SUTTON BUDGET COMMITTEE MINUTES  1-31-22

 

The chair, Robert DeFelice, opened the meeting @ 6:00 PM.  Present;  Pete Thompson, Gail Guertin, John Mock, Mark Peterson and Samantha Gordon.   BOS liaison Walter Baker arrived 2 6:32 PM.  It was moved by Thompson and 2nd by Guertin to accept the minutes of 1-24-22.  With the change ‘lawn mowing and snow removal being included in the Library budget’ the minutes were accepted w/o dissent.  Some BOS information:  (a) Grist Mill embankment deferred until next meeting (b) Minutes of the annual town meeting since the 1940’s are electronically available.

 

@ 6:15 the Sutton PB, Roger Wells (chair, Glenn Pogust (VC) and Peter Stanley (Land Use Coordinator) presented an outline of the master plan.  This plan is normally reviewed and revised every ten years.  This time around the period had been closer to 15 years.  Areas reviewed:

  1. Those items most important to maintain the rural nature of the community.
  2. Primary concerns – taxes – home prices.
  3. What should the PB focus on? What areas not receiving attention regarding planning, that should receive attention?

 

Important rural and recreational opportunities and challenges

  1. 50% wished protection of the present rural atmosphere
  2. 50% wanted a stronger tax base to stabilize tax rates.
  3. Over 52% were concerned with school quality (and its cost), improved land use and the balance of retaining a bucolic small town vs. tax cost to maintain an acceptable balance. Part of this solution would be to encourage small business.

 

There was interesting information gained from questions proposed by the PB.  (a) 26% were open to appropriate cluster housing (b) 25% were opposed to any cluster housing  (c) 40% favored a commercial zoning @ Exit 10 of I89. (d)  40% felt that Rt. 114 could offer sites for restaurants, light industry, retailers,  and professional offices. (e) villages with supporting businesses and services (only possible site would be the current golf course area). (f) 42% wanted now multi-family housing.  The PB felt that the term multi-family was a negative connotation.

 

PB RECOMENDATIONS

  1. Review cluster ordinance.
  2. Specific land uses in rural areas, including appropriate use of scenic roads – protection of trees and views.
  3. Community friendliness: (a) enable affordable homes (b) set up a leadership group to explore recreational uses (c) Greater community use of town facilities (New parking lot, allows greater use of the Town Hall)
  4. Maintain the historic nature of the villages: (a) mixed use for buildings (barns) as a business w/o requiring on site presence (b) how does such a concept affect next door neighbors? (c) How to effectively change sub-division regulations effecting the villages.
  5. Taxes: (a) Special committee to review Labsphere and hotel (b) Planned communities or unit development around the golf course.
  6. There will have to be flexibility and variety in housing to allow the elderly and young people to live in the community.

 

This PB presentation including all reports and data will be on the town’s website for easy access.  Outline information will be posted in the Intertown Record and the Kearsarge Shopper.  A PB hearing is planned for either late March or early April @ the Town Hall.

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BOS update:

  1. Optional uses of farming was presented by Mr. Ed. Canine
  2. Stotler did not attend the last court hearing relating to his property and the attachments thereto.

 

The chair passed out a one page sheet of salary and hourly information.  The information was based on pay stubs.  Increases, be they parity, merit or other criterion was not available.  This is when the chair pointed to the importance of a finance committee to determine the exact base reason of income increases to determine rational as opposed to ‘ad hoc’ determinative.  The chair also explained the COLA for 2021 – 5.9% which is reflected in the hand out.

 

The chair passed out a one page summary of salaries and hourly wages for 2021 approved, 2022 requested and 2022 requested w/COLA.  The following departments were included in this review:  Executive (BOS, TA and Sec.), Election, Financial Administration (TC and deputy), Financial /Executive (Treasurer and others) Planning & Zoning, Town Buildings (Custodial),  Police, Library and Highway.

 

Those areas that do not have ancillary benefits (health, retirement) BOS, Financial Executive, Planning & Zoning, building custodial, Library.  (refer to sheet)

 

Line Items:           Approved              Changes              Requested              COLA adj.

  1. 102 TA 2021   $63,173   2021  $75,000(a) 2022  $75,000     2022  $79.425
  2. 103 Sec. 42,546                52,000                 52,000                 55,068
  3. 4150-101 40,000                 40,000                40,000                 42,360
  4. 4150-102 14,182                 14,182                15,000                 15,885
  5. 4210-108 85,696                 90,000(b)            92,700                 98,169
  6. 4210-101 66,102                 72,800                72,800                 77,095
  7. 4210-102(c) 60,000                 60,000                60,000                 63,540
  8. 4312-101                       61,547  (hourly  $29.59)
  9. 4312-101 42,619   (hourly $20.49)
  10. 4312-101 42,619  (hourly $20.49)
  11. 4312-101 39,520  (hourly $19,00)
  12. 4312-101 (Ass’t RA) 49,920  (hourly $23.20)

 

The above broken down by department:  (a) 1 and 2 Town Administrator, (b) 3 and 4 Town Clerk, (c) 5 through 7 Police, 8 through 12 Highway

(a)  Increase via BOS fiat effective 12-23-21.

(b) Increased via BOS fiat – date undetermined

  • Budgeted but no additional police officer hired

 

There was substantial discussion on COLA, parity and undefined raises.  There was also discussion on 4155-226 Salary Contingency which is much like a step grade and may be determined by the BOS at any time, and evidently, for any reason.  Such a step grade would include COLA.    The law requires complete information to be offered to the Budget Committee in order for the to make appropriate budget recommendations for the ensuing year.  There was further concern, for at town meeting R. Wright was quoted, R. DeFelice was quoted and G. Guertin was quoted as 2021 to be a difficult year, there would be no salary or hourly increases.  Unfortunately, this was not recorded in the minutes of the

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Town Meeting.  Pete Thompson expressed his concern regarding the salary, the car, the retirement plan and the health benefits afforded to police chief.  The chair responded that the budget committee may only consider the position and not the individual.  It is the BOS that can consider both the position and the individual.  He also pointed out that the Budget Committee looks to the future, but those projections are based upon the present and the past.

 

The library was further discussed – 101 Director  2021  $32,396    2022 request $35,360

102 Assistant 2021   10,007    2022 request $25,220

 

Currently, the highway department is down one employee and one employee currently not able to perform duties.  The full complement of the department is 6 including the Road Agent.  That said, the town roads were clear on Sunday morning.

 

The Budget Committee shall meet next week @ 6:00PM on February 7 @ the Fire Station to review Warrant Articles and review the rough draft of items for the annual budget hearing @ 7:00 PM on Thursday, February 10 @ the Town Hall.  The meeting was adjourned @ 8:00 PM.

 

Respectfully submitted

 

 

 

Robert W Wright Jr.

Scribe