Good evening, Salem.

And uh this is the April 20th meeting of the Salem Town Council.

Would you all please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance?

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic.

One nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

Let me just go around the table really quickly and introduce everyone who's here this evening.

To my far left, Mr.

DJ Bettencourt.

Good evening.

To his immediate right, Mr.

Keith Stromaya.

Good evening.

To his immediate right, Paul Pellatea.

Good evening, sir.

To his right again is Mr.

Hatch, Jeff Hatch.

And to my immediate left is the vice chair of the committee, uh Mr.

Joseph Sweeney.

Good evening.

To my immediate right this evening is uh Kathy Stacy.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Good evening.

And finally, all the way to the right is uh Ms.

Bonnie Wright.

Hello, Salem.

And then the town manager, Mr.

Joe Devine.

For the purposes of the meeting minutes, uh Ms.

Withthrow has been excused.

And now I will take a motion from Miss Stacy.

Mr.

Chair, I move to seal the town council non-public meeting minutes for sessions one, two, three, four, and five for April 20th, 2026.

Pararis A91A32.

Members C C C D and L, because they involve matters which, if discussed in public, would likely affect adversely the reputation of any person other than a member of the public body itself, or render a proposed action ineffective.

Second second.

And we're off.

Miss Stacey, you're going to do the minutes.

Sure.

I move the minutes of April 6th, 2026 public session.

Second.

Motion has been made and seconded by Mr.

Pellatea.

All those in favor?

8 to 0.

Chairman comments.

There won't be any.

I don't have all that much to say usually.

Approval of the consent agenda, Mr.

Sweeney.

Mr.

Chairman, at this time I move to approve the April 20th, 2026 consent agenda.

Second.

Motion has been made and seconded by Mr.

Hatch.

All those in favor.

Additions or requests by the public or a council by vote.

Is there anybody that uh Mr.

Sidechak would like to address the council?

Mr.

Sidec would like to speak prior to the meeting.

Mr.

Sidek.

If you would please identify yourself and your address, and away we go.

I'm John Sidek.

I live at 34 Town Village Drive.

I'm representing myself and thank you for the opportunity of addressing you.

I think it's worth public mention.

I'm here to praise and commend the public works department for a magnificent job.

I come up Clough Road and behind Target.

It was just incredible.

I it the amount that it accumulated of litter over the winter.

And they did the blue bags came.

Everything is done.

It's remarkable.

And you had to look at it before it was done to really appreciate what was done.

Larry Bel Air once described the intersection of Broadway and veterans as Salem's doorstep.

You wanted the plantings done there.

Well, an awful lot of Massachusetts people come through that throat to the back of Target, Hallmark, all those back way into market basket.

And it just didn't look the way I want our town to look.

And it is really I think it's worth the public mention.

I've done it.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you, Mr.

Sidech.

And we send our congratulations on to the uh Department of Public Works.

Next is the interview session, an appointment to the Economic Development Committee, Mr.

Devine.

Good evening.

We have an inter an applicant for the Economic Development Committee at the April 6th meeting.

You repointed uh two people to the economic development committee, leaving one seat still vacant.

So we had an applicant from Jeremy Gilbalt.

I believe it's uh Gilbalt.

It's French.

Okay.

Well he also serves on the planning board.

Um it should be noted that we did review the planning board rules of procedures, and there's nothing precluding him from serving on this committee while serving on the planning board, and he is here tonight.

If you would like to come down there, Jeremy, we'd love to have you come down and introduce yourself and um my name is Jeremy Gibble, I'm Hemlock Lane.

Um good place in life, time to get back to the community.

That's basically all I'm doing right now.

Mr.

Betancourt.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

At this time, I would move to appoint Jeremy Gilball to the Economic Development Action Committee with a term to expire April 2027.

Second.

Second motion been made and seconded by Miss Stacy.

All those in favor.

8 to 0.

Welcome, Jeremy.

Do you have more work now?

Yeah.

It was his introduction speech.

Tomorrow night at 5 30.

Very quick into the next meeting is tomorrow night at 5 30 in case you didn't hear that.

Mr.

Devine, next, please.

Next on the agenda is going to be a first-read waiver for resolution 2026-09 from the finance department.

And that's for the final bond sale of police station construction.

Good evening, Nicole.

Good evening, Nicole McGee Finance Director.

Last Tuesday, we did the final bond sale for the police station construction project.

As you recall, we bonded over three different bonds, and this was the last one.

Uh received eight bids and the lowest bidder uh bid at true interest cost of 3.61%.

Um I'm asking that the council accepted bond sale and then read the resolution of the governing board in its entirety.

Everyone, if you want your break, now's the time.

Everybody buckle up if you uh I was gonna say if you have them smoke them, but you can't now.

So uh just sit back and relax in your seat.

This is gonna take a minute.

It's only it's only two pages this year.

Mr.

Sweeney, please.

Mr.

Chairman, at this time I would move that the sale of New Hampshire Town Council hereby adopts resolution number 202609 and further to waive the requirement for a second reading.

This resolution shall take effect upon its passage as follows.

Whereas section 1.2 of the town charter vests in the town council the powers of the governing body, and whereas the town's bond council, divine millimet, requires a formal resolution of governing board be read and signed by the governing body, parentheses town council.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Salem Town Council that the Salem town council votes to adopt the resolution of governing board as required by bond council and reads the resolution of governing board into the record.

Resolution of governing board, the undersigned at least a majority of the town council of the issuer, the governing board and the treasurer of the issuer hereby certify that a meeting of the governing board of the issuer was held with respect to the issuance of bonds defined below.

That notice of said meeting was afforded to said officers and the public in accordance with the provisions of RSA 91A as amended and the applicable rules and bylaws of the issuer, if any, that at least a majority of the governing board were present throughout said meeting, that the following roll call votes were adopted at said meeting, all as being in the best interest of the issuer, and that the resolutions set forth below have not been repealed, amended, or rescinded as of the date thereof.

Voted to authorize the issuance of 11,210,000 dollars general obligation bonds, the bonds of the issuer, which were heretofore authorized by the issuer on March 12th, 2024.

Such bonds to be dated April 28th, 2026.

Voted to sell said bonds to the purchaser, the purchaser, with the principal amounts, maturities, premium, if any, redemption provisions, if any, and interest rates specified on Schedule A attached here to and made a part hereof.

Voted to issue the bonds and substantially the form set in Schedule B attached here too and made a part hereof.

Voted to authorize at least a majority of the governing board and the treasurer to sign the bonds or to have said signatures printed electronically or in fact immediately on the bonds and to affix the issuers seal there too.

Voted to authorize the treasurer to deliver the bonds to the purchaser against payment, therefore, voted to authorize at least a majority of the governing board and the treasurer to execute and deliver a signature and no litigation certificate with receipt, a tax certificate, a continuing disclosure certificate, and IRS form 8038G.

In substantially the form presented to this meeting, and such other documents as may be necessary or appropriate to accomplish the sale and delivery of the bonds in accordance with the foregoing and voted to authorize U.S.

Bank Trust Company National Association to serve as paying agent with respect to the bonds.

Well, yeah, that's good.

Motion's been made.

Seconded by Miss Stacy.

Any further questions?

Not hearing any.

All those in favor.

Eight to zero.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I will pass that down.

This needs to go to DJ.

All right.

Next up.

Next on the agenda will be a public hearing.

Yep.

And this is to discontinue a portion of route uh 97 Main Street.

Including your packet was a memo from assistant town manager Colleen Mayo, who's here to speak to this tonight.

Okay, Mr.

Chair members of the council.

Um, as town manager said, this is a request for a discontinuance of a portion of old Route 97, Old Havel Road.

It's um in the area of 354 Main Street, uh, map 75, lots 7310, 7313, 7314, and 7315.

Um, so back in the 1950s, NHDOT realigned um Main Street to its current configuration at that time, um, a section of the road that is um just south of where the existing road is, crossed the parcels that I identified.

Um at that time in 1958, DOT reclassified that from a class three um state road to a class five town road and advised the um board of selectment at the time that they could move forward with discontinuing the road.

We did not find any record that that um the public right-of-way was actually discontinued.

So this is something that we're cleaning up at the request of the property owner at 354 Main Street, um, really to to clean up something that that should have been done back in the uh late 1950s.

So um if you have any questions, I'm happy to answer them.

Otherwise, the attorney for the property owner is here as well this evening, and um can answer any questions you may have.

Questions we're lucky.

There are no questions at this time.

Motions, Mr.

Sweeney.

Mr.

Chairman, at this time I move that the Salem Town Council completely and absolutely discontinues that portion of old Haver Road that existed prior to the layout of Route 97's relocation and reconstruction in 1958.

And such former layout running through map 75, lots 7310, 7313, 7314, and 7315.

Second seconded by Miss Daisy.

All those in favor.

That's eight to zero.

Yeah, I'm gonna I would not miss that opportunity.

Mr.

Devine, at this time I'm I'm sitting here with the resolution for the bond sale, and there's a uh sticky attached to it.

Does everybody have to sign that page where it says issues treasurer and issuers gravity?

So I'm gonna pass this down that way because there's more of you that way.

If everybody would sign that document with the leather with the uh yellow note on it, that would be great.

All right, next up, community services department.

And just as you said, this is gonna be an update from the community services department.

I included it in your packet was a um memo from uh community services director Gillian Smith, who's here tonight to present.

Okay, one good evening.

Thank you for having me here today and giving me the opportunity to give you a quick update of what the team at and your community services has going on for 2026 so far.

So I'm gonna start off with our plan for a new community services logo.

Um let give you an update on where we are as far as the Boston Post game, and then also our lineup for our celebration of America 250th anniversary.

Um so our plan for a new community services logo was triggered by the team.

It's something they um had been wanting to see happen to really unify the department since we did become one department that's rec for all.

Um, our plan and moving forward is to first uh we have a brainstorming session set up with the seniors uh Monday, April 27th, to get feedback from them on what they feel would best represent community services, and then the team's gonna put together three separate draft logo designs that we'll put out to the community at large to vote on and determine what they feel as a community would be the best fit.

And then we've already been in touch with the teacher over at Salem High School who does the graphic and digital design class for the fall to have them finalize the product, and then I'll be back here at the end of the year um to get your approval in hopes to implement a united logo for the community services team for 2027.

Okay.

Um, so the Boston Post game, as you know, is uh ceremonial honor that's given to the oldest resident in town.

Um it was something that was implemented in 1909 1909 through the newspaper Boston Post.

Um that's still a tradition in many New England towns, specifically in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

And um this year we're awarding a little bit different.

Um we're war awarding our recipient in May because it's older Americans month.

So we thought that would be a really nice way to honor our oldest and longest resident.

Um, and we're not gonna announce who that is until later in May or early June.

Um, so I just wanted to let you know where we were on that.

And then last but not least, our America 250th event timeline.

We're kicking off in June with a coloring contest.

We're going to have three separate age groups under four, five to seven, and then eight to ten.

And the deadline for submission will be July 10th.

Then the seniors at the Ingram as an activity will vote on the winners for each age range.

And then the winners will be announced at the Friends of the Recreation 2.50 mile road race on August 22nd.

Also on June 4th, we're going to kick off our red white and food drive.

Our goal is to collect 250 non-perishable food items and toiletries.

And that drive will continue through that August 22nd date.

And so people who come to the road race will also have the opportunity to contribute to that effort.

Then we'll do a kickoff to the summer barbecue series and concert series.

That will be in late June.

We're still ironing out the date.

And then for our folks who maybe are intimidated by a 2.50 mile road race, we're offering a point to five zero mile stroll that will take place on July 1st, and it will start and end at the Ingram Center.

If you don't want to walk it, you can come and cheer on the people that are.

And then we'll have our annual police cookout.

All these programs are going to be themed in celebration of America.

And then as most people know, we have an annual tournament week in honor of the Ingram anniversary.

A new addition to that in honor of this event of America's 250th.

We're going to do a family fun afternoon where we're inviting families to come and challenge each other in a cornhole competition.

So that'll be uh August 3rd, which will be the start of that tournament week.

And then, as I mentioned previously, we'll have that 2.5 mile road race that is on behalf of the Friends of Recreation, which will start and end at the courthouse.

And then a few dates to be announced.

We'd like to do a multi-generational 250th annual uh aerial picture.

So we're thinking early October, try to capitalize on some foliage, good New England, and then later in the year, some dates that will be announced as our firemen's luncheon and winterfest.

And then to take it beyond the local, we're gonna do some trips for our older adults in the community.

So some of our destinations, one of which is returning today, is the International Virginia Military Tattoo in Apollo, Maryland, and Williamsburg, Virginia.

That's returning today.

And then we'll have a trip, a day trip to the tall ships on July 15th, a trip to Mount Rushmore, Big Sky, Montana, Yellowstone, a trip to the American music cities of Nashville and Memphis, and a trip for horses, bourbons, and barrels tour in Kentucky.

And these are just our larger destinations that are in honor of this event.

We do have other trips for folks who don't want to travel afar.

Um, but these are in honor of the 250th.

So I know I just gave you a lot of information, but does anybody have any questions or Mr.

Hatch?

The trips are they just for the members of the senior center?

Um not just for the members of the senior center, but members of the senior center's uh uh excuse me, Salem residents and members have first priority, and then we allow um grandfathered out of town and guests in to join.

Um but if you are over 60 and a Salem resident and you would like to become a member, then there's that.

You can always join.

That may not be you, but just saying for those of you out there, but we're not any other questions.

Anything else from anybody?

No, no, I think we're all set.

Thank you very much for stopping by.

Thank you.

I guess I get the bag.

Mr.

Devine, the municipal advisory committee.

Uh so this is gonna be an M back update for everybody.

Um Finance Director Nicole McGee is here to kick off the presentation with uh facility's foreman James Pacheco.

Hello, thank you.

I'm Nicole McGee, Finance Director, and somehow lucky enough to also be the municipal building advisory committee chair.

Don't know how I ended up in that role, but here I am, needless to say.

So we want to do an update for the council tonight.

Um, starting out the police station.

Um, this what picture I just thought was a really cool slide to show everybody.

We have the area of the police station as of March of 2025, and then comparing to where we are in 2026, such a huge transformation in just a year's time.

And I just really love this side by side, so I wanted to make sure the council and the public got to see where we're at in just a year, year time frame.

Um for the police station construction project, the PD project is um on schedule and the budget still looks good.

The second floor is almost fully framed.

Crews are completing sheetrock and painting will start this week.

Uh other items that are scheduled for this week is the completion of the epoxy paint for the tactical training center.

Um, and the last of the interior walls will be built this week.

The framing for the Floyer has begun.

This is the last portion to be framed as crews will start to work to make the building entirely weatherproofed.

The northeast stairwell frame is also being installed this week.

Uh the exterior veneer construction uh has begun and will continue into July.

And site work has started back up with the retention pond construction and bringing the front lot up to a finished grade.

And then uh have a couple pictures just to share with the council.

So these pictures here are some interior pictures.

The picture on the left is gonna be the investigation services division looking east, and the picture on the right is the second floor hall by special services, and then we have uh in the exterior picture there, that is the foyer framing, and then the picture on the right is the range flooring.

Um next is a quick South Station update.

As you recall, in the December meeting, the council authorized funding for phase two of the fire south station.

Last Thursday, uh command staff, TGAS, Trident, the owner's project manager, and Harvey went over the project.

They reviewed the proposed schedule for phase two of design work.

They at this meeting they also discussed the option of the third bay, which you'll recall we discussed um at an earlier town council meeting.

From a layout perspective, there does not appear to be any issues or concerns with encroaching wetlands.

And from a budget perspective, they said it would have a minimal cost increase as a third bay.

It really just can take extending the roof, extending some of the concrete, and adding a third door.

Um at the next meeting, they will do program vetting.

And tomorrow, TGAS, the architect, is going to do an on-site visit with um at South Station.

Um we have building improvements, and here I'm gonna transition the presentation to James Pachico, our facility foreman who was instrumental in creating and compiling the building condition index, and he's gonna take over from here.

Okay.

Good evening, council.

Um James Pachico, I'm the facility foreman for the town of Salem.

Um as you know, over the summer we created the BCI report, um, which gave each of our buildings a score or ranking system for the buildings.

Uh, these two buildings are the senior center and pine grove cemetery, and at the end of the year, or at the end of 2025, we had we're able to complete a couple projects that were pressing for those buildings.

Um, one of those starting off with the senior center, the buildings were the projects were the guardrail that's in the parking lot, as well as the handrail going up the handicap ramp.

And at Pine Grove Cemetery, we also were able to repair and replace the windows and doors of that facility.

The windows are from 1970s when the building was first constructed, and the door has had several damages due to individuals trying to get into the area.

Uh next slide, please.

Uh, what you'll see here is a picture of the dam of the rot and issues with the handrail.

Uh next one.

We were able to get our our welding contractor in into the uh area to fix it.

Uh what he did was he had shortened the rail up, rewelded the rail back together.

He replaced some of the damaged posts that were holding up the supports and then filled in those areas with concrete, a lot of those areas when originally the railing was put in was not filled, and that cost a lot of the calcium and salt and so forth to get into.

So we uh were able to replace that or repair that, sorry, not replace it, but repair it.

Uh next slide, please.

Uh the guard rail currently or prior to the GARRA, we had only vehicle stops.

There were concrete stops that every winter were tossed around the parking lot.

Um, so to make it for safer for the residents and to the senior citizens there, we installed a guard rail that ran the length of that parking lot.

Um so now we have a more permit solution to the problem.

Won't have an issue with the um vehicle stops being tossed around.

So next so here's a picture of one of the windows in the front office of Pine Grove Cemetery.

As you see, there's rod at the bottom of it.

The other window on the other side has an actual missing pane of glass.

We currently cannot open those windows up.

Um due to the winter, we had to hold off a little bit, but now that winter has ended, the windows are on our ordered, they're ready to be installed in the coming weeks.

So we'll have the windows and the door installed in the next few weeks.

Uh so MVAC six-year plan, which was the main purpose of MBAC to develop a uh strategy for our capital improvements of these buildings.

Um the BCI.

So the plan was based off of our BCI reports, insight from public works, and is the department heads as a whole.

Uh the plan that you guys have in front of you weighs heavily on the facilities that our employees are currently active in, or the residents are uh currently doing business in or interacting with on a regular basis.

Uh in front of you there or on the screen right now is the plan for 2027.

Um outlined in green are items that are pertaining to CPI uh CIP, so anything that's over or what we expect to be over 150,000.

Um those two projects currently are outlined there.

Everything else is projects that are under the threshold of CIP.

Um we'll get through the other slides, we'll get into a couple of the other projects there.

Uh next slide, please.

So the 2027, our proposed CIP projects is the self-fire station re uh construction project and phase two of the public works facility.

Phase two is the demolition of the existing office space, the installation of three garage doors, and the completion of the exterior and site work of the building.

Uh if you see in the bottom corner there, that is the rendering of what BPW will look at when it's completed.

Um so as you can see, the existing um office buildings gone.

We have three free bays there, a nice barn look to the building, and a nice whole area.

So it's great.

And then on the other one is say just a block design for Southfire.

So they're in the process of figuring out what the design of the building will actually look like.

Uh these are some for our future CIP projects.

So through 2028.

Um, oh so before we get too crazy on those numbers, I should have said this to start off.

All those estimates that you see in that plan are just estimates.

They are not hard numbers as we move forward with these projects and vetting on these projects.

Our numbers will become stronger and are more of a um hard number to those projects.

So please don't get hung up on those numbers right now.

Everything's gonna change.

So um, so in 2028, we're gonna look to do a town wide security system upgrade.

Uh in 2029, we'll be looking at the HVAC replacement at the senior center, a roof replacement for both North Fire and Town Hall, and the water treatment plant renovations for PA PFOAs and PFOs, PFOS.

Um, unfortunately, I don't know much about that, but I'll let other people discuss that.

Uh in 2020, we're gonna look at some roof repairs to Central Station, and then they've in the hopes to provide a water connection to transfer station over the last several years.

We've had some major fires at that location, and to make it easier for our fire department to handle the problems there.

We'd look to try to add a water line.

Currently, there's a water line on Camelot.

So we'd look somehow to try to connect that to that area.

Um next slide, please.

And then for 2031, we'll be looking at rooftop units for town hall, soding and windows for the senior center, uh, sewer line and front entrance connection or repairs to the courthouse, and 32 Pine Grove Cemetery, garage renovation, roof replacement at the senior center, and our updates to the elevator.

Again, the updates for elevators are our town hall elevators currently in a 1980 elevator, and our senior center is a 1982 elevator.

Or not sorry, senior center.

The courthouse is a 1982 uh elevator.

So we're kind of knocking on wood and hoping that we keep making it through.

Knock on wood, luckily we've been fine.

Um, but I just want to make everybody aware that these are some issues that we'll have to take start taking a look at.

And then for operating budget for 2027, we'll be looking at the set to replacement at North Fire, exterior paint and exterior lighting upgrades for town hall, uh, electrical upgrades for Pine Grove Cemetery.

We'll look at the HVAC engineering for the senior center, uh, town wide security audit.

Uh these will those are two programs that help us move forward with our other issues moving forward down the line.

Uh copper replacements at the courthouse, train train depot and water treatment.

Court the courthouse at the uh carpet, the courthouse is from 1982, hasn't been replaced.

Water treatments from when it was built, and the train depot is probably about a good 10-15-year-old copper at this point in time.

So as you see as we move through the budget through the six years, we try to keep it a very even level.

Um I look at 2031 and 32 at the point of where we reach that area.

We'll probably be looking at re-evaluating these projects anyway, so those numbers will all kind of change.

And then questions.

And I'm gonna tell you up front that nobody here believes any numbers until they actually appear on a warrant article.

I appreciate that.

And I believe it.

I appreciate that.

I believe it's been fully vetted by Mr.

Pellets, yeah.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Uh I'm not being funny, but you know, what what year?

What year do we uh intend to repair or replace the bricks from the courthouse to the town hall?

So that bridge will probably we'll probably be looking to do some repairs to it this year.

So we're probably gonna look down to knock it down over the summer.

Yeah, um, as we uh start opening up the once we get to past Memorial Day projects, we'll start looking at that.

Um there's some discussion on how we what the next course of action is.

Um I think there are two different opinions on it, whether it's rebuild the bridge as existing or have another uh means of yeah of uh uh providing a pathway for the individual.

So it isn't something that we haven't forgotten about, it is something that we'll consider.

Right.

You'd like to think it's kind of important be because of all the facilities come uh approaching us, you know, between Peel of Dreams and the 250th and it should be trust me.

I have a lot of comments from yeah uh the clientele at the seniors senior center, the neighborhoods behind that.

So it is something that we haven't forgotten about that we will take care of.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

Mr.

Mr.

Hatch, I'm just gonna play devil's advocate here with the bridge.

Really need the bridge.

I mean, the sidewalk is like 20 steps away.

Knocking out the parking lot.

Boy.

I'm on board with Jeff.

Me too.

I like your thoughts, Jeff.

Thank you.

I mean I don't know.

I depending on the cost to me.

If it's a simple repair effects, okay, I got it.

But it gets to the point where you need to reconstruct it.

Paul, walk up to the sidewalk, take a left and you're right there.

I had to walk all the way around that sidewalk to go in the dunk tank this year.

Did you have something, Mr.

Mayo?

You had your hand up.

Yeah, I um didn't the conservation offer to pay to have the bridge for body.

I I've heard some things, I I don't have to think money.

Um I thought we voted on it.

Yes, that was that.

Umservation voted to use some of our money to to repair that bridge.

Oh.

More power to you.

That Able to make sure that it would be an eligible expense.

Okay, I didn't because we haven't heard anything backwards.

Taxpayers don't see it.

That's okay with them, I think.

Right.

Okay, I think we're all set.

All right, appreciate it.

Thank you.

Thank you for your uh presentation.

And we'll move on to the uh former wastewater treatment plant.

Mr.

Devine.

Um, so including in your packet was a memo from Assistant Tom Andrew Collie and Mayo.

Uh, she's here to speak about the former wastewater treatment plant and possibilities moving forward for this parcel of land.

Mr.

Chair, members of the council.

Um, so as you know, um the the um property on Sarrel Drive, the former wastewater treatment plant, map 143 lot 9475, um, is approximately a 32-acre parcel that um the town has remediated.

Um there were um intentions for that to potentially be um used or or sold to a uh a private um development entity for um uh for uh potential redevelopment use, but at this time um the um staff are asking the council if you would support um possibly um exploring concepts for multi-purpose fields at that site.

Um as you recall the um recreation advisory committee and community development and planning staff recently committed or completed a um phase one recreation master plan that evaluated um recreational needs in the town, existing sites, and um came up with some development concepts for some different areas in town.

Um at that time that that planning study was done, the wastewater treatment plant um parcel was not reviewed.

Um we but one of the themes that we heard coming out of that study was that there is still a real need for multi-purpose rectangular fields, um that that's something that's very much needed here in town.

In looking conceptually at this, it seems like this 32-acre site could have good potential for recreational use.

We're asking for the town council town to town council to um give direction to staff if you would be supportive of um some initial exploration and concepts.

What we are um what would be part of that evaluation would be potentially um a subdivision or some other separation um of the um Salem Animal Rescue League um location and maybe dedicating a portion of property for um that potential use and then with the remainder of the parcel to be um really looking at the concept of how many fields could we get out there, what the parking would look like, and doing that overall conceptual discussion.

But we wanted to um bring this to the council, um, get some input from the council on um your support for that concept meeting moving forward.

Mr.

Bentoncourt, thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

So as I understand you're looking for some direction from the council, so I will speak for myself in saying that the town, of course, has spent and invested a lot of money to clean up that site, and boy, it has been quite a journey and an expensive one.

And I think we've come to the point where we've looked at it a number of different ways, and there's no way for us to sell that property in a manner that's going to recoup what we've had to spend in a lot of cases to uh deal with the environmental issues with that site.

But here we are now with a number of different priorities as I understand it.

One of them being that we're desperately in search of places for there to be additional recreational spaces.

I know over the years the Board of Selectmen and later the town council have talked about dog park.

And then there's also my particular priority to make sure that SARL has a permanent home so they know where they're going to be and they can make future decisions for their organization knowing that they're gonna have a home where they are here in Salem.

So I think this is a phenomenal opportunity for us.

Um I think you know, looking at that that parcel, I see a future home for the Salem Rams.

And for those of you who have had children in that program or who have children in that program as I do, uh their current location is nice, but if you go through there, um it's tricky.

There are a lot of challenges there.

There are parking challenges there.

It gets dark at night.

They have the Rams have to bring in lighting so that people don't fall down or stumble on those dirt roads leading from the back parking lot of what was the old digital property up to where the fields are.

How nice would it be for them to have a spot where number one they're not gonna have to worry about that parcel of land being sold?

And so then where are they going to go and have the opportunity to not have to spend money on all of those different things that they've got to do to keep people safe and for the kids to be safe and for them to be able to use that property?

So again, I think the the money that we've spent and invested to clean that up is now coming to fruition in a way that can allow that that allows us to fulfill a couple of different priorities that we've had.

So I think this is a great opportunity.

That's my view.

Further, anybody?

Mr.

Hatch.

Yeah, I I'll just piggyback because I I and he's absolutely correct, Ms.

uh counselor Bentoncourt.

I have no interest in it at this point, probably in selling as I don't think we get our money back from it.

One, and two, I think we get much more use out of it making a multi-purpose field.

Helping Sarl out giving them a permanent home that's which they can always have, and possibly a dog park or whatever else we put in there.

Um I I'd much rather see that than some form of development.

Uh that's all.

Mr.

Pellatea, yeah.

I have to I have to echo what the other the last two councilmen uh just uh stressed out.

Uh it I I believe that they'd be in good enhancement to keep the roads like Garibedian Road open now to to that partial instead of having a couple of stock at the end of it.

And also the the entrance to Route 28, which would be a roundabout way of getting in and out of that partial.

And uh I look forward to something like this would be a nice permanent permanent place, yeah.

Yes, again for the Rams or for any other uh ball organization wants to play in there, and hopefully that the maybe the the upper land, the upper portion of this property, the tree-studded area, uh, which is a nice rectangular partial would be ideal for the ball for the box, which would be on the east side of that property.

My feeling.

Mr.

Sweeney, Mr.

Chairman, at this time I would move that the Salem town council authorized to explore the potential development of the SARL drive property for recreational uses.

All those in favor?

All right.

Thank you.

Uh Colleen.

Next up, authorize the three-year lease.

So the Bureau of Courts has come to us asking for a lease extension.

Uh, they proposed a three-year lease.

Um the first year they were looking for a zero percent increase, and then year two and year three, they're requesting a three percent increase.

Uh, this lease extension will generate approximately 1.3 million dollars in gross revenue over the next three years, uh, which is great.

It totals out to being just over $26,000 in increase over the years, the three years.

And the price per square foot increase is $20.48 to $21.72 after the three years.

Happy to answer any questions the council might have.

Mr.

Chairman, at this time I move that the Salem Town Council approves the three-year lease extension agreement between the town of Salem and the New Hampshire Department of Administrative Services, Bureau of Court Facilities for approximately $21,480 square feet of space located at 35 Geromonti Drive, Salem, New Hampshire for a term beginning July 1st, 2026 and ending June 30th, 2029, with annual rents of 439,862 and ten cents in year one, four hundred and fifty-three thousand fifty-seven dollars and ninety-six cents in year two, and four hundred and sixty-six thousand six hundred and forty-nine dollars and seventy-six cents in year three, and authorize the town manager to sign the lease on behalf of the town of Salem.

Second second.

Motion been made and seconded by Miss Stacy.

Anything further?

Not seeing anything.

All those in favor.

Next is going to be authorized a three-year lease agreement extension with the New Hampshire Department of Corrections.

Also within the courthouse, the Department of Corrections leases 100 square feet for probation and parole uses.

Keeping with the council's direction of essentially 6% over the three years.

They have come forward with a 2% increase for year one, year two, and year three.

Essentially, that's an increase of about 1,600 in year one, and then 1,666 in year two, and then 1,700 in year three.

Happy to answer any questions the council may have.

Not seeing any.

Mr.

Chairman, at this time, I move that the Salem Town Council approves the three-year lease agreement between the town of Salem and the New Hampshire Department of Corrections for approximately 100 square feet of space located at 35 Geromonty Drive, Salem, New Hampshire for a term commencing July 1st, 2026 and ending June 30th, 2029, with annual rents of 1,634 and 28 cents in year one, 1,666 and 92 cents in year two, and 1,716 cents in year three, and further authorized the town manager to execute all documents related to this lease.

Second.

Motion been made and seconded by Miss Wright.

Not seeing anything further.

All those in favor.

Thank you very much, Mr.

Chair.

I've seen a lot of social media comments lately, specifically around call volumes and what's happening at Tuscan on the weekends, the number of police presence, things like that at the um at the village.

I want to just start by saying that I've spoken to the police chief.

The area is very safe and is very well maintained.

Right now, on Thursday nights, Friday nights, and Saturday nights, there's four police details that are hired privately by the businesses within Tuscan Village.

Some are specific to one or two places, others are specific to the entire village, but Tuscan is paying for four details Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturday nights specifically.

Um between the hours of starting at 6 p.m.

and going as late as 1 a.m.

on these days.

So we had we looked at the past three weekends uh at the call volume at Tuscan just to kind of break it down a little bit so we had a good idea.

Roughly 10 to 12 percent of all calls on each of these three weekends were at Tuscan Village.

So that that relates to about 121 calls.

Um I'm sorry, 121 of the thousand thirty-eight calls.

And so the we recent breakdown breaks down like this.

Um there's 30 calls the weekend of March 27th, which is 16% of our total calls for that weekend.

Of that, 27 of them were actually initiated by the police details or handled by the police details.

So that means three calls were handled by regular staff outside the detail hours.

So our detail staff is being either be proactive or responsive.

They're handling those calls in-house with the detail officers going on.

Um for Easter weekend, which was April 3rd.

We had 20 calls.

Um, eight of those calls were handled by details, and then for April 10th, we had 31 calls, and 19 of those were initiated or handled by the officers.

So I I just want people to understand that you know a lot of these proactive things that the details are doing, they're being funded by the private businesses there.

The taxpayers are not paying for all of this police response that's occurring at Tuscan village.

You know there's there is on social media we're seeing a lot of pictures on the weekends of of police presence there.

And I just I just wanted to get that out there so they fully understand that not all of this is going to be taxpayer funded that's happening.

Now at 8 a.m or if we have a shoplifting call at outside those detail hours and at noontime let's just say yes those are response calls but it's no different than we respond to any other business within the town of Salem if we had a call like that.

So I just wanted to get that out there.

You know we we view it and speaking to the police chief as more strategic and proactive having these details out there so that they're able to handle it internally.

So I'm happy to answer any questions on this before I move into the PowerPoint.

Go ahead.

Well Mr Sweeney thank you.

Thank you Mr Manager for bringing it up totally understand the details totally understand them interacting with folks leaving retail shops or restaurants or whatnot.

The traffic enforcement that goes on within the village if it's are they pulling people over is it like people start speeding on 28 and then they pop into the village.

Yep.

Like how how what what's the traffic is are that part of details?

A lot of the traffic enforcement is related to loud vehicles okay that that they're it they're dealing with they're not you're not in there you can't really speed within Tuscan for the most part with the cul de sacs anyway so it's it's not really it's not really speed enforcement.

But it could be a detail saying to we have one car that's a roving car within there it could be hey we just saw these people leave the rooftop and they seem to be inebriated we might be stopping them for a possible DWI.

Things like that could be occurring.

So that's a lot of the the traffic violations that we have occurring in there.

Part of the pictures online sure are cars pulling people over and it just it could be a shoplifter that then stopping because they got into a car and so that it's it starts within the business and then it's an because it's moving a moving violation essentially they're stopping it as it moves.

Thank you.

If they're stopping them it's probably for a good reason.

Miss Stacy.

Thank you Mr Chia just uh would you tell me we're talking about what are we talking about stops during six to one and we have a roving car over there?

Tusc it's Tuscan paid for by so it's the detail plus what do they get what's the charge for having the car as well is there a charge for having the car as well our fee schedule does have a charge for having an a um a cruiser there yes thank you yep Mr.

Bentoncourt thank you so like counselor sweeney I appreciate the update on who's paying for it and and all of that what are the nature of the calls though what are we talking about?

So a lot of them are just they could be minor motor vehicle accidents.

We do deal with a lot of shoplifting that occurs um and it's just regular just complaints um let me pull up it open here I can tell you bear with one second I can give you a little bit more info on it.

This is the time where most uh radio stations would probably fill in with an ad but uh you know so to get just to give you an idea there's um we have shoplifting uh children unattended at let's say market basket um thefts um they they do they do respond to parking complaints there could be follow-up calls that they're following up with after the fact because of they need to maybe speak to a worker who wasn't working at specific times those do generate calls as well uh motor vehicle lockouts um restraining order services a paperwork service that's occurring at the at the locations um another unattended child uh uh at a business so that's fascinating to me um and I could take this offline with the chief because part of what's fascinating uh to me of that is what makes the Tuscan area unique than say the mall where you have a lot of the same type of dynamics big parking lots where you can have thefts needless to say shoplifting very much uh at issue there um it's fascinating to me that it's those categories of things I thought it would have been much much more dominated by alcohol related stuff uh but you don't seem to have that so that is really interesting to me yeah talk to the chief try to find out why that is anybody else no good further further so this I'll I'll go through this quickly for everybody um so the town and the chamber is going to be hosting a food truck festival in honor of 603 day which is June 3rd um so at the chamber parking lot uh next to the old Tuscan kitchen they're looking to bring in anywhere between six and maybe eight to ten food trucks to come in there um they're looking to do specials have offer specific items for say six dollars and three cents again in honor of 603 day um so it's gonna be 10 to two um the chamber will be pushing out more information in the town as well letting you know what food trucks are gonna be there but if you want to mark your calendar just figure that let people know about that street sweeping has started last week so if you see the street sweepers out there um just to give you that

So at the chamber parking lot, uh next to the old Tuscan kitchen.

They're looking to bring in anywhere between six and maybe eight to ten food trucks to come in there.

Um they're looking to do specials, have them offer specific items for say six dollars and three cents again in honor of 603 day.

Um so it's gonna be 10 to 2.

Um the chamber will be pushing out more information in the town as well, letting you know what food trucks are gonna be there.

But if you want to mark your calendar, just figure they'd let people know about that.

Uh street sweeping has started last week.

So if you see the street sweepers out there, um, just to give you the heads up, please give them space.

Make sure you're passing them safely if you're going by them.

Uh national drug take back day is gonna be April 25th.

If you remember, we did not hold one in this past fall.

Um, and speaking to the chief, he does feel they can do it this time, so we are gonna do it.

So you can come by the Salem Police Department at 21A Cross Street between 10 and 2 and drop off any unused or expired or unwanted prescription medication.

Um we are started back up the mosquito control program.

Um it started April 8th.

Uh Dragon Mosquito Control, who's our vendor the past couple years is going to continue on.

Um, if people are interested in being on the no spray registry, if they own a large parcel of land, if you go on the town's website, there is a link and you can be added to the no spray registry where we will not spray that area.

Fix the uh third dot down it says for information please to the town website.

Okay, please go to the town website.

Just yeah, have somebody fix that.

Yep.

I just want to take a quick moment, and uh April 12th to the 18th was telecommunications week.

Um, so all of our police and fire dispatchers, we just want to take a moment and thank them for all their hard work and everything they do for us.

Um, they are the people who are not seen, but often do have a lot of the stress of the job as well.

So we just want to take that moment to thank them for all their dedication and professionalism.

Also, um Animal Control Officer Week was also April 12th to the 18th.

Uh, so we want to thank Animal Control Officer Cento for her dedication and all the work she's been doing with the town.

Awesome.

And then just finally, um, voter registration for party affiliated affiliation deadlines coming up.

Um it's June 2nd.

So if you want to declare your party for the September 8th primary, you have until June 2nd to either make yourself a Republican, a Democrat, or go undeclared.

Um so we just make sure you can stop into the town clerk's office during regular business hours or keep an eye on the website.

The supervisors of the checklist will also be holding some sessions as well.

Happy to answer any questions that the council has questions of the town manager?

Not seeing any.

There's nothing under old business table or pending.

Can I ask a question?

I'm sorry.

It's all right.

Um, what about new voters?

People who are new to town or kids that have just turned 18.

They are more than welcome to go into the town clerk's office and they can register to vote.

Before June 2nd or any time.

It's typically 10 days before the election that we don't take any new voter registration.

So this is just to declare a party that's happening.

They can do it on voting day.

Yep.

So still do it on voting day.

Right.

Yeah.

Same day, same day registration.

Okay.

Upcoming meetings, May 4th and May 18th.

Anything further?

Not seeing anything.

I'll entertain a motion.

Mr.

Hatch.

I have one thing.

I'd like you had gone to me first.

I would have gotten the side.

That's what you get.

This is quick.

I'd like to go ahead and uh have the uh the LANCAS the fund be put on the uh agenda because that what I'd like to do is I'd like to go ahead and find out how much money is actually in that fund and have a discussion on how we're going to hand out money, whether we want to just keep doing what we're doing now or just give out interest earned that year.

Okay.

Because at some point that fund's gonna run out of money.

Yep.

Yep.

And I don't know where it is now.

And I know that we did discuss that while we were doing it.

So I'm just just a reminder that we need to have gambling nights.

Now I'm done.

Motion to adjourn.

Okay.

Oh, yeah, sure.

Now you don't want anybody else speak.

Motion to a uh adjourn is second.

Seconded by Mr.

Betancourt.

All those in favor.

Eight to zero.

We thank you, Salem, for tuning in and uh see you on May 4th.

All right.