SUNAPEE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Public Bond & Budget hearing
7:00 PM Town Office Meeting Room
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Present: Stephen White Chairman, William Roach Vice-Chairman, Charlotte Brown, Frederick Gallup, Emma Smith, Donna Nashawaty, Town Manager
Also Present: Katie Richardson Intertown Record, David Bailey Water & Sewer Superintendent, Chief David Cahill, Betty Ramspott Town Clerk, Tony Bergeron Road Agent, Charles Smith, Shane Hastings, Spec Bowers, Kenneth Meyer, Ann Nilson, Scott Blewitt Recreation Director, Ted Gallup Chairman Water & Sewer Commission, Holly and Chris Leonard, John Mapley, Peter Urbach, Chief Dan Ruggles, Jon Walden Library Director.
Chairman White called the meeting to order at 7:00PM.
Chairman White updated the Board on the status of Artie Osborne.
Bond hearing opened at 7:05PM
David Bailey-Water & Sewer Superintendent
David Bailey opened the bond hearing by going over the history of the wastewater plant and the following upgrade needs:
- Inadequate grit and screening removal in the headworks
increase maintenance requirements of downstream facilities.
- Unreliable and undersized equipment in the ditches to meet process requirements.
- Undersized and aging clarifiers for current process.
- Reliance on sludge transport and disposal at high costs.
- Insufficient building space for staff and laboratory duties.
- A number of building and tank areas do not meet the current code requirements.
David Bailey also went over the estimated cost of the project and the breakdown of the amount of funds from grants, Town of New London’s share and Town of Sunapee’s share (see attached tables).
Bond hearing closed at 7:38PM
Bond hearing opened at 7:40PM
Donna Nashawaty-Budget Hearing Presentation
Donna Nashawaty explained the rules of budget process: gross budgeting, operating budget, default budget, summary of warrant and tax rate calculation (see attached presentation).
Budget hearing closed at 8:23mins.
Scott Blewitt-Recreation Director
Scott Blewitt wanted to address a couple of warrant articles:
•Article 24, Recreation Fields Capital Reserve Fund-Scott Blewitt wanted to point out that the warrant article is not about purchasing and developing future fields, but maintaining current fields. Scott Blewitt urged the Board to look at the article alittle closer.
•Article 26, Petition article to construct a permanent ramp at Dewey Beach-This was a petitioned article by a group of people who did not come to the Recreation Committee or Scott Blewitt. Scott Blewitt stated that he addressed this issue 5 years ago and instead of spending $8000 for a ramp, he spent $400 for the port-a-potty. Scott Blewitt said that he does support the article, but had something different in mind. According to Scott Blewitt, neither existing bathroom at Dewey Beach is handicap assessable, both bathrooms would need to be renovated; also the existing porch is not wide enough for a wheelchair. Scott Blewitt’s solution to the problem would be to put in a third unisex bathroom and have it as “maintenance free” as possible and would get a price. Donna Nashawaty stated that the
article could be amended with the price at the deliberative session. After much discussion, Chairman White asked the Board for a vote, which resulted in a 3 to 2 vote to not recommend as written.
Motion to request the Town Manager to prepare the Town warrant and other related documents as presented by Selectman Gallup, seconded by Selectman Smith All in Favor.
Selectman Brown requested a warrant article to go from the SB2 form of government back to the traditional town meeting government. Donna Nashawaty reminded the Board that there is very specific wording that is part of the warrant article which she can give the Board. After much discussion, the Board agreed that the decision should come from the voters and voted unanimously against a Board initiated warrant article.
Betty Ramspott reported on the House Bill 1335, which seeks to drop the interest rate on delinquent taxes from 12% to 6% and the interest rate on delinquent liens from 18% to 9%. Betty Ramspott felt if times were tough, property owners would pay on higher rate bills causing more properties to go to lien. Betty Ramspott asked the Board to contact the House Local & Regulated Revenue Committee to vote against the bill.
Meeting adjourned at 9:37PM.
Submitted by,
Barbara Vaughn
Administrative Assistant Approved:_____________
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Stephen White, Chairman Charlotte Brown
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William Roach, Vice-Chairman Frederick Gallup
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Emma M. Smith
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