MASTER PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE

MEETING

Tuesday, June 4, 2002

Belmont Town Hall

Belmont, New Hampshire

Present:  L. Frawley, P. Harris (8:00) Judy Pilliod, R. Ashbaugh, T. Carroll, J. Bolduc, C. Daigle and E. Murphy.

The chairman opened the meeting at 7:18 p.m.

R. Ashbaugh explained that the Utility & Public Service committee has submitted the goals and objectives to J. Bolduc for review. They had trouble differentiating goals and objectives. C. Daigle explained that staff can separate the goals and objectives. It is more important that the committees express their ideas and recommendations. J. Bolduc explained that he has the most recent chapter for each committee and has a checklist and comment sheet at the beginning of each chapter. This will help each committee with their chapters and he will help them write the chapter using their ideas and recommendations.

R. Ashbaugh stated that the Utility & Public Service committee information interacts with the other subcommittees. What they do effects others like if a telecommunication tower is erected it will have impact on the Conservation & Preservation, Recreation, Land Use etc. The committees need to maintain awareness of what other committees are doing. L. Frawley explained that she knows about some grant money available for access in communication concerning band widths on cell towers. She will provide R. Ashbaugh with a contact name.

R. Ashbaugh representing the Construction Material committee stated that the goals and objectives are almost complete but they have nothing on existing conditions. L. Frawley stated that J. Marden is working on excavation and he may have some information that would be helpful. C. Daigle explained that J. Marden is working on updating the Excavation Regulation and she will provide R. Ashbaugh a draft copy of it.

           J. Pilliod representing the Land Use and Transportation committees stated that J. Bolduc has the latest input from the committees. J. Bolduc stated that they are good chapters and he has a critique sheet at the beginning for review. J. Pilliod stated that she would like to include the Mill and the Beach as part of the Land Use chapter as they have been major changes to the Town. The steering committee agreed that it should be part of the Land Use chapter. J. Pilliod also would like to see the BRATT trail included in the Recreation section. J. Bolduc agreed that should be included in the recreation section.

            T. Carroll explained that the Recreation committee has not had a meeting recently. J. Bolduc stated that he has worked with the information provided and developed the strategies and asked that the committee review them and provide him with their input.

            L. Frawley stated that the Conservation and Preservation committee will be including pictures for the final version of the Master Plan.

            J. Bolduc stated that he met with the Housing committee and he has provided a summary sheet for their chapter. L. Frawley stated that Ms. Claire LeMay from NH Financing Authority is an excellent resource who has volunteered to help out the Housing committee.

            J. Pilliod wanted to know if they could number the pages of the Master Plan, one thru the end of the document, to make it more user friendly. J. Bolduc stated that the Master Plan is designed to have information added to it that is why the individual chapters are numbered separately. L. Frawley wanted to know when the draft copy of the Master Plan will be available for public viewing. It is important that the public have the ability to view it before the meeting. J. Bolduc stated that he will have it available Monday morning June 17^th. C. Daigle stated that it would be on the web the same day and copies also will be available for the public that Monday. J. Bolduc agreed to send completed chapters to C. Daigle as soon as they are done to ensure that copies are available to the public on June 17^th. L. Frawley stated that she will do the press releases informing the public of the June 24^th meeting and letting them know that the draft Master Plan will be on the web and also available for the public to pick up on Monday June 17^th. 

            J. Bolduc handed out the draft agenda for the June 24^th Public Hearing. He explained that the Public Hearing should last between an hour to an hour fifteen minutes. He explained that P. Harris will do an introduction. L. Frawley will then explain the process. He will then do a summary of the individual chapters. P. Harris will monitor a question and answer period. Members of the Master Plan familiar with that section will answer the questions. After the question & answer period the committees will be available to interact with the public and answer individual questions. Ballots will be available for each chapter and can be returned by July 19^th. The public will also be able to have their concerns addressed through the website, by visiting the Town Hall or discussing them with committee members.

            J. Bolduc explained that at the Public Hearing he will have posters summarizing each chapter. He will also have a time line for the completion of the Master Plan. C. Daigle would also like to have a timeline put in the completed Master Plan. J. Bolduc stated that it can be included in the completed version. C. Daigle explained that R. Ball will be available to help produce maps and posters using the plotter.

            The committee discussed ways to recognize all the volunteers. L. Frawley would like to have a poster on display at the Public Hearing listing all the volunteers. P. Harris has concerns that a name may be overlooked and may offend someone. He agrees that recognition is important but if someone’s name is inadvertently missed it could create more of a problem. L. Frawley stated that she is familiar with all the volunteers and feels that it is important that everyone be recognized. P. Harris stated that he will do a general recognition at the introduction inviting all the volunteers to stand and be recognized.

            L. Frawley asked for promotional suggestions to increase the attendance at the Public Hearing. She explained that she will be doing display advertising in the Citizen, and Laconia Sun promoting the Public Hearing and informing the public where they can get draft copies of the Master Plan before the meeting. The Belmont Better Times, which came out on June 4^th , already is promoting the Public Hearing. She will also be doing a direct mailing. C. Daigle stated that the ballots will be color coded and available for the Public to comment on. The ballots can be numbered so that we will be able to keep track of where they are picked up.

            ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES:

L. Frawley explained about the May 23^rd meeting for Economic Opportunities. She explained that it was a meeting for experts to network and to discuss the available resources for development. She explained that she had mentioned the Economic Development meeting at the Steering Committee meeting and invited D. McLelland, Town Administrator, and P. Harris to attend but they were unavailable. Ms. Donna Cilley and Mr. Brian Loanes attended the meeting. The meeting consisted of brainstorming and the need to spread Federal money and the willingness for different leaders and organizations to help Belmont obtain funding. They discussed the impact, challenges and concerns that Interstate 93 has on the communities.

P. Harris explained that the meeting was a good effort but there was not ample notification for Town Officials to attend. The Town Officials needed to be notified so they could be represented. L. Frawley stated that she had talked about it at a Steering Committee meeting and she was told to go ahead with it.  P. Harris stated that it was mentioned but not the scope of the meeting. There should have been more notification so that Town Officials could have attended. L. Frawley stated that there was an informal gathering at the Band Stand and everyone was invited to attend. Many of the officials involved in the meeting hadn’t been to Belmont and were impressed with the Town and it’s resources. She explained that the Economic structure is not addressed as part of the Master Plan and it needs to be researched. The meeting was informative and she wishes to continue with it. C. Daigle stated that if more meetings take place the Board of Selectmen should be notified, as they are the ones responsible for promoting economic development. She stated that a great opportunity was missed because staff was only made aware of the scope of the meeting the morning it was to take place. L. Frawley stated that she will put a report together for distribution.

ADJOURNMENT:

The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,