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Selectboard Minutes

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PDF icon consent_agenda_signed_11-15-2018.pdf
Meeting date: 
Thursday, November 15, 2018

Minutes

Town of Greenfield

Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH

Selectboard’s Minutes

Thursday, November 15, 2018 – 5:30 PM

 

Selectboard: Chair Robert Marshall, Selectwoman Margaret A. Charig Bliss, Selectwoman Karen Day

Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator; Jack Moran, Budget Advisory Committee; Doug Batty, Budget Advisory Committee; Keith Hickey, Budget Advisory Committee

Public:

Documents for Review/Approval:

  1. A/P Check Register – 11/14/2018
  2. Payroll Check Register – 11/16/2018
  3. Fire Department Purchase Order
  4. Timber Tax Levy – (3) R1-9; R4-18-1; R4-6, 17& 17-1
  5. Selectboard Minutes – 11/08/2018
  6. Oak Park Rental – ConVal School District
  7. Welfare Letters (2)

Items for Discussion/Approval:

            1) Avitar letter regarding NNETC

2) S.R. Jones Contract - Revisions

5:30 PM: Public Forum

At 5:30 pm Chairman Marshall opened the meeting. It was noted that there were no public in attendance for the public forum portion of the meeting. The Board began working on the Consent Agenda items. On a motion by Selectwoman Charig Bliss, and a second from the Chair the Board voted 3-0 in favor of accepting the Consent Agenda.

5:45 PM: Michael Borden, Fire Department Captain

At 5:45 pm, Michael Borden, Greenfield Fire Department Captain, came before the Selectboard to discuss a purchase order for a turn-out gear dryer in the amount of $9,350. Mr. Borden explained that with the new turn-out gear washing machine, the department is able to protect against continued re-exposure to carcinogens. The gear takes a long time to dry and the gear dryer will increase the time to readiness. The Selectboard asked about the Fire Department budget. Mr. Borden explained that the Fire Department Association intends to donate $4000 from its fund raising efforts toward the purchase of the dryer. The Fire Department would pay the balance of the invoice from its Fire Department Equipment line. The Equipment line has $8,400 available. The balance of the invoice required from this line is $5,350. After discussion the Selectboard moved to a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectwoman Charig Bliss to approve the purchase of a gear dryer for the Fire Department, with $5,350 to come from the Fire Department Equipment line and the balance to come from donation. It was noted that the donation would be placed on the agenda of a regularly scheduled meeting, pursuant to NH RSA 31:95-b.

6:15 PM: Brian Giammarino, Police Chief

The Selectboard welcomed Chief Giammarino to the meeting. Chief Giammarino presented the Selectboard and the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) with the Greenfield Police Department’s 2019 budget projections. Chief Giammarino outlined the changes to the budget based on filling the position for the third officer and the requirements for part-time officers. Chief Giammarino presented his projected expenses for over-time, fuel (gasoline), vehicle repairs and maintenance. There followed a discussion of the police department vehicles. Chief Giammarino outlined the condition of the two Crown Victoria police vehicles (Car1 & Car 2). A discussion of the use of capital reserve funds to purchase a new vehicle was held. Car 2 is ready for decommissioning due to its age, mileage, and increasing cost of maintenance. For the Part-Time wages, Chief Giammarino is asking for $20,000 in accordance with the directive of the Selectboard to have available the funding needed to staff for vacations and holidays, in addition to normal busy times of the year. Chief Giammarino then discussed a request to provide a raise to the part-time officers in order to keep part-time wages in line with neighboring communities. A conversation followed with the Budget Advisory Committee members about reducing the Chief’s budget. In particular the BAC wants to reduce the vehicle fuel line due to it being historically under spent. After subtracting $1,500 from the line, the budget is up 5.3% over the previous year.

Budget Advisory Committee member Jack Moran outlined his interest in keeping the overall town budget flat. Mr. Moran stated he wants to see a cap on the overall budget. He noted that he would like to get aggressive on some of the lines in the budget. Mr. Moran suggested cutting out the EDAC line from the Planning Board budget. There followed a discussion with the Budget Advisory Committee members about the town’s 2019 operating budget.

At 6:50 pm, Chief Giammarino left the meeting. The Board thanked him for his budget. The Selectboard continued a conversation with the BAC members regarding the overall budget. The BAC is interested in receiving a budget goal from the Selectboard. A discussion followed about the budget process and the Selectboard provided an overview of their steps in setting the budget. This includes making a projection on the amount of fund balance available for the following year. This projection will be included with the projected revenue figure and from there the Selectboard can get a sense of a tax rate, which will help them fine tune the expense budget. The BAC concluded the discussion at 7:40 pm.

7:42 PM: Selectboard Work Session

At 7:42 the Selectboard entered into a work session. The Selectboard reviewed the S.R. Jones contract for the New Boston Road culvert replacement and approved the changes proposed by the company. The Board was of a consensus to send the contract back to S.R. Jones for signature.

Next the Selectboard reviewed an invoice from G. E. Sansoucy P.E. LLC. The Board asked the Administrator to follow-up on the invoice to determine costs associated with 2018 and 2019.

A discussion followed on the need to fly two firefighters to MidWest Fire to receive hand-off of the new tanker truck. It was determined that Selectwoman Day, who has had employment with a travel agency, would help finalize the travel costs for the firefighters and work with them to help book their travel.

Next the Selectboard discussed the meeting schedule, noting that there would be no meeting on November 22nd due to the Thanksgiving holiday. The Board discussed the need to hold interviews for the Fire Chief position. It was decided that the Board would schedule a non-public meeting on November 27th to interview the internal candidates for the Fire Chief position.

The Board discussed the Town Administrator’s annual evaluation and in consideration of the time agreed to move the evaluation to November 29th. A non-public meeting would be placed on the agenda for the 29th for this purpose.

Adjournment

At 9:15 pm Selectwoman Charig Bliss made a motion to adjourn the meeting, the motion was seconded by Selectwoman Day, the motion carried 3-0.