Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectboard’s Minutes
Thursday, July 07, 2016 – 5:30 PM
Selectboard: Chairwoman Margaret A. Charig Bliss, Selectman Stephen Atherton Jr., Selectman Robert Marshall
Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator; Andrew Wood, Greenfield Police Department
Public: Brandon Latham, Ledger Transcript Reporter
5:30 p.m. The meeting was opened by Chairwoman Charig Bliss.
Documents for Review/Approval
- A/P Invoices and Checks
- Selectboard Minutes
- Lifeguard New Hire and Re-hire Forms
- Wage Adjustment Forms – Temporary Positions
- Meeting House Rental
- Timber Bond – R3-44
5:30 PM: Public Forum
There were no members of the public present for the public forum. The Chair opened the meeting and reviewed the Consent Agenda. After review of the Consent Agenda the Chair made a motion to accept the Consent Agenda as presented. Selectman Marshall seconded the motion. The Board voted 3-0 in favor to accept the Consent Agenda.
5:45 PM: Andrew Wood, Greenfield Police Department
The Board welcomed Andrew Wood, Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Greenfield Police Department to the meeting. OIC Wood provided a brief update on the status of the police department. He advised the Selectboard that they should appoint a person in the department to sign off on pistol permits. After some discussion the Board agreed to grant OIC Wood authority to sign pistol permits: On a motion by Selectman Marshall and a second by the Chair, the Board voted 3-0 in favor to delegate authority to OIC Wood to approve pistol permits.
OIC Wood reported that the department is running smoothly and part-time officers are working to cover shifts that are left open as a result of having two officers out. He advised the Selectboard that Officer Quigley will be taking a pre-planned vacation from 7/25-8/09, which cannot be changed as it coincides with military training. Wood outlined the officers that are working part-time and their availability. He outlined the number of shifts per week to be covered. OIC Wood provided a figure of $10,000 to $12,000 needed to cover the cost of the part-time shifts through August. The current department budget for Part-Time is nearly depleted and the budget line for Over-Time is also nearly used up. Selectman Marshall asked if there were resources at the State or County level that could be used to help fill-in some of the open
shifts. OIC Wood explained the level of resources available from these agencies, and also the level of Mutual Aid that is available. Wood expressed that it will be tight financially but he expects to cover the open shifts.
OIC Wood suggested that the Selectboard should look at appointing other part-time officers to the department on a temporary basis until at least one of the command staff is returned to duty. Wood suggested that Officer Shane Sweeney, currently working in Hancock, and who already has a relationship with Greenfield’s Chief, would be a good fit. After some discussion the Board agreed and Selectman Marshall made a motion to appoint Shane Joseph Sweeney to the Greenfield Police Department on a temporary basis with an end date of August 25th, and will determine at that time whether to extend the appointment. Selectman Atherton seconded the motion. On a vote of 3-0 in favor, Shane Joseph “Joe” Sweeney was appointed to the Greenfield Police Department as a Part-Time Patrol Officer. Town Administrator left the
room briefly to draw up the appointment paperwork. On return the Board signed the appointment and the document was brought to the Town Clerk.
It was determined that payment for Officer Sweeney would be set in non-public session as afforded by the law. On a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectman Marshall the Board voted on a roll-call vote to enter into non-public session, 3-0, for the purpose of discussing a personnel matter under RSA 91-A:3 IIa, Compensation. At 7:45pm the Board voted 3-0 to exit non-public session and to seal the minutes.
The Chair requested that the Town Administrator examine the Police budget and the Town budget overall, and provide some suggestions as to how the town will pay for the part-time shifts outlined in conversation with Officer Wood.
7:45 PM: Selectboard Work Session
The Selectboard took up a list of items not associated with the consent agenda. This included a request that was presented during the work session by Greenfield Tax Collector Kathleen Valliere. T.C. Valliere asked to include another request for abatement in the meeting agenda. After a discussion regarding the request, the Board determined that several steps would be required before they would hear the abatement request. Most importantly the property needs to be finalized through probate before the future property owner could request abatement. Once this is finalized the Board indicated that they would hear the request.
Selectman Marshall outlined his recent reading of the 2015 audit. He expressed that there were several items that point to excellent financial management on behalf of the town. The fund balance is higher than it has been in previous years and the ratio of GAAP Basis fund versus Deferred Taxes is the best it has been. Each of these numbers is not significantly higher than last year, but the fact that these indicators have been increasing steadily over several years shows the progress that has been made since 2010 when the fund balance was in the negative.
Next Selectman Marshall outlined a conversation he had with DPW Manager Neal Beauregard who was relaying a comment by one of the State bridge engineers. The engineer outlined that there was a significant cost savings to the town for DPW to have installed the two Russell Station Culverts. Selectman Marshall asked if it were possible to get this in writing from the State in order to provide to the public. It was noted that many towns contract large culvert crossings and the cost is much higher than what Greenfield spent.
It was also noted that the cost of asphalt had fallen again and by renewing the contract with Brox Paving the cost of paving Russell Station Road was now $63.17 down from $65.50 early in the year. This represents $3,775 in savings from the original quote.
The Selectboard discussed their summer schedule. On a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectman Atherton the Board voted to allow Selectboard members to sign-off non-contemporaneously on documents associated with the running of the Town Office during the Summer schedule, the motion passed 3-0 in favor.
The Board discussed the MS-535, which is the Town’s financial report that is compiled by the auditor as part of their contract for the yearly audit. The MS-535 is normally received much later than the due date as a result of using the auditor. The MS-535 will be posted with the Selectboard’s signatures at the earliest possible time now that the signature page is completed.
Adjournment
The time being 9:15pm the Selectman Atherton moved to adjourn. Selectman Marshall seconded. All were in favor, and the motion carried 3-0.
The meeting adjourned at 9:15 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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