TOWN OF SUTTON
Pillsbury Memorial Town Hall
93 Main Street
Sutton Mills, NH  03221

Board of Selectman
Meeting Minutes of  November 28, 2016

 
The meeting was called to order at 4:00 p.m. by Walter Baker, Jr., Chair.
Present at the meeting was Walter Baker, Jr., Chair; Robert Wright, Jr., Selectman; William I. Curless, Selectman; Jonathan Korbet, Police Chief; Valerie Crone, Police Sergeant; Robert DeFelice, KRSD MBC Representative, Emilio Cancio-Bello, KRSD School Board Representative; Larry LeBouef, KRSD Business Administrator; Winfried Feneberg, KRSD Superintendent; Tom Schamberg.

APPOINTMENTS:

At 4:07 p.m. Selectman Baker made a motion to enter into Non-Public Session under RSA 91-A:3, II (a) The dismissal, promotion, or compensation of any public employee. Selectman Curless seconded the motion. The Board was polled with Selectmen Baker, Wright and Curless voting to enter into nonpublic session. Public session resumed at 4:37 p.m. The minutes from non-public session were not sealed. In non-public session the Board reviewed a request for a merit increase in salary for Sergeant Crone. Chief Korbet was present in support of the request. The Board approved a $2.00/hr. merit increase subject to Town Meeting budget approval.

At 5:00 p.m. KRSD Superintendent Winifred Feneberg, Larry LeBouef, Business Administrator, and Emilio Cancio-Bello, KRSD School Board Representative met with the Board to review the 2017 KRSD proposed operating budget. Mr. LeBouef provided copies of Version 4 of the KRSD budget. Mr. LeBouef noted that the majority of the increases were for wages and fringe benefits. Mr. LeBouef advised that last year voters approved a $440,000 increase to come out of the 2017 budget. Therefore, this year there is an $890,000 increase which includes the $440,000. Mr. LeBouef advised that there is also a major increase in the contribution required for New Hampshire Retirement which will also be a factor at the municipal level for the police. For the school, there is a $300,000 jump in retirement (which is fixed for the next two years).

Mr. LeBouef addressed $350,000 that has been included in the operating budget to replace the wastewater treatment facility with a septic system. The wastewater system was original with the building. The system was over-built and has exceeded its life expectancy by over 10 years. Costs to monitor and maintain the facility is $90,000 a year as a routine operating expense. The new system will not require such servicing. Mr. Cancio-Bello explained that the facility was having problems with crumbling concrete and rotting steel and is a ticking time bomb. The leach field for the new system is in place already, but a pump will be required and the wastewater treatment center will need to be demolished. Tank pumping will be required on annual basis, but the cost is marginal compared to the monitoring costs for the treatment facility. Selectman Baker advised that commercial effluent is not accepted at the Sutton lagoons. Selectman Baker asked whether the district had a capital reserve for eventual replacement of the wastewater treatment facility. Superintendent Feneberg replied that it was part of the Strategic Plan for the District. Mr. Cancio-Bello reviewed the three choices that were considered regarding the facility: to replace the facility, would cost 1.5 million, another modification would cost $650,000; the proposed septic system was the District’s least expensive option using the most traditional method for treatment of waste.

Selectman Curless expressed a concern regarding the lack of capital planning for the facility. He encouraged the district to do capital planning for the new septic system for future maintenance costs (i.e. leach field, pump etc.) Mr. Cancio-Bello replied that the District has to focus on immediate needs in order to try and keep the budget down. There was a lengthy discussion regarding budgeting priorities – wages vs. infrastructure. Mr. Cancio-Bello discussed deferred maintenance in the past and emphasized how the District is addressing issues in order of exigency. Superintendent Feneberg discussed the dedicated funds that the school has established such as the roof fund ($700,000), special education fund (fully funded), a capital reserve fund has also been established for facilities and for maintenance. The maintenance fund currently has approximately $280,000 in it. The target for the maintenance fund is $500,000. The district has not been able to meet all of their goals identified on their five-year strategic plan because of budget constraints. The Sutton Board emphasized their support of capital planning.

Selectman Wright commended Emilio Cancio-Bello for his long years of service on the School Board. Superintendent Feneberg praised both the KRSD School Board and the KRSD MBC for their ability to plan for future projects. The Superintendent also discussed the reduction in State aid including retirement that is now locally funded.

Selectman Baker reiterated support for capital planning noting that unanticipated major projects cause spikes in the tax rates and suggested that the District consider a capital plan for the proposed new septic system in anticipation of future replacement of the leach field etc. Selectman Baker also stressed the importance of public information as a component of the budget process. There was a discussion as to whether any of the districts fund balance (2.5% allowed to be retained for emergency purposes) for the new septic system. Superintendent Feneberg is researching this matter and will advise the School Board and the MBC of his findings.

Funding for students who require out-of-district services or specific services for various needs was also reviewed. Some of the funding comes from the federal government. Catastrophic Aid is reimbursed from the state for out-of-district placements. The district pays the up-front costs and the cost is submitted to the state under catastrophic aid and a percentage is reimbursed after-the-fact. Aid is always based retroactively. Reimbursement is based on available funding and use of the funds so the allocation of reimbursement is variable. The Superintendent spoke of cost saving measures achieved by staff as compared to contracted services which is more affordable and allows for better availability of services and various other cost savings measures such as consolidation of classrooms based on student enrollment.

There was a general discussion regarding the focus of education and the impact of today’s and future technology on the educational process.

MINUTES:

The minutes from November 21, 2016 were approved as corrected. The Board reviewed and approved the following manifests.

PAYROLL MANIFEST: $ 10,195.17

VENDOR MANIFEST: $396,120.21

INTENT TO CUT: The Board reviewed and approved the following intent to cuts:

Caryl & Jere Buckley, Foothills Road, Map 02-868-460 for 20 acres out of 22.4

Ellen Carter, Foothills Road, 02-872-383, for 30 acres out of 37.38

NEW BUSINESS:

The Board issued a Timber Tax for Vierzen Map, 06-800-075, $898.91

OLD BUSINESS:

Selectman Baker was authorized to execute the Hominy Pot Contract Amendment which provided for a change in project substantial completion date, payment schedule. There was also a restructuring of materials responsibility that did not affect the project cost. It is anticipated that the project will start in early December.

The Board discussed snow removal at the Pillsbury Memorial Hall and on the Main Street sidewalk. It was determined that if Town equipment was being utilized (snow blower) that the services be provided by an employee as opposed to a private contractor.

Phillips asked the Board to consider employee compensation for 2017 and was instructed to place the matter of employee compensation on the agenda for non-public session.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Elly Phillips

Recording Secretary