Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectboard’s Work Session Minutes
Thursday, Sept. 3, 2015 – 5:00 PM
Selectboard: Chairwoman Selectwoman Karen Day, Selectwoman Margaret Charig-Bliss, Selectman Stephen Atherton Jr. arrived at 6:10 PM
Staff: Administrator Patt,
Public:
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 PM by Chairwoman Karen Day.
Documents for Approval/Review/Signature
The Selectboard reviewed and/or signed the following items:
- A/P Invoices
- A/P Checks
- Employee Vacation Request
- Resident Complaint
- Atty. Letter re: Fairpoint Abatement
|
5:00 PM: Lisa Murphy, Southwest Regional Planning
At 5:00 the Selectboard Chair opened the meeting. Lisa Murphy of Southwest Regional Planning (SWRP) outlined recent work by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) and Homeland Security on fluvial erosion studies. The increase in storm activities and the number of significant threshold storms has increased the potential for regional flooding. From an All-Hazard perspective, flooding is the biggest hazard that we have in our region of the State. The results of recent studies show that Greenfields culverts are not a high risk. There is one culvert that NHDES expressed concern over, at the corner of East Road and Dunklee Hill rd. This is the only trouble spot for flooding that was found within the footprint of Greenfield. The Board reviewed the plans with Ms. Murphy and determined that the next step
would be for DPW Roads Manager Neal Beauregard to review the plans and note the culvert information presented by SWRP.
At 5:15 pm the Board thanked SWRP representative Murphy for her time. The Selectboard used the remaining time until the next meeting to review documents and to sign the A/P Manifest.
5:30 PM: Carol Burgess, Recycling Center Supervisor
At 5:40 pm, the Chair welcomed Carol Burgess, Recycling Center Supervisor to the meeting. Supervisor Burgess provided the Board with a short letter outlining several recent developments at the Recycling Center. As outlined in a previous meeting, the cost of hauling for glass and for the commercial dumpster items has gone up. Supervisor Burgess is negotiating with Monadnock Disposal for a better rate than provided by NRRA. The previous vendor, Empire from Billerica MA has gone bankrupt. There is a verbal agreement in place to get through the winter and to allow MDS to evaluate their ability to provide hauling of paper and plastics. Rather than pay for container rentals the Recycling Center will work with MDS through the winter. In 2016 it is possible that the town will have to pay rental fees to host the containers for
paper and plastic. Since the new fees are not built into the 2015 budget this is the best short term solution that the Recycling Center can work out for now.
The bathroom facilities at the Recycling Center are nearing completion. The electrical work will be finished in the upcoming week. The final component will be to have a contract for pumping services in place with a vendor. Once this is on file the work can be closed out and DOL will re-inspect the building.
Lastly, Supervisor Burgess discussed the brush piles at the Recycling Center. Because the weather this summer has been so dry, the Recycling Center has been forced to stop taking brush. DPW has not had a burn window and it’s anticipated that there will be a state-wide ban on burning unless there is some rain in the future.
6:00 PM: Paul Renaud, Economic Development Chairman
At 6:00pm the Board welcomed Paul Renaud to the meeting. Mr. Renaud outlined recent work by the Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC). Mr. Renaud provided an overview of the RSA 79-E application process. EDAC worked on an application so that people who want to negotiate a 79-E tax break could go through the process with the Town Office. Mr. Renaud provided an overview of the application document and outlined how the process would work.
Next Mr. Renuad discussed the EDAC and some changes that were made to the EDAC Charter, which he hoped would receive support from the Selectboard. The changes are minor and include a change from a monthly meeting to a bi-monthly meeting schedule. In addition the EDAC has an interest in promoting community development. Community development and Broadband are the two most important programs that EDAC attempts to move forward. The focus on Broadband has had some success in the past. Recently the Town of Peterborough decided to move forward with a broadband survey similar to EDAC’s survey in Greenfield last year. After some discussion on Peterborough’s interest in the results of Greenfield’s broadband survey it was agreed by consensus that the Selectboard would like Paul to represent Greenfield in a regional approach to
the question of bringing broadband to residents in town. There was some discussion about ComCast and other carriers that have a presence in town but do not service any customers within the footprint of Greenfield. Mr. Renaud indicated that he could provide a lot of information about the reasons for this but it would have to be part of a much longer meeting.
6:40 PM: Kevin O’Connell and Bob Marshall, Planning Board
At 6:40pm the Board welcomed former Planning Board Chair Bob Marshall to the meeting. It was noted that Kevin O’Connell, the current Planning Board Chair was enroute. The Board discussed the recent decision by Rymes Oil to close the Greenfield, Peterborough, and Antrim gas pumps. During discussions with the Town Administrator, Tom Rymes of Rymes Oil had suggested that the company would be willing to look at new options for the gas pump property. Mr. Marshall said that in the past Rymes had visited with the Greenfield Planning Board and discussed subdividing the white apartment building adjacent to the gas pumps from the gas pump parking lot. Mr. Rymes had suggested to the Administrator that the company would look at options including donating the pump lot to the town. The Board and Mr. Marshall discussed the benefits
and issues associated with ownership of the lot. At 6:58 Kevin O’Connell, Planning Board Chair joined the meeting. Past issues that are known about the lot were discussed. At 7:25 the Board thanked Mr. Marshall and Mr. O’Connell for their time.
7:30 PM: Documents for Review and Approval
The Board reviewed and signed A/P Invoices, and A/P Checks. The Board signed Minutes of 8/20/2015. A letter from Kim Kamieniecki to individual Board members was reviewed. Mrs. Kamienniecki asked the board members to review the minutes of 8/13. She provided edits that she recommended to the minutes. At the end of the conversation the Board agreed that the minutes captured the conversation on the 13th adequately and did not make any changes.
Adjournment
On a motion by the Chair, and a second by Selectman Atherton, the Board voted to adjourn. The motion carried 3-0. The meeting adjourned at 8:25 PM.
The minutes are final when approved and signed by the Selectboard. A signed copy is on file in the Selectboard’s office.
_________________ _______________________ ___________________________
Chair, Karen Day Margaret Charig Bliss, Selectwoman Stephen Atherton Jr., Selectman
| 
