Government Oversite

Welcome to the Carroll County NH Commissioners meeting from 1/8/14. Commissioners: David Babson, David Sorensen and Asha Kenney collectively administer the business of the County. The Board exercises budgetary control over County operations and prepares the annual budget for the approval by the County Delegation. The Board met at the County Administration Building, 95 Water Village Rd, Ossipee and began this meeting at 8:30 am.



00:01 No public input; Commissioner Kenney comments that this meeting’s posting was added to the County Website at 10:00 am, 1/7/14, and because it was not posted within 24 hours prior, it is illegal; Babson states that he had noticed that the Agenda was posted in the administration building, but was not sure when it was added to the County Website; Sorensen gives no attention to Kenney’s comment; review of Dec. 30th meeting minutes; discussion of corrections and clarifications; Public Utility Commission; (PUC); jail telephone contract; County rate setting;


05:00 Superintendent Henry; using money as revenue stream; Babson states he was apposed to using the charge of telephones calls made by inmates as a revenue stream; estimated revenue generated by a new phone system; estimation of $20,000; Kenney states some of her questions were not added to the minutes; motion and vote to accept minutes; passes unanimous;


10:00 Babson- Statewide health insurance contract; Kenney reports on the establishment of a designated smoking area at the County; designated smoking area requirements; location of designated areas; signage; installation of ashtrays; smoking area signage pointing to their location; work session item discussion; energy audit; EEI; procedure for closing the complex during inclement weather;


15:00 Spyglass memo; phone contract; followup for the request for reconsideration; Jason Johnson, Jail Superintendent; population report; new officer hires; Grafton County tour; Rob Horace, MVC Food Service Director; use of County Farm to offset food costs; Sorensen suggest creating a list of things Carroll County would need to recreate the Grafton County model at the Carroll County Complex; Johnson reports on the extent of the Grafton County facility and process to provide food services to it’s Nursing Home and House of Corrections;


20:00 Johnson reports on a online webinar for HOC staff training; Sargent Baker; cost analysis to use webinar services; Thinking for a Change Program update; GED program; Johnson reports that an offender that went through the program was returned to the County Jail; 12 week program; Sargent Phillips visit to Cheshire County; anger management Counseling;


25:00 Babson-Q: Who establishes rules for inmates under supervised work release or electronic monitoring?; 45 miles out from the County Complex; no out of State work release; discussion- offender living in Nashua; Babson- tells story of an offender that stays at the Carroll County, because he couldn’t get transportation to work; discussion- transfers;


30:00 Johnson, reports on the superintendents affiliates meeting; state prison sentence process; violations of probation; legislation to clarify how probation violations will be handled; disciplinary process for violations of probation; prison housing cost process;


35:00 Discussion- process of sentences; Correctional Academy Rules process;


40:00 Correctional Academy Rules process; NH association of Counties; commissioners diminished responsibilities regarding Correctional staff; process of certification board; autonomy; professional standards;


45:00 National Institute of Corrections; (NIC) technical assistance request; Attorney Schwarts review of Academy Standards; Commissioners Council responsibilities; corrections telephone system;


50:00 Corrections Telephone Contract; Babson states he will not vote for it the way it is; Howard Chandler, MVC Administrator gives report; bariatric resident needing a specialized Wheel chair cushion; $600; Ralph and Edna Dube trust fund; process of acquiring funds for sudden needs; Babson- the need for a contingency emergency fund;


55:00 Babson- the need for a contingency emergency fund; Delegation responsibilities; Babson- Q: to Will Dewitt: how many pumps have failed without having an emergency fund being available; spare pumps; Dewitt recounts other failures that occurred without an emergency fund;


1:00:00 Babson recalls the inefficiency of notifying the Delegation and getting approval for emergency spending; Motion made by Sorensen to purchase the seat cushion using the Ralph and Edna Dube fund; Kenney seconds; Babson amends the motion, states he wishes Chandler to assure him their are no other funds available;


1:05:00 Discussion of the details of the specialized seat pad; Kenney states that the construction contingency fund was used; vote passes; Chandler reports that two residents have passed; Chandler commends the staff performance during the recent inclement weather;


1:10:00 Flexible scheduling during storms; concern of the safety of staff during inclement weather; per- diem staffing; Affordable Healthcare Act;


1:15:00 Transitioning away from per- diem use; Will Dewitt, Anne Aiton, Chandler discuss the process of closing the complex during inclement weather; comparing school closing process;


1:20:00 Discussion- notifying the County staff of closings; present process of notifying employees and the public; posting closing on the County website;


1:25:00 Delayed openings; ease of plowing when complex is closed; process of snow removal; Area plowing priorities;


1:30:00 Area plowing priorities; shift changes during snow removal; recent injuries; sand usage; essential personnel;


1:35:00 Area road snow removal; road conditions;


1:40:00 Process of snow removal; Sorenson commends Will Dewitt and his staff on the snow removal; evaluating the County Complex conditions against area road conditions; Will Dewitt, gives County Farm report; salt sand mixture;


1:45:00 Salt sand mixture use; process of treating for ice; wood processing; using new wood processor; Tri County Cap heating assistance wood orders; processing heating wood orders; Marge Webster; pre buys; federal regulations; extending credit to Tri County Cap; TCC 20- 30 cords;


1:50:00 Wood processing and time savings due to new wood processor; report on logging operation on County land; temporary culvert installation at logging area; Wendy Scribner; monitoring logging process;


1:55:00 Axle seal, break pad and tire replacement on back hoe; Dewitt reports on the use of an inmate being used as a mechanic; right angle plow hydraulic piston replacement kits; spares; expense; wet well wastewater pump rail system; damaged rails; re-welded rails;


2:00:00 Dewitt recounts how the pump system is repaired; frequency of pump failure; village resident water meter freezing issue; servicing a water meters;


2:05:00 Curb stop locations; turing water off in emergencies; establishing clear agreements with water customers; process of water shutoffs; billing; comparison to other water departments;


2:10:00 Fees for curb stops; seasonal shut offs; disconnection of water mains; quarterly fees; charging fire department for water use; Kenney points out that Babson is arguing his point as a commissioner or as a resident?;


2:15:00 Dewitt: “Were in a pickle” regarding the white truck used for sand spreading; Sorensen proposes a new 1 ton dump truck; budgetary constraints;


2:20:00 Acquiring a new truck; $30,000 budget line for new truck; Anne Aiton, Registrar of Deeds reports; budget expenditures, revenues;


2:25:00 projections are on target; Aiton reports that a filing cabinet she requested last year could not be purchased, because of a delay of decision by the Commission; disposal of 10 shelving/ drafting tables; grantor index stands;


2:30:00 Disposal of grantor index stands; discussion of value; craigslist postings; process of disposal of County property;


2:35:00 Aiton wants to revisit salary lines; union contracts; benefits; unfairness; encouraging more unions; Sorensen recalls given .40 or approximately 800.00 per person, non union; comparisons between union and non union compensation; effecting moral of non union employees;


2:40:00 Reviewing EEI energy audit company; reducing energy costs; delay of review of phone contract; charging inmates for calls; PUC rate setting; call rate for NH State penitentiaries; process and cost of making calls;


2:45:00 Discussion of rates; hindering family contact; Spyglass; Babson states the commission has an obligation to use Spyglass Corp;


2:50:00 Inviting Spyglass back to give presentation; mission statement; employee medical benefits; Kenney Q: previous energy providers;


2:55:00 Projected energy savings; PSNH; Constellation; evaluation of using existing file safes stored and no longer used from MVC; Public comment; John Ruckenbrod, Ossipee: HOC inmate phone system;


3:00:00 Babson- the system has the requirement of recording the phone call information; Ruckenbrod states “That is what the NSA is for”


Commission goes into non public per 91a 3 para 2a personnel; Roll Call;