Meeting was called to order at 6:30pm
Members – Laurie Colburn (Chair), Justin Dohrn, Jen Richardson, Tim McKenna (6:45), Kim Firth, Beth Downs (Select Board Rep) and Karen Hambleton, Town Administrator were in attendance
The Committee signed an appointment to have Kimberly Firth join the Budget Committee. Erica Gross swore Kim in and the appointment was official.
Minutes from September 15th were not available and this agenda item was tabled.
The Committee did an initial review of the 2023 budget. Salaries and employee expenses were not yet available and no budget had been submitted by the Cemetery, Welfare or Parks & Recreation departments. Karen will update the worksheet to assume a 2% increase on salaries (pending any decision the Select Board may make on November 14th, 2022) and add the missing department budgets in an amount flat to 2022. Karen is seeking alternative quotes for insurance and will calculate employee expenses as known today.
Discussion ensued regarding employee and benefit related costs and what options were being reviewed. Also discussed was the 2022 invoice from Henniker Rescue and the increases to gasoline prices.
Committee members will share documentation from prior years with Kim to help provide some background.
Karen will share the detail provided by the Library.
Beth provided some feedback on some of the key areas of concern given increasing economic pressures. Welfare, continuing accessibility to services such as senior programs and Library services, fuel and heating costs. The Committee discussed what possibilities could be explored to maintain key services while offsetting increasing costs.
The Budget Committee has been invited to the Planning Board meeting on November 22nd, 2022 to review the Capital Improvement Program.
Department reviews have been scheduled as follows:
- November 17th, 2023 – Police, Town Clerk/Tax Collector, Highway
- December 8th, 2023 – Library, Parks & Rec, Transfer Station, Fire Department
- TBD – Energy Committee, Select Board
Laurie will follow up with departments to outline the expectations for department meetings.
Future Business:
The next meeting will be held November 17th, 2022
Motion: Beth Downs motioned to adjourn at 8:03pm
Second: Jen Richardson
Decision: 6-0