TOWN OF SUTTON, STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

TOWN WARRANT

To the inhabitants of the Town of Sutton in the County of Merrimack in said State, qualified to vote in Town Affairs.

You are hereby notified to meet at the Pillsbury Memorial Hall in said Sutton on Tuesday, the 12th day of March 2024 next at eight of the clock in the forenoon (Polls to be open from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.) to act on Articles 1 and 2.  You are further notified to meet at the Kearsarge Regional High School, North Road in said Sutton on Wednesday, the 13th day of March 2024 at seven of the clock (7:00 p.m.) in the evening, to act upon the remaining Articles.

 

Article 1:  To choose all officers for the year ensuing.

Article 2: To see if the Town will vote to adopt Amendment No. 1 to the Sutton Zoning Ordinance as proposed by the Planning Board as follows: Add a new article “Sutton Village Overlay Districts” which establishes requirements for development within not yet created Village Overlay Districts through the Conditional Use Permit process. If the Article is adopted, the Planning Board will work over the coming years to propose potential Village Overlay Districts. The creation of any Village Overlay District in the future will be a zoning amendment, which will require both public hearings before the Planning Board and an affirmative vote of a future Town Meeting.

 

Article 3:  To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the Budget Committee recommended sum of $3,073,630.79 for general municipal operations. This article does not include appropriations contained in special or individual articles addressed separately. (Majority vote required)

 

	Budget Committee Recommends	Select Board Recommends
Executive Office	$245,519.00	$240,388.91
Election and Voter Registration	4,500.00	4,500.00
Financial Administration	85,329.47	85,737.38
Financial/Executive	30,713.78	30,507.92
RP Appraisal Services	11,500.00	11,500.00
Judicial & Legal Expenses	30,000.00	30,000.00
Personnel Administration	597,524.18	607,524.18
Planning & Zoning	52,492.00	51,171.31
General Government Building	39,650.00	39,650.00
Cemeteries	14,000.00	14,000.00
Insurance	66,488.00	66,488.00
Ads & Regional Associations	2,625.00	2,625.00
Police Department	435,840.00	425,655.00
Ambulance	85,602.00	85,602.00
Fire Department	62,165.00	62,165.00
Building Inspection	7,000.00	7,000.00
Emergency Management	2,100.00	2,100.00
Dispatching Services	22,426.00	22,426.00
Highway Department	878,481.00	865,771.59
Bridge Expenses	3,000.00	3,000.00
Street Lighting	3,000.00	3,000.00
Solid Waste Disposal	186,488.00	181,922.00
Health Administration	2,300.00	2,300.00
Health Agencies and Hospitals	5,736.00	5,736.00
Welfare	27,754.00	27,557.31
Culture & Recreation	8,603.00	8,603.00
Library	109,536.00	109,536.00
Patriotic Purposes	1,000.00	1,000.00
Conservation Administration	7,887.00	7,838.79
Debt Service	44,371.36	44,371.36
Total	3,073,630.79	3,049,676.75

 

Article 4: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the Select Board recommended sum of $754,750.00 to be added to various Capital Reserve Funds previously established, as follows:

 

	Budget Committee Recommends	Select Board Recommends
Blacktop Roads	$300,000.00	$300,000.00
Gravel Roads	5,000.00	5,000.00
Tree Maintenance	10,000.00	10,000.00
Computers Admin	9,000.00	9,000.00
Welfare Direct Assistance	5,000.00	5,000.00
Town Hall Facility	1,000.00	1,000.00
Library ADA Modifications	5,000.00	5,000.00
Highway Heavy Equipment	27,000.00	27,000.00
Police Depart. Cruisers	40,000.00	40,000.00
Police Depart. Computer Equipment	3,500.00	3,500.00
Accrued Benefits	20,000.00	20,000.00
Conservation Land	7,000.00	7,000.00
Highway Equipment Plow/Dump Trucks	100,000.00	100,000.00
Highway Bridges	50,000.00	50,000.00
Forest Fire Equipment	250.00	250.00
Fire Equipment Replacement	50,000.00	50,000.00
Rescue Vehicle	10,000.00	10,000.00
Municipal Building Fund	80,000.00	80,000.00
Master Plan Update	2,000.00	2,000.00
Legal Fees	3,000.00	3,000.00
Highway Grader	26,000.00	26,000.00
Historical Records Preservation	1,000.00	1,000.00
Total	754,750.00	754,750.00

 

Article 5:  To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $100,000 (gross budget) by obtaining a New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Clean Water State Revolving Fund (NHCWSRF) loan for the purpose of hiring a Certified Lake Management/Engineering  firm to prepare a watershed-based plan for Kezar Lake, and to authorize the issuance of not more than $100,000 of bonds or notes in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Finance Act (RSA 33) and to authorize the Select Board to issue and negotiate such bonds or notes and to determine the rate of interest thereon for the sole purpose of obtaining that loan.  The plan will address watershed scale stormwater impacts to the lake and prevent future algae blooms.  Once the plan is completed, the Town will be eligible for certain grants aimed at reducing threats to the lake’s ecosystem and to remediate identified pollution threats.  The bond will be in the form of a loan from the Department of Environmental Services Clean Water State Revolving Fund and the full amount of principal will be entirely forgiven when the plan is completed pursuant to DES requirements.  The town will be required to pay interest on the loan amount, however, this article is contingent upon the Kezar Lake Protective Association (KLPA) depositing into escrow an amount sufficient to reimburse the town for all of those interest payments prior to the finalization of the loan agreement; as well as KLPA providing a surety to repay any portion of the principal which is not forgiven, if any. Not recommended by the Budget Committee. Recommended by the Board of Selectmen. (3/5 ballot vote required)

 

Article 6:  To see if the town will vote to establish an HR Workplace Modification Non-Capital Reserve Fund under the provisions of RSA 35:1 for requests for reasonable accommodations in the workplace such as providing or modifying equipment or devices, making the workplace readily accessible to and usable by people with disabilities and to raise and appropriate the sum of $5,000 to be placed in this fund.  Further, to name the Board of Selectmen as agents to expend from said fund. Recommended by the Budget Committee. Recommended by the Board of Selectmen. (Majority vote required)

 

Article 7:  To see if the town will vote to establish a Conservation Commission Special Projects Non-Capital Reserve Fund under the provisions of RSA 35:1 for special conservation projects such as signage, kiosks, trail bridges, and maps and to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,000 to be placed in this fund.  Further, to name the Board of Selectmen as agents to expend from said fund. Recommended by the Budget Committee. Recommended by the Board of Selectmen. (Majority vote required)

 

Article 8:  To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of up to $10,000 for the purpose of paving the Grist Mill parking lot. (Majority vote required).

 

Article 9:  To see if the town will vote to increase the town clerk’s wages from $47,519.47 to $50,000.00 beginning January 1, 2024.

Article 10:  To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $6,000 for the purpose of operating costs for the Sutton Historical Society’s headquarters, the Cressy House in South Sutton for the year 2024.

 

Article 11:  To see if the town will vote to establish a Highway Department Sand & Salt Non-Capital Reserve Fund under the provisions of RSA 35:1 to supplement the existing operational budget line for the purchase of sand and salt for the town roads and to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,000 to be placed in this fund. Further, to name the Board of Selectmen as agents to expend from said fund. Recommended by the Budget Committee. Recommended by the Board of Selectmen. (Majority vote required)

 

Article 12:  To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $20,000 to be added to the Accrued Benefits Expendable Non-Capital Reserve previously established in 1994.This sum to come from unassigned fund balance. No amount to be raised by general taxation. Recommended by the Budget Committee. Recommended by the Board of Selectmen. (Majority vote required).

 

Article 13:  To transact any other business that may legally come before the meeting.

 

Given under our hands and seal, this 19th day of February in the year of our Lord Two Thousand and Twenty-Four.

SUTTON BOARD OF SELECTMEN

 

 

                                                           

Walter Baker, Jr., Chair

 

 

                                                           

Michael McManus, Selectman

 

 

                                                           

Glenn Pogust, Selectman