Article 9

Shall the Town vote to raise and appropriate as an operating budget, not including appropriations by special warrant articles and other appropriations voted separately, the amounts set forth on the budget posted with the warrant or as amended by vote of the first session, for the purposes set forth herein, totaling $9,381,494? Should this article be defeated, the default budget shall be $9,012,352, which is the same as last year, with certain adjustments required by previous action of the Town or by law; or the governing body may hold one special meeting in accordance with RSA 40:13, X and XVI, to take up the issue of a revised operating budget only. ($9,447,087 approved by Selectmen) ($9,381,494 approved by Budget Committee)

Budget

Status

• Originator: Board of Selectmen
• Board of Selectmen: 5-0-0
• Budget Committee: 10-0-0
• Town Meeting: The legislative body present at the Deliberative Session approved an amendment to increase the Planning Department's budget by $787 to fund a recording secretary for the CIP Committee.

Voter's Guide Explanation

This Warrant provides the Board of Selectmen and the Budget Committee's recommended town operating budget for 2006. Also included, in accordance with state regulations, is the compliant default budget, which would be in effect should the electorate reject the recommended budget. Review of the recommended 2006 budget versus the 2005 operating budget shows a net increase of 9.5%. Included in this growth are approximately 5.2% of contractual obligations resulting from existing contracts.

The remaining 4.3% represents some restoration of services and supplies deferred or omitted from the default budget passed by the voters last March 2005 and some effects of inflation on services and supplies, most notably fuel for all departments and raw materials required for highway maintenance.

As the review shows, the Board of Selectmen effected $166,504 in cuts from the requested budget, and the Budget Committee reduced the budget further by $64,806, all of which represents a total of $231,310 or a 2.4% reduction from departmental requests.

Voter approval of the recommended budget will enable the town to provide services and supplies consistent with voter expectations, as well as satisfy public safety considerations.

Backup Data

Notice

Public Hearing

2006 Budget Meeting on January 10, 2006

A Public Hearing Will Be Held at Sherburne Hall, Pelham Municipal Complex, 6 Village Green, Pelham, Nh at 7:15 Pm. On January 10, 2006, to Hear the Proposed 2006 Budget.

Proposed 2006 Town Operating Budget