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Minutes of the 1/9/08 Public Hearing

January 22nd, 2008

PUBLIC BUDGET HEARING MEETING
Carroll Budget Committee
January 9, 2008

Meeting brought to order at 6:05PM. Members present: Tom Gately, Lori Hogan, Carmine Fabrizio, Ken Mills, Ben Jellison, and Bonnie Moroney. Member excused: Karen Moran

Members of the public: Claire Gritzer, John Trammell, William Smalley, Tadd Bailey,
Billy Rines, Lee Hallquist, Jim Covey, Lisa Covey, George Brodeur, Harold Garneau, Allen Strasser, Robert Furtado, Joyce Charotte, Joan Hogan, Joan Sweeney, Colleen Sampson, Paul Sampson, Bill Dowling, Denise Deery, Michael Gooden, Pat Carso, John Foster, Donna Foster, Susan Kraabel, Terry Penner, Michele Penner, Evan Karpf, and Dale Shakespeare

A spreadsheet of the budget was displayed on a screen, so that the public could see what the budget committee was discussing. Tom Gately started with the Salaries of the
Selectmen, on the budget committee recommendations, and proceeded to move down the
page.

When he got to the Trustees of the Trust Funds, Claire Gritzer stated that she was very upset that the budget committee did not approve of the increase they had requested in their budget. She stated that they worked very hard investing the town’s money and deserved an increase. Lori Hogan, spoke about an e-mail that she had sent regarding why the committee did not feel there should be an increase. Joan Sweeney asked how many
Trustees there were. After other open floor discussion it was decided that the committee
would revisit this at the end of the meeting and vote on it again.

Mr. Shakespeare asked why there were so many training and mileage accounts, rather than just one for the entire town. Bonnie explained that each department had their own training that needed to be done and in different areas and it was easier to let each group keep track of their own and that way we could charge against that account.

Jim Covey inquired where we were getting our oil and what we were paying for it.
He stated that the business owners had joined a group and gotten a locked in price.
It was explained that last year we had looked into other places and the prices were found to be best with Stiles and that they took care of the furnaces as well, where a lot of these other places did not supply that service.

Discussion turned to the difference between the Select Board’s recommendation for the Police Chief and the Budget Committee’s. Ben asked why the select board went higher than the contract agreement. Bonnie explained that it was felt that the chief was having to put in a lot more hours due to the increase of problems, and that they wanted to put a larger difference between him and the Sgt Salary. This also will be looked at again at the end of the meeting.
Tom Gately went over the difference in the Full Time Firefighter Salary from the Select Board’s budget and the Budget Committee, was due to the fact that it was decided to
run this new job under a warrant article instead.

Property Inspections 4240.10-200, there were a large difference between the select board and the budget committee. The budget committee said they had figured at 20 hours per week at an increase salary of $17.50, and that the select boards $10,000.00 was too high, so they had made it $4,000.00. Al Strasser said the increase was due to all the inspections that the Property Inspector will be doing in the coming year and that this is all reimbursable. The committee will visit this at the end of the meeting.

Bill Dowling said he wanted the put the Recycling salary back as he is planning on starting the recycling at Bretton Woods and that is what the is for. Ben said that we have been hearing that for 5 years. Pat Corso, said that they are now recycling from the ski area and hotel, but are trying to get the home owners to do it also. This item to be visited again at end of meeting.

Sue Kraabel asked on the Rec. Dept. on what the $2,000.00 for Vehicle Fuel/Maintenance was intended. Lori, speaking for the Rec. Dept, said that they are putting in a warrant to purchase a 15 passenger van.

Jim Covey wanted to address the budget that the Chamber had put in and that the budget committee had cut. Jim said he had come and addressed the committee about what they were asking for and then the committee waited a week before voting on it. He said he had been there the week before to answer any question that they had, but not there the following week. Ben compared the Chamber to the Snowmobile club. Jim addressed the differences in the membership size and that the Snowmobile Club gets help from the state. He also discussed the information booth and that the committee wanted to see if the ladies would then be town employees or not, and it was found that they would not. Jim asked that the committee would revisit this, and address the amount of Room and Meals that the town gets each year, and he also listed all the things that the Chamber has done in 2007 for the town. He said the select board had been in favor of $18,000.00 even though they had asked for more. There was quite a bit more open discussion from the audience about the subject in favor of the Chamber getting the money and how disturbed the business owners are with the way they are treated. This will be visited again at the end of the meeting.

Under Long term notes, it was discussed that the select board is working on refinancing the loan of the water.

Billy Rines, asked why they took the Contract Labor-Expansion 04-4332.10-201 down to
$1.00. He was told that he had the $15,000.00 under contract labor, and they felt that was
enough. He explained that the other one was what it would cost to get the School St. line
done and that the Contract Labor 04-4332.10-200 was for other work that is done during the year, that is separate from that line. This will be discussed at the end of the meeting.

Warrant Articles
The first warrant article was about the bridge replacement over Ammonoosuc River, to Old Town Rd. Harold Garneau and Al Strasser, presented the power point showing what the new bridge would look like, why they are added a recreation bridge to the side, and to where the old Bridge is being moved on Little River, to be used for a future recreation bridge for the Bike path, snowmobiling and walking.

The second warrant article was for the $52,000.00 for the design and engineering plans
for a new police station and annex fire station. George Brodeur, presented the power point demonstration going over what an design and engineering plans consists of, some ideas for future Fire Dept in BW.

The rest of the warrants that had already been voted on by the budget committee and passed were read:
Capital Reserve Funds
Request for $8,000.00 for the information booth in case the budget didn’t pass.
$2,000 for the Coalition Comm.
$904 for Northern Human Services
$2,000. Tyler Blain House
$1,150 Littleton Regional Hospital
1,100 Weeks Medical Center
$750 Ammonoosuc Community Health Services
$1,797 North Country Home Health and Hospice
$346 American Red Cross
$1,650 Caleb Group Interfaith Volunteer Caregiver Program
Leasing of Fire Engine
Hiring of EMT/Fire-fighter
$7,555 for Ground-water monitoring of old landfill (no money will be raised from new taxation)
$10,000 Maintenance of old landfill. (no money will be raised from new taxation)
$14,000 for tipping of bulky waste, etc. (no money will be raised from new taxation)
$906 Household Hazardous Waste Collection

Three new warrants were addressed:
$81,899 for a full time Town Manager
$20,000 to be used in Recreation Special Revenue Fund (no money will be raised from new taxation)
$12.000 for Recreation Committee to purchase 15 passenger van

Committee went back to visit all the articles that needed to be revisited and voted on.

Lori motioned to give a 5% pay increase to all elected volunteer positions.
Ken second and it was passed

Bonnie motioned to increase the 4240.10-200 to $6,000 for Property Inspector
Lori second and it was passed

Ben motioned to change revenue offset for ZBA to $2,000 01-3230.03
Lori second and it was passed

Ben motioned to leave Police Chief’s Salary at $52,500.
Carmine second
Bonnie, abstained
Ken – no
Rest were yes
Lori motioned to accept original amount of $10,000 for 4321.10-102 for Recycling employee, Ben accepted for discussion.
Bonnie second,
Ben – abstained
Rest yes

Library Salary
Tom motioned to change to $8,600.00, Carmine second
All passed

Bonnie motioned that all the accounts under Culture (Chamber of Commerce) be put back in as recommended by the select board and let the people decided what they want.
Ken second
3 –yes
1- No
2 – abstain

Lori motioned to put back the $10,000. for Contract Labor-Expansion 04-4332.10-201
Ben second
And it passed

Bonnie motioned to accept the warrant for Town Manager.
Ben second
1- abstain
the rest were all yes

Bonnie motioned to accept the Rec Comm. Appropriation for $20,000.
Ben second
Lori – abstained
Rest were yes

Tom motioned to accept the warrant for the 15 passenger van for the Rec Comm.
Carmine second
Lori abstained
Rest were yes

Meeting adjourned 11:00pm. Next meeting January 23, 2008 at 7:00pm.

Respectfully submitted,
Bonnie Moroney in Secretary’s absence.