Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectboard’s Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 – 4:30 PM
Selectboard: Chair Debra Davidson, Selectwoman Karen Day, Selectwoman Margaret Charig Bliss
Staff: Administrator Patt,
Public:
The meeting was called to order at 4:30 PM by Chairwoman Davidson.
Documents for Approval/Review/Signature
The Selectboard reviewed and/or signed the following items:
§ A/P Checks
§ A/P Invoices
§ Wastewater Checks
§ Minutes of 4/23 & corrected minutes of 4/16
§ Hillsborough County Budget MS-46
§ Kemp’s Auto Junkyard Permit
§ Oak Park Rental – Boy Scouts
§ Meeting House Rental – GPB Charrette
§ Meeting House Rental – GPB Charrette planning
§ Employee Evaluation result – GRC
§ Sewer Tax Levy Warrant
§ Timber Tax Levy Warrant – R7-5, R9-19, V-19 & R7-2, R4-52, R1-24, R2-4
4:30 PM: Tim Murray, DPW Supervisor
Tim Murray, DPW Supervisor reported that DPW had hauled approximately 2790 yards of sand from the sand and gravel site. They are on day nine of their schedule. Mr. Murray requested to add an additional $250.00 to the estimated amount of money for the excavator. There is not a lot of room for movement as it’s still early in the process but he can now do some clean up of the excavation area. He explained that he would like to work for an additional day at the site to clean up. The Board agreed to the proposal. Selectwoman Charig Bliss asked if there was a chain across the driveway. Murray explained that they had removed the posts and chain when taking down the large tree, as required by DOT. DPW has since put the posts and chain back up.
The Chair reported to Mr. Murray that the Selectboard had received a complaint about winter sanding on the hill on Cornwell Road and on Gulf Road. The complainant had said that there was not enough sand being put down during the winter. Mr. Murray said that the person needs to call in to the Town to have this addressed during the season. He outlined that there are several ways that a person can contact the Town: they can call the DPW garage, they can send an email to DPW, they can call the Town Office and speak to (or email) the Administrator, they can call the police station or they can even call police dispatch. Murray said that during the winter the DPW called into the police department during every storm to receive any updates from the Town Office and the Police Department. He further stressed that unless he receives
a phone call when the sand is needed then DPW will put down as much as they think is needed. He acknowledged that there have been times when residents call in and DPW tries to respond as quickly as possible. Selectwoman Charig Bliss asked if DPW had received any complaints or conversations about the roads recently. Mr. Murray said that he had not had any complaints come to him or be forwarded from the Town now that the roads are drying out.
Mr. Murray reported that the Town sign to replace the sign that was stolen at the Greenfield/Peterborough town line has been completed. DPE has to build the frame but they will put that up in the near future. The Selectboard asked if there were any ways to vandal proof the posts to prevent vandals from stealing the sign again. Murray said he would look into it.
The Selectboard and DPW Supervisor Murray talked about how to enforce the No Smoking Ordinance at Sunset Beach this summer. Murray said he had No Smoking signs on order. He discussed the berm that is along the edge of the beach. He said he would like to remove the berm in order to replace it with rock, similar to how the parking area at Oak Park was handled. The Chair made a motion to allow DPW to remove the berm and to place large rocks along the edge of the parking area. Selectwoman Day seconded the motion. The vote was held and passed 3-0.
The Chair asked DPW Supervisor Murray if there have been any complaints received from DOT or DES with regards to culverts in town. Mr. Murray said that in 2012 there had been a complaint about the culvert located on New Boston Road. The Town has spent a lot of money to hire an engineering firm to do a study on that culvert, and the engineer has been working with DES on the final report. This is still open but the engineer that that Town hired is frustrated with DES and is now working directly with their executive team as opposed to the line staff. He said he is not aware of any other complaints. The Chair said that she has received information from the Chair of the Roads Commission that there are several complaints are out there. Mr. Murray said that he has not received any information from either department about
culverts other than the one he has reported on. The Chair asked that it be noted in the minutes that the information provided by Chair of the Roads Commission turned out to be incorrect.
Next the Selectboard discussed an upcoming conference that DPW attends in May. The conference is a trade fair that brings DPW workers together from all over the state to visit with vendors and other town employees. Murray said that it’s very educational for the staff and that it’s a good place to pick up information about how other town’s DPW and highway staff solve different problems. The Chair said that she knows that Mr. Murray has worked every day for the last month due to plowing and because of mud season. The Chair said it important to be supportive of the staff of the DPW. The Board agreed that it was supportive of the trip and in agreement that DPW should go to the conference.
Murray said that the dealership was interested in bringing the MACK truck to the conference. He reported that the MACK dealership and the plow and dump body manufacturer teamed up to provide a significant number of free upgrades and custom work in support of the truck. The dealers are very interested in showing the truck to other towns because DPW designed the truck for the heavy work load associated with a rural municipality.
A list of items that the MACK dealer provided free of charge during the build of the base truck follows:
· Chrome Grill Surround (front)
· Passenger Side Air Seat (Cab)
· Upgraded Interior – (Dash & Stereo)
· Chrome Wheel Covers
· Upgraded Transmission (Allows for five reverse gears)
· Upgrade to severe-duty aluminum wheels
Viking Cives, the vendor that provided the dump body, plow frame, and plows furnished the following extras:
· Air/hydraulic system for plow controls
· Interior lighting for plow/sander control visibility
· Quick-lock plow attachment system
· Custom front bumper mated to plow frame
· Custom hydraulic pump cover
· Exterior lighting points (6), wiring, and switches from cab
· Wing plow-step to passenger door
5:00 PM: Work Session
The Administrator outlined the items on the agenda for the work session. The first item was that Bob Marshall, the Planning Board Chair, would be in attendance at the May 14th Selectboard meeting to discuss the planning of the Charrette, which will be happening in September. At the meeting Mr. Marshall will share with the Selectboard the agenda outline of the Charrette over Friday and Saturday the 26th and 27th and would also share some of his thoughts on the program.
There has been a help wanted notice scheduled to run in the paper for the lifeguard positions.
The Town Auditors have come back with a preliminary report on their audit progress. This report included the amount of fund balance from the end of 2013. The amount is $592,046. This amount is higher than in previous years because of several one-time revenue contributions; including the LGC health care refund, a Primex health care refund from 2011, and a small dental refund. Combined this pushed revenues $227,224 higher than budgeted. The Town also had a $41,858 in unexpended appropriations in 2013. Combined, the two together contributed $269,082 to fund balance. The Selectboard discussed the need to provide the LGC healthcare refund back to taxpayers. The Administrator said that he had built that into the budget last year.
The Chair asked about the Dilapidated Buildings ordinance and requested that the Administrator follow up with Mike Borden, Code Enforcement Officer on the progress of past letters to the owners of dilapidated buildings.
The Selectboard discussed a report by the Administrator on a requested conversation with Primex Risk Management Consultant, Phil St. Cyr. In the past Mr. St. Cyr has provided risk assessments audits in Greenfield. He provided a risk assessment audit of the playground and this was updated by a visit to Oak Park in August of 2013. Risk assessment audits from Primex are available for other departments. The Selectboard discussed providing risk assessment audits at the DPW and the Fire Department. The Board asked the Administrator to check with the Recycling Center but it was thought that they had had an audit done in the last few years. The Selectboard were in consensus that a report for the fire department would provide good information that could be used in conjunction with the Volunteer Study Committee. Mr. St. Cyr had
said on the telephone that he was previously a firefighter with the Manchester Fire Department for 25 years. The Selectboard asked if the risk assessment audit would touch on the recruitment and retention of volunteer fire fighters. The Administrator thought an audit would not touch on these subjects directly, but given the background of Mr. St. Cyr as a professional fire fighter for 25 years, he might be a good resource for the Fire Department and the Volunteer Study Committee. The Chair made a motion to have a Risk Assessment Audit by Primex for the Fire Department. Selectwoman Charig Bliss seconded the motion. The vote was held and passed 3-0. The Selectboard asked the Administrator to draft a letter to the fire department members inviting them to a Selectboard meeting when Mr. St. Cyr could be present. The Board asked the Administrator to follow up with Primex on whether they could schedule an audit of the DPW later in the year.
Next the Selectmen discussed projects around town. Selectwoman Karen Day suggested that DPW get bids for re-wiring the Meeting House. She said it was important to find out how much money it’s going to cost so that the Town can begin looking for grants. The Board agreed that this was a good idea.
6:00 PM: Review/Approval of Documents
The Selectboard reviewed the A/P Checks and A/P Invoices and signed off on each folder. Wastewater checks were also signed. The Selectboard signed two Town Hall Rental applications from the Planning Board for the Charrette. The Selectboard accepted and signed the minutes from 4/23 and the corrected minutes of 4/16. The Board signed the junkyard license for Kemp’s auto. The Board signed an Oak Park rental form from the Boy Scouts. The Board signed the sewer tax warrant, and a timber tax warrant. The Board signed off on the request from GRC Supervisor for a 90-day review wage-adjustment for a part-time employee.
Adjournment
On a motion by Chair Davidson and a second by Selectwoman Charig Bliss, the Board voted to adjourn. The motion carried 3-0. The meeting adjourned at 6:48 PM.
The minutes are final when approved and signed by the Selectboard. A signed copy is on file in the Selectboard’s office.
______________________ _____________________ _____________________
Debra Davidson, Chairwoman Karen Day, Selectwoman Margaret Charig Bliss, Selectwoman
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