Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectboard’s Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, August 06, 2014 – 4:30 PM
Selectboard: Chairwoman Debra Davidson, Selectwoman Karen Day, Selectwoman Margaret Charig Bliss
Staff: Administrator Patt, Welfare Director Leah Conway
Public: Richard and Donna Sweet
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 Invoices
§ A/P Checks
§ Boundary Issue – R.L.C. Williams update
§ MS-1 extension – DRA approved
§ Deputy Tax Collector Appt.
§ Forest Stewardship Plan /CU-12 form – R1-9
§ Intent to Cut – R7-26
§ PSNH/Fairpoint Pole License 36-0670
§ Hillsborough County Budget
§ Waste Water Warrant – Tax Collector
§ Selectboard Minutes of 7/16, 7/21, 7/24
§ Resident letter about Oak Park dirt access road
§ Resident letters to Chair Davidson & Selectwoman Charig Bliss
Chair Davidson opened the meeting at 4:30pm.
4:30 PM: Documents for Approval/Review/Signature
The Board signed the A/P invoices and A/P checks. The Board reviewed the MS-1 extension granted by the DRA, at the suggestion of the assessor, due to the revaluation currently underway. The Board signed a deputy tax collector appointment for Bernadette Desmaris. Ms. Demaris is the deputy tax collector working under Greenfield Tax Collector Kathy Valliere, in Greenville. It was noted that Ms. Demaris has covered for the Tax Collector in the past and has ample knowledge of the position and works well with the Town Office. The Selectboard signed an Intent to Cut for R7-26, and a PSNH/Fairpoint pole license. The Board noted that the Hillsborough County budget had been finalized. The Board signed the Waste Water Warrant and directed it be provided to the Tax Collector. The Board reviewed public and non-public minutes as
indicated. The Board made corrections to the minutes of 7/21, and tabled the signing of those minutes until they were updated. The Board signed minutes of 7/16 and 7/24. The Board reviewed the non-public minutes associated with those meetings and signed them. The Board reviewed letters from residents about issues in town. A letter about the Oak Park access road from Rt. 136 to Forest Rd. was reviewed. A letter to Selectwoman Davidson from Al Burtt was reviewed.
5:00 PM: Welfare Director, Leah Conway
The Selectboard, on a motion by Selectwoman Day and a second by Selectwoman Charig Bliss held a vote to enter into a non-public session under RSA 91:A –II c, Reputation. Chairwoman Davidson, Aye; Selectwoman Karen Day, Aye; Selectwoman Margaret Charig Bliss, Aye. The motion passed on a roll call vote of 3-0. At 5:25 pm the Selectboard voted to end non-public session on a vote of 3-0. The Chair noted that no decisions had been made and no votes taken in the non-public session.
5:30 PM: School Board Representative Myron Steere
At 5:30 PM School Board Representative Myron Steere joined the public session and inquired if the Selectboard would like an update on the items discussed during the July 16th meeting. The Selectboard welcomed Mr. Steere and agreed to make time for a brief report. Mr. Steere said that he followed up on the Board’s questions and discovered the following:
· Cursive writing is taught through the 3rd grade at which point the focus turns to “keyboarding”
· A staff member at ConVal has expressed an interest in the idea of having an internship to have students study town government as a civics project. This would require information from the Board.
Mr. Steere said that the lunch program was going to be put out to bid. The Chair asked if the busing was going to go out to bid as well. Mr. Steere said that he has been looking at busing and whether safer routes for busing could be developed.
5:40 PM: Work Session
The Selectboard discussed the Weed Watcher training workshop recently held by the Conservation Commission. Selectwoman Day, a ConComm member, outlined to the Selectboard members the focus of the training and noted that there is a milfoil infestation as in Otter Lake. This infestation puts Sunset and Zephyr Lakes in jeopardy of being infected as well, not only from Otter Lake, but also from Powder Mill Pond which is infected and not being treated. When milfoil was discovered in Otter Lake, it was treated with herbicides specific to aquatic plants. It took two applications but everything in the lake was cleared except a section by the State beach. The State divers are working on that this summer and hope to have a good section of it removed this year. The cost of removing invasive species is very expensive. The first
year of an infestation, the State covers the cost but the second year they only cover about 40% and the third year nothing. The earlier an infestation is found, the easier and less expensive it is to remove. Weed Watchers are still needed for Zephyr Lake.
At 5:45 pm Selectwoman Charig Bliss noted that the latest edition of the Greenfield Spirit has updates from the Greenfield Recycling Department, and a report from DPW. She raised the question of whether the Greenfield Police Department could provide weekly logs as well as an update for the Spirit editions. There was a discussion about the question following. It was decided that Police Chief Giammarino should join the Board and be a part of the discussion.
The Board discussed the new business item of a Town asset sale. The Administrator noted that the Board had directed that the fire truck at DPW be disposed of. Subsequently the Recycling Supervisor came in with a request to sell a boat that had been left at the center. Items of this type are not normally received by the center. The boat in question was left at the center on a day when the Supervisor was in a training session off-site. The Administrator reported that the assets could be listed together and a sealed bid opening held by the Town. The Board agreed that this would be a good way to be transparent and open, and ensure that everyone that is interested can have a chance at participation.
6:00 PM: Greenfield Roads Commission
At 6:00 pm the Roads Commission came before the Selectboard. The Roads Commission was represented by Myron (Mike) Steere, Norman Nickerson, Mike Merzi, and Tom Bascomb. Mr. Steere is the Chairman of the committee. The Selectboard welcomed the Roads Commission and the Chair of the Selectboard opened the meeting. Mr. Steere said that the commission would like to respond to the Selectboard’s Review of the Roads Commission report, which is posted on the website along with the Road Commission’s Gravel Road Survey 2013. Mr. Steere said that the Roads Commission has handed in all of their minutes to the Town Office and they have included questions that the Board could respond to in those minutes. The Roads Commission would like the Selectboard to re-appoint Mike Merzi. Mr. Steere said that unless the
Town was willing to reimburse the Roads Commission, it wasn’t feasible to have them drive to Concord to do research on the roads in town (as noted in the Selectboard’s review). Mr. Steere indicated that the Roads Commission did identify the culverts in their report and said that they were numbered. Selectwoman Day said that it would be helpful to have the culverts located on a map to show their actual location. She said that the culverts need to be listed and the total number in town provided. Mr. Steere agreed. There was a discussion about the need to locate the culverts as some are very difficult to find. The Roads Commission put a lot of time into indentifying the culverts. Mr. Steere said that if the Town were to provide some markers the Roads Commission would put them in place. Lastly, Mr. Steere addressed the Selectboard’s comments about the changing road characteristics. He agreed that road characteristics do change with weather events and time but that the
Roads Commission was providing the information (in the Gravel Road Survey) as part of the information about issues they see, such as grading and crowning of the roads. Selectwoman Day indicated that the Selectboard has been conducting an internal study on road conditions and tackling similar issues. The Chair responded that the Selectboard has spoken to the DPW Supervisor about the issues that Mr. Steere was citing. Mr. Steere suggested that residents have said that they have a hard time talking with the DPW Supervisor. Committee members receive negative comments that the Board may not. The Chair indicated that it was clear that there have been some personality issues between certain members of the committee and the DPW Supervisor, and possibly with the former Board of Selectmen. Comments and complaints can be brought to the Town Office, residents can schedule to meet with the Town Administrator, or the Selectboard when they hold a meeting. Selectwoman Charig Bliss pointed out that
there is a new Selectboard now and new people involved. The Board outlined the steps that residents should take if they have complaints about the roads or working with DPW members. The Board will deal with any personnel issues if they crop up.
The Chair raised the issue of the original warrant voted at Town Meeting. Warrant Article #20 as voted was set up to include the Selectmen and the DPW Supervisor on the commission. The Selectboard would like to refocus the committee so that it performs according to the will of the voters. The Board would like to focus on the roads and their conditions, which could include discussions about the materials used, the equipment, drainage, ditching, etc. This could also include the number of houses on each road, traffic counts, actual widths, and the research regarding the original widths. The Chair emphasized that the committee’s focus should be to gather information needed to improve the roads for everyone who travels on them. Mr. Steere indicated that the Roads Commission did find issues that had to do with
ditching and drainage. These issues contributed to waste of materials. There are visibility issues in a number of areas in town because the brush and trees need to be cut back. The roads will have speed bumps around the culverts where material is either ditched or humped up. Selectwoman Day agreed that drainage is a significant issue. One of the problems that has to be acknowledged is that the DPW is often re-directed to deal with building and ‘public works’ issues, and as a consequence the crew gets pulled off road maintenance. The Selectboard has been considering a temporary summer employee to take care of the building issues which would free up the DPW for more road maintenance. The Board also had a long discussion with our Road Foreman and found that there are two pieces of equipment that could be added that would improve the unpaved roads. This would be a York Rake and a vibratory roller. The rake could be purchased relatively inexpensively and other equipment can
be rented and would be an asset to the town. There is also the issue of money. The DPW cannot afford to fix every gravel road in town to perfection on the current budget, she said.
Road Commission member Tom Bascomb said that the committee can help with the prioritization of road work and that the committee was interested in helping with some of the more persistent problems. He felt that the Roads Commission could be helpful in a strategic manner, such as with equipment needs. He said that the committee is interested in what can be expected of them from a reasonable standpoint, going to Concord, for example, wasn’t realistic for them. A discussion of the road widths was taken up. This transitioned to a discussion about the work product that was reasonable to expect of the committee. Selectwoman Day indicated that a map of the town roads highlighting the culverts was crucial. She posed the question about wetlands and said she remembered that Duffy Fox (former road agent) had issues dealing with
culverts because of the wetlands, “and it’s probably just as difficult now”(to deal with the NH Department of Environmental Services (DES)).
Road Commission member Norm Nickerson said that in the past the former Chairman of the Selectboard went on a walk with the Roads Commission. They were able to point out some obvious issues. He cited an instance that made him upset as a taxpayer because the job he was discussing wasn’t done correctly the first time and DPW had to start over. He said that he would like to have a meeting with all of the parties together to have a conversation about how we can do things right the first time. Selectwoman Day said that everyone needs to work together as a team. The town has made an investment in the DPW and DPW Supervisor Murray is a very hard worker. The Board and members of the committee reached a consensus that they were all interested in doing it “right the first time”. Norm Nickerson said that it would be
good to put some best practices in place so we don’t have to spend money over and over again in the same place. He said that he understood that nature and weather can do a lot of damage. The rain “has come hard and heavy this summer. It’s been unusual, and there has been a lot of work to do as a result, but that’s New England”.
The Selectboard thanked the committee members for the meeting and agreed to set a date for another meeting in September.
6:40 PM: Residents Richard and Donna Sweet
The Selectboard, on a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectwoman Day held a vote to enter into a non-public session under RSA 91:A –II c, Reputation. Chairwoman Davidson votes, Aye; Selectwoman Karen Day, Aye; Selectwoman Margaret Charig Bliss, Aye. The motion passed on a roll call vote of 3-0. At 7:15 pm the Selectboard voted to end non-public session on a vote of 3-0. The Chair noted that no decisions had been made and no votes taken in the non-public session.
The Chair closed the meeting and instructed the Administrator to contact the Police Chief and the Building Inspector and to arrange meeting times with the Board.
Adjournment
On a motion by the Chair, and a second by Selectwoman Charig Bliss, the Board voted to adjourn. The motion carried 3-0. The meeting adjourned at 7:35 PM.
The minutes are final when approved and signed by the Selectboard. A signed copy is on file in the Selectboard’s office.
______________________ ______________________ _____________________
Chair, Debra Davidson Karen Day, Selectwoman Margaret Charig Bliss, Selectwoman
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