June 4, 2024
Julie Libby
County Administrator
Grafton County
3855 Dartmouth College Highway
North Haverhill, NH 03774
Dear County Administrator Libby,
Upon taking office in January of 2011, I inherited the design of the Registry of Deeds vault. I attempted on my first budget to resolve the issue of the danger of the water sprinklers. This plan was approved by the Board of Commissioners, but rejected by the Delegation who insisted that being a capitol project it should fall under the supervision of the Maintenance Superintendent Jim Oakes. Mr. Oakes took my proposal and attempted the second year of my service to include a non-aqueous fire suppression system that I had researched in his budget and he also failed to win approval.
Having a former fireman as the Chair of our Delegation, who was a strong supporter of sprinkler systems, I accepted that I would not see any movement on this issue until new leadership was more open to the concept and I hoped for the best and prepared for the worst.
The performance audit of 2011 spoke of this noncompliance to best practices for the storage of historic paper and we have been in non-compliance since that time.
More recently, as we have invested a year in reorganization and design, I asked for a tour of our space by the Board and all of the stake holders. At that meeting, both you and Jim Oakes provided incorrect answers on who has oversight of the egress requirements.
I have reached out to the State Fire Marshall Mitch Katy who told me that it was neither Federal OSHA oversight nor state oversight as both you and Mr. Oakes had claimed, but local oversight. I have recently had Haverhill Fire Chief Phil Blanchard in for a tour and inspection. I have attached his email of today.
I expect to continue to reorganize the vault space without any interference or false claims from any of you.
Sincerely,
Kelley Monahan Register of Deeds
Julie Libby
County Administrator
Grafton County
3855 Dartmouth College Highway
North Haverhill, NH 03774
Dear County Administrator Libby,
Upon taking office in January of 2011, I inherited the design of the Registry of Deeds vault. I attempted on my first budget to resolve the issue of the danger of the water sprinklers. This plan was approved by the Board of Commissioners, but rejected by the Delegation who insisted that being a capitol project it should fall under the supervision of the Maintenance Superintendent Jim Oakes. Mr. Oakes took my proposal and attempted the second year of my service to include a non-aqueous fire suppression system that I had researched in his budget and he also failed to win approval.
Having a former fireman as the Chair of our Delegation, who was a strong supporter of sprinkler systems, I accepted that I would not see any movement on this issue until new leadership was more open to the concept and I hoped for the best and prepared for the worst.
The performance audit of 2011 spoke of this noncompliance to best practices for the storage of historic paper and we have been in non-compliance since that time.
More recently, as we have invested a year in reorganization and design, I asked for a tour of our space by the Board and all of the stake holders. At that meeting, both you and Jim Oakes provided incorrect answers on who has oversight of the egress requirements.
I have reached out to the State Fire Marshall Mitch Katy who told me that it was neither Federal OSHA oversight nor state oversight as both you and Mr. Oakes had claimed, but local oversight. I have recently had Haverhill Fire Chief Phil Blanchard in for a tour and inspection. I have attached his email of today.
I expect to continue to reorganize the vault space without any interference or false claims from any of you.
Sincerely,
Kelley Monahan Register of Deeds