Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectmen’s Meeting Minutes
Thursday, October 03, 2013 – 4:30 pm
Board of Selectmen: Chairman Rob Wimpory, Selectwoman Karen Day, and Selectwoman Debra Davidson
Staff: Town Administrator Patt, DPW Supervisor Tim Murray, Planning Board Chairman Bob Marshall, Zoning Board Chairman John Gryval.
Public: Approximately 21 people at the informational meeting
The meeting was called to order at 4:30 PM by Chairman Wimpory.
Documents for Approval/Review/Signature
The Selectmen reviewed and/or signed the following items:
§ A/P Invoices
§ A/P Checks
§ Assessor’s Recommendation R4-42-2
§ Selectmen’s Calendar
§ Dept. of Revenue Municipal Assessment certificate
Chairman Wimpory opened the meeting at 4:30 PM. The Board reviewed A/P invoices and A/P checks for signature. The Board reviewed an Assessors recommendation made by Avitar Associates. The Board of Selectmen signed the Department of Revenue’s Municipal Assessment certificate.
4:30 PM: Work Session
The Board of Selectmen reviewed a request for pole license from PSNH. The Board of Selectmen noted that the pole license may need to be updated. The Board voted on a motion by Selectman Wimpory and a second by Selectwoman Day, 3-0 to schedule a public hearing in order to determine if it’s in the best interest of the public to update and amend the pole license agreements.
The selectmen reviewed welfare vouchers. A discrepancy on one voucher was highlighted for review and returned to the Administrator.
An invoice for Bruce Gagnon trucking was discussed. The invoice included rental for hauling gravel. The Board requested that Supervisor Murray call the Chair during the week of 10/7 to explain the invoice.
A short follow-up discussion on security at the Library was held. The Chair updated the Selectmen on the research to date on security systems. There has not been a lot of data received at this time. The research is ongoing.
The Board of Selectmen reviewed the budget season calendar and made some adjustments based on feedback from Department Heads. The Building Inspector meeting will be scheduled at a later date when Mike Borden returns from a two week class.
5:30 PM: Scott Klint – Resident
At 5:21PM resident Scott Klint of 408 Slip Road approached the Board of Selectmen about an issue with the drainage in front of his driveway. The road changed just this year and the pitch of the road is different than in previous years. Now, the road is washing away in front of his driveway. Mr. Klint spoke to the DPW but was not satisfied with the answers that they provided. The culvert is on the opposite side of the road but the water no longer runs to the culvert; instead it crosses over the road and runs in front of his driveway. The Board and Mr. Klint drew several rough sketches of the road and noted the culverts further down from the Klint’s driveway. The Board decided to speak to DPW and understand what changes, if any, have been made to the road. The Board will follow up with a letter to Mr. Klint at the
conclusion of their investigation.
5:45 PM: Acceptance of Minutes and SAC/ConVal update
At 5:45 PM the Board reviewed the Minutes of 9/26/2013. The Chair made recommendations on the last two sentences of the second paragraph, page 3 regarding the discussion with the Library Trustees. Add “the residents and staff” to the last sentence and reference that cameras would not be viewing the computer screens in the preceding sentence. On a vote of 3-0 the Board voted to accept the minutes as amended.
Following a review of the minutes, Selectwoman Davidson provided an update on the Selectman’s Advisory Committee and their interest in gathering information from residents in the ConVal district regarding what should happen with the local schools. There was a brief discussion about the LGC refund and the Board requested the Administrator write a brief letter for signature by the Selectmen. The Administrator provided the letter after a short break. The Board members signed a brief statement to the ConVal School Board that the Town of Greenfield’s Selectmen are interested in receiving the LGC refund.
6:00 PM: Informational Meeting – Forest Road Gravel
At 6:00 PM the Board of Selectmen held an informational meeting, open to the public, to provide up-to-date details about the Forest Road gravel processing project. Chairman Wimpory welcomed approximately twenty people to the meeting and made brief opening remarks. Then Selectwoman Day explained that as background to a presentation by DPW Supervisor Murray of the engineering study, she would read the minutes of the 2013 Town Meeting and a copy of the original warrant article. Supervisor Murray then provided an overview of the project site with the aid of a plan drawn up by the engineering company that filed the Alteration of Terrain (AOT) permit application with the State of New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. Supervisor Murray clarified for the audience that it was the Town’s intention to maintain a
low key, discrete operation. The site would not be a clear cut. DPW would work on one acre to 1.5 acres at a time and allow re-vegetation as they go. The Town received the AOT permit back from DES earlier that afternoon.
Cemetery Trustee Margo Charig- Bliss asked about the hemlocks and the buffer zone along the road frontage and along the side of the cemetery. Selectman Wimpory outlined that the Board had discussed a 50 foot buffer that would slope an additional 25 feet for a total of 75 feet of buffer area. Selectwoman Day outlined a conversation with the Town Forester in which she confirmed that the hemlocks along the cemetery wall are healthy. Selectwoman Day indicated that trees could be planted in buffer in areas that are sparsely wooded.
Robert Brown, an abutter asked about dust mitigation. Andre Wood, resident, asked about dust floating into Zephyr Lake. Supervisor Murray indicated that the project was 300 feet from the lake and that any issues with dust could be mitigated by DPW using calcium chloride product, similarly to how the dirt roads in town are handled during the summer months.
Chairman Wimpory addressed the audience and said that the Board of Selectmen is doing what it believes is in the best interest of the town. The Board is trying to be the most respectful it can be with regards to the cemetery and the abutters.
Robert Brown raised a concern about DPW noise. Another person in the audience asked if the Selectmen knew whether the abutters’ property values would go down as a result of the proximity to the gravel project site.
Supervisor Murray said that if an abutter has a family event or vacation at home, that they would be more than welcome to contact the Town Office and DPW would schedule around the event or vacation. He stressed that the DPW would be visiting the site infrequently (1-2 weeks a year) and in advance of snow storms in the winter months. During a snow storm there may be a need to visit the site during the night to load sand for the roads. This would not result in multiple trucks going in and out of the site. The Town has a very small fleet and at most there would be a few vehicles at the site to load and move sand.
Andre Wood asked about the Town’s interest in putting the DPW garage at the site in the future. Chairman Wimpory indicated that that decision would be made by residents at Town Meeting. The cost for such a move would be substantial and any future warrant articles would spell out the cost (which would be high) and the time frame.
Cemetery Trustee Margo Charig-Bliss wanted to go on record that the cemetery trustees were in favor of a 100’ buffer, but did not want to appear as being obstructionist. “We are all in this together”. Trustee Charig-Bliss said that we realize that the Board of Selectmen has made a decision regarding the 50’ buffer.
Additional conversation with people in the audience was followed up on by Selectwoman Davidson who stressed the need of residents to be informed and to attend Town Meeting so that they would understand the voting results on the warrant articles.
A member of the audience asked if the cost savings could be provided. The Board agreed to post an overview of the cost savings to the website once they have had a chance to review and finalize the estimated figures.
The meeting ended at 7PM.
Adjournment
On a motion by Chairman Wimpory and a second by Selectwoman Day the Board voted to adjourn. The motion carried 3-0.
The meeting adjourned at 7:05 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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