Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectmen’s Meeting Minutes
Friday, December 01, 2011 – 6:30 pm
Board of Selectmen: Chairman, Aaron Kullgren; Selectwoman, Karen Day; Selectman, Robert Wimpory
Staff: Town Administrator Patt, Carol Burgess, Recycling Supervisor; Katherine Heck, Treasurer; Myron Steere, Budget Committee; Norm Nickerson, Budget Committee; Peter Hopkins, Building Inspector; Brian Giammarino, Police Chief
Public: Ashley Saari, Monadnock Ledger Transcript
The meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM by Chairman Aaron Kullgren.
Documents for Approval/Signature
The Selectmen reviewed and signed the following items:
A/P Invoices
A/P Check Manifest
Minutes of the Selectman’s meetings previously approved (Nov. 5, 10)
Minutes of the Selectmen’s meeting for November 17, 2011
Abatement for Property R3-23
Corrective Easement for Crotched Mountain Wasterwater Facility
Public Service of New Hampshire and Northern New England Telephone Operations LLC (Fairpoint) Petition and Pole License
Department of Environmental Services Sewer User Charge Survey
Non-Public Session – Personnel Evaluation
Kullgren moved to adjourn the meeting to a non-public session under RSA 91-A:3II(a) to discuss an employee related matter. Day Seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
The regular meeting was adjourned to a non-public session at 6:33 PM. A non-public session was held. The meeting reopened at 7:15 PM.
Recycling Center Budget Review
Carol Burgess, Supervisor of the Recycling Center provided her budget request for 2012. Burgess provided the Selectmen with a Recycling Center Budget Justification document and a spreadsheet outlining spending to date and a proposed 2012 line item budget. The line items were explained in depth in the Budget Justification document.
Burgess outlined improvements to the building, a line item for fuel appropriation, and described the difficulty she is having hiring a part time person at the hourly rate of $8 dollars an hour. Burgess proposed a higher part-time wage line item to address this issue. Having a reliable part-time person will ensure better service to the town and create a safer work environment because currently a lot of work has to be done and there is only one person on site. The Selectmen discussed the types of machinery that is run, the need for protective gear and safety issues, and discussed the wage scale in detail.
There was discussion of the glass that has been stockpiled onsite. The cost to grind the glass for use locally or to transport the glass offsite was the same price at $22 dollars per ton. The Budget Advisory Committee asked if the glass could be stockpiled and then ground down to be used as road base, which would offset road construction costs. The Board of Selectmen asked Burgess to provide more detail on glass disposal or conversion. There was a discussion of the electricity for the Recycle Center’s indoor lights; the light appear to be installed on one breaker and there is a need to have an electrician look at the panel to determine if there is some way to reconfigure the lights. Currently the lights dim when power tools are used. The State of NH is pressing Transfer Stations to have running water
on-site. The Transfer Station does not currently have running water.
The Budget Advisory Committee members weighed in with comments: the Budget Committee members discussed revenues at the center; revenues for recycled product are slipping. Mr. Myron Steere suggested that the town should review ‘pay per throw’ at the Center and would like to have this initiative on the ballot this year. If a pay-per-throw policy were adopted then there would need to be a policy to prevent dumping in town. The Board of Selectmen asked if there was a significant cost for the bags and if the revenue would substantially offset the cost of the bags.
Fire Department E911 Presentation: This meeting was cancelled and will be rescheduled for a later date.
Contract Services Presentation: Treasurer Heck and Mr. Myron Steere provided a presentation that showed the difference between the cost of contract services for grounds and gardening of town property, versus the cost if this service were to be brought in-house and performed by a full time employee of the town. Heck and Steere provided a detailed cost spreadsheet that showed the current contract service cost against the capital costs of equipment, employee wages, employee benefits, and other town costs such as providing a building to store equipment and provide fuel and repairs. The cost difference was significant. The current bid for this work is close to $20 thousand dollars. Heck and Steere explained that the cost savings chart clearly shows that the cost to the town to bring this service
in house would be in excess of $50 thousand dollars a year. Heck closed by saying that contract services are effective, efficient and that the town should continue to bid them out when appropriate.
Road Commission Presentation
The Road Commission presented their findings to the Board of Selectmen. Their findings were based in part on a UNH Technology Transfer Center study of the road surfaces that was provided by UNH using the software Road Surface Management System (RSMS) available from the Road Scholar program. The report indicated that 31% of the Town-maintained roads in Greenfield need “some type of maintenance or repair. …and …100% of the Town’s road network is recommended for upgrades over the next ten years”. The report went on to identify the following problem in its opening statements: “The Town’s roads are deteriorating more rapidly than the Highway Department can maintain and reconstruct them. The Town recognizes this problem and is seeking to create a long-term work and
budget plan to restore the roads.” The Road Commission members at the meeting were Mr. Peter Hopkins, Mr. Myron Steere and Mr. Norm Nickerson. Hopkins outlined their sense that the UNH findings were of the road surface and did not address the underlying drainage problems that complicates the process of setting a budget for the roadwork. Hopkins explained that the Commission had contacted Tim Murray DPW Supervisor and asked him to provide feedback on the requirements to fix the roads. The Commission submitted a two-page document that outlined repairs to Old Bennington Road, Mountain Road and others. The document provided the costs for reconstruction, paving, and finishing the roads over a three-year period. The Commission suggested there should be some engineering included in the planning to handle things like ledge on Mountain Road. In year one the Commission recommends the Highway Department grind, grade, shim and pave (2 ½”) Old Bennington Road ($134,500) and
half of Mountain Road ($191,000). In year two they recommend doing the second half of Mountain Road ($191,000) and Zephyr Lake Road ($137,500). In year three they suggest Russell Station Road ($184,000) and Slip Road ($94,000). A discussion followed and the Board asked to meet with Tim Murray at the next meeting. The Board thanked the commission members for their hard work.
Non-Public Session – Personnel Compensation
Chairman Kullgren moved to adjourn the meeting to a non-public session under RSA 91-A:3II(a) to discuss a personnel compensation issue. Day Seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
The regular meeting was adjourned to a non-public session at 8:45 PM. A non-public session was held. The meeting reopened at 9:40 PM. Kullgren noted that a decision to move forward to recognize FS for achievement was made at the non-public meeting.
Employee Achievement Award
Selectman Robert Wimpory moved to recognize Officer Frank Shea for his achievement, graduating first in his class at the Part Time Police Academy and to pay Officer Shea for his time in class and reimburse travel costs in an amount totaling $1600 dollars. Selectwoman Karen Day seconded the motion for discussion. The Selectmen discussed the motion in detail and noted that they were very interested in recognizing Mr. Shea’s achievement in part because he grew up in Greenfield, interned at the Police Department here, and has been a credit to the department since he began. Police Chief Giammarino spoke about Mr. Shea’s commitment, his diligence, and his high marks as a reflection of Mr. Shea’s character. Giammarino thanked the Board of Selectmen for their support of his department and said it speaks volumes
to have a young man from the community come to serve in the department and work so hard at school. The Board concluded their discussion and on a roll call vote the motion passed unanimously. A short discussion among the Board concluded with their directive to the Administrator to take the reimbursement from the Personnel Administration Benefits line item and not from the Police Department budget.
Resident Complaint
The Board of Selectmen reviewed a resident complaint of hoarding of cats. The Administrator reported that the complaint had been shared with the police department and the health inspector. Further, if the complaint was sustained by investigation that it could be referred to the Monadnock Humane Society’s Field Services Department. (MHSFSD). On subsequent investigation by Corporal Glenn Roberge it was determined that follow-up referral to MHSFSD was not warranted. The Board of Selectmen recommended sending a letter to the complainant.
Adjournment
Kullgren moved to adjourn the meeting. Wimpory seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 10:50 PM
Respectfully Submitted:
Aaron Patt
Town Administrator
The minutes are final when approved and signed by the Board of Selectmen.
________________________ ________________________ ______________________
Aaron Kullgren, Chairman Robert Wimpory, Selectman Karen Day, Selectwoman
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