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TOWN OF ANTRIM
Select Board Meeting Minutes
Thursday, January 24, 2019
4:00 pm Town Hall
Present: Robert L. Edwards, Chair; John Robertson, Selectman; Michael Genest
Staff: Donna Hanson, Town Administrator
Others Present: Jim Plourde, Road Agent; Scott Lester, Police Chief
Agenda Items:
Highway Budget
- Mr. Plourde discussed the highway budget. He decreased his budget by $9,149.00. Cemetery mowing, cold patch and heavy equipment were reduced. Mr. Edwards asked if there was anything he didn’t get to last year that is in the budget that Mr. Plourde would want to do this year. Mr. Plourde said he wasn’t able to get to the repairs on West Street in between School Street and Jameson. Mr. Edwards said you didn’t spend about $114,000 from last budget and wondered how much should be carried over for projects not done last year. Mr. Edwards asked Mr. Plourde if he felt he could still get things done if 12% was added to his actual spent for his 2019 proposed budget. This would be a deduction in his budget of approximately $90,000. Mr. Plourde said he is rearranging what roads need to be repaired next. The road up near
Hawthorne Academy will take a lot of work and he wants to add many of the small roads into the rotation, which weren’t previously included. Mr. Plourde said his budget is one of the budgets that has the most variables, for example, personnel, fuel prices, weather. Mr. Edwards wanted to make sure that since he didn’t spend his entire budget, did he need to bump it up for 2019. Mr. Plourde said he would need to if all planned projects were completed.
Police Budget
- Chief Lester said his original proposed budget anticipated having a sixth full time position based on the meetings we had back in September and the presentation he made in November. Chief Lester had the process in place to fill the positions but it didn’t work out. Chief Lester isn’t confident in hiring now so he determined that there is no need to have the cost of a sixth officer fully funded in the 2019 budget. He looked at the number of shifts he was able to cover and spoke to the part-time officer to see what shifts he could cover. He was able to cut the part-time budget and increase the overtime budget to stay at a flat budget. He still thinks a sixth officer is needed but he doesn’t feel he will be able to fill it anytime in the near future. Even though he isn’t actively seeking a new officer at this time,
if he did find a candidate he would come to the Board and ask that the money in his budget for the sixth officer be used for that instead of using it for overtime or for a part-timer. He isn’t comfortable presenting a budget when he knows there is money there that most likely is not going to be used. He isn’t flip flopping his view on the need for another officer but the timing isn’t right to hire one. Mr. Genest asked if he was looking to hire at all this year. Chief Lester said he isn’t actively looking except by word of mouth. If he had a viable candidate he would come to the Board for permission to hire. Mr. Genest asked how much in the 2019 budget is budgeted for the sixth officer in case someone wants to amend the budget. Chief Lester said $24,000 is in the part time budget. Chief Lester feels he will be crippled if his budget was lowered. Mr. Genest said he wasn’t trying to cripple him he just felt the town should decide if we need a sixth officer. Chief Lester
said because of a scheduling conflict he is not able to attend town meeting.
Operating Budget
- The legal expense was increased $10,000. Mr. Edwards suggested moving the teen center warrant article to the budget and cutting the health agencies in half. Mr. Robertson said he does not want to cut the health agencies because he feels they all, in one way or another, contribute to the welfare of the Town of Antrim. Mr. Genest agreed that the health agencies should not be cut. Mr. Robertson spoke to Library Trustee Margi Warner regarding the suggestion from Mr. Edwards to have the Library Trustees use their income from Trust Funds to offset the operating budget. The Library Trustees came back with a budget of $163,612 reducing the Library operating budget by $10,000.
Warrant Articles
- There was discussion on adding Pleasant Street Bridge replacement as a warrant article for 2019.
Other Business
- The audit contract with Vachon Clukay & Company PC was signed.
Non-Public
- Mr. Genest moved to go into non-public RSA 91 a 3 (e) Consideration or negotiation of pending claims or litigation. Mr. Robertson seconded. Passed 3/0
- Mr. Genest moved to seal the non-public minutes. Mr. Robertson seconded.
- Mr. Robertson moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 PM; Mr. Genest seconded. Passed 3/0
Respectfully submitted,
Donna Hanson, Town Administrator
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