Chichester Board of Selectmen
Minutes of Meeting
Tuesday January 16, 2018
Members Present: Jeff Jordan Tom Jameson, Ed Millette, Jodi Pinard Town Administrator and Kristy Barnouski Administrative Assistant
Budget Committee: Stephen MacCleery, Don Peterman, Doug Hall, Marlene Hammond, Norm Larochelle, Richard Bouchard.
Attendees: Chief Clarke, Jim Plunkett, Donna Chagnon and other members of the public.
Call to Order Mr. Jordan called the meeting to order at 6:30
Budget Meeting-
Planning Board-
Mr. Brehm proposed an $8,000.00 budget line for zoning research with the Central NH Regional Planning Commission and Attorney Mayor. These funds would be used to research and help develop new zoning to switch over from the current soil zoning which is extremely out of date.
Mr. MacCleary stated that he thinks it should be a warrant article.
Mr. Jordan supported the warrant article for $8,000.00.
Highway-
Mr. MacCleery stated that in the Budget Committee meeting they discussed how revenues are down and things need to be cut. The Committee had questions about shimming Bear Hill Rd and also why did the landscaping not change. Mr. Plunkett stated that he has kept a flat budget.
Mr. Millette stated that the full time person could not complete the landscaping and the Town does not own the equipment necessary, so it had to be contracted out.
Mrs. Pinard stated the revenues have not been decreasing. True revenues are not reducing. If everything were to pass it would be a $.14 increase per thousand.
Mr. Hall stated that he doesn’t agree with Mrs. Pinard with the budget.
Mrs. Pinard reviewed the Capital Reserve deposit warrant with the committee
Mr. Hall was concerned the road reconstruction bid was not being placed in the CIP.
Mr. MacCleary stated he would like to see more things as warrant articles and less into the budget.
Mr. Hall asked what the additional $77,000 highway block grant would be spent. Mr. Hall would like to use the 77,000.00 to complete the Center Rd project.
Mr. Millette stated would like to use that money for other projects.
Mrs. Pinard stated that the additional Highway Block Grants funds cannot be used to offset the budget. The must be used towards a new project that has not been budgeted for.
Police Department-
Chief Clarke stated that he wanted to increase the PD wages to where they should be. Chief Clarke and Mrs. Pinard did an income analysis of other Towns in the area and found the pay scale of the PD was lower than average.
The Select Board and the Budget Committee discussed Fund Balance. There was discussion on whether or not fund balance should be used to offset the tax rate. Mrs. Pinard stated that the Board already decided not to use any fund balance at the October tax rate setting as the Town had just reached the recommended 5 percent minimum.
The Board asked that the welfare guidelines need to be updated. The Board did state that the administrator in charge of welfare does a wonderful job.
Revenues
Motor Vehicles Revenues were bumped up on the budget to $660,000.00.
The Meals and Room Tax was bumped on the budget to $142,000.00
Zoning update- Map 3 Lot 39
Mrs. Pinard stated that due to the weather we haven’t been able to go count cars, however she was planning on going to count on January 30, 2018.
Adjournment
Being no further discussion, a motion was made by Mr. Millette made a motion and Mr. Jameson seconded to adjourn the meeting at 8:08pm. Motion passes.
Respectfully submitted,
Not approved until signed
Kristy Barnouski, Administrative Assistant
162018
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