Budget Committee - Minutes (Final)
Approved Marylou Keane 1-5-2017
TOWN OF EPSOM BUDGET COMMITTEE
DECEMBER 20, 2016
Present: Marylou LaFleur-Keane, Chairman; Dave Fiorentino, Vice Chairman; Virginia Drew; Joyce Heck; Hugh Curley, Selectmen’s Representative; Ralph Weeks; Joni Kitson; Joanne Randall; Mary Frambach; Penny Graham; Bill Yeaton, School Board Representative
Not in Attendance: Gary Kitson, Water District Representative
Other Attendees: Nancy Wheeler
Dave opened the meeting at 6:30 PM.
Minutes of December 1, 2016
The minutes of December 1, 2016 were reviewed and amended.
Virginia motioned to approve the minutes of December 1, 2016 as amended, Joni seconded the motion. The motion passed with one abstention.
Minutes of December 6, 2016
The minutes of December 6, 2016 were reviewed and amended.
Bill motioned to approve the minutes of December 6, 2016 as amended, Joni seconded the motion. The motion passed with one abstention.
Minutes of December 15, 2016
The minutes of December 15, 2016 were reviewed and amended.
Ralph motioned to approve the minutes of December 15, 2016 as amended, Dave seconded the motion. The motion passed with one abstention.
Epsom Water District
Gary Kitson was unavailable, therefore Joni discussed changes in the Water District budget.
The insurance costs went down with the change in carriers. They no longer have a telephone, but use free internet service to communicate between the pumps and water storage tank that eliminates the telephone charges.
The insurance and telephone money will be put into the Water System Maintenance Fund. They will be doing maintenance on the well on Route 4 in 2017.
Joni noted that if people had concerns they could e-mail Gary.
The Committee discussed Special Education and other costs for the School District Budget.
Ralph noted he has been going through the numbers for Special Education in Epsom. He noted that they did not take into account the special education transportation, teacher and aide salaries and the portion of the costs Epsom pays to the SAU for the personnel from that office. Virginia noted that the School Psychologist is for the whole school, not just Special Education. It was discussed that Ralph is looking for a true cost for Special Education.
Ralph noted that he had obtained a copy of the job description for the new person in the SAU and the grant writing was near the bottom of the list of job duties. Joni noted that over the years she believes the SAU has taken over more of the duties previously handled in the Town. Virginia noted the changes in the SAU Office throughout the years. She discussed the issues that were discussed through the years including leaving the SAU.
Virginia discussed the Special Education costs that she has broken out of the budget which includes most of the Special Education costs ($2,398,333.00). She was not sure this included all the costs. The duties of Epsom’s Special Education Coordinator were discussed.
Bill noted that he had planned to have the teacher and staff contracts, but there is an item to finalize with the teacher contract.
Town Revenues
Nancy reviewed the revenues for the Town. She noted that the revenues for 2016 were more than anticipated.
Nancy noted that timber income and current use were down with motor vehicle collections being up. She noted that tax collection was up from previous years.
The Highway Block Grant was higher for 2016. The Rooms & Meals income is not in this report, DRA has indicated it would be $242,000.00. Marylou asked what was Office Revenue, Nancy said money collected for copies or something that comes to the Town that does not go into one of the accounts.
The Metrocast fees were increased, this increase was passed on to rate payers. Hugh noted that this payment is based on the basic television cable use and does not include telephone or internet consumer costs.
Nancy noted that the Sale of Town owned property will increase if the money is received in December, otherwise it will be received in 2017.
The method of how the bank accounts are maintained has been revised with interest increasing.
Nancy will have the estimated revenues for 2017 for the next meeting.
Nancy noted she has adjusted the health and dental insurance costs for the budget as a position will be part-time rather than full-time.
It was discussed the meeting of January 3rd will be cancelled with a meeting scheduled on January 5th. A meeting is also scheduled for January 10th with the public hearing scheduled for January 12th.
Hugh noted Warrant Articles being considered by the Selectmen include an Expendable Trust Fund for the Town buildings. He discussed the various Town buildings. He noted they wanted to put $150,000.00 a year into this fund. Hugh noted this money would come from the surplus.
Hugh noted another fund would be established for doing something for a Town Office or work at the Meetinghouse.
Nancy noted that the other Warrant Articles would be the standard articles voted on each year. The Fire Department is proposing an Article for $15,000.00 for replacing the furnace at the building.
Ralph asked if the proposed salary increases for elected officials not up for reelection have been taken out of the budget. Hugh noted the budget will give these people an increase.
Ralph motioned that elected officials not up for reelection this year not be given an increase, Penny seconded the motion for discussing purposes.
Hugh noted the Selectmen had discussed these salary revisions. Hugh noted they had not instituted this as they were still instituting the salary adjustments due to the Thornton Study.
Marylou asked the positions involved; it involves the Tax Collector, Welfare Director, Road Agent, Treasurer, one person for Selectmen, Trustees of the Trust Funds, Supervisor of the Check List and other positions.
Ralph noted that he did not include benefits in his motion.
Joyce asked if the Welfare Director position could be longer than one year, it is a State RSA that it has to be voted on yearly.
Joni requested to table this motion until the next meeting; this was discussed with it being determined to vote on the motion.
Hugh would like to see this salary adjustment begin at the person’s next election. He noted that the Town Clerk’s salary should be brought up to the Thornton Study amounts.
Ralph discussed that if an elected person did not run or was not reelected the new person would receive the salary in the budget. It was discussed that if a person did not run for reelection then the salary could be reduced at the Deliberative Session.
The motion failed with 2 yeses, 7 no’s and 2 abstentions.
Dave asked if it was legal for the Highway Department to have a set salary, but give merit raises. It was discussed that a merit raise could not be given to an elected position.
Dave motioned to adjourn, Mary seconded the motion. The motion passed. Marylou adjourned the meeting at 8:19 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Betsy Bosiak
Recording Secretary