Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectboard’s Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, May 07, 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
§ Payroll
§ PSNH pole license / Lake View Circle
§ Abatement decisions
§ Resident letter to Selectmen
§ DRA’s PA 45/46 monitoring report
§ Corrected Minutes of 4/30/2014
§ Draft Risk Assessment Audit letter
§ Lyndeborough Historical Society - historical SAU documents
§ Intent to Cut – R9-18, R9-18-2, R9-18-6, R9-18-7
4:30 PM: Work Session
The Selectboard opened the meeting at 4:30pm. The Administrator asked if the Selectboard could review the 90 day enrollment period with HealthTrust, which currently provides Life Insurance, Short-term disability, and Long-term disability. The Board reviewed the enrollment period to determine if it was feasible to reduce or waive the enrollment for new hires in the police department. These costs are minimal in comparison to health insurance, but coverage could be vital for employees in the first responder category. The Selectboard discussed the HealthTrust offering and asked the Administrator to look into waiving the 90-day period for all employees at the next enrollment period, and, on a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectwoman Day, to have HealthTrust waive the period for police officers in the immediate term.
Vote results were 3-0 in the affirmative. There are no costs associated with this change.
Next the Selectboard reviewed a letter of complaint from a resident regarding a timber tax bill. The Board noted the responsibility of the residents that signed the Intent to Cut and the apparent failure of the parties involved to communicate and exchange the initial bill. It was suggested that the complainant be offered an opportunity to change the primary owners’ address for the associated property card.
The Selectboard reviewed draft letters to the Fire Department and DPW for an informational session with the Selectboard and a representative of Primex, the Town’s insurance carrier to discuss risk assessment audits. The meeting date is pending.
A packet of folders from the Greenfield SAU was delivered to the Selectmen’s office during the afternoon by a member of the Lyndeborough historical society. The folders had been found in the old SAU offices and date from the 1950s. The Selectboard reviewed the folders and recommended they be offered to the Greenfield Historical Society.
5:00 PM: Michael Borden, Code Enforcement Officer
At 5:00pm Michael Borden, Code Enforcement Officer for the Town of Greenfield, came before the Selectboard. Mr. Borden provided the Selectboard with an update on the letters he has sent out to owners of properties with dilapidated structures under the dilapidated buildings ordinance. Mr. Borden explained that he had sent out letters to several people in town and explained that the ordinance requires that they follow up with him to outline a course of action. In one instance Mr. Borden reported that he sent out a registered letter before he received a letter of commitment in response to his request. He currently has three property owners that are working toward compliance. The Board discussed additional properties. A property owned by Wheeler Construction Company was discussed. The Selectboard requested that Mr. Borden
follow up with the owners of the Slip Road property.
Next Mr. Borden presented a junk yard ordinance to the Selectboard that he would like to see passed so that he can effectively regulate residences whose properties have become a “junkyard” by definition. The Selectboard reviewed the ordinance and asked the Administrator to review and update sections and include penalties in line with other Greenfield ordinances.
Next the Selectboard discussed the No Smoking ordinance for Sunset Lake Beach and Zephyr Lake Beach that was voted on in 2013. Mr. Borden and the Selectboard discussed penalties that could be associated with the ordinance. The current fine is $100.00 per violation and/or not more than 20 hours of community service.
Finally, the Selectboard discussed the building activity to date. Mr. Borden described the work load in several of the towns he represents as fewer and smaller projects than last year. There are very few new homes being built in the region. One large subdivision in Greenfield has been withdrawn from the Planning Board. The volume of work may continue to stay low for the near term.
5:30 PM: Dorene Adams, 225th Anniversary Committee
At 5:30pm Dorene Adams came before the Selectboard to discuss the newly formed 225th Anniversary Committee that was voted in at Town Meeting. Currently there are three volunteers that have expressed interest in being on this committee; Dorene, Kristin Readel, and Adele Hale. The Seleboard signed appointment paperwork for all three volunteers. Once they are sworn in by the Town Clerk they can post their first meeting and start looking at options for the event day. Dorene noted that there are a lot of options; she gave examples of parades, events, games, a dunking booth with town officials (such as the Selectboard members, and the police chief) being dunked. She said that was one of the bigger money makers at the last celebration. She said that she has a lot of experience setting up these events and that the
committee would likely spend the first year developing the theme and events, lining up the participants and determining the type of budget that would be needed. She also said that she has been successful in reaching out to businesses in the region for donations and the committee may be able to do some fund raising for this event as well.
6:00PM: Documents for Approval/Review/Signature
At 6:00pm the Selectboard reviewed and approved the A/P & Payroll checks. The Board signed the A/P invoices noting that the spending freeze requested by the Treasurer (until Mid-June) has been very effective. The Selectmen signed their Pole License for PSNH. They reviewed the DRA’s PA 45/46 form indicating that there were no errors or issues with the tax cards that they reviewed as part of the assessment monitoring. This is a good check on the work that Avitar does and the work of the Greenfield office. The Selectboard reviewed the minutes from their April 30th meeting. The minutes were accepted and signed. The Board reviewed and signed an Intent to Cut form for properties R9-18, R9-18-2, R9-18-6, R9-18-7.
The Selectboard discussed the upcoming informational meeting with the Selectmen, the DPW Supervisor and residents of Old Bennington Road on the paved portion, which will take place next Weds. The Board agreed that they would like to see DPW provide pictures and a way to draw examples of the road on a white board or drawing paper so that the residents could get an idea of what DPW and the contractor will be doing later this summer.
The Selectboard discussed the recent formations of committees at Town Meeting. There have been a number of questions and emails about the duties of the committees, the requirement under the Right to Know Law to post meetings and take minutes, and the appointment process. The Selectboard reached a consensus that they would like to have a refresher document on RSA 91-A drawn up that could be shared with committee members to understand the guidelines, and, for review by standing committees; to ensure that committees are meeting state regulations.
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 7:22 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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