Selectboard Minutes

Minutes

Town of Greenfield

Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH

Selectboard’s Minutes

Thursday, November 13, 2019 – 4:00 PM

Selectboard: Chairwoman Margaret Charig Bliss, Selectwoman Karen Day, Selectman Robert Marshall

Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator           

4:00 PM: Selectboard Work Session 

The Selectboard took up a discussion on the Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) presented by the Planning Board. The Planning Board CIP recommendations were discussed. The Selectboard compared the CIP chart for the Police Department, Highway Department, and the costs to implement a gravel road plan in 2020 and the cost to add gravel to roads in the plan.

At the conclusion of the discussion the Selectboard recommended that the Police Department Capital Reserve Fund be funded at $10,000 in 2020. The Planning Board had suggested $15,000. The Selectboard’s reasoning is based on the calculation on the cost of new vehicles and the time frame for those purchases, which differed from the Planning Board’s CIP calculations.

The Selectboard agreed to put $80,000 to the Highway Equipment Capital Reserve Fund. This is in agreement with the Planning Board’s recommendations. The calculations by the Selectboard include the time frame within which the primary equipment (Loader, Backhoe, and Grader) are due to be replaced. The discussion regarding these purchases included a discussion on equipment lifespan (10-15 years versus fire department vehicles that can have a life span of 30 years), financing, and the fact that there is no storage building for the equipment.

The Selectboard discussed the blended capital lease purchase warrant article from the previous year, where the article called for a down payment from Capital Reserve Funds and then a lease payment over time. The discussion outlined the need for education among residents so that capital lease agreements (which require a 2/3rds vote) are acceptable to the legislative body.

Lastly, the Selectboard discussed gravel roads, the need for a gravel road warrant article, and the need to socialize a gravel road plan at Town Meeting. At the conclusion of the discussion the Selectboard agreed to put $50,000 into a warrant article for gravel. The Planning Board’s recommendation was for a warrant article in the amount of $25,000. The Selectboard reasoned that there have been a significant number of years of deferred maintenance and the town needs to establish a gravel road program and have a significant accomplishment in the first year. The Board noted that after review of the entire budget, they may make changes or amendments to these numbers.

Adjournment

At 6:15 pm Selectman Marshall made a motion to adjourn the meeting; the motion was seconded by Selectwoman Day. The motion carried 3-0.

_