Selectboard Minutes
Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectboard’s Minutes
Friday, December 06, 2019 – 1:00 PM
Selectboard: Chairwoman Margaret Charig Bliss, Selectwoman Karen Day, Selectman Robert Marshall
Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator; Richard McQuade, DPW Buildings & Grounds Manager
Public:
1:00 PM: Selectboard Work Session
The Selectboard held a discussion on the Meeting House restoration and its planning phase. The Selectboard heard an argument from Selectman Marshall suggesting that the Selectboard reach a consensus on a proposal in advance of Town Meeting so that there is a concrete plan in place when voters are asked to fund the capital reserve fund. He also suggested that once a plan was outlined that it would present an opportunity to collaborate with the Friends of the Meeting House non-profit fundraising organization. A discussion followed on the merits of reaching a plan in advance of working with an engineering firm, or, to having a warrant article ready for Town Meeting to appropriate funding for an engineering study that would help the town evaluate options and provide expert advice on the building layout. This would included updated facilities, examination of the location for the bathrooms, kitchen and elevator, and advice on how to navigate historical preservation issues. At the conclusion of the discussion, the Selectboard reached a consensus to reach out to Underwood engineering to see what the cost would be for an engineering study that would help guide the building restoration process.
At 1:45pm, DPW Buildings & Grounds Manager Richard “Rick” McQuade joined the Selectboard meeting. The Selectboard welcomed Mr. McQuade and took up a conversation about the Library and its water supply. Mr. McQuade outlined the steps taken to restore water to the Meeting House and the Old Town Office. Selectman Marshall outlined the issues with the hand drawn map for the water lines on file at the Town Office. Mr. McQuade explained that based on that map, the Library water should have been restored when the Old Town Office came online. He explained how DPW continued digging to find the water line that feeds the Library and believes it may have found the line, but there is no guarantee, and the line may be the culprit that caused the pump to fail. He has researched boring a line to the Library from the Meeting House, but the intersection of Rt. 31 and Forest Road presents a lot of unknowns and will require additional permitting. After some discussion, the Selectboard explained to Mr. McQuade that the Library Trustees were advocating for a drilled well. Mr. McQuade stated that he has three quotes from well drilling companies as a back-up to the work done to replace the well line. The quotes were based on wells in the vicinity of the Meeting House and will work for the Library because that building is part of the same downtown area that was used to generate the quotes. Drilling quotes are based on data at the State for well depths in the vicinity. At the conclusion of the discussion the Selectboard said that their preference would be to have a well drilled at the Library.
Selectwoman Day made a motion to drill a well at the Library and to use Capital Reserve Funds to pay for the emergency repair. Selectman Marshall seconded the motion. Discussion about the possibility of the Library Trustees providing some funding from their Library Buildings and Grounds Maintenance Capital Reserve Fund was held. The Chair suggested that some of the funds come from the Town Buildings and Grounds Maintenance Capital Reserve Fund, and some from the Library Buildings and Grounds Maintenance Capital Reserve Fund. At the conclusion of the discussion, the Chair called the vote and the voted passed 3-0. It was noted that the vote comes on the advice of the Library Trustees from the 12/05/19 Selectboard meeting. The Selectboard requested that Mr. McQuade update the records at the Town Office when the project is completed. Mr. McQuade thanked the Selectboard and left the meeting.
The Selectboard continued their discussion on the Meeting House restoration planning project. The Board discussed past engineering firms that the town has worked with. Selectman Marshall explained that he would like to share a list of project parameters with the Friends of the Meeting House. At the conclusion of the discussion, the Selectboard reviewed their calendars for the upcoming meeting. Finding that the ConVal Selectman’s Advisory Committee is meeting on the 12th, the Selectboard agreed to post the Selectboard meeting that night for 4:30pm. Additionally, the Board noted that the Wilton Ambulance budget would be heard on January 9th, a Thursday. The Board discussed holding a Selectboard meeting on Weds. January 8th so as to attend the budget meeting in Wilton.
Adjournment
At 3:47 pm Selectman Marshall made a motion to adjourn the meeting; the motion was seconded by Selectwoman Day. The motion carried 3-0.