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Board of Selectmen Minutes -- 02/05/2015 Budget Hearing
Selectmen’s Budget Hearing
February 5, 2015
Present:        Bob Thompson, Chairman; John Allen and Bill Lockard, Selectmen

Visitors:       Town Office Administrator Julie Atwell, Fire Department/Road Agent Jay Henry, Police Chief Doug Jette, Town Clerk/Tax Collector Karen Burton, Treasurer Kathleen Dougherty, Conservation Commissioner Chair Larry Siebert, Bea Davis, Bob Davis, Dean Davis, Nancy Davis, Penny Miller, George Howard, Huntley Allen, Hank Dresch, Linda Dresch, Jerry Dougherty, *** man on the back wall***

Chairman Bob Thompson called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.  This is the second Budget Hearing; any adjustments from the first meeting, held on January 22nd, have been made.  He will review each section and take questions pertaining to each.  Copies of the budget are available for the public on the front table (and in the Office after the meeting).

  • Police Department  There are no changes to this figure; Selectman Lockard, as liaison, is confident it’s where they want it to be.  
  • Fire Department  Selectman Lockard is also the liaison to the Fire Department; this budget is flat and there were no changes made after the last meeting.  Jerry Dougherty asked about the plan to purchase a new truck.  The plan is to purchase it in 2015 instead of 2016; an inflation avoidance of twenty-five to thirty thousand dollars.  If the town approves the one-hundred thousand dollars for the Capital Reserve, there will be enough to do this or if the town doesn’t approve the one-hundred thousand dollars, the Unreserved Fund could be tapped.  The Selectmen or their authorized agent can do that; Jerry suggested the Board might think about discussing this at Town Meeting.  The truck would be four-hundred-twenty-four thousand dollars in 2015; it will be four-hundred-twenty-four thousand dollars if Jackson waits until 2016.  Selectman Lockard wondered how the Selectmen would address this at the Town Meeting and Jerry noted he’d make the recommendation to purchase the truck in 2015 at the meeting.  He was against spending that much money on a fire truck but he’s been reeducated as to the appropriateness of the specifications; Fire Chief Henry spent a lot of time explaining it to Jerry and he’s supportive now.  If purchasing a new truck is going to happen then save some money and do it now.  There is sufficient money in the Fund and Fire Chief Henry may be able to reduce that one-hundred thousand dollar Warrant Article request.  Selectman Allen asked what the value of the ’95 is; Fire Chief Henry is estimating thirty thousand dollars.  
  • Highway Department  This was adjusted at the last meeting; adding two thousand dollars to Salt and one thousand dollars to Gasoline & Diesel Fuel; there’s nothing else to add.  
  • Town Clerk/Tax Collector  Selectman Lockard noted there is nothing to add here.  Penny Miller would like to discuss the difference in the Wage 2014/15 Actual and Budget; she wants to know why there is a difference.  Town Clerk Karen Burton noted the money was approved in March at the Town Meeting; that pay change can’t go retroactive; there is no backwards pay.   Nancy Davis asked if the twenty-four thousand dollars for Health Insurance is the cost of a Family plan for a full year; this was affirmed.  Nancy asked if there’s an offset for staff contribution and Office Administrator Atwell noted this is the town’s portion; the policy cost is seven percent more than the twenty-four thousand dollars.  Nancy expressed her concern over a premium that high and Selectman Lockard noted the town is trying to address health insurance costs.  This year employees had new plans to choose from to reduce costs and they will continue to work on it.  Nancy asked if the same provider is being used by other towns; this is exorbitant.  It was noted that most costs go through Health Care Trust but the Board doesn’t know what other towns use.  Nancy asked if this is a zero deductible plan and Selectman Lockard noted it is not; employees went from a zero deductible plan to one with a deductible so there is progress being made.  Bea Davis asked what plan employees ended up with and Selectman Lockard noted employees had a choice of two options; one is Matthew Thornton and the other is Blue Choice.  These plans were purchased through the New Hampshire Municipal Association.
  • Library  Edith Houlihan was in attendance on January 22nd to review this budget; Selectman Lockard noted there is nothing new to add.  There was discussion about the requested four percent raise versus three percent for other Departments; Edith made her presentation and they are sticking with the four percent.  The seventeen-hundred-twenty-eight dollar increase is not reflective of the four percent pay rate increase; the new Director is getting two more hours per week to do the computer contracting.  The Library staff have not had a Cost of Living Adjustment for a number of years; they are on track now.  
  • Selectmen/Financial Administration/Remaining Operating Budget Items  Bea asked what the figure is under Elected Officers Salary; Office Administrator Atwell noted this is pay for the Treasurer, Checklist Supervisors and the Selectmen.
The changes for Financial Administration, as discussed on January 22nd, were an increase for the NH Electric Coop and a reduction in the Accounting Expenses to reflect taking out twenty thousand dollars for an audit done by a CPA.

The Operating Budget is remaining as it is; there had been discussion regarding increasing the line for Building Inspection however, after discussion with Inspector Bennett it was determined to be okay as is.   

The Ambulance is having an issue regarding uncollected debt; utilizing MRI Services is a possible way to reduce that amount.  The increase in their budget is for batteries and upkeep and recertification.  

Selectman Lockard noted nothing has changed for Emergency Management; it’s a fairly stable budget.  Bea noted the budget has gone up; it was explained that wages are now broken out.

Nancy would like to know how the fees charged figure into the Building Inspector’s line; are they netted against what’s in the budget?  Selectman Allen noted that is the way it is supposed to be; the owner would be paying all the fees involved so it should be a wash.  It’s not dollar-per-dollar and hiring Inspector Goudreau to help Inspector Bennett put that line over budget.  Nancy wondered if Jackson has to raise and appropriate the money that will be offset; this was affirmed.  

There’s no change to Solid Waste Disposal.  Penny would like to know why the Ground Water Monitoring is so much higher than the Actual for 2014.  Office Administrator Atwell noted the contract sets four thousand dollars as the price; last year was only twenty-five hundred.  Fire Chief/Road Agent Henry noted it’s possible the total is unknown due to the number of tests they have to do; everything may be okay for six months then there’s an abnormal reading and they have to test it again.  Larry Siebert asked if HEB is still the contractor; this was affirmed.  Penny would like the town to look at others to monitor the wells.  If it was eleven-hundred-twenty-five dollars in 2014 the town should get a fee closer to that for 2015.  She asked the Board to get bids.

The Animal Control Officer’s line is even, as is Public Welfare.

Recreation and Parks has no changes.  Larry noted the Conservation Commission has a two thousand dollar budget and they mow Prospect Farm for sixteen hundred-something; they pay dues to New Hampshire of two-hundred-thirty dollars and that leaves the Conservation Commission with one-hundred-seventy dollars for a budget per year.  In the past the Commission has used funds from the Baker Trust a few times; that is not sustainable if it’s used for mowing.  Rick Davis did the mowing and he said he just got a check from the town and it falls under Maintenance of Town Buildings & Parks; not the Conservation Commission or the Baker Trust.  This needs to be solved; the Commission has to get an operating budget; it can’t rely on funds that come in every couple of years from the Change of Use Tax.  Larry would like to ask for either an increase of a thousand dollars this year or to ask for no increase if the mowing comes out of the Maintenance of Town Buildings & Parks.  Road Agent Henry asked what it costs the Commission to operate for the year and Larry noted if the Commission had two thousand dollars then they budget their projects to two thousand dollars; right now it all goes to Prospect Farm.  The Commission relies on the Fund and can do it for this year but going forward the Commission needs an operating budget.  The Conservation Commission had a build-out analysis done and the survey showed that everyone moved here for recreational purposes and wants more; people want the Conservation Commission to do more but it doesn’t have an operating budget to do that.  It can’t be confirmed tonight where mowing used to be paid out of; it has come out of the Commission’s line since 2005 or 2004.  Bea asked how much was in the Conservation Trust; it is somewhere around twenty-six thousand dollars; she wondered why it couldn’t be invested to earn money.  Larry noted there’s no money to be made by investing this money so he’s putting it out there; either raise the amount for the Conservation Commission or leave it at two thousand dollars and consider taking the cost to mow Prospect Farm out of the Maintenance of Town Buildings & Parks.  

Road Agent Henry doesn’t think funds need to be added to that line; last year they spent around seven thousand out of twenty thousand.  When informed what is mowed is the meadow of two and a half acres, plus the cellar holes; Road Agent Henry noted it would take five days for the town equipment and staff to do this work.  Selectman Lockard thinks the Board can have this discussion in the fall.  Road Agent Henry is willing to take it out of his line; Larry noted Road Agent Henry can always turn to the Conservation Commission if there’s a year when this can’t come out of his line.    

Town Clerk Burton noted Prospect Farm is town property; it gets mowed in September; it’s not maintained for the summer.  It gets cleaned up in the fall and Jackson Ski Touring gets the benefit.  Larry noted the field and apple orchard aren’t cut as the birds don’t leave until the end of the summer; it doesn’t grow up until the end of the summer.  Town Clerk Burton asked if Jackson charges Ski Touring for it.  Chairman Thompson noted Jackson entered into a land-use agreement that allows for free skiing up there and parking for five years.

Penny asked about the different lines mowing of Prospect Farm could come out of; there is the Maintenance of Town Grounds line (page four) and Maintenance of Town Buildings & Parks (page two).  Penny asked why these lines are so high; Office Administrator Atwell noted some were new line items that were pulled out of the General Government line and put back into the Highway Department’s budget.  Road Agent Henry explained the purpose of different lines in his budget.  Maintenance of Town Grounds is for things like loam, seed and fertilizer; the labor and machines are already paid for.  Last year the amount spent was four-hundred-seventy-seven dollars; Town Clerk Burton wants to know why the budgeted amount is so high (five thousand dollars) and Road Agent Henry noted he has funds put aside for materials if there were a washout or the town grounds were in bad shape.  Last year they didn’t need a bunch of loam; repairing the plow trucks was a priority.  Huntley asked if the grounds get damaged from cars parking on it; this hasn’t been an issue; there’s been nothing drastic.  

Penny would like an explanation for the increase for Valley Vision.  Chairman Thompson noted the voting body approved an amendment from the floor at Town Meeting so Jackson could have Channel 3 access.  The town entered into an agreement with Valley Vision for that access; the fifty-six-twenty-five spent in 2014 is not for the full year.  Penny asked if the town is required to have Valley Vision Chanel 3 access.  Chairman Thompson noted this was voter-supported; the voters asked the Selectmen to include the extra funds for the air time.

  • Warrant Articles  The Warrant Articles are on page 5; those on the top are the non-recurring Articles from last year (zeroed out); then the new Articles for this year.  The seventy-five dollar VFW Article will be removed; Bill Wogisch is going to pay for the flags for the cemeteries.  There is a three thousand dollar Article for an air conditioner for the Police Department and a thirteen thousand dollar Article for the Town Office roof.  
Selectman Lockard noted he and the Police Department have tried a number of ways to solve the problem but the only way to fix the heat issue is to get a separate air conditioner.  There are times in the summer where the Police Department is uninhabitable. A gentleman in the audience suggested saving the money and moving the current A/C compressor since rain and melting ice from the roof drips into it causing rust; it was clarified this would be a separate air conditioner for the Police Department.  The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating three thousand dollars for this Article.  

The shingles are showing some wear; if replacement is delayed the town could have a leaky roof; it was put in this year as a Capital Improvement.  Quotes were received for three types of roofing but the thirteen thousand is for a steel roof; redesign of the handicap access ramp is included.  The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating thirteen thousand dollars for this Article.  

The Recurring Articles and Petitioned Articles have numbers on them from last year’s ballot; these may or may not be the same numbers assigned for this year’s ballot.  The balances of the Trust Funds are listed on the bottom of page 7.  

Article 15:  Bridge Repair Expendable Trust Fund.  The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating five thousand dollars for the Fund.  

Article 16:  Dry Hydrant Expendable Trust Fund.  While no funds were spent last year; Road Agent Henry recommends keeping the five thousand in the budget; there’s only five thousand in the Fund; it needs to be built up.  The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating five thousand dollars for the Fund.  

Article 18:  Highway Truck Capital Reserve Fund.  This is set at fifty thousand dollars; the town is preparing to purchase a new truck.  2016 would be the time to get a small truck with a bigger truck in 2019.  The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating fifty thousand dollars for the Fund.  

Article 20:  State Aid Reconstruction Expendable Fund.  This is set at thirty thousand dollars.  Last year the town increased this from twenty thousand to thirty thousand dollars and the state matched that increase.  The town got ten thousand dollars more for the state contribution for work on 16B, Carter Notch and Melloon Road.  The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating thirty thousand dollars for the Fund.

Article 21:  Road Reconstruction Capital Reserve Fund.  This is set at fifty thousand dollars which is a decrease of fifty thousand dollars; this is a result of almost getting caught up with the roads.  The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating fifty thousand dollars for the Fund.

Article 22:  State Highway Block Grant.  This is thirty-eight thousand dollars which the town has to raise but it comes from the government not taxes.  The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating thirty-eight thousand dollars for the Block Grant.

Article 23:  Heavy Highway Vehicle Capital Reserve Fund.  This is set for thirty thousand dollars; this was started for the future purchase of equipment like back loaders and backhoes.  The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating thirty thousand dollars for the Fund.

Article 24:  Police Department Equipment Expendable Trust.  This is set at three thousand dollars.  The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating three thousand dollars for the Trust.


Article 25:  Police Cruiser Capital Reserve Fund.  This is set at fifteen-thousand-five-hundred dollars, up one-hundred-fifty dollars.  The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating fifteen-thousand-five-hundred dollars for the Fund.

Article 26:  Fire Department Truck Capital Reserve Fund.  This is set at one-hundred thousand dollars.  The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating one-hundred thousand dollars for the Fund.

Article 34:  Jackson Chamber of Commerce – Fireworks.  This is set at three thousand dollars.  The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating three thousand dollars for fireworks.

Article 35:  Jackson Chamber of Commerce – Beautification Project.  This is set at one thousand dollars.  The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating one thousand dollars for the Chamber’s Beautification Project.

                The Petitioned Articles are as submitted.  

Article 27:  Eastern Slope Regional Airport. The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating five hundred dollars for the Eastern Slope Regional Airport.  

Article 28:  Gibson Center.  The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating twenty-five hundred dollars for the Gibson Center.

Article 29:  Children Unlimited.  The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating twenty-six hundred dollars for Children Unlimited.

Article 30:  Tri-County Community Action.  This is set at three thousand dollars; down from six thousand, which was increased on the floor last year.  The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating three thousand dollars for Tri-County Community Action.  
                        
Article 31:  Northern Human Services.  The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating seven-hundred-sixteen dollars for Northern Human Services.

Article 33:  Starting Point.  This is set at eight-hundred-sixty-three dollars, up from six-hundred-seventy-nine dollars last year.  The Selectmen unanimously support raising and appropriating eight-hundred-sixty-three dollars for Starting Point.
        
Article XX:  Town Clerk Tax Collector – Wage Increase.  This is a new article requesting a four-thousand-sixty dollar increase.  Selectman Lockard asked if that increase is still thirteen percent.  Town Clerk Burton noted it’s a penny per thousand.  Selectman Lockard thinks she should stick to three percent like everyone else.  Selectman Allen agrees; this is far more than other employees are getting; he can’t support it.  Penny noted this is an elected position and would like to know, should the voters approve the increase, would a future Town Clerk start at that higher wage or can the voters reduce it?  She’d ask folks to look at the Clerk’s experience and the impact on the town.  Town Clerk Burton noted this is only a penny per thousand; that is the impact on taxpayers.  She noted new Clerks are starting at thirty-two to thirty-six thousand dollars this year.  She is finishing her first year and asked for thirty-four thousand.  She has thirty years of accounting and business experience.  Dean Davis noted Town Clerk Burton got a thirty-six thousand dollar raise with Health Insurance last year and wants another four thousand this year.  The Selectmen voted unanimously to not support raising and appropriating four-thousand-sixty dollars for a wage increase for the Town Clerk.

The Zoning Amendments will be on the Warrant with a level of support from the Planning Board.  Nancy asked if these amendments could be made available on the town website not just in the paper; this will be done.    

Penny has a question about the proposed changes calling for no use of motorized recreational vehicles on private property.  It was noted the Planning Board didn’t make any changes, they simply listed what is allowed.  This needs to go to the Planning Board; the Selectmen can’t address this tonight.

  • Town Value and Tax Rate Analysis  There were no questions or discussion regarding the Town Value and Tax Rate Analysis.
  • Capital Improvements  This will be discussed further at Town Meeting.
  • Projected Revenues  The Projected Revenues were reviewed on the 22nd; there were no further questions or discussion.  
There being no further discussion for the Public Session, Selectman Lockard, seconded by Selectman Allen, made a motion to go into Non-Public Session in accordance with RSA 91-A:3, II(*) at 7:10 p.m.
                                                
                                        Respectfully submitted by:

                                        Martha D. Tobin

                                        Recording Secretary