Safety Meeting 2nd Quarter Minutes

July 26, 2010 @ 6:30 @ SHFD

 

Management present:                Chuck Stinson, Patty Summers

Employees present:                   Chester Smart, William Zanes, Corey Stinson

 

Administrative:

 

Smart, Zanes motion (approved 5/0): call meeting to order at 6:30.

 

No accidents from the 2nd quarter meeting to date. This meeting was delayed from May because of Summers’ illness.

 

Stinson III/Stinson motion (approved 5/0: approve minutes for February 25.

 

Stinson III/Zanes motion (approved 5/0): approve 23 September as the 3rd quarter safety meeting date. [Additional safety meeting to be held mid-to-late August to hand out Primex suggestions re safety committees—comments due in for the 3rd quarter meeting.]

 

Zanes/Stinson II motion (approved 5/0): appoint Smart to chair this meeting.

 

Old business:

 

Stinson reported that he had toured the library and informed the selectmen there was a safety issue with locking the interior doors (re Fantastic Fridays on one side and the library on the other side); the matter was resolved by posting “emergency exit only” signs on the interior doors.

 

Survey results have been provided to the Board of Selectmen. Once they are reviewed in general tonight by the Safety Committee and the Selectmen, the compilation results are to be posted in the town office (does not imply any of the results have been handled or that the comments are accurate—the Committee committed itself to making the results available).

 

The Safety Committee reviewed and discussed the compilation results of safety survey taken in May 2010 (of employees, elected officials, and appointed officials). Several members noted that many of the comments made on the survey were of a management or a budget nature, rather than a safety nature. Some comments cannot be addressed because they fall under nature or act of God. The committee then went through each category to review how people responded (numbers) and specific comments. The committee discussed actions to be taken based on the survey for each category. Upon finalization of the actions in response, the compilation is to be posted at the town office and the town hall. It was also provided to the Board of Selectmen.

 

The Safety Committee selected the following as the overall top items from the survey (because of their severity or potential for safety violation) for the Committee to investigate and address immediately:

 

Category/

Department

Issue to be Addressed

Action

Recycle

Breaking glass out of windows by patrons

Establish and/or follow a procedure re acceptance of glass; patrons should not break glass out of windows because it is a safety concern

Parks

Rotted benches and tables

Replace wood for benches and tables or remove; due to lack of use of courts, money should be allocated to safety concerns instead; investigate requirement to maintain a park (part of requirements following flood assistance to town)

Town Office and Library

Lack of sight on who is entering the buildings

Use bell on entry doors; purchase convex mirrors to place so employees can see who is entering the buildings

Parks

Children’s playground equipment would not pass inspection

Purchase and replace playground equipment; due to lack of use of courts, money should be allocated to safety concerns instead; investigate requirement to maintain a park (part of requirements following flood assistance to town)

Various buildings

Lack of sufficient electric wiring; change to previous wiring

In several buildings, the town lacks sufficient electrical outlets because of increased equipment and computer use; obtain at least two quotes with a specific timeframe  for any electrical wiring at town buildings; some wiring has been cut into (we have added lines, circuits, junctions) so we need to investigate the integrity of the wiring

Library

Non-insulated heating pipes in basement

Investigate what can be done to safety insulate heating pipe lines in the library basement; further investigate this as a source of heat loss

Town offices

More than a decade of not shampooing the rugs; tears in the rug in the clerk’s office

Health issue to not have rugs cleaned on a regular basis; set up policy for cleaning; obtain at least two quotes on having the rugs cleaned. Repair or replace torn rugs to avoid trip danger.

 

New Business:

 

Smart asked about having signs installed at Fuller Town Hall indicating the Planning Board, Police Department, and Sewer Department were there.

 

Committee discussed status of current buildings—and concurrent safety concerns. Stinson III discussed the cost of a new building—a 10 x 60 bay with a floor above attached to the SHFD would be $194,000—too expensive; discussion followed on a centrally located municipal building and the likely cost of such. Smart asked about money/grants for Historic purposes re the Grange; it has not been followed dup on in the selectmen’s office. Zanes said the Grange has its issues—outhouse, wiring, etc.—discussion followed on looking toward preservation for a historic building. Discussion followed on the town office building; it has remained more or less stable in recent years.

 

Smart noted that there are problems with the benches and tables and the children’s equipment at the park. Wood on the benches needs to be replaced—rotted out. The net for the tennis court is located at M. Lynch’s storage building behind his house. The cable to tighten the net was broken but you cannot purchase a new cable lightener. D Smith volunteered to try to manufacture a device to fit the need. Discussion followed on the need to repair and maintain the basketball and tennis courts—children appear to be using the school facility, not the town facility. The money spent on these things might better be spent on children’s equipment, for example. The rotted wood on the benches is a serious problem. The barbeques are rusted out and need to be replaced or restored. The park was established at the time Back St. was removed, as part of the federal flood relocation project; investigation needs to be done because it is likely the park cannot be done away with.

 

The committee noted that most comments on the survey were budget-related or management-related, rather than safety-related. Breaking of glass by patrons at recycle is a serious issue. Brush out to roadsides needs to be addressed.

 

The committee agreed to holding quarterly meetings in February, May, July, and November.

 

The committee agreed to further investigate Primex recommendations or suggestions re “best practices” for safety committees.

 

Stinson III/Stinson motion (approved 5/0): adjourn at 8:30.

 

Recorded by P Summers