Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectboard’s Minutes
Tuesday, April 19, 2016 – 5:30 PM
Selectboard: Chairwoman Margaret A. Charig Bliss, Selectman Stephen Atherton Jr., Selectman Robert Marshall
Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator, Planning Board Chair Paul Renaud
Public: Linnea Stevenson,
5:30 p.m. The meeting was opened by Chairwoman Charig Bliss. It was noted that the 6pm meeting with the Tax Collector was cancelled due to illness.
Documents for Review/Approval
- A/P Invoices
- A/P Checks
- Payroll
- Wastewater Check
- Selectboard Minutes – 4/12/2016
- Oak Park Rental Agreement – Resubmit with insurance
- Oak Park Rental Agreement – Resubmit with Police Chief signature
- Meeting House Rental Agreement -GPTO
- Treasurer Memo – Closure of Forest Firefighters Savings Account
- Conservation Commission Appointment(s)
- Vehicle Mounted GPS Distance Measurement -Device Comparison(s)
- Town of Francestown Letter – Perambulation
- Crotched Mountain Foundation – Raffle Ticket Permit
- Property owner letter – S3-3
- Avitar Letter – Re: Utility Assessments
5:30 PM: Public Forum
Planning Board Chair Paul Renaud attended the Selectboard meeting. Mr. Renaud asked if he could address the Selectboard during the public forum regarding the Rymes lot (formerly the location of the gas pumps). After some discussion regarding the lot, the Board asked the Town Administrator to call the owners of the lot and ask if there was any activity happening with the lot.
Linnea Stevenson handed in a written letter to the Selectboard clarifying her comments in the Selectboard minutes of 3/29/2016 regarding the purchase of used equipment by the town.
There were no other public comments.
5:45 PM: John Paradise, Property Owner
Mr. Paradise met with the Selectboard re: obtaining a building permit on his lot, R1-33, on Muzzey Hill Road. An overview was provided of the process that the town has to go through in order to address Mr. Paradise’s request for a building permit on a Class VI road. By law under RSA 674, the Selectboard is required to forward the request to the Planning Board for their review and comment. Also under RSA 674 the town is required to notify a neighboring town when such a request involves a property located on the border of the two towns. In this case the property in Greenfield borders the town of Bennington and the access to the property is through Bennington.
The Town of Greenfield has a policy on private roads that covers such requests. The Board discussed the requirements under the law with Mr. Paradise and then asked the Administrator to write a letter to the Town of Bennington notifying the Town Offices of Mr. Paradise’s request. Paul Renaud, Chair of the Planning Board asked Mr. Paradise if he was available to meet with the Planning Board at the next scheduled Planning Board meeting.
6:00 PM: Selectboard Work Session (Due to cancellation)
The Board began signing documents at 5:55pm. The Board then reviewed A/P Invoices, A/P Checks, and signed the A/P Check manifest. Two Oak Park rental agreements were signed, and a Meeting House rental agreement was signed. The Board reviewed a letter from Treasurer Katherine Heck regarding the closure of the Forest Fire Fighters Savings Account. The Board signed the appointment forms for the ConComm members. The Board reviewed a letter from the town’s assessing company regarding the potential for future changes in the rules, which would require the town to have a licensed appraiser provide appraisal information on utilities. The Board reviewed and signed the minutes of 4/12/2016. The Board voted to approve the minutes of the April 12th meeting.
The Board reviewed the A/P invoice folder as part of a selectboard workflow review. It was noted that the town’s auditor had recommended that the Board discontinue the practice of signing all of the invoices separately; and to have the checks and invoices brought in together. The invoices have always been brought to the Selectboard when checks are printed so the previous step of signing invoices can be consolidated into the review of one A/P Check folder. After review of the recommendation and some discussion, the Board voted on a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectman Marshall to remove the invoice folder from the Selectboard weekly workflow, per the auditor’s recommendation.
The Board discussed meeting the Office Manager Catherine Shaw and Treasurer Katherine Heck in order to discuss this change (above) and to gather information on the financial documents workflow beyond their involvement.
The Board discussed the week of May 9th in which the Selectboard Offices will be closed due to training and other commitments. It was the consensus of the Board to post the closure of the Town Office on Weds. May 11th and Thursday, May 12th in advance and to post the notices on the front entrance doors, as well as the website and the post office.
The Board reviewed a letter from the Town of Francestown regarding perambulation of the town’s borders with Francestown. The Board noted that the Town of Francestown has appointed a person to be Town Perambulator. This was discussed as a possibility for Greenfield. The Board asked the Town Administrator to follow up with Francestown and report back on when they plan to undertake the perambulation of the border.
Adjournment
The time being 9:25pm the Chair Charig Bliss moved to adjourn. Selectman Marshall seconded. All were in favor, and the motion carried 3-0.
The meeting adjourned at 9:25 PM.
The minutes are final when approved and signed by the Selectboard. A signed copy is on file in the Selectboard’s office.
_________________ _______________________ _________________________
Chair, Margaret Charig Bliss, Stephen Atherton Jr., Selectman Robert Marshall, Selectman
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