Selectboard Minutes
Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectboard’s Minutes
Thursday, June 27, 2019 – 5:30 PM
Selectboard: Selectwoman Karen Day, Selectman Robert Marshall
Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator;
Public:
Documents for Review/Approval:
- A/P Check Register – 06/19/2019
- Payroll Check Register – 06/28/2019
- Abatement Recommendation – V3-6, V3-6-1
- Employee Vacation Request – Executive
- Employee Vacation Request – (2) DPW
- New Hire Worksheet - Library
- DPW Purchase Order(s) – Culvert & Headwalls
- Veteran’s Tax Credit Application – (1)
- Oak Park Rental
- Selectboard Minutes – 06/13/2019
Items for Discussion in the Public Session:
1) Class VI Road Policy
2) Friends of the Community Meeting House – Website page request
3) Employee Co-Pay Holiday
5:30 PM: Public Forum
At 5:30 pm, Selectwoman Karen Day opened the meeting. Chairwoman Charig Bliss is unable to attend the meeting. The Selectboard began working through the Consent Agenda. Selectman Marshall acknowledged Adele Hale for the public forum. Ms. Hale had several questions to go over with the Selectboard.
Ms. Hale and the Selectboard had a follow-up conversation about 911 protocols and whether there is a possibility that the town could institute a street sign ordinance. The discussion touched on the 911 call protocol with Fire Mutual Aid and on certain roads in town such as Route 136, which goes by different names (Peterborough Road, Greenfield Road, Francestown Road).
Next, Ms. Hale asked if the Selectboard would consider a policy to allow rental of the Meeting House sign by private vendors when the sign is not in use. The Selectboard deliberated and determined that private use of the public sign for a fee could be problematic for a number of reasons. Such a policy would be necessarily complex and couldn’t protect against the need of the municipality to use the sign even though a private party has reserved and/or paid a fee to use the sign. The current policy makes municipal use a priority and that would have to persist, which could lead to difficulties for private rentals.
Ms. Hale then asked if Music on the Common would allow for her to have a single table to sell vegetables from her garden. In the past she has requested to include a farmer’s market, but is now interested in just a table for her own use. The Selectboard discussed Music on the Common and its focus on music. The recreation program has become a well attended summer program. Music on the Common has resisted commercialization, stated Selectwoman Day, and she felt that allowing vendors would detract from the focus of the program, which is for people to enjoy free music. Selectman Marshall discussed the idea at length with Ms. Hale, and reached agreement with Selectwoman Day that as a recreation program, the goal of the Selectboard is to give back to the residents, and it would be better not to diffuse that intent. The Board concluded that there may be other programs in town where her request would be a better fit. Selectman Marshall suggested that she contact the Friends of the Library to see if they would be willing to integrate their fundraising activities with residents wishing to peddle goods and garden produce.
Lastly, Ms. Hale inquired about whether the town was making progress on understanding solar power and how it might be implemented. Town Administrator Patt outlined a recent meeting with ReVision Energy. ReVision’s presentation outlined a number of municipal projects that they have worked on, as well as several different ways in which the financing could be accomplished. The Selectboard is continuing to review the information and is looking at defining the process, including whether the use of town property would require a vote at Town Meeting. Ms. Hale said that she would look forward to future progress and thanked the Selectboard for their time.
5:45 PM: Selectboard Work Session
Selectwoman Day put forth a request from Stephanie Babb, Music on the Common volunteer who is looking for the Selectboard’s support for a scholarship with Southern New Hampshire University. The Selectboard reviewed the request and agreed to sign a letter in support. On a motion by Selectman Marshall and a second by Selectwoman Day, the Board voted 2-0 to support the application for scholarship for volunteer hours logged toward the town event.
The Selectboard received a request from the Friends of the Community Meeting House for a page on the town website. After some discussion, the Selectboard agreed that the 501C(3) corporation, which is set up to include all Greenfield residents to raise money for the Meeting House, is a unique partner that the Selectboard can support by providing the group its own page on the town website. The Board asked that the page contain an explanation of the unique relationship and membership opportunity open to residents that is crafted with the Friends of the Meeting House leadership.
The Selectboard discussed the Old Business item – perambulation. A discussion on the requirement for perambulation was held. The Board is interested in formalizing a program and ensuring that this requirement is completed annually. The Selectboard asked that a position be posted for a volunteer position.
Selectman Marshall reported on the Selectmen’s Advisory Committee meeting and its interest in promoting broadband across the school district. The theory is that a broadband provider will have more interest in working with a consortium of towns and the school district than they have had with individual towns.
The Selectboard discussed traffic calming on town roads and Route 136.
The Selectboard discussed the summer lifeguard program. The Town Administrator is on vacation next week. Selectman Marshall volunteered to be a point of contact while Fire Chief McQuade is out of town for the weekend. While the Chair is out, Selectman Marshall will be the point of contact for the Selectboard.
The Selectboard voted on a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectman Marshall, 2-0 in favor of the Consent Agenda.
The Selectboard voted 2-0, on a motion by Selectman Marshall and a second by Selectwoman Day, to extend a co-pay holiday to employees in consideration of the NH SchoolCare Health Insurance “premium holiday” in the amount of $10,494.00. The employee co-pay holiday is for two pay periods.
The Selectboard held an extended discussion on the upcoming All-Boards meeting scheduled for July 25th. The focus of the meeting is on establishing an exemplary culture where the boards and committee members feel supported by the Selectboard and the Town Office staff. Selectman Marshall reviewed a draft agenda from past discussions. The Selectboard discussed several ideas for supporting the boards and committees. These include scheduled trainings, in-house meetings, support in the form of budget and legal expertise and the possibility of quarterly meetings with other Boards to establish dialogue and receive feedback on the needs of the boards. At the conclusion of the discussion, Selectman Marshall volunteered to write up the agenda with changes and circulate the revised agenda prior to the next Selectboard meeting on July 11th.
Adjournment
At 8:40 pm Selectwoman Day made a motion to adjourn the meeting, the motion was seconded by Selectman Marshall, the motion carried 2-0.
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