Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectboard’s Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, September 03, 2014 – 4:30 PM
Selectboard: Chairwoman Debra Davidson, Selectwoman Karen Day, Selectwoman Margaret Charig Bliss
Staff: Administrator Patt, Glenn Roberge, Jonathan Quigley, Brian Giammarino, Tim Murray, Mike Borden, Loren White
Public: Ken Paulsen
The meeting was called to order at 4:40 PM by Chairwoman Davidson.
Documents for Approval/Review/Signature
The Selectboard reviewed and/or signed the following items:
§ A/P Invoices
§ A/P Checks
§ Upton & Hatfield Email Correspondence re: Fairpoint
§ Trustee of Trust Funds – Appt. / Wesoly
§ Crack Sealing Bids
§ Oak Park Rental Agreement – Fire Dept. Training
§ Oak Park Rental Agreement – Cal Ripken Practice
§ NH DRA MS-4 – 8/25/2014
§ Morton Salt/ Cargill – Salt Bid Notifications
§ Karla Allen, Greenfield Forester – Trees on Common
§ Transmittal Letter – Trustee of Trust Funds Pmt. – Assessment CRF
§ Current Use Re-categorization – R5-13, R5-14
§ Minutes of 7/21, 8/06 & 8/20
§ Land Use Change Tax – R9-27-4 & R7-19-4
Chair Davidson opened the meeting at 4:40pm.
4:30 PM: Glenn Roberge, Greenfield Police Department
The Board welcomed Glenn Roberge, Sergeant for the Greenfield Police Department. Joining Sgt. Roberge were Police Chief Brian Giammarino and Officer Jonathan Quigley. Sgt. Roberge outlined his thoughts regarding the Town of Greenfield’s healthcare stipend (payment in lieu of benefit);that comes from the Town’s personnel policy. Sgt. Roberge presented a number of pages of material from the New Hampshire Municipal Agency’s website showing that there are towns that provide a stipend amount greater than the Town of Greenfield. He acknowledged that there are towns that do not provide a stipend but wanted the Board to consider increasing the stipend amount. The Board discussed the issue briefly. Sgt. Roberge pointed out that the personnel policy was in place last year when he joined a separate health care
program through his spouse’s healthcare plan. The Board discussed this and on a motion by Selectwoman Charig Bliss and a second by Selectwoman Day the Board voted 3-0 to pay Sgt. Roberge for the fourth quarter payment of 2013. On a final note, Mr. Roberge noted that he had not had a raise since his most recent promotion. There was some discussion between the Board and the Chief of Police. It was agreed that the Chief would come back and discuss this with the Board at a later date. The Chair closed the session indicating that the board members would review the material from NHMA and include the discussion in the 2015 budget season.
4:45 PM: Tim Murray, DPW Supervisor
Tim Murray, DPW Supervisor approached the Board and provided three quotes for crack sealing that he would like to have completed on Old Mountain Road and several other spots in Town. The Board discussed the crack sealing and on a motion by the Chair, and a second by Selectwoman Day voted 3-0 to waive the purchasing policy requirements, and choose the lowest bidder: JDK Paving. The Chair noted that the price difference was significantly lower and that JDK has provided the service to local towns who reported favorably about the vendor to DPW Supervisor Murray. Selectwoman Day noted that it was important to move quickly and not miss the hot weather at the end of summer for this work.
5:00 PM: Mike Borden, Building Inspector, Code Enforcement Officer
At 5:00 pm Mike Borden, Building Inspector came before the Board. Mr. Borden explained that he had had some recent conversations with DPW Supervisor Tim Murray about the electric service at the Meeting House. In order to advise the Selectboard, Mr. Borden had agreed to create a scope of work for this project in order to facilitate a bid process that would replace electrical panels. Mr. Borden said it was important to understand that the Meeting House had had some of its basic infrastructure re-wired in the last 30 years. What needs to be replaced now are the electrical panels downstairs, and in the meeting room. The upstairs panels are currently push button breaker panels. Since a fire was most likely to break out in the electrical panel, it would be prudent to do this work as soon as practical financially.
There was a discussion following about the lights on the common; the Chair asked if it were possible to install new lights at the front of the Meeting House as the large flood lights are too bright for those people driving down Francestown Road at night; the lights present a road hazard. Mr. Borden indicated that he could get a separate quote on this.
Chairwoman Davidson brought forward a letter of complaint by a resident against the owner of Allrose Farm. The Board discussed the letter from David Hedstrom regarding the possibility of non-conforming use of the farm property as a wedding destination. Mr. Borden read the complaint letter and said that he would take it under advisement. He was aware that the owner of Allrose Farm had been in the process of a Planning Board application for a home base business, but that the application had been withdrawn due to an issue with the noticing of the hearing. Selectwoman Day said that she felt that the Selectboard needs to let the Planning Board do its job. The Chair asked the Administrator and Mr. Borden to follow up on the issue and for a letter to be sent to the Mr. Hedstrom.
The Chair asked about dilapidated buildings noting that it’s now September; summer is over and none of these buildings have been taken care of. A discussion was held about each of the buildings that are of concern. It was noted that at least one owner had walked away from the property and that the Town’s tax bills are being returned in the mail as undeliverable. Mr. Borden said that the best solution to that property was for the building to be condemned and razed. But, he said, it would be the Town that bears the cost of tearing the building down. He suggested that a list from the tax collector regarding the properties would help provide a timeline as there are a few properties that are nearing tax deeding. The Chair asked Mr. Borden to send out communication with fines noted. Mr. Borden indicated he would
work with the Administrator to ensure that this was done correctly.
6:05 PM: Loren White, Fire Chief
The Board welcomed Fire Chief Loren White to the meeting. The Chair opened the meeting and noted that there were several items to discuss. The first item that the Board wanted to share was a binder from the Administrator outlining the receipt of the GFD bylaws separate from the Greenfield Fire Fighters Association bylaws. The binder provided information on the State of NH RSAs, the Town’s Risk Pool / insurance company policy on outside organizations, and an email from the NHMA legal inquiries regarding the separation of the two entities.
Next the Chair outlined a recent submission of an article to the Spirit that was received by the Board. Chief White said this was one of the primary reasons for wanting to attend the meeting. The Fire Department Association is interested in building a training building for the Fire Department behind the Fire Department building. The Association will raise all the necessary funds and there won’t be any initial cost to the Town, the town would then assume all insurances, and any maintenance. The facility would not have any electric or plumbing, or heating, and would be a two story shell with a variety of different roof materials and freestanding walls that could be used for training purposes. It would not be a habitable building. Chief White indicated that the place where the Fire Department would like to have the
building located would likely overlap with a portion of the former Winnie Russell Property, which is also owned by the Town. The Board indicated that it would need a drawing that outlines the site and the set-backs before it could start to get comfortable with the project. The Board asked if it was the intention of the Association to go before Town Meeting to get permission from the voters to put the building up. Chief White indicated that he was hoping that the permission would come from the Selectboard, since taxation was not part of the funding equation. There was a short discussion about the proposed building and the use of the Russell property. The Board noted that the proposal brings up a number of questions; insurance for the building, use of Town property and whether it needs to go before the legislative body at Town Meeting, and care and maintenance costs for the building after the initial donation from the Firefighters Association. The Board indicated that they were
willing to work with the Chief on these questions but that it would take some time, and that they would like more information from him on the building design and its use. There were no decisions made by the Board during the conversation.
The Chief advised the Board that the Fire Department is planning a muster with participants coming from other fire departments in the region. He said that the State is bringing a Smoke Trailer/ simulator. The Chief provided a verbal list of the communities that have RSVPed. The Board and the Fire Chief discussed the Fire Department’s use of Oak Park and stipulated that no alcohol could be used during a Greenfield Fire Department training. It was agreed that the Greenfield Firefighters Association would submit an Oak Park rental agreement with a Certificate of Insurance to the Town, in order for the Association to host an event that includes alcohol immediately following the training.
The Chief then asked if the Board would give permission to DPW to put up security bollards around the Fire Department’s underground tank area. The Selectboard agreed and asked that the Chief follow up with Tim Murray, DPW Supervisor.
At 6:30PM the Chief requested a non-public meeting in order to apprise the Selectboard about personnel issues at the Fire Department. On a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectwoman Day the Board voted to enter a non-public session under 91-A:3 IIa Personnel. At 6:45 the Board voted 3-0 to exit the non-public session. The Board voted to seal the minutes. It was noted that no decisions were made and no votes taken during the meeting.
7:00 PM: Documents for Approval/Review/Signature
The Board held a short discussion about the Health Insurance Opt-out program and the stipend that is provided by the Town. There were no decisions made regarding the opt-out stipend.
The Board signed the items on the clipboard: A Transmittal Letter to the Trustee of Trust Funds for Payment to Avitar Associates from the Assessment CRF; a Current Use Re-Categorization for properties R5-13 & R5-14; the Minutes of 7/21, 8/06 & 8/20; and a Land Use Change Tax for properties R9-27-4 & R7-19-4. The Board reviewed items on the clipboard and in the Selectboard’s reading file. The Board signed AP Checks and AP Invoices.
At 7:47 PM the Selectmen voted on a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectwoman Charig Bliss to enter into a scheduled non-public session under RSA 91-A:3 II(a) to discuss a matter of personnel. On a motion of 3-0 the Board entered into a non-public session. At 7:47 PM the Board voted to exit non-public session. The Board voted 3-0 to seal the minutes. It was noted that no decisions had been made and no votes taken during the meeting.
Adjournment
On a motion by the Chair, and a second by Selectwoman Day, the Board voted to adjourn. The motion carried 2-0. The meeting adjourned at 8:10 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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