Chichester Board of Selectmen
SELECTMEN’S MINUTES
February 11, 2003
PUBLIC HEARING
The Board met with the Budget Committee prior to the public hearing to discuss an additional warrant article for work to be done on Hutchinson Road.
The Board signed checks, and a cemetery deed. The minutes of February 4, 2003 were approved as written.
Subject: Public Hearing
Present: Moderator Douglas Hall, Chairman Theodore Bailey, Selectman David Colbert, Selectman Richard DeBold, Budget Committee members; Stephen MacCleery, John Martell, Walter Sanborn, Marie McKay and Joanna McIntosh; Office Assistant Lisa Stevens, and Administrative Assistant Judy Kenneally via telephone.
15 – 20 members of the community were in attendance.
Moderator Hall opened the public hearing a few minutes after 7:00pm. The members sitting at the head table were introduced.
The budget was discussed first, going through each category, the moderator asked the public for their questions or input.
Line #4100-Executive-Secretarial Salaries-why the increase of $15,000 over last year-why do we need three people for such limited hours (9-12)-how efficient or inefficient is this office being run?
Line #4150-Financial Administration- what are the fees for Town Clerk and Tax Collector-some towns have done away with this and put these positions on salary, we should look into this.
Line #4155-Personnel-NH Retirement-Chief Clarke asked that the 2003 proposed amount be rechecked. He feels it is not enough.
Line #4191-Planning Expenses-what do these include.
Line #4194-General Government Bldgs-The Fire Department asking if the $1,000 for painting the trim on the station was included in this figure and if not they would like the Selectmen to consider including it. The work was supposed to have been done in 2002 but it wasn’t.
Line #4199-General Government-much discussion centered around the Cable Franchise Fees; what they are and how they can be spent, do they have to be spent, is this an “open checkbook”?
Capital Reserve Projects, Special Revenue Projects and Impact Fees- 2003 proposed amounts were questioned-these will be reviewed and adjusted as necessary. It was explained to the body that in order to spend money, you have to first raise it. The selectmen are agents of the Recreation, Police Office and Cemetery Funds, if the departments come before the Board during the year with requests for funding the money needs to have been appropriated.
Misc. Expenses- why the large overage in the 2002 expenses. Lisa checked with Judy, they will go through the general ledger and check for problems or corrections.
Line #4210-Police Department-Chief Clarke stated that his fuel line should be $5,000 for 2003. This not $4,000 this will be corrected.
Line #4215-Ambulance-why has the misc. expenses increased so much for 2003, what items are included in this line? Lisa will review the proposed budget breakdown submitted from the fire department and give the breakdown to the Board.
Line #4240-Building Inspection-again fees were questioned as to what they are.
Line #4312-Highway Expenses- a statement was made that the expenses have doubled over the past 4 years do we know why. Members from the audience complimented the highway department on the excellent job they have done with plowing and sanding the roads in town.
Line #4324-Solid Waste- a question was raised as to how much Chichester is using the facility. Could we look into an alternative solution for our waste removal?
Line #4619-Conservation-the current use line needs to be changed to include the payment to the conservation commission for last year’s 50% of the land use change tax fees. A lot of discussion centered on the forming of the fund and how the money should be dispersed. And again, just because we have the money, do we have to spend it.
Line #4902-Capital Outlay-corrections were noted for the dates of the police cruisers and lease expiration dates.
The revenue sheet was not available for discussion. This was an oversight, when talking to Judy she advised us that the revenues were very close to this year’s. She apologized for the oversight.
At 9:15, discussion moved on to the proposed warrant articles.
Article #4-$25,000 to update the master plan. Chairman of the Planning Board, Tracey Scott explained the reasoning behind the expense. Mr. Scott said he had not gotten any volunteers to work on updating the plan and the Planning Board felt it was time to have a professional job done. A major portion of the cost would be to pay Central Regional Planning Commission to do the work. A member of the Central
Regional Planning Commission, Mike Tardiff was at the meeting to answer any questions the body may have. Mr. MacCleery asked Mr. Scott if the current plan was illegal. The answer was no. We are past the date when it should be updated however. Mr. Brandon Guida volunteered to work on the committee to update the master plan.
Article #6 & #7-New Computer Software/Hardware-why the cost of $30,000 for software? The package being looked at is a compilation of payroll; accounts receivable, fund accounting, budgeting and many add on modules available, it is designed for municipalities. The current computers cannot handle the OneWrite Program currently used. The computer is constantly shutting down (crashing) and data is being lost and time must be spent restoring data. This has led to the bookkeeping tasks being done elsewhere. The computers we have presently are 5 years old and do not have the capacity to handle the amount of software needed to do the jobs correctly.
Article #8-New Phone System-What is wrong with the current system? How old is it?
Our contract expired in December. The present system is not adequate, only one line into the selectmen’s office.
Article #9- funding of capital reserve accounts; this reflects the newly adopted CIP Plan.
Article #12- Establishing a capital reserve fund for Police Department Equipment.
The question was raised do we have separate accounts like this for other departments? The answer was yes.
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Article #15-$3,600 for semi-automatic defibrillators. The monies to be withdrawn from the Rescue Vehicle and Equipment Special Revenue Fund. It was asked whether or not this article was necessary. It is because the Selectmen are not agents of this fund. In order for monies to be withdrawn, it needs to go before the body at town meeting.
Article #16-Emergency Management Grant for a backup generator. A correction to the portion contributed by emergency management was made. It should read $10,800.
Article #17-additional sum of $7,500 to be added to the Rescue Truck Capital Reserve Fund.
The body questioned if this was part of the CIP, why is it separate from the other capital reserve funds article. “11th hour additions water down the whole project”. Paul Sanborn and Dave Paveglio from the Fire Department, explained that the need for a replacement heavy rescue vehicle has come up sooner because of the rate of deterioration is faster than expected, rust is a factor, recent engine problems and now starting problems have occurred. They went on to say they had looked at some options for used trucks and presented three options to the selectmen. The following two warrant articles are options to go before the body at town meeting.
Article #18-Used Heavy Rescue Vehicle- this article involves a lease purchase; $115,000 to be appropriated in the following manner, $55,000 withdrawn from the Rescue Vehicle and Equipment Special Revenue Fund; $60,000 withdrawn from the Rescue Truck Capital Reserve Fund and the remainder not to exceed $60,000 in a lease/purchase agreement. The total purchase price not to exceed $175,000. No money to be raised by taxation this year. The wording of this article caused confusion. Lisa explained that the original wording was submitted to DRA and our auditor felt it would be an illegal article. She assisted Lisa with wording she felt would make the article acceptable to DRA.
Article #19-Used Heavy Rescue Vehicle – this second article would be tabled should article #18 pass.
This appropriation is for a total of $115,000; $55,000 to be withdrawn from the Rescue Vehicle and Equipment Special Revenue Fund; and $60,000 to be withdrawn from the Rescue Truck Capital Reserve Fund.
Article #20-is for upgrades and repairs to the parking facilities and irrigation systems at Carpenter Park.
This is exactly from the CIP Plan.
Paul Sanborn invited anyone to come by the station anytime and view the rescue vehicle.
Moderator Hall adjourned the meeting at 10:00pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Lisa Stevens
Office Assistant
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Theodore Bailey, Chairman
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David Colbert, Selectman
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Richard DeBold, Selectman
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