Selectboard Minutes

Town of Greenfield

7 Sawmill Road, Greenfield, NH 03047

Selectboard’s Minutes

Thursday, August 03, 2023 – 5:30 PM

Selectboard: Chairman Michael Borden, Selectman Tom Bascom, Selectman Mason Parker

Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator;

Public: Gary Russell, Sportsmen’s Club; Bob Hayden, Standard Power; Ryan Polson, Standard Power; Joseph Ellis, resident

Documents for Discussion/Signature:

1. Payroll Check Register dated 8/04/2023 in the amount of $33,789.80
2. A/P Check Register dated 7/26/2023 in the amount of $64,210.99
3. STD Register dated 7/30/2023
4. New Hire Worksheet – Recreation (lifeguard)
5. Timber Tax Levy (2) – R6-23-4, R6-30-5, R9-47-1; R1-18
6. LUCT Abatement Recommendation - R6-8
7. DPW Purchase Order – New Boston Road shoulder gravel
8. Welfare Voucher
9. Selectboard Minutes of 7/20/2023

Other letters/ items for Review/Discussion/Signature:

1. Southwest Region Planning Commission Complete Streets Policy
2. Sportsmen’s Club George Proctor Recreation Area improvements request
3. Triple Construction AIA Invoice – revised
4. Seven Hills PILOT – revised agreement
5. Greenfield Emergency Operations Plan

5:30 PM: Public Forum

The Chair opened the meeting at 5:30 pm and welcomed Gary Russell of the Sportsmen’s Club to the meeting. Mr. Russell outlined three permission requests for the George Proctor Recreation Area off Savage Road. The first is to bring in gravel for a dug well, the second is to provide road repair at the entrance to the recreation area, and the third is to provide stone for a culvert on the road. The Selectboard discussed the projects with Mr. Russell and at the end of the discussion agreed to provide permission. On a motion by Selectman Bascom and a second from Selectman Parker, the Board voted 3-0 in favor of the Sportsmen club’s requests. The Selectboard reviewed and signed Consent Agenda items.

5:45 PM: Standard Power, Community Power presentation

At 5:45pm, the Chair welcomed Bob Hayden and Ryan Polson from Standard Power to the meeting. Mr. Hayden provided a presentation on Standard Power’s Community Power offering. The presentation covered the background to the Community Power initiative, the steps required to establish a committee and begin to work toward a Community Power offering for the town, and the support that Standard Power can provide to the process. Because the Town of Greenfield is already a current customer for electricity, the company can establish a working relationship on the Community Power project through a simple memorandum of understanding (MOU). The Community Power opportunity from Standard Power includes the opportunity for a community to define the ratio of green energy as a percentage of the overall energy supply in specific tiers that are important to their specific community. The representatives provided a copy of the MOU for the Board’s review and the Board indicated that they would review later in the meeting. The Chair thanked Mr. Hayden and Mr. Polson for the presentation.

6:45 PM: Joseph Ellis, Resident

At 6:45pm, the Chair acknowledged Joe Ellis. Mr. Ellis has come before the Board to discuss the status of the Right-of-Way to the town’s Shea/Knight cemetery. Mr. Ellis outlined his interest in reaching an amicable agreement with the town. He asked if the Board had made any decisions and the Board stated it has not discussed any further because Mr. Ellis’s neighbors have been in dispute with him over the access road, which they use to access their property. At the conclusion of the conversation, Mr. Ellis noted that the town’s Right-of-Way according to the deed, is on the neighbor’s property and not on his property. As such he encouraged the Board to consider establishing access through the neighbor’s property, which could have the effect of alleviating the use of his property for access. The Board indicated that they would review the file and have a discussion.

7:00 PM: Selectboard Work Session

At 7:15pm, the Selectboard reviewed the Consent Agenda. The Board agreed to release payment to Triple Construction, to provide permission for a memorial bench at Oak Park for a resident, and to refer a building permit application to the Planning Board for R1-2 and R1-33 per Town Counsel under RSA 674:53 and 674:41. The Board reviewed a Land Use Change Tax abatement application for R6-8 and pursuant to the Assessor’s recommendation, denied the application.

The Board voted to appoint the Town Administrator as the signing authority for the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Standard Power, and to enter into the MOU for the purpose of establishing a Community Power offering in Greenfield. The motion was made by Selectman Bascom and seconded by Selectman Parker. The Board voted 3-0 in favor.Selectman Bascom volunteered to lead the process until the Community Power committee is established.

The Board vote to approve the Consent Agenda on a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectman Bascom, 3-0 in favor of the motion.

The Board discussed the upcoming employee/volunteer appreciation dinner.

The Chair advised that the new Police Department building has a leak in the flat roof portion of the building and that the roof will need to be replaced this year. It was noted that this was on the list of deficiencies when Primex Consultant Phil St. Cyr inspected the building.

There being no further business, the Board voted to adjourn.

Adjournment

At 8:05 pm, Selectman Bascom made a motion to adjourn the meeting; the motion was seconded by the Selectman Parker. The motion carried 3-0.