Selectboard Minutes
Town of Greenfield
7 Sawmill Road, Greenfield, NH 03047
Selectboard’s Minutes
Thursday, May 18, 2023 – 5:30 PM
Selectboard: Chairman Michael Borden, Selectman Tom Bascom, Selectman Mason Parker
Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator;
Public:
Documents for Discussion/Signature
- A/P Check Register dated 5/17/2023 in the amount of $23,258.24
- Electricity Service Reimbursement Agreement
- Meeting House Alcohol Permit Application
- Oak Park Rental Agreement – Scout Troop #8 (request for service exchange)
- Minutes of 5/11/2023
Other letters/ items for Discussion/Signature:
- Sales Order – Milton CAT grader (for ’24 queue)
- Farmer’s Market NH Liquor Commission Vendor Applications (2)
- Vehicle / Equipment Replacement Schedule
- Old Town Office Paving Quote – DPW Budget
5:30 PM: Public Forum
The Chair opened the meeting at 5:30 pm. The Selectboard signed documents and reviewed the Consent Agenda.
5:45 PM: Seven Hills New Hampshire
The Chair welcomed representatives of Seven Hills New Hampshire to the meeting: Mike Matthews, Sr. Vice President of Business and Finance, Joe Allred, Vice President of Children’s Congregate Care, Geoff Garfinkle, Assistant Vice President of Operations, and Jeremy Hall Facilities Director. The Chair provided opening remarks welcoming Seven Hills to Greenfield. Sr. Vice President Matthews provided introductions of the Seven Hills staff along with opening remarks, and then provided an overview of the background of Seven Hills. Seven Hills has significant plans for the Crotched Mountain Facility but first must contend with infrastructure issues that are the result of long term deferred maintainence and neglect. The goal of the organization is based on three phases. The first is to complete a facilities renovation, the second is to attract staff, and then increase enrollment. The expected time frame before student population is consistent with the size of the facility is three to four years. Seven Hills staff stated that these phases will help the organization manage the process in the best way for the children. Mr. Allred explained that the organization has been focused on establishing a new leadership team that will be comprised of on-site leadership staff. They are currently focused on organizating the residential program and plan on keeping the student census low until the facilities renovations are completed. Next, Mr. Garfinkle outlined his background as a long time employee of the facility during the time when it was run by Crotched Mountain Foundation and that he is very pleased to return and work with Seven Hills. Mr. Allred explained that now that the warmer weather is here they expect to make significant progress on the renovations.
Selectman Parker provided an overview of Greenfield’s relationship with Crotched Mountain Foundation and then with Gersh Autism. Selectman Parkers explained that Greenfield’s departments, staffing, and responsibilities (largely in response to the non-profit organizations within the town’s footprint) are substantially different from the surrounding similarly sized towns. A background of the staffing at the police department, fire department, their equipment needs, and the impact of inflation following the COVID-19 pandemic was discussed. The Selectboard shared their goals for the community and explained how the organizations (Greenfield and CMRC) collaborated in the past in providing not only services to the mountain but also support from within the community. Fore example, the Foundation rented the Old Town Office and that building is now being renovated to house the Greenfield Police Department.
At the conclusion of the conversation, the Chair thanked the Seven Hills representatives for attending the meeting.
6:15 PM: Public Hearing RSA 31:95-e
At 6:21 the Chair noted that the Board would now hold a public hearing under RSA 31:95-e to accept a donated Ford F-150 to the Fire Department. The Chair noted that there were no public present, nor had anyone come to the meeting during the time that 5:45 meeting was taking place. The Chair announced that the Selectboard would now open the public hearing. With no public present for the hearing, the Chair asked if the Selectboard needed to discuss the donation or was the Board ready to vote. Selectman Bascom made a motion to accept the donation to the Greenfield Fire Department and to support the Department’s need for upkeep and maintance in the future. Selectman Parker seconded the motion. The Board voted 3-0 in favor of the motion. The Chair stated that the truck will be very helpful with brush fires. There have been several times recently when the department needed to load a significant amount of gear and tools to go to a brush fire in Greenfield and also surrounding towns and the truck bed would have been invaluable.
6:30 PM: Recreation Director Search
At 6:30pm, the Chair welcomed Kayla Kokal, Volunteer Recreation Director, to the meeting. The Selectboard and Ms. Kokal discussed the Recreation Director position. At 7:05pm the Chair thanked Ms. Kokal for attending the meeting.
At 7:15pm, the Chair welcomed Shannon Billodeau to the meeting. The Selectboard and Ms. Billodeau discussed the Recreation Director position. At 7:40pm the Chair thanked Ms. Billodeau for attending the meeting.
7:45 PM: Selectboard Work Session
The Chair requested a motion to accept the Consent Agenda. Selectman Bascom made a motion to accept, Selectman Parker seconded the motion. All three voted in favor.
The Selectboard discussed the DPW grader replacement schedule. The town’s grader has reached the end of its Capital Improvement Plan schedule. The grader is over 20 years old, has more than 10,000 hours of use, and is needing expensive repairs annually. The DPW Director has advised the Board that after June of 2023, the major manufacturers are increasing their MSRPs dramatically. CAT is expected to increase prices by 20% by end of year. Wait times on new orders currently exceed a year. The Selectboard discussed locking in current pricing with an order that can be met in 2024. Funding for a new grader will require a warrant article at the 2024 Town Meeting. The cost after trade-in is $410,000.00. The town can use Capital Reserve funding to provide a down payment and a first year payment. The result will be that the first payment for the grader will occur after the 2020 Six Wheel dump truck lease purchase expires. The sales order has a municipal escape clause. At the conclusion of the discussion the Board was in agreement to get in queue for 2024. The Chair signed the order form.
The Selectboard discussed and agreed to accept a service exchange from the BoyScouts Troop #8 in liue of payment to rent Oak Park for a camping excursion.
The Board discussed the upcoming schedule and noted that the meeting on May 25th is cancelled due to vacation schedules.
The Board discussed the June 1st meeting agenda.
There being no further business, the Board voted to adjourn.
Adjournment
At 9:12 pm, The Chair made a motion to adjourn the meeting; the motion was seconded by the Selectman Bascom. The motion carried 3-0.