06/30/2025 SB Minutes

Bethlehem Board of Selectmen

Meeting Minutes

June 30th, 2025

In person – Chairwoman Strand, Select Woman Hibberd, Selectman Bruno, Selectman MacDonald, and Select Woman Knowles.

Nonpublic 5:30-6:00 Chairwoman Strand motioned to go into nonpublic per RSA 91A-3 II for reasons of reputation. Selectman Bruno seconded and roll call followed.

Select Woman Hibberd motioned to enter into an agreement increasing the payment plan from $50 to $100 weekly.  The agreement will include scheduling a meeting by May 1^st, 2026.  Chairwoman Strand seconded and all were in favor. 

Public Input- Dick Robbie complemented the board and the contractor for the work completed at the basketball court and Chairwoman Strand thanked Dick Robbie for brining the basketball courts to the board’s attention.  Allegra Wright commented on the recent Facebook posts regarding the speed on Main Street.  Selectman Bruno noted the Police Department is short staffed and he witnessed officers doing what they can to reduce speeds.

Noise Ordinance-Cheryl Jensen-Chairwoman Strand introduced Cheryl Jensen, Conservation Commission, to discuss updating the Noise Ordinance to better protect the town from loud commercial noise.  Cheryl Jensen is recommending working with a consultant to help facilitate the necessary changes to our Noise Ordinance.  Cheryl Jensen continued that she believes removing the exemption of industrial and commercial noise from the current noise ordinance is an important change.  Other examples Cheryl Jensen gave for amending the noise ordinance were adding a nuisance standard, providing better definitions, and adding decibels.  Select Woman Hibberd asked if Cheryl Jensen could give an example of a 30-decibel noise for a reference point and Veronica Morris responded that a window air conditioning unit is about 40 decibels.  Veronica Morris continued the consultant will be able to assist in creating the standard.  Selectman Bruno asked at what point a business has noise that may be considered a nuisance, but it is part of the business that has been there.  Selectman Bruno continued he can understand how amending the Noise Ordinance for future development, but all the current businesses would be exempt.  Veronica Morris confirmed current businesses wouldn’t be impacted unless they expanded or did something to bring their facility to the current code.  Chairwoman Strand asked the board if they believed the Noise Ordinance should be amended.  Selectman Bruno stated he believed our noise ordinance should be reviewed and modified but cations having a solution looking for a problem.  Veronica Morris stated using a consultant to help craft an ordinance will be helpful to ensure the town is addressing the specific concerns raised reasonably and not inhibiting residents and businesses.  Chairwoman Strand asked Cheryl Jensen for a timeline of when the Noise Ordinance would be drafted. Cheryl Jensen replied that the Conservation Commission would utilize other New Hampshire Noise Ordinances to send to the consultant and then the town could get final legal approval this fall.  Dick Robbie commented that he felt a decision was being made without town approval and Mary Moritz noted the noise ordinance would have to be part of the budget process, have a public hearing, then be discussed at deliberative before it was on the 2026 town meeting warrant to be voted on by Bethlehem residents.  Cheryl Jensen suggested she get a definitive estimate from the noise consultant before the board vote on moving forward.

79-E Tax Incentive Update- Chairwoman Strand noted the town received some information pertaining to how other towns have benefited from adopting 79-E.  Mary Moritz explained she had reached out to the Administrative Assistant in Whitefield and the Select Board Chair in Lisbon.  Mary Moritz continued that Whitefield, from an administrative perspective, did not have a positive experience, likely due to the applicant.  The town of Lisbon has a positive experience and is promoting businesses to utilize to incentives.  Selectman Bruno updated that he contacted a Whitefield select board member who felt the town expected more out of the applicants they had received, and he was not sure if it had benefited the community the way they thought it would by adopting the tax incentive.  Selectman Bruno continued that he also contacted the Town Administrator in Tilton who would be getting back to him with information on how 79-E has benefited Tilton.  The board will continue to discuss it at a meeting in August.

Letter to Liquor Commissioner/Request to sell on town property- The board agreed to send a letter of support for an event taking place on July 11^th at The Place Above the Notch.

Selectman Bruno motioned to send a letter of support to the Liquor Commissioner contingent on owners’ approval.  Select Woman Knowles seconded and all were in favor.   

Selectman MacDonald updated the board that he read that a resident wanted to have a lemonade stand on town property.  Select Woman Hibberd noted typically the town has requested the person selling on town property have liability insurance.  Chris Jensen stated he did not see a difference between a resident having a lemonade stand verses the Saturday markets that used to take place at the gazebo.

Selectman Bruno motioned to allow the use of town property to have a temporary lemonade stand.  Selectman MacDonald seconded and the motion carried 3-2.

 

Cruft Desk- Chairwoman Strand- Chairwoman Strand updated the board that the descendants of George Cruft donated his desk to the Bethlehem Historical Society and it will be placed at the town office.  The Board appreciated the generous donation.

PD Safety Equipment Purchase- Chairwoman Strand updated the board that Chief Dube was requesting $2074.84 to purchase Officer Ball and himself new vests.  The purchase will come from the Police Equipment Capital Reserve.  Selectman Bruno requested additional information on what happens when an officer leaves the department to the vest.

Select Woman Hibberd motioned to approve the new vests for the Police Department to be paid from Safety Equipment Capital Reserve.  Chairwoman Strand seconded and all were in favor. 

Minutes 6/16- Selectman Bruno requested additional detail on the 6/16 minutes pertaining to DOT Safe Routes to School Grant.

Updates and other business- Select Woman Hibberd updated the board that Planning Board had the kickoff meeting for the Master Plan.  Select Woman Hibberd continued that NHMA is urging municipalities to send letters to Governor Ayotte asking her to veto the land use legislation that takes away local control.  The board agreed.

Non-public Session per RSA 91A-3 II (personnel, reputation, and legal) Chairwoman Strand motioned to go into nonpublic per RSA 91A-3 II for reasons of personnel. Selectman Bruno seconded and roll call followed.

The board discussed personnel.

Chairwoman Strand made a motion to adjourn at 8:30. Selectman Bruno seconded, and all were in favor.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Moritz

Town Administrator