Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectmen’s Meeting Minutes
Thursday, June 24, 2013 – 4:30 pm
Board of Selectmen: Chairman Rob Wimpory, Selectwoman Karen Day, and Selectwoman Debra Davidson
Staff: Town Administrator Patt,
Public: John Hopkins; Donald Shumway, President CMRC; Michael Terrian, Vice President CMRC
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 Checks
§ A/P Invoices
§ MS-5 – Auditor’s report
§ Peterborough domestic septage agreement
4:30 PM: Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center - PILOT
At 4:30 PM Chairman Wimpory opened the meeting. The Board welcomed Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center (CMRC) President Donald Shumway and Vice President of Facilities, Michael Terrian. Chairman Wimpory opened the meeting with remarks outlining the Board’s interest in the evening’s discussion and indicated that their conversation would touch on the PILOT, CMRC’s late filing of their Charitable Exemption application (A-9 form), and the negotiation process that is outlined in previous agreements, which mandate that the Town and CMRC renegotiate a PILOT agreement every five years. The Chair outlined that there have been several downshifts of expenses to the Town, as well as cut backs to shared revenues that have caused the Board of Selectmen a lot of concern. An example of this; the Town is now
responsible for all of the Group II retirement; where in the past it was a shared expense between the Towns and the State of New Hampshire. The Chair indicated that it was the Board’s responsibility to ensure that renegotiation of the PILOT follows the template that had been agreed to in the past, that there haven’t been any material changes of significance that the Town has not been aware to date, and that the Town and CMRC have a responsibility in the current economic climate to ensure that both parties are doing the right thing. Chairman Wimpory, having outlined these meeting parameters, invited CMRC to respond.
Mr. Terrian indicated that he would discuss the A9 form first. Mr. Terrian said that he had never been late before and that the loss of a secretary caused by the economic times had led to the late filing.
Chairman Wimpory asked the CMRC representatives whether they felt that the PILOT that is in place today was fair to the Town. Mr. Shumway replied that it was a complicated world and as a result there are no simple answers other than the willingness of CMRC to continue at the current rate. CMRC would continue to make the amount of the current PILOT a priority in the budget. Mr. Shumway indicated that if the amount were to change then it couldn’t be guaranteed. Chairman Wimpory read from a letter in 2009 in which it was reported to the Board of Selectmen at that time that CMRC had made significant sacrifices. The Chair indicated that the most recent letter indicates the same sentiment with regard to the economy. Mr. Shumway replied that there is no retirement plan for people who work at the facility, there have been
health benefit reductions, and while there have been some increases for some staff, some have gone without pay for as much as 25% of their time.
The Chairman asked Mr. Shumway: “Do you truly feel that, honestly feel, that there should be no increases at this time?” Selectman Davidson immediately asked if CMRC was going to revisit the PILOT agreement according to the terms from the previous agreement, and amendment; “revisit it when? Every year, every five years?” The original agreement calls for five years but CMRC’s most recent letter indicated their interest in a yearly renewal.
Mr. Shumway indicated that the work that CMRC provides would be compensated at lower rates in the future. “Our material position is unlikely to improve going forward”.
Selectman Davidson asked CMRC what the ratio of private pay patients and residents is to those that are covered by services such as Medicaid and Medicare. Mr. Shumway responded that for private pay there are almost none. Revenue is based on a variety of factors including length of stay, etc.
Selectman Day followed up with a question on revenues at CMRC. Mr. Shumway responded that there has been a drop in revenues two important ways: one is that the volume of demand has been reduced and the other is in the percentage of payment. Both the School and the Hospital have reduced their license capacity. For example the School license was previously 120 children and now the license is for 105, with population at 104. As far as Medicaid payments they are about sixty cents on the dollar for the value of the services. The rates paid to the school are at cost, and the rest is made up in fundraising.
Chairman Wimpory asked if there were other services or facilities that town residents could possibly use that would be outside of any PILOT negotiations. Mr. Shumway indicated that they had looked at the possibility of being a utility provider in the past; CMRC had looked at generating Hot Water & Electricity but this was not a function that was on the table at this time. Mr. Shumway indicated that they have offered to serve on the Economic Development Committee of the Town. Chairman Wimpory asked CMRC what percentage of the facility is devoted to teaching and how much to hospitals. Mr. Shumway indicated it was 60% education and 40% hospital.
The Board thanked CMRC President Shumway and Vice President Terrian for visiting with the Selectmen.
7:20 PM: Selectmen’s Meeting Calendar
The Board discussed the summer schedule and determined that there would need to be changes to the meeting dates in order to accommodate vacation schedules and other obligations of the individual selectmen. The final schedule is as follows:
July:
July 11th - pizza at 4pm w/ employees, then the Board meeting
July 18th – 4:00pm – Tour of CMRC then meeting
August:~
August 1st~
August 22nd (there are five Thursdays in August - this is the first and the fourth)
September:~
Sept. 12th
~
Weekly meetings will resume every Thursday evening after Sept. 12th.
7:27 PM Resident Complaint – Horses on Public Roads
At 7:27 PM the Board read a letter from Dale Sanford regarding numbers of horses on some of the town’s roads. The horses create unsanitary conditions because of the number of horses and Mr. Sanford reports that horses on the roads and the waste that is left also upset his neighbors. The Board directed the Administrator to review the local ordinances and any RSAs that are on the books and to report back to the Board.
7:30 PM: Non-Public for Personnel
At 7:30 PM Chairman Wimpory made a motion to enter into non-public session under RSA 91-A:3 II a, to discuss personnel matters. Selectwoman Davidson seconded the motion. On a roll call vote of 3-0 the Board entered into non-public session. At 8:15 PM the Board voted 3-0 on a motion by Chairman Wimpory and a second by Selectwoman Day to exit non-public session. The Board noted that there were no decisions made and no votes taken during the non-public session.
Adjournment
On a motion by Chairman Wimpory and a second by Selectwoman Davidson the Board voted to adjourn. The motion carried 3-0.
The meeting adjourned at 8:20 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 office.
_____________________ _____________________ _____________________
Rob Wimpory, Chairman Karen Day, Selectwoman Debra Davidson, Selectwoman
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