Selectboard Minutes
Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectboard’s Minutes
Tuesday, May 30, 2017 – 5:30 PM
Selectboard: Chair Margaret A. Charig Bliss, Selectman Stephan Atherton Jr., Selectman Robert Marshall
Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator; David Hall, Fire Chief
Public:
Documents for Review/Approval
- A/P Check Register – NH Retirement
- Payroll
- Employee Co-Pay Deduction Worksheet
- Primex Cap Program – 2018-2019 – 2020-2021
- ConComm Appointment
- Minutes of Selectboard Meeting
- Welfare Voucher
5:30 PM: Public Forum
At 5:30 pm Chairwoman Charig Bliss opened the meeting. It was noted that there were no members of the public in attendance during the public forum period. The Selectboard began working through the Consent Agenda. A separate file of documents for discussion outside of the consent agenda was also reviewed. Selectman Atherton was absent at the opening.
The Chair motioned to accept the Consent Agenda. Selectman Marshall seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously 2-0.
5:45 PM: David Hall, Fire Chief
At 5:50 pm, Chief Hall presented the Selectboard with background on a rural firefighter training curriculum that a subcommittee under the Monadnock Area Fire Chief’s Association (MAFCA) (www.monadnockfirechiefs.org) has been working on for small rural communities. As background to the concept of a rural firefighter training program, the Chief outlined the current Firefighter I curriculum and then explained that there have been discussions at the NH Fire Academy, in the past, about combining Firefighter I and Firefighter II class-work. The Firefighter I training class (Fire I) is comprised of a series of course modules that take 250 hours to complete. The amount of hours to complete the class has grown significantly from its original curriculum, which took approximately 80 hours to complete. Due to declining enrollments, the NH Fire Academy discussed combining Fire I (250 Hours and approximately 6 months for the course) with Firefighter II, which is another 200+/- hours, and, would result in a year-long course. This received a lot of pushback from MAFCA because the commitment to take Fire I is difficult for volunteers. Combining Fire I and Fire II would make it even more prohibitive.
From this conversation came the concept of a volunteer path to fire training that is separate from career-path training. Chief Hall noted that the State does not require any training for a person that volunteers to be a fire fighter; but the local chiefs support providing training to ensure that people are safe when they volunteer at the scene of a fire. Chief Hall said that Greenfield provides 16 hours of PPE (personal safety training). He explained that after a series of MAFCA sub-committee meetings, the rural firefighter training program took shape as an 80-hour course that would provide rural firefighters education and training geared to rural firefighting. Many (~80%) of the modules are exactly the same modules as Fire I, with about 20% of the course coming from Fire I, but modified for smaller communities. Chief Hall explained, as an example, that volunteers in the smaller municipalities are less likely to need to know how to fight fires in high-rise buildings, although many hours are spent on this training in Fire I. The resulting curriculum will require about 10 weeks to complete; 2 nights per week and some Saturdays.
The Board and Chief Hall discussed the unique opportunity that this represents for the surrounding towns. Chief Hall then outlined that his initial thought was that MAFCA would be the billing party for the course because they are a registered non-profit. The MAFCA Board, however, declined to be the billing party and MAFCA members asked that the Academy of First Response be the body to incubate and host the curriculum. The Board and the Chief discussed this question to determine if there were any conflicts of interest (Chief Hall is the principal owner of AFR). The Chief stated that he wanted to bring this to their attention so that there was no lack of transparency in having the Academy of First Response provide and bill for the training. Chief Hall stated that AFR has the credentials, the insurance, and the instructors to provide this training. He also stated that as a longer training program, he could not reduce the cost for Greenfield. This is similar to the way that EMT classes are held; although Chief Hall does donate his time to provide free training for shorter training sessions. After some discussion and consideration the Board reached a consensus that the rural firefighter curriculum was an important addition to the training resume of volunteer firefighters. The Board noted that the training would be available in the surrounding towns at the same cost, and the Academy of First Response has been a vendor to the Town of Greenfield since 1999. The Board agreed that the issue had been fairly presented and they voiced their support of making the program available to Greenfield firefighters. At the conclusion of the discussion the Board thanked Chief Hall for bringing both the curriculum to their attention and ensuring that they were involved in providing transparency to Greenfield’s constituents.
7:25 PM: Peter Leishman, Milford Bennington Railroad
At 7:25pm Peter Leishman from the Milford Bennington Railroad came before the Board. Mr. Leishman will be responsible for removing and replacing the railroad crossing on Slip Road when Greenfield DPW paves the road this summer. Mr. Leishman expects that the railroad crossing will be completed in the middle of June. Mr. Leishman provided a small book to the Board called The Hillsboro Branch – Wilton to Bennington by Mathew D. Cosgro, which outlines the Wilton Scenic Railroad and the Milford Bennington Railroad. The booklet has pictures of Greenfield’s past railway activity.
Mr. Leishman next outlined that Pan Am Railways has been looking to shut down the line between Milford and Bennington. The Greenfield Selectboard has received a letter outlining the response by Milford Bennington Railroad (MBR) to a filing by Pan Am Railways for an adverse discontinuance of MBR on the Hillsborough Branch. Mr. Leishman said that the Wilton and Milford Selectmen are opposed to having the line shut down. He explained how to find information regarding PanAm’s filing. A search on the Surface Transportation website for Docket N0. AB1256 will provide an opportunity to read the letters from the Selectmen’s offices in Wilton and Milford. A search will also find a letter from the Monadnock Paper Mills outlining their opposition to shutting down the rail line. There followed a discussion about the potential for bringing back the railroad to Greenfield. Mr. Leishman said that the line to Bennington past Greenfield needs a lot of work for 5 miles past Muzzy Hill. The costs would be very high and wasn’t sure that it was possible to raise the money for that portion of the track. In particular he discussed the trestle in Bennington and noted the possible costs for that structure. Mr. Leishman provided the name and number for the State Rail Planner, Mr. Lou Barker in case the Board has questions about the railway. The Milford Bennington Railroad currently leases the tracks through an operating agreement with the State. At 7:45 pm the Board thanked Mr. Leishman for his presentation.
7:45 PM: Selectboard Work Session
The Selectboard held a discussion about a letter from the Greenfield Conservation Commission. The Conservation Commission’s letter regarding fill at the corner of Slip and Cornwell Roads was the first instance that the Board had heard of any issues. Selectman Marshall asked the Board for the authority to be the liaison to the Conservation Commission in order to address the letter, and to specifically address the culture that the Selectboard is looking to foster among the boards and committees. The Board agreed in a consensus to have Selectman Marshall represent the Selectboard and provide feedback to the ConComm.
The Selectboard next took up a discussion of a settlement agreement with Fairpoint Communications that had been forwarded from Drummond Woodsum, counsel for the town. Satisfied that the terms were satisfactory to the town the Board signed the agreement.
Next the Chair brought up a request by resident Grace Barker. The Chair requested that the Board send a letter of consideration to be drafted by the Town Administrator to Southern New Hampshire Services on behalf of Mrs. Barker as a Greenfield resident.
Next the Chair opened a discussion of the appointment process for the police chief position. A short conversation was held in which the Board discussed the question of whether Greenfield was a community where a regional police chief could work. It was agreed by the Board that consideration of a regional police chief position would occur at the same time that the Board attended to establishing a panel of law enforcement officials and one or two residents with similar law enforcement or municipal backgrounds. The Board asked to meet with two individuals to begin the process of establishing a panel; Craig Morrocco, the past Chair of the Selection Committee that hired Chief Giammarino, and Chief Fred Douglas from Francestown.
Next the Chair discussed the following new items and Old Business items:
- Volunteer and Employee incentive program
- Old Bennington Road speed limit signs
- The closing of the Women’s Club
- Wage & Salary schedule for 2018
- Evaluations for Department Heads
Lastly, the Chair opened a discussion regarding the upcoming auction. One of the properties is occupied. A discussion among the Board members ended with a request to hold a vote on whether to remove the Slip Road property from the auction. On a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectman Atherton the Board voted 2-1 to remove the property from the auction for an unspecified amount of time.
Adjournment
The time being 9:55 pm, Selectman Marshall moved to adjourn. The Chair seconded. All were in favor, and the motion carried 3-0. The meeting adjourned at 9:55 PM.
The minutes are final when approved and signed by the Selectboard. A signed copy is on file in the Selectboard’s office.