BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
DATE:~ 12/18/2007
CALL TO ORDER:~ 7:02 p.m.
PRESENT: Michele Conte, Robert J. Gray, Jan Penta, Chairwoman, Ron Hayes, Vice Chairman, John A. Sherman, Selectmen’s Representative, Normand Bouchard
Excused: B. Levasseur, R. Latham, B. FitzGerald, D. Luciano
Not Present: K. Lewis Savage, D. Hooper
K. Lewis Savage arrives at 7:05 pm
MINUTES:
Ø Motion by R. Gray to approve the minutes, as amended, of 12/11/2007; Second by R. Hayes
Abstains: M. Conte
VOTE: 6-0-1 (Motion carries)
J. Hoch states the Full Budget and Articles comparison sheet shows an overall summary of Total Expense and Operating Budget as approved by the Board of Selectmen.
J. Hoch states total spending is up 2 %.
R. Gray asks if that is including adding things from Fire Departments and the Health Insurance and what is going to be lost in all of this.
J. Hoch states he will be able to review those as they review the individual budgets.
J. Sherman states that since we are so service oriented, he believes it is fiscally responsible that we are only up 2 %.
J. Hoch states the Revenues will be down for next year with the biggest driver being vehicle registrations. States people are buying less gas guzzling vehicles. States we are seeing that going into the Property taxes.
J. Sherman states because the projected revenues for vehicle registration is down, it will be picked up by the Tax Rate and if we didn’t have that loss of revenue we would be almost level of the projected revenue of last year.
J. Hoch states a review of the following Budgets with changes that have been made:
EXECUTIVE OFFICES
J. Hoch states there is a change in the data processing line for GIS services and the increase will be $4,500 for the 2008 Proposed Budget
J. Hoch states this is spread between multiple departments but there are some elements of this within operating budges.
J. Penta asks if it an increase or decrease from last year and by how much.
J. Hoch states last year it was $14,700.
J. Hoch states the approach is two users using it at a lower level to more staff using it more frequently.
J. Penta states we are not sure how much of this the voters in the Town really want.
J. Hoch states it will be fairly easy for them using a web browser. States other communities using it have had a significantly high user rate. States this will be much easier for staff to use the site.
N. Bouchard states he accessed the information this morning and states he was able to pull it up fairly quickly.
J. Sherman states it would be a good cable show to demonstrate how the GIS system works. States it will be an easier implementation that it has been in the past for some other Towns.
J. Penta asks if all data will be available.
J. Hoch states staff have access to a password protected way that allows them quite a bit more information. Police would be able to pull up their calls for services. However, that would not go out on the web and the public will have limited access to it.
R. Hayes asks if you want to clog up the system with a bunch of extra information. Asks J. Hoch if he has contacts with someone who can help us through this so we do not acquire the pitfalls that other Towns have dealt with.
J. Hoch states we have a decent industry base with the company we are using.
J. Hoch states the General Supplies line for the 2008 Proposed Budget shows no increase.
J. Hoch states the Office Supplies Line has decreased $800 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the Equipment Maintenance Line has decreased $920 for the 2008 Proposed Budged
J. Hoch states the Books and Periodicals line will increase $65 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the Equipment Purchase line will increase $1,000 for the 2008 Proposed Budget due to extra printers.
J. Hoch states the Record Deeds line has decreased $100 for the 2008 Proposed Budget
R. Gray asks what the line would be used for.
J. Hoch states it is for any deeds that need to be recorded by the Town for Town acquired land.
R. Gray states he is in favor of it being a dollar in that line just in case.
J. Hoch states that can be added in next year if it is needed.
J. Hoch states the Town Managers Salary line has increased $240 for the 2008 Proposed Budget due to a CPI Adjustment.
J. Hoch states every time there is a CPI adjustment noted it is a 3.2 base increase to the base wage for ¾ of the year.
R. Gray states someone could look at a sizeable increase in their pay.
J. Sherman states there are a couple of positions that need to be brought up to a certain rate of pay.
R. Gray states if people need a raise in pay he would rather see it in their individual budgets.
J. Penta asks how the CPI adjustment affects the two warrant articles for Town Clerk.
J. Hoch states they have suggested that because they are not getting any part of that, that they get the 3.2 plus the 2% cost of living increase.
J. Penta asks if it will change the numbers in the Warrant Articles.
J. Hoch states yes it will.
J. Hoch states the Overtime line has decreased $125 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the Mileage & Expense Reimbursement line for the Town Manager has decreased $1,500 for the 2008 Proposed Budget
J. Hoch states the Permanent Positions Line has increased $6,599 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
Ø Motion by R. Gray to take under consideration the Executive Offices Budget in the amount of $239,495; Second by K. Lewis Savage
Vote: U/A (Motion carries)
Election, Registration, and Vitals
J. Hoch states the Salary Deputy& Assistant line has increased $2,172 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states there is no change in the Budget other than breaking down the numbers as requested.
J. Hoch states the Town Clerk Salary line has increased $739 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the Equipment Purchase line has increased $1,650 for the two replacement printers.
ELECTIONS
J. Hoch states the Supervisors of the Checklist line has increased $1,690 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the Equipment line has decreased $1,000 for the 2008 Proposed Budget due to the new voting booths being removed from this line.
Ø Motion by R. Gray to take under consideration the Election, Registration, and Vitals Budget in the amount of $126,125; Second K. Lewis Savage
Vote: U/ A (Motion carries)
FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION
J. Hoch states the Permanent Positions line has increased $2,283 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the Audit line has increased $7,300 for the 2008 Proposed Budget due to an increase in the contract with the new Auditors.
ASSESSING
J. Hoch states the Assessing Office Clerk line has increased $1,386 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the Mapping line has increased $1,050 due to Tax Map updates and GIS conversion.
TAX COLLECTOR
J. Hoch states the Part time positions line has increased $356 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the Data Processing line has increased $81 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the Deed Research line has decreased $5,000 bringing the amount down to $0 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the suggestion was it was not time sensitive and it can be put off for 2008.
R. Gray asks if that is still necessary where we have cut approx $5,000. States he would like to see it continue as there are properties out there that still need to be researched.
J. Hoch states he looked at things do not need to be done next year.
K. Lewis Savage states she believes it does need to continue and the project should be kept moving. States there are a lot of problems with deeds and if we can take care of these issues now, it will save us money in the future.
Ø Motion by R. Gray to take under consideration the Financial Administration Budget in the amount of $24,500 and putting the $5,000 back into the line item 4880; Second by K. Lewis Savage
Vote: 6-1-0 (Motion carries)
LEGAL
No changes
J. Sherman states the legal costs in Planning are almost the same amount as what the Board of Selectmen had come up with for numbers.
PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION
J. Hoch states the Workers Compensation line has increased $10,434 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
R. Gray states his opinion is that if there is going to be an increase in someone’s pay, he would like to see it in their individual budget as a line item and not in this budget.
J. Hoch states the reasoning behind this is they look at performance throughout the year and it allows them to look at goals and performance and making a decision at that time based on their performance.
J. Penta states a bonus may have to wait a year like most people do.
K. Lewis Savage states the part that would be in the approved budget would be what they are receiving and the part in the expenditures would reflect any bonus they received.
J. Penta states at this time we are not showing any expenditures.
J. Hoch states that is correct
D. Hooper arrives at 8:19 pm
K. Lewis Savage states there is a reminder that when J. Hoch came in it was summer, he was thrown into the budget process, and came in at a disadvantage because he did not have the numbers needed to give to the Committees as he was not familiar with employees enough to evaluate them and determine the pay scale adjustments, so this process was put into place to allow that time and to also take the politics out of determining pay and allowing the manager who has daily contacts with the employees to make the proper decisions. States she supports it being done the way that J. Hoch has suggested. But would still be in favor of seeing where the deficiencies are. States she would like to see notes next year to see where the adjustments are.
M. Conte asks how many non union people there are.
J. Hoch states there are about 25 positions not covered by this.
M. Conte asks how performance is measured.
J. Hoch states each Department has been given a list of goals and how they have met those goals and what he sees, gathers, and observes..
M. Conte asks how often it is done.
J. Hoch states it is done bi-annually when feasible and an overall evaluation is done annually.
Ø Motion by R. Hayes to take under consideration the Personnel Administration Budget in the amount of $1,176,057 : Second by R. Gray.
Vote: 5-1-2 (Motion carries)
PLANNING AND ZONING
J. Hoch states the Permanent Positions line has increased $2,853 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the Mapping line has increased $2,000 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
ZONING
J. Hoch states the Part time positions line has decreased $1,469 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the Notices and Publications line has decreased $1,254 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the Postage line has decreased $694 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
R. Gray states he received an email from L. Komornick on what the Planning Changes are for next year and there is nothing major compared to the magnitude of the previous year.
K. Lewis Savage asks J. Sherman about the Board of Selectmen meeting the previous night and using the Town attorney’s to look over some of the zoning articles and changes and was that something that is being pursued.
J. Sherman states yes as they have an immense amount of respect for the town attorney. States it can hopefully eliminate the turmoil and cost of the previous year’s issue.
Ø Motion by R. Gray to take under consideration the Planning and Zoning budget in the amount of $88,266; Second by K. Lewis Savage
Vote: U/A (Motion carries)
GENERAL GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS
Permanent Positions
J. Hoch states there is a $837 increase in the CPI Adjustment line for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the Grounds Maintenance line has increased $13,448 for the 2008 Proposed Budget due to the Mowing contract for the Town Hall, Safety Complex, East Road Park, Courthouse, and Davis Park.
Ø Motion by R. Gray to take under consideration the General Government Buildings Budget in the amount of $186,881; Second by K. Lewis Savage
Vote: U/A (Motion carries)
CEMETERIES
J. Hoch states the Part Time Positions line has decreased $2,400 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the Groundskeeping line has increased $2,970 for the 2008 Proposed Budget due to an increase in the Spring and Fall cleanup.
Ø Motion by K. Lewis Savage to take under consideration the Cemeteries Budget in the amount of $13,465; Second by R. Hayes
Vote: U/A (Motion Carries)
TOWN INSURANCE
J. Hoch states the Deductible Property-Liabilty line has decreased $1,000 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
Ø Motion by KLS to take under consideration the Town Insurance Budget in the amount of $56,875; second by R. Hayes
Vote: U/A (Motion carries)
ADVERTISING/REG ASSOCIATION
No Discussion
Ø Motion by R. Gray to take under consideration the Advertising/Reg Budget in the amount of $24,670: Second by KLS
Vote: U/A
CABLE STUDIO
J. Hoch states the Part Time positions line has increased $1,024 for the 2008 Proposed Budget due to the Cable Coordinator hours and the CPI adjustment.
J. Hoch states the Cable Operators line has decreased $875 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
R. Gray states he received a second email from B. Carolan regarding the proposed way he wants to gage interest which was thru UNH.
R. Gray states he would recommend he would not use that means. States he believes the Cable Committee needs to have a detailed specific plan on how they are going to increase participation and that does not exist now. States he is willing to give him a chance to see if what B. Carolan wants to do can that will work.
K .Lewis Savage states she agrees with R. Gray. States she is inclined to think this Budget is too high right now based on what B. Gray has said and the emails from B. Carolan. States her concern is that this same discussion has taken place with this Budget time and time again and if things cannot get done, why do they continue to get this kind of funding.
J. Hoch states part of this is the equipment and it is genuinely a part of the problem.
K. Lewis Savage states this has been a problem for ten years and it is always “genuinely the problem”.
J. Hoch states the second piece of it is that they have been under staffed on the Committee and if they are not able to bolster membership there does need to be a restructuring of the Cable Budget.
Ø Motion by KLS to take under consideration the Cable Studio Budget in the amount of $44,446; second by R. Gray
Vote: U/A (Motion carries)
J. Sherman states he believes this is the biggest lost of an opportunity. States at the Board of Selectmen meeting they did talk about lowering the hours but decided to put it off another year
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
No discussion
POLICE DEPARTMENT
Permanent Positions – Administration
J. Hoch states there is an increase of $1,939 in the CPI Adjustment line for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the Pre Employment Screening line has decreased $500 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the SNHSOU dues line has been dropped.
R. Hayes asks if we drop the dues line do we not also anticipate wages that would be incurred for our participation in that.
J. Hoch states that comes out of the overtime portion.
Equipment Purchase line
J. Hoch states the 2 wall mounted radios and Digital Camera Recorder have been removed from the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Penta states there is a suggestion made that the digital voice and radio recorder that is left in this budget should be made a Warrant Article.
J. Sherman states the Board of Selectmen do not think it should be a Warrant Article and should be left in the Budget.
D. Hooper states he does believe the Police Department needs everything they are asking for. States Digital is a definite need but would like to see a plan as everything cannot be given at once.
J. Penta asks why another server is needed.
J. Hoch states one server holds their crime track in its entirety and the other one holds everything else from the Police Department.
D. Hooper states if one of the servers went down they would be scrambling and there is a definite need for some of this equipment.
J. Penta asks what happened to the other server.
J. Hoch states it is an issue of replacing the age of equipment and it was taken out and replaced.
J. Hoch states the Gasoline line has increased $7,680 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Penta states there was a comment that the vehicle should be a Warrant Article.
J. Sherman states it is the opinion of the Board of Selectmen that it stay in the Budget.
K. Lewis Savage states we have kept, moved, and added vehicles to other Departments and it has never been a Warrant Article.
M. Conte asks why it says two uniforms
J. Hoch states one is for dispatch and one is full/part time officers.
Ø Motion by D. Hooper to take under consideration the Police Department Budget in the amount of $1,629,328 ; Second by R. Hayes
Vote: 7-0-1(Motion carries)
AMBULANCE
No Change
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Data Processing
J. Hoch states there is an increase of $2,000 in the GIS Development line for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states there is an increase of $1,181 in the Mileage and Expense Reimbursement line for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states there is an increase of $400 in the Events and Activities line for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states there is an increase of $943 in the Gasoline and Diesel Fuel line for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
Ø Motion by K. Lewis Savage to take under consideration the Fire Department Budget in the amount of $472,777; Second by D. Hooper
Vote: U/A (Motion carries)
BUILDING INSPECTION
Permanent Position
J. Hoch states there is an increase of $3,781 for the 2008 Proposed Budget due to an increase in the CPI Adjustment line.
J. Hoch states there is an increase of $2 in the Data Processing line due to the BMSI Software Annual Fee increase.
J. Hoch states the Gasoline line has increased $384 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
Ø Motion by K. Lewis Savage to take under consideration the Building Inspection Budget in the amount of $108,579; Second by R. Hayes
R. Gray states most of the expenditures in this budget are paid for by fees.
Vote: U/A (Motion carries)
J. Penta calls for a break at 9:20 pm.
J. Penta calls the meeting back to order at 9:37 pm.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Ø Motion by K. Lewis Savage to take under consideration this budget in the amount of $5,979; Second by R. Gray
Vote: U/ A (Motion carries)
PUBLIC WORKS ADMINISTRATION
J. Hoch states there is an increase from $2,216 in the 2007 Approved Budget to $3,688 for the 2008 Proposed Budget due to a CPI Adjustment.
J. Hoch states there is a $200 increase in the Heating Fuel line for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
Ø Motion by K. Lewis Savage to take under consideration the Public Works Administration Budget in the amount of $244,368; Second by R. Hayes
Vote: U/A (Motion carries)
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
J. Hoch states the Drainage Improvements line has increased $60,000 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the Pavement Management line has increased $210,000 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
Ø Motion by K. Lewis Savage to take under consideration the Highway Budget in the amount of $498,700; second by R. Hayes
Vote: 7-1-0 (Motion carries)
SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
J. Hoch states the Household Hazardous Waste line has decreased $5,200 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
M. Conte asks if there was more recycling which line item would decrease
J. Hoch states it would be the Tipping Fees.
J. Penta asks if composting at the Landfill is possible.
J. Hoch states it is easier to have all the land waste removed. States the Town does not have the equipment to do composting so it is collected and disposed of.
Ø Motion by K. Lewis Savage to take under consideration the Solid Waste Disposal Budget in the amount of $655,750; Second by R. Hayes
Vote: U/A (Motion carries)
SOLID WASTE CLEAN UP
No change
WATER DISTRIBUTION
Ø Motion by R. Gray to take under consideration the Water Distribution Budget in the amount of $49,274; Second by K. Lewis Savage
Vote: U/A (Motion carries)
HEALTH
Motion by R. Hayes to take under consideration the Health Budget in the amount of $78,487; Second by K. Lewis Savage
Vote: U/A (Motion carries)
ANIMAL CONTROL
J. Hoch states the CPI Adjustment line has increased $104 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the Gasoline line has increased $270 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Penta asks if we paid $300 for protective gear why do we need more
J. Hoch states he will get that information as he does not know it off the top of his head
Ø Motion by R. Hayes to take under consideration the Animal Control Budget in the amount of $15,620; Second by K. Lewis Savage
Vote: U/A (Motion carries)
HUMAN SERVICES
NO CHANGE
WELFARE ADMNISTRATION
No Change
WELFARE DIRECT ASSISTANCE
J. Hoch states the Shelter/Rent line has decreased $16,634 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
Ø Motion by K. Lewis Savage to take under consideration the Welfare Direct Assistance Budget in the amount of $42,500; second by R. Hayes
Vote: U/A (Motion carries)
RECREATION
J. Hoch states there is an increase of $187 in the CPI Adjustment line for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
J. Hoch states the Overtime line has increased $384 for the 2008 Proposed Budget.
R. Hayes asks what the total Groundskeeping cost was for the Town Of Plaistow
J. Hoch states it is $58,500 and does not include the Library.
K. Lewis Savage states there were four bids. States one was extremely low, two were around the same ballpark, and the fourth one was the higher one. States the Recreation Commission, after consideration, decided there was only one company that had experience in maintaining fields. States there was another one that had experience but the Recreation Commission was not happy with them when they did previous work on the fields and the last one had minimal experience in keeping the fields up kept. States the Recreation Commission took this into consideration and increased their baseball and recreation fees and chose to recommend the higher bidder. States the Board of Selectmen chose not to go with the consideration of the Recreation Commission and voted to go with the third bid who had minimal experience with maintaining fields.
Ø Motion by D. Hooper to take under consideration the Recreation Budget in the amount of $247,646; Second by R. Hayes
Vote: 7-1-0 (Motion carries)
Patriotic Purposes
No change
CULTURAL
No change
DEBT SERVICE
Ø Motion by R. Hayes to take under consideration the Debt Service Budget in the amount of $127,002; Second by K. Lewis Savage
Vote: U/A (Motion carries)
CONSERVATION COMMISSION
No change
LIBRARY
Ø Motion by R. Hayes to take under consideration the Library Budget in the amount of $445,565; Second by N. Bouchard
Vote: U/A (Motion carries)
K. Lewis Savage states that when the budget is reviewed again she would like the library to go over the amount that is in the accounts and see if they can use some additional funds to set off taxes this year.
J. Penta states the next meeting will be January 3, 2008.
Adjournment:
J. Penta adjourns meeting at 10:41 pm.
Respectfully submitted by,
Selwa Moured
Recording Secretary
| 
