November 23, 2021  |   

SUTTON BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING  MINUTES   11-23-21

 

The chair, Robert DeFelice,opened the meeting @ 6:15 PM.  Present were Pete Thompson, John Mock, Gail Guertin, Samantha Gordon, and Mark Peerson.  Our BOS liaison, Walter Baker, arrived at 6:21 PM.

 

It was moved by Thompson, 2nd by Peterson to accept the minutes of 11-16-21.  Subject to the correction that the Sutton Rescue Squad budget of $6,500 had not changed and that the figure did not represent the budget of the Sutton Volunteer Fire Department, the minutes were accepted without dissent.  In addition, the budget committee minutes are now on line.

 

Vice Chair, Guertin did attend the earlier BOS meeting and participated in the budgetary discussions.  The BO was interviewing the library personnel and trustees.  The library personnel will review their 2022 budget with the budget committee next week 11-29-21.

 

@ 6:15 PM, Wendy Grimes of the Sutton Rescue Squad sat down with the committee and presented the 2022 budget.  At that time the following information was passed out:

  1. 4 year budget history and expenditures of the Sutton Rescue Squad.
  2. 2021 actual Rescue Squad expenditures.

 

Ms. Grimes outlined the more salient parts of the Rescue Squad’s budget and activities:

  1. The 2022 budget is unchanged from 2021.
  2. There were not many COVID calls, but there were more trauma calls (youth accidents) as a result of no school brought on by the pandemic.
  3. Rescue Squad did receive personal protective equipment (PPE) from the federal government.
  4. Rescue Squad receives donations from individuals.
  5. All calls required face masks, gloves and eye protection.
  6. CR fund 102 value 2021 is $33,000. $10,000 is to be deposited into this fund in 2022.  There is a ‘soft cap’ of $40,000; the actual value of the fund (if not used) will be $43,000; hence no planned CR contribution in 2023.
  7. The budget committee thanked Ms. Grimes for a clear, concise and professional report.

 

Selectman Baker offered a brief BOS update:  Library cost will increase 2022 for heating and electricity.  Further information is needed regarding hours.  While the library controls their own budget, the DRA and accounting protocols require specific information in regard to hours, outside income and distribution..  The chair will elicit such information:  budget expenses, donation income received and tax revenue required.

 

Fire Chief, Cory Cochran and Assistant, Aaron Flewelling presented the budget for the Sutton Volunteer Fire Department.  The committee was aided by the chair passing out a four year history of fire department budget and expenses.  The minutes highlight the changes from 2021 through 2022.

  1. 341 Telephone   Request  2021  $2,000     2022  $2,275  Spent  2020  $2,031   2021  $2,076
  2. 342 911          Request 2021  $1,000    2022  $1,500   Spent 2020  $1,479   2021  $1,462
  3. 411 Heating Fuel Request 2021 $6,000  2022  $6,000  Spent 2020 $3,151  2021 $3,818
  4. 660 Vehicle Request  2021  $7,100   2022  $8.500  Spent  2020 $7,434   2021  $10,072
  5. 430 Building Maintenance Request 2021  $4,200   2022  $5,000  Spent 2020  $2,620  2021 $5.559.*
  6. 410 electricity Request 2021  $4,250  2022  $3,500  Spent 2020  $3,430  2021  $2,192.
  7. 636 Equipment Fuel Request 2021  $3,175   2022  $2,350  Spent 2020 $56  2021  $0
  8. 2

 

  1. The town has a dedicated CR for emergency expenses, but it excludes building planned maintenance.

 

The volunteer fire department has three Capital Reserves (CR’s)

  1. 984 Forest Fire Equipment, the value is $6,313 as of 11-11-21 and $250 is contributed each year.
  2. 985 Tanker/Engine. In 2021 a tanker has been purchased and that process, purchase, delivery and use, is partially complete.  The 2021 ending CR for this account is $51,523, in 2022  a total of $65,000 ($15 Tanker and $55,000 Engine) will be deposited into this CR in 2022.
  3. 992 Fire/Safety Building  (Safety building will include both the fire department and the rescue squad.  The police department may or may not be included.)  There has been no recent contributions to this CR.  The value of the CR as of 11-11-21 $631,094.  There was discussion on time line.  A new building is needed; a bond will be required.  Should the length of the bond be 10, 15 or 20years.  How much money can be raised via CR over the next four or five years? If $100,000 is place in this CR, then the value of that CR is in excess of $!,000,000 or 1/3 of the projected cost of a new building.  It was determined that the only way to proceed is with  bond issue:  bond interest rates are 2% to 2.5% and the interest generated in savings is .3%, or an annual return of $3 for every $1,000 invested.  There was further discussion on the building placement.  The exact same lot appeared to be the best choice.  There are concerns with area, wetlands and building/safety codes.

 

Some of the topics raised by some budget committee members strayed outside the budgetary purview.  The chair reminded the members that they were elected as budget committee members and that their purview is limited to the budget itself.  If there were concerns that were outside this purview, then any member may sit down with the BOS and offer their concerns.  This cannot be done at a budget committee meeting, but only at a regular BOS meeting.  Any member may obtain an appointment with the BOS by contacting the Town Administrator, Ms. Phillips and getting a time (4:30 – 6:00 PM) and day (Monday) for an appointment.

 

The next meeting of the Sutton Budget Committee will be at the North Sutton Fire Station @ 6:00 PM on Monday, 11-29-21 when the Sutton Library budget will be reviewed.  @ 7:41 it was moved by Guertin and 2nd by Thompson to adjourn the meeting; approved w/o dissent.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Robert W Wright Jr.

Scribe