Readying to move, Gordon resigns from Derry board;
mediator mulls returning Brown case to State’s Attorney

By Bruce Frauman
2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC

Select Board chair Paul Gordon announced his resignation from the board at its Monday, Dec. 18 meeting, saying that he and his wife will be moving to Virginia after selling their Londonderry home more quickly than expected.

For the past nine years, Gordon had served on the Planning Commission and on the Select Board, where he has been chair for the past 10 months. The four remaining board members will decide how to handle the vacancy, and there was some indication that they will leave the position open and let voters decide at Town Meeting in March 2018.

In the meantime, board member Jim Ameden, who is vice chair, will become chair.

Also, the board agreed to give Jackie Trepanier of the Brattleboro Community Justice Center more time to bring Ed Brown to the table to negotiate a settlement. Last fall, Brown painted over a mural on a retaining wall on Route 11 and 100 without permission. The board asked him to pay $3,000 in restitution, but Brown said he would give $500 to Flood Brook School instead. Trepanier said she called Brown four times without receiving a response and has since recommended that the case be sent back to the State’s Attorney.

Budget work toward fiscal year change; future of septic field

Gordon said Treasurer Tina Labeau has “worked diligently” and compiled a budget for the next 18 months based on discussions with town committees. The  board will review the budget and suggest any corrections. After Jan. 1, the board will post the budget on line for residents to review. Beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 8, the public be invited to make comments.

Changing with this coming budget will be the town’s fiscal year, which had coincided with the calendar year. Now it will run from July 1 to June 30.  Because of this, Gordon said, the upcoming budget is in two parts. One covers the period from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2018, the 2nd part from July 1 to June 30, 2018. The town has put aside $100,000 for five years to cover the six additional months to transition to new fiscal year budget.

Town Administrator Robert Nied said he will do a cost-benefit analysis and a risk assessment of the septage field, located north of the Transfer Station on Route 100, by March 1 so the board can determine if it should continue its use in the spring.

The field is used to process treated sewage from septic tanks and porta-potties. Board member Bob Forbes said the board has supported use of the septage field to reduce the cost of pumping septic tanks to residents of the towns in the solid waste district. Currently, Nied said, there is only one septic company using the field and that company’s payments have been in arrears and it missed a deadline to provide required reports.

Salt shed work; dog problem; and panel appointments

Forbes asked for and received more time to consider use of plastic draping or an asphalt coating to protect the uncured concrete walls for the salt and sand shed now under construction.  Board member George Mora said the cost of the plastic was estimated at $1,500 and the asphalt coating $2,982. The item will come up again at the next board meeting.

Two residents of Crescent Street told the board that a neighbor’s dog is often loose, uses her yard “as a bathroom,” and since July 2016 has growled at her young children at the bus stop.

Chloe Genovart, owner of SoLo Farm & Table, also said the dog has ripped holes in the chicken fence at the restaurant, and had killed a chicken.  Shannon Heidebrecht, also of the restaurant, added that her guests have told her when the dog is in the road.

Genovart said the dog’s owner has been defiant and defensive. Gordon said the town has confirmed that the dog has had its rabies shots and was scheduled to be registered the next day.

Animal control officer Pat Salo has told the dog’s owner that the dog cannot annoy the neighborhood, adding that a civil complaint will result in fines. Gordon left the issue to Salo to resolve and asked that the board be kept informed. Board member George Mora suggested that Genovart and Heidebrecht call Salo every time the dog is loose.

And finally, Sunny Wright was appointed to the Conservation Commission. Cindy Gubb, Kevin Beattie, Dick Dale and Kelly Capen, were appointed to the Traffic Safety Committee. Gordon said one more member is needed for the Traffic Safety Committee and the Parks Board and three are needed for the Planning Commission.