Budget Committee Draft Meeting Minutes
December 3rd, 2020 6:30pm
134 East Main Street Bradford, NH 03221 & Via Zoom
Members: Laurie Colburn (Chair), Mark Fournier (Vice-Chair), Marlene Freyler (Select Board Rep), Chris Frey, Doug Southard, Tim Mckenna and Justin Dohrn (arrived at 6:32pm)
Members Absent: None
Karen Hambleton (Town Administrator) was present.
The meeting was called to order at 6:32 pm.
Pledge of Allegiance
Old Business: None
Receipt of Correspondence:
- Review and consideration of the November 19th, 2020 meeting minutes.
Motion: Mark Fournier motioned to approve the revised minutes as written.
Second: Chris Frey
Decision: 6-0 in favor
New Business:
Review of the 2021 Budgets for the following departments:
Town Clerk – Melissa Cunningham presented the Election, Registration and Vital Statistics and the Financial Administration budgets.
- Election line item has changed instead of four elections there is only one election.
- The Supervisors of the Checklist wage line is little higher than might be anticipated with one election due to a checklist purge. A checklist purge happens every ten years. The Committee will follow up with the Supervisors of the Checklist for any additional questions.
- Deputy wages– Turnover in the deputy position, vacation and number of hours has decreased due to personal reasons. The wages previously were just under $17,000. The Deputy position works 15 hours a week during July and August approximately 20 hours the remainder of the year. Due to the hours and hourly pay it is difficult to maintain the position. In 2018-2019, the turnover rate for the position was high. The deputy position does not have paid vacation.
- The Committee questioned the audit fees line. Every other year, an actuarial valuation report needs to be produced for retirement benefits. This GASB-75 audit is required by the annual audit.
- Association dues are paid for Town Clerk and the Tax Collector’s Associations.
- The supplies line item has increased due to Town records that need to be stored permanently and require adequate storage. Laurie suggested reaching out to the Historical Society to possibly apply for grant funding for storage.
- Postage costs have increased due to COVID-19 and the mailing volume.
- A place holder for a new printer in the amount of $600 was discussed. The discussion of leasing vs. owning equipment was discussed. Financially it makes more sense to own.
Library – Devin Pendleton and Ellen Barselle presented the Library budget.
- Budget request submitted for 2021: $81,000.
- Salary wages approximately: $59,000.
- Books costs: $9,000.
- Furnishings and Electric: $2,500 in computers and technical category, this covers scanners for the digitizing project. This will be an updated system; the digitizing project is approximately 20% completed. The library’s goal is to have the digitizing completed in about 6-8 months. This will save in costs of ink, paper and time. An initial fee is paid for assistance with converting to digital and thereafter, it becomes an annual amount. Ellen explained that money has been spent out of special projects. This has allotted funding to different line items. Doing so does not give an accurate portrayal of what the actual costs are to operate the library. The projected costs for next year are approximately $101,000, of which the Town is being asked to fund $81,000. The Budget Committee would like to review actual costs and line items.
- The Budget Committee inquired about the computer reporting services. High Tech Solutions provides computer services; the Committee asked if there is any opportunity to merge with the Town’s computer service provider. No conclusion was reached.
- A reduction in the electrical line item is expected although not reflected in the budget. The lights have been changed to LED lighting, potentially saving electricity costs.
- The Budget Committee questioned donation funding. The Library explained that a late fee donation and the plant sale and book sale contribute to donations. Friends of the Library is in need of regeneration.
- The Library is heated with oil and is under the same contracted service as the Town.
- Marlene Freyler questioned the interest in the Library CD’s. Devin outlined that some of the CD’s have restrictions on using the interest. One can be used for children’s books and the other can be used for special projects.
Parks and Recreation – Devin Pendleton presented the Parks and Recreation budget.
- 2021 budget request: $17,750.
- French’s Park attendant: $4,000. Tim Mckenna was in favor of the park attendant. Laurie Colburn felt the attendant line item should be placed on a separate Warrant Item for the Town to vote on rather than being included in the General Budget. The French’s Park discussion was tabled. The Budget Committee would like to see the fine increased. The Select Board had voted to raise the parking fine and are expected to revisit the French’s Park Use Ordinance.
- The repair costs line item: $3,000. $2,500, of the $3,000 line item, would go towards the replacement of a fence.
- Special Events: $1,000
- BSYNS: Same as 2020
- Boat Launch: Same as 2020
- Equipment purchase: swing repairs at French’s Park.
- Patriotic Purposes: $18,000
- Tim Mckenna noted that it would be great to track the volunteer efforts and monetary donations, to mark the community support through contributions to the Library and Parks and Recreation programs.
Fire Department: Fire Chief Jeff LeBlanc presented the Fire & Rescue budget.
- $154,000 in 2020 with an 11 percent increase overall for 2021. The bulk of this increase is in part time wages
- Laurie Colburn questioned if the increase is attributed to COVID-19. $11,500 was provided by COVID-19 Cares Act funding in 2020 and 2020 budget was adjusted to incorporate this funding which is also included in the 2020 expenditure line. There is no specific amount budgeted for COVID in 2021.
- Wages Administration line item is designated for the Fire Chief. The payroll taxes line is blank and should be roughly $6,000.
- Software line item – Firehouse software is currently being used. The Firehouse software is being sunsetted and the Fire Department will need to deploy a new software dictated by the State of NH.
- Costs for Capital Dispatch, based out of Concord, increased. This should have increased last year because of a glitch on the company’s end. This is a 1.7 %year increase for the Town of Bradford for 2021. This cost is distributed amongst communities based upon property evaluations.
- A place holder in the amount of $500, for contract service for forest fires, was discussed. If it were decided that a forest fire was a no-fault fire than the amount would be reimbursed.
- A budget line for radios was discussed. Currently some radios are not compliant and are 15-16 years old. Grant funding will be an avenue to pursue. Grant season is not open and may possibly may open in December. It may also take a couple of grant cycles to receive funding. $60,000 in 2022 funding is recommended in the Capital Improvement Program.
- Repair and maintenance in vehicles: The department has an aging fleet. The Fire Department has had costly repair costs due to the age of vehicles.
- The Fire Department will follow up with the Budget Committee to send a list of vehicles in the Fire Department fleet.
- Equipment is defined as what is carried on the apparatus. This line includes $11,000 for hose testing and should be completed annually. Hose testing was not completed in 2020 due to lack of funding.
- Costs that fell under contract service in the past have been shifted so that there is now a more detailed itemized budget showing exactly where the expense belongs.
- Training certification courses have not happened in 2020 due to COVID-19. Certification costs per fire fighter is around $900. In house training has been occurring. The Department follows the Fire Fighter 1 curriculum.
- Some items in the Building Maintenance line item used to be under contract services. There are electrical, plumbing and rotting issues currently in the building. These issues need to be addressed before they continue to deteriorate and repair costs increase.
- The Town of Bradford has 17-18 dry hydrants. They have not had any maintenance in 2020. These hydrants need to be routinely maintained.
- Equipment purchase line item: missing, outdated and expired equipment has been identified requiring purchase/replacement in 2021.
The Committee discussed the next agenda for December 17th where they will plan to review the Executive budget lines. They will determine their following meeting date at that meeting.
Motion: Justin Dohrnmotioned to defer the Executive and remaining budgets to December 17th.
Second: Marlene Freyler
Decision: 7-0 in favor
Receipt of Information or Proposals:
- The Planning Board – Exact date not yet determined.
Future Business:
The next Budget Committee meeting is scheduled December 17th, 2020 at 6:30.
Key Dates:
- Public Hearing target, on or before February 4th
- Friday, February 12th, last day to hold Public Hearing on the Budget
- Wednesday February 17th, last day to present budget to Selectmen for posting in the Warrant
Motion: Chris Freymotioned to adjourn at 8:38pm.
Second: Justin Dohrn
Decision: 7-0 in favor
Adjournment 8:38pm
Draft Minutes written and submitted by
Katie Olohan