Selectboard Minutes
Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectboard’s Minutes
Thursday, December 30, 2019 – 3:30 PM
Selectboard: Chairwoman Margaret Charig Bliss, Selectwoman Karen Day, Selectman Robert Marshall
Staff: Aaron Patt, Town Administrator; Richard McQuade, DPW Buildings & Grounds Manager
Public:
- Payroll Check Register – 12/27/2019
- A/P “ACH” NH Retirement Payment 12/21/19
- Transfer from Gen. Fund to Oak Park Fund
- Transfer from Gen. Fund to Consv. Acct.
- Transfer from Rec. Rev. Acct. to Gen. Fund
- A/P – Bldg. Insp. Wages
- Selectboard Minutes – 12/12/2019
Items for Discussion in the Public Session:
1. 2020 Ambulance Contract
2. Stephenson Memorial Library Well Invoices
3. Community Revitalization Tax Incentive 79-E Application
4. 2019 Budget Transfer requests for 12/30/2019
5. Employee Holiday & Vacation Day Worksheets - 2019
6. 2020 Public Hearing Notice
3:30 PM: Selectboard Work Session
The Selectboard took up an application for RSA 79-E Community Revitalization Tax Relief Incentive for the former Greenfield Auto property located at 792 Forest Road. The Selectboard discussed the application and reviewed copies of the RSA. After discussing the requirements for a public hearing, the Selectboard asked that the link to the RSA be sent out to the individual selectboard members for further review. Due to the pressing nature of several end of year issues, the Selectboard agreed to review the application on the 2nd.
Next the Selectboard reviewed invoices for well drilling and connection to the library building. The Selectboard discussed the four invoices and agreed to pay the plumber and electrician from the 2019 Buildings & Grounds budget. The invoices from the well drilling company are to be paid from Capital Reserve Funds. The Selectboard discussed the question of whether funds from the Library Building and Maintenance Capital Reserve fund could contribute to the cost of the well. The Selectboard requested the Town Administrator to reach out to the Chair of the Library Trustees with this request.
Next the Selectboard reviewed an email from Wilton Town Administrator Paul Branscombe, which provides the budgetary figure for the 2020 ambulance service. This was noted as $68,545.00. The Selectboard reviewed a separate email from Administrator Branscombe outlining several conditions that the Ambulance Advisory Committee had highlighted to the Wilton Selectboard, which the Wilton Selectboard have agreed to. This email from December 23rd includes references to the Ambulance Building, the proposed 2020 budget with Greenfield at 16.33%, and the inclusion of a Rapid Response vehicle lease in the budget. At the conclusion of the review the Selectboard compared the Wilton Ambulance agreement to the Town of Peterborough Ambulance quote and agreement. The Town of Peterborough quote is $76,846.20. The Selectboard reviewed the notice clause of the Wilton Ambulance agreement and noted that the notice period is one year. The Selectboard discussed the two agreements in detail. At the conclusion of the discussion, the Chair made a motion to stay with the Wilton Ambulance service, subject to the provisions outlined by the Wilton Town Administrator, and the service cost of $68,545 for the year. The motion was seconded by Selectman Marshall. The vote was 3-0 in favor.
The Selectboard turned to the 2019 end-of-year budget. Town Administrator Patt noted that there are three lines that are overspent. There will be some trailing invoices as we head into the New Year. The Selectboard reviewed the following department budgets: DPW Roads, Executive, and Legal. The Board discussed each of the overages. At the conclusion of the discussion the Board voted as follows:
- On a motion by the Chair and a Second by Selectwoman Day, the Board voted 3-0 to transfer $10,532.06 from Personnel Administration to the DPW Roads budget
- On a motion by the Chair and a Second by Selectwoman Day, the Board voted 3-0 to transfer $1,451.52 to the Executive Budget from Personnel Administration..
- On a motion by the Chair and a Second by Selectman Marshall, the Board voted 3-0 in favor of transferring $3,903.48 to the Legal budget from Personnel Administration.
- It was noted that the Personnel Administration budget had in excess of $29,000 before transfers, partly due to employee turn-over.
Next, the Selectboard reviewed the vacation time remaining for all full-time and permanent part-time positions. It was noted that after implementing a new vacation policy in 2018, a significant percentage of the employees are losing vacation time due in part to scheduling difficulties during 2019, and at the end of the year. The Selectboard decided to allow up to an additional week of vacation “roll-over” as a one-time allowance while the policy is reviewed. The Board requested quarterly reviews of vacation time during 2020. It was noted that the Police Chief would lose a considerable amount of vacation even with the additional roll-over.
At 6:35pm, the Chair made a motion to enter into non-public session under RSA 91-A:II c. The motion was seconded by Selectman Marshall. On a roll-call vote the Board voted 3-0 to enter into non-public session. At 6:50pm, the Board voted 3-0 to enter into the public session. While in the public session, the Chair made a motion under RSA 91-A:III to seal the minutes in order to ensure the effectiveness of the discussion. The motion was seconded by Selectwoman Day. The motion passed in favor on a vote of 3-0.
The Selectboard discussed the upcoming month of January and tentatively chose February 4th at 6:30pm as the date for the 2020 Public Budget Hearing.
Adjournment
At 7:10 pm Selectman Marshall made a motion to adjourn the meeting; the motion was seconded by Selectwoman Day. The motion carried 3-0.