Select Board Meeting called to order at 7:04pm
Pledge of Allegiance
Roll Call – Jason Allen (Chair), Marlene Freyler, Michael James and Karen Hambleton, Town Administrator, were in attendance.
Appearances:
- There were no appearances
Regular Business:
- The Board discussed waiving the purchasing policy for an emergency repair for a front-line Highway vehicle repair. All Board members were in agreement.
- A request for extension was requested by Neil H Daniel’s Construction on the substantial completion date for the Bement Bridge. There is no anticipated impact to the Town on the project cost. The Town will recommend Daniel’s shutdown for the winter later this month and resume when conditions allow.
- The Board reviewed the General Budget and Warrant Items; Jason laid out his thoughts and the other Select Members added their comments:
- Executive request of $204,887, Jason recommended it stay flat at $192,000
- Election, Registration & Vital Statistics request of $5,200, Jason recommended $5,200
- Financial Administration request of $104,963, recommended it be fairly flat at $105,000
- Revaluation of Property request of $29,573, recommended it be $20,500, Karen outlined a quoted number which includes a separate utility assessment for 2021 of $2,000. The Board discussed variations over the last few years with a dip in spending in 2020 due to the Warrant Article for the 5-year property revaluation. Final recommendation was $29,000.
- Legal request of $55,000, recommended that it stay flat to 2020 at $45,000
- Planning and Zoning, the budget request is pending and the Board discussed raising the budget to $28,000 an $18,000 increase. The Board wants to see the final proposal from the Planning Board prior to making a recommendation but Jason and Michael felt supporting an increase may be appropriate.
- General Government Buildings request of $85,530, recommended at $80,000, Jason felt there was $5,000 added for a Town Building Supervisor which hasn’t worked as planned and he felt the money can be removed.
- The Cemetery request of $25,100, recommended at $25,000. Marlene felt $25,000 would be fine.
- Insurances request of $82,000, recommended at $82,000.
- Other General Government of $7,800, recommended at $7,700.
- Police Department request of $586,918, recommended at $586,900.
- Fire Department request of $177,300 (this includes a $6,000 increase for payroll taxes not previously included in the budget request), recommended at $165,000. The original forecast for fire fighter per call pay was estimated at $2,000 a month, it is running approximately $3,000. The budget reduction is based upon reducing expenses related to repairs and maintenance where the 2020 budget was increased to cover tire replacement by approximately $12,000. The Board also discussed that the 2020 budget of $154,374 included additional catchup repairs plus paying a premium for the interim Fire Chief from MRI. There are additional repair and inspection items the department plans to complete and the Board expressed that the $10,000 increase would allow them to do that.
- Rescue Squad request of $11,580, recommended at $11,280.
- Rescue Contract Services request of $62,800, recommended at $62,800, actuals came in approximately $20,000 under budget for 2020.
- Building Department Code Enforcement request of $24,950, recommended at $20,000. The Board felt that there will be less activity and would like to see departments focus on staying within their budget.
- Emergency Management request if $1,000, recommended at $1,000.
- Highway Department request of $565,417, recommended at $520,000. Jason had looked at spending in previous years and felt that quite a bit was accomplished in 2020, although there was a lot done under the Warrant Articles. He expressed that the department could still accomplish a lot and the priority should be placed on emergency services.
- Street Lighting request of $2,600, recommended at $2,600.
- Solid Waste Collection request of $90,085, recommended at $90,000. There was discussion about demo disposal possibly increasing by $3,000 which would not be an impact if the Transfer Station stopped accepting demo material.
- Solid Waste Disposal request of $22,800, recommended at $22,300, flat to 2020.
- Inoculations request of $1, left at $1.
- Welfare request of $7,411, recommended at $7,400.
- Welfare Payments request of $30,000, recommended at $30,000.
- Parks & Recreation request of $17,750, recommended at $17,750.
- Library request of $81,000, recommended at $81,000. Marlene felt that the cost was consistently increasing and that the Library has access to other funds. 5% of the Library budget is funded by donations. Michael felt the donation model was not sustainable. He expressed concern that the Library would run out of funding in the near future as their savings accounts are not earning to their potential.
- Patriotic Purposes request of $18,000, recommended at $18,000. Jason would not have objection if this was reduced. Michael agreed that there might be opportunity to reduce. Marlene expressed that the nature of the 4th of July event has changed in its participation. Michael was in favor of moving these dollars to Parks & Recreation. Fireworks cost approximately $10,000 and the police detail needed to support the event is $2,200. Marlene suggested getting feedback from the Town via an inquiry in The Bridge. Michael recommended the entire amount be moved to Parks & Recreation. Jason recommended leaving $12,600 and moving $5,400 to Parks & Recreation, increasing Parks & Recreation to $23,150. Marlene was not in favor of moving any money.
- Community Center request of $22,760, recommended at $22,000. Karen outlined an increase in the request guided by an aging elevator and alarm system. A discussion ensued regarding the landscaping lines which have been increasing.
- Conservation request of $900, recommended at $900.
- Long Term Notes request of $80,840 recommended at $80,840, this covers the Town Hall and Road Bonds.
- Interest on TAN Notes request of $5,000, recommended at $5,000.
- Total General Budget request of $2,411,667, recommended at $2,343,673, 4.4% increase year over year. Michael outlined a 3%ish increase versus an initial 8% increase requested was more acceptable. Karen noted that $2,245,038 was the voted budget. The 2020 budget was increased by $25,297 for COVID stipends the Town received.
- The Board reviewed the Warrant items and compared these items to the CIP:
- Town Building Repair Fund $1,000, flat to CIP
- Town Facilities Fund $1,000, flat to CIP
- Gravestone Repair Fund, $500, flat to CIP
- Police Facility Fund $1,000 flat to CIP
- Fire Department Heavy Equipment Fund $70,000 reduced $20,000 from CIP amount, move $20,000 to police cruiser fund.
- Revaluation Capital Reserve $6,000, flat to CIP
- Salt and Fuel Fund $1,000, flat to CIP
- Communications Equipment Fund $2,500, flat to CIP
- Town Equipment Major Repair Expendable Trust $5,000, flat to CIP
- Town Hall Repair and Renovation Expendable Trust $100,000, flat to CIP.
- Roads and Bridges Expendable Trust $100,000, $9,000 below CIP.
- Highway Heavy Equipment Capital Reserve $80,000, $23,000 below CIP which included $23,000 to replace a Town chipper.
- Highway Department Chipper, this original recommendation was removed.
- Highway Department Misc Projects $0, CIP recommended $34,000.
- Fire Department Pumper $375,000 to be funded from the existing Capital Reserve, flat to the CIP.
- Fire Department SCBA Bottle Replacement $19,703, flat to CIP.
- Fire Department Paint Inside Fire House $10,000, flat to CIP, perhaps the Warrant for Unanticipated Funds could be used for this.
- Lease/Purchase Payments $98,249, flat to the CIP.
- New Police Cruiser Fund $20,000, CIP was $47,000 for a cruiser purchase.
- Speed Bumps by Elementary School $1,800, not in CIP.
- Masonic Hall Removal $25,000, not in CIP.
- Tree Removal at Bradford Pines $1,000, not in CIP.
- Cemetery Plumbing recommended at $7,500, $15,000 was originally proposed. $11,000 has already been saved and the total project cost is estimated at $26,000. A quote is still pending. Jason asked whether there is a commitment to what the Town needs to provide. Marlene is not aware of any commitment but outlined the Cemetery as a large busy location and the scope of the replacement is based upon a recommendation for a new system.
- This is a total of $541,252 in Warrants. 2020 Warrant items were $516,500.
- $1,000 was added to place in the Conservation Commission Fund.
- The Board also discussed whether any funding should be set aside for the Main Street Improvement Fund. Michael would like to see $25,000 placed in a specific fund. The Board reduced the Road and Bridges Fund recommendation by $25,000 to recommend funding the balance of the anticipated matching funds needed for the Main Street Improvement Fund.
The end result is a 4.5% increase over the 2020 Warrant total.
- Karen provided an update on the Road and Bridges Expendable Trust. With the recommendations the trust would have $200,000 in 2021. The Board discussed the many projects completed in 2020 and hope to be able to accomplish paving work in 2021.
- A deed for Greenhouse Lane was signed.
- The Board Chair signed a reimbursement request for General Election expenses.
- The Equalization Certificate was signed for the Department of Revenue.
- Timber Tax Warrants were signed for Map 10 Lot 43, Map 7 Lot 69 and Map 11 Lot 49
Motion: Jason Allen motioned to move to adjourn to non-public session RSA 91-A:3II (c) at 8:37pm
Second: Marlene Freyler
Vote: 3-0 in favor
Motion: Jason Allen motioned to return to public session at 8:48 pm
Second: Marlene Freyler
Decision: 3-0 in favor
Motion: Jason Allen motioned to move to adjourn to non-public session RSA 91-A:3II (c) at 8:48 pm
Second: Marlene Freyler
Vote: 3-0 in favor
Motion: Marlene Freyler motioned to return to public session at 9:13 pm
Second: Jason Allen
Decision: 3-0 in favor
Motion: Jason Allen motioned to adjourn the meeting at 9:13 pm
Second: Marlene Freyler
Decision: 3-0 in favor
The next Selectmen’s meeting will be held on Monday December 14th, 2020 at 7:00pm, at the Bradford Area Community Center.
Minutes submitted by Laurie Colburn, Recording Secretary