Amended Minutes of Budget Committee (BC) meeting 5
February 2008, Tuftonboro Town Office
Chairman Wood called the meeting
to order at
Attendance: Cook, Eaton,
BOS: Duffy, Stockman, Weeks
Others: Pounder, McChesney,
Thompson, Shagoury
Public: 3
Wood made opening remarks as the
BC Chairman and set an agenda.
The minutes of the BC meeting of
Old business: None
New Business:
Wood opened discussion of the BOS
recommendations per the current budget.
Weeks Discussed Sources of
Revenue, which includes and additional $54,000 from unspent funds from the High
Street Culvert project. BOS recommends a review of the budget to reduce
the total as amount to be raised from taxes is $2.4 million. Duffy Suggested
not remove the warrant article for a capital reserve for the Public Safety of
$120,000. Stockman Look at the operating budgets of various departments
for possible cuts. Wood the current budget is $2.6 million, which is a 9.5%
increase over last year. The previous 5 years budgets have been held to an
average of 9% per year.
Theve Inquired if the Fire
department could put off the purchase of a new Fire Boat until next year.
Chief Thompson There is no money
in the budget to repair the old boat, which is currently inoperable and was
unsafe when in operation. Duffy - An option would be to pay for the new
boat over 3 years. Wood That option would add $10,000 to the cost of buying
the boat.
Wood opened discussion of the Fire
Department budget #4220.
Chief Thompson Discussed budget
cuts to reduce the department budget by a total of $5441.
This was discussed by the BC line
by line. Chehames Commented on the purpose of nibbling at the budget as
opposed to drastic cuts.
Wood opened discussion of the
Police Department budget #4210.
Chief Shagoury Discussed budget
cuts to reduce the department budget by a total of $6364.
This was discussed by the BC line
by line. Eaton Inquired if the BOS would approve putting of hiring a
fourth officer for another year and also disposing of two police cruisers.
Weeks the BOS would not approve that, as the Department needs 4 officers. The
Department is currently using part-time officers to make up some of the
difference in coverage.
Cook - Moved to approve the Police
Department budget #4210 in the amount of $2285,578, a
reduction of $6,364. Weeks - Second. The vote was called. Vote
Wood opened discussion of other
proposals for the BC members.
Cook Suggested removing $3608
for LRPC dues from the Planning and Zoning budget #4191.
This was discussed but no action
was taken.
Cook - Recommended removing $5,200
for road striping from the Highways & Streets budget #4312.
Chehames Inquired if it was a
safety issue and if center stripes would be better or cost less.
Cook - Moved to the remove $5,200
from Highways and Streets budget
#4312.
Eaton - Second. The vote was
called. Vote 5-1 for the motion, the motion passed.
Weeks inquired if there were any
other proposals regarding Highways and Streets budget #4312.
There being none the total budget
must be approved.
Eaton - Moved to amend the
previous motion to approve the Highways & Streets budget #4312 in the
amount of $357,225 reducing it by $5,200. Cook - Second. The vote
was called. Vote 6-1 for the motion, the motion passed.
Cook - Remove $2,500 for ice rink
maintenance from the Parks & Recreation budget #4520.
Wood - Suggested removing $2,000
for Gould Property trail work from this budget. Eaton the ice rink should be
cut but the trail work should only be cut by $1,000. This was discussed.
Eaton- Moved to approve the Parks
& Recreation budget #4520 in the amount of $32,500 reducing it by $3,500.
Cook - Second. The vote was called. Vote 5-0-1 for the motion, the motion passed.
Cook Recommended not approving
$8,500 for the warrant article for a Radar Trailer for the Police Department.
Chief Shagoury This is supported by a 50-50 grant from the Federal government
and it is available now and should be taken advantage of.
Cook - Moved to disapprove the
$8,500 for the warrant article for a Radar Trailer.
Eaton - Second. The vote was
called. Vote 3-3 for the motion, the motion failed. No action was
taken.
Eaton - Remove $5,000 for master
plan review from the Planning and Zoning budget #4191.
Weeks The Town must update the
master plan in order to rewrite the Towns ordinances to deal with the
recommendations of the Planning Commission. McChesney The Town needs to
upgrade the master plan in order to apply for block grants. This issue was
discussed by the BC.
Eaton - Moved to approve the
Planning and Zoning budget #4191in the amount of $32,808 reducing it by
$5,000. Theve - Second. The vote was called. Vote
Eaton Recommended the Police
Department could go another year without buying new guns. Chief Shagoury
There is a need for at least two new guns and with trade its
it will only cost about $2,400 for all new guns so there would not be a
significant savings. Hanson There is no need for the Department to get
all new guns. The BC took no action on this issue.
Eaton Recommended not approving
the $225,000 warrant article for
Wood opened discussion of this
issue.
Weeks Mrs. Hersey has sent a
letter (copy attached) to the BOS with a number of proposals but offers no
means to do them and is opposed to the Town doing anything to the
Eaton - Recommended not approving
the $120,000 warrant article for a capital reserve for a new
Wood Recommended reducing the
Solid Waste Disposal budget #4324 by only operating 4 hours on Sundays. This
was discussed but the BC took no action on this issue.
Wood Recommended reducing the
Other General Government budget #4199 by reducing contingency funds to $2,500.
This was discussed but the BC took no action on this
issue.
Wood Recommended reducing the
Personnel Administration budget #4155 by reducing separation pay funds to
$1,000. This was discussed but the BC took no action on this issue.
Weeks The BOS is still working
on the budget so BC will need to have another meeting.
The next BC meeting was called for
Wood - Any further discussion or
public comments. There was none.
Weeks - Move to adjourn the
meeting. The BC meeting was adjourned
Joe W. Ewing,
Secretary Budget Committee