Selectboard Minutes
Town of Greenfield
7 Sawmill Road, Greenfield, NH 03047
Selectboard’s Minutes
Thursday, October 28, 2021 – 5:30 PM
Selectboard: Chairman Robert Marshall, Selectman Michael Borden, Selectman Mason Parker
Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator; Brian Giammarino, Police Chief
Budget Advisory Committee: Janice Pack, Catrina Mamczak, Kathleen Seigars, Gary Russell
Documents for Discussion/Signature
- Payroll Check Register dated October 29, 2021 in the amount of $27,686.11
- New Hire Worksheet – FT Police Department
- Meeting House Rental Permit – Alcohol Permit
- Capital Reserve Funds – Requests for Payment(s)
- Assessment CRF in the amount of $9,000
- Fire/Rescue Apparatus CRF in the amount of $45,000
- Highway Equipment CRF in the amount of $40,000
- Library Bldgs & Grnds Maint. CRF in the amount of $20,000
- Master Plan CRF in the amount of $8,000
- Meeting House Improvements CRF in the amount of $75,000
- Non-Apparatus Fire Dept. CRF in the amount of $7,500
- Police Vehicle CRF in the amount of $15,000
- Recy Ctr. Facilities & Equip CRF in the amount of $1,000
- Town Building Maintenance CRF in the amount of $20,000
- Transfer Request form - $493,506 from NHPDIP to General Fund
- Consolidated Communications Invoice - $493,506.00
- Minutes of October 21st, 2021
Other letters/ items for Discussion/Signature:
1. 2022 Preliminary Summary Budget
2. 2022 Preliminary Detail Budget
5:30 PM: Budget Advisory Committee
The meeting was called to order at 5:30pm by Chairman Marshall; he noted that there is no public forum schedule for this evening due to the ConVal Selectmen’s Advisory Committee meeting at 7pm. Tonight’s meeting will end at 6:30 in order for the Chair to attend the ConVal SAC meeting. Chairman Marshall welcomed the Budget Advisory Committee members. The Budget Advisory Committee has received drafts Department Head budget requests and these have been included in an overall budget print out by the Town Office.
Town Administrator Patt provided some highlights regarding the draft budget. The Town Office has received copies of deeds for the Crotched Mountain property and there is new ownership of a significant portion of the former Crotched Mountain Foundation property. The ownership change will cause the property to convert to taxable status and the PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes arrangement that has been in place with Crotched Mountain) will end. There will be a significant impact to the town’s revenues and the town government will transition from a revenue driven town, to one where property generates a larger share of taxes. It is too early to tell how this will pan out during 2022.
Next, Town Administrator Patt went through the Department Head budget requests and noted that there are some changes from the previous year. The Department of Public Works (DPW) has been restructured and facility costs are now allocated in one DPW budget. There is one manager of that budget, the Department of Public Works Director. The department is now fully staffed at 4 people. The DPW Director is requesting that the Town purchase a wheel loader as outlined on the Capital Improvements Plan. There is also a request for funding to provide chip sealing of recently paved roads. Administrator Patt provided an explanation on the differences between a lease-purchase warrant article and a Capital Lease Purchase using Capital Reserve Funds for a down payment.
Next, it was noted that several departments have increased their budget requests. These include the Cemetery Trustees, the Library Trustees, the Zoning Board, and there are some indications from the Wilton Ambulance Service that their fee will increase approximately 12% due to declines in revenue. The Recycling Center is faced with higher trucking costs next year as well.
At the conclusion of the discussion, it was noted that the Selectboard has not met to go over wage data for the coming year.
The Selectboard and the Budget Advisory Committee compared schedules and determined that the two boards would meet on the following dates:
November 18th: Recycling Center
November 23rd: Library, Town Clerk, and Tax Collector
December 2nd: Police and Fire departments
The Selectboard discussed the meeting agenda schedule and noted that there are several annual evaluations with staff to complete. These will take place on November 4th and 9th.
At the conclusion of the discussion, the Selectboard Chair thanked the Budget Advisory Committee members for attending the meeting. The meeting with the BAC ended at 6:15pm.
6:20 PM - Selectboard Work Session
The Chair asked that Veterans Day preparations be arranged and offered to pick up a wreath for the town.
Selectman Parker noted that there are likely to be some membership changes on the Planning Board.
The Selectboard began working through the Consent Agenda documents. The Chair requested and received the following:
- A motion by Selectman Borden and Second from Selectman Parker to accept the Consent Agenda. Vote 3-0 in favor.
- Motion by Selectman Borden and Second from Selectman Parker to approve the Payroll check register, a new hire worksheet for a full-time police officer, and a Meeting House rental. Vote 3-0 in favor.
- Motion by Selectman Borden and Second from Selectman Parker to approve the Capital Reserve Fund allocations (a-j). Vote 3-0 in favor.
- Motion by Selectman Borden and Second from Selectman Parker to approve a transfer from NH Public Deposit Investment Pool (NHPDIP) to the General Fund in the amount of $493,506.00, and, approval of payment on an invoice from Consolidated Communications for the Broadband 1st installment payment, in the amount of $493,506.00. Vote 3-0 in favor.
- Motion by Selectman Borden and Second from Selectman Parker to approve the minutes of 10/21/2021. Vote 3-0 in favor.
Selectman Borden stated that there was one item of business that he would like to have agreement from the Selectboard on as Code Enforcement Officer. He explained that there have been a significant number of false fire alarms at the Crotched Mountain School facility this year. There have been over 30 “malicious pulls” mostly during the day when the fire department is short staffed. The Fire Department, Police Department, and Code Enforcement officer believe that the Town requires a policy or ordinance for false alarm penalty in order to fine organizations for failure to curtail false alarms – especially malicious pulls. The Selectboard held a brief discussion and noting the significant number of false alarms from one institution, the cost to the taxpayers, and the stress on the daytime staff of volunteers staffing the fire station, were of a consensus that such a policy should be enacted.
There being no further business the Board voted to adjourn.
Adjournment
At 6:45 pm, Selectman Parker made a motion to adjourn the meeting; the motion was seconded by the Selectman Borden. The motion carried 3-0.