Town of Lyme
Budget Committee
Fire Station Training Room
December 7TH, 2005
7:00pm
APPROVED DECEMBER 28TH, 2005
Present at this meeting; Selectmen; Judith Shelnutt Lee Brotman and Richard Jones. Budget Committee Members: Chairman Barney Brannen, Gibb Cornwell, Jeff Lehmann, Josh Kilham, Freda Swan, Wayne Tullar, Dave Caffry, Manning Rountree. School Board representative: Laszlo Bardos. Administrative Assistant: Carole Bont, Bookkeeper / Selectmen’s Secretary & Scribe: Dina Cutting.
The meeting was called to order at 7:05pm by Chair Brannen.
1) The Selectmen distributed the memorandum for the Budget Committee to review prior to the discussions on the proposed budget.
2) Mrs. Shelnut Brotman reported a community member had called and praised the Lyme Fire Department on how professional they were concerning the Wilmott fire. Mr. Caffry noted that the Lyme Fire Department had excellent assistance from Hanover and Thetford Fire Departments to help with this fire.
3) Mrs. Shelnut Brotman reported Joanne Coburn, Tax Collector, has collected 89% of the taxes.
4) Mr. Cornwell moved to approve the minutes of the November 9th meeting. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. A correction was offered (change the date from 5th to 7th in the last paragraph). This motion was voted unanimously in favor.
5) Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman & Mr. Jones reviewed the Selectmen’s memorandum and the Capital Reserve-Cash Flow Projection spread sheet (attached to minutes). The Selectmen’s proposed budget spread sheet was handed out. Questions were asked concerning the Selectmen’s proposed budget and Capital Reserve monies.
a. The delay of the scheduled purchase of the police cruiser was clarified.
b. The net amount on line 462 of the budget sheet was discussed.
c. With this Selectmen’s budget request the Town will need to raise $154,659.00 more next year than this year in taxes.
d. Cemetery Fund: This fund was closed by mistake. The Trustees of the Trust Funds use this fund to deposit money from the sale of lots. This will need to be re-established.
e. Questions concerning the compactor for the Transfer Station were asked. Mrs. Shelnut Brotman requested the Budget Committee hold their questions on this topic for the next meeting. There will be more details on this subject from Mr. Bleyler. She will request a hand-out for the Budget Committee for the next meeting.
f. Capital Reserve Fund for Land and Buildings: This money will be separate from the Town Office Facilities Committee request.
g. Health Insurance: Mrs. Shelnut Brotman reviewed the changes to the employee health insurance benefits package. There will no longer be grandfathered employees. All employees will be offered the same base benefits package. The Selectmen found that some full-time employees were without insurance for their families. Employees are offered a base policy (HMO) for the employee; the town pays 100% of this policy. If the employees wish to buy up to a POS (Point of Service) policy or an indemnity policy they can. The employee will be required to pay 100% of the difference between the base policy and the one they are choosing. Employees are required to pay a percentage
of the additional cost for coverage for 2-person or family depending on their years of service. The percentages go from 15%, 10%, 5% and 0% (this is for employees with more then 10 years of services). This change will not be cheaper for the town this year but will be down the road.
h. The Selectmen are requesting a 4.1% COLA with an additional 1% for the bulk of the employees. There are some overtime increases in this budget request. One such overtime request is for the assessing department. This over-time will ensure the tax bills are sent out on time. After this year’s report on taxes collected it is clear the increase to the salary will more than pay for itself. Six employees will be receiving non-standard raises. Followed was a discussion concerning the meaning of exemplary employees and the raises they will be receiving and the difficulty the town has finding employees to fill jobs and having to pay them substantially
more.
Mr. Brannen commented he was very pleased to see the benefits change. The benefits are now uniform and there is no longer any inconsistent treatment of employees.
The Selectmen tried to pull the benefits and salaries all together as a package. Followed was a discussion about the following subjects:
· giving merit raises.
· pricing positions instead of the person.
· giving bonuses instead of raises so the increase in wage would not be connected to the position.
· hiring new employees at a lower rate.
· hiring new employees for more because the Town couldn’t find someone to fill the position at the original rate.
6) Review of the proposed budget spread sheet:
a. Executive: Followed were discussions concerning the following:
· The Town Webb page and internet.
· The new copier in this proposed budget is for the Fire Station meeting room. Now that so many Committees are meeting there it makes sense to have one.
· Meetings and Seminars are up. The staff is ready and willing to go for further training. We also have a new Treasurer who would like to go to some seminars.
· The Administrative Assistant has a raise. This will bring the position pay comparable to other towns. It was suggested the Selectmen look into making this position exempt. The Selectmen have discussed making this position exempt, but even if it qualifies it does not make the employee exempt from overtime pay.
The Budget Committee noted at this time that they would not be taking any votes at this meeting. They will be looking and digesting the budget. At the next meeting they will take tentative votes. Then in December the department heads have a chance to come back to the Budget Committee to discuss any proposed cuts to their budget.
* The Budget Committee would like to know the difference in cost due to the change in Health Insurance plans. What are the total differences between last year’s health insurance benefits and the new cost for 2006 health insurance benefits in this proposed budget. Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman will get this for the next meeting.
b. Elections, Reg and Vital Statistics: It was asked why the Town Clerk benefits went up so much and the Administrative Assistant went down. This has to do with the change in policy and the selection of one person, 2-person or family. Followed was a discussion concerning the financial impact over time of hiring full time employees with benefits.
c. Financial Administration: Followed was a discussion concerning benefits of employees again. It was noted at this time that some employees’ benefits packages have decreased and some have gone up significantly. The audit line is up because of the requirements of GASB 34.
d. Revaluation of Property: In the past the present Assessing Clerk has been scheduled to split the hours between assessing and the Selectmen’s Clerk job. This will be changed to one position in the Assessing Department. Assessing is where most of the time is put in. Ms. Bont reviewed what the Assessor’s job involves.
e. Legal: The request for this line has gone up. We have over-spent this line. There are still open legal issues from this year.
f. Personnel Administration: Health insurance costs in this section are an in and out item. The expense of the payroll company is a very reasonable cost.
g. Planning & Zoning: This section has been cut back severely by the Selectmen. The Planning and Zoning people will be back to discuss this with the Budget Committee. The Master Plan requirements are important to address. The lack of a Master Plan could affect future legal battles in the Town of Lyme. The Selectmen left only the cost for the community attitude survey in this proposed budget.
h. General Governments: Ms. Bont handed out the summary report for the Town Offices Building Committee. This report addresses the safety issues and non-safety issues for the Town Offices and Police Station. The air quality testing was discussed. The mold problem in the Town Offices will need to be addressed even if/when the Town Offices leave the building.
i. Cemeteries: The Perpetual Care line is an in and an out item. A new radio for the Sexton will also double as a highway radio.
j. Insurance: No comments or questions.
k. Advertising & Regional association: No comments or questions.
l. Other General Government: No comments or questions.
m. Police: The training and education line was discussed. The negotiated contract for the Chief and the officer’s new wages are included in this proposed budget request. The wage line includes the Chief, special officer, part time officer and the animal control officer wages. The Budget Committee requested the individual breakdown of the previously mentioned-wages. Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman will get this for the next meeting. The replacement police vehicle situation was discussed. The Budget Committee would like to know what is in the building and office maintenance line. It was mentioned at this time by Mr. Brannen that the police budget has gone up
dramatically in the past few years. Mr. Brannen commented he did not believe the police department was present at many local accidents and or incidents as they could be. He would like to know what direction the Police Chief sees the police department moving in. The Budget Committee would like Chief Field to report on the strategy of the Police Department and where the Police Department is focusing its energy. The Budget Committee would also like to know how many calls were answered by the State Police and the Grafton County Sheriff for the Town of Lyme. Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman will get this for the next meeting.
n. Fire: no comments or questions at this time.
o. Emergency Management: no comments or questions at this time.
p. Other Public Safety: no comments or questions at this time.
q. Highway: Block Grant money will be carried over. Decrease in asphalt line. The benefits line is down. The spare tire line includes all tires for the highway vehicles. The price of grader tires has gone up dramatically in the past few years.
r. Street lights: No questions at this time.
s. Solid Waste: The Budget Committee will be receiving a hand-out at the next meeting concerning this department’s requests.
t. Health Agencies: The Selectmen discussed increasing these lines because of the fuel price increase. The town poor line could be an issue some year. It was mentioned that the Budget Committee checked into starting a fund to save money from year to year for this line. The Budget Committee would like to look at this again.
u. Parks and Recreation: No comments or questions at this time.
v. Library: The Cobra insurance line has been moved out. The Selectmen recommended an increase in pay for the Librarian of 5.1%, up from the 4.1% the Library Trustees recommended.
w. Patriotic Purposes: No comments or questions at this time.
x. Conservation Commission: No comments or questions at this time.
y. Principal long term bond: No comments or questions at this time.
z. Interest long term bond: No comments or questions at this time.
aa. Interest in Tax Anticipation notes: Do we need it to be this high?
CAPITAL EXPENSES (money to be spent out of Capital Reserve funds).
7) Emergency Major Equipment Fund: The amount we vote to appropriate is always the same amount that is in the fund.
8) Vehicle Capital Reserve Funds: $12,000.00 Fire Truck (to be spent only if the Town receives a grant), $133,000.00 Rescue Truck
9) Buildings: The Selectmen decided not to move forward with the salt shed. The Selectmen are looking at fixing up the existing one. There are a couple of other new ideas for the salt shed that need to be investigated further. The request for money to do a feasibility study for new Town Offices was cut back to $15,000.00 by the Selectmen.
10) Improvements other than buildings: Bridge Fund. This money has been carried over for two years. The cost of the project has gone up. The increased amount reflects that.
11) Emergency Highway Repair: The amount that is in the fund is the amount requested each year.
12) Property reappraisal: The payroll line has been added only for bookkeeping reasons.
13) Transfer Station: $35,000.00
14) Library Parking lot: This should be the School and/or Library’s issue to deal with. This is a safety issue. The crosswalk empties right into the Library-Town Offices driveway.
15) Lyme Center Academy Building Parking Lot: The Selectmen will not recommend this request. The members of the Lyme Center Academy Committee need to agree and make a formal recommendation to the Selectmen before the Selectmen approve any amount of money.
CAPITAL EXPENCES (money into the Capital Reserve funds)
16) Bridge: $1,000.00
17) Vehicle: $125,000.00
18) Heavy Equipment: $35,000.00
19) Property Reappraisal: $10,000.00
20) Public Works Facility: $35,000.00
21) Land Acquisition: $0
22) Town Offices : $ 15,000.00
23) New Cemetery Fund: $10,461.97
24) Computer Fund: $10,000.00
25) Major Highway: $5,000.00
26) Fire Fighters Safety Equipment: $7,500.00 this amount was dropped to balance out the Fire Truck.
27) The Budget Committee will be making tentative votes on this proposed budget at the December 14th, 2005 meeting. The next meeting will be December 28th, 2005, for the department heads to rebut any budget cuts.
At 9:40pm Mr. Bardos move to adjourn. Seconded by Mrs. Swan. Motion voted unanimously in favor.
Respectfully Submitted,
Dina Cutting
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