TOWN OF SUNAPEE
BOARD OF SELECTMEN BUDGET HEARING
SUNAPEE MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL
January 11, 2007
PRESENT: Selectmen Stephen White, Richard Leone and William Roach. Town Manager Donna Nashawaty.
ABSENT: Selectmen Emma Smith and Fred Gallup.
OTHERS PRESENT: Scott Unsworth, Stephen Nilsen, Anne Nilsen, Betty Ramspott, Town Clerk/Tax Collector, Melissa Heino, Deputy Town Clerk/Tax Collector, Police Chief David Cahill, Recreation Director Scott Blewitt, Water & Sewer Superintendent David Bailey, Water & Sewer Office Manager Holly Leonard, Fire Chief Dan Ruggles, Road Agent Tony Bergeron, Librarian John Walden, John Mapley, Charlotte Brown and Catherine Bushueff.
Warrant Article Work Session
A Selectmen work session to recommend or not recommend the warrant articles was opened by Vice-Chairman Stephen White at 6:25 PM.
Donna Nashawaty presented the default budget of $5,046,632.00 to the Selectmen for signature. She explained that there is only a difference of $41,000.00 between the default budget and the requested operating budget of $5,087,725.00. The difference is so small because most of the increases in the budget are mandated and do not apply to the default budget.
D. Nashawaty also explained the difference between warrant articles and special warrant articles. The Board of Selectmen only have to recommend or not recommend special warrant articles, but it is ultimately up to the Selectmen if they wish to call an article “special” so that they may or may not apply a recommendation.
Article 18 – $5,046,632.00 Default Budget. William Roach moved to make this a special article and to recommend it. The motion was seconded by Richard Leone. The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
Article 19 - $100,000.00 hydro funds to reduce principal note for the Safety Services Building. William Roach moved to make this a special article and to recommend it. The motion was seconded by Richard Leone. The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
Board of Selectmen Budget Hearing
January 11, 2007
Article 20 - $15,000.00 Data for Master Plan. Motion was made by Richard Leone to recommend this article. The motion was seconded by William Roach. The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
Article 21 - $20,000.00 to review inequities between the Town of Sunapee and Sullivan County. Motion was made by William Roach to recommend this article. The motion was seconded by Richard Leone. The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
Article 22 - $43,890.00 to purchase two police cruisers. Motion was made by Richard Leone to recommend this article. The motion was seconded by William Roach. The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
Article 23 - $60,000.00 Fire Apparatus Capital Reserve Fund. Motion was made by Richard Leone to recommend this article. The motion was seconded by William Roach. The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
Article 24 - $137,300.00 Highway and Transfer Station Equipment Capital Reserve Fund. Motion was made by Richard Leone to recommend this article. The motion was seconded by William Roach. The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
Article 25 - $25,000.00 Town Bridges Capital Reserve Fund. Motion was made by William Roach to recommend this article. The motion was seconded by Richard Leone. The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
Article 26 - $40,000.00 paving of Gardiner Bay and Sunny Lane. Motion was made by William Roach to recommend this article. The motion was seconded by Richard Leone. The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
Article 27 - $75,000.00 purchase of 1 ton truck for the Highway Department. Motion was made by Richard Leone to make this a special article and to recommend it. The motion was seconded by William Roach. The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
Article 28 - $141,000.00 6 wheel dump truck for the Highway Department. Motion was made by Richard Leone to make this a special article and to recommend it. The motion was seconded by William Roach. The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
Article 29 - $25,000.00 Library Capital Reserve Fund. Motion was made by Richard Leone to recommend this article. The motion was seconded by William Roach. The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
Board of Selectmen Budget Hearing
January 11, 2007
Article 30 - $9,515.00 Conservation Commission Fund. Motion was made by William Roach to make this a special article and to recommend it. The motion was seconded by Richard Leone. The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
Article 31 - $300,000.00 paving of Jobs Creek Road. Motion was made by Richard Leone to recommend this article. The motion was seconded by William Roach. The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
Article 32 - $5,000.00 Milfoil Non-Capital Reserve Fund. Motion was made by Richard Leone to recommend this article. The motion was seconded by William Roach. The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
Article 33 - $7,000.00 Used Highway Equipment Capital Reserve Fund. Motion was made by Richard Leone to recommend this article. The motion was seconded by William Roach. The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
Article 34 - $2,250.00 Expendable Trust Fund care of burial lots. Motion was made by Richard Leone to recommend this article. The motion was seconded by William Roach. The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
Article 35 - $35,000.00 Professional Charrette. Motion was made by Richard Leone to make this a special article and to recommend it. The motion was seconded by William Roach. The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
Article 36 – Community Revitalization Tax Relief Incentives. It was the unanimous agreement of the Board that this article be removed to give the Selectmen more time to research the effects of the adoption of this.
Article 37 – Sullivan County Refuse Disposal District. A vote in favor on this article is needed to officially have the Town of Sunapee withdraw from the district.
Article 38 - $10,000.00 for local cable television system. William Roach wondered what percentage of the community would be able to receive this cable channel. Donna Nashawaty believes that probably 90% could, if they wished. The Selectmen agreed to not make this a special article and therefore would not require a recommendation.
Article 39 - $75,000.00 concrete slab in the wastewater treatment plant for drying beds. The Selectmen agreed to not make this a special article and therefore would not require a recommendation.
Article 40 – Sell of the Abbott Library. The Selectmen agreed to not make this a special article and therefore would not require a recommendation.
Board of Selectmen Budget Hearing
January 11, 2007
Article 41- $3,460.00 Sunapee Beautification Fund. Motion was made by Richard Leone to recommend this article. The motion was seconded by William Roach. The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
The Selectmen agreed to leave the numbering of the articles as presented by Donna Nashawaty.
At 6:50 PM Stephen White called a recess of the meeting.
2007 Budget Hearing
The budget hearing was opened by Stephen White at 7:00 PM. S. White thanked those in attendance for coming and introduced Donna Nashawaty to introduce the 2007 proposed operating budget.
Donna Nashawaty presented a handout which outlined the proposed budget requests and showed expenditures of past years. She explained how the department heads and Board of Selectmen had compiled a budget that was presented to the BAC. Mandated increases in the budget were in the COLA figures, the cost of the NH Retirement System payments, and principal and interest payments on the new Safety Services Building. The proposal also contained an increase in the assessing department of $5,000 to appraise the utilities, 16 hours per week for a part time payroll clerk, repairing a portion of the old town hall roof, maintenance budget for the new Safety Services Building, cribbing on the harbor dock, and making the part time maintenance man position a full time position. Some new programs have been
added into the Recreation Department budget. They receive donations for these programs. Another increase in recreation is that the life guards are working longer at both town beaches. D. Nashawaty reported that the Police Chief was able to work out a savings in dispatch with the Town of New London. The solid waste budget will see a decrease in funding requirements and the savings on the tonnage fees. The library had asked that the part time children’s librarian be increased to full time. With all of these items included in the proposed budget, it represented an increase of 7% over 2006.
Donna Nashawaty explained that after review of the proposed budget, the Budget Advisory Committee asked the Selectmen if they might be able to reduce the total budget to include only those expenditures that are mandated. This would include the COLA increase of 3.3% and the increase in the operations of the Safety Services Building of 2.5%, thereby requesting a total increase over 2006 of 5.8%. D. Nashawaty explained that she and the department heads got together to review their individual requests to see if they might be able to trim some of the figures. She stated that all department heads were very cooperative and reduced some of the items themselves without any requests. She explained where the items were eliminated. The total amount trimmed from the original
Board of Selectmen Budget Hearing
January 11, 2007
request was $58,000.00. This is within .001% of what the Budget Advisory Committee requested. D. Nashawaty also explained the default budget.
Stephen White, for the Board of Selectmen, thanked the Budget Advisory Committee for working so hard and diligently with the Board of Selectmen on the 2007 proposed budget. He has spoken with members of the School Board and they are thankful as well for the cooperative effort all boards put forth. S. White also thanked the individual department heads and Town Manager for their carefully thought out requests and hard work.
Donna Nashawaty informed those present that the mailer will be going out soon. This contains information on the proposed warrant and budget requests.
Charlotte Brown wished to show her appreciation to the Recreation Department for the improvements that have been made to Dewey beach in particular. She has noticed that there is more equipment for use at the beach. She stated that the department is doing a great job and she appreciates the extended hours the beach is open particularly for those that work later in the day. She asked about the sail boats she has seen at Dewey beach. Scott Blewitt responded that those were donated to the department and he has plans to hire an instructor this coming summer to teach sailing lessons.
Catherine Bushueff asked how the ambulance budget was figured and what is available for ambulance service in Sunapee. Donna Nashawaty stated that the budget is split between the towns of New London and Newport, both who provide service to Sunapee. The cost is based on the amount of runs for the previous year. This year New London has added a little extra for capital expense to plan to purchase a new ambulance.
Chief Dan Ruggles explained the coverage provided by both services. A portion of the town is covered by New London and a portion by Newport. Although, if one service should be busy and cannot cover the portion they normally do, the other service will provide the coverage. Catherine Busheuff questioned what would happen in the case of the need of multiple responses. Chief Ruggles explained that mutual aid kicks in when more ambulances are needed. Sometimes service could even be provided by Claremont.
Stephen White declared the hearing closed at 7:30 PM.
Submitted by, Darlene Morse Approved_____________________
Emma Smith, Chairman Stephen W. White, Vice Chairman
William Roach Richard Leone
Frederick Gallup
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