Chichester Board of Selectmen
SELECTMENíS MINUTES
December 2, 2008
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman DeBold, Selectman MacCleery, Selectman Jordan and Administrator Lisa Stevens.
Others present: Alan Mayville, Jamie Pike, John Uitts
Chairman DeBold opened the meeting at 7:02pm.
SUBJECT: 2009 Proposed Budget- Major Departments
PRESENT: Budget Committee members; Lucille Noel, Bruce Dyke, Lisa Drouse, Norm Larochelle, Scott Martson, John Martell and Jason Weir
Department Heads; David Kenneally, Road Agent; Patrick Clarke, Police Chief; Gil Vien, Fire Chief
PD ñ Chairman DeBold offered an apology to the Chief for the oversight by the Board and Budget Committee not directing him to take the new cruiser out of the calculations of flat lining his budget.
Chief Clarke began by stating his frustration over the lack of communication between himself, the Board and the Budget Committee and suggested that a meeting prior to the preparation of the budget would have been more beneficial and a more prudent use of his time to only have to have prepared the budget once.
Jason commented on the fact that again this year, Pat has given himself less of the COLA in order to give more to his subordinates. A brief discussion ensued with the group reviewing the spreadsheet of salary comparisons Jason had prepared, using data from the 2008 Wage, Salary & Benefit Book published annually from the Local Government Center. The group agreed to discuss in detail later this evening.
Patís only recommendation to the group was to request that the town remain competitive with salaries and added that at this time he has one officer seeking employment with a town paying a higher wage. Pat reminded the group of these same discussions last year and of the fact that the cost of hiring new employees is more expensive.
Overall the budget has been flat lined with the exception of increases to dispatch and county attorney fees. These are increases the Chief has no control over.
FD - The group, at the request of the Fire Chief, based on actual expenditures, revised line #4217-17 -------back to $600.00 and line #4215-19 back to $700.00. Due to new NFPA standards, firefighter turn-out gear will have to be replaced every ten years, regardless of condition. This year the department replaced one set through the budget and four additional sets through impact fees. Gil is trying to stagger these replacements and replace three sets a year on an ongoing cycle. Selectman MacCleery recommended replacing an additional set through the budget this year as it appears there is money remaining in that budget line.
The group questioned the amount of fuel used by both the ambulance and fire and requested a detailed reporting of usage and cost to more accurately arrive at a budgeted amount for next year.
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BOS minutes
December 2, 2008
HYW ñ David presented the option of a budget without the road construction money or the engineering costs for CLD and asked the group what the preference was for funding, operating versus warrant article. David stated his reasoning for submitting it both ways originally was due to the agreement of the group last year to reflect road construction(paving of approximately 2 miles of road annually)as part of the operating budget. Historically, the town has listed these costs in a warrant article, putting money into capital reserve and then voting to take it out for the project. After a lengthy discussion, Bruce polled the Budget Committee members who chose operating budget and then the Board of Selectmen were polled and their wish was for those costs to be represented in two separate warrant
articles. The CLD costs are for the start of correcting the insufficiencies previously identified on Swiggey Brooke, Hilliard and Perry Brook Roads. Those culverts will have to be replaced with Com spans. Otherwise, the highway budget is down by $30,000.00. Fuel lines were questioned and the group asked for a detailed account of usage from the highway department. Selectman MacCleery recommended, due to the volume that the fuel usage by the highway department be put out to bid next year.
Due to the difficulty in hiring out for roadside mowing, David proposed, for the same amount of money as budgeted, possibly $400.00 less annually, the lease/purchase of a small tractor, to do the work in house. This proposal needs further discussion and cost comparisons.
Once again, the group touched on the salary comparison handout. It was decided that a more accurate comparison was needed by polling those towns which listed a salary range to determine what in fact salary rate was actually being paid out at this time, as well as what the benefit package was for each town compared. Jason agreed to collect the additional data.
GENERAL BUSINESS/BOARD DISCUSSION:
The Selectmen signed an abatement for Borg, map 9, lot 119 in the amount of $265.00.
Selectman MacCleery has not been able as yet to speak with Frank Lemay regarding a possible contact to conduct energy audits at the Grange and Safety buildings.
Due to a schedule conflict with the Fire Chief, the Board agreed to reschedule the joint informational meeting regarding the police department renovation to December 17, 2008.
The Board tabled the discussion of the vacant building inspector position until the night of December 16th.
Mail and correspondence were reviewed. Accounts payable and payroll were signed.
Being no further business for this evening, Chairman DeBold adjourned the meeting at 11:12pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Lisa Stevens
Administrator Approved As Written
12/9/08
______________________ _______________________ _______________________
Richard DeBold, Chairman Stephen MacCleery Jeffrey Jordan
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