DUBLIN BUDGET COMMITTEE
Minutes – January 24, 2006 Meeting
Present: Nancy Campbell, Charles Champagne, Tracey McTague, Rich Scheinblum - chairman, Mike Walker – selectmen’s representative,
Absent: Judy Knapp and Ken Woods
Also Present: Selectmen, Joe Cavanaugh and Anne Anable, Henry Campbell (at 9 p.m.)
Meeting was called to order by Rich Scheinblum at 7:10 p.m. The January 22, 2006 minutes were accepted as written. Rich reported that he was still trying to find out from Hollis about their bedrock study. Rich also reviewed the email from Ed Germain about the Greenways Map. Is the map contingent on the Innovative Land Use ordinance passing at Town Meeting? Rich will contact Ed about this concern. Nancy Campbell announced the Women’s Club Pre-Town meeting-March 7, 2006 (snow date-March 8) at 7pm for refreshments, meeting at 7:30pm.
Rich requested that each member pick 4-5 budget items that are of the biggest concern to them and be prepared to review these items at the next meeting. Rich’s concerns were the following:
Bedrock study
Capital Reserve
Building Inspection/Health Officer
Overtime in the Highway Department
10-wheel dump truck
Tracey concurred with Rich’s list and added the smaller items with a 0% increase need to be reviewed.
Charlie’s concerns were the Bedrock study, benefit issues for future years, legal expenses and highway equipment.
Nancy concurred with Rich and Tracey’s concerns.
Mike concurred with all the items mentioned by the rest of the Committee members.
The Committee continued reviewing the budget line by line.
General Government Buildings (4194.1-110-810) - Budget accepted as requested.
Cemetery (4195.1-110-812) - Question about privatizing the maintenance. Mike reported this had been tried years ago and didn’t work out well. This budget will likely increase in the future because of the need for more space. Budget accepted as requested.
Property/Liability Insurance (4196.1-480) - Budget accepted as requested.
Regional Associations (4197.4-810) - Budget accepted as requested.
Other General Government:
Computer (4199.1-342) - $4,500 is the correct figure.
Motion to reduce by $50 each of the following lines: Training (4199.1-290), Conferences (4199.1-291), Advertising (4199.1-392) and Miscellaneous (4199.1-395); motion seconded and passed.
Motion to reduce by $42 Archival Supplies (4199.1-610); motion seconded and passed.
Motion to reduce by $75 Office Supplies (4199.1-620); motion seconded and passed.
The rest of the Other General Government lines remain as requested.
Police Department:
Motion to accept Selectmen’s reduction of $877 in Uniforms line (4210.1-291) - motion seconded and passed. The vests and tactical flashlights are still included in this line.
Motion to accept Selectmen’s reduction of $600 in Cruiser Repair/Maintenance line (4210.1-760); motion seconded and passed.
Computer (4210.1-765)- This line needs to stay at $1,500 for software support. The original request was for a computer upgrade-no police officer is without a computer and there is no safety issue without one.
Special Detail (4210.1-190) – Need to make sure the revenue line matches the expense line.
Motion to reduce by $165 Office Supplies (4120.1-610); motion seconded and passed.
Gasoline (4120.1-635) – Is $9,500 a realistic figure when $6,590 was spent in 2005? This line needs to be reviewed again.
The rest of the Police Department lines remain as requested.
Fire Department:
Motion to reduce by $1,500, Fire Training (4220.1-291); motion seconded and passed.
Motion to reduce by $1,000, Medical & Physical Exams (4220.2-292); motion seconded and passed.
The rest of the Fire Department lines remain as requested.
There was considerable discussion about the Code Enforcement and Health Officer positions and the need for increased hours. The Committee asked about building cycles and the need for the same number of hours during the winter months; could a secretary help with the paperwork involved in the position; the number of new dwellings in 2005 and proposed for 2006 (could be as few as 29 or as many as 109); is the set-up of the Code Enforcement job complete or still on-going (about 80-85% complete). The Selectmen feel there is enough building to increase the hours in both the Code Enforcement and Health Departments (there has been no decline in additions). There was also discussion on the income from these two departments (income appears to be less in 2005 than 2004). These two departments remain on the agenda for
further discussion.
Emergency Management:
Equipment (4290.1-430) – Do we need a new, state-of-the art laptop computer or could the old IBM laptop do the job? Mike will check with Tom Vanderbilt about this. This department budget remains on the agenda.
Highway Department:
Uniforms (4312.1-615) – Tracey asked if we had ever found out the answer about other suppliers. The company we contract with is the only supplier of uniforms for 5 days a week. Mike will ask Brian to be sure. This line item remains on the agenda.
Overtime (4132.1-140) – Why is overtime 40% higher than 2005 with an additional employee? Mike will find out. This line item remains on the agenda.
Oiling Projects (4132.1-810) - $60,000 because of all the water we had had this winter. The town will have to seal cracks if entire roads can’t be done. Motion to accept this line; seconded and passed.
Road Construction (4132.1-910) – $100,000 is needed for this line because of all the water we have had (large ruts on the dirt roads). Nancy questioned the need to spend $10,000 to fix the dirt section on Cobb Meadow Road when it services no houses. Motion to reduce this line by $10,000; seconded and failed 3-2. Motion to accept the $100,000 figure; seconded and passed.
Diesel (4132.9-630) Bill will supply the Committee with figures for gallons used in 2005 for heating oil and fuel. This line item remains on the agenda.
The rest of the Highway Department lines remain the same as requested.
Street Lighting (4316.3-810) - Budget accepted as requested.
Solid Waste:
Motion to accept Selectmen’s reduction of $600 in Equipment maintenance (4324.1-430); motion seconded and passed.
Metal Removal (4324.1-811) - Could this line be reduced because the line has been historically under spent and commodity prices are up? Tom Kennedy will be asked to provide a figure for this line. The Committee recommends $800 instead of $1,500.
Motion to reduce by $400, Solid Waste s/c Service (4324.4-910); motion seconded and passed.
Charlie asked about privatizing the Landfill operations. This has never been investigated. The rest of the Solid Waste lines remain the same as requested.
Animal Control (4414.1-110-810) - Budget accepted as requested.
Monadnock Family Services (4415.2-810) – Motion to fund this line at $1,885; seconded and passed.
Welfare:
Community Kitchen (4441.2-814) - Motion to fund this line at $350; seconded and passed.
Southwestern Community Service (4441.2-816) - Motion to fund this line at $726; seconded and passed.
The rest of the Welfare lines remain as requested.
Motion to reduce the Parks and Recreation (4520.1-810-899) budget by the 5% that was submitted to us; no second to motion; motion failed. Motion to fund the budget as requested; motion seconded and passed 3-1, with 1 abstention.
Summer Playground:
Director (4521.2-110) – Motion to fund this line at $5,000; seconded. In 2006 the Director will have total control of the program, whereas in 2005 the job was shared with another person. Motion voted; 3 yes; 2 abstentions.
The rest of the Summer Playground lines remain as requested.
Library - Budget accepted as requested.
Memorial Day Expenses (4583.1-810) - Budget accepted as requested.
Advocate (4589.1-101) - Budget accepted as requested.
Conservation Commission:
Motion to reduce the Transfer to Savings (4611.9-899) line to $1; seconded and passed. The Conservation budget has been historically under spent and any surplus in this budget at the end of the year goes into the Conservation savings account.
The rest of the Conservation Commission lines remain the same as requested.
Next meeting will be January 26, 2006 at 5 pm at Town Hall (This meeting was subsequently cancelled). Meeting adjourned at 10:05 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Nancy E. Campbell, Co-Secretary
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