Selectboard Minutes

Meeting date: 
Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Minutes

Town of Greenfield

Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH

Selectboard’s Minutes

Tuesday, January 16, 2018 – 5:30 PM

 

Selectboard: Chair Margaret A. Charig Bliss, Selectman Stephen Atherton, Selectman Robert Marshall

Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator;

Public: Adele Hale

Documents for Review/Approval

  • A/P Check Register
  • Payroll
  • NH Retirement System Payment
  • Selectboard Minutes
  • Welfare

5:30 PM: Public Forum

At 5:30 pm, Chairwoman Charig Bliss opened the meeting. Adele Hale attended the public forum to ask questions about the proposed 2018 budget as she is unable to attend the budget hearing. Ms. Hale asked the Selectboard if there were any plans with regard to Whittemore Cemetery. She stated that the cemetery is in poor condition with some broken stones. The Chair outlined several steps that the Cemetery Trustees had undertaken to repair stones and address the upkeep at the cemetery. Next Ms. Hale asked several questions about Oak Park. The first question was whether the birds under the pavilion would be addressed using the monies donated from the 225th Anniversary Committee. She also asked if the monies would be counted as revenue to the town. Ms. Hale was directed to the 2016 Town Report for a copy of the Recreation Revolving fund budget report. A brief discussion followed about the way in which the fund was tracked. Ms. Hale then asked the Selectboard if there were any plans to refurbish the tennis courts. She stated that according to her recollection, the town used matching funds from the State to provide updates to the park, which included the gazebo and the tennis courts. She suggested that because the State funds were originally from the federal government, the town should try and find the records of the grant to see if there were any restrictions on the original funding. Lastly, Ms. Hale asked questions about the use of the Greenfield Fire Station to hold the Monadnock Area Fire School course. The Selectboard explained that the course was hosted at the Greenfield Fire Station for its first session. Additional sessions may be in the works but those would likely be hosted at other fire stations. It was noted that the course would be held in Chesterfield next.

At 5:45 the Selectboard began working through the Consent Agenda.

5:50 PM: Selectboard Work Session

The Selectboard discussed the 2018 Town Report. The Selectboard took up a conversation about the dedication page. The Board voted 2-0 in favor of sharing the dedication. The dedications would be finalized at a later meeting.

Next the Selectboard heard a report on the status of the Town Clerk’s office. The Town Clerk is out and its unknown when she is going to return. As background for the Selectboard, the legal resource at the New Hampshire Municipal Association provided an outline of the RSAs regarding the absence of a Town Clerk. The Selectboard is authorized to appoint a Town Clerk when there is a vacancy as outlined in RSA 669:65. A ‘vacancy’ is defined by RSA 652:12. Without a vacancy the Selectboard cannot appoint a new clerk. Under RSA 41:18 the Town Clerk could appoint a deputy with the approval of the Selectboard. Unfortunately, the Town Clerk has not appointed a deputy despite the Selectboard’s repeated requests over the last six years. The Town Administrator explained that Kathy Valliere, the Greenfield Tax Collector had been asked by the Town Clerk to cover her office in her absence. Kathy Valliere would update the Selectboard later in the evening on the status of the Clerk’s office. The Chair noted that in past conversations with the Clerk, it was the Clerk’s suggestion that Kathy Valliere be appointed the Clerk’s assistant.

The Selectboard returned to the Consent Agenda and signed a purchase order for the purchase of a Ford F550 from Grappone Ford using SB38 funding from the Department of Transportation Block Grant funding received from the State.

The Board signed an employee vacation request form.

6:45 PM: Kathy Valliere, Tax Collector

At 6:45 pm, Kathy Vallier, Tax Collector came before the Selectboard. Ms. Valliere advised the Selectboard that Greenfield’s Town Clerk would be out for medical reasons for the near future. She stated that Edith Sleeper had asked her (Ms. Valliere) to take care of the office. Ms. Valliere outlined a plan to keep the Town Clerk’s office open as requested by Ms. Sleeper. There followed a discussion about the fact that the Town Clerk does not have a deputy appointed. Ms. Valliere explained that to work in the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office a person has to be a registered municipal agent for the town. They have to be trained by the DMV to provide registrations. Ms. Valliere stated that a deputy to the Town Clerk has to be a resident of the town. She stated that there is a deposit waiting to go to the bank at the Clerk’s office. Ms. Valliere requested that the Town Office take the deposit from Thursday, January 11th to the bank. Ms. Valliere requested that additional keys be made for the Town Clerk’s office and asked that the IT company be contacted in order to help with passwords so that residents could continue to have Department of Motor Vehicle registrations completed in Greenfield. A brief discussion followed regarding a cabinet in the Town Clerk’s office, which would have to be opened to get to the deposits. Ms. Valliere agreed that the Town should open the cabinet.

Selectman Steve Atherton arrives at 7:25pm.

Ms. Valliere explained that she has asked another municipal agent to cover some of the office hours. The hours won’t be the same as those currently posted, but there will be close to the same number of hours each week. Once the keys are made and the passwords created, Ms. Valliere is confident that the office can continue to provide DMV services.

8:20 PM: Selectboard Work Session

The Selectboard discussed the 2018 budget and took up a conversation regarding the public hearing date. It was noted by Selectman Marshall that ConVal School District had scheduled their public hearing for February 6th, which is the same night that the Town has elected to have their public hearing. The Town Administrator said that the notice with the timeline for the public hearing went out in September to all the Department Heads. The Selectboard discussed the fact that there might be some people that would like to attend both meetings. The Selectboard agreed to move the Town of Greenfield public hearing to Monday February 5th, from Tuesday February 6th. The time would remain 6:30pm on the Monday.  There followed a brief discussion on the notice for the public hearing. On motion by the Chair and a second by Selectman Atherton, the Board voted 3-0 in favor of moving the public hearing to Monday February 5th at 6:30pm. The Selectboard further requested to cancel the meeting on Tuesday February 6th as at least one Selectboard member would be attending the ConVal School District hearing.

Adjournment

The time being 9:33 pm, The Chair moved to adjourn. Selectman Marshall seconded. All were in favor, and the motion carried 3-0. The meeting adjourned at 9:33 PM.

The minutes are final when approved and signed by the Selectboard. A signed copy is on file in the Selectboard’s office.