Ossipee selectmen authorize Concord meeting on DES septic rule, approve tractor purchase and other measures

Ossipee’s Board of Selectmen voted to send town representatives to Concord to press state Department of Environmental Services officials to reconsider an administrative rule that will close local septage lagoons in 2031, and approved a series of other operational measures including a tractor purchase funded in part with FEMA money.

The board’s action to authorize representatives to meet DES officials follows warnings by selectmen that closing the town’s septage lagoons would raise hauling costs for residents and reduce revenue the town currently receives from commercial haulers that subsidize the sewer system. The board voted to authorize Highway Department supervisor TJ, Town Administrator Matt, and the board chair to travel to Concord on April 2 at 10:30 to meet with the DES commissioner and staff about the rule and its effects on local hauling and sewer revenues.

Why it matters: Selectmen said the lagoon closure would force haulers to travel to more distant facilities in Conway, Farmington or Plymouth, adding expense for septic customers and reducing the town’s septic-hauler revenue stream that helps offset sewer costs.

In other business the board approved purchase of a replacement John Deere tractor and attachments for highway and grounds work. The total package — tractor, 60-inch heavy-duty snowblower, skid-steer adapter and protection plan — was listed in town documents at $63,172.32. After trade-ins and discounts, the board approved using $48,672.97 from FEMA funds toward the purchase. Selectmen said the equipment will be used year-round for sidewalks, ball fields and other town maintenance.

The board also voted to: - Continue the town’s current zoning enforcement procedures and to allow the zoning office, the town administrator and town attorney to continue pursuing existing enforcement actions without returning to the board for routine steps. The board noted a separate town-meeting vote had funded an additional legal line for related work. - Engage the town’s ambulance contractor through counsel to address resident complaints about billing and what officials described as apparent instances of overbilling. The board moved to have town counsel John Hatch (Action Ambulance was named in discussion) contact the ambulance contractor on behalf of the town. - Authorize Highway Department supervisor TJ to proceed with creating parking access at the town-owned property at 250 Newman Drew to provide controlled access to the adjacent conservation land and river frontage; the board discussed a plan to start with a small gravel parking area and to monitor for complaints before deciding on locking gates at night. - Make a welfare informational flyer presented by Joy Gagnon available at the welfare office and on the town’s welfare web page; the board voted against conducting a survey within the welfare office, saying staff should focus on administering applications. - Appoint Jean Vidler and Roger Takul as one-year alternates to the library board of trustees. - Approve several financial warrants and the town’s regular payables: a general funds warrant for $150,341.36 and water/sewer warrants of $10,672.58 and $20,414.93. - Deny six abatement requests based on the assessor’s review; the board moved to deny all six following the assessor’s factual recommendations. - Request that the town administrator collect annual meeting dates from the town’s village fire precincts and post those dates as news items on the town website to improve public notice for precinct annual meetings.

Public comment and project updates: During public input, a volunteer identified as Delina reported that private donations have topped the budget for construction of the Dearborn Trail boardwalk, that contractors and timber purchases are secured, and that the project schedule calls for trail work after July 4 with an anticipated dedication at Fall Fest. Residents raised questions about the recent pending sale of the old police station (the board confirmed the purchase-and-sale agreement was signed the prior week and that proceeds were applied to the town’s operating funds and warrant-article balances). One resident urged better notice of village-district (fire precinct) meetings; the board moved to gather and post precinct annual meeting dates as news announcements on the town web site.

Ending: The board handled routine administrative items and several operational decisions intended to preserve town revenue and services — notably its decision to press DES on the septage-lagoon rule and to purchase highway equipment with FEMA assistance. Selectmen said they will report back after the Concord meeting and as other initiatives proceed.

Votes at a glance: The board recorded voice votes (unanimous unless noted) on the following motions at the meeting: - Authorize travel to Concord to meet DES about lagoon rule (motion approved; board voice vote: aye). - Continue zoning enforcement work as currently established and funded (approved; aye). - Move to engage counsel to address ambulance billing concerns (approved; aye). - Authorize TJ to develop parking access at 250 Newman Drew for the conservation property (approved; aye). - Authorize purchase of John Deere tractor, snowblower, skid-steer adapter and protection plan for $63,172.32 with $48,672.97 from FEMA funds after trade-ins (approved; aye). - Make welfare informational flyer available at welfare office and town web page (approved; aye). - Appoint Jean Vidler and Roger Takul as one-year alternates to the library board (approved; aye). - Approve general warrants and payables: $150,341.36 (general warrant), $10,672.58 and $20,414.93 (water/sewer warrants) (approved; aye). - Deny six property-tax abatement requests per the assessor’s recommendations (approved; aye). - Direct town administrator to post precinct annual meeting dates as news items (approved; aye).

(Where roll-call counts were not individually read, the meeting record shows unanimous voice approval for the listed motions.)