Town of Greenfield
Selectmen’s Meeting Minutes
Thursday – November 4, 2010 – 6:00 pm
Present: Chairman, Jarvis Adams, IV; Selectwoman, Karen Day; Selectman, Aaron Kullgren
Minutes: Administrative Assistant, Debra Davidson
Call to order: Adams called the meeting to order at 6:10 pm.
Appointments:
6:00 – Recycle Center, Matt Blanchard – 2011 Budget was reviewed. The overall budget is down from 2010. Selectwoman Day asked about the used oil grant. Blanchard explained when he was ready to submit the grant paperwork; NH The Beautiful informed him there were no funds remaining for 2010. Replacement of the fork lift was discussed. Blanchard was encouraged, by the entire Selectboard to replace the current fork lift with a skid steer, he can use the trade in value of our current fork lift as a trade in, as well as, the funds in the Expendable Trust Fund/Skid Steer Account for the first year payment.
6:30 - Primex Representatives, Carl Webber, Toni Flewelling – Primex work session presentation - Session II. Everyone present reviewed the assessments and Selectmen’s vision from the first meeting. The following was discussed.
o Assess
o Accountability
o Vision
o How to move forward with Session I
Goals:
Monthly agenda review, goal setting and how to move forward were discussed.
The primary focus at this time will be on financial planning, economic and community development and human resources.
Selectman Kullgren stated he would like more collaborative interaction with the community and services with the financial standing of the community improving, without taxing the community. Kullgren would like to see “Enrichment with out taking from wallets.”
Kullgren discussed establishing channels and a way of communication, as currently it is anemic at best.
Weber asked about ways to get the ideas out to people in ways other than the Newsletter.
Adams indicated he would like to see a game plan implemented for the roads.
Weber asked if the Town had a financial house that was in good standing and what further discussed, if not how can the Selectmen get there.
o Success at Town Meeting
o Capital Improvement Plan/Cash Flow
o Plan
o Economic growth explanation
Cash Flow was discussed. Implementing a Zero spending policy between January through March providing departments with a clear understanding of purchasing vs. cash flow. Reviewing the past years and doing an analysis of the past 10 years was also discussed and should be reviewed by the Board before implementing any policy. This process will be reviewed and a new policy implemented, with a target date of January 1, 2011. In the next few months, the Board will implement a new policy, communicate this with departments and explain why various times of year spending must be kept to a minimum in efforts to improve the cash flow of the town.
ACTION: Administrative Assistant to provide a DRAFT updated policy to the Selectmen by November 16, 2010.
Kullgren to communicate the policy changes to all departments and ask for their input. Comments from each department must be returned to the Selectboard, in writing, on or before November 30, 2010.
New policy to be adopted by December 2, 2010, this allows for one month to train departments as to how and why this new policy is being implemented.
Time Frame:
o DRAFT policy to Selectmen – November 16, 2010
o Kullgren to memo Departments
o Comments from departments – due in writing November 30, 2010
o Revisions – December 2, 2010
o Newly adopted policy before January 1, 2011
Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) – Selectmen need to review this document and determine how to pay for CIP – What to bond, what should be funded via Capital Reserve Funds, what should be leased, rented, paid for in cash.
Selectmen will identify and prioritize needs; what is the dollar threshold to establish the financing means and/or continuing with a CRF.
Capital Expenditure Plan (CEP) – This document should be provided to the Planning Board and Departments from the Selectboard. It should be incorporated into the CIP allowing an understanding of the financial capacity the town can reasonably accept. Selectmen would like to have reviewed the CIP and established a reasonable CEP no later than August 1, 2011.
ACTION items for the Selectboard:
o What can the Town afford
o Prioritize needs – Selectboard & Department Heads
o Review CIP – Selectboard & Planning Board
o Review the bottom line of the budget as it currently stands. Realizing the Planning Board is in the process of updating the CIP, Selectmen would like a due date within the month allowing them time to review the documents. There will be nothing implemented for the 2011 Town Meeting.
Time Table and Action Items:
o Establish a working CEP by August 1, 2011 – getting the Budget Advisory Committee involved
o Communicate with Planning Board - November 8, 2011 – Adams
o Receive updated CIP – December 31, 2010
o Establish potential purchases – setting criteria for warrant articles and capital reserve funds – December 31, 2010
o Establish Bottom dollar required to have an item included in the CEP – ASAP
o State of Department Report – Weber to send to Davidson. Incorporated with the Town’s Annual Calendar. Selectmen to use as a tool to drive the procedure.
o Will begin to move forward on this late March 2011 – after Town Meeting
o Recruit people to become involved with this process. Essential part of making this a successful project.
Ways to recruit residents was discussed. Committee to be called a budget/task force committee. Not a budget committee. Notify residents via newsletter, local paper, website, posters expressing the need to have residents input allowing input with the strategic and economic planning for the Town of Greenfield. Adams will notify the local paper.
Selectmen will create roles & goals; Primex will be invited back for a public meeting supporting this project.
Selectmen thanked Mr. Weber & Ms. Flewelling for their presentation and look forward to moving forward with their further input, creating a successful project is the goal.
8:00 – Chief of Police, Brian Giammarino – 2011 Budget review. Giammarino discussed each cruiser has 120,000+ miles on them. That is approximately 15,000 miles per car/per year. Giammarino stated the cars run well and have been well cared for; a lot of money in repairs was put into cruiser #2 in 2010. Giammarino further commented the cars are in good condition. He was reaching to the Selectmen for their advice, he thinks the cars can make do
and would like to keep them each another year. Selectmen discussed this with the Chief; they will request from the taxpayers an additional $5,000.00 to be placed in the Police Cruiser CRF for 2011. Giammarino believes both cruisers should be in good running condition for at least one more year.
Mutual aid is a solid figure, provided by dispatch.
Insurances will be checked again.
Personal Equipment is increased; Giammarino would like to hire another part-time person to assist him, allowing him to do more administrative work.
Overtime is increased as a result of a raise for Corporal Roberge, time in court and to compensate for on-call time.
Kullgren discussed research is being done, and may be presented to voters in March, to vote on allowing funds that are not spent in budgets to be placed into a CRF for each respective department.
Giammarino stated he is not sure how he feels about that.
Selectmen thanked Giammarino for explaining his proposed budget.
8:30 – Mirle Cross, John Wheeler – Tax lien & Potential sale. Mr. Cross explained his property has burnt two times and he did not have the energy to rebuild again. Mr. Wheeler is interested in purchasing the property. Mr. Wheeler was asking the Board to consider some abatement on the outstanding sewer bills. The property has not been lived in for 3 ½ years and the difference would allow for some relief for the purchaser. There is currently $20,000.00 in back property taxes; of that $930.00 of sewer billing is still owed.
Discussion followed about the site, taxes and fairness to all taxpayers.
Mr. Wheeler expressed his intentions of purchasing the property and making it a viable living structure again.
Decision: The board unanimously declined to abate any tax or sewer usage.
8:45 - Tax Collector, Kathy Valliere, Sam Proctor – Tax Matters - Chairman Adams recused himself on this matte, Mr. Proctor is a realtor and is working for Adams.
Mr. Proctor discussed his property on Sunset Lake – the deed references two different tracts of land. The cottage is not billed this way. He is being billed for one lot. The property cards were reviewed, this will be corrected, and in the past these were assessed as two separate tracts, until approximately 1992. Davidson will get together with Assessor, Mark Stetson to review and adjust this.
Mr. Proctor discussed entering into a forbearance agreement for the back taxes. He would like to agree to payments of $200.00/month until February. In February he will pay the oldest amount due in full. Selectmen Day & Kullgren agreed to this proposal. Mr. Proctor will be in on Monday to execute the forbearance agreement.
Selectmen thanked Mr. Proctor for attending the meeting and taking care of both these matters.
9:00 – Tax Collector, Kathleen Valliere – Mrs. Valliere wanted to discuss a few properties before she deeds them. Three particular properties were discussed (Sweet, Teng & Brooks). Mrs. Valliere will contact Sweet’s and their mortgage holder on Monday to discuss this. Mrs. Valliere will contact Mr. Brooks, a new forbearance agreement with Mr. Brooks will be considered. Teng will be deeded.
Motion: Kullgren made the motion to abate $1,783.15 of Mr. Brooks taxes and further set up a new forbearance agreement. Mr. Brooks will be asked to meet with the Selectmen at 6:30 on the 18th of November. Seconded by Day & Adams. No further discussion. Voted: 3-0 in the affirmative.
Selectmen’s Approval:
October 28, 2010 Selectmen’s Meeting Minutes were accepted as written.
Sign Documents for Approval:
Selectmen signed the following documents:
o Accounts Payable - A/P Invoices & Checks
o Town Hall Rentals – November 13, December 31
o Current Use – re-categorization – R4-44
o Keating Plumbing & Heating – Reviewed & signed a change order; discussed final bill payment, final payment will be released.
o Tax Warrant
o Sewer Warrant
Other Matters:
o Mail - Misc. mail was reviewed
o Personnel Policy Updates – Tabled until accepted by BOS signature
o Permit Fee Schedule – Selectmen reviewed a proposed permit fee schedule submitted by Code Officer, Peter Hopkins. Selectmen accepted the permit fees as proposed, they will go into effect the first workday after 2011 March Town Meeting.
o Upcoming BOS Meetings – Selectmen were reminded that the following days are recognized holidays for the Town of Greenfield; Thursday, November 11 is Veteran’s Day; Thursday, November 25 is Thanksgiving. Selectmen unanimously agreed not to meet on these days in observance of the holidays.
o Town Employee Pot Luck – Davidson discussed the possibility of the Board supporting a Town Employee Holiday appreciation potluck dinner. All were supportive of this, a date will be set and invitations will be sent to all departments either via e-mail or flyers in their mail slots.
o Trees on Common – Davidson discussed a resident asked if the Board would consider hiring a certified arborist before any decision is made about removing the trees on the common. The price would be approximately $150.00. This resident also asked if a public meeting for residents to have input on the removal of these trees could be held.
Decision: Selectmen supported getting an opinion from an arborist before any final decision would be made. A public meeting will not be held. The Board believes this is a decision they should make as the trees hold a liability for the town.
o Political Signs on Common – Two residents wondered why the political signs were on Town property, they both felt it was upsetting and took away from the center of the Town. Brief discussion followed, no decisions were made.
o Spirit – Davidson asked if the Spirit could be ready by the 3rd week of the month. Day indicated depending on how much information she has, will determine if it will be ready then or not.
Adjournment: - With no further business the Selectmen’s Meeting adjourned at 9:45 pm. The next Selectmen’s Meeting will be Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 6:00 pm.
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