14] Great.
[44:16] Okay.
[44:17] So you're working with him?
[44:19] Can I ask my great friend a question?
[44:23] Sure, you may.
[44:24] Just for the process, do you mind if we do first reading motion tonight?
[44:29] Because it's the first reading and then secondly reading, we can amend it, we can make any
[44:33] changes to it.
[44:34] Just so that we're not...
[44:35] Holding it.
[44:36] Yeah.
[44:36] Yeah, we don't want to pick behind it.
[44:38] If you're good with it, then you guys can work in between.
[44:41] Yeah, and I know you and I are going back and forth, so when we talk, I'll talk to you
[44:45] and we'll make sure we're good.
[44:46] That sounds good.
[44:49] Your people talk to my people.
[44:51] Yeah, yeah.
[44:52] We know how that goes.
[44:54] Anything further?
[44:56] Mr. Brubaker, thank you very much.
[44:58] Thank you.
[45:00] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. At this time, I move that the Salem Town Council hereby recognizes
[45:07] September 14th, 2026 as the first reading for consideration of resolution number 202614 to
[45:15] consider amendments to the commercial tax credit program criteria. We further recommend a second
[45:20] reading be scheduled for September 28th, 2026. Seconded by Ms. Withrow. For the discussion
[45:26] Not seeing any. All those in favor. That's eight to zero. Thank you very much.
[45:34] Next up be next up
[45:36] before resolution 2026 16, which is a request to unmerge some lots. NTC real estate development is
[45:42] asking to reverse an involuntary merger. Staff from assessing and planning found no
[45:45] sufficient evidence to support the request and identify no objection to this. Attorney Campbell
[45:50] is here to represent the applicant. You have questions for him.
[45:59] Mr. Campbell,
[46:00] Would you like to say something for us before we?
[46:02] Very little, Mr. Chairman, if I can.
[46:05] Okay.
[46:06] First, I want to thank the Council for putting this on their agenda and giving it consideration.
[46:11] For the record, my name is Attorney Bernard Campbell from the Office of Oman and Campbell Professional Association,
[46:16] and I appear this evening on behalf of NTC Real Estate Development, LLC.
[46:21] This property is detailed in a rather lengthy explanation letter that is addressed to the Chair,
[46:27] dated July 29, 2026. In the interim, I did have a brief conversation with Mr. LaFontaine,
[46:35] who called for some clarification. I think I gave him the clarification he was looking for.
[46:41] This property was divvied up into a bunch of lots back in 1952 by Bob Thorndike.
[46:48] That plan is recorded in the registry, copies in the plans.
[46:52] The only unique thing about this one is that although by 1966 they had merged it on the tax map,
[47:01] there were still separate conveyances going on as late as 1987.
[47:06] In other words, the owner's lots F, G and L, which by that time were all part of one tax lot,
[47:15] were conveyed by good roads in July of 1985, and I attached that deed, and lots J and K
[47:23] were not conveyed until October of 1987. So somewhere in there, there could have been,
[47:29] I guess, a claim by the town to say that they shouldn't have been able to separately
[47:33] convey them. I think it adds to our ability to say, well, they really weren't merged
[47:38] because the owner didn't believe it, and they conveyed it in two separate conveyances.
[47:41] So we're looking to separate three of the five lots leaving two, the two that are left merged.
[47:52] They have been used. There's a septic system on one of them and a sewer line,
[47:58] which actually serves the lot at ten shore and one across the street because of an easement that exists.
[48:05] this. So those were leaving not asking to separate those. The other two at the corner
[48:12] and one in the upper corner, we believe once if positive action is taken by the council,
[48:19] we may be looking at some kind of plan to redevelop them and bring them on the market. And I'll
[48:25] be back before the zoning board of adjustment.
[48:28] Okay. Questions of Attorney Campbell, if any.
[48:32] Just one quick one.
[48:34] Ms. Withrow, please.
[48:35] So the two lots that you are not unmerging, they are now going to be voluntarily merged.
[48:41] Is that correct?
[48:42] Our position is they probably exist voluntarily.
[48:45] If you look at the plan that was prepared by Meisner Brim, you'll see that those two lots, which are lots J and L,
[48:56] They essentially have been voluntarily merged by action, by virtue of the sewer line that goes through them.
[49:03] And then the septic system that's on lot J.
[49:06] Just wanted to be clear. Thank you.
[49:09] Anything else? Further?
[49:13] Motions? Questions?
[49:15] What do you think, Joe?
[49:16] Can you make the motion?
[49:18] Sure.
[49:18] Mr. Chairman, at this time I move that the Salem Town Council hereby recognize the September
[49:23] 14th, 2026 as the first reading for consideration of Resolution Number 2026-16 to consider
[49:30] a request by NTC Real Estate Development LLC, represented by Attorney Bernard Campbell
[49:38] to unmerge lots at 5 Freire Street, map 15, lots 4848.
[49:43] We hereby recommend a second reading and public hearing be scheduled for September 28th, 2026.
[49:49] Second.
[49:50] Much have been made and seconded by Lisa Withrow.
[49:55] For the questions of discussion, not hearing any, all those in favor?
[50:00] Eight to zero.
[50:01] Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Have a good evening.
[50:03] Thank you.
[50:03] You do the same.
[50:06] C. Resolution.
[50:08] Next we resolution 2026-17, which is from the finance department to review the time-wide
[50:12] fee schedule.
[50:14] Before Nicole gets up here, I just want to thank her and her team, if you weren't aware
[50:17] this week is finance and accounting week, recognition week, so thank you for all she
[50:23] does.
[50:23] I didn't know that either until Joe told me this happened, it's very exciting.
[50:29] So Nicole is here to speak about the fee schedule and some proposed changes.
[50:33] Good afternoon, Town Council, Nicole McGee, the finance director, and annually we review
[50:38] the fee schedule and adopt a fee schedule for the upcoming fiscal year, so that's what
[50:42] I'm here to do tonight.
[50:45] There were several, not as many as we have seen in the past, but several requests for
[50:49] things to be changed, so I'll just start right in.
[50:52] The first is the water and sewer rates.
[50:54] We are looking to increase the consumption rates for sewer from $5.75 per 100 cubic
[51:00] cubic feet to $6.15 per 100 cubic feet for water usage.
[51:05] We're looking to increase it from $4.75 per 100 cubic feet
[51:08] to $5.60 per 100 cubic feet.
[51:11] And then I also just put this disclaimer
[51:13] that for our Windham customers, we charge 15% more
[51:16] than what we charge our Salem customers.
[51:19] So the Windham fee would be $6.44 per 100 cubic feet.
[51:24] Next is the transfer station.
[51:27] They're looking to request to increase the landfill permit sticker from $60 to $70 again
[51:34] but keeping the caveat that residents that are 65 or older would be free.
[51:39] And then we are looking to add new fees for mattresses and box springs.
[51:44] We currently don't charge a separate fee for them.
[51:46] Looking to charge $7 for a mattress, $7 for a box spring.
[51:51] These would no longer be bulky coupon eligible items but a separate item that you would
[51:56] have to pay to dispose for.
[52:00] Additionally, good news.
[52:03] The bank has started charging us less for bad checks.
[52:08] So we are looking to reduce the fee
[52:10] that we charge for bad payment checks,
[52:13] uncollectable check fees, from $67 to $32.
[52:17] And then just clarifying that anything that gets processed
[52:20] through clerk works.
[52:21] Looking at we worked with the town clerk over this year
[52:26] and discovered that what clerk works is paying us is nothing,
[52:29] our charging us is nothing, so we would want to change
[52:32] the proposed fee to $25, which again is required by that RSA.
[52:37] And then last is just adding the commercial
[52:41] and industrial property tax exemption application
[52:43] to the fee schedule.
[52:45] It appears that we are charging this,
[52:46] but it's not on the fee schedule,
[52:47] so we want to have it included in the fee schedule.
[52:51] I'm sure we have questions, comments, and concerns.
[52:53] Ms. Desi.
[52:54] Thank you, Mr. Chair.
[52:55] So, Ms. McGee, let's talk about the mattresses, because we know that we have a significant
[53:01] amount of mattresses on a weekly basis.
[53:04] Do we know how much it costs us to get rid of those mattresses?
[53:09] Currently, it's part of our tonnage fees.
[53:12] So when coming up with the $7, I Googled what the weight above mattress would be,
[53:18] And then I just did that the weight and I calculated how much it is per ton and seven dollars at our current rates
[53:24] How much I would say it cost to dispose of a mattress?
[53:29] except
[53:30] except
[53:32] Except if you take it out of the house, and you leave it outside in the rain, and then you take it to the
[53:38] Station then it weighs almost three and a half times
[53:42] If you want to change it to 25 dollars, I'm okay with that. Yeah
[53:46] I watched I watched the guy struggle trying to get it out of the back of the truck it's reasonable
[53:50] I think that that yeah, I think that if you get a mattress in box spring at $25. I think that's reasonable. I
[53:57] agree
[53:58] I mean we're doing somewhere upwards of 90 mattresses a week and
[54:04] And the people that usually
[54:06] Deliver your mattresses in box bring them usually take them with you right so why they save them
[54:12] I don't know unless they're just getting rid of stuff and downsizing and whatever but
[54:18] Those things are really heavy. I watched the guy struggle at the I offered to help
[54:22] He said no, and I looked at it and it was dripping wet
[54:26] And he's never gonna get over that railing, but
[54:30] Yeah, I don't I don't see it $25 is being a problem
[54:33] Happy to amend it to $25. Yeah anybody
[54:38] opposed? No? Good. Okay.
[54:43] That's two pieces. Instead of 14, it's 25. Yes.
[54:47] So these are small changes, and we're adopting this for now, but I just want to be clear.
[54:51] This is a temporary thing because the Finance Committee is going to review the whole fee
[54:55] schedule. Is that correct?
[54:56] This would be in effect for January of 2027. I would imagine that the Finance Committee
[55:02] is going to take a look at this in the next couple months, but there is a lot
[55:06] of content in the fee schedule. So I think to assume the finance committee could really
[55:10] give it a thorough analysis in a few months, I don't think that that would be possible.
[55:15] Can we modify it at any time? You can modify it at any time. And one thing
[55:19] that I do want to point out also is that we do not, our solid waste contract is ending
[55:26] at the end of this year. We don't have the new rates. So I will be coming back
[55:29] to the town council at some point between now and the end of the calendar year once
[55:33] we have those rates to adjust our holler fees.
[55:37] Okay.
[55:37] Thank you.
[55:38] Okay.
[55:39] Mr. Palatier, please.
[55:40] Thank you, Mr. DeVine.
[55:42] Did I see a brief memo from you saying that there was an error in the water or sewer?
[55:50] That was just in the calculations on the budget.
[55:52] That had nothing to do with this.
[55:53] It's going to do with this?
[55:54] Okay.
[55:55] Thank you.
[55:55] All right.
[55:56] Great.
[55:57] Mr. Sweeney, did you have something else?
[56:00] Councilor Sacey, ask the same question I was going to ask.
[56:02] Okay, so I'm good.
[56:04] We're up to motions.
[56:05] Oh, okay.
[56:06] Mr. Sweeney.
[56:07] Mr. Chairman, at this time I move that the Salem, New Hampshire Council recognizes
[56:11] September 14th, 2026 as the first reading for consideration of resolution number 202617
[56:20] to adopt the 2027 town-wide fee schedule.
[56:23] We hereby recommend a second reading slash public hearing be scheduled for September 28th, 2026 second motion been made seconded by Miss Stacy all those in favor
[56:35] Thank you zero
[56:37] D resolution
[56:39] 2026 18
[56:41] So for the next three, I'm going to invite the planning director to come up. So this will be for
[56:45] Resolution 2026 18 19 and 20 which are all going to be proposed zoning amendments
[56:51] Again, Council, Jacob LaFontaine, your planning director, and we've been workshopping a series
[56:57] of zoning amendments the planning board has some dating back a few months now.
[57:03] The first ones aren't too complex, we looked at our permitted use table and we wanted to
[57:09] clean some of those items up.
[57:12] Educational uses we have currently, you know, maybe, you know, six or seven different
[57:19] educational uses and I think it ties back to state law, RSAs often change based off
[57:24] group daycare versus, you know, group daycare, home daycare. But anyway, there's a variety
[57:32] of different ones. We wanted to consolidate that. We ran into this when 142 Main Street
[57:37] came in that needed a variance and it seemed to not make a lot of sense to us. We've
[57:42] allowed other daycares. There's other daycares on Main Street and it seemed to be a use
[57:46] that we wanted to promote. The state actually has also amended the law, I think, to preempt
[57:52] municipalities to require educational uses, daycare uses, and it just was coincidental
[57:59] that we kind of already undertook this to begin with. So we were trying to reduce some
[58:03] redundancy and ambiguity and consolidate those under a few different uses. It was
[58:08] hard to interpret when daycares came in. The other item is the religious uses.
[58:13] So right now in our permitted use table, we have distinct categories for churches and
[58:19] then also for religious institutions.
[58:22] I don't believe that would – that's not how we've traditionally applied the ordinance
[58:24] and I don't think it'd be defensible under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized
[58:28] Person Act.
[58:29] Our lupa really states that you're not able to make any different zone and determination
[58:35] regardless of the denomination of the religious use.
[58:39] So this would consolidate churches and religious institutions and then also just allow them in the districts that both of those uses were allowed.
[58:48] And again, this really isn't reflective of how we've traditionally applied this ordinance anyway.
[58:54] I think we've kind of applied it consistent with our lupa and this will clean that up.
[58:59] The third item is allowing personal service uses within the business office district.
[59:03] So the business office district, we have two business office districts of district one and two, and those are predominantly along Main Street along 97.
[59:13] And you'll probably know that there are service personal service uses. There are salons and barbershops and that to parlors.
[59:21] And this is essentially the essentially to clean that up to have the ordinance reflect the built environment and somebody came in and they wanted to open up a salon.
[59:31] And even though there's one next door to the property, you know the answer was no
[59:35] They would need a variance wanted to clean that up. And that's essentially what it does. Just tries to bring our
[59:42] Permitted youth table more in alignment with the built environment of the community
[59:47] so those were the first three
[59:50] amendments that the planning board was considering and
[59:53] I'm happy to go through all of them and hold questions to the end or feel free to ask questions if you have any
[59:58] as I go through because
[1:00:00] Perference? Aye. Perference, folks? Each resolution will need a motion, so however you want to handle
[1:00:04] it. Mr. Chair.
[1:00:07] We may have a motion for this one. Go for it. Mr. Chairman, at this time I
[1:00:11] move that the Salem Town Council hereby recognize this September 14th, 2026 as the first reading
[1:00:16] for consideration of resolution number 202618 to consider amendments to Salem Municipal Code
[1:00:23] Chapter 490, attachment number one, permitted use table as recommended by the Planning Board.
[1:00:28] We hereby recommend a second reading and public hearing be scheduled for September 28, 2026.
[1:00:34] Second.
[1:00:36] Most have been made and seconded.
[1:00:38] Further?
[1:00:39] All those in favor?
[1:00:42] Eight to zero.
[1:00:44] Next up 202619.
[1:00:47] This next amendment is to allow mixed use developments in commercial districts.
[1:00:51] This is to comply with state law.
[1:00:53] Some of the council members may be familiar that there is a variety of house bills that were
[1:00:58] adopted last year in 2025. You had House Bill 631 and then more recently this
[1:01:04] year you had House Bill 1010 and House Bill 1588. Those more recent ones kind of
[1:01:10] had us put a pause. We had an amendment proposed that was going to be by
[1:01:13] conditional use permit but we went back and revisited it and the state law
[1:01:18] essentially compels municipalities to allow multifamily residential
[1:01:22] development on commercially zoned land and the purview of the
[1:01:26] municipality is limited in respects to adequate infrastructure and we've
[1:01:31] incorporated the direct provision from the RSA into this ordinance so that's the
[1:01:37] plan where it's determined adequate infrastructure such as roads, water,
[1:01:40] sewage systems are available to support the development that's per RSA 674
[1:01:45] colon 80 which is what those hospitals have modified and then they are still
[1:01:49] subject to dimensional requirements so they would still be subject to the
[1:01:52] setbacks there's not frontage requirements in the commercial
[1:01:55] industrial district, but it would be setbacks and lot coverage. Those items would still
[1:02:00] be applicable. And then the other thing that the RSA allows the municipality to do is to
[1:02:06] regulate their ground floor space. So in this instance, we just took the recommendation
[1:02:12] from our master plan. Our master plan was done by UTIL Design, and they also worked
[1:02:18] with a fiscal impact consultant, which was land-wise. And we anticipated some mixed
[1:02:24] use development, we want to promote mixed use development, particularly in the mixed
[1:02:27] use core area, which is from Main Street south towards Kelly Road, and then from Main Street
[1:02:33] north to like the Aroma Joe's area, it was anticipated as miss and middle.
[1:02:39] And we already kind of anticipated some of this.
[1:02:42] Landwise said, if you require 100% ground floor area to be devoted to commercial use,
[1:02:48] it very well may not make the project valuable.
[1:02:51] So they've reviewed our economic situation in Salem, and they determined that 33% of the available ground floor space could be dedicated to commercial use.
[1:03:04] And what we are probably is more important for us is that 80% of the street frontage be dedicated to ground-activated uses.
[1:03:11] So that doesn't necessarily have to be a retailer or office use.
[1:03:15] It could also be a lobby or residential amenity like a gym.
[1:03:19] You see municipalities, and I think Manchester has built some multi-family, and they have
[1:03:23] trouble filling some of those retail spaces.
[1:03:27] So that threshold is taken verbatim from our master plan, and the idea is that that would
[1:03:33] be a viable threshold where we could still see the type of development that was anticipated.
[1:03:40] And then the other item is incompatible impacts.
[1:03:43] Multi-family residential development may be restricted in zones where permitted industrial
[1:03:46] manufacturing uses may result in impacts incompatible with residential uses.
[1:03:51] So that would be our industrial district and we talked a little bit at the
[1:03:54] planning board about the industrial district. We don't, and you know very
[1:03:57] well, we don't have a ton of vacant industrial land. There's only a few
[1:04:02] parcels, actually a couple of them are before the planning board right now or
[1:04:05] recently before the planning board. So the idea was to you know allow it in
[1:04:09] the commercial industrial uses which is still a portion of exit two and
[1:04:14] And then, you know, pretty much the entire length of 28 where these uses would now be
[1:04:19] be allowed.
[1:04:20] And again, that's to comply with the state law.
[1:04:26] Anything?
[1:04:28] Motion?
[1:04:29] Mr. Sweeney.
[1:04:31] Mr. Chairman, at this time, I move that the Salem Town Council hereby recognize the
[1:04:34] September 14th, 2026 as the first reading for consideration of resolution number 202619
[1:04:40] to consider amendments to Salem Municipal Code Chapter 490-501.
[1:04:46] Multifamily mixed use developments.
[1:04:48] We hereby recommend a second reading and public hearing be scheduled for September 28th, 2026,
[1:04:54] which is becoming quite the meeting.
[1:04:56] It's going to be quite the ballot too if this all goes through.
[1:05:00] Second?
[1:05:01] I seconded.
[1:05:02] Oh, I did.
[1:05:03] Okay.
[1:05:03] Thanks.
[1:05:06] Anything further?
[1:05:07] All those in favor?
[1:05:09] 8 to 0.
[1:05:13] Next up, number 20.
[1:05:15] The last one that we have proposed here is proximity of kennels and cigar bars to residential districts.
[1:05:21] The municipality or Salem has proximity prohibitions for a couple other uses to sexually oriented businesses being one that was preempted by the Supreme Court,
[1:05:32] which required us to, you couldn't expressly prohibit that sexually oriented businesses in a community.
[1:05:38] And what we did is we took a 750 foot, a linear foot buffer so that one area wouldn't be kind
[1:05:46] of inundated with use that we anticipate might have adverse impacts on the surrounding neighborhood.
[1:05:55] This was discussed, it's been kicked around by the planning board for a while now.
[1:06:00] We've had some of these uses that have come in and we've had a butters that have
[1:06:06] brought concerns to the board. And this was the idea, so that the cigar bar would, you
[1:06:13] know, it wouldn't prohibit cigar bars. So if you wanted a cigar bar that operated outside
[1:06:18] of the hours between 10 p.m. and I think it's 8 a.m., which is reflective of our
[1:06:23] nebulous sound ordinance, but if you wanted to have a cigar bar that was open from,
[1:06:28] you know, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., that'd be fine. Or even if you wanted to have it
[1:06:33] open until 10 p.m. That'd be fine. What we were finding were that there were some applicants
[1:06:38] that would come in and the cigar bar would function. It's under a state license and it
[1:06:45] would function almost kind of like a night club where you'd have peeking factors. They'd
[1:06:49] open at 9 p.m. and then they would close at 1 a.m. and you'd have a number of patrons
[1:06:55] that would come all at once and then they would leave all at once and it was probably
[1:06:58] the leave and all at once. We had some of Butters particularly on Seed Street that complained
[1:07:03] about some adverse impacts, you know, whether it be police call volume, you know, people
[1:07:10] urinating on lawns, you know, we had a whole variety of stories. And the idea is that,
[1:07:15] you know, let's continue to allow these uses but create some separation. I've given
[1:07:19] my own kind of personal experience. I grew up in Milford. I grew up across from a
[1:07:27] commercial use. That use could be redeveloped, but if it was redeveloped as a cigar bar or
[1:07:32] a kennel, you know, there's fortunately for their case, I think it's going to be a dollar
[1:07:35] general. But, you know, it could be a, it could be a kennel. And I had one resident who would
[1:07:42] call me when I'm transitioning now, I guess to the kennels and how that came about.
[1:07:48] But I had one resident who would call me at maybe 5, 6 a.m. when the dogs would
[1:07:53] start to get dropped off, and it was incessant barking. And I looked at the site plan, and
[1:07:59] the site plan had a business operation memo, and it said, the noise will be managed with
[1:08:04] a tent of staff. So I called him, and I said, hey, your business memo said a tent of staff.
[1:08:09] He said, you know, we're having a real difficult time hiring right now. We are short staffed,
[1:08:13] and, you know, we're doing all we can. But I think you have some presumption
[1:08:18] and when you live next to a commercial property
[1:08:20] that there are gonna be impacts.
[1:08:23] I had a sense that when that happened
[1:08:26] that it really does affect the quality of life
[1:08:28] but ultimately the town council can weigh in
[1:08:30] and provide your feedback on whether or not
[1:08:33] these are uses that you want to regulate
[1:08:36] and if you want to establish a proximity
[1:08:39] or if this is something that you're comfortable with.
[1:08:44] Mr. Pellett's here.
[1:08:45] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
[1:08:47] take up I still need some clarification on this. We mentioned over and over again the 750 feet
[1:08:56] a linear feet which is a linear pizza straight line still. I need clarification whether this
[1:09:04] 750 feet is from the proposed cigar bond not southeast and west of any of the residential
[1:09:13] rural garden apartments. And that would eliminate a lot of Broadway on the west side of Broadway
[1:09:22] all the way down from North to South because of all the residential in the background over
[1:09:29] there where the west side of Broadway was mostly open space. So that would, I just
[1:09:40] need some clarification if it's going to be North, South, East, West, 750 feet all
[1:09:43] the way around the perimeter of the Sagatline. Yeah, what we've done with
[1:09:49] proximity prohibitions is we've taken a dimension from the edge of that
[1:09:52] district, so the property, the edge of the property, and we would pull 750
[1:09:56] linear feet off that edge. Our GIS manager John Vogel did produce a map
[1:10:01] and the map does show where these uses would still be permitted. You are
[1:10:05] are right because of the orientation of our commercial
[1:10:12] industrial district on 28.
[1:10:13] It's very narrow, restricted in part
[1:10:15] by the residential development that it
[1:10:17] have bought, and also physical features, the wetland,
[1:10:22] Spickett River, what have you.
[1:10:24] Mr. Vogel's map does show that there
[1:10:26] are portions in the south end of town
[1:10:29] that you could accommodate this use.
[1:10:32] There are also uses in Tuscan, if Tuscan wanted to open a cigar bar that would be removed
[1:10:39] from a residential district.
[1:10:42] It's not necessarily from a residential property.
[1:10:45] And the other thing I would just want to clarify is that it would not prohibit cigar
[1:10:50] bars outright.
[1:10:51] It would only prohibit those cigar bars where we saw those adverse impacts where
[1:10:54] the butters were coming out and saying, you know, hey, everybody comes at 11 p.m.
[1:11:02] and they're leaving at 1 a.m. or you know at 9 p.m. what have you but we had a few of those and
[1:11:08] That was something that we heard from the abutters received a lot of feedback. So felt out of you know
[1:11:15] Discretion for them, you know, it's warranted to at least consider whether or not we want to adopt something or or leave it as is
[1:11:22] Which is an alternative, which would be okay
[1:11:24] Okay.
[1:11:25] Oh, and then also on exit 2, there would be along styles, keyway, and I don't know that
[1:11:31] that's quite the development right now, but that would be sufficiently removed from any
[1:11:35] residential district that they could do that there as well.
[1:11:39] So okay, that brings up another question, if I may, Mr.
[1:11:42] Go ahead.
[1:11:43] You're talking about in the area of styles and keyway and way, keyway and where there's
[1:11:48] is industrial and right now and office building, which would be maybe someday that those roads
[1:11:58] those roads will be changed on top of a key weight and maybe you know who knows in the
[1:12:05] future someone developed may want to go in there and put a apartment complex over there
[1:12:10] now who has preference a cigar bar bar or does the the cigar bar would but also we
[1:12:17] we are not trying to prohibit them from a residential.
[1:12:21] So for instance, I had somebody call me,
[1:12:24] which is kind of surprising,
[1:12:25] but they moved to Central Village
[1:12:27] and they were upset
[1:12:28] because they didn't know it was a mixed use development.
[1:12:30] And I don't know how you move into Tuscan
[1:12:33] without knowing it's mixed use development,
[1:12:34] but the idea is that you're gonna have,
[1:12:37] and we talked about that, we've talked about that
[1:12:39] for years, there are people calling,
[1:12:42] they complain about dumpster pickup
[1:12:43] at some of the tenants.
[1:12:45] and and and that's kind of I guess what those are some of the anticipated impacts
[1:12:50] right we expected that when you built the mixed use development when you live in
[1:12:53] a you know more of a dense urban environment that you're gonna have
[1:12:58] some of those conflicts so the answer would be that they would still be
[1:13:04] allowed there unless the town were to rezone that area and designated a
[1:13:09] residential district. That would answer my question. Thank you.
[1:13:15] So in my mind these are two very very different things.
[1:13:20] Sagabahs are really not that different from
[1:13:22] a bar or a restaurant or anything like that and these issues that they were
[1:13:26] having can be mitigated with police details
[1:13:29] or you know follow up from the town whatever it may be
[1:13:32] I don't see anything there that would hinder my life
[1:13:37] So, I would not want to include cigabas in that.
[1:13:40] The kennels, though, the incessant barking would drive me insane, so I can imagine that
[1:13:45] that would bother a lot of people because that's a constant noise you can't get rid
[1:13:48] of.
[1:13:48] Not somebody rowdy that the police needs to deal with because that can happen anywhere.
[1:13:52] So I would like to separate these, and then I'm good with proximities for kennels,
[1:13:56] but not cigabas, might I?
[1:13:58] Okay.
[1:13:58] And that would be okay, too.
[1:13:59] You can move forward with one and not the other.
[1:14:02] The cigar bars, it was really the way that they seemed to be operating.
[1:14:08] I'm sure if anybody follows the planning board, it was maybe about a year ago or I think we had a couple,
[1:14:13] and we kind of, you know, the board at that time wanted to consider this, but...
[1:14:18] What did that go to?
[1:14:20] It's not a problem.
[1:14:22] Ms. Stacy, did you have your hand up?
[1:14:24] Thank you.
[1:14:25] Oh, Joe.
[1:14:26] Thank you, Mr. Schmidt.
[1:14:28] would we be allowed to pursue a definition of nightclub that is not you
[1:14:35] know necessarily a cigar bar but is it sounds like the activity we're trying
[1:14:39] to curtail yeah we were we were a little reticent to do that just because if
[1:14:46] you look some municipalities do that and if you look at the definition of a
[1:14:49] nightclub it's very could be ambiguous it's you know a location that
[1:14:56] provides like music and dancing and you know we talked about
[1:15:00] You know, our code enforcement officers are going and, you know, it's after 10 p.m. and you're
[1:15:03] providing, you know, dancing or somebody's got to carry out, so, because there was a member
[1:15:08] of the public who did come and said, hey, I think it should be nightclubs. I mean, I'm
[1:15:12] happy to provide a little bit more context for some of the cigar bars that we saw. I
[1:15:16] mean, somebody want us to show a video, I think, at one of the meetings, which we
[1:15:20] ultimately didn't, but they seem to, under this state RSA, I think, you know, you
[1:15:27] cancer food that there are certain parameters that almost kind of well open
[1:15:32] up the door for it to be this use we had a I won't talk too much about specifics
[1:15:37] I guess about the applicants but they had associated impacts that some of the
[1:15:43] butters were specifically concerned about okay miss Stacy thank you Mr.
[1:15:51] a chair. So let's talk kennels. As you know where I live. And I have a neighbor who has
[1:15:58] significant amount of dogs that they own themselves. But the dogs do nothing but bark continuously
[1:16:05] all day and all night. How do we define kennel? I mean, these appear, you know, when you
[1:16:12] have personal dogs in excess of five or six, yeah, that are left outside all the time.
[1:16:19] and all they do is, I mean, bark all day and all night.
[1:16:24] Yeah, we do have a definition currently
[1:16:26] in our ordinance of Kennel,
[1:16:28] and it has been applied to residential properties,
[1:16:32] property owners that house multiple.
[1:16:34] I think the, without having the ordinance in front of me,
[1:16:37] I think the threshold might be five dogs,
[1:16:39] and I think it's even if you own them,
[1:16:42] although we are in litigation on another item,
[1:16:46] and there's been a lot of discussion about,
[1:16:48] you know if somebody owns all those dogs and still constitute a kennel if they're
[1:16:52] not you know providing a service or somebody else but absolutely we've got
[1:16:58] complaints from residential butters to activity like that and I guess that's
[1:17:05] you know one of the things that we would consider here as well as that we
[1:17:07] know that there's incompatible or there's adverse can be adverse impacts
[1:17:13] So would this apply to that scenario, the 750-foot buffer?
[1:17:19] I'm curious.
[1:17:20] Yes.
[1:17:21] Well, one, without making a zone in determination, I mean, I think in some instances we've,
[1:17:28] and I'm happy to share the record with you, in some instances we've, I think, pointed to the fact that
[1:17:33] we've received a complaint that it might constitute a kennel activity.
[1:17:38] And I don't know that we've pursued that in some instances, but in others not as much.
[1:17:44] Thank you.
[1:17:45] Yeah.
[1:17:46] I don't know if that answer is kind of non-answerable.
[1:17:47] We're waiting for that.
[1:17:48] Thank you.
[1:17:50] I think we're all set.
[1:17:51] Motion.
[1:17:54] So, can I make a motion where we pull, I can pull Cigabas out of that?
[1:18:00] Yeah.
[1:18:00] Go ahead and do that.
[1:18:02] I'll just check.
[1:18:02] By all means.
[1:18:03] Oh, second it.
[1:18:05] Oh, do you want me to read it?
[1:18:06] I think I was even stated in here.
[1:18:08] It does.
[1:18:09] Oh, okay. Yeah. Sorry. That's okay. Move that the Salem Town Council hereby recognize September 14,
[1:18:15] 2026 as the first reading for consideration of resolution number 2026-20 to consider amendments
[1:18:21] to the Salem Municipal Code chapter 490-501 proximity of Kennels to residential districts.
[1:18:29] We hereby recommend a second reading and public hearing to be scheduled for September 28, 2026.
[1:18:34] Second.
[1:18:35] Motion to be made and seconded by Ms. Stacy.
[1:18:38] Questions?
[1:18:40] Not hearing any, all those in favor?
[1:18:43] We have 8 to 0.
[1:18:46] Thank you.
[1:18:47] Thank you.
[1:18:48] Thank you.
[1:18:50] All right, first reading waiver number 9, Resolution 2621,
[1:18:54] Municipal Services Department, Mr. Devine.
[1:18:57] So this is a request for disbursement of $200,000
[1:18:59] from the Roadway Improvements Capital Reserve Fund
[1:19:01] for the Bridge Street Construction Project.
[1:19:02] Municipal Services Director Wayne Amarall
[1:19:04] I'm going to speak to it.
[1:19:05] Thank you.
[1:19:05] Wayne Amaral, MS.
[1:19:06] Pills Services Director.
[1:19:08] I'm here to request $200,000 transferred from the Roadway Improvement Capital Reserve
[1:19:12] Funds for a shortfall in the Bridge Street construction project we're working on.
[1:19:17] We had a very difficult spring, as you're aware of.
[1:19:20] We had water running for probably two or three months longer than we wanted to run.
[1:19:24] And this cost that we're asking for, the increases to the engineering, the oversight
[1:19:28] of the project, because they were out there during all the flooding that was
[1:19:30] happening and overseeing the pumping of the water that was constant.
[1:19:36] We pumped water for over two and a half months out there and every time that filled up we
[1:19:40] pumped and the foundations and the forms got filled the water, they had empty the water
[1:19:45] out of the forms and started all over again.
[1:19:48] That we didn't pay for, that's part of the construction, but we did pay for the
[1:19:51] engineering part of it and this is that cost of that increased engineering.
[1:19:56] Because somewhere along the line, even if I do say so myself, if you don't have
[1:20:02] large enough pumps or if you don't know you're building a bridge over water, I
[1:20:07] don't know. It was amazing to me that that their pumps were too small and
[1:20:13] they couldn't get things moving correctly. It was it was a challenge.
[1:20:19] It was a challenge. They had a lot of pumps. They had some pump problems, but
[1:20:22] We didn't have that much rain, because all the lakes are still dry.
[1:20:25] We had a handful of very large storms, and then we had nothing.
[1:20:32] And that was our problem, is we got one inch of that nothing for two weeks,
[1:20:35] then we got one inch and a half, then nothing.
[1:20:37] And that killed us, was those heavy rain events that we happened in the spring.
[1:20:41] Because this was normally an 80-20 project, right?
[1:20:45] Yes.
[1:20:47] Okay, questions? Anything from anybody?
[1:20:49] Yep, me again.
[1:20:50] Ms. Stacy. Oh, do we have a guesstimate of when this project's going to be done in
[1:20:58] conveniencing the people who live in that area? I totally did. Great question. I
[1:21:02] was still looking at the first the second week of December. I think it's
[1:21:05] December 4th or 4th as we're looking at. Thank you. December 4th? December 4th.
[1:21:11] I'm writing that down. I believe the school district will hold it to you
[1:21:16] because the buses are all rerouted. Correct. And that changes their price
[1:21:20] by the way, especially at today's gas prices. Did you have something?
[1:21:25] Yes, please. Absolutely.
[1:21:26] Does this do anything to the road program? It takes $200,000 from the stabilization of
[1:21:31] the capital reserve program. So does that eliminate roads?
[1:21:35] We had no plans right now to tie that money. It was not tied to any projects.
[1:21:39] That was extra money. I'm sorry.
[1:21:40] That was currently extra money? Yeah, well, it's in the reserve fund.
[1:21:44] Okay. Thank you. Motion.
[1:21:48] Mr. Sweeney.
[1:21:50] Mr. Chairman, I move that the Salem Town Council adopts resolution number 202621, relating
[1:21:55] to the authorization to disperse $200,000 from the Roadway Improvement Capital Reserve
[1:22:00] Fund for additional costs of the Bridge Street Bridge Construction Project and further
[1:22:05] waives the requirement for a second reading.
[1:22:08] This resolution shall take effect upon its passage as follows.
[1:22:13] Whereas the Municipal Services Department Engineering Division submitted an application
[1:22:16] in May 2018 to the New Hampshire Department of Transportation state-aid bridge program
[1:22:21] for design engineering and construction of the Bridge Street Bridge, whereas NHDOT has
[1:22:26] determined that a project to replace Bridge Street Bridge over Spickett River in the town
[1:22:30] of Salem is an eligible project for funding under the State Bridge Aid Program and Federal
[1:22:35] Bridge Aid Program created under the Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Whereas,
[1:22:39] on May 20, 2024, the Salem Town Council with full administrative authority voted
[1:22:44] to enter into and execute all agreements and documents related to the final design,
[1:22:50] engineering, bidding, and permitting of the Bridge Street Bridge replacement
[1:22:53] as part of the LPA State Project Number 4409, whereas the Bridge Street Bridge project has
[1:22:59] been delayed due to site constraints inclusive of high water flows this spring, active soil and
[1:23:05] artesian groundwater conditions, limited working room to butters, overhead electric
[1:23:10] utilities and deep bedrock, whereas these delays have caused an increase in cost of
[1:23:15] engineering oversight and review as a result additional funding is requested for both the
[1:23:20] engineer of record and the engineering construction oversight.
[1:23:23] Now therefore be it resolved by the Salem Town Council that the Town Council as agents
[1:23:28] of, as agents to expend the Salem Roadway Improvements Capital Reserve Fund here by
[1:23:33] authorizes $200,000 to be dispersed for the additional cost relating to the Bridge
[1:23:39] Street Bridge construction project.
[1:23:41] Second.
[1:23:42] Motion has been made in second by Mr. Pelletier.
[1:23:44] Any further questions?
[1:23:46] Not seeing any.
[1:23:47] All those in favor?
[1:23:48] 8 to 0.
[1:23:50] Thank you.
[1:23:52] All
[1:23:57] right.
[1:23:58] Next up, new business number 10.
[1:24:02] So this is going to be a public hearing
[1:24:03] to accept the donation from the Friendship and Garden
[1:24:05] Club, about $9,200.
[1:24:07] They recently reached out to the town
[1:24:09] and installed flowers, plantings,
[1:24:10] and a bench at Michelle Memorial Park.
[1:24:12] Again, the project cost was $9,200.
[1:24:18] You ready?
[1:24:19] I'm ready.
[1:24:20] I'm going to open up public hearing.
[1:24:21] Thank you.
[1:24:24] So good evening, my name is James Chico.
[1:24:26] I'm the superintendent of facilities.
[1:24:27] Several months ago, the Seattle Friendship at Garner Club
[1:24:32] came to us for locations for some pre-ification areas.
[1:24:36] One of the areas that we recommended
[1:24:37] was the front of the Pickleball Court area at Michelle Park.
[1:24:41] It was an area that currently has null plantings there.
[1:24:45] So they would look to plant a couple of marigold trees, cypress trees.
[1:24:53] I'm going to screw up the name of this flower.
[1:24:56] Apsidwell, Little Vision, and Pink, in a...
[1:25:00] You said Pink, we'll just say Pretty Pink Flowers.
[1:25:03] Pretty Pink Flowers.
[1:25:03] Another Pretty Pink Plant.
[1:25:05] I'm not even going to try to put the name of it, so I couldn't even tell you.
[1:25:09] They're pretty pinks.
[1:25:10] So, some different flowers in the area, as well as they'll provide a bench area for that as well.
[1:25:16] I believe the project would help beautify that brand new pickleball court
[1:25:20] and hopefully kind of knock down the noise area for that as well.
[1:25:23] Sounds good.
[1:25:26] Motion.
[1:25:28] Mr. Sweeney.
[1:25:29] Mr. Chairman, at this time I move in accordance with RSA 3195E
[1:25:33] at the Salem Town Council, hereby accept with gratitude a donation from the Salem Friendship and Garden Club
[1:25:38] for the cost of the insulation of flowers, various plantings, and a bench at
[1:25:43] Michelle Memorial Park with such services valued at $9,200.
[1:25:47] Second.
[1:25:47] Motion been made and seconded by everybody on my right.
[1:25:52] If there's anybody out here that would like to speak before we close the public hearing on this.
[1:25:58] Usually we just take the money and say thanks.
[1:26:04] So, I'm going to close that meeting.
[1:26:06] All those in favor 8 to 0. Thank you very much. Thank you Salem friendship and
[1:26:13] garden clubs. Fantastic. Next up public hearing again. I'm going to open up a new
[1:26:20] one except a donation from the Historical Society. And this could only
[1:26:26] wait. Emeril sirs director we see the generous gift of 11,430 dollars from
[1:26:31] the Salem Historic Commission to repair and reset gravestones in the old common
[1:26:37] peri-o grounds. They've done this some years ago, and it was very successful, and
[1:26:42] I'd like to do another round again. Okay. Does he want to speak? Probably.
[1:26:49] Brian
[1:26:49] Plenty, and President of the Circle Society. Welcome, everybody. So Wayne Nalins
[1:26:54] from New England. Gravestone Services in New England, with Sir about nine
[1:26:58] years ago did a fantastic job in about 40 stones, 45 stones. We welcome them back because
[1:27:04] we have approximately 20, 30, 35 stones that are needed to repair, either cracked or tipping
[1:27:11] or falling. As we came back, I met with him this summer with Susan Mothon. He gave us
[1:27:17] an estimate and he's willing to do this, his last job this season in September and
[1:27:22] he's waiting on, on the approval from the board as well.
[1:27:27] So this is the great, the burying ground is 290 years old.
[1:27:32] The stones that are starting to break are close to 200 years old.
[1:27:36] And in addition to that, the Salem Community Television has offered to film CHI actually
[1:27:44] fixing the stones for educational and for future preservation needs of the town.
[1:27:51] So, we're grateful for having come back.
[1:27:55] Thank you.
[1:27:56] Okay.
[1:27:57] Any other questions?
[1:28:00] Nope.
[1:28:00] Great.
[1:28:01] Not seeing any?
[1:28:02] Wonderful.
[1:28:03] Thank you.
[1:28:04] Yeah.
[1:28:05] It's wonderful.
[1:28:05] We need Mr. Sweeney.
[1:28:09] Mr. Chairman, at this time I move in accordance with RSA 3195E that the Salem Town Council
[1:28:14] hereby accepts with gratitude a donation from the Salem Historical Society of the Costs
[1:28:19] for the repair and resetting of gravestones at the Salem Center burying ground with such
[1:28:24] services valued at $11,430.
[1:28:28] Motion being made in seconded by Ms. Stacy, all those in favor.
[1:28:34] And we thank the Historical Society, of course.
[1:28:39] Thank you.
[1:28:40] Moving on.
[1:28:42] I'll close that one.
[1:28:44] And we're going to go to Consider Lease Agreement.
[1:28:47] Thank you, Mr. Sures, Director again.
[1:28:51] We negotiated for, we're looking for your approval for the town manager to sign two negotiations
[1:28:57] for Saltawa leases at 82 Lamarence Road and 2026 Howard Street.
[1:29:04] Okay.
[1:29:07] Anybody have any questions about the leases?
[1:29:10] Costs of the leases?
[1:29:11] No, we're all set with that.
[1:29:12] Everybody read what they needed to read?
[1:29:14] I'll take motions then, I guess.
[1:29:17] Mr. Sweeney.
[1:29:18] Mr. Chairman, I move that the Town Council approved the Third Amendment to the Standard Communication Site
[1:29:24] lease agreement with T-Mobile with such term extending the lease agreement to 2061
[1:29:29] and further authorizes Town Manager Joseph Devine to execute the agreement
[1:29:34] with T-Mobile for use of the Lawrence Road water tank located at 82 Lawrence Road.
[1:29:40] Second.
[1:29:41] Motion made by Mr. Stremalia.
[1:29:43] Seconded by Mr. Stremalia.
[1:29:45] All those in favor?
[1:29:47] Eight to zero.
[1:29:48] Now we want to do the other tank.
[1:29:50] Yep.
[1:29:51] Mr. Chairman, at this time, I move that the town council
[1:29:54] approve the second amendment to the standard communication
[1:29:56] site lease agreement with T-Mobile with such term.
[1:30:00] I'm extending the lease agreement to 2057 and further authorizes town manager Joseph Devine
[1:30:06] to execute the agreement with T-Mobile for use of the Lawrence Road water tank located at 2026
[1:30:12] Howard Street. Motion been made and seconded by Ms. Withrow. All those in favor? Eight to
[1:30:19] zero. Thank you. Sorry, should that have said Howard Street? Howard Street, yes. Okay. Yes.
[1:30:27] That's yeah, it said Lawrence Road twice. Yeah, yeah
[1:30:35] Howard Street
[1:30:37] Okay, D municipal building advisory committee MBAC consider amendments to the MBAC charter
[1:30:46] This is gonna is this gonna really make for all these zoning things
[1:30:49] That's gonna make for a really large ballot in March. No, the zoning is no longer handled by okay
[1:30:54] the ballot vote. This isn't actually a charter change, this is a bylaw change to the municipal
[1:30:59] building. They call it a charter, but it's a bylaw.
[1:31:03] Okay.
[1:31:04] Want something else?
[1:31:05] Hey.
[1:31:06] You again.
[1:31:07] I'm welcome. I'm back again.
[1:31:09] Mr. Bacheco.
[1:31:10] Yes, so James Bacheco, Superintendent of Facilities, as well as the Mbeck Chair. During our
[1:31:17] March 19th meeting, we had gone through our charter or our bylaws, and we noticed
[1:31:21] is that the superintendent of facilities role is not in.
[1:31:26] So we're asking to add the superintendent of facilities
[1:31:29] role.
[1:31:30] And we're looking to remove the project in a near role
[1:31:33] as well from the members of the MBAC.
[1:31:39] Oh, OK.
[1:31:41] Next slide.
[1:31:43] And also during the reading, we found
[1:31:46] that the committee, the language in the charter
[1:31:49] say that the committee would meet on a weekly basis so we're looking to change
[1:31:53] that to meeting on a meeting schedule one of the chairs discretion that sounds
[1:31:59] reasonable yep would time would time weekly yeah exactly so I think that's it
[1:32:08] those are the two changes mr. Bettencourt would we go back to the membership
[1:32:12] roster again just trying to count here do you have an even number there oh
[1:32:21] Oh, you're good.
[1:32:23] You don't want to have an even number in case you've got a tie vote?
[1:32:27] Yeah.
[1:32:28] Okay.
[1:32:28] Well, assistant time manager is a non-voting member.
[1:32:32] No, I think they're a voting member.
[1:32:33] I think the line just got added.
[1:32:35] Yeah.
[1:32:36] Yeah, I think so.
[1:32:36] I think my PowerPoint skills are to improve.
[1:32:41] No, I'm with you on that one.
[1:32:42] Oh, okay.
[1:32:42] I'm sorry.
[1:32:42] I think non-voting members are the three.
[1:32:45] Seven and then two non-voting.
[1:32:46] As accustomed as we are to former people who have worked here having rather lengthy power
[1:32:53] points.
[1:32:53] The assistant town managers are here.
[1:32:54] We like these.
[1:32:55] We're like …
[1:32:55] Okay, gotcha.
[1:32:57] The new voting members should be below it.
[1:32:59] You'll be below it.
[1:33:00] Okay.
[1:33:00] For those other managers.
[1:33:01] Thank you.
[1:33:01] You're good.
[1:33:02] So you do have an odd number.
[1:33:05] Seven.
[1:33:05] Seven.
[1:33:05] Seven.
[1:33:06] Two.
[1:33:07] Just so you've got the town managers representative and then the assistant town managers voting
[1:33:10] members.
[1:33:11] But we should have brought non-voting to the next line down.
[1:33:14] Right, right, right.
[1:33:15] No.
[1:33:15] Yeah, I got that. I'm up to speed on that. Joe's got basically two votes
[1:33:21] More than that. He's got the
[1:33:29] Anybody want to vote against the boss
[1:33:32] The planning director serves as the representative for the time I am teasing
[1:33:41] Just trying to move things forward
[1:33:47] You're the M-BAC guy. Let's go, Keith.
[1:33:52] Okay, move that the Town Council approve the proposed changes in the Municipal Building Committee M-BAC.
[1:33:58] Chata is recommended by M-BAC.
[1:34:01] Second.
[1:34:02] Most have been made and seconded by Mr. Sweeney.
[1:34:05] All of those in favor?
[1:34:07] Fantastic.
[1:34:09] Thank you very much.
[1:34:11] Community Development, Capital Improvement Plan, Presentation and Report.
[1:34:15] Yeah, so Assistant Planner Crane Brubaker is here to speak about the CIP plan for 2027.
[1:34:21] Glad to have you back, Assistant Planner.
[1:34:25] Thank you.
[1:34:25] He's got updated slides.
[1:34:28] Yeah, if you could go to the next slide.
[1:34:31] So, hi, Crane.
[1:34:33] This is Planner.
[1:34:35] So the CIP committee met earlier this summer as they normally do to do our normal CIP process.
[1:34:41] you've seen some more presentations to this before.
[1:34:43] This is the membership of the CIP committee.
[1:34:46] If we could go to the next slide.
[1:34:48] So this is the enabling legislation
[1:34:50] for the creation of a CIP committee.
[1:34:52] What a CIP committee is, is a capital improvement program
[1:34:55] committee.
[1:34:56] We look at the different projects
[1:34:58] upcoming proposed for the next budget
[1:35:00] and kind of hear department head presentations,
[1:35:04] kind of take those recommendations,
[1:35:07] create a spreadsheet and this presentation and report,
[1:35:09] and then present it annually to the council and the town manager ahead of the budget.
[1:35:14] The purpose of the committee is to kind of look at all these needs that the different
[1:35:19] departments had and prioritize them and the ideal is to stabilize the town's tax rate
[1:35:25] so we don't spend a lot of money in one year on capital and then very little on another
[1:35:30] but to kind of gradually invest in our capital improvements.
[1:35:35] capital project is anything that has a useful life of five years and costs over $150,000.
[1:35:42] So the CIP exclusively looks at things that meet this definition.
[1:35:46] Some of the items that are applicable to this are shown on the screen.
[1:35:51] And they should also do one of these things, protecting health and safety, reducing future
[1:35:57] operating costs or increasing revenues, preserving previous investments, et cetera.
[1:36:03] Next slide. So Salem is growing. These are the population estimates and as your town grows,
[1:36:10] there's a need to invest in the town and the different infrastructure that we have.
[1:36:17] This year we started a little early and we did it quickly, which is good,
[1:36:21] kind of streamlining the process. So we had a meeting in April to kick it off.
[1:36:26] We heard from Department Heads in May and June and then we finalized our recommendations
[1:36:29] in July.
[1:36:32] A reminder, CIP just looks at significance and readiness of each project and ranks those
[1:36:38] on a scale of one to four. And then we also keep in mind the year one tax impact when
[1:36:42] looking at these and keeps these in mind for where we cut the line of what we recommend
[1:36:48] and what we don't recommend.
[1:36:51] The finance director calculates this annually per the
[1:36:54] the 2022 or 2023 capital planning guidelines that the former Board of Selection adopted.
[1:37:00] These were the floor and ceiling amounts, essentially, all the projects need to go in
[1:37:05] between these two numbers, the floor, the amounts you can see on the screen, and then
[1:37:11] the total year one tax impact of the recommended projects is that 5.4.
[1:37:18] So this is the spreadsheet of the CIP recommendations.
[1:37:21] I won't go through all of them, but essentially things included are like the road program.
[1:37:28] We also consider sewer and water projects, so there's one of each of those.
[1:37:33] That's the blue line and the green line in there.
[1:37:37] Everything in the top seven projects were recommended for funding in this upcoming 27
[1:37:41] budget year.
[1:37:43] The year one tax impact is included in that.
[1:37:46] If you see a zero in there that's either using grant funding fund balance grants or bonding
[1:37:52] So for example the fire station
[1:37:55] We would propose to bond that so that says zero for what year on tax impact
[1:38:00] And then the recommended projects for deferral to a future year are the ones in red
[1:38:12] No, go ahead. No, go ahead. No, it's all right. This is my packet. I read it. Okay
[1:38:18] Yep, so we also work collaboratively with James and MBAC to kind of give the CIP Committee
[1:38:24] an overview of the different public facilities needs, and then in kind of alignment and discussion
[1:38:31] with these, the top two recommended projects were the Lawrence Road Fire Station, which
[1:38:37] you heard about earlier tonight, and then the second one was for the Municipal Services
[1:38:40] Building Phase 2, that was the number two recommended project, and then we also
[1:38:45] heard the facilities master plan, which James and Embeck have been working hard on.
[1:38:51] This is just a slide showing the number of projects over the six years in the report.
[1:38:57] As you can see, the primary effect of each project is the vast majority is to replace
[1:39:06] or repair existing facilities or equipment that the town has.
[1:39:09] because a lot of it is outdated and kind of kicking the can down the road as people have
[1:39:14] said in the past. So that's a lot of the primary effect of each project. Next slide.
[1:39:22] Again just what recommended for funding in deferral means recommended for funding is
[1:39:26] just recommending to the town manager and the council that the CIP committee thinks
[1:39:32] this project should be included in the 27 budget and then if something is recommended
[1:39:36] for deferral that just says to the department heads and whatnot that we
[1:39:42] think it should just be shifted to an outer year and that they can bring it
[1:39:46] back the next year if they think it's a priority project but just for deferral
[1:39:50] so that's kind of the clarification of those two things and then just bring
[1:39:54] it back this is just to bring back if you had any questions on any of the
[1:39:58] projects on here but other than that that's the end of my presentation
[1:40:09] Questions?
[1:40:13] No.
[1:40:16] This is information only. No motion required. So if you have something, Mr. Bettencourt?
[1:40:23] I guess I'll only say this. Going back to, I guess, the criteria by which they grade the projects,
[1:40:29] I believe I heard it said that they look at the year one tax impact. That's a little bit concerning to me only in so far as,
[1:40:38] I think the vast majority of these things I believe are bonded and so depending on how
[1:40:43] you structure the bond you can come out of the gate with a tax impact that is incredibly
[1:40:48] low.
[1:40:50] I mean I think in some cases when I'm thinking back now many years, so my memory is what
[1:40:55] it is, when we were doing some of the school renovations, those bonds are structured
[1:41:01] that I think the year one impact in some cases was zero and then it would ratchet
[1:41:06] it up over time, now granted they would try to coordinate and time that up with other things
[1:41:11] that bond payments are coming down to try to make it all a little bit equal.
[1:41:16] But if you're using only the year one impact as a criteria, I can see how that's a bit
[1:41:24] flawed.
[1:41:25] Well, I think it's a combination.
[1:41:28] Go ahead, Mr. Chair.
[1:41:28] Yeah.
[1:41:29] So we do look at what the overall price is going to be for it, and it also we
[1:41:35] We go into it knowing that it impacts what the next year's floor and ceiling is going
[1:41:39] to be for the future project.
[1:41:41] So it is considered on these presentations and on the spreadsheet, there's the six-year
[1:41:46] funding and the first-year tax impact just so that we can have some sort of sense of planning.
[1:41:51] But we do – we don't know to the exact letter because we don't know what the interest
[1:41:55] rate might be on a bond versus everything else, but we do know and it does impact
[1:42:00] what the next year's floor or ceiling will be – mainly the ceiling.
[1:42:04] It impacts what the future ceiling is going to be on it.
[1:42:08] I get that, Joe.
[1:42:10] My issue is that in some cases, it
[1:42:14] should be more holistic than that.
[1:42:16] I mean, I would argue that if that criteria is there
[1:42:20] to try to look out for the taxpayer,
[1:42:24] you've got to somehow factor in whatever the highest payment
[1:42:26] is going to be as well.
[1:42:29] And I think we're conservative as to what,
[1:42:32] and I think the finance director and the team
[1:42:34] has conserved as to what interest rate or total cost
[1:42:39] they think is gonna be for the project.
[1:42:41] And then typically, I think it even comes in lower
[1:42:43] when it looks at when we get the budget
[1:42:45] and start building what programs
[1:42:47] we're actually gonna pursue.
[1:42:48] You know, when I get Bob's point
[1:42:49] that it's one factor of a couple.
[1:42:53] But like I said, I just see a little bit of a flaw there
[1:42:58] in that particular factor given how these things
[1:43:01] can be structured sometimes. And I get your point that it's hard to pin down the exact
[1:43:06] number as well. Ms. Withrup.
[1:43:08] Just, DJ, I agree, but I think that's kind of our job when it comes to budget season
[1:43:12] to be thinking, do we want to support that in the budget, knowing what it's going to
[1:43:16] be. So I think that's when we start critically thinking about all these things.
[1:43:20] Fair enough. Mr. Devine.
[1:43:22] And just to your point, when I developed the budget this year for the 2027, I
[1:43:26] did look at what the recommendation of capital were. I took the debt service into mind.
[1:43:30] and also we remember we leased in it a pumper this year as well so we have a
[1:43:34] lease payment for the next five years that we're paying on for a pumper so
[1:43:37] when you see the capital I can tell you that the number you're going to see is
[1:43:41] not that number I've reduced it because of debt service payments and because of
[1:43:45] other things that are going to be in consideration okay so thank
[1:43:51] you great
[1:43:52] oh mr. Pellett did you have a question just one more question the lake
[1:43:57] Lake and Bluff Street water main extension is that what funds that coming
[1:44:03] out of that capital fund or is that the water fund water fund that comes out of
[1:44:07] the water fund is that what the blue line represents okay thank you okay
[1:44:15] thanks
[1:44:15] great I appreciate it next up F F for finance that must be why you're staying
[1:44:22] here I thought for sure you would have hit the escape pod I thought about it
[1:44:27] No, I'm just kidding.
[1:44:29] I've been thinking about it.
[1:44:31] Go ahead.
[1:44:32] Luckily, this one's going to be really fast,
[1:44:34] and there's no PowerPoint.
[1:44:35] We have a property who had a betterment.
[1:44:40] They now add in an accessory drilling unit.
[1:44:43] When we had betterments, it covered any additions,
[1:44:47] anything for the future.
[1:44:48] So technically, we are supposed to charge them a DBA,
[1:44:51] but really not because they paid a betterment.
[1:44:53] So our code requires that it goes to the town council
[1:44:57] to waive the DBA for the...
[1:45:00] The accessory drilling unit, so I'm here to ask that you waive that DBA fee because they
[1:45:04] paid their betterment.
[1:45:06] Well, they did. Motion.
[1:45:11] Mr. Sweeney.
[1:45:12] Mr. Chairman, at this time I move that the Town Council grants a request for a waiver of the
[1:45:16] sewer portion of the demand and benefit assessment as requested by property owners at 65 Wheeler
[1:45:21] Avenue as authorized under Salem Municipal Code Chapter 455-4E.
[1:45:29] second motion been made and seconded by Ms. Withrow all those in favor 8 to 0 thank
[1:45:38] you now
[1:45:41] you can hit the escape pod okay not seeing anything else Tom manages
[1:45:47] report and questions from the council great so just wanted to let the
[1:45:52] council know the town of Salem is being recognized by the New England Water
[1:45:55] Works Association for 30 years of membership and support in their
[1:45:58] organization. So Fred Wallace, the Utilities Director will be attending
[1:46:03] their upcoming meeting to accept that award on the town's behalf. I'm happy to
[1:46:08] report that if you weren't aware all municipal websites are required to be
[1:46:12] ADA compliant by April 26th of 2028. We have already taken our steps and we
[1:46:17] are already fully ADA compliant with our website now, so we meet the
[1:46:22] requirements that the federal government has passed out to all the towns, so
[1:46:25] we're happy to get that completed. Beginning September 8th last week we
[1:46:30] started afternoon inspectional service counter hours so if the public needs to
[1:46:34] come in and get building permits and things like that from 330 to 430 we
[1:46:38] now offer counter service hours again for them to come in, pull permits, talk to
[1:46:43] the inspectors, things like that. You already heard about bridge-tree bridge
[1:46:49] update and where we're sitting so I'm going to skip over that one. Armour
[1:46:52] Road has begun as well if you haven't been on Route 111 so that
[1:46:55] construction has started. There's going to be traffic patterns and delays shifting traffic
[1:46:59] a lot out there, so I just want to make the motorizing public aware that that is happening
[1:47:03] and just to stay vigilant while you're out there. Also something we spoke about during
[1:47:08] the rail trail project, I just wanted to kind of make the public aware. Originally
[1:47:12] we had talked about Brunella Road tying into Route 28 with the rail trail. We decided
[1:47:16] not to tie that in. This is something we've talked about in the past, but I just
[1:47:19] want to make it public aware. We are still looking at the future of that intersection
[1:47:24] and it may be adding turning lanes on 28,
[1:47:26] but we will not be connecting Burnella Road onto 28.
[1:47:29] The rail trail is gonna be going through that pass
[1:47:31] right there and there will not be a connection.
[1:47:33] The original plan was for ring roads,
[1:47:35] if you remember back when we started talking about this.
[1:47:38] If you look at Central Street,
[1:47:40] there's really no way to make a ring road
[1:47:41] because they're both one-way turns coming out.
[1:47:43] So there's no real benefit to making that into a ring road
[1:47:46] which is why we decided not to go forward with it.
[1:47:48] And then there's a lot of talk in the media
[1:47:52] and out there about flock cameras I just want everyone to know in Salem we
[1:47:56] don't have flock cameras the traffic cameras that you see on our intersections
[1:48:00] are just that the traffic cameras they are not recorded by the town there's a
[1:48:04] specific RSA that 261 75 be that governs traffic cameras and recording and we do
[1:48:11] not record any of our cameras they are just there for monitoring and the
[1:48:15] public can go on to look at those cameras as well they're available on
[1:48:18] our YouTube website or from our town website but they are not flock cameras
[1:48:21] They're not reading license plates or doing anything like that. So I just want to put that out there. Okay, great
[1:48:27] Questions from the council mr. Stremalia. Where does the flock camera on 20 in doing pointing in to sale? I
[1:48:35] Have I I'd have to look at that. I'm not I'm not prepared to answer that right now where the camera is in Massachusetts
[1:48:41] I understand it's facing into the hamptons. I have to get the legality of that
[1:48:44] I don't know that up top man because it's one right by Lowell was pointing right up
[1:48:51] between the mobile station, the bank, the little – right there.
[1:48:58] Question, Mr. Beckincourt.
[1:49:00] So a compliment and then a question.
[1:49:03] I don't know who on the staff undertook the project to make all of the websites ADA-compliant,
[1:49:08] but I can tell you that is one bare project.
[1:49:13] I mean, it's important, of course, but there's a lot more that goes into it than
[1:49:18] people realize.
[1:49:19] it's a lot of work. So I don't know who did that, but my respect and appreciation to them, because that is not easy.
[1:49:26] A crane in Sierra tackled most of it.
[1:49:28] Good on them. We've obviously had a number of conversations throughout the course of the spring, summer, and now into the fall about water.
[1:49:37] Are we planning to draw down Arlington earlier than usual?
[1:49:42] Last time I spoke to Fred, we are not planning on making a switch over to Arlington earlier.
[1:49:46] We're still adjusting our flow rates from Manchester right now, so we're still looking
[1:49:50] at somewhere right around after Halloween to be making that switch over, I believe.
[1:49:55] I believe the Municipal Services Director is going to be coming in with a water update
[1:49:58] at your next meeting, so you'll have that coming up as well.
[1:50:01] Just as long as the folks who live along there know when to pull their boats, that's
[1:50:06] important.
[1:50:09] Just a comment with regards to, I don't know about anybody else in town, but I've
[1:50:14] been getting a lot of documentation from Clean Choice Energy, and I just want people to realize
[1:50:19] this is not the group that we deal with here in Salem to get the reduced energy rate.
[1:50:25] So I know that this is the second mailer I've received, so I just want to make sure
[1:50:31] that people are not confused by this thinking because their rate is much higher than what
[1:50:37] we have our agreement.
[1:50:39] We use freedom energy, so it could be coming from freedom.
[1:50:42] So I just want them to realize that.
[1:50:44] Thank you.
[1:50:46] Anybody else?
[1:50:47] Please.
[1:50:48] Oh.
[1:50:50] Ms. Whitthrow.
[1:50:51] So I want to talk briefly about the finance committee.
[1:50:54] Now that's a committee that we formed, and we kind of set them off on a mission and
[1:50:59] then cut bait.
[1:51:00] So I feel there should be some kind of communication, connection with them, a little guidance along
[1:51:04] the way.
[1:51:05] I'm not sure how you'd like to structure that.
[1:51:07] I'm willing to.
[1:51:07] I sat in on their last meeting and they did great.
[1:51:11] I'm not saying anything bad, but I just feel like we should be staying in somewhat communication
[1:51:15] with them with some guidance as to what we're looking for.
[1:51:19] So I don't know how we want to do that, but I'd like to do that.
[1:51:23] Okay.
[1:51:24] I mean, I'm happy to – if – during those meetings, if you want me to come early and
[1:51:29] talk, stay after if you want a separate meeting, like whatever you want, like whatever
[1:51:31] works, I don't know.
[1:51:35] What was the definition?
[1:51:37] I thought they were autonomous from us.
[1:51:39] They are autonomous. It's your committee meeting, you guys have established them, but they are
[1:51:46] autonomous. They are a separate body looking at the budget, looking at the fee schedule,
[1:51:50] looking at the finances of the town, and then making recommendations to the town council
[1:51:54] based off of what they're seeing for you to decide if you want to follow those directions
[1:52:00] or go in a different way.
[1:52:01] Is there confusion as to what they're supposed to be doing?
[1:52:03] I just think if we want them to be successful, because we put them in place, because
[1:52:08] there were some issues with another committee. So if we want them to be beneficial and successful,
[1:52:14] I feel like we're going to be cutting them loose if we don't get something out of them.
[1:52:18] So I'd like to be able to see and stay in communication. I'm not looking to give any
[1:52:21] specific guidance or say, do this or don't do that. I'm not that. I just feel like
[1:52:26] to be to clarify some things that we're looking for, why they were there and what was what's
[1:52:32] supposed to be different between them and the budget committee.
[1:52:36] Okay.
[1:52:37] Yeah, I'm just a little confused.
[1:52:40] That's all.
[1:52:41] I'm sorry.
[1:52:42] I just been there.
[1:52:44] I haven't been there.
[1:52:44] It's a time of night.
[1:52:45] It is a time of night.
[1:52:47] Mr. Bettencourt, so I think Lisa brings up a very good point, and I think one of the
[1:52:52] things that could be very helpful to them, I don't know if we're going to do this
[1:52:56] at our next meeting, but have we set budget goals for this year?
[1:53:02] You're going to have your first budget presentation and discussion on October 1st at 6 o'clock
[1:53:09] at night.
[1:53:10] Well, we may want to move that up so that they can have some sense of direction as to
[1:53:19] what we're thinking.
[1:53:20] So I did bring this up at a meeting back, I believe it was either the meeting in August
[1:53:24] or a meeting in July asking for direction from the council as I was establishing the budget.
[1:53:29] The direction I got was obviously to be as low as I can.
[1:53:33] My goal was to keep it under CPI, which I thought was a realistic goal.
[1:53:37] The Council, my consensus seemed to agree with that.
[1:53:39] And the budget that I'm delivering is below CPI.
[1:53:42] No, and I think that those are good goals for you.
[1:53:46] Keeping it as low as possible, of course, is like, that's an evergreen goal.
[1:53:50] That never goes away.
[1:53:52] But we may in the future to avoid this problem
[1:53:55] may want to, in the process of giving Joe some goals, be a little bit more robust
[1:54:01] and detailed so that it kind of signals to them what we're thinking about and so
[1:54:06] they can keep that in mind as they're doing their work.
[1:54:10] Yeah, I agree with that. You know, being more specific because I think that needs to be a real understanding about
[1:54:22] warrant articles proposed and the rate in the in the bottom-line budget and how
[1:54:28] they interact and what the reality is of what what one does to the other so that
[1:54:35] we're saying you know a 3% when all of a sudden it's really not a 3% yeah so I
[1:54:39] think that people really need to understand that because I think there's
[1:54:43] always there's always a you know a little bit of misunderstanding there new
[1:54:48] committee. So they don't have the history. Right. So I would like to try to help keep
[1:54:54] them on track. Yeah, on track. Thank you. Okay. You're in charge. If you would like to go to the next one.
[1:55:04] I went to last one. I plan on going to the next one. Okay. Come back and work it out with Joe.
[1:55:09] See if there's some way that we can tell
[1:55:14] him what our thoughts are. If anyone wants to tell me.
[1:55:17] Well, tell them what our thoughts may be, our direction, whatever, without directing them.
[1:55:25] Yeah, when they first look at it, I'd like to know what they think, and I don't want
[1:55:31] to necessarily cloud their judgment or give them, you know, this is supposed to be chocolate
[1:55:37] and it's really, no, just do it the way it's supposed to be done, and how you
[1:55:43] would do it, and then tell me if it looks right.
[1:55:45] looking at everything yeah I just want to make sure they have a wide-angle lens
[1:55:48] yeah that's all yeah don't want to tell them what to do but just want to make
[1:55:53] sure they're seeing the bigger picture anything else just when you do the
[1:56:01] upcoming meetings a reminder the next meeting is going to be at the new
[1:56:04] police station yep so oh yes so let's make a couple of announcements upcoming
[1:56:09] meetings will be next but this Saturday at the new police station tours will be
[1:56:17] given at 10 to 12 10 to 12 if you are anybody in town who's been driving by
[1:56:25] that building and watching it develop over the amount of time it's taken to
[1:56:30] develop under budget with no with no undue critters running around or anything
[1:56:40] it's been great and so this is the opportunity to look inside and see what
[1:56:45] we've done the chief's office is not as big as you think and for those of you
[1:56:51] who thought the chandelier in the hallway was a little big so is the
[1:56:55] hallway so I didn't think a 60 watt bulb would do it so we're gonna leave it
[1:57:02] the way it is anyway September 28th is the next meeting we will be at the
[1:57:06] police station in the new community room which will seat a few people almost
[1:57:13] like this and then October 1st is our first budget presentation and
[1:57:19] discussion on warrant articles that'll be at 6 p.m. October 5th is a
[1:57:25] regular meeting at seven October 7th is the preliminary discussion of the
[1:57:31] 2027 budget in warrant articles October 14th will be our votes on that budget in
[1:57:39] those warrant articles and then October 19th will have a 7 o'clock regular
[1:57:44] meeting any questions do we is everybody going to take budget books or
[1:57:53] are they going to take software or how do you want to handle?
[1:57:58] Again, we would like, we prefer people to use gravity,
[1:58:00] and some people still aren't 100% comfortable
[1:58:02] with the budgeting software.
[1:58:04] In my email that is in our Friday,
[1:58:05] I did give you a PDF copy already of the budget
[1:58:08] if you want to look at it.
[1:58:09] We're happy to print it out.
[1:58:11] We're not going to do dividers and everything
[1:58:13] like we've done in the past, but we're happy to print it out
[1:58:14] and three hole punch it and stick it in a binder
[1:58:16] if that's what you would like.
[1:58:18] That's easy enough.
[1:58:21] So if you're interested in a paper copy,
[1:58:23] just send me an email and we'll make sure you have one.
[1:58:28] Not hearing anything else at this time
[1:58:32] I would take a motion. Motion to adjourn. Second. Motion's been made and seconded to adjourn the
[1:58:39] meeting. All those in favor. Eight to zero that's unanimous thank you Salem for tuning in and we hope
[1:58:46] that you will be on line with us on the 28th when we meet at the new Salem Police Department.
[1:58:53] and thank you very much for tuning in. Good evening.