Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectmen’s Meeting Minutes
Thursday, February 28, 2013 – 4:30 pm
Board of Selectmen: Chairman Rob Wimpory, Selectwoman Karen Day, and Selectwoman Debra Davidson joined at 4:42 PM.
Staff: Town Administrator Patt,
Public: Ken Paulsen
The meeting was called to order at 4:30 PM by Selectwoman Day.
Documents for Approval/Review/Signature
The Selectmen reviewed and signed the following items:
§ A/P Checks
§ A/P Invoices
§ Payroll Manifest
§ Payroll Checks
§ Generator Grant – NH Homeland Security/Dept. of Safety
§ R7-28 deed
§ Vacation request – DPW
§ Informational Meeting notice
§ Solid Waste Operator Certification renewal
§ Proposal for closure of Town Office fuel tank
§ Oak Park rental contract –Hampshire 100
§ Tax credit application – R4-17
§ Meeting House rental contract
§ Release of Lien notice - Bonner
4:30 PM: Review and Approval of Documents
At 4:30 PM Chairman Wimpory opened the meeting with Selectwoman Day in attendance. The Board signed A/P invoices, Payroll Checks, and the Payroll Manifest. The Board reviewed a vacation request from Supervisor Murray and signed the request form. Chairman Wimpory was updated regarding the previous day’s storm and inquired about a change of message on the Town Office voicemail. The Chair was informed that the telephone system auto attendant and voicemail feature were inoperable due to malfunction, which had been posted at the office and sent out as a notice online to the Post News and Announcements segment of the website. Discussion followed regarding the importance of having voicemail and auto-attendant. The Board stated that during times of emergency it was absolutely necessary to provide a voicemail message that
would direct residents to emergency services. On a motion by Chairman Wimpory and a second Selectwoman Day the Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to expend funds to purchase a phone system as an emergency purchase and provide 10 days to the Administrator to purchase and install the phone system using a quote provided by the IT Vendor or use another vendor if Twin Bridge Services was not able to meet the time frame specified by the Board.
The Board was advised that Jack Moorhouse, Field Representative of the NH Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, was running late.
The Board reviewed a Cash Receipts Policy report from the Administrator based on several memos from the Treasurer that were provided in 2012. After discussion, the Board voted on a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectwoman Davidson to extend the remittance period for deposit slips to 72 hours so that deposit slips are remitted to the Town Office in keeping with the parameters outlined by the Board’s cash receipt policy, per the RSA. This change will make the policy much more user friendly for the Town Clerk reported the Administrator. The current policy, which has a 24-hour period, carries a very short timeline that requires additional trips to and from the office during off days for the Town Clerk’s office. The Town Clerk currently remits deposit slips in batches two or three times a month and the Board
would prefer to see the remittance of these slips happen on a weekly basis. By extending the timeline, the clerk can make Thursday’s deposits on Friday and bring the slips to the office on Monday when the office opens again. The slips are then to be processed and handed in to the accounting office.
Next the Board reviewed the suggestion of holding an informational meeting regarding the use of Town owned property adjacent to the Greenvale Cemetery. The meeting will cover the projected use of the land by DPW for gravel processing, the possible savings in the sand and gravel budget, and the covenants for the use of the land as directed by the Cora A. Worthley deed of 8/25/1936. The Board voted on a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectwoman Day 3-0 unanimously, to hold the informational meeting on March 7th at 5 PM during the regularly scheduled Selectmen’s meeting.
The Board then briefly discussed the multi-town selectmen’s meeting that is pending on Tuesday March 5th. After discussion it was determined that the Fire Chief was out of town on short notice and the Police Chief was on vacation so that the Board was unable to follow up with them prior to the meeting. The Board asked the Administrator to reschedule the meeting.
5:30 PM: Building Inspector Borden – Dilapidated Buildings
At 5:30 PM Mike Borden came before the Board of Selectmen to discuss the Town of Greenfield’s past efforts to bring an ordinance into use for dilapidated buildings. The Planning Board has had discussion regarding this effort with the Building Inspector and referred Mr. Borden to the Selectmen. Mr. Borden indicated that he was before the Board to discuss their interest in adopting such an ordinance. The Board of Selectmen indicated they were very receptive and looked forward to a draft of an ordinance for their vote. The Board thanked the Building Inspector and indicated they would look forward to his draft ordinance.
5:45 PM: New Hampshire Homeland Security - Jack Moorhouse
At 5:45 PM, field representative Jack Moorhouse of the New Hampshire Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department brought the Town of Greenfield’s generator grant application before the Board for signature and notarization. Mr. Moorhouse explained that the environmental and historical permitting had been approved and the final step of putting the application before Governor and Counsel would happen in April. Mr. Moorhouse indicated that the application would be for a 50% match of funds and funding would be contingent on the total amount of funds expended. The Board confirmed that the match would come from fund balance and that the Town was ready to move on the project as soon as the approval from the Governor was provided. The Board thanked Mr. Moorhouse for his help in support of the Town’s
application to provide a generator for the Town Office.
At 6:00 PM the Board took up a discussion of a letter from Phillips Law firm indicating that a recent title search had brought to light an interest that the Town of Greenfield may hold in a small property in Francestown. The Board reviewed the letter and indicated that they would refer the matter to counsel for review, and requested that counsel provide suggestions on next steps.
In advance of the 6:30 PM meeting the Board of Selectmen briefly discussed the ConVal districts use of equalized assessments and average daily attendance to set the school rate.
6:30PM: Al Burtt - resident
At 6:30 PM Al Burtt came before the Board of Selectmen with several questions that he asked the Selectmen to answer when the office had time to respond.
The first question: Please provide the total value of all exempt properties held by non-profits within the Town of Greenfield. As a follow on to that question, Mr. Burtt asked the Town to quantify the tax dollars that would have been billed if the properties were not tax exempt.
A second question was posed by Mr. Burtt: what is the actual number of kids in school in the ConVal district. Mr. Burtt also posed the question as to whether there are children coming from tax exempt entities in town that are living in the tax exempt portion of the non-profit(s).
7:00PM: Town Administrator
At 7PM the Town Administrator provided an outline of payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) recommendations for the Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center (CMRC) as the most recent agreement has expired in 2012. The Board deliberated on the format for the renegotiation of the PILOT with CMRC and asked the Administrator to draft a letter outlining a return to the original PILOT agreement of 5% increases year over year from a base rate. The base rate to be the amount of $157,628 that was agreed for the 2009-2012 amendment period. The Board voted on a motion by Selectwoman Day and a second by Selectwoman Davidson for the Chairman of the Board, Selectman Rob Wimpory to be the signatory for the letter to CMRC. The vote passed 3-0 with the Chair agreeing to sign on behalf of the Board.
Adjournment
Chairman Wimpory moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:32 PM. Selectwoman Day seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0.
The meeting adjourned at 7:33 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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