Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectboard’s Minutes
Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017 – 5:30 PM
Selectboard: Chairwoman Margaret A. Charig Bliss, Selectman Stephen Atherton Jr., Selectman Robert Marshall
Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator; Carol Burgess Recycling Center Supervisor
Public:
5:35 p.m. The meeting was opened by Chairwoman Charig Bliss.
Documents for Review/Approval
- A/P Check Register
- Wastewater Check Register
- Minutes of Selectboard Meeting
- Hazardous Waste Agreement – City of Keene
- Intent to Cut – R1-11
- Oak Park Fund Transfer
- Inquiry – Police Dept. to BoS
5:30 PM: Selectboard Work Session
At 5:30 pm the Chair noted that the meeting was open. The Board reviewed the Consent Agenda. On a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectman Marshall the Board voted 2-0 to approve the Consent Agenda. The Board reviewed a reply from NHMA Legal Assistance regarding a Right to Know request from the owner of The Messenger. After discussion the Board determined that minutes from the Selectboard meetings can be requested once they are prepared and not via a standing order for all future minutes; and that the town has the ability to send out approved minutes within the time frame allowed by law, which is the preference of the Board.
5:45 PM: Carol Burgess, Recycling Center Supervisor
At 5:45 pm the Chair welcomed Carol Burgess, Recycling Center Supervisor. Burgess advised the Board that as of 2017, Monadnock disposal was charging a rental fee for the open top container that houses #1 Plastics. The cost to remove these items is a $150 hauling fee, $50 for disposal, and now a monthly fee of $100. The hauling and disposal fees run every 5 weeks. The addition of a monthly fee, she said, has made it feasible to rent a baler for $175 a month and then sell the plastics as a commodity. Previously the Town was unable to sell the product because it needed to be baled. (Selecttman Atherton joined the meeting at 6:02 pm) As a result of the increase in fees, it now makes sense for the town to bale and store the product and send it out with other products. She also advised that the town has a contract with
Monadnock Disposal for hauling of trash at $90.00 a ton. She said that when the contract expires at the end of 2017 it is likely that the renewal will come at a higher rate. After review the Board agreed to rent a baler on a month to month basis and to review the impact of selling the commodity at the end of the year.
Next the Board reviewed the Keene Hazardous Waste program’s 2017 fees. On a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectman Marshall the Board voted in favor of having Carol Burgess, Recycling Center Supervisor be the authorized signer for the town of Greenfield on the 2017 Keene Hazardous Waste program and for the future renewals.
7:00 PM: Selectboard Work Session
The Selectboard reviewed a salary survey that Greenfield participated in with the Town of Hancock. The salary/wages survey included 15 towns from the surrounding area. Some of the larger towns were removed for comparison with Greenfield, leaving 10 towns as a comparative municipal market. The survey was analyzed and it was noted by the Board that the town of Greenfield was starting to fall away from the study’s averages. As a result of the study the Board concluded that several positions needed a market adjustment. At the conclusion of the discussion the Board updated the wages for several positions and asked that the overall 2017 budget be updated to reflect the changes. Selectman Marshall stated that it should be the Board’s intention to focus on an overall wage study in 2017 that will focus on longevity, merit,
municipal market values, and other factors that the Board deems to be appropriate when setting wages for employees. The Board’s efforts should result in a comprehensive wage study that can be applied to future years, in a way that addresses several currently open questions. He stated that he was very interested in having a conversation with the employees to gain their feedback, and, to let them know that the Board is very interested in changing the climate of the past so that there is a more concrete way to evaluate performance and set wages in the future.
The Board will review the updated budget at their next meeting in advance of the Public Hearing on February 7th. The Board will look at the overall budget on January 24th and January 31st.
Adjournment
The time being 9:40 pm, Selectman Marshall moved to adjourn. The Chair seconded. All were in favor, and the motion carried 3-0. The meeting adjourned at 9:40 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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