Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectboard’s Minutes
Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016 – 5:30 PM
Selectboard: Chairwoman Margaret A. Charig Bliss, Selectman Stephen Atherton Jr., Selectman Robert Marshall
Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator;
Public: Abby Kessler, Ledger Transcript Reporter
5:30 p.m. The meeting was opened by Chairwoman Charig Bliss.
Documents for Review/Approval
- Payroll Register
- Intent to Cut – R4-5-3,
- Transfer of Funds: Conservation Fund to General Fund
- Waste Water Tax Levy – 4th Quarter
- Ice House Lane – Letter to Diane Boilard
- Abatement – R7-4, R6-23
- Assessing Agreement
- Selectboard Minutes
- Meeting House Rental
- Deed – R3-41
5:30 PM: Public Forum
Norm Nickerson, Budget Committee Chair and also a local mechanic, came before the Selectboard during the public forum to make a statement regarding the engine in the brush truck that the Fire Department expressed an interest in purchasing. Mr. Nickerson stated that the 6.0 diesel engines in Ford trucks of that year are problematic. He stated that that engine, in general, has had a lot of problems. He also stated that he checked on the NADA value for a truck with similar mileage and discovered that the proposed brush truck was being sold “at top dollar”.
Subsequent to providing this information to the Selectboard, Mr. Nickerson asked some questions about the State Education tax. It was noted by the Administrator that the State Education tax had stayed the same from 2015 to the current year. There was a brief conversation about the 2016 tax rate. The tax rate increased a total of .47 cents in 2016 over 2015. This increase was less than the $1 dollar amount forecast by the Selectboard at Town Meeting, which the town’s rate was slated to increase in order to have significant capital reserve savings for the first time in the town’s history. The reduction was due in part to use of fund balance by the Selectboard & additional revenues from the State’s revenue share (Meals & Rooms and Highway Block Grant). The biggest reason, however, that the rate was up less than
fifty cents was the fact that the ConVal tax portion of the bill went down. At the conclusion of the conversation it was noted that a home valued at $200,000 would show an increase of $94.00 over the tax bill last year.
5:45 PM: Police Chief, Brian Giammarino
At 5:50 pm the Selectboard Chair welcomed Police Chief Brian Giammarino. Chief Giammarino brought forward an updated Officer-Involved Shooting policy for the Board to review. The Board reviewed the policy and asked several questions. Chief Giammarino explained the policy’s intent and how it will cover the officers of the department in the future should an officer involved situation take place. After a brief discussion the Board thanked Chief Giammarino for his follow-up.
6:00 PM: Recycling Center Supervisor, Carol Burgess
At 6:00 pm the Board welcomed Carol Burgess, Recycling Center Supervisor. 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 under RSA 91-A:III a, Compensation. At 7:10 PM the Board voted 3-0 to enter into public session and to seal the minutes. It was noted that no actions had been taken and no votes cast. An employee evaluation of Supervisor Burgess in advance of the 2017 Budget Season for the purpose of establishing goals and wages was completed.
7:00 PM: Gary Russell, Sportsmen’s Club
The Board held a brief discussion of the Sportsman’s Club property with Gary Russell. Mr. Russell explained that he has been a member of the club for many years. At a recent meeting he was elected President of the club. Mr. Russell stated that the club is concerned about some discussion with the Conservation Commission (ConComm), who asked the Board to turn stewardship of the land off Savage Road over to the ConComm. Mr. Russell stated that the Sportsmen’s Club is active and has met to recruit new members and to discuss its financing. He said that the club has funding and also mentioned that he understood that there are funds under management by the Trustees of Trust Funds that are for the club to use on the property. The Chair said that it didn’t seem as if the land was being used and it appeared that the club was
in abeyance. The Chair asked if the club could forward copies of its charter to have on file at the Town Office. Mr. Russell agreed to provide the Board with copies of the club’s charter. After further discussion regarding the class VI road leading to the Savage Road property Mr. Russell stated that he would provide documentation of the club’s interest in providing maintenance on the class VI road in order to access the property. He also said that the club was interested in hosting a fishing derby at the pond for the kids in the area. The meeting concluded at 7:55 pm and the Board thanked Mr. Russell for attending the meeting.
8:00 PM: Selectboard Work Session
The Board took up a conversation about the vacation policy and the personnel policy. The Board reviewed and signed the Consent Agenda. The Board discussed an A/P payment by the Conservation Commission to an outside vendor. The Board took up a brief discussion on the purchasing policy. At the end of the meeting the Board requested an overview of the vacation policy updated with recommendations by the Administrator for review.
Adjournment
The time being 9:50 pm the Chair moved to adjourn. Selectman Marshall seconded. All were in favor, and the motion carried 3-0.
The meeting adjourned at 9:50 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, Selectman, Stephen Atherton Jr. Selectman, Robert Marshall
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