Town of Greenfield
Selectmen’s Meeting Minutes
Thursday – September 15, 2011 – 6:30 pm
Call to order at 6:30 PM by Chairman Kullgren
Appointments:
6:30: Municipal Resources Presentation – Town Administrator Position:
Mr. Donald Jutton, President of Municipal Resources made a presentation to the Board regarding the possible ways that the organization could assist the Town of Greenfield in hiring a Town Administrator. He described a program that can put new graduates from Public Administration programs in a TA position and MR provides the direct supervision and support to the TA at the direction of the Board. Jutton will send a copy of the contract between MR and the Town of New Durham for their TA.
Discussion followed about the pros and cons of this type of program versus hiring from the pool of resumes that have been received to date.
Decision: The Board has not reviewed any of the resumes they have, and Loren White and Bob Marshall will be on the hiring committee with the Board. The Board will consider getting a proposal from MR for this program, as well as other options before making a final decision.
6:45: Resident, Paul Renaud, asked to speak to the Board about his neighbor’s concerns with brush cutting on Gould Hill today. The neighbor could not come to the Board meeting tonight and will get on the agenda for the September 29 Board meeting. The Board asked Renaud to state the neighbor’s concerns tonight. The concern is the state of the roadside cutting by the DPW on Gould Hill Road.
Decision: Select woman Day will talk to the DPW about communicating with Town residents before they commence cutting.
6:50: All documents presented for approval were reviewed and signed by the Board:
A/P Invoices
Payroll Check Manifest
NHRS monthly contributions payment
Approval of Selectmen Meeting Minutes – August 25, 2011 & September 8, 2011
Insurance enrollment forms – Todd Mason
Town Hall Rental – Historical Society Auction 10/15/11
Special Town Meeting Warrant
7:00: Public Hearing on Special Town Meeting Warrant. Present were: Myron Steere, Paul Renaud and Stephen Chicoine.
Chairman Kullgren calls the Public Hearing to order at 7:00 PM.
Kullgren presented to the residents that, per RSA: 39-5, the Notice of Town Meeting was not posted within the legal timeframe in February 2011. The Department of Revenue Administration notified the Town of the defect in procedure and directed it to be remedied by a Special Town Meeting. That meeting is posted and scheduled for September 29, 2011. The meeting will have the residents accept the Town Warrant as voted on in March 2011.
There were no further comments from the Select Board.
Public comments: What is the DRA’s role in this process? Kullgren stated that it is that Department’s job to review all budgets and warrant articles for Town Meetings in NH to assure proper procedure.
Should the Town consider using the Special Town Meeting to adjust the budget for certain departments for the balance of 2011? Day stated that money can be moved between budgets without a warrant article being adopted, and the meeting date would have to be changed in order to do anything more than what is posted for the September 29 meeting.
With no further comments from the public, Kullgren closed the Public Hearing at 7:10 PM.
Other Matters:
Meeting House Steeple – Discussion on seeking bids for repair. Peter Hopkins addressed the Board about safety concerns with the Steeple of the Meeting House. Debris has fallen from it and until a complete repair can be done, the entrance to the Meeting House may be hazardous.
Action: DPW will be instructed to tape off the front entrances to the Meeting House and the back door will be used for the entrance. Corrected to: The DPW would be instructed to check the steeple area and close off the front door only if it is deemed a serious hazard. Day will inform DPW.
Hopkins also reported that DPW is concerned that the stairs to the belfry are dangerous, and that is the only access to winding the clock. Hopkins states that the stairs could be repaired and railings added to increase safety. DPW has also asked if it is possible to motorize the winding of the clock.
Action: Hopkins will get two bids for the repair of the belfry stairs, and research the possibility of motorizing the winding of the clock. He will talk with other towns that have steeples with clocks in them to get an idea of repair costs to the steeple.
Cash Receipts Policy Change– Discussion on amendment to conform to state law, Tabled until AA returns from vacation.
Oak Park Building: The kitchen sink is leaking. The Board will ask Jarvis Adams to fix it.
Resident Lee LeBlanc asked the Board about a shack on Forest Road. She is concerned that it is a safety hazard and wants it to be taken care of by the Town. Wimpory suggested that the Fire Department might want to have a training there with a controlled burn. The Board will talk to Chief White about it.
Day reported that two town residents have complained to her that they have received no acknowledgments from the Board about letters they wrote. Day would like the Board to consider a policy of acknowledging that all letters from residents with a phone call or a postcard. No decision was made.
Mail - Misc. mail to be reviewed:
Letter from Town Clerk, Edith Sleeper:
Sleeper was asked to step into the Board meeting to discuss the letter she wrote to the Board. She stated that scheduling the Special Town Meeting on the last Thursday of the month is difficult because it is her busiest day of the month for registrations, and there is no deputy Town Clerk at this time. She requests that the Board inform her of procedures that require her presence in the future before determining a date.
Action: Sleeper will ask Kathy Valliere to fill in as Deputy Town Clerk during the Special Town Meeting on September 29, 2011. The Board apologized to Sleeper for the lack of communication with her.
Letter from (former Selectmen) Conrad Dumas & George Rainier:
The letter was read by the Board. The Board noted that Dumas and Rainier informed the Board of a 2005 Town Meeting vote in which the Town voted down the changing of the Administrative Assistant position to a Town Administrator position. The Board stated that there is no legal need for an approval by the Town residents for the current change of the position. There would need to be a warrant article if the position were to become a Town Manager But not for a Town Administrator.
Letter from Patricia Donovan:
Donavan requests a meeting with the Select Board at the next meeting to discuss concerns with the Greenfield Police Department. The Board will give her an appointment at the meeting on September 29, 2011.
7:55 PM: Wimpory requested a non-public session at this time, per RSA 91: A (3) (c) – reputation.
Chairman Kullgren motioned to enter into non-public session, seconded by Wimpory. Roll call vote was 3-0 in the affirmative.
8:23 PM: Chairman Kullgren voted to seal the minutes of the non-public session, seconded by Wimpory. Vote was 3-0 in the affirmative.
8: 25 PM: Kullgren made the motion to come out of non-public session. Seconded by Day. Roll call vote was 3-0 in the affirmative.
8:30 PM: Motion was made by Wimpory to adjourn the meeting at this time. Seconded by Day, and voted 3-0 in the affirmative.
The next Select Board Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 6:30 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Pat LaPree
| 
