BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
DATE:~ 12/4/2007
CALL TO ORDER: 7:00 pm
PRESENT:~ Brian Levasseur, Michele Conte, Robert J. Gray, Richard Latham, Bernadine A. FitzGerald, Jan Penta, Chairwoman, Ron Hayes, Vice Chairman, Kristin Lewis Savage, Donna M. Luciano, John A. Sherman, Selectmen’s Representative, Normand Bouchard
Excused: D. Hooper
MINUTES:
Ø Motion by R. Latham to approve the minutes, with changes, of 11/27/2007; second by B. FitzGerald
Abstains: B. Levasseur, K. Lewis Savage, D. Luciano
Vote: 8-0-3 (Motion Carries)
BUDGETS
Cultural
J. Hoch introduces Tammy Smith as Chair of this Committee.
Part Time Positions
J. Hoch states this line remains unchanged at $304.
Events & Activities
J. Hoch states there is an increase of $2,039 from the 2007 Approved Budget of $35,775 to $37,814 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
K. Lewis Savage asks what kind of things would be done differently where there is such an increase in this line.
B. Levasseur states he will be abstaining from voting but he would like to help T. Smith answer questions because he was Chairman at one time.
T. Smith states some of the increases would be a baseball game between the Fire and Police Departments and a band on Sunday. States she would like to expand it into the weekend rather than one day.
B. Levasseur states he would like to speak as former Chairman of the Old Home Day Committee. States the Cultural Budget has stayed the same three years in a row. 2006 was a bad indicator due to the fact they had to cancel the parade. States entertainers are constantly asking for more money and how much you spend depends on the type of day you want to run. States the Lions club cannot always stay at $15,000 for the parade. States he believes the Lions club should be reimbursed if it goes over the $15,000.
K. Lewis Savage asks how the deposit works with the parade and making a deposit with the bands and if refunds are awarded to the Town if parade is cancelled.
B. Levasseur states he believes if they were cancelled before 9 am they did not get paid but if after that, they did want to be paid.
R. Hayes states it might make sense to make a memo about expenses incurred with other Departments that cross over into this budget.
B. FitzGerald states 35 years ago the Historical Society started Old Home Day and costs have escalated remarkably.
M. Conte asks if there is a fee paid by people who set up booths and are there restrictions on how many set up.
B. FitzGerald states it is $15 and there are restrictions. They have considered raising the fee but do not wish to because it is a family event and want to keep the costs passed on from vendors to families attending low.
J. Hoch states the funds do not come to the Town but is donated to the Historical Society.
B. FitzGerald states it is the only fundraiser they have for the entire year.
Ø Motion by R. Gray to take under consideration the Cultural Budget in the amount of $38,118; second by K. Lewis Savage
Abstaining: B. Levasseur
Motion: 10-0-1(Motion Carries)
R. Gray asks J. Sherman if the Selectmen understand the time frame crunch as far as the Budgets are concerned and the issues surrounding it.
J. Sherman states they do understand that.
K. Lewis Savage states J. Sherman did his best to get the budget to the Committee for their review this evening.
R. Gray states the Committee now needs to use the RSA that allows them to do what they need to do to review the Budgets and demand a date to have the budgets by.
J. Sherman states this is driven by one member of the budget committee speaking to someone on the Board of Selectmen about not changing the budget. States the Board of Selectmen, therefore, did not believe they should approve something that could not be changed at a later time.
N. Bouchard states he would give them until next Tuesday, December 11, 2007.
K. Lewis Savage states she believes the Budget Committee should have the Budget and what the numbers are going to be.
R. Gray states one of his concerns revolves around the Personnel Administration Budget.
J. Penta asks if there is any RSA that prohibits the Committee from talking about the Budgets.
J. Sherman states there is and it has to be reviewed by the Board of Selectmen first. States the committee can request information from who they want whenever they want and a date to have it by. States the RSA states the Budget Committee can set a date to request the budget information or the Board of Selectmen will be in violation of the RSA.
Ø Motion by R. Gray to send a request via letter from the Chairman of the Budget Committee to the Board of Selectmen and the Town Manager to communicate a date which should be December 11th that they provide this board with personnel administration budget; Second by B. Levasseur
J. Sherman asks if there is a consensus by the Budget Committee that the Board of Selectmen can change the recommendation at any point.
J. Penta states yes.
R. Gray asks if J. Hoch will be able to have that information to the Board of Selectmen by Monday.
K. Lewis Savage states there is nothing stating they cannot review the Budget’s simply because the Board of Selectmen have not recommended it.
J. Hoch states we do not get new numbers from LGC until mid November. States he made a recommendation to the Board of Selectmen the previous evening. States the recommendation showed an increase in the health insurance portion from $600,000 to $640,000 which would mean changing the share of premium paid with staying with current plan the Town offers. States the Board of Selectmen are interested in seeing more plans. States he understands the time crunch the Budget Committee is concerned about.
R. Hayes asks if that is the major issue on the Budget and how realistic is it for him to get the information they need.
J. Hoch states he has that information from LGC.
D. Luciano asks if the Health Care issue is a line item on the budget. States the rest of the line items could be discussed and the health insurance portion of it can be discussed at another time
B. Levasseur states he is comfortable with the motion as it is presented. States If the Board of Selectmen presents a Budget by next Tuesday, December 11, 2007, it is understood the Board of Selectmen can change it.
Abstains: J. Sherman
Motion: 10-0-1 (Motion Carries)
J. Hoch states he is presenting the Budget Committee with the 2008 Proposed Budget Totals. States it is a general overview.
J. Hoch states he is also presenting the Budget Committee of an overview picture of the Total Articles.
K. Lewis Savage asks when they will see a full budget with revisions.
J. Hoch states hopefully by December 18, 2007.
J. Sherman asks if the Budget Committee is looking for the Warrant Articles by December 18, 2007.
K. Lewis Savage states that the Committee before that if possible as the 18th is the last scheduled Budget Committee meeting prior to the holidays and only one remains prior to the public hearing.
J. Hoch states he will try to get as many as he can to them.
Topics for Discussion
J. Penta states this will be a minimal review of the budgets for any questions.
Advertising /Regional Budget
J. Sherman states they were able to reduce the Town Report portion of it.
Ambulance
K. Lewis-Savage jokingly states she believes it is too high.
Animal Control
J. Hoch states he is recommending the truck come out of this budget.
J. Penta states the gas line will be amended.
J. Penta states there will be $15,000 coming out of this Budget.
General Government Buildings
J. Penta asks if any information was obtained concerning when the last energy Audit was done.
J. Hoch states not yet.
J. Penta states there was a question concerning Landscaping and the cost. States the question was also asked if 3 year contracts were possible and could there be a Contractor for all of the work. States the last question was how the Library received the best price and how is mowing calculated on a flat rate or size.
J. Hoch states there was a bid out in 2007 for one year with option for two additional years and one year renewals. States a Contractor covers all Town properties and the new Recreation fields bid out separately.
J. Hoch states the Library has a separate contract. States mowing is a flat rate based on size of area being mowed which ranges from $65 for the Courthouse and East Road to $400 for the Cemetery.
J. Penta asks how the library gets the best price.
J. Hoch states the Library uncoupled themselves from the Town’s contract.
N. Bouchard asks why it is going up $8,000 from last year.
J. Hoch states part of it was the estimate for the number of weeks of mowing.
N. Bouchard states it has jumped dramatically in the last 3 years.
K. Lewis Savage reminds that the budget lines were shifted and altered last year with the implementation of this Town Manager’s budget style so there are some apples to oranges comparisons.
J. Hoch states he will go back and look at the numbers.
J. Sherman states it could be the bids have gone up since it was first being bid on.
M. Conte asks if we have legal contracts, proposals or verbal agreements.
J. Hoch states in this case there is a written proposal.
J. Penta asks what dates or time frame was given for mowing to come up with these numbers.
J. Hoch states it starts getting mowed after spring cleanup and it ends after the fall cleanup.
States it gets mowed sometime between April and November.
B. Levasseur asks how the Town purchases its Heating oil.
J. Hoch states it purchases Natural gas.
CABLE
R. Gray states he had concerns about programming that was taking place this year. States he would like to know what the plan is for next year to put more original programming on the air.
K. Lewis Savage asks if there are more members on the Committee.
J. Hoch states there is not and no one has approached him about being on the Committee.
R. Latham asks if the Cable Studio has used any of the funding received from Comcast.
J. Hoch states he does not believe any of it has been spent yet.
R. Latham asks how much it will cost and how much will be received from Comcast.
J. Hoch states $93,208 has been received. States about $60,000 will be used for an upgrade but he will need to look at it more.
CEMETERY
J. Hoch states there was a request concerning Cemetery rates and they are as follows from May 24, 2004 – Amended to:
· $400 per grave for Resident
o $150 for sale of grave
o $250 for perpetual care
· $750 for Non Resident
o $300 for sale of grave
o $450 for perpetual care
R. Gray states he believes it is time to adjust the Rates.
J. Sherman states the rates for our Town were so much lower than the Towns around us that people were coming to Plaistow to buy lots. Believes they are more in line now and that they still try and afford Plaistow residents a break.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Nothing noted.
CONSERVATION COMMISSION
R. Hayes states they never saw 2006 actual
J. Penta asks if the contingency was expended
J. Hoch states this Budget is the one budget if they have a balance at the end of the year it goes to the Conservation Fund.
CULTURAL
Nothing Noted
DEBT SERVICE
J. Hoch states they will be coming back with new numbers. States the Town received all the funds from the library from the trust and needs to run the numbers on the remaining principal of the library bond. States he will probably will not have new numbers until the end of the month.
ELECTION & REGISTRATIONS
J. Penta states there were questions concerning the new printers. States, in her opinion, they need two not three, with the understanding the Town purchases one and the State purchases one.
J. Hoch states he is recommending reducing to two from the three budgeted originally. States that operationally, he would like to have two running. States the State has still not determined whether or not they will be providing printers to the Town’s that are using Interware. States he would not be comfortable making this transition with only one printer.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Nothing noted.
EXECUTIVE
J. Penta asks about the coffee and water line and why it has increased so much
J. Hoch states it will go back to $730
J. Penta asks about GIS and it being in various departments. States she would like to see all the Departments using GIS compiled so the Committee can see one total.
J. Hoch states that can be provided.
FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION
J. Penta asks about the Assessor’s Contract line being increased $21,500.
J. Hoch states the contract for 2008 includes a provision for updating values and this was not budgeted for 2007. States earlier in the Fall, the Board of Selectmen reviewed proposals from three companies and selected to continue with Corcoran at this price. States that Corcoran only bills for actual hours used, not a monthly stipend. States that this means if the Board of Selectmen choose not to do a partial update of values in 2008, the portion of the increase attributable to a partial update would not be spent.
FIRE
J. Penta states they did receive a letter from Chief McArdle.
R. Gray states the Chief had mentioned about having people on at night. Asks if it going to be a Warrant Article.
J. Hoch states it falls under the Part time positions. States the Chief does not have the intent of coming back and asking for additional staff at this time.
J. Penta asks if the Fire Department has any tracking software at this point
J. Hoch states no not right now.
J. Hoch states the C Med portion of it is coming out.
HEALTH
J. Penta asks about the Health Officer increase to a full time position which would be from 35 hours to 40 hours.
J. Hoch states he is recommending postponing this for another year. States it has become apparent to him that much of the Health Officer’s responsibilities are under the collective radar screen. States he would rather ensure that everyone get to a greater comfort level about core responsibilities before the expansion of the position is revisited.
J. Penta states there was a question concerning the number of licenses and inspections done per year.
J. Hoch states D. Horrocks provided him with a year to date total. States Plaistow has had between sixty and seventy licensed food establishments. States these numbers change based on business closures, new businesses, etc. States there have been 147 inspections that include licensing inspections, compliance inspections/compliance issues, recall issues, and special investigations.
J. Hoch states these numbers do not include the summer recreation program inspections, temporary food establishments (one day operation), or Old Home Day Vendor Inspections.
J. Penta states there was a question raised concerning why Plaistow is one of the few towns in New Hampshire to license food establishments.
J. Hoch states the decision was made nearly a decade ago concerning this issue. States there are sixteen towns and cities in the State that are self inspecting. States other benefits to this would be more local control, a higher level of service, and a more timely response to businesses than the State can offer.
J. Penta states there was a question concerning what the increased cost of moving to a full time position would be including added Health benefits.
J. Hoch states Health benefits would cost 10% more and there would be an addition of 1.3 vacation days.
ADJOURNEMENT:
J. Penta adjourns meeting at 9:55 pm.
Respectfully submitted by,
Selwa Moured
Recording Secretary
| 
