Selectboard Minutes
Town of Greenfield
7 Sawmill Road, Greenfield, NH 03047
Selectboard’s Minutes
Thursday, September 16, 2021 – 5:30 PM
Selectboard: Chairman Robert Marshall, Selectman Michael Borden, Selectman Mason Parker
Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator; Katherine Heck, Treasurer
Budget Advisory Committee: Janice Pack, Kathleen Seigars, Gary Russell
Public:
Documents for Discussion/Signature
- Payroll Check Manifest dated 9/17/2021 in the amount of $28,333.88
- A/P ”ACH” Manifest dated 9/27/2021 in the amount of $11,775.01
- NHDRA – MS535
- Abatement – R9-77
- Oak Park Rental – 10/09/2021
- Minutes of 9/06/2021
Other letters/ items for Discussion/Signature:
1. Credit Card Policy - Library
2. Health Officer – Septic System Testing
3. 2022 Budget Season Documents
5:30 PM: Public Forum
The meeting was called to order at 5:30pm by Chairman Marshall. The Selectboard began working through the Consent Agenda documents. Chairman Marshal, noting that there were no members of the public present, advanced several items on the Consent Agenda. Selectman Parker moved to approve the A/P & Payroll manifests. The motion was seconded by Selectman Borden. The motion passed on a vote of 3-0 in favor.
Selectman Parker moved to approve the request for abatement and Oak Park Rental. The motion was seconded by Selectman Borden. The motion passed on a vote of 3-0 in favor.
The Chair requested a motion on the town’s MS-535 Financial Report form, which will be sent to the NH Department of Revenue. Selectman Borden moved to approve the MS-535. The motion was seconded by Selectman Parker. The motion passed on a vote of 3-0 in favor.
The Board discussed the meeting schedule for 9-23 and agreed to hold a Capital Improvement Plan presentation with members of the Budget Advisory Committee present. Selectman Parker in his role on the Planning Board has been compiling the CIP documentation and will provide the presentation of Department Head needs and schedule of capital purchases.
The Chair asked for a motion on the Minutes of 8/09. Selectman Borden moved to accept the minutes of 8/19 as presented. Selectman Parker seconded the motion. On a vote of 3-0 the motion passed in favor. This concluded the Consent Agenda items 1-6.
6:00 PM: Budget Advisory Committee
Chairman Marshall welcomed the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) to the meeting. The Chair thanked the committee members for their willingness to join the budget process. He stated that as a citizen at Town Meeting, he appreciated having members of the budget advisory committee in the audience who would weigh in on discussion and provide additional information or additional support to the Selectmen’s proposals. The Chair stated that the Board is looking forward to the BAC’s contribution during budget season as well as at Town Meeting. A discussion followed. At the conclusion of the discussion, the Chair invited the BAC members to take part in a Selectboard workshop on cash flow management, fund balance, and setting the tax rate. The workshop will set the stage for the budget process. The BAC members agreed to attend.
From 6:15pm until 7:30pm, Town Administrator Patt provided a Powerpoint presentation on the town’s cashflow management, the Selectboard’s use of fund balance when setting the tax rate, and an overview of the reporting that is provided to the State of New Hampshire during the course of every year. The presentation provided an overview of the global budget process, the culture that the Selectboard has built with the Department Heads around spending, and the amount of fund balance paid down in aggregate over the past years. At the end of 2021, the plan is for the Board to have applied $1,777,849 to the tax rate since 2012.
7:40 PM: Selectboard Business Meeting
Next the Selectboard heard from Michael Borden as Code Enforcement Officer about continuing complaints from the owners of R1-17-1. The property owners have provided photographs of soapy bubbles coming from a perimeter drain across the street that can flow through a town culvert and drain onto the owner’s property. CEO Borden outlined steps taken to date with the neighboring property and said that the Board may want to consider a water test. After some additional discussion, Selectman Parker made a motion to have the perimeter drain water tested by the Health Officer. The motion was seconded by the Chair. The motion passed with one recusal.
There being no further business the Board voted to adjourn.
Adjournment
At 7:57 pm, Selectman Parker made a motion to adjourn the meeting; the motion was seconded by the Selectman Borden. The motion carried 3-0.