Chichester Board of Selectmen
Minutes of Meeting
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Member Present: Richard DeBold, Mike Paveglio, Jeffrey Jordan, Town Administrator Jodi Pinard
Advisory Budget Committee: Don Peterman, Doug Fisher, Jason Weir, Ed Millette, Marlene Hammond, Norm Larochelle
Call to Order: Mr. DeBold called the meeting to order at 6:32pm.
Appointments:
Budget Meeting
Mr. DeBold reviewed the proposed cuts from last night to begin the meeting with the department heads who would be affected.
Police Cruiser
Mr. Paveglio stated in general “I am very concerned about how much money we have had to raise in taxes. The number has virtually doubled since 2009. We are spending money on roads, new equipment, etc. I think we need to go one step further. We need to continue to pay our employees and save for some of the capital expenditures. I believe we need to make some big cuts in spending”.
Chief Clarke stated “I had met with the Board and the Budget Committee and was praised. We are cutting $150,000 from the Town budget but we do not know what the school is going to do. I am tired of fighting. If the Board wants to cut the cruiser then cut the cruiser. Is it going to hurt us a little but I am hoping it won’t for at least 8 months. If this has to happen then this is the year for it to happen. We are short staffed with one officer in the Police Academy”.
Mr. DeBold stated that there were questions regarding the trade in value versus the miles on the cruiser.
Chief Clarke stated that we have not traded in a cruiser over 100,000 miles in quite some time. This cruiser will be in the 90,000s. Right now could we stretch this cruiser for another year, probably? This one cruiser is not getting used as much as it normally would.
Mr. DeBold stated this would only be a one year cut.
Chief Clarke stated that it will be very hard to get the cruiser back in the budget.”I will have to be the one to explain why the Police budget goes up $25,000 next year”.
Mr. DeBold stated that he wanted to ask the Board if they do not see the school district make cuts would the Board reinstate the cuts that are made?
Mr. Paveglio stated that he could not support putting all of the money back into the budget.
Mr. Jordan stated that he also would not support putting the money back in.
Highway
Mr. Paveglio stated that his thinking was to find a section of road that needs to be reconstructed for roughly $120,000 and find additional roads to shim and overlay.
Mr. Plunkett stated roughly 6,500 linear feet of shimming and overlay can be completed for $179,000. The other proposal that you had for Road Reconstruction line would roughly complete 2,200 linear feet of roadway in the amount $111,000. The Pleasant Street section that we will be receiving bids for is roughly 1,300 linear feet. That is what you would be getting for the amounts that you had mentioned. I’m in the same position as the Police Department. I will make do with whatever the amount of money.
Mr. Paveglio stated “this is the level I would like to see the roads maintained at”.
Mr. Jordan stated that “I would like to see the amount rise slowly if necessary”.
Mr. Weir stated that puts the Town on an 80 year rotation for road reconstruction.
Mr. Millette stated that “I am in favor of reducing the Road Reconstruction line. My recommendation was reduce the line to $250,000 not as deep of a cut as was done here. I am in favor of adding the money to asphalt for more maintenance on the roads”.
Mr. DeBold stated that “I am in favor of seeing road reconstruction being completed. I do agree with a reduction but I think reducing it to $120,000 is too much of a cut”.
Mr. DeBold stated the RAC needs to go back and look at what roads need to be reconstructed and what needs shim and overlay. Doing a real detailed look at these two items may give us a better understanding.
Fire Department Ambulance Warrant Article
Mr. Paveglio stated, “I think we need to stop the spending. I think the ambulance is the place to start. I don’t think it will be a hardship. I think that we should begin phasing out the second ambulance and run with one”.
Mr. Weir stated that “I do not support running with one ambulance. I have a hard time supporting this because there is not enough money in the fund to purchase it outright. The presentation was not the best. The fact that we have cut the larger departments, I feel it is only fair that all departments feel the cut”.
Mr. Peterman stated “I share the same thoughts as Mr. Weir and feel that this can be put off for another year”.
Chief Quimby stated that he hoped everyone would read the letter that had been submitted which goes onto more detail regarding the request.
Mr. DeBold stated that last year there were 35 concurrent calls when both ambulances have had to go out at one time.
Deputy Chief Cole that is correct.
Mr. Millette stated one of the benefits of having two ambulances is we are able to rotate the ambulances. This in turn extends the life of the ambulance. This is a benefit. One of the problems we have had in the past was the replacement schedule was not followed. The equipment has aged and this is when they begin to have major problems. As department heads in this town it is our job to offer the best services that we can and give the residents a plan that they know about. We are trying to lay the ground work for others to take over this department someday.
Consensus of the Board was the Ambulance Warrant Article would stay on the Town Warrant but it would be not recommended by the Board of Selectmen.
Chief Quimby thanked the Board for allowing the residents to make the decision regarding the ambulance.
Road Reconstruction
A motion was made Mr. Paveglio and seconded by Mr. Jordan to increase the Road Reconstruction line 4312-42 from $120,000 to $250,000 and raise the Asphalt line 4312-44 from $80,000 to $120,000. Motion Passes
Budget Committee is supportive of this change
Police Cruiser
Budget Committee was 4-2 in favor of removing the cruiser.
A motion was made by Mr. Paveglio and seconded by Mr. Jordan to remove the new police cruiser from the budget reducing line 4210-89 from $23,500 to $1 and add $500 into 4210-81 maintenance for Car 714-1. Motion Passes
Mr. Weir stated again I request the Board of Selectmen to go before the School Board and request they do the same thing that we have just done. It will do no good if the Town cuts their budget and the school increases their’s.
Mr. DeBold asked if the School Board does not make any cuts will Mr. Weir still recommend putting the money that was cut from the Town budget back into the budget at Town Meeting.
Mr. Weir stated that yes he would.
Mr. Weir has requested the Board of Selectmen consider placing and/or supporting a warrant article for the Municipal Budget Act. This would be an elected Budget Committee. If the
Board of Selectmen do not place this on the warrant it will be placed on as a petition warrant article.
Consensus of the Board was to take it under advisement. This would be a major change and they wanted to research it.
Public Input
None
Adjournment
A motion was made by Mr. Paveglio and seconded by Mr. Jordan to adjourn the meeting at 8:45pm. Motion Passes
Respectfully submitted,
Not approved until signed
Jodi Pinard, Town Administrator
Richard DeBold, Chair D. Michael Paveglio Jeffrey Jordan
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