NEWBURY BOARD OF SELECTMEN
MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 8, 2010 MEETING
Selectmen: James Powell, Richard Wright and Gary Budd .
Town Personnel: Dennis Pavlicek, Town Administrator; Donna Long, Administrative Assistant; Hank Thomas, Fire Chief; Cal Prussman, Highway Administrator
Public: Ted and Diane Jones, Al and Mary Bachelder, Tom and Joy Nowell, Joshua Perkins, Bob and Diana Morris, Bruce and Cheron Barton, Bruce and Judy Healey, Tom and Claire Vannatta, Brian Bostic, Linda Powell, Dan Wolf, Brad Laclair, Roger Roldwald, Steve Landrigan and Tom Dombrowki.
The meeting convened at 6:30 p.m.
PUBLIC INPUT: None
APPOINTMENTS: Brad Laclair and Roger Roldwald met with the Board of Selctmen to discuss some drainage issues on property owned by Laclair. A map of his property was shown to the board. Roldwald said that they would like to get an easement from the town saying that it is okay to send drainage onto town property, where drainage already exists. Budd suggested that the Board go to the site to see the proposed ditch line and drainage issues. A meeting was scheduled for Thursday, February 11th at 9:00 a.m. on the property.
Steve Landrigan and Tom Dombrowski showed the board of selectmen a survey and plans of his property. Landrigan said that when he originally purchased his land it was two lots, then got changed to one lot and would like to go back to two lots. Wright told him he will need to go to the Planning Board.
PUBLIC HEARING: Powell opened a public hearing at 7:00 p.m. to discuss the 2010 proposed town budget per RSA 32:5. Powell asked Tom Vannatta and Joy Nowell (members of the budget committee) to join the select board at the head table. Copies of the 2010 warrant articles and budget were distributed. Powell began by saying that the operating budget is down $18,000 from last year. Powell asked the residents if there was any line items that they would like them to go over in detail. Al Bachelder asked that all the big changes be discussed. Powell began with the executive department increase and explained that these increases were due to salaries, phone services, copier expenses, etc. Mary Bachelder asked if pensions are included in this. Pavlicek said these expenses
are broken down by department. Pavlicek explained that although it looks as the budget is down $18,000, it is actually down $36,000 due to the fact that
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the Blodgett Sewer line item will receive some reimbursement from the federal government. Diana Morris asked what the percentage of increase was for the executive department. Pavlicek answered 3%.
Powell then went on to financial administration explaining that this line includes the tri-town assessor, assistant assessor and the assessing secretary. Al Bachelder asked what this line item actually costs us taking into account the increased revenues from this department. Pavlicek said the actual cost is $270,000. Josh Perkins asked if this includes office space. Pavlicek said that the assessor and his assistant split their time between the three communities. Al Bachelder asked how this compares to having our own assessor. Powell explained that although the appraiser salaries are more, we save much more in legal fees. He explained that it is a benefit to the town. Dan Wolf asked what the salary increase would be
for town employees. Pavlicek said that the cost of living index in November was 2%.
Powell went over the police department is up $18,000 due to having another full time officer for the entire year. Al Bachelder asked if we need an extra officer. Powell explained that we were actually down two officers last year and are just simply replacing them. Diana Morris asked how many officers we had. Powell answered we have 4 full-time officers and 4 part-time officers.
Powell said that the fire department is going up 2%. Thomas explained that the biggest increase was due to payroll increases. Definite job descriptions and job qualifications and ranks have been established. He said that this increase also includes repairing and upgrading trucks. Bruce Healey asked why the new equipment was not under the budget. Thomas said that the money for equipment should come from the Capital Funds but the money is never enough to be replacing these vehicles.
Powell then went over the highway department saying that maintenance costs have gone down primarily due to the fact that fuel costs have come down. Prussman said that he is also down 75% for tires this year. He said that sweeping and paving are also down this coming year.
Powell then discussed Blodgett sewer and the upcoming project.
Discussion took place regarding the transfer station. Ted Jones gave a quick report on the pay-as-you-throw committee’s findings last year. He said that he would also like to take a closer look at the proposed New London single stream system taking place at their transfer station. It was mentioned that some towns are starting to back out of pay-as-you-throw programs and single stream. Ted’s written report will be available at the town meeting. Bob Morris asked how much of this line item is labor costs. Pavlicek said that about $100,000 was for labor and $20,000 for benefits. Bob Morris asked how many employees work at the transfer station and Pavlicek said two full-time and 2 part-time employees. Josh Perkins asked
what we are getting paid for aluminum cans and scraps. Perkins said that we last year we received $9,000. Linda Powell said that we also need to discuss the cost to transport the recyclables.
Perkins asked why parks and recreation has gone down 20%. Powell said the budget committee decided to take out the fireworks and put it in a warrant article.
Bob Morris asked why street lighting has gone up since we are now using more economical energy efficient lighting. Pavlicek explained it is due to a 6% increase by PSNH. Al Bachelder asked how much of the $14,000 was related to paying off fixtures. Wright replied that thirty percent of the cost will go down when we pay them off (in three years). Al Bachelder said that he will be keeping track of the time. Josh Perkins asked why there was
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another light added to the street on Fishersfield. Pavlicek answered it was for safety coming out of the parking lot.
There was discussion on how the budget committee comes up with its numbers for the budget. Tom Vannatta explained that they look at what we have spent so far in the year with still two months to go. Joy Nowell said that the committee knows that all taxpayers are as stretched as much as they can go in this economy. Tom Vannatta said that the committee members don’t always agree but they work together to come up with the best budget possible. Joy Nowell said that the department heads are asked if their budget is really an amount they can live with. Al Bachelder said that if the budget is brought down to it’s bare minimum, there should be no juggling of money. Powell explained that the projection is 12-15 months in the future. He explained that the last couple of years have been especially volatile. Pavlicek said that it is necessary to set a reasonable budget and so that special town meetings do not need to be held to spend unforeseen expenses. Wright said that when
the committee projects there needs to be some room for error. Dan Wolf said that he believes the committee is doing a great job and trusts the committee on these budget numbers. It is estimated that the fund balance for emergencies is 7%. Josh Perkins said that he would like to see the auditors report. Pavlicek said a copy of the report can be found in the upcoming annual town report.
Powell then proceeded to go over the warrant articles.
Article #3: Powell said that the capital funds have gone up $10,000 for the fire department.
Article #4: Powell went over the numbers for milfoil control, fire department personnel protection, docks and computers. Al Bachelder asked why is the fire personnel protection not included in the budget? Pavlicek said it only needs to be replaced every eight years. So it continues to be a warrant article and the money will be there when needed.
Article #5: Wright went over the $125,000 needed to renovate the veteran’s hall. He explained that there is a need in town to have more meeting space. This space could also be used as an emergency shelter. Brian Bostic asked how much room would be acquired from this building. Wright answered there would be a big meeting room, kitchen and two handicapped bathrooms, one with a shower. The building would be available for organizations to use. Brian Bostic asked how handicapped accessibility was going to be put in. Wright answered on the south end of the building. There will be 1-2 handicapped parking spaces available. Wright said that it is the most structurally sound building in the town. Ted Jones asked if the $125,000 number was right as he thought
that number seemed low. Wright said that they got estimates and if the warrant passes it would be bid out separately. Bruce Barton said that at last year’s town meeting the number to renovate the veteran’s hall was $340,000. Why is this so much lower. Does this include outside work? How much money has gone into the building thus far? Can money come form the general building funds. Powell explained that some money in the $340,000 figure was to relocate the building and put a full basement under it. It was also put out to bid by an architect, and not bid out separately. The new plans are not as extensive as the original $340,000 estimate. Budd said that also the building was in much more sound shape than they originally thought. Joy Nowell said that it will be bare bones, but it will meet the needs. Powell said that $6,000 has been spent thus far on the exterior of the building. Josh Perkins
asked if the septic is big enough. Wright said that it will need two fingers. Cheron Barton asked that if the warrant article is approved, what about safety issues for the children crossing the street that are coming from the library, since the library plans to extend some of their activities in this
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building? Wright said there is parking in that area, so there would be no need to cross the road. Joy Nowell also mentioned that the library intends to use it for more teenager aged kids then small children. Judy Healey asked why #5 is not recommended by the selectmen. Pavlicek said there is five reasons an article would need a recommendation: petitioned article, special warrant article, articles with bonds or notes, to take money in or out of expendable trusts or a non-lapsing article. Al Bachelder said that this seems like a low price to renovate a building that should have been torn down years ago. Tom Nowell said that it is a vote by the townspeople.
Diana Morris said that although she is in favor of renovating the veterans hall, there are a number of things that have not been considered. She suggests that the library put on an extension onto that building. Josh Perkins said if the library is that popular, just add hours to open the library more rather than move things to another building.
Article #6: Raise and appropriate $40,750 for new chipper. Prussman explained that this has a larger capacity and a newer one. Josh Perkins asked what the price difference was for 12” chipper compared to a 15” chipper. Prussman replied that there was only a couple thousand dollar difference.
Article #7: Raise and appropriate $210,000 for mini pumper for the fire department. Josh Perkins asked if we could wait one more year to buy this equipment. Thomas explained that it would throw off when other updated equipment would need to be purchased.
Article #9: Raise and appropriate $100,000 for Center Meeting House. Brian Bostic asked the committee to remove this warrant article. He said it is a private entity supported by the town. Bob Morris asked the selectmen if they supported this article. Wright said he will not say whether or not he approves of this until after the vote. Powell said he does not approve and Budd said he is unsure at this point. Linda Powell said that this isn’t a town operating article and thinks it should stay off.
Article #10: Raise and appropriate $12,000 for fireworks. Budd said that they wanted to put the vote up to the residents. The committee wanted to stay frugal but also discussed the good aspects of this.
Article #11: Transfer $1,900 for the cemetery from the trust funds.
Article #12: Energy credit to be given to residents with wood, sun and wind powered energy.
Article #13: To accept Chapin Way entirely in the Angel Hawk sub-division.
Article #14: To accept Winter Lane as a town road.
The public hearing ended at 8:40 p.m.
NEW BUSINESS:
Pavlicek asked if the board would consider changing electric suppliers, saving up to $4,000/year. Wright asked Pavlicek to monitor for a year costs for a year.
OLD BUSINESS:
There was discussion on the proposed warrant article regarding the mini pumper for the fire station. Thomas explained that it has increased from $160,000 to $210,000 on the warrant article. The Board approved the increase in the amount in the warrant article from $160,000 to $210,000 for the mini pumper for the fire department.
Discussion took placed on the Veterans Hall.
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REGULAR BUSINESS:
PAYROLL & ACCOUNTS PAYABLE: Week ending February 6, 2010 were approved and signed.
MINUTES: Minutes of January 25, 2010 were approved to file.
ABATEMENTS/REFUNDS/EXEMPTIONS: None
INTENT TO CUT: An intent to cut for Richard Pietrafitta, Map/Lot #045-634-263 was
approved and signed.
BUFFER ZONE CUT: None
MEETING ADJOURNED at 9:15 p.m.
NEXT REGULAR MEETING: Monday, February 22, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. at the Town Office.
_______________________ _____________________ _______________________
James M. Powell Richard Wright Gary Budd
NEWBURY BOARD OF SELECTMEN
DL/February8/10
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