Selectboard Minutes
Town of Greenfield
7 Sawmill Road, Greenfield, NH 03047
Selectboard Minutes
Thursday, December 7, 2023 – 5:30 PM
Selectboard: Chairman Michael Borden, Selectman Tom Bascom, Selectman Mason Parker
Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator - absent
Public:
Documents for Review / Approval
- Payroll Check Register dated 12/08/2023 in the amount of $60,557.58
- GFD – Stipend Worksheet
- Purchase Order – Town Office Lower Level
- Welfare Voucher (2)
Other letters/ items for Review/Discussion/Signature:
- Generator Quote – Greenwood and Son, New Hampshire Generator, Powers Generator
- Town Office Lower Level Quotes – Triple Construction, Franz Haase
- Oak Park Design Proposal – Park Architecture
- Seven Hills New Hampshire – CDBG Request letter
5:30 PM: Public Forum
At 5:30pm, the Chair opened the meeting and noted that there were no members of the public present. The board worked on Consent Agenda items. [Selectman Bascom taking minutes] The Chair welcomed Jim Morris, DPW Director. Mr. Morris is following up on quotes received for work at the Town Office following the completion of the police department’s move to its new location at 14 Francestown Road. The town has received two quotes for the downstairs renovations that will provide the Town Clerk with better handicap access and ADA accessibility for residents who are registering motor vehicles and conducting other town clerk business. The Board discussed the quotes and determined that there is a substantial benefit to the low bid. At the conclusion of the discussion, Selectman Parker motioned to waive the purchasing policy’s requirements for three quotes for work under $15,000 in order to complete the work at the Town Office and to transfer funds from Personnel Administration to Capital Outlay-Buildings to fund the project, representing funds freed up due to injury-related staffing reduction. The Board reviewed and agreed to accept a quote for $9,893, from F.Haase for renovations to the waiting area at the downstairs entrance (formally the police department entrance). Selectman Parker made a motion to accept the quote, Selectman Bascom seconded, the quote was approved 3-0.
The Board reviewed and discussed a quote for a generator at the Police Department on 14 Francestown Road. The Police Department building has recently been updated with mini-split heating but the building is not equipped for extended power outages and due to the lack of basement, the building cannot hold heat for long periods of time. As a result, the Building Inspector has recommended a generator be installed. Director Morris explained that propane installations for generators have such low usage that the town is expected to purchase the tank, additionally, there town’s current vendor will not install tanks as they have a backlog of work. Director Morris explained that he was able to find a company to install a propane tank if the town purchased the tank. The Board discussed and agreed that a quote from Vaillaincourt proposal was suitable and they are able to work with the generator company. At the conclusion of the discussion, Selectman Bascom moved to waive the Selectboard’s purchasing policy requirement for three quotes and to purchase the tank in order to expedite delivery and installation prior to winter, Selectman Parker seconded the motion and the motion passed 3-0. The Selectboard then reviewed four quotes for generator installations. At the conclusion of the review, the Board agreed that the low bid was the most cost effective and had the same level of warranty. Therefore, the Board agreed to award the generator contract to R.A. Greenwood and Sons LLC in the amount of $12,480, to include a propane tank and installation by Vaillancourt LLC in the amount of $4,865, with funds from Personnel Administration transferred to Capital Outlay -Buildings to cover the expenses. Selectman Bascom motioned to award the work as outlined, Selectman Parker seconded the motion, and the motion passed 3-0.
5:45 PM: Danielle Gardiner, Chief Wilton Ambulance
At 5:45 pm, the Chair welcomed Danielle Gardiner, Chief of Wilton Ambulance to the meeting. Also in attendance to discuss the Wilton ambulance budget is Greenfield Fire Chief Jeff LaCourse. Chief Gardiner provided an outline covering the 2024 Ambulance budget. The budget in 2023 was $64,914, and for 2024 Wilton Ambulance is requesting $103,465. The Selectboard asked questions about the budget and noted several areas of cost increases. Chief Gardner explained that in 2023, the Wilton Ambulance provided a $100,000 one-time subsidy as a result of working with the Town of Wilton. Additionally, there are significant increases in insurance costs. The Board held a discussion about the benefits of saving for capital improvements vs potential immediate maintenance needs and Chief Gardiner provided an overview of the current status of the Wilton Ambulance building. The Board thanked Chief Gardiner for presenting the Wilton Ambulance budget.
Chief Lacourse took advantage of being present to update the Board on the status of Engine One and remind the Board that the department will be expending approx $5k from Capital Reserve Funds. The Board noted that we need to let the Trustees of the Trust Funds know so that they can plan accordingly.
6:30 PM: Karen Day, ConComm Chair
At 6:30 pm, Karen Day, Chair of the Conservation Commission (ConComm) and Tom Bregani along with Dave Thimmel were in to discuss various matters: Poison Ivy control at the municipal parking lot on Forest Road has been started but is paused until spring. The plan is to rehabilitate the trail from the municipal lot to the Community Garden. There followed a discussion about the possibility of having a Veterans memorial close to the community garden. This is something that the ConComm members have in the back of their minds as they refurbish the trail. ConComm is in favor of NOT rehabilitation the schoolhouse trail at this time. There followed a discussion of the potential for significant trash and buried tanks behind the municipal lot. Ms. Day explained that ConComm is looking forward to an informal meeting with a representative of NHDES who will stop at the lot on Tuesday the 12th in order to suggest appropriate next steps. The Board is of a consensus to support ConComm’s efforts on all of these topics. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Chair thanked the ConComm members for their time.
Next, Ms. Day in her role as a Deputy Emergency Management Direcot discussed the Emergency Management department’s need for a container to store equipment. The Emergency Management budget is short a few hundred dollars and requests that the Board help them find the funding to complete the purchase of a storage container. The Board discussed and reached consensus to support the proposal. Details on the container and cost will be forwarded to the Board.
7:00 PM: Selectboard Work Session
The Selectboard reviewed the Consent Agenda and signed documents. The Board moved to approve the Consent Agenda; Selectman Bascom moved, Selectman Parker provided a 2nd, and the Board approved the motion 3-0.
The Board held a work session and decided that since December 14th will be a short meeting due to a ConVal SAC meeting. The December 21st meeting should focus on the 2024 budget. The December 28th meeting will be a short meeting for any year-end business. Selectman Bascom will be out on Jan 4th.
Adjournment
At 8:00 pm, Selectman Bascom made a motion to adjourn the meeting; the motion was seconded by the Chair. The motion carried 3-0.