WASHINGTON PLANNING BOARD
Town Center Vision Subcommittee – Working meeting Minutes
October 24, 2018
Members present: Lolly Gilbert, Jean Kluk, Ron Jager, Roxy Otterson, Bert Bodnar, Andrew Hatch and Nan Schwartz.
Visitors: None
1.0 Call to Order - The meeting was called to order by Co-Chair Lolly Gilbert at 9:30 AM in the Town Hall. Bodnar pointed out a typo in the minutes, Schwartz will fix it and we approved them.
2.0 Gilbert opened the meeting and reported she got the assessment booklets to Penny and that she and Jared are working on putting the data together. She asked if we could meet with them on October 31st. We decided that we would like them to send us the data prior to meeting with us and we will next meet on November 14th due to some conflicts, which will keep us from meeting with them the first week of November.
Kluk had an update about the traffic study that we talked about with Chief Ryan Murdough. The equipment has been repaired but Ryan would like to do the count in the summer (July/August) to get a more accurate count. He said he has monitored the traffic north of town and most cars are not coming in more than 5 to 8 mph over the posted limit (30) but he thinks the speed limit is too high. Hatch said we need to look into lowering the speed limit and see what it would take. Otterson said that even 25 is fast if people are crossing the road. Schwartz will check in with the UVLSRPC to see if they can help with DOT.
Gilbert said that at our last meeting we asked Jager to come up with an agenda for a community meeting in December where we could get some input from the public. He sent a draft out, which reflected the 2 areas identified for focus and a third area concerning the Town center issues as identified by the assessment effort. He envisions 3 discussion leaders with a specific amount of time for each. We would need to come up with discussion openers, thinking points and send a delegation to the BoS to get their buy in. He would publish the agenda before the meeting to prompt thoughts. Gilbert said we should get a report from Penny Whitman on the Town Center issues to begin the discussion. Using JagerŐs draft as a starting point, we discussed the BoSŐs position, as we understand it to be, on both the OSH and parking plans. We think we should ask them what specific plans and timelines they have for these projects. The group felt that involving the public in our process is the best way forward.
We discussed the possibility at Town Meeting of redirecting unused funds from the Fire Station - or asking that these funds be held for another year to ensure the F/R building has no issues needing correction and to gauge the publicŐs will to use any surplus funds in another way (beside paying down the bond). Jager said if we donŐt redirect the funds to a specific bondable project they will not be available to use.
Hatch thinks the committee has taken positive actions; i.e. looked for funding, reviewed the structural needs of the OHS and contacted an architect from Keene State, Keene area about prioritizing those needs, contacted UNH Co-operative Extension and found Penny and Jared to help with project and community outreach. All agreed and want to engage the public in the process at this point. Kluk said that December is a tough month to hold a public meeting; we need time and preparation for a meeting such as this and there was a consensus of agreement. Hatch suggested a meeting before Town Meeting.
Otterson suggested we put out a community survey next and extract information, then have a public meeting and discussion. Gilbert wants to put out survey/suggestion boxes and get the word out using a website news item. Otterson said we could put it out on Facebook, too. It was suggested we have boxes at the Library, PO, Town Hall and at the farm. Bodnar said that by the 14th we should – 1. Come up with ideas for what goes on the box, 2. Come up with agenda ideas for a public meeting and 3. Do a summary report on what we positive steps we have taken and where we are in the process, Hatch suggested that the public meeting will more likely happen in January/February. Gilbert said we will get the results of our assessment from Penny and Jared next week and we can review before our meeting with them.
3.0 Next meeting – Wednesday, November 14th at 8:30am in Town Hall for discussion, then meet with Penny and Jared at 9:30am.
Meeting adjourned at 10:30am.
Respectfully submitted,
Nan Schwartz
Planning Board Secretary