Selectboard Minutes
Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectboard’s Minutes
Thursday, August 22, 2019 – 5:30 PM
Selectboard: Chairwoman Margaret Charig Bliss, Selectwoman Karen Day, Selectman Robert Marshall
Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator; Katherine Heck, Treasurer
Public:
Documents for Review/Approval:
- Payroll Check Register – 08/23/2019
- Intent to Cut – R2-17, R2-17-2
- Timber Tax Warrant – R1-11; R3-2-1; R4-10; R5-4
- Selectboard Minutes – 08/08/2019
- Meeting House Rental Agmt
- Welfare Voucher – (1)
Items for Discussion in the Public Session:
1) Town Clerk Letter
2) Request from Census Bureau to Place signs
3) SJCS – 2020 Budget Request
4) School Board Representative – Resignation Letter
5) Gravel Road Spreadsheet
6) DRAFT Accounts Payable Policy – Selectboard review
7) Downtown Lighting Project – Materials & Labor
8) Public Hearing Notice - No Through Trucking Ordinance
5:30 PM: Public Forum
At 5:30 pm, Chair Charig Bliss opened the meeting. The Chair recognized Stephanie Babb. Ms. Babb stated that she is the coordinator for Music-on-the-Common and that she is interested in hosting a Christmas concert. She has received a confirmation from the Nelson Town Band to play inside the Meeting House. After some discussion, Selectman Marshall made a motion to support the Christmas Concert and waive the rental fee for use of the Meeting House. The motion was seconded by Selectwoman Day and passed on a vote of 3-0. There followed a short discussion on Music-on-the-Common funding for the FY 2020 year. Ms. Babb will provide an update on the cost of the bands and outline the expected shortfall from projected fundraising so that the Selectboard can consider a request for the 2020 budget. Ms. Babb thanked the Selectboard for their time. The Selectboard began working through the Consent Agenda items.
5:45 PM: Matthew Wieczhalek-Seiler, Hometown Heroes
Mr. Wieczhalek-Seiler discussed the Hometown Heroes banner program with the Selectboard. He provided background on the banner program, the cost of the banners for the families, the need for a permit to hang banners from the electric utility, and the different opportunities available for the town in terms of the types of permissions that the town can grant. The cost for the banners is $200 for the first banner, which is warranted for a period of three years. Mr. Wieczhalek-Seiler outlines his role in hanging the banners during the warranted period and storage for the banners when not in use. The Selectboard asked several questions about the proposed banner locations in town and Mr. Wieczhalek-Seiler explained that each town approaches things a little bit differently and the program will work with the town’s selectboard to find a practice that works. After some additional discussion, the Chair stated that the Selectboard has another meeting, but would take the presentation under advisement and issue a decision at a future meeting. Mr. Wieczhalek-Seiler thanked the Selectboard for their time.
6:15 PM: Mary Ann Grant, Resident
At 6:15 pm, Mary Ann Grant came before the Selectboard and requested a non-public meeting. The Chair made a motion to enter into non-public session under RSA 91-A:II, c Reputation. The motion was seconded by Selectwoman Day. On a roll-call vote the motion passed 3-0 and the Selectboard entered into a non-public session. At 7:15 pm, the Selectboard entered into public session on a vote of 3-0. It was noted that no motions were made or votes taken in the non-public session. While in the public session the Chair made a motion to seal the minutes according to RSA 91-A:III to ensure the confidentiality of the Board’s discussion as it related to the Ms. Grant. The motion was seconded by Selectman Marshall and passed on a vote of 3-0.
7:15 PM: Ray Cilley, Resident
At 7:20 pm, Ray Cilley came before the Selectboard to request an extension on the access from the Town parking lot on Route 136 to the rear of the building located at 792 Forest Road. A discussion followed on the need to access the rear of the building, current testing that is being performed in conjunction with the NH Department of Environmental Services, and the interest by Mr. Cilley in connecting the building to the wastewater plant behind the Harvester market. At the conclusion of the discussion, Selectman Marshall made a motion to provide Mr. Cilley an extension of the access from the parking lot in order for the testing and clean-up work to be completed and the building rehabilitated, up to or until June 1st, 2020, after which the extension could be renewed. The motion was seconded by Selectwoman Day and passed on a vote of 3-0. Mr. Cilley and the Selectboard discussed several topics of interest including the interest by the town’s library in land adjacent to the Greenfield Inn, which is for sale. Mr. Cilley is in his private role as citizen and is not able to speak regarding the library opportunity, but did express his interest in several potential projects that the Library is looking into. The Selectboard, through Selectman Marshall, explained that it is very important that the Library engage with the community and receive feedback on any proposed projects or changes to the land or building contemplated by the Library Trustees. Mr. Cilley stated that the Trustees are just starting the process of looking at grants and potential opportunities and he would bring the suggestion to the Trustees. At the conclusion of the meeting, Mr. Cilley thanked the Selectboard for their time.
8:10 PM: Selectboard Work Session
At 8:10 pm, Selectman Marshall made a motion to accept the Consent Agenda. The motion was seconded by Selectwoman Day and passed on a vote of 3-0.
Next the Selectboard discussed a recent zoning case in which the applicant was referred to the Zoning Board by the Code Enforcement Officer. The case was reviewed and declined by the Greenfield Zoning Board. The reason given was that the building in question was not addressed by zoning due to its size. The Selectboard’s interest is regarding the payment of the zoning fee to the town, and whether the applicant should be reimbursed as the case was not heard by the Zoning Board after referral by the Code Enforcement Officer. The Selectboard was of a consensus to refund the fees, but asked that the Code Enforcement Officer be contacted for his thoughts.
Next the Selectboard received a letter from Mr. Myron Steere, Greenfield’s ConVal School Board Representative. Mr. Steere is resigning his position of School Board Representative and has asked the Selectboard to appoint a representative until elections are held.
The Selectboard received a request to place signs on Town property by the Census Bureau. After some discussion and review of photos of the signs, the Board reached a consensus that they were not in favor of the signs being placed on town property.
The Selectboard discussed a draft Accounts Payable Policy and agreed to table the discussion in order to hold a review period. The Chair requested that the policy be emailed to the board members for study before the next discussion.
Next the Selectboard discussed providing a longevity bonus to outgoing Recycling Center Supervisor Carol Burgess who served Greenfield for nearly nine years. The Board voted 3-0 in favor of a longevity bonus and requested that the Town Administrator work out the details with Ms. Burgess in an amount of $150.
Next the Selectboard discussed a final bill from K.A. Electric to close out the downtown lighting project (installation of light poles along Forest Road). The Selectboard discussed and approved moving of funds from the DPW budgets to “Street Lighting” with the addition of a new expense line for Downtown Lighting Labor & Hardware so that the expense would be transparent to anyone interested. The Selectboard noted that this closed out the original 2003 downtown beautification bond lighting plan, which had been halted due to insufficient funding. The Selectboard noted that the cost for the labor and hardware was partly due to the light pole bases having been left in place and having sustained damage and wear over the past 15 years.
The Selectboard, on a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectman Marshall voted to enter into non-public session under RSA 91-A:II c Reputation, in order to set monthly commitment amounts to forbearance agreements between the town and several property owners. On a roll-call vote the Selectboard entered into non-public session. The Selectboard exited non-public session at 9:20pm. The Chair made a motion to seal the minutes according to RSA 91-A: III in order to maintain the confidentiality of the residents. The motion was seconded by Selectwoman Day and passed 3-0.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Selectboard noted that the original date for an employee picnic was set for 9/11/2019 and there are a number of employees with conflicts. As a result the Selectboard will re-schedule the picnic for later in the month.
Adjournment
At 9:23 pm The Chair made a motion to adjourn the meeting, the motion was seconded by Selectman Marshall, the motion carried 3-0.