BC20121108 Not Approved

NOT APPROVED

TOWN OF PEL= HAM

BUDGET COMM= ITTEE - MEETING MINUTES

Thursday, N= ovember 8, 2012

CALL TO ORDER – approximately 7:30pm

PRESENT:

Mr. Daniel Guimond, Mr.= Bob Sherman, Mr. Greg Farris, Mr. David Cate, Mr. Greg Smith, Ms. Daryle Hillsgrove (arrived after the meeting commenced), Selectmen Representative Doug Viger, School Board Representative Brian Carton

ABSENT:

Mr. Larry Hall (excused), Mr. Dave Cronin (excused), Mr. Ken Du= nne

Also Present: Town Administrator Tom Gaydos, Police Chief Joseph Roark

2013 TOWN WARRANT ARTICLE VOTE

The warrant article letter assignment and language contained within is for revi= ew purposes only.

Article A – To raise and appropri= ate $266,189 for repair, maintenance and upgrading of Town roads, to be offset = by the State Grant for highway maintenance.

Mr. Gaydos commented that money from a Special Warrant Article could not be transferred for any other purpose.

MOTION:

(Viger/Cate) To approve (Article A) the amount of $266,189 for repair, maintenance and upgrading Town roads; to be offset by the State Grant for highway maintenance.

VOICE VOTE:

(7-0-0) The motion carried.

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Article B – To raise and appropri= ate $62,813 for the purpose of hiring and equipping a Communications Center Supervisor. The amount raised cove= rs costs from April through December, 2013 after which the position, if approv= ed will be funded through the Police Department operating budget. The cost breakdown includes $61,823 for salary and benefits and $990 for equip. <= /span>

MOTION:

(Viger/Cate) To approve (Article B) the amount of $62,813 for hiring and equipping a Communications Center Supervisor.

VOICE VOTE:

(7-0-0) The motion carried.

Ms. Hillsgrove arrived.

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Article C – To raise and appropri= ate $30,000 to establish a Capital Reserve fund for Cistern Repair and designate the Selectmen as agents to expend.

Mr. Sherman asked how much was spent last year. Mr. Gaydos believed approximately $12,000 was spent. He noted the smaller units were older a= nd seeing failure in the seams. They = wanted to have money set aside to handle repairs that came up. Mr. Cate understood that the Selectmen = wanted to put money aside each year to get to approximately $65,000-$70,000. Mr. Gaydos said the Fire Department was= in the process of analyzing the situation; they felt $30,000 was a good start. He said they may not ask fo= r any additional funds next year. They n= eeded a starting point.

Mr. Farris understood if the article passed the department would have another article next year. He asked if it = were possible to put a cap on the fund when the Chief obtained more information. Mr. Gaydos said it ma= y, he believed they would approach the request differently. At present they were realizing they had= a problem and were requesting funds to address emergency problems. Next year Mr. Gaydos fully expected tha= t the Board would be presented with a list of every cistern, their age, how many = had failed and what repairs had been done. Mr. Viger noted that the department had a small amount of money in t= he Emergency Management budget now to make some specific repairs. The Chief believed with those immediate concerns and putting forth money for repairs, he would have a good idea of = what it would cost to complete certain types of work. Based on those estimates, the Chief fel= t to bring the other cisterns up would be approximately $30,000; real assessments can be made as they get deeper into the inspections. Mr. Viger said the difficulty was needi= ng the money available to fix the cisterns right away while they were being inspected. Mr. Farris understood t= he issues; he simply didn’t want to see the fund continue to grow to an amount not needed. Mr. Viger said given the r= eview being conducted and the ability to estimated costs, he didn’t see the fund growing to more than $60,000-$70,000.

Mr. Smith asked how other towns handled funding. Mr. Viger believed other towns had funds in their operational budgets and some were trying to build capital reserve funds. He said Pelham was beginning to deal wi= th growth that began a couple years ago when the cisterns were put in; they we= re all beginning to fail at the same time. He said Pelham was trying to offset the year-to-year liability of the unknown by having a capital reserve.

MOTION:

(Sherman/Cate)= To approve (Article C) the amount of $30,000 to establish a Capital Reserve = fund for Cistern Repair.

VOICE VOTE:

(8-0-0) The motion carried.

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Article D – To remove $175,000 fr= om the Tallant Road/Willow Street Bridge Capital Reserve Fund for the purpose of preliminary engineering and cost estimates.

Mr. Farris questioned which street would be done. Mr. Gaydos stated Tallant Road had been done; they were seeking funds for Willow Street. He said the Sta= te’s list was for the year 2023; however, they were paying 80% for engineering (= available prior to that date) as long as the selection process prescribed by the State was followed. He said the Town wou= ld go through that prescribed process and make sure any engineering would be acce= pted by the State. He noted the Town wo= uld never have the needed amount if they only put $100,000 away each year becau= se the bridge cost was escalating at a higher rate. Mr. Gaydos said the plan was to go thro= ugh the engineering, get a good price, and put it on a warrant to get it done. = He said every year the cost was increasing and the Town had to do something ab= out it. Mr. Farris questioned if the $175,000 was the Town’s 20%, or the estimation for the total cost. Mr. Gaydos said the Town would have to = go through the qualification based analysis to select a company. The funds should be enough to get the preliminary study/engineering and at least half of the engineering to compl= ete the job. He said they felt the com= plete engineering and inspection would cost approximately $400,000. It was noted that the Town would have to raise the total amount and then seek reimbursement of 80% from the State.

MOTION:

(Sherman/Farri= s) To approve (Article D) the removal of $175,000 from the Tallant Road/Willow Street Bridge Capital Reserve Fund for the purpose of preliminary enginee= ring and cost estimates.

VOICE VOTE:

(8-0-0) The motion carried.

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Article E – To authorize the Sele= ctmen to enter into a 3-year lease/purchase agreement for $15,489 to obtain a new Ford Focus to replace the current Planning Department Code Compliance vehic= le and to further raise and appropriate $5,329 for the first year’s payment.

MOTION:

(Cate/Sherman)= To approve (Article E) authorizing the Selectmen to enter into a 3-year lease/purchase agreement for $15,489 to obtain a new Ford Focus for a Code Compliance vehicle and to raise and appropriate $5,329 for the first year= ’s payment. <= /p>

VOICE VOTE:

(8-0-0) The motion carried.

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Article F – To approve cost items included in the three year Collective Bargaining Agreement ratified by the Board of Selectmen of the Town and the Local 3657 American Federation of St= ate, County and Municipal Employees (‘AFSCME’), Pelham Police which calls for th= e following increases and benefits and to further raise and appropriate $XXX,XXX to fund the first year.

This article is for the Pelham Police Union contract. Mr. Gaydos noted that the article was a placeholder to let the Board know it would be coming forward.

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Article G – To increase the annual contribution to Ambulance Fund from $25,000 to $60,000 funded from ambulance service fees collected in each calendar year.

MOTION:

(Farris/Sherma= n)To approve (Article G) an increase to the annual contribution to the Ambulan= ce Fund from $25,000 to $60,000 funded from ambulance service fees collected each calendar year.

VOTE:

(8-0-0) The motion carried.

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Article H – To raise and appropri= ate $75,000 to establish a Capital Reserve Fund to erect a highway garage.

MOTION:

(Viger/Cate)To= approve (Article H) raising and appropriating $75,000 to establish a Capital Rese= rve Fund to erect a highway garage. =

VOTE:

(7-1-0) The motion carried. Mr. Farris v= oted no.

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Article I – To raise and appropri= ate $25,000 from the Forest Maintenance Fund for the purpose of forest manageme= nt, stewardship (signage, trail building and maps, parking, etc.) security, pub= lic education and other costs associated with the maintenance and care of Town Forest land. All expenditures are approved by the Board of Selectmen.

MOTION:

(Cate/Sherman)= To approve (Article I) raising $25,000 from the Forest Maintenance Fund.

VOTE:

(8-0-0) The motion carried.

ADJOURNMENT

MOTION:

(Viger/Cate)To= adjourn the meeting.

VOTE:

(8-0-0) The motion carried.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:55 pm.

= Respectfully submitted,

= Charity A. Landry

Recording Secretary