Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectmen’s Meeting Minutes
Thursday, May 02, 2013 – 4:30 pm
Board of Selectmen: Chairman Rob Wimpory, Selectwoman Karen Day, and Selectwoman Debra Davidson
Staff: Town Administrator Patt,
Public: Ken Paulsen, Donna Smith, Bob Todd
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 Manifest
§ A/P Checks
§ A/P Invoices
§ Forest Fire Warden Appointment paperwork
§ Request from resident
§ County Budget notice and Commissioner’s letter to the Board
§ SchoolCare quote on Dental Ins. for employees
§ Town Hall Rental update and Police detail cost update
§ Copy of resident complaint
§ Town Hall rental contract
§ Abatement recommendation S1-16
§ Sewer Tax Warrant
§ 2012 Abatement request – NNETO (Fairpoint) & Avitar letter
§ Greenvale Cemetery deed
§ Purchasing Policy Waiver form
4:30 PM: Review and Approval of Documents
At 4:30 PM Karen Day opened the meeting. The Board then welcomed DPW Supervisor Murray to the meeting. The Board opened a discussion about maintenance of town properties with Supervisor Murray. Chairman Rob Wimpory arrived at 4:40 pm. The Board signed a Greenvale Cemetery deed and forwarded it to the Clerk. The Board signed A/P invoices and A/P Checks.
Selectwoman Davidson reported to the Board that there are issues with the fence around the wastewater facility. There is also an abandoned vehicle on town property that has been there the entire winter. Supervisory Murray and the Board discussed the cost of replacing or repairing the fence around the wastewater facility. Supervisor Murray reported that he had contacted the police station about the vehicle and Officer Roberge had investigated and spoken with the owner.
Selectwoman Davidson opened a discussion on property maintenance of Town-owned properties and asked Supervisor Murray to put together a record book that can be used for each season. Selectwoman Davidson also requested that the lights in the Meeting House be replaced where burnt out. Selectwoman Day said that the light in front of the Fire Department should be checked too as it’s been on 24x7 for several days. Supervisor Murray indicated that he would look at that light as the photocell may have gone bad.
Selectwoman Davidson asked the Administrator to contact Marian Alese, Business Administrator at ConVal and ask if all of the ConVal schools are receiving federal funding.
Supervisor Murray asked to speak about the gates on DPW Drive. He asked if the Board would entertain moving the lower gate up to the DPW entrance so that instead of barring access at the bottom of the drive it would be barred at the entrances to the recycling center and the DPW yard. This would help the recycling supervisor by not having to open two gates. The Board voted on a motion by Selectwoman Day and a second by the Chair to move the lower gate to the entrance of the DPW yard. The vote passed 3-0.
4:45 PM: R7-28 Gravel-processing vote
The Board then discussed the cemetery property and the abutting land (R7-28) to the cemetery. The Board asked for a meeting posted for 6AM on Tuesday, May 7th at the Greenvale Cemetery so that the selectmen can walk the buffer area along the cemetery at 50’, 75’ and 100’ intervals. The Board asked Supervisor Murray to mark the intervals so that the Board could find them during their walkthrough.
The Administrator introduced Bob Todd of Todd Land Use Consultants, LLC to the Board. Mr. Todd explained that he didn’t have an appointment but wanted to make himself available in case the Board had any questions about his proposal to perform survey work at the site of the proposed gravel-processing site R7-28. The proposal had been provided at the end of 2012 and was the basis for the cost estimates in warrant article #4 at the 2013 Town Meeting. The Board held a brief consultation with Supervisor Murray and then indicated that they did not have any additional questions for Mr. Todd. On a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectwoman Day, the Board voted 3-0 to accept the proposal from Todd Land Use Consultants, and his subcontractor Sandford Engineering, to perform surveying and engineering work on the site, to
enable future gravel processing by the DPW. It was noted that as part of the process the Town would hold an informational meeting for residents after the surveying and engineer work is done.
4:50 PM: Meeting House Steeple and Roof repairs
The Board reviewed a purchasing policy waiver that outlines the work and research that had been accomplished over the past two years, including emergency slate roof repairs on the Meeting House prior to the 2012 winter-season. On a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectwoman Day the Board voted 3-0 to waive the purchasing policy requirements of a formal sealed bid process, in part because of the scarcity of vendors that can provide slate roof repairs at a reasonable price point.
On a motion by the Chair and a 2nd by Selectwoman Day the Board voted 3-0 to award the Meeting House roof repairs to Gerard Leone Copper and Slate Roofing, and the steeple restoration to Ironwood Restoration LLC. The two contracting companies had outlined their proposals at the end of 2012 directly after emergency repairs were completed by Gerard Leone on the Meeting House roof. The two contractors, having worked together on other projects, had outlined a team approach, with cost savings for the set-up and dual use of scaffolding. Based on the Town’s research, the Board felt that this award promotes historic preservation in a cost effective and reasonably priced manner, while utilizing the proper materials for the roof and steeple, and an approach that will ensure that the site will not be precluded from
future grant applications.
A brief discussion took place regarding the length of time that the scaffolding would be in place. Supervisor Murray indicated that the scaffolding would be up for most of the summer months. He indicated that he had met with both contractors and they had said that they would rig the scaffolding so that the entrance was accessible. Selectwoman Day expressed concern about the Music On The Common events that happen during the summer. Supervisor Murray indicated that the scaffolding has to be put up at the entrance side of the building in order to provide access to the steeple during the restoration. But he said that
he had stressed that the work site must remain immaculate and that the entrance be safely accessible at all times.
The Board thanked Supervisor Murray for his time.
5:05 PM: Al Burtt, Questions on CMRC lease of Old Town Office
At 5:05 PM the Board received Al Burtt with questions about the Old Town Office lease between of the Town of Greenfield and Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center. Mr. Burtt had received copies of minutes since 2006, outlining past selectmen’s votes on the terms of the lease and ongoing permission to continue improvements on the building. Mr. Burtt asked if the Town still had a copy of the letter from CMRC vice president Terrian regarding the two options. The Board asked that a copy be requested from CMRC. Mr. Burtt indicated that thought that the Town should revisit the rental rates for the Old Town Office; he felt that it was time to raise the rates. A discussion followed. The Board indicated that they understood the suggestion and would weigh the benefits before making such a decision. There is still a long
period of time left in the grant that was used to renovate the property and the economy is still very bad. The Board thanked Mr. Burtt for bringing his concern forward.
Chairman Wimpory reviewed several items on the agenda and then recognized Donna Smith from the audience. Mrs. Smith indicated that she was there to make certain that the Board received her request for a letter that was referred to by former Code Enforcement Officer Peter Hopkins to the Planning Board. Mrs. Smith said that the Planning Board minutes say that CEO Hopkins had received a formal written complaint regarding the use of the Smith’s property (and that this was the basis for an eventual zoning complaint). The Chair asked if Mrs. Smith had checked with her counsel, as he would have received the letter during his discovery period. The Chair asked if Mrs. Smith was still represented by counsel. Mrs. Smith replied that she had the file now as her lawyer was in jail. She said she wanted a copy of the letter
regardless. There was a short discussion among the Board members and a question as to whether CEO Hopkins had presented a letter to the Board or whether he had become the complainant after determining possible zoning violations on his own. The Chair remarked to Mrs. Smith that if there were a letter on file it would be provided to her.
5:45 PM: Leah Conway-Fiascanaro, Welfare Director
The Board welcomed Welfare Director Fiascanaro-Conway to the meeting. Welfare Director Fiascanaro-Conway indicated that she was bringing forward a welfare case for discussion. She requested that the Board enter a non-public session in order to review the case in confidence. The Chairman motioned to enter a non-public session under RSA 91-A, II c reputation, Selectwoman Davidson seconded; on a roll call vote the Board voted to enter non-public session at 5:48 PM. At 6:10 PM the Board voted 3-0 to exit non-public session and noted that no decisions had been made or voted by the selectmen, and, that the minutes were sealed.
The Board reviewed a handout by Director Fiascanaro-Conway that proposed several changes to the Welfare Application. The primary change was the inclusion of a portion of RSA 165 in the application itself in order to ensure clarity when addressing applicants. The Board voted 3-0, on a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectwoman Davidson, to accept the changes to the application. The Board thanked Director Fiascanaro-Conway for help in clarifying the application.
6:15 PM: Heidi Flagg, resident request
At 6:15 PM, Heidi Flagg approached the Board with several questions about her properties, including a request for assistance with her overdue taxes. The Board reviewed the tax cards for both properties and suggested that Mrs. Flagg should visit the Town Office to see if combining the two cards will provide enough land (10 acres) to qualify for current use. The Board reviewed the back taxes and suggested that a payment plan be drawn up with the Tax Collector. Mrs. Flagg indicated that she was reluctant to enter a payment plan if payments were only going to go against the interest. Mrs. Flagg would not disclose her assets to the Board. The Selectmen were in agreement that without a record of payments or disclosure of assets, or lack thereof, they were not in a position to consider her request.
6:35 PM: Work Session
The Board noted that there were no further appointments scheduled for the evening. The Selectmen used the remainder of the evening’s session to complete review of the checklist items.
The Board received an update on the Town Office kitchen floor. The floor had been damaged by a leaking water bottle in the water cooler. As a result the kitchen floor tiles would have to be replaced. The Town has received the adjustor’s recommendations and an insurance check from the water company. The Town has received three bids. DPW Supervisor Murray and the Administrator reviewed the bids and requested that the Board vote to award the floor work to Holland Surfaces LLC. The Chairman made a motion, seconded by Selectwoman Davidson to award the work to Holland and the vote passed 3-0.
The Board reviewed a septage agreement between the Town of Greenfield and the City of Keene that was provided by the Department of Environmental Services. The NH DES requires that each municipality have a septage agreement on file with the department. The septage agreement is for the disposal of residential septage from any resident of the town. The septage agreement is a five-year renewal of a previous agreement already on file. The Board signed the renewal for an additional five-year term.
The Board reviewed a request by a person who has rented the Meeting House for family and church gatherings. The party requested that the Town entertain a refund of a portion of the Meeting House rental fee, as his group did not use the upstairs portion of the Meeting House as planned. The Board reviewed the request and noted that the group had reserved the main floor and upper floor, and as a result no one else had access to those portions of the Meeting House. Therefore the Board denied the request for a refund.
The Administrator brought forward a rate change for police details outlined in the Oak Park rental agreement. In the past this fee has been $35.00 dollars an hour per officer. In 2012 it was noted by the police department and the Town Office that the fee should have been $40.00 an hour. The rate stayed at $35.00 all that year. As the season opens in 2013 the bookkeeper had noted that there should also be an administrative fee of $12.00. On a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectwoman Davidson the Board voted to update the police detail fee schedule to $52.00 an hour.
The Board then took up a discussion on the Meeting House hours and rates that had been included in the documents and review session of a previous meeting. The Board discussed the fact that the rentals have an impact and questioned whether large events with fifty or more people should be charged an impact fee. The Board voted to 3-0 on a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectwoman Day to adjust the Meeting House rental form to reflect rentals at eight hours per day, and to include a winter surcharge to cover the cost of heating oil, which would be in place from October 1st to May 1st. The impact fee was temporarily set aside.
The Board then reviewed two abatement application recommendations from Avitar. The first for S1-16 recommended abating $2,700 dollars from the assessment, which was approved and signed by the Board. The second was an application from Fairpoint. It was noted that a letter from counsel was received outlining recent developments with the pending litigation surrounding Fairpoint’s abatement application. The Board agreed to table the second document for a future meeting when they would have more time to review. They also hoped to receive additional information prior to taking up the matter for decision.
Selectwoman Davidson provided a Selectmen’s Advisory Committee (SAC) meeting update for the Board. She reported that SAC was exploring a Co-Op purchase of oil and was interested to know if the Town of Greenfield would join the purchase effort. The Board agreed that this could be a good idea and looked forward to more information. Selectwoman Davidson indicated that SAC was in the process of building a list of bid items that the district could take part in. Lastly, the SAC was concerned about a Consolidated Schools Committee that the School Board had asked them to form. Selectwoman Davidson reported that despite a recent news article showing a majority favored the joint committee, some members of the SAC had expressed concern that the School Board didn’t seem to get the picture that the local towns do not want
to give up their elementary schools and now the School Board was asking the town selectmen to be a part of this committee, which would make recommendation on consolidating the schools. A person at the SAC meeting had suggested that this was a political move so that the School Board would not have to take the blame if the committee did not advance recommendations.
Chairman Wimpory brought up a recent field trip by the Roads Commission with the Chair and Supervisor Murray. The Chair reported that Supervisor Murray had handled questions from the commission members and for each instance where there was a concern by a committee member Supervisor Murray had a solid answer. Chairman Wimpory indicated that he had concerns about having department heads working with advisory committees without the Board’s knowledge. Chairman Wimpory reported that at the conclusion of the meeting he had reminded Myron Steere, the Roads Commission Chair, requests for a department head to take part in a meeting or go on a field trip should come through the Town Administrator first and be brought before the Board so that the Board can decide if the attendance was necessary. Chairman Wimpory expressed his
regret that this process had not been followed.
The Selectmen asked the Administrator to follow up with the Greenfield Roads Commission to find out what the term of appointments is for each person and to determine if the meetings have been legal during 2013 since Town Meeting.
Minutes from the April 18th meeting were reviewed and signed.
Adjournment
Chairman Wimpory moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:50 PM. Selectwoman Day seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0.
The meeting adjourned at 7:50 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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