February 13, 2017  |   

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

Budget Committee 
Meeting Minutes of February 13 , 2017 at 7:00 p.m.

Committee Members Present: John Silverberg, Chairperson; Andrew Palmer; Steven Hamilton;
Robert DeFelice; Richard Benson

Ex-Officio Present: Robert Wright, Jr.

Others Presents: Elly Phillips, Town Administrator; Walter Baker, Jr., Selectman; William Curless, Board of
Selectman; Valerie Crone, Police Officer; Linda Ford, Town Clerk; Cory Cochran, Fireman; Heidi Thoma,
Librarian; Jonathan Korbet, Police Chief; Charles Forsberg, Resident of Sutton; Donald K. Rowe, Fireman;
Stephen A. Bagley, Road Agent; Kathleen Gill, Supervisor of Checklist; Diego Solimine, Supervisor, Waste
Management; Jackie Bennett, Resident of Sutton; Alison Jones, Welfare Administrator; Dennis O’Connor,
Resident of Sutton

Approved 02/20/17
1.  Call to Order Public Hearing
Chairman Silverberg called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

2. Introduction
Chairman Silverberg introduced the Committee Members.

3. Discussion of Budget
Chairman Silverberg explained the major budget inputs:

-2% Cost of Living Adjustment wage increase
-Merit increases, decided by the Board of Selectman
-52-week pay period differential
-Inclusion of School Resource Officer
-Town Clerk Warrant Article not included in Budget (to be voted on at Town Meeting)
-Bridges assessment due to deterioration and replacement
-Library ADA Ramp Warrant Article

4. Opening Hearing to Public Comments
Questions from the Public:
-What’s the rationale for going from the Board of Selectman’s recommended COLA of 3% to 2%?
Answer: Cost of Living wage increase average throughout the New England area.
-What’s the purpose of the Land Use Coordinator? Is it a recovered cost?
Answer: Assist Planning and Zoning Boards, as well as maintain website and town mapping.
Unsure if it would be a recovered cost, as it is a salary.
-Why do we budget $500 for EX Mileage Reimbursement -Exec when we only spent $23 in 2016?
Answer: Nobody attended conferences in 2016. The mail has now been set up to drop off at the
front. The Town Administrator does not charge the town for nominal travel.
-Why didn’t Social Security get any increases this year?
Answer: It’s a nationwide problem.
-How was WE Welfare Direct Assistance calculated?
Answer: It was a best guess in order to come into compliance with the obligations that the Town
has to support its indigent population at times of need.
-Can we request financial statements from the different town societies?
Answer: We get an annual report to show how the money is spent for the Town Report.
-How did vehicle fuel consumption go down in 2016, yet the sand and snow was overbudget?
Answer: The sand and salt were stored in a separate facility, while the new sand shed was built.
And once it was built, the sand was then transferred into the new shed.
-How can we show our support for the WA Grist Mill Footbridge to be rebuilt?
Answer: Go to the Town Meeting and make a statement. Also, attend the Board of Selectman
Public Hearing on February 27th, 2017 at 7:00 p.m., where both the Library and the Grist Mill
Footbridge will be discussed.
-Was Hominy Pot Bridge paid for out of prior budgets?
Answer: Funds were encumbered, but there are 2 more payments left.
-Are there any monies encumbered for replacing other bridges?
Answer: No, only Hominy Pot Bridge.
-Why is WA Gravel Road Upgrade entitled “upgrade”?
Answer: The word “upgrade” should be omitted, as it’s just a replacement of displaced gravel.
-Will the Grist Mill Bridge have a childproof siding?
Answer: There’s no such thing as childproof siding, but it will be brought up to State Code.
-How does the Budget Committee’s inclusion of the School Resource Officer reflect what the School
Board has allocated?
Answer: School Board dropped their budget for an SRO down to $1 to keep the line item active,
but is confident that they will be able to find the funds, should the appropriate candidate be hired.
-Is the Budget Committee in agreement with the School Board on the total costs of an SRO?
Answer: The number is status quo from the previous year at about $65,000.
-Why must we pay so much for the PD Full Time Wages? Can’t the State Police fill in the gaps, so we
could cut the costs?
Answer: We have 3 highly experienced, highly qualified full-time officers that are available 24/7.
Equipment, insurance, and vehicles cost more and more each year. The State of New Hampshire
no longer contributes to Police Retirement Funds.
-What are the Police Officers’ retirement benefits?
Answer: It is a benefit formula, dependent on the amount of time served as an Officer.
-Why is health insurance so high?
Answer: The Board of Selectman and the Budget Committee unanimously felt it important to
provide a quality healthcare plan to their employees, as well as their dependents and spouses.
-Why do we need an Warrant Article for WA VFD -Equipment Sale Proceeds?
Answer: It’s a legal requirement in order for the Town to return the funds to the VFD.
-Why do we need a cardboard compactor?
Answer: While the compacting may not be as substantial as with the plastic compactor, it still
does a good job at reducing the amount of truckloads needed to recycle the cardboard.
-Are we decommissioning the lagoon?
Answer: Not currently, but we are putting aside funds for the time that that should be required.
-What are we testing in the water?
Answer: Seepage, as is State-mandated.
-What is the estimated tax rate?
Answer: 6.786%.
-What is the interest on investments?
Answer: It’s the interest that’s calculated on the checking account that has resident taxes
deposited into it.

5. Close Hearing to Deliberative Session
Chairman Silverberg closed the public hearing at 8:39 p.m.

Ex-Officio Wright suggested a meeting on Monday, February 20th, 2017, at 6:00 p.m. for the sole
purpose of approving the Minutes of tonight’s public hearing.

MOTION: Ex-Officio Wright moved to approve the Minutes of January 30th, 2017. It was seconded
by Committee Member DeFelice. The motion carried. (6-0)

Much discussion was had regarding the public’s request to recommend 3% COLA, rather than 2%. It’s
concluded that the Residents have the final decision at Town Meeting.

MOTION: Ex-Officio Wright moved to recommend 3% COLA. It was seconded by
Committee Member DeFelice. The motion failed. (2-4)

The Committee went over the Town Warrant and made the following motions:

MOTION: Ex-Officio Wright moved to recommend Article 4 of the Town Warrant. It was seconded
by Committee Member Benson. The motion carried. (6-0)

MOTION: Committee Member Hamilton moved to recommend Article 7 of the Town Warrant. It
was seconded by Committee Member DeFelice. The motion carried. (6-0)

MOTION: Committee Member Benson moved to recommend Article 8 of the Town Warrant. It was
seconded by Committee Member Palmer. The motion carried. (5-1). Committee Member DeFelice
voted nay.

MOTION: Ex-Officio Wright moved to recommend Article 13 of the Town Warrant. It was seconded
by Committee Member Benson. The motion carried. (6-0)
MOTION: Committee Member Palmer moved to recommend Article 16 of the Town Warrant. It
was seconded by Committee Member DeFelice. The motion failed. (0-6)
MOTION: Committee Member Benson moved to recommend Article 17 of the Town Warrant. It
was seconded by Committee Member Palmer. The motion failed. (1-3-2).
Committee Member DeFelice voted aye; and Committee Member Palmer and Ex-Officio Wright
abstained from voting.
The MS-737 was signed.

6. Final Comments
Ex-Officio Wright commended Chairman Silverberg on his outstanding job as Chair of the Budget
Committee.

7. Adjournment
MOTION: Committee Member Benson moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:44 p.m. It was seconded
by Committee Member DeFelice. The motion carried. (6-0)
Respectfully Submitted,

Victoria O’Connor, Recording Secretary