BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING/PUBLIC HEARING MINUTES
October 9, 2012
Call to Order: 6:38 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Present: Martha Sumner, Chair
Kristin Lewis-Savage
Tricia Holt
Neal Morin
Daniel Bush
Darrell Britton
Ben Sadewicz
Barry Weymouth (arrived 6:59 p.m.)
John Sherman, Selectmen Ex-Officio
Excused: Gayle Hamel
Anthony Riccio
David Gerns
Also Present: Sean Fitzgerald, Town Manager
Janet Gallant, Finance Director
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by David Bowles, Building Maintenance Supervisor.
MINUTES OF JANUARY 11, FEBRUARY 4, APRIL 3, and OCTOBER 2, 2012
January 11, 2012 Minutes
T. Holt moved, second by B. Sadewicz to approve the minutes of the January 11, 2012 meeting as written. There was no discussion on the motion and the vote was 5-0-3 (Lewis-Savage, Bush and Britton abstaining.)
February 4, 2012 Minutes (from Deliberative Session)
B. Sadewicz moved, second by N. Morin to approve the minutes of the February 4, 2012 meeting as written. There was no discussion on the motion and the vote was 5-0-3 (Lewis-Savage, Bush and Britton abstaining.)
April 3, 2012 Minutes
The following changes were noted for the record:
- On page 3 of the record, half-way down the page, comment from J. Sherman reads:
“J. Sherman cautioned about rely on newspaper articles for information as he had experience some accuracy issued with reporters.”
The sentence should read: “J. Sherman cautioned about relying on newspaper articles for information as he had experience some accuracy issues with reporters.”
- Darrell Britton was present for the meeting, but omitted under the roll call
- Ben Sadewicz should be listed as absent under the role call
K. Lewis-Savage moved, second by T. Holt to approve the minutes of the April 3, 2012 meeting as amended. There was no discussion on the motion and the vote was 7-0-1 (Sadewicz abstaining.)
Review and approval of the October 2, 2012 minutes was deferred to the next meeting.
BUDGET PRESENTATIONS
There was a discussion whether or not budgets could be approved in the first rounds, which would eliminate the need to revisit the smaller budgets.
D. Britton suggested that the smaller budgets could just be approved on their own merits. He added that it wouldn’t be necessary for the Department Heads to return to re-present a budget that didn’t have any changes.
K. Lewis-Savage noted that Department Heads only come before the Committee the first time the budget is presented. She added, unless a dramatic change is requested and needs explanation from the Department Head, J. Gallant has been able to get answers to all questions. K. Lewis-Savage also noted that sometimes in the review process budget lines get moved between departments. She offered that doing the review the way the Committee had been offered a bookkeeping double check.
D. Britton offered that it was a personal opinion and whatever worked the best for the Committee was fine.
J. Sherman noted that either process there would still be adjustments in some of the budgets when the more variable items like gas prices and postage were finalized.
D. Britton questioned if the Board of Selectmen (BOS) approved or took budgets under consideration.
J. Sherman explained the BOS approved the presented budgets, but with the consideration that any member could bring up a budget to be re-reviewed. He noted that strict Roberts Rules required that only members who voting in the affirmative to approve a budget could reopen that budget but they don’t necessarily adhere to that. J. Sherman agreed that the Department Heads didn’t need to be brought in an additional time unless there was a dramatic change.
M. Sumner added that the current process the Committee used was the process that she knew and that’s why she continued it as is.
S. Fitzgerald offered that it might be helpful to know the all Department Heads sit with himself and the Finance Director and review the budgets before the go to the BOS, so the budgets are well vetted before they are presented.
M. Sumner explained that it was her goal for next year to the have entire budget in advance of the individual review process.
S. Fitzgerald added that would help look at the budget as a big picture and how the individual department budgets worked together.
J. Gallant requested, in the interest of saving paper, that new budgets sheets not be printed until all changes have been made.
Government Buildings – Presented by Building Maintenance Supervisor, David Bowles
D. Bowles presented the Government Buildings proposed line items for the 2013 budget:
B. Weymouth arrived at 6:59 p.m.
Level Funded Budget Line Items:
- Salary Permanent Positions $ 36,734.00
- Part-Time Positions $ 14,300.00
- Custodian Overtime $ 6,000.00
- Telephone/Communications $ 900.00
- Custodian Training $ 200.00
- There have been expenditures from this line but they are not yet taken out
- General Supplies $ 4,100.00
- Vehicle Maintenance $ 300.00
- Maintenance Equipment $ 500.00
- Mileage Reimbursement $ 389.00
- No expenditures are noted from this line as yet. This is a 4th quarter expense
- Town Hall Maintenance $ 3,800.00
- Safety Complex Electric $ 29,000.00
- Safety Complex Heat $ 23,650.00
- Safety Complex Maintenance $ 5,370.00
- Museum Telephone $ 336.00
- Museum Electric $ 800.00
- Museum Heat $ 4,530.00
- Museum Maintenance $ 250.00
- Courthouse Maintenance $ 1,500.00
Increased Budget Line Items:
- Uniforms (+$150.00) $ 1,350.00
- The increase is based upon 2012 actuals
- Gasoline (+$200.00) $ 600.00
- Increase is based upon 2012 actuals
- $3.60/gallon used
S. Fitzgerald noted that market trends are reviewed until December to give the best estimate of per gallon costs, so this number may change again in all budgets with a gasoline line.
- Tech Service Contracts (+$1,590.00) $ 9,855.00
- Increase is due to over increases in contract fees as well as the addition of alarm monitoring services of the concession stand at PARC
- Town Hall Electric (+$1030.00) $ 13,000.00
- The Kw usage has increased by approximately 7%
D. Bowles noted the increase in the Kw usage of the Town Hall is due to the fact that the Town Hall is getting used far more than in years past, including more night and weekend functions that increase electrical usage.
- Town Hall Heat (+$500.00) $ 9,500.00
- Increase is based on anticipated increase in actual
D. Bowles offered that like the increase in the electric bill for Town Hall is tied into the increased usage, so is the heating bill.
D. Britton, noting the low year-to-date expenditures for this line, questioned the increase.
D. Bowles replied that in reviewing the actuals and considering the increased activities at Town Hall he felt the increase was necessary.
S. Fitzgerald added that the last part of the winter was fairly mild, but that can’t be assumed.
D. Britton offered that the line still had nearly half the balance in it with less than three (3) months left in the year.
J. Gallant explained that the heat and the electric do not proportion out monthly and needed to be looked at more in six (6) month spans.
D. Britton asked if the past year expenditures could be added to the spread sheets so the Committee could see the trends in the expenditures lines.
- Safety Complex Repairs (+$3,500.00) $ 9,280.00
- Rooftop Unit #2 is approaching the end of its life cycle and the department is being proactive to replacing the unit
- The lighting in the Fire Training Hall will be upgraded to T8 to improve energy efficiency. It was noted that these are the last of the lights to be upgraded
- Museum Repairs (+$1500.00) $ 2,000.00
- $500.00 for general repairs and $1,500.00 for upgrades to energy efficient lighting
D. Britton questioned with the amount of usage this Historical Society gets and whether it was worth doing lighting upgrades.
D. Bowles noted that the building was occupied at least once a week and the second floor lighting was form the 1950’s and 60s and he was trying to be proactive.
D. Britton inquired if the payback would be worth it considering the use.
S. Fitzgerald offered that he had some of the same conversations. He noted this was a unique building which housed and stored important historical documents. S. Fitzgerald suggested that in the future a new home for the Historical Society might be a better way to go, adding that the building still has value and reasonable practices should be employed to preserve it for the Town.
Decreased Budget Line Items
- Town Hall Repairs (-$1965.00) $ 8,260.00
- This accounts for the level funding for routine Town Hall Repairs of $5,500.00 and $2,760.00 for repairs to leaking windows located near the boilers and the telephone box. It was noted that these windows are not the windows that were upgraded as part of the cable studio renovations.
- Courthouse Repairs (-$33,600.00) $ 500.00
- The decrease is for the HVAC system that was part of the 2012 budget.
D. Bowles noted that the HVAC system had not yet been installed, but that he had two (2) proposals but there were questions about the electrical that needed to be resolved.
T. Holt questioned why the outside lights on the Courthouse are always, even during the day.
D. Bowles replied that he is constantly asking them to turn them off and on appropriately.
T. Holt asked if they could be put on a sensor or a timer.
S. Fitzgerald noted that some rooms in Town Hall had been put on sensors that turn lights on when someone enters the room and turned them off again after a predetermined time limit.
M. Sumner asked if the HVAC for the Courthouse would be done by year end.
D. Bowles replied that it would be. He said that the holdup was that there is not a stick design for the system because of the unconventional nature of the space, so a design had to be worked out. He noted the Courthouse was closed for the second week in November and he was hoping to get the work completed then.
K. Lewis-Savage asked what about the current status of the Courthouse lease.
S. Fitzgerald explained that he believed the lease was through next year. He added that he was hoping to renegotiate with the State but there were a lot of uncertainties as the courts were looking to other venues and eliminate community courts. S. Fitzgerald said that they were keeping a close eye on the situation as not having the court house would mean great costs increases to the Town.
J. Sherman noted that the word “maintenance” needed to be added to page three (3) of the budget (for line item 1-4191-20-430). He also offered actual 2011 expenditure figures for the Safety Complex utilities:
Electric $26,075.11
Heat $14,763.64
D. Bowles read his goals accomplished list from his 2012 budget.
S. Fitzgerald noted that custodian maintenance responsibilities had increased with the addition of the PARC and the Town Forest.
J. Gallant noted that the 2013 budget for Government Buildings was decreased by $27,095.00
K. Lewis-Savage moved, second by D. Britton to take the Government Buildings budget, in the amount of $187,004.00 under consideration. There was no discussion on the amended motion and the vote was 9-0-0 U/A.
It was noted in the handout that this amount has been approved by the Board of Selectmen (BOS).
Cultural – Presented by Dan Bush
D. Bush stepped down from the Committee to present the Cultural Budget.
Level Funded Budget Line Items:
- Part-time positions $ 304.00
- It was noted that this line was overspent in 2012 because a sixth person had been added, but not really needed so the line request is for level funding.
- Events and Activities $ 26,315.00
- A list of vendors from the previous year’s Old Home Day was provided to the Committee.
D. Bush talked about electrical circuit concerns from the year before.
T. Holt questioned multiple invoices paid to the same vendor in the same amount asking if they were duplicates.
D. Bush explained that those payments were initial deposits and then final payments.
D. Britton asked if they could be designated that way in future lists.
J. Gallant noted that the document numbers where different.
D. Britton offered that the Old Home Day Committee did a great job, but he questioned the use of the Sheriff’s department for traffic control.
D. Bush noted that traffic control was mandatory.
S. Fitzgerald added that Old Home Day was a mandatory work day for the Plaistow Police Department and they were needed throughout the Town as well as part of Old Home Day. He noted that last year the department did have some vacancies.
K. Lewis-Savage noted that the extra law enforcement was mostly used during the parade to block traffic further up the road.
K. Lewis-Savage moved, second by T. Holt to take the Cultural budget, in the amount of $26,619.00 under consideration. There was no discussion on the amended motion and the vote was 8-0-0 U/A (Bush stepped down).
It was noted in the handout that this amount has been approved by the Board of Selectmen (BOS).
Zoning – Presented by ZBA Administrative Assistant, Dee Voss
D. Voss presented the Zoning proposed line items for the 2013 budget:
Level Funded Budget Line Items:
- Part-time Positions $ 1,800.00
Legal $ 2,000.00
- It was noted there was currently a matter in Superior Court but it wasn’t anticipated to be extended to far, if at all into 2013
- Training $ 300.00
- Notices & Publications $ 1,746.00
- Supplies $ 100.00
- Postage $ 1,000.00
- Equipment $ 1.00
- Books & Periodicals $ 189.00
- Expense Reimbursement $ 1.00
K. Lewis-Savage moved, second by D. Bush to take the Zoning budget, in the amount of $7,137.00 under consideration. There was no discussion on the amended motion and the vote was 9-0-0 U/A.
It was noted in the handout that this amount has been approved by the Board of Selectmen (BOS).
Planning – Presented by Town Planner, Leigh Komornick
L. Komornick presented the Planning proposed line items for the 2013 budget:
D. Britton asked how the department’s workload had changed over time.
L. Komornick replied that there were less commercial plans coming in for review but there were other things such as Master Plan review and other special projects that kept the office busy.
Level Funded Budget Line Items:
- Permanent Position $ 48,130.00
- Part-Time Position (Minute Taker) $ 3,600.00
- Overtime $ 1,000.00
- Mapping $ 2,500.00
- Telephone $ 800.00
- Education & Training $ 700.00
- Notices & Publications $ 1,500.00
- Dues $ 100.00
- Postage $ 800.00
- Equipment Maintenance & Repair $ 200.00
- It was noted that the Planning Plotter would be in need of a major overhaul in 2014 and that year’s budget will reflect that
Increased Budget Line Items:
- Equipment Purchases (+$150.00) $ 400.00
- The increase is to purchase a camera that will be able to plot GIS coordinates that would be used for MS-4 reporting purposes
- Master Plan Updates (+$4,500.0) $ 5,000.00
- The increase is for consulting fees related to updating the Master Plan
L. Komornick noted that they had been updating some of the chapters in-house but the entire document had not been updated since 2004.
S. Fitzgerald added being two (2) years out of a census made this the best time to update all the information with professional technical assistance. He noted that he had talked to other communities about what they had expended to update their Master Plans and the costs ranged from $12,000.00 to $20,000.00 so this $5,000.00 should be considered half of the update.
- Impact Fee Update (+$1,999.00) $ 2,000.00
- The increase is to hire a consultant to update the methodology study that the Public Safety Impact Fee is based upon.
L. Komornick noted that the Public Safety Impact fee was formerly adopted in 2003 to support growth and/or expansion of the Public Safety Complex. She noted that life cycle of such a building was approximately twenty years.
D. Britton asked if the Impact Fee was the monies collected from contractors for new construction. It was confirmed that it was.
K. Lewis-Savage offered the study was to insure that the Town is charging the proper amount.
D. Britton asked if it was to cover the Town legally.
S. Fitzgerald offered that it would answer any questions as to whether or not the Town did their due diligence in setting the amount of the impact fee.
L. Komornick added that Bruce Mayberry, one of the foremost experts in impact fees did the original methodology study.
S. Fitzgerald suggested bringing Mr. Mayberry back again made the most sense.
Decreased Line Items:
- Engineering/Consulting Fees (-$5,000.00) $ 3,000.00
- Based on 2012 actuals the amount in this line is being reduced
- Attorney Fees (-$1,500.00) $ 5,000.00
- Based on 2012 actuals the amount in this line is being reduced
- Office Supplies (-$150.00) $ 250.00
- Books & Periodicals (-$50.00) $ 200.00
- It was noted that some information that was only in print before is now available online
- Mileage & Expense Reimbursement (-$16.00) $ 650.00
- Recording Fees(-$500.00) $ 1,500.00
- This is an offset item and based on the decrease in the number of mylars needing to be recorded this line is being reduced.
J. Gallant noted that this was a $567.00 reduction in the 2013 Planning Budget.
B. Sadewicz moved, second by N. Morin to take the Planning budget, in the amount of $77,330.00 under consideration. There was no discussion on the amended motion and the vote was 9-0-0 U/A.
It was noted in the handout that this amount has been approved by the Board of Selectmen (BOS).
CIP Presentation – CIP Chairman Tim Moore, Town Planner, Leigh Komornick
L. Komornick presented a power PowerPoint presentation on the CIP (Capital Improvement Plan). The presentation noted the CIP is a planning document to assist the Town in looking to better handle purchases of big ticket items over a period of years (2013-2018). The process reviews requests from each department for long range purchases, such as replacement vehicles and heavy equipment, determining the amount that should be raised and put away over a number of years so that it doesn’t have to be raised as one large total, which could create a tax burden to residents. The CIP is reviewed annually to assess the current condition of existing CIP items and balance that against the long-range needs of each department.
There was a list of all the items that are currently included in the Town’s CIP. The document is reviewed by the Budget Committee to assist in their review and approval process. Items such as replacement vehicles and equipment for Police, Fire and Highway; generator for the Plaistow Public Library; increases to the Conservation Fund and repairs to the Town’s Cell/Water Tower were called out in the document.
It was noted that items in the current year of the CIP, if they are to be purchased are then proposed to the Town’s voters as warrant articles at Town Meeting. It was noted that annual review of the CIP provides a good sanity check and that not all items listed in the CIP are brought forward for voting, and those brought forward are not always brought forward in the same year they appear in the CIP.
Conservation Commission – Presented by Conservation Commission Member, Tim Moore
T Moore presented the Conservation Commission proposed line items for the 2013 budget:
Level Funded Budget Line Items:
- Part-time Positions $ 400.00
- It was noted that this line appears to be completely expended, but it was a late 2011 submission and the correction will be made. This line will be expended in 2012 as a 4th quarter expense
- It was noted that nothing has been expended out of this line in 2012 because this is a 4th quarter expense.
It was noted the this testing was done in two parts (wet and dry) and is part of the Town’s MS4 responsibilities
T. Moore described the water testing process that he does each year. He noted that there are 100 outfalls and 25% of them are tested each year.
S. Fitzgerald noted that the EPA requires this testing and T. Moore volunteers to do it each year.
B. Sadewicz asked if every town in New Hampshire was required to do the testing.
S. Fitzgerald replied that they were not, and that Plaistow had to because of being within an urbanized area sensitive to stormwater run off.
- Training $ 500.00
- Dues $ 325.00
- Supplies $ 350.00
- Mileage/Travel $ 222.00
N. Morin moved, second by D. Bush to take the Conservation Commission budget, in the amount of $8,137.00 under consideration. There was no discussion on the amended motion and the vote was 9-0-0 U/A.
It was noted in the handout that this amount has been approved by the Board of Selectmen (BOS).
Cemetery – Presented by Town Manager, Sean Fitzgerald
S. Fitzgerald presented the Cemetery proposed line items for the 2013 budget:
Level Funded Budget Line Items:
- Part-Time Position $ 1,425.00
- It was noted that with the passing of Topper Reed in 2012 this line had not been expended and the responsibilities were being handled by the Highway Department
- Supplies $ 250.00
- Repairs $ 1,000.00
- Equipment $ 100.00
Increased Budget Line Items:
- Consulting (+$5.000.00) $ 5,000.00
- The increase was to acquire software that would support digital cemetery records
S. Fitzgerald noted that currently all record keeping was being done by hand and acquiring this software would essentially be the same as the parcel mapping the Town currently does.
K. Lewis-Savage asked if it included data entry.
S. Fitzgerald explained that initially the consultants would support the set up of the system which would then be turned over to Town staff.
D. Britton asked how many cemetery plots remained and question whether this purchase if work the cost if there are only a few left.
S. Fitzgerald replied that there are enough plots left to meet the needs of the community for the next 30-50 years.
J. Sherman added that the expansion of the cemetery was part of the analysis for the expansion/replacement of the Public Safety Complex.
D. Britton asked if the Highway Department was going to assume the caretaking responsibilities of the cemetery would the part-time position be rolled to that budget.
S. Fitzgerald suggested that it remain part of the Executive Budget to support the staff would be charged with maintenance of the records.
K. Lewis-Savage said that it was a huge undertaking but would be a great asset to the Town and once it was done, it would be done.
S. Fitzgerald noted that once the initial expense was made to purchase the software there would be a minimal maintenance fee each year.
K. Lewis-Savage moved, second by T. Holt to take the Cemetery budget, in the amount of $7,775.00 under consideration. There was no discussion on the amended motion and the vote was 9-0-0 U/A.
It was noted in the handout that this amount has been approved by the Board of Selectmen (BOS).
S. Fitzgerald asked for input regarding the absorption of this budget into the Highway Department.
The feedback was the even if the duties and responsibilities of the Cemetery are absorbed by the Highway Department it should remain a separate budget in order to monitor spending trends.
B. Sadewicz asked who mowed the Cemetery when there was a Sexton.
S. Fitzgerald noted that it was the Highway Department.
Patriot – Presented by Town Manager, Sean Fitzgerald
S. Fitzgerald presented the Patriot proposed line items for the 2013 budget:
Level Funded Budget Line Items:
- Memorial Day $ 800.00
- Patriotic Purposes $ 200.00
K. Lewis-Savage moved, second by D. Britton to take the Patriot budget, in the amount of $1,000.00 under consideration. There was no discussion on the amended motion and the vote was 9-0-0 U/A.
It was noted in the handout that this amount has been approved by the Board of Selectmen (BOS).
Legal – Presented by Town Manager, Sean Fitzgerald
S. Fitzgerald presented the Legal proposed line items for the 2013 budget:
Decreased Budget Line Items:
- Legal Expenses (-$10,000.00) $ 30,000.00
- The legal expense are related to costly litigation involving the Beede Superfund Site
Increased Budget Line Items:
- Cable Consultant Attorney (+$9,999.00) $ 10,000.00
- It was noted that the contract with Comcast will be re-negotiated
K. Lewis-Savage moved, second by D. Britton to take the Legal budget, in the amount of $40,000.00 under consideration. There was no discussion on the amended motion and the vote was 9-0-0 U/A.
It was noted in the handout that this amount has been approved by the Board of Selectmen (BOS).
Conflict of Interest – Presented by Town Manager, Sean Fitzgerald
S. Fitzgerald presented the Conflict of Interest proposed line items for the 2013 budget:
Level Funded Budget Line Items:
- Training $ 400.00
- Office Supplies $ 140.00
- Postage $ 57.00
D. Britton asked of the Conflict of Interest Committee typically spent out this budget.
J. Gallant noted that she had recently received an invoice for their post office box.
It was noted that there was minimal matters before this committee.
K. Lewis-Savage moved, second by T. Holt to take the Conflict of Interest budget, in the amount of $597.00 under consideration. There was no discussion on the amended motion and the vote was 9-0-0 U/A.
It was noted in the handout that this amount has been approved by the Board of Selectmen (BOS).
Insurance – Presented by Town Manager, Sean Fitzgerald
S. Fitzgerald presented the Insurance proposed line items for the 2013 budget:
Level Funded Budget Line Items:
- Deductable Prop-Liability $ 3,000.00
Increased Budget Line Items:
- Property - Liability $ 80,000.00
- It was noted that the increased was calculated on property values of $12.1M with an anticipated 1% increase in July.
K. Lewis-Savage moved, second by D. Britton to take the Insurance budget, in the amount of $83,000.00 under consideration. There was no discussion on the amended motion and the vote was 9-0-0 U/A.
It was noted in the handout that this amount has been approved by the Board of Selectmen (BOS).
Parking Lot Items
J. Gallant noted that the posting for the vacancy on the Committee had been done.
Old Business
J. Sherman reported that he, N. Morin and D. Gerns had attended the Budget Committee training that was held in early fall and all found it most informative.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:28 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted:
Dee Voss
Recording Secretary
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