Selectboard Minutes
Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectboard’s Minutes
Thursday, March 21, 2019 – 5:30 PM
Selectboard: Chair Robert Marshall, Selectwoman Margaret A. Charig Bliss, Selectwoman Karen Day
Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator
Public:
Documents for Review/Approval:
- A/P Check Register – 03/20/2019
- Payroll Check Register – 3/22/2019
- MS232 – Report of Appropriations
- Meeting House Rental Application – PTO
- Selectboard Minutes – 03/14/2019
Items for Discussion in the Public Session:
1) Utility Appraisal Proposal
2) Review of HB700
3) HealthTrust Proposal
5:30 PM: Public Forum
At 5:30 pm, Selectman Marshall, as the previous year’s Chairman, opened the meeting. Selectman Marshall asked if there was a motion for a Chair for 2019. Selectwoman Day nominated Selectwoman Charig Bliss to the position of Chair. The motion was seconded by Selectman Marshall. On a vote of 3-0 in favor, the motion passed and Selectwoman Charig Bliss is the Chair for the 2019 session.
Chairwoman Bliss recognized Ken Paulsen in attendance. Mr. Paulsen explained that as the current Trustee of the Trust Funds Chair, he is requesting that Linda Nickerson be appointed as Trustee of Trust Funds.
The Selectboard began working on the Consent Agenda. The Selectboard voted on a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectwoman Day, 3-0 in favor of the Consent Agenda.
5:45 PM: Todd Mason, DPW Road Manager
At 5:45pm Todd Mason, DPW Road Manager met with the Selectboard. Mr. Mason advised the Board that S.R. Jones is ready to schedule the replacement of the culvert on New Boston extension. The water table is now low enough to complete the work, which was postponed during the late summer and fall of last year due to the rain and high water table. Currently, Mr. Mason is targeting the week of April 8th-12th for the culvert replacement. He explained that he has been in contact with Francestown’s Road Agent and will post signs on the various roads in the area to warn commuters that the road will be closed for 3-5 days. The funds for this project are coming from monies encumbered last year, and from the DPW Road Maintenance line item.
Next, Mr. Mason outlined how his department has been working with Bennington’s highway department in a relationship that mirrors mutual aid. The reciprocal work has been beneficial for both towns.
Mr. Mason described a proposal to close Old Bennington Road on the gravel portion to thru-trucking. He said that this was brought up by a resident at Town Meeting. Mr. Mason stated that he is aware that a resident has come before the Selectboard on more than one occasion to complain of the big trucks and their speed on the road. Closing the road to thru-trucking will reduce wear and tear on the road, and provide a better environment for people who live on the road. Currently the gravel portion of Old Bennington Road is being used as a cut-thru. If the road is closed to thru-trucking, the trucks will have to stay on the paved roads and those roads are all State roads. The Selectboard asked several questions and then agreed to look at a proposal for closing Old Bennington Road to thru-traffic. The Selectboard requested that Mr. Mason gather the necessary information, and present the steps and requirements to close the road, to the Board at a future meeting.
At 5:53pm Mr. Mason requested a non-public session in order to address a personnel issue. The Chair asked for a motion to go into non-public session. Selectman Marshall made a motion to enter into non-public session. The motion was seconded by Selectwoman Day. On a roll-call vote, the Selectboard voted 3-0 in favor of a non-public session.
At 6:27pm, the Selectboard voted 3-0 to exit non-public session. While in the public session, the Chair made a motion to seal the minutes in accordance with RSA 91-A:3 III, to protect the reputation of person not a member of the Board and to preserve the effectiveness of the conversation. The motion was seconded by Selectman Marshall and approved on a vote of 3-0.
Mr. Mason thanked the Selectboard for their time.
6:30 PM: Greg Blake, South Pack Solar
At 6:30pm, Greg Blake of South Pack Solar met with the Selectboard. The Chair thanked Mr. Blake for attending the meeting and explained that the Selectboard has an interest in understanding solar applications for the municipality. Mr. Blake has worked with other municipalities and many projects in the area. Mr. Blake stated that in the State of New Hampshire the incentive for homeowners, in the form of a federal solar tax credit incentive, does not apply for municipalities. There followed a discussion about solar applications, which includes the current regulatory environment, grid-tie opportunities, net-metering and group-net metering, and the NH rules for group net-metering. Mr. Blake suggested that the town gather its bills for all of the town buildings in order to determine usage across the municipality. Mr. Blake also explained demand charge billing for commercial accounts. He suggested that the town break out demand charges for each building. At the conclusion of the discussion the Selectboard asked if Mr. Blake would be willing to be an advisory to the Selectboard as they look at different opportunities. Mr. Blake, a former town resident, said he would be willing and would provide references from other Selectboard members.
8:15 PM: Selectboard Work Session
The Selectboard took up a work session and went over several items from the previous year. The Board discussed the results of Town Meeting, including the advisory votes taken at the end under Article 19. The Board discussed the Town Report and made some suggestions for next year. The Board reviewed the appointment laws for the Planning Board and discussed the Deputy Town Clerk’s efforts to streamline the process for appointments and swearing in of officers. The Selectboard requested that the Administrator work with the Deputy to review and correct the terms associated with the officers of town boards and committees as needed.
Next the Selectboard went through a list of immediate needs including the need for a P.A. system for the Meeting House. A list of items for attention by the Administrator and the Building & Grounds Manager was provided by the Selectboard. At the end of the discussion, Selectman Marshall provided a document that outlines the goals for 2019 based on the conversations during the previous year.
Adjournment
At 9:03 pm Selectman Marshall made a motion to adjourn the meeting, the motion was seconded by the Selectwoman Day, the motion carried 3-0.