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Selectboard Minutes

Meeting date: 
Thursday, December 21, 2023

Town of Greenfield

7 Sawmill Road, Greenfield, NH 03047

Selectboard Minutes

Thursday, December 21, 2023 – 5:30 PM

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

Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator;

Public:

Documents for Review / Approval

  1. Payroll Check Register dated 12/22/2023 in the amount of $32,417.37
  2. Appointment of Library Trustee
  3. Veteran’s Tax Exemption
  4. Transmittal Letter – Reimburse General Fund from Fire Rescue Apparatus CRF
  5. Purchase Order #496 – Cemetery Trustees Digital Cemetery Plot Map Software
  6. Purchase Order #495 – EMD Storage Shed
  7. Transfer from General Fund to Recreation Revolving Account
  8. Transfer from General Fund to Oak Park Fund
  9. Meridian Land Service – Survey contract
  10. Minutes of Selectboard Meeting – 12/14/2023

Other letters/ items for Review/Discussion/Signature:

  1. Used Oil Grant Agreement - revised
  2. ConVal School District Payment Schedule Invoice ‘23/’24
  3. Northeast Resource Recovery Assoc. – Recycling Center Storage Trailers (W.A. #4)
  4. Arrow Equipment Waste Oil Furnace Invoice – Emergency Replacement
  5. Seven Hills New Hampshire – CDBG Request letter
  6. United States Marshal Service – Appreciation letter / Chief Giammarino
  7. 2024 Budget / 2023 YTD Budget

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 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.

5:45 PM: David Martin, Emergency Management Director

At 5:45 pm, the Chair welcomed David Martin, EMD to the meeting. EMD Martin stated that the State of New Hampshire Homeland Security Department through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has access to grant funding for a variety of resources that could be a fit for the town. The Board and EMD Martin discussed the possibility of using grants from FEMA and at the conclusion of the discussion, Mr. Martin stated that he would bring forward grant opportunities for the Board to review while the Board is crafting the 2024 budget.

6:00 PM: Selectboard Work Session

The Selectboard discussed the Social Security Cost of Living Increase announcement and the Northeast CPI data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Board reviewed several scenarios for COLA in 2024 and came to a consensus to provide a 3.2% COLA for employees, which is consistent with the Social Security COLA.

Next, the Selectboard discussed the 2024 budget and made several changes to the departmental budget requests.

  • The Board moved $10,000 from Parks & Recreation Grounds Maintenance to DPW Contract Services
  • The Board moved $8,000 from Oak Park & Beaches Maintenance in the DPW budget to DPW Contract Services and added an additional $2,000. The total for DPW Contract Services is $42,000. The total increase to the DPW budget is $4,868 over 2023.
  • The Board added $25,000 to Highway Equipment Capital Reserve Fund bringing the total request to $75,000.
  • The Board added $75,000 to Town Buildings Maintenance Capital Reserve Fund bringing the total request to $100,000.
  • The Board will create a warrant article for a new Police Cruiser and use up to $20,000 in tax appropriation with the balance to come from Capital Reserve Fund savings.
  • Reduce Police Vehicle Capital Reserve by $10,000.
  • The Board added a Training line to Other General Government Buildings in the amount of $3,000
  • The Board increased Patriotic Purposes by adding a line for Patriotic Purposes Activities in the amount of $2,500

The Board requested that the budget be updated and the tax impact of these budgetary changes be made available for review.

The Board received a request from Recycling Center to amend the Used Oil Collection Grant amount from $1,250 to $2,500 for the purpose of making an emergency replacement of the waste oil furnace at the Recycling Center. Selectman Bascom moved the motion, Selectman Parker seconded the motion. The motion passed 3-0.

The Board revisited the request from Seven Hills New Hampshire for the town to be a municipal sponsor for a CDBG loan to help Seven Hills NH complete renovations to the campus. The Board indicated an interest in learning more about the grant process and the potential impact on the staff and cashflow of the town. The Board expressed an interest in meeting with Southwest Regaional Planning Commission and Seven Hills NH to discuss the CDBG program in more detail.

Adjournment

At 8:47 pm, Selectman Bascom made a motion to adjourn the meeting; the motion was seconded by the Chair. The motion carried 3-0.