Selectmen present: Melinda Willis, Vahrij Manoukian, Mark LeDoux and David Petry

Absent: Mark Johnson

Staff present: Cath Hallsworth, Director of Administration; Cathy Hoffman, Secretary; Paul Armstrong, Volunteer Camera Operator

MOVED by Melinda Willis, seconded by David Petry that the Selectmen enter NON-public session in accordance with RSA 91-A: 3-II- (a) and (e) for the consideration of personnel issues and a legal issue. Voting in favor of the motion were Willis, Manoukian, LeDoux and Petry. No one was opposed. Johnson was absent. The motion PASSED 4-0-0.

The Board entered non-public session at 6:15 PM.

MOVED by Vahrij Manoukian, seconded by David Petry that the Selectmen seal the minutes and come out of NON-public session in accordance with RSA 91-A: 3-II- (a) and (e). Voting in favor of the motion were Willis, Manoukian, LeDoux and Petry. No one was opposed. Johnson was absent. The motion PASSED 4-0-0.

The Board came out of non-public session and entered public session at 7:02 PM.

Silver Lake State Park: Chief Ux, citing a recently published letter to the editor regarding the condition of Silver Lake State Park in Hollis, informed the Board that he visited the park and found the conditions there deplorable. Inquiries to the State regarding the park revealed that the park would not be opened until June 24^th this year. In addition, the State would not be providing lifeguard supervision during the open season. This is a radical change from past years. During the summer there are days when 3,000-4,000 people are at the park. This represents a public safety concern. Vandalism, complaints and the amount of trash generated due to the lack of supervision at the park would drain the Town’s resources The State has dumped this issue on the Town. Chief Ux implored theBoard to take a strong stance with the State on this matter. V. Manoukian recommended that Chief Ux contact former DRED (Department of Resources and Economic Development) Commissioner, Sean O’Kane, for his assistance in contacting the proper authorities at the State. The Board also agreed to seek assistance from the Town’s State Representatives.

Jennifer Goodman, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance, presented the 2007 Preservation Achievement Award to the Hollis Heritage Commission (HHC). This award recognizes the HHC’s efforts to rescue, rehabilitate and reuse the Lawrence Barn. This is the second award for the HHC. In 2003 the HHC received an award for its educational initiative "Window on Hollis Past". The Lawrence Barn project is a "visual symbol of the area’s agricultural heritage and a testament to the community spirit and volunteerism". J. Goodman presented the framed award to HHC Chairman Honi Glover, Lawrence Barn Project Coordinator Jim Cram and Chairman of the Board of Selectman Melinda Willis commenting that this award "celebrates the Commission’s leadership in involving townspeople in all aspects of the barn’s future".

M. LeDoux commented that the Town is delighted with the results of this project. The Town is also grateful to Jim Cram, Janet Lawrence and the Heritage Commission for their hard work. He thanked J. Goodman, adding that it is an honor for the Town to receive this award.

J. Cram thanked the Selectmen for sticking with this project since 1999. M. Willis stated that the project was a great endeavor in which the Selectmen played a small role. The volunteers and contributors were the major players in this project. The display of community spirit produced a wonderful energy.

MOVED by Mark LeDoux, seconded by David Petry that the Selectmen permit the Heritage Commission to hang the 2007Preservation Achievement Award in the Lawrence Barn. Voting in favor of the motion were Willis, Manoukian, LeDoux and Petry. No one was opposed. Johnson was absent. The motion PASSED 4-0-0.

Lawrence Barn Update: Heritage Commission Finance Officer Bob Leadbetter reviewed the current financial status of the Lawrence Barn (LB) project. Inflows include donations, appropriations and HHC operating budget appropriations. The inflow total is $725,266.18. Outflows include the construction costs, event costs, mailing costs and dollar costs. Not included are the donated hours and materials from construction partners. In total, $703,304.37 has been spent. 42% of this total was from appropriations and the remaining 58% was from donations. $21,961.81 remains in the account. The building is valued at between $900,000 and $1,000,000.

J. Cram informed the Board that there are several items required to bring the LB to completion in 2007. These include: sealing the interior sliding doors, installing a permanent donor plaque, creating and installing a small display of the history of the Lawrence Barn, sealing the inside of the windows, priming and painting of the exterior trim (as needed), straightening the decorative exterior doors (these doors bowed dramatically in the winter, but have straightened) and installing a timer/ motion sensor light at the entry. Other items relate to landscaping, walkways and fencing. M. LeDoux questioned if there was enough money in the fund to finish this work. J. Cram responded that it depends. The landscaping costs are variable.

The Board discussed the existing dumpster and potentially providing a pathway to the dumpster so that people would know where it is. M. Willis suggested keeping $1,000-$2,000 in the account specifically for future Lawrence Barn donations. The use of this account would be restricted for capital improvements, not for maintenance and smaller items. M. LeDoux recommended that the HHC post a Lawrence Barn wish list on the website. J. Cram questioned where the current rental fees go. M. Willis stated that these fees go to the general fund. M. Willis agreed to discuss setting up a maintenance account with Finance Officer Paul Calabria. This account would allow individuals to contribute to the operation of the Lawrence Barn

Noah Dow Cooper Shop: David Sullivan read a letter to the Board regarding the Noah Dow Cooper Shop. In this letter he stated that he would like to give this building to the Town with the hope that the building would be reconstructed on Town land and used as an educational museum. He requested that HHC be the stewards of this historic building.

MOVED by Mark LeDoux, seconded by David Petry that the Selectmen gratefully accept the donation of the Noah Dow Cooper Shop to the Heritage Commission on behalf of the Town.

M. Willis thanked D. Sullivan for his involvement in the rescue of this building. D. Petry expressed concern regarding using Town funds for this project. He stated that there are other infrastructure projects that require are a higher priority. M. LeDoux commented that the restoration and reconstruction of the building would be on Town land but without Town funds. D. Petry questioned if there would be ongoing expenses such as electricity. H. Glover did not anticipate the need for electricity in this building.

Board members discussed potential locations for placement of the 18’x 24’cooper shop. One potential location would be behind the Lawrence Barn. M. LeDoux commented that if the building were reconstructed in this area it could be used on Old Home Day for coopering and blacksmithing demonstrations. A potential issue is that the building would restrict access to the existing riding ring. Other potential areas mentioned were the Woodmont Orchard and Volunteer Park.

Regarding the storage of the disassembled building, J. Cram stated that the HHC has a trailer at the stump dump that would accommodate the structural material until a location was decided upon and the building could be reconstructed. Since the HHC owns this trailer there would be no storage costs. D. Sullivan commented that currently the building is in his yard underneath a tarp. He would like to move it to a dry location as soon as possible to prevent further deterioration. He added that he understands the importance of infrastructure coming first. This project could be done without Town funds. The Board agreed that the HHC would have oversight of this project including the transportation, storage and reconstruction of the Noah Dow Cooper Shop. C. Hallsworth will contact the Local Government Center regarding liability coverage.

Voting in favor of the motion were Willis, Manoukian, LeDoux and Petry. No one was opposed. Johnson was absent. The motion PASSED 4-0-0.

Woodmont Buildings: H. Glover informed the Board that the HHC would like to take down the Ice House on the Woodmont Orchard and construct a building with new material that replicates the Ice House. She commented that it would be a waste of time to reconstruct a building using old timbers. A new building would preserve the viewscape. The HHC must also decide what other buildings must come down on this site. M. Willis asked H. Glover to come back to the Board with recommendations. She questioned the timeline. H. Glover responded that the work would be done as soon as possible. Volunteers can contact Honi at honiglover@aol.com. Regarding funding for this project, B. Leadbetter stated that there is $1,839 in a fund dedicated to the icehouse. These funds are the donated proceeds from Steve Previte’s sale of his prints of the Ice House. There are also potential grant funds available.

Anonymous Letter: M. Willis received an anonymous letter questioning the legality of an event in Town that involved gambling. Upon investigation it was discovered that the event holder did not have the appropriate approvals from the State. The event has since been cancelled. RSA 287-D:1 states that the Chief of Police in a municipality must give approval for this type of event. V. Manoukian protested the reading of an anonymous letter. He stated that the letter should have been signed. D. Petry suggested that the Board draft a letter informing organizations of the RSA regarding gaming activities. M. Willis asked D. Petry to draft this letter.

Acceptance of Resignations: The Board received two letters of resignation from Arthur LeBlanc. Effective June 30^th he is resigning from the Souhegan Regional Landfill District and following the meeting on June 5^th he is resigning from the Hollis Planning Board. The Board thanked A. LeBlanc for his many years of service on both of these boards. V. Manoukian commented that A. LeBlanc is a good friend and he is sorry that he is leaving.

Request for a Waiver of the 90-Day Scheduling Maximum at the Lawrence Barn: The Board discussed a 90-day maximum (no more than 90 days in advance) waiver request in order to schedule a wedding at the Lawrence Barn. C. Hallsworth explained that the 90-day maximum was put into place because of potential scheduling conflicts with events at the recreation fields. Board members then discussed the issue of renting the Lawrence Barn to non-residents. Consensus was that renters should have a sufficient nexus with the Town. A member of the immediate family should be a resident of the Town. M. Willis commented that it is not in the spirit of the Lawrence Barn to support this request. V. Manoukian added that the Lawrence Barn should not be in competition with other local businesses. He agreed that there should be no waiver and no wedding.

Lawrence Barn-Scouting: This request for use of the Lawrence Barn on multiple days was withdrawn.

Charter Internet Service for the Lawrence Barn: M. LeDoux agreed to call Charter Communications regarding the contract and charges for internet service at the Lawrence Barn.

Primex-Workers’ Compensation Package: Primex has proposed a 5% discount to the Town if the Town agrees to a multi-year contract. M. LeDoux agreed to contact Primex to obtain details of the Town’s current experience prior to agreeing to this offer.

Request for Parking at Volunteer Park: Maureen Porter, Spa Coordinator of the Mindful Body Spa and Fitness Studio, has requested that the Board allow the use of the parking area at Volunteer Park during the time of Mindful Body’s open house, which is scheduled for June 16^th from 4-9 PM. Board members agreed to grant this request for the date and times stated.

Veteran’s Tax Credit: Due to a misunderstanding, this applicant missed the deadline for application submission for the $500 veteran’s tax credit. The Board is authorized to grant the tax credit.

MOVED by Mark LeDoux, seconded by David Petry that the Selectmen grant and sign the application for a $500 veteran’s tax credit for property identified as Map 12A/47L, as presented. Voting in favor of the motion were Willis, Manoukian, LeDoux and Petry. No one was opposed. Johnson was absent. The motion PASSED 4-0-0.

The Board signed the following:

Septage contract with the Town of Merrimack- RSA 53-A:1 enables municipalities to cooperate with other municipalities to provide services and facilities on a basis of mutual advantage. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) has recommended that the Town of Hollis contract with another municipality for the purpose of septage disposal. This contract would run for five years expiring on December 31, 2012.

MOVED by Vahrij Manoukian, seconded by David Petry that the Selectmen approve and sign the septage contract with the Town of Merrimack, as submitted. Voting in favor of the motion were Willis, Manoukian, LeDoux and Petry. No one was opposed. Johnson was absent. The motion PASSED 4-0-0.

Special Police Officer Appointments for 2008. Police Chief Russell Ux has recommended that the following officers be appointed as Special Officers to the Hollis Police Department with terms to expire June 30, 2008.

MOVED by Melinda Willis, seconded by Mark LeDoux, THAT the Board appoint the twenty-one officers (as per the list submitted by Police Chief Russell Ux) as Special Police Officers in Hollis for one-year terms to expire June 30, 2008. Voting in favor of the motion were Willis, Manoukian, LeDoux and Petry. No one was opposed. Johnson was absent. The motion PASSED 4-0-0.

M. LeDoux announced the board and committee meetings for the week of June 4^th through the 8^th.

The Selectmen will conduct a site walk of the Farley Building at 10 AM on June 16^th. The public is invited to attend.

The Hollis Brookline High School graduation is scheduled for 10AM on Saturday June 9^th. In case of inclement weather the ceremony will be held in the gymnasium.

On July 10^th the Town Hall will be closed for general housecleaning.

MOVED by Vahrij Manoukian, seconded by Mark LeDoux that the Selectmen approve the public minutes of Monday May 14, 2007, as amended. Voting in favor of the motion were Willis, Manoukian, LeDoux and Petry. No one was opposed. Johnson was absent. The motion PASSED 4-0-0.

MOVED by Vahrij Manoukian, seconded by Mark LeDoux that the Selectmen approve and keep sealed the NON- public minutes of Monday May 21, 2007 (6:00 PM), as submitted. Voting in favor of the motion were Willis, Manoukian, LeDoux and Petry. No one was opposed. Johnson was absent. The motion PASSED 4-0-0.

MOVED by Vahrij Manoukian, seconded by Mark LeDoux that the Selectmen approve the public minutes of Monday May 21, 2007 (6:35 PM), as submitted. Voting in favor of the motion were Willis, Manoukian, LeDoux and Petry. No one was opposed. Johnson was absent. The motion PASSED 4-0-0.

MOVED by Vahrij Manoukian, seconded by Mark LeDoux that the Selectmen approve and keep sealed the NON-public minutes of Monday May 21, 2007(9:00 PM), as submitted. Voting in favor of the motion were Willis, Manoukian, LeDoux and Petry. No one was opposed. Johnson was absent. The motion PASSED 4-0-0.

Funding for Historic District Signs: M. LeDoux questioned if the Historic District Commission (HDC) had money in their budget for signs identifying Hollis’ Historic District. M. Willis responded that there is nothing in the HDC’s budget for this year. V. Manoukian opposed funding these signs, calling it a waste of money. He recommended that the HDC address the signs in the business district and improvements to the Town Hall before spending money on signs for the Historic District. M. LeDoux stated that he would support signs for the Historic District. In the past few weeks he and his family have visited many historic places in New England. These towns’ historic districts were overwhelmingly beautiful and it was obvious that the historic districts were places of pride. M. Willis felt that it would be appropriate to fund these signs with Town money. It would be something for the Board to consider for next year’s budget.

Funding for the Farley Building and Town Hall: D. Petry reported that he would have more information available at the next meeting regarding outside funding opportunities for the Farley Building and the Town Hall. M. LeDoux requested that the engineering report of the Farley Building be made public for comments and suggestions from the public. He added that the Board needs community involvement in these projects. He suggested scanning the report and converting it to a PDF file so that it could be posted on the Town website.

MOVED by Mark LeDoux, seconded by David Petry that the Selectmen enter NON-public session in accordance with RSA 91-A: 3-II- (a) for the consideration of a personnel issue. Voting in favor of the motion were Willis, Manoukian, LeDoux and Petry. No one was opposed. Johnson was absent. The motion PASSED 4-0-0.

The Board entered non-public session at 8:56 PM.

MOVED by Melinda Willis, seconded by David Petry that the Selectmen seal the minutes and come out of NON-public session in accordance with RSA 91-A: 3-II- (a). Voting in favor of the motion were Willis, Manoukian, LeDoux and Petry. No one was opposed. Johnson was absent. The motion PASSED 4-0-0.

The Board came out of non-public session at 9:22 PM.

The Board adjourned at 9:22 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Cathy Hoffman, Secretary