Present: Jen Richardson (chair), Kimberly Firth (vice chair), Justin Dohrn, Beth Downs (Select Board Rep)
Also attending: Karen Hambleton, Town Administrator; Kathleen Bigford, Recording Secretary; Dawn Gezelman
Meeting called to order at 6:35 pm
New member: Dawn Gezelman
Motion: Justin Dohrn moved to appoint Dawn Gezelman on the Budget Committee
Second: Beth Downs
Decision: 4-0 in favor
Review minutes from April 20, 2023 meeting
Motion: Kim Firth moved to approve the April 20, 2023 meeting minutes as written
Second: Justin Dohrn
Decision: 4-0 in favor
Review of Budget and Expenditures for all departments year to date. With 33% of the year left, about 40% of the total budget is remaining. The Committee highlighted the addition of a Highway Department “Storm Damages” line item ($5,284) as a good way to keep track of the unexpected expenditures due to storms. The Committee agreed that all expenses were covered.
Set schedule for Budget Committee meetings in the upcoming months.
Deadlines: February 21, 2024 budget due to Select Board.
February 6 Warrant article petitions due.
February 16 Last day to hold public hearing (must be noticed by Feb 9th)
Week of October 23: Meet with departments.
Department partnerships:
Jen Richardson – Library, Parks and Rec
Kim Firth – Transfer Station, Town Clerk
Laurie Colburn/Dawn Gezelman – Highway Department
Justin Dohrn – Fire and Rescue
Tim McKenna – Police Department
Beth Downs – Select Board
All meetings on Thursday at 6 pm.
November 2 Budget committee meets for first look at budget
November 16 Police, Fire, and Transfer Station meet with committee
November 30 Highway, Library, Parks and Rec meet with committee
Town Clerk and Selectmen’s Office will appear on one or both of the November meeting dates.
December 14 Follow up questions for departments
January 11 Warrant articles
February 1 Public hearing.
February 8 Vote on petition(s)
March 13 Town meeting
Town survey and draft questions for us to review as a committee. Discussion and editing of Kim’s draft. Kim will put it on Survey Monkey and will email it to committee members to test it.
Standardize the budget presentations for departments to present at Town Meeting. Discussion of giving department heads a standardized way of presenting budgets. The sense of the Committee is that through meetings with departments, Committee members will understand issues with department budgets and can give the explanations.
Update from Karen on grant proposals being submitted (or planned): Grant proposals and income do not impact the operating budget.
Adjourn:
Motion: Justin Dohrn
Second: Beth Downs
Decision: 5-0 in favor
Meeting adjourned at 8:02
Next meeting November 2, 6:00 pm
Submitted by Kathleen Bigford