Selectboard Minutes
Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectboard’s Minutes
Thursday, October 31, 2019 – 5:30 PM
Selectboard: Chairwoman Margaret Charig Bliss, Selectwoman Karen Day, Selectman Robert Marshall
Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator
Documents for Review/Approval:
- A/P Check Register – 10/18/2019
- Selectboard Minutes – 10/17/2019
- Welfare Voucher
5:30 PM: Public Forum
At 5:30pm, Chair Charig Bliss opened the meeting. There was no one present for the public forum. The Selectboard began working through the Consent Agenda. At 5:40 the Selectboard voted to approve the Consent Agenda on a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectwoman Day, 3-0 in favor.
5:45 PM: Selectboard Work Session
At 5:45pm, the Selectboard held a discussion on the Groundskeeper position. It was noted that the contract has not been updated to reflect the bid specification that has been posted for the last two years. Due to insufficient bid applications the town has contracted with Jeremy Gagnon outside of the bid application process. The Selectboard reached a consensus to post the bid specification again for 2020, but asked that Mr. Gagnon come to a Selectboard meeting. The Selectboard agreed that Mr. Gagnon does an excellent job.
The Selectboard reviewed and finalized a letter to Town Clerk Edith “Dee” Sleeper. Ms. Sleeper has been out on medical leave since January of 2018.
The Selectboard reviewed the DPW Heavy Equipment Operator position help wanted advertisement. The Selectboard requested that the advertisements be sent to the Milford Cabinet, the Shopper News, and the Keene Sentinel.
The Selectboard held a brief discussion on the Wilton Lyndeborough Temple Ambulance Association and issues related to the use of their ambulance facility by the Wilton Ambulance. The Selectboard requested that the Wilton Ambulance Association meeting on the 22nd of November be posted as a meeting so that the Selectboard members can attend.
The Selectboard discussed the 2020 budget and the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) as recommended by the Planning Board. The Board reviewed the CIP ‘s recommendation for Capital Reserve funding in the 2020 budget. The Selectboard discussed the upcoming projects and equipment needs for each department and outlined the needs within the larger context of the town. The Board discussed the Meeting House restoration. Topics related to the Meeting House included bonding for the restoration and the possibility of satisfying some of the CIP expenditures. This discussion included possible time frames for such a bond.
7:00 PM: Police Chief Brian Giammarino
At 7:01, the Selectboard met with Chief Giammarino. Chief Giammarino gave a presentation on the Police Department year to date and outlined goals for 2020. The discussion with the Chief outlined the statistics for department performance including traffic stops, arrests, court cases, and some of the pressures that arise from few part-time officers in rotation. Chief Giammarino acknowledged that there seems to be a shortage of part-time officers this year. All of the officers that are filling the part-time shifts are full-time in another department. As such it’s been challenging to build a schedule that works for everyone in the department. Chief Giammarino’s priority for 2020 is to engage in a review of Call Time with the Selectboard.
The Selectboard asked several questions and then engaged in a discussion about using a partnership model with a neighboring town to provide an officer during third shift hours that can cover both towns, thus relieving on-call pressure for our full time officers and providing full time coverage in a shared cost-effective manner.
9:20 PM: Selectboard Work Session Contd.
The Selectboard discussed an application from a person interested in purchasing land that abuts a Class VI road. The discussion centered on an application by Joseph Dutil for property that abuts Bennington but that does not have access to a Class V road. The Selectboard reached a consensus to forward the applicant to the Planning Board as required by RSA 674:41.
There followed a discussion about parking for the restaurant at the Greenfield Meeting Place. The Selectboard have requested that the Planning Board provide a recommendation regarding the use of 10 Slip Road, which is town-owned property. The owner of the Greenfield Meeting Place has suggested that in order to make the restaurant successful, there needs to be more parking in the downtown area. Selectman Marshall indicated that the Planning Board would provide a response after some additional discussion.
The Selectboard held a brief discussion on the Spirit article from the Board regarding the 2019 tax rate.
Adjournment
At 8:52 pm Selectman Marshall made a motion to adjourn the meeting, the motion was seconded by the Chair. The motion carried 3-0.