Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectmen’s Meeting Minutes
Thursday, January 22, 2013 – 4:30 pm
Board of Selectmen: Chairman Rob Wimpory, Selectwoman Karen Day, and Selectwoman Debra Davidson
Staff: Town Administrator Patt, Treasurer Heck
Public: Ken Paulsen
The meeting was called to order at 4:30 PM by Chairman Wimpory.
Documents for Approval/Review/Signature
The Selectmen reviewed and signed the following items:
§ A/P Invoices
§ A/P Manifest
§ A/P Checks
4:30 PM: Work Session
At 4:30 PM Chairman Wimpory opened the meeting. The Board reviewed and signed the AP invoices, A/P manifest and A/P checks. Chairman Wimpory announced that the Board would be holding a work session and that comments from the public would not be taken during the course of the evening.
The Board of Selectmen undertook a discussion of the budget for 2013. The Board received a 2013 budget printout, a summary of 2012 departmental spending, which showed spending of approximately $60,000 under budget, and a copy of the Trustees MS-9 report on balances available in the Capital Reserve Funds. On request from Selectwoman Davidson the Board received a 2 Year Comparative Budget Detail report in order to compare line items in 2013 over 2012. Prior to finalizing warrant articles the 2013 budget has a baseline of $1,717,080 (the 2012 total budget was $1,893,658 with warrant articles included). Revenues for 2012 were recorded at $732,230.98; accounting for a transfer from the conservation fund of $14,979, the total for 2012 was $717,251.98. As a comparison revenues from 2011 were $746,418.
The Board reviewed a list of warrant articles and finalized seven warrant articles that have a financial impact and reviewed three articles that do not have a financial impact. The Administrator referred back to an outline of the budget that was presented to the Board of Selectmen in November that discussed the decline in revenues and outlined the challenge of declining revenues, and a lower fund balance for offsetting the tax rate, going into 2013. The Board acknowledged that the decline in revenues was likely to be difficult and that the ConVal school budget was also a serious concern. The Board discussed the tax impact and directed the Administrator to communicate with Department Heads and Officials the need to “sharpen their pencils” and provide additional cut-backs by end of day on Wednesday, January 30th or the Board would likely have to make further cutbacks on the 31st. The Board then reduced $48,000 from the departments’ requested warrant articles.
The total of the baseline budget and warrant articles was determined to be $1,935,991, a 2.2% increase over 2012. The lease payment amount that was discussed is a placeholder amount and will be updated prior to the Budget Hearing on February 7th. It was noted that there was a warrant article suggested by the Budget Advisory Committee and the suggestion had included a cost of approximately $15,000, to open the gravel pit. The Board of Selectmen discussed finalizing this warrant article on January 31st.
The Board then reviewed the quotes from People’s Bank on the financing of a lease with figures provided by the Administrator. As of the morning of the 22nd a quote had been received from Liberty International Trucks of NH on a 2014 International with an 84 month bumper to bumper warranty, an Everest Equipment package in the amount of $204,775, and a trade in of $15,000; at a net cost of $189,775. A second quote from McDevitt Trucks Inc. on a 2014 MACK and a Viking equipment package of $200,812 was received, with comparable trade-in, the net cost is $185,812. People’s Bank provided eight leasing quotes covering 60 month and 84 month terms, with annual payments, and with interest rates at approximately 3.6-3.7% depending on the term. A third quote was contemplated with Freightliner, or possibly with
Peterbilt. Liberty International has the State contract in 2013 and both the International and the MACK quotes are based on the State spec as modified by the Department of Public Works. In each case DPW had specified a standard over automatic transmission, a slightly larger engine and a front end without “puffy” tires in order to save money, perform better on hills and provide a better turning radius. Discussion about the potential of a warrant article for a new truck was based on the resale value at the end of the expected lifespan of the vehicle, the warranty during the lease agreement, which would reduce out of pocket costs to just those maintenance items such as oil, tires, brakes, etc; and the need to replace the plow package. The current plow package is so old that parts are not available except through mail-order said DPW Supervisor Murray in conversation at the beginning of the season. The Chair asked the other members if there was a consensus that the Board of
Selectmen would be advocating for a new ten wheeler and Selectwomen Davidson and Day agreed. Chairman Wimpory indicated that the specifications would be left up to the DPW Supervisor and that the Board of Selectmen would review final numbers on lease agreements and quotes on January 31st during their budget work session. Selectwoman Davidson asked if the lease agreements had the Municipal Escape Clause in them that would allow the Town to enter into the lease and the Administrator agreed that the escape clause was essential.
Adjournment
There being no further business, Selectman Wimpory moved to adjourn the meeting. Selectwoman Day seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0.
The meeting adjourned at 8:30 PM
Respectfully Submitted:
Aaron Patt
Town Administrator
The minutes are final when approved and signed by the Board of Selectmen. A signed copy is on file in the Selectmen’s minutes.
_____________________ _____________________ _______________________
Rob Wimpory, Chairman Karen Day, Selectwoman Debra Davidson, Selectwoman
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