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Selectmen’s Work Session January 7, 2008

MINUTES

Approved 1.14.08

PRESENT: Chairman Weeks, Selectman Stockman, Selectman Duffy, Cathy Pounder, Jeanie Forrester

The Selectmen discussed the grant award for the Fire Department air pacs. Selectman Stockman made a motion to recommend a warrant article for $132,783 for the purchase of air pacs and accessory equipment for the Fire Department. ($126,144 to be paid for by a FEMA grant and $6,639 to be paid by the town). Chairman Weeks seconded the motion. Vote on the motion was unanimous.

There was a brief discussion on the Fire Department budget. The expense for air pac maintenance will be reduced from $5300 to $2k per Chief Thompson’s recommendation. As a result, the total vehicle maintenance line is reduced from $30,625 to $27,325. The final budget will be $278,963.85 Chairman Weeks made a motion to approve the Fire Department budget for 2008 in the amount of $278,963.85 Selectman Stockman seconded the motion. Vote on the motion was unanimous.

This change will be made to the Fire Department budget and brought to the Budget Committee on Thursday evening.

The Personnel Administration budget was reviewed. The Selectmen recommended adding $5k to the separation pay line. Increases were also made to the health, dental insurance, and retirement lines (10 months of expense) in anticipation of the addition of a 4^th police officer.

There was a brief discussion about cost sharing of the dental benefit. Chief Thompson, Chief Shagoury, and Fred Sargent’s dental benefit is paid 100% by the Town. All other employees pay a portion of the benefit. Thompson, Shagoury, and Sargent get 100% coverage because of the length of service with the Town. Chairman Weeks made a motion that the Town continue paying 100% of the dental benefit for Chief Thompson and Shagoury and Fred Sargent. Selectman Stockman seconded the motion. Vote on the motion was unanimous.

The Personnel Administration budget needs to be reviewed one more time prior to Budget Committee on Thursday evening.

Pounder asked about the Bonus Day that police officers are supposed to get. She stated that Chief Shagoury mentioned it to her and said that the policy had not been implemented by Carolyn Sundquist. The policy states that if a police officer works 3 months in a row without a sick day, they get a bonus day (to be used as a personal day; can be used hourly or as a full day). The Town Personnel Policy does not address this, however, the Police Department Personnel Policy does note this benefit. The Selectmen agreed that Pounder needs to start tracking this information and provide the bonus days as appropriate.

It was also noted that the dental benefit is not addressed in the Police Department Personnel Policy.

Chairman Weeks asked Pounder to put together an excel worksheet to include CIP warrant articles, last year’s warrant articles, and this year’s warrant articles for the Budget Committee meeting on Thursday night.

There was a brief discussion about the Gould property payment and how it should be accounted for in the general ledger. Chairman Weeks asked that the DRA be asked how the information should appear and how the interest expense should be handled.

There was a brief discussion about the need to budget for a public safety facilities committee. The Selectmen will discuss further during Election Day.

The meeting adjourned at 12:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Jeanie Forrester

Town Administrator