Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectboard’s Work Session Minutes
Thursday, Jan. 07, 2016 – 5:00 PM
Selectboard: Chairwoman Karen Day, Selectman Stephen Atherton Jr.,
Staff: Administrator Patt, Brian Giammarino Police Chief, Patrick Greene DPW Buildings and Grounds Manager
Public: John Paradise
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 PM by Chair Karen Day.
Documents for Review/Approval
- A/P Invoices
- A/P Checks
- Waste Water Checks
- NH Retirement Payment
- CRF Payment Transmittal Letter
- Selectboard Waiver – Purchasing Policy 2016 Update
- Letter from Peterborough Fire & Rescue
- Greenfield Planning Board letter
- Notice of Welfare Lien
- Meeting House Rental Agreement – 225th Town Anniv. 6/15/2016
- Oak Park Rental – Greenfield Winter Carnival 1/30/2016
- Precision Weather Forecasting – Proposal
- Meeting House Rental Agreement – Chili Cook Off 1/30/2016
- Abatement Refund: S4-17
5:00 PM: John Paradise, Property Owner
At 5:00 pm the Chair called the meeting to order. The Board welcomed Mr. John Paradise to the meeting. Mr. Paradise explained that he was coming before the Board because he owns property on a class VI road in town, and he would like to build on the property. The Board examined a map of Greenfield showing the Greenfield/Bennington line. Mr. Paradise owns R1-33 Off Muzzy Hill Road. Mr. Paradise explained that he bought the property at auction from the Town about 20 years ago. At that time he was given the opportunity to build on the property, but he said that the permission
lapsed after two years. The Board and Mr. Paradise discussed the location of the property and looked at documents that Mr. Paradise provided. The Chair noted that the Board would need to look into several issues. She noted that the Town has a Driveway Regulation in zoning and, although there have been times when people have been given permission in the past to build on a class VI road, generally it wasn’t allowed. The Chair explained that the Town would need to undertake some research and that the Board would get back in touch with Mr. Paradise in a week or two.
5:30 PM: Police Chief, Brian Giammarino
At 5:30 pm the Board welcomed Chief Giammarino to the meeting. The purpose of the meeting explained the Chair is to have a follow-up discussion about wages for the Police department full-time employees. The Chair noted that the meeting should be held in non-public session. On a motion by the Chair and a second from Selectman Atherton the Board voted 2-0 to enter into non-public session on a roll call vote. At 6:00 pm the Board voted to exit non-public session and to seal the minutes. Chief Giammarino thanked the Board for their time.
6:00 PM: Department of Public Works Manager, Patrick Greene
At 6:03 pm Patrick Greene, DPW Building and Roads Manager met with the Board to discuss several malfunctions to the equipment used to clear the sidewalks and parking lots during the first snow storm of the season. Both the snow-blower and the plow attachments to the trackless vehicle required repair or broke down during the snowstorm. Mr. Greene reported that the DPW crew worked to fix the snow-blower prior to the storm but the plow did not get repaired. Mr. Green was not aware that people had called with complaints about the sidewalks until several days after the storm. He explained that he was working to get the sidewalks cleared as quickly as he could but broken equipment hampered his efforts. After some discussion with the Board, it was noted that when people call the DPW garage, the message on the answering machine
does not provide the information necessary for people to reach out directly to Mr. Greene. The DPW will be changing the voicemail at the garage in the near future to accommodate residents as well as give them more information in an emergency. The trackless will also be repaired in preparation for the next storm.
6:15 PM: Budget Work Session
The Board went through the budget line by line. The following changes to the budget were requested:
Reduce DPW Gas & Diesel from $35,000 to $30,000
Reduce the Salt line item to $20,000 from $21,500
Reduce the Recycling Center Hazardous Waste Line Item from $2150 to $1950
Move the septic fee from Recycling to the DPW Buildings & Grounds budget
Reduce the Old Town Office line item in DPW Bldgs & Grnds to zero
Reduce the Fire Dept. Gas & Diesel line to $750
Reduce the Fire Dept. Heat to $7000
The Board requested that the DPW Drug & Alcohol line item be researched
The Board discussed the addition of a building alarm system to the Fire Alarm line item at the Library
The Board discussed the need for a warrant article to change the Forest Fire Fighters Savings Account into a capital reserve account as required by DRA
The Board requested a meeting with Mary Ann Grant about the 2016 flower budget
7:15 PM: Documents for Review/Approval
The Board reviewed and signed Waste Water Check, A/P Checks, A/P invoices, and NH Retirement Payment. The Board signed two Meeting House rental applications. The Board signed an abatement refund for property S4-17. The Board signed a Capital Reserve Fund payment transmittal letter to the Trustees of Trust Funds. The Board signed a purchasing policy update. The Board signed an Oak Park Rental agreement. The Chair read a letter from Peterborough Fire and Rescue Chief Walker to the Board. The Board requested that the letter be included verbatim in the minutes and attached to the website. The letter follows:
December 30, 2015
Ms. Karen A. Day, Chair
Greenfield Selectboard
PO Box 256
7 Sawmill Road
Greenfield, NH 03047
Dear Ms. Day,
In light of the recent spate of articles and letters that have appeared in the LedgerTranscript regarding the Greenfield Fire Department, and Chief Hall, I felt it appropriate to write to you and provide my opinion, as a neighboring fire chief, on the department. I was appointed as the fire chief here in Peterborough in May of 2014. At that time the Greenfield Fire Department had difficulty in getting medically trained members to respond on medical calls. Prior to Chief Hall's taking over it was common for the Greenfield Rescue to not make calls leaving our ambulance crew the only responders on scene. With respect to fire incidents, the department often had difficulty in getting apparatus on the road and was also challenged with being able to staff the apparatus with trained firefighters. Since the time
that Chief Hall has taken over, there have been significant improvements within the department.
It has been over a year since the Greenfield Fire Department has missed a call. Chief Hall has also increased the number of officers and, through a scheduled rotation, set up a system that provides for a supervisor on every call. On the two occasions this year when we required the assistance of Greenfield for multiple alarm fire, their apparatus was on scene in a timely fashion and the firefighters were able to complete all assigned tasks.
Another key factor for the department is the new focus on training, not only of the new members who have joined the department, but existing members as well. This past year four ( 4) members completed the NH Fire Academy Firefighter I training program and this past fall, all members who did not hold and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) license, were trained to the level of Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) which now guarantees that trained medical staff will be on all rescue and fire calls.
Although trained personnel are key, sound equipment and apparatus are critical for safe and successful operations. Chief Hall has begun the process of evaluating and upgrading the tools his members have at their disposal. Recently there has been some (negative) focus on the purchase of a "ladder truck." This vehicle should really be considered as an engine (it has 1,500 gallons of water and a 1,500 gallon per minute pump) with the benefit of an elevated master stream. This will replace a much older engine, and increase the department's available water supply. On the EMS side, the department is looking into replacing their older cardiac monitor with a new Zoll model that will allow their first responders to send critical patient information directly to our ambulance crews increasing patient care.
I realize that a lot of the discussion that has been going on could be considered political in nature, but I feel that it is important to acknowledge the gains that Chief Hall has made for the department and the positive direction that I, as a neighboring chief, see the organization and community heading.
Thank you for your time, please feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions or I can be of any assistance.
Sincerely,
Edmund M. Walker
Chief of Department
The Board signed a Forest Fire Warden appointment to be forwarded to the State Fire Warden.
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 8:03 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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