Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectboard’s Work Session Minutes
Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015 – 5:00 PM
Selectboard: Chairwoman Karen Day, Selectman Stephen Atherton Jr., Selectwoman Margaret Charig Bliss,
Staff: Administrator Patt,
Public: Gary and Karen Russell, Nicholas Handy – Ledger Transcript reporter,
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 PM by Chair Karen Day.
Documents for Review/Approval
- A/P Invoices
- A/P Checks
- Wastewater Check
- Recreation Revolving Account Donations – 225th Anniv.
5:00 PM: Selectboard Budget Work Session
At 5:00 pm the Chair welcomed DPW Managers Patrick Greene and Neal Beauregard to the Selectboard budget work session. The DPW managers were asked to provide a report on the final preparations for winter maintenance season. There followed a discussion of the division of labor and equipment needed to maintain the roads, parking lots, and building entrances and exits.
Documents for Review/Approval
The Board reviewed the Driscoll Road deeds and discussed the need for language that would address manmade features in the Right-of-Way on one of the deeds. The Board conferred with Mr. Beauregard on the width of the traveled way over the first culvert crossing. The Chair asked if the narrow crossing presented any issues for the snow plow. Mr. Beauregard replied that the driver would need to lift the wing plow in order negotiate that tight spot but otherwise it should not present a problem. The Board reached a consensus that a meeting at that location should be scheduled with the homeowner if possible.
The Board reviewed the Road Commission Minutes. At 5:45 the Board reviewed the Recreation Revolving Account balance to date and, on a motion by the Chair and a Second from Selectman Atherton, voted to accept donations through 12/8, for the year, to the 225th Anniversary Committee’s 2016 program. The Board discussed the 12 Slip Road building demolition quotes. The Board is waiting on the court to rule on next steps with the condemned building. The Code Enforcement Officer is in the process of collecting proposals and pricing to raze the building.
The Board discussed briefly with Ken Paulsen, of the Planning Board, the idea of using capital reserve funds for the purchase of used vehicles. Mr. Paulsen said that whether the town purchases new or used was less of an issue, and that the important thing was to get the town used to saving every year so that CRF funds increase and are available to offset costs in the future. One of the issues that the Planning Board noted during the Capital Improvements Plan program was that inflation increases the costs of vehicles year over year. The cost of new vehicles is considerably higher now than it was prior to 2008 when the town did not have CRF funds. Selectwoman Charig Bliss said that by considering used vehicles the town is able to cut down on the expense and conversely this increases the value of savings. Mr. Paulsen said he
is very supportive of the use of Capital Reserve Funds. He noted with the exception of fire vehicles, the rest of the town’s vehicles are used daily ad require more frequent maintenance. As a result there may be some vehicles that the town chooses to purchase new (such as police vehicles), while other purchases could be used.
At 6:20 Debra Davidson, Leonard Boutin, Marsha Davis , Gary and Karen Russell, Diane Boilard, Norm Nickerson, and Steven Kamieniecki arrived for the Selectboard Informational Meeting.
6:30 PM: Information Meeting
At 6:30 pm Chair Karen Day opened the Information Meeting to discuss the potential for using Capital Reserve Funds for the purchase of used vehicles. The Chair’s opening remarks centered on the Boards review of the Planning Board’s Capital Improvements Plan (CIP), the philosophy of the Board with respect to capital planning, and the recognition of the reality of the costs associated with the acquisition of equipment compared to the amount of savings that the town has put aside since 2008. She noted that the Board’s intention is to look at cost saving measures that will save the town money, and she noted that the Board recently concluded that purchasing used vehicles would help the town respond to the increase in costs associated with new vehicles. Recently the Board asked DPW Manager Neal Beauregard to research the
possibility of purchasing used plow trucks. Mr. Beauregard was called upon to describe his research and explain his findings, which had been presented to the Board at a previous meeting. Mr. Beauregard explained that he researched the availability of used plow trucks, especially six wheel vehicles since that is what the department had planned to put on a warrant article for the 2016 budget. Mr. Beauregard provided several examples of vehicles and concluded that it was feasible, but that the town should look to see if there were any towns that rotate their vehicles on a schedule. He went on to say that he discovered that a town in Vermont, which was on a five year program, takes very good care of their trucks and purchasing their used trucks makes sense.
There was a discussion of new prices compared to used prices. Diane Boilard asked what the price for a new plow truck would be and it was noted that the 6-wheeler in 2016 would be more expensive than the 10-wheeler bought in 2014. The cost is approximately $189,000 for a vehicle that is built to work on dirt roads and carry loads of sand and stone, as well as plow and deal with NH’s winter and mud seasons. Gary Russell asked if there were any warranties on a five year vehicle. Steve Kamieniecki asked how many miles the truck under discussion had. Ken Paulsen asked if the vehicle had been undercoated. There followed a discussion on truck frames, and the wear and tear that occur. Mr. Beauregard answered questions from the audience. Mr. Kamieniecki asked if the town was aware of auction sites for these types of
vehicles.
Gary Russell said that he would prefer that the town encumber the funds to repair the bridge over School House Road. The Chair said that the town needs to have a contract in hand in order to encumber funds. Debra Davidson said that the Board could let unexpended funds go to fund balance and let the voters decide at March Town Meeting. She asked why the town didn’t purchase a new truck with a warranty.
Selectwoman Charig Bliss said that the goal is to save money. She listed a number of projects that the town faces to fix buildings as well as acknowledged that the town has a series of purchases that are coming in the future, which the town has not saved enough money to fund. She went on to say that the town has had a level tax rate for many years and that the capital reserve funds are underfunded. Selectman Atherton explained that the truck in question was an example and that the question of purchasing used vehicles pertained just as much to future purchases of a loader, grader, and fire trucks. He said that the town should have been saving “fifty years ago’ and now ‘the piper has come to get paid’. He went on to say “we either have to do without or spend the money”. Selectman Atherton concluded by saying
that he felt that having an informational meeting was necessary and that he had wanted to ensure that the Board was as transparent as possible with their thoughts (on purchasing used vehicles). He said that we have to ‘fix the roads but we can’t afford new vehicles so what do we do’?
Gary Russell said the Town of Bennington was able to purchase a truck that had been built for a dealer on the speculation that one of the big towns would be ready to purchase it. Bennington bought the ‘spec truck’ for around $140,000, which was lower than they would have paid if they had ordered it new. He said that “you don’t get everything that you want sometimes, because it’s built for somebody else (another town) but it can save you money”. Diane Boilard said that she recognized the difficult job that the Selectboard faces. She said ‘we trust you to spend well for the town’.
Selectwoman Charig Bliss explained to the group that for the Board to purchase used vehicles they need to be able to make decisions relatively quickly. Norm Nickerson, Chair of the Budget Advisory Committee said that the town has been remiss for many years in not saving enough money. He said that after reviewing the CIP presentation by the Planning Board he recognizes that saving money is something the town needs to do. The CIP presentation represented a dollar on the tax rate, or, slightly more, at $130,000. He said that for years nobody has done anything about the future. He hoped that everyone understands that saving for capital reserve funds is what is supposed to happen in a small town. But, he said, for twenty five years the town hasn’t saved any money. He said that ‘we have to stop paying attention to whatever
ConVal is doing…..we need to make our town come first”. He said that its time to step up to the plate and pay ourselves first.
Gary Russell said that the town should try and address the rotation of equipment so that it’s not all at once. The town should try to spread out the purchases said Chair Karen Day, in agreement. Mr. Russell asked if the CRF funds were designated for only new purchases when they were first opened. Mr. Paulsen said that the answer was no, so the town can purchase the best value regardless of whether the vehicle is new or used. The Chair stated that this would help the town buy time so that capital reserve funds could be built up.
There being no more questions the Chair closed the meeting at 7:16PM.
7:30 PM: Selectboard Work Session
At the conclusion to the informational meeting, the Board discussed the Building and Grounds, DPW project list for 2016. There are some projects such as replacing the furnace at the Meeting House for the Sanctuary that are things that the Selectboard may be able to encumber out of the 2015 budget. The Board discussed a number of items including:
- Replacing the kitchen stove downstairs at the Meeting House
- Replacing the furnace at the Meeting House
- Replace the electrical panels at the Meeting House
- Raze 12 Slip Road, pending a court order
- Purchase a York Rake
- Fix the Library Basement leak
- Repair the handrail on the outside steps of the Old Town Office
- Build a kiosk for Oak Park, and for each of the beaches
- Replace the sill at the Town Office building
- Find a solution for the DPW Buildings Manager to bring tools from one worksite to the next
The Board compared calendars and requested that a meeting on the 29th of December be posted for finalization of an encumbered funds list.
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 8:52 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
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