TOWN OF FARMINGTON
JOINT MEETING
BOARD OF SELECTMEN & BUDGET COMMITTEE
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2006
Present: Board of Selectmen Chairman Joan A. Funk, Vice Chairman Paula Proulx, Matt Scruton, George Meyer and Paul Parker. Budget Committee Chairman Arthur Capello, Bill Tsiros, Gail Ellis, Debra Cantwell, Ann Titus, Steve Henry and Town Administrator Paul Weston. Selectmen’s Secretary Megan Taylor and Sue Roy taking minutes.
At 7:10 pm in the Selectmen’s chambers, Chairman Joan Funk called the meeting to order and asked everyone to join her in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Paul Weston began the meeting by stating that the tax rate was down 04.5% to .26 cents. The gross budget is $6,761,00 (up 20%). A significant amount ($3,80,680) can be appropriated from non tax revenue on hand. We could add $122,297 to the budget and still have no increase. There is an expected 3% growth in assessed land and building help the tax rate.
2006 TOWN MEETING WARANT: (A COPY OF THE DRAFT WARRANT WILL BE ATTACHED TO THE FINAL COPY OF THESE MINUTES AVAIALBLE FORM THE TOWN CLERKS OFFICE).
Article 11 (firefighter per diem): Paul Parker made a motion to recommend approval of Article 11. Paula Proulx seconded the motion amending the warrant to read: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $27,000 (twenty seven thousand dollars) to fund a firefighter on a per diem basis Monday thru Friday at the Farmington Fire Station. A vote was taken: Paula Proulx and Paul Parker in favor, Joan Funk, George Meyer and Matt Scruton opposed. Motion failed. Matt Scruton motioned to approve Article 11 amending the amount to $13,500 George Meyer seconded the motion. All in favor.
Budget Committee Member Bill Tsiros motioned to accept Article 11 as amended by the Selectmen. Gail Ellis seconded the motion. Gail Ellis, Ann Titus, Steve Henry, Bill Tsiros, Debra Cantwell, Matt Scruton (acting as Budget committee Selectmen’s representative) in favor. Arthur Capello opposed. Motion passed.
Article 12: (Police Patrol Officer): Steve Henry motioned to accept Article 12. Bill Tsiros seconded the motion. All in favor.
Article 13 (Guild Article): Bill Tsiros motioned to accept the recommendation by the Board of Selectmen for Article 13. Debra Cantwell seconded the motion. Matt Scruton, Bill Tsiros, Debra Cantwell, in favor. Steve Henry, Gail Ellis, Ann Titus and Arthur Capello opposed. Motion failed. Budget Committee does not recommend this article.
Article 14 (Town Hall Renovations): Gail Ellis motioned to accept Article 14. Debra Cantwell seconded the motion. Matt Scruton, Debra Cantwell, Bill Tsiros, Steve Henry, Gail Ellis, Ann Titus in favor. Arthur Capello opposed.
Article 15 (Public Work Garage renovations and additions): Bill Tsiros motioned to accept Article 15 as recommended by the Board of Selectmen. Debra Cantwell seconded the motion. All in favor.
Article 16 (Land Use change Tax): Debra Cantwell motioned to recommend Article 16. Matt Scruton seconded the motion. Steve Henry, Ann Titus, Gail Ellis, Arthur Capello opposed. Motion failed. Article 16 not recommended by the Budget Committee.
Deborah Cantwell motioned to change the wording in Article 15 to read : “..and addition of a three bay addition…”. Gail Ellis seconded the motion. All in favor.
Article 17 (Landfill Planning): Steve Henry motioned to recommend Article 17. Debra Cantwell seconded the motion. Steve Henry, Debra Cantwell, Ann Titus, Matt Scruton, Arthur Capello in favor. Bill Tsiros opposed. Motion passed.
Article 18 (Lagoon Closing): Debra Cantwell motioned to recommend Article 18. Ann Titus seconded the motion. All infavor.
Article 19 (Dubois Land Purchase) Bill Tsiros motioned to recommend Article 19 as recommended by the Board of Selectmen. Ann Titus seconded the motion. All in favor.
Article 20 (To Capital Reserve Fund – Highway Equipment): Gail Ellis motioned to recommend Article 20. Steve Henry seconded the motion. All in favor.
Article 21 (To CRF – fire Equipment): Bill Tsiros motioned to recommend Article 21. Steve Henry seconded the motion. All in favor. The Selectmen were in agreement that Article 21 will be moved up to Article 29 and be worded ‘Fire Equipment and Vehicles Capital Reserve Fund’.
Article 22 (To CRF Technology): Bill Tsiros motioned to recommend Article 22. Steve Henry seconded the motion. All in favor. Gail Ellis suggested the wording be changed to ‘undesignated fund balance’. Paul Weston stated that the DRA has the final say in wording, but will inquire as to the correct wording..
Article 23 (To CRF – Ambulance): Gail Ellis motioned to recommend Article 23. Ann titus seconded the motion. All in favor.
Article 24 (Bridge engineering): Steve Henry motioned to recommend Article 24. Debra Cantwell seconded the motion. All in favor.
Article 25 (to CRF – Public Buildings); Steve Henry motioned to recommend Article 25. Gail Ellis seconded the motion. All in favor.
Article 26 (to CRF – Recreation Equipment): Debra Cantwell motioned to recommend Article 26. Ann Titus Seconded the motion. Debra Cantwell, Ann Titus, Arthur Capello, Bill Tsiros, Gail ellis, Matt Scruton in Favor. Steve Henry opposed. Motion passed.
Article 27 (Discontinue Fire Equipment Reserve Fund – see Article 27 & 28): Steve Henry motioned to recommend Article 27. Bill Tsiros seconded the motion. Gail Ellis abstained from the vote. All in favor.
Article 28 (Create new Public Safety Building Capital Reserve Fund): Steve Henry motioned to recommend Article 28. Gail Ellis seconded them motion. All in favor.
Article 29 (Re-establish the Fire Department Vehicles/Equipment Capital Reserve Fund): Steve Henry motioned to recommend Article 29. Debra Cantwell seconded the motion. All in favor.
Article 30 (Purchase of Public Works Truck): Bill Tsiros motioned to recommend this Article. Steve Henry seconded the motion. All in favor.
Article 31 (Purchase of Pickup Truck): Bill Tsiros motioned to have the Budget committee reconsider this Article. Steve Henry seconded the motion. All in favor except for Matt Scruton.
Bill Tsiros motioned to recommend Article 31. Steve Henry seconded the motion. Debra Cantwell abstained from the vote. Bill Tsiros, Gail Ellis and Steve Henry on favor. Matt Scruton, Arthur Capello, Ann Titus opposed. Motion failed.
Article 32 (Budget Summary Article): Debra Cantwell motioned to recommend Article 32. Bill Tsiros seconded the motion. Discussion on budget. Arthur Capello pointed out that there was a discrepancy between the numbers on the budget sheets and the numbers on the warrant. Matt Scruton stated that the variances should be corrected. Paul Weston explained that the bottom line on both, the total budget was the same. Paul Weston stated that the tax rate of $6.25 was correct based on the bottom line of the budget (625) which is down from last year. A vote was taken. (motion to accept Article 32 as written). Bill Tsiros, Gail Ellis, Debra Cantwell, Matt Scruton, Ann Titus ion favor. Arthur Capello and Steve Henry opposed. Motion passed.
Gail Ellis motioned to put $70,000 into Capital budget for roads and balance into the operational fund. (Decreased from $108,00 to $70,000). Motion failed for lack of second.
Matt Scruton motioned to start a Capital Reserve Fund with $61,000 for the maintenance of roads and roads reconstruction needs and to authorize expenditure of funds. The Board of Selectmen should be named as agents of this fund. Joan Funk seconded this motion. Joan Funk, Paul Parker and Matt Scruton in favor. Paula Proulx and George Meyer abstained. Motion passed.
Steve Henry motioned to accept the motion by the Board of Selectmen to start a Capital Reserve Fund for the maintenance of roads and road reconstruction needs. Gail Ellis seconded the motion. All in favor.
10:15 pm Arthur Capello motioned to adjourn the meeting for the Budget Committee. Matt Scruton seconded the motion. All in favor.
The Board of Selectmen continued the meeting.
Reimbursement for killed livestock. Matt Scruton recused himself form the Board. Ruth Scruton is asking the Town to reimburse her for a ewe killed by a neighbors dog. RSA 466.22 states that the town is responsible for the cost of replacement of killed livestock. Joan Funk motioned to approve a $300.00 reimbursement for the ewe. George Meyer seconded the motion. All in favor.
Matt Scruton rejoined the Board.
Location of the new Welfare Director. Paul Weston presented a plan drawn up by Paul Esswein. The Board requested other options. The new Welfare Director will be starting on February 21, 2006.
Public Relations for Town Warrants. The Board agreed that any explanations on the articles should be non biased, factual and neutral.
10:30pm, Joan Funk motioned to go into Non Public Session RSA 91-A:3 C. Personnel Issues. A roll call vote was taken. Joan Funk – yes, George Meyer – yes, Paula Proulx – yes, Paul parker – yes. Matt Scruton opposed.
Several personnel issues were discussed regarding 3 different Town departments.
11:15 pm. Joan Funk motioned to come out of Non Public Session. A roll call vote was taken. Joan Funk – yes, George Meyer – yes, Paula Proulx – yes, Paul Parker – yes. Matt Scruton –yes.
11:15 Matt Scruton motioned to adjourn. George Meyer seconded the motion. All in favor.
Approved February 27, 2006
Signed this date of ____________, 2006
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Chairman Joan A. Funk Vice Chairman Paula Proulx
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Matt Scruton George Meyer
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Paul Parker
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