Budget work continued at the Chelsea Selectboard’s January 17 meeting with a visit from Nolan LaFrancis, water system operator. LaFrancis presented his proposed budget that included increases for administration, the sinking fund, and wages.

When the new rate structure for the water bills is put into place, the town treasurer’s computer will need to update it’s billing software, esti­mated to cost $1000. At the recom­mendation of Ashley Lucht, of the Agency of Natural Resources Water Supply Division, there is an increase in the amount going into a sinking fund of $5000 for both water and sewer.

Lafrancis has also requested a 3% increase in wages for the employees of the wastewater treatment facil­ity. He told the board that they have not had a raise since 2008 and have been “pretty patient.”

The board agreed and later on discussed giving all eight hourly town employees a 3% raise.

Money Concerns

John Parker, chair of the recre­ation committee, discussed previ­ous concerns over how the com­mittee handles its money. It was recently brought to the town’s at­tention that all town money is sup­posed to be in the hands of the town treasurer, under the selectboard’s control. The recreation committee is a town committee and therefore all checks need to be signed by Jane Cushman, town treasurer, even if they are written by the committee’s treasurer. Parker told the board they would submit minutes from monthly meetings with a copy of the checkbook.

Selectboard member Carol Olsen shared concerns about the skating rink lighting and scheduling con­flicts.

Parker assured the board that the lighting was being adjusted so that they will not shine in the eyes of those driving North on Route 110, and that the hockey schedule is now posted to avoid conflicts. He thanked the board for the town’s support for the electricity and haul­ing the gravel needed to level the parking lot.

Ambulance Concerns

Olsen and selectboard member Jack Johnson mentioned concerns and phone conversations with the Tunbridge Fire Chief and select­board regarding issues with the First Branch Ambulance Service that were discussed during an ex­ecutive session at the January 3 meeting. Johnson said he felt the issue was not a selectboard issue, but was an ambulance board issue.

He also mentioned that the sto­ries he had heard since the meet­ing were not consistent with what was said in that meeting, and Olsen agreed. Olsen added that, right now, she is gathering information and hearing people’s stories.

After debate over the legitimacy of an executive session, the board did go into executive session with Chelsea Fire Chief John Upham, re­garding this issue.

New Truck?

Before entering executive ses­sion, Upham shared plans with the board for a future truck purchase and a feasibility study the depart­ment is conducting to determine the possibility of acquiring land so that if they need to add on in the future, they won’t have to come to the town for variances.

He also shared his hope of re­ceiving a grant for the future truck, while recognizing that the odds were “slim to none.”

Voters approved an article asking for $25,000 to place into an account for the purchase of a truck at the annual fire district meeting on Janu­ary 9. When asked about the price of the truck, Upham estimated in the range of $100,000 to $220,000, based on what the truck would be. He posed the question of whether it would be wise to purchase a truck that serves only one function, or three to four functions.

Upham also pushed the board to continue its conversation with the Chelsea Public School about using the gym as an emergency shelter. The board later wrote an article on the warning for Town Meeting ask­ing voters to approve $15,000 for the purchase of a generator. The board will invite the school board to a meeting to discuss this opportunity.

Peg Pelckmann has resigned as animal control officer, but has of­fered to fulfill her duties until April if the board needs her to. The board decided to advertise the position and ask Pelckman to stay on until Town Meeting Day. Anyone inter­ested in the job should contact the selectboard.

Flood Plain Issue

Anderson shared information from Rob Evans, the River Corri­dor and Floodplain Manager for the state, about his recommendations for the town’s sand pile, salt shed, diesel fuel tank, and salt brine, cur­rently located in a flood plain. A DRB meeting has been recessed until March 14 to allow the select­board time to review this informa­tion and come up with a plan.

Johnson asked if they might be able to get a continuance from the DRB to see how much of the sand pile is left at the end of the winter. Shrinking the size of the sand pile has been a topic at several prior meetings. Cement pads were dis­cussed for raising the salt shed and diesel tank. One pad for both struc­tures was also discussed.

Anderson also mentioned an argument brought up at that Janu­ary 11 DRB meeting, that there is a group of citizens waiting for the selectboard to give them the crite­ria for a site appropriate for a town garage. The board did not deny re­sponding to questions posed from this group back in March of 2011, but admitted they thought this group was supposed to come back to a future meeting and they never did. They went on to state the basic criteria including two to three rela­tively level acres on a paved road, centrally located.

Anderson said it was the board’s duty to balance the cost of compli­ance versus the cost of a new site.