Joint Meeting with the Select Board
Present: Jen Richardson (chair), Kimberly Firth (vice chair), Justin Dohrn, Tim McKenna, Laurie Colburn (via ZOOM), Beth Downs (Select Board Rep)
Also attending: Mel Pfeifle, Select Board; Marlene Freyler, Select Board; Karen Hambleton, Town Administrator; Kathleen Bigford, Recording Secretary, Fire Chief Bryan Nowell, Police Chief Ed Shaughnessy, Road Agent Steve Hall, Devin Pendleton for Brown Memorial Library, Parks and Recreation and Patriotic Purposes
Meeting called to order at 6:05 pm
Review minutes from November 30th meeting:
Motion: Beth Downs moved that the minutes of the November 30, 2023 meeting be approved as written.
Second: Kim Firth
Decision: All in favor 6-0
Review and Vote on Department Budgets
Review Library Budget with Devin Pendleton: Will be taken up when Devin arrives.
Update from Select Board. Beth Downs spoke for the Select Board reporting that the Board has voted for an increase of 3% overall for Town employees. She noted the differences on the spreadsheets between Department budget requests and Select Board decisions. There was a discussion of the overall and specific changes in department budgets. Laurie asked if the departments had been advised of the Select Board changes. Mel answered, no, departments had not seen the changes. She stated that the Select Board is looking at this budget as a draft and that departments will have further input. Kim asked about voting on specific and overall items. Consensus was that the rational for budget line items will be discussed and then the Budget Committee will vote on overall departmental amounts.
Other Department Updates
Police Chief Ed Shaughnessy and Fire Chief Bryan Nowell answered questions about part time wages. Chief Shaughnessy said he would be comfortable with overtime wages funded at the 2022 level in the amount of $18,303, and as in 2022, he will work to utilize full-time officers as much as possible.
Fire Department: Chief Nowell spoke to vehicle maintenance and repair. The request of $15,000 will help keep old vehicles maintained. Bryan would be okay with $12,000. Discussion of building repair and equipment purchases: Select Board suggestions of $4,000 and $3,000 respectively, were agreed upon. Bryan reported that in 2023 he has acquired about $101,000 in tax-free grant funds. Chief Nowell answered in detail members’ questions about specific rescue squad and rescue contract services (ambulance) items.
Highway Department: Steve Hall answered questions about overtime wages saying that the $23,000 recommended by the Select Board could be safe. Contracted services include sweeping, side of the road clearing and striping. Select Board has recommended an amount of $27,500. Equipment rented is based on the types of equipment needed to prepare for the paving to be done and to repair specific culverts.
Solid Waste Collection: Repairs and maintenance of equipment. Discussion of the use and maintenance of a tractor.
Brown Memorial Library: Devin Pendleton appeared to answer questions. Kim asked about investments. Devin reported that the Library has an investment account with Charles Swabb in the amount of $50,000. In answer to the question about withdrawals from the account, Devin reported that there would be no penalties for withdrawals. There was a discussion of the difference between the actual 2023 expenses totaling $80,400 and the 2024 budget request total of $97,070. Devin answered that donations and fundraised funds had been used to cover expenses. Fundraised funds are now at $0. Various total amounts were discussed with the Budget Committee landing on a total 2024 budget of $90,000.
Voting on Department Budgets
Brown Memorial Library
Motion: Laurie Colburn moved to approve a total of $90,000 for the 2024 Brown Memorial Library budget.
Second: Kim Firth
Decision: 5-1, Yays: Laurie, Justin, Kim, Tim, Jen. Nay: Beth
Bradford Police Department: Chief Shaughnessy spoke to the overtime line item; the request is $24,500; the Select Board is recommending the 2023 amount of $18,303. The Chief is using that line as little as possible. He balances the use of part-time and full-time officers as much as possible. He stated that Bradford has asked for and is receiving 24/7 coverage. Kim asked if this was mandated. The Chief replied that 24/7 coverage has been voted by the Town with their budget approval. The Chief said he would be willing to make $18,303 work. Other line item increases and decreases were discussed and agreed upon.
Motion: Laurie Colburn moved to approve $627,271 for the 2024 Bradford Police Department budget.
Second: Justin Dohrn
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Parks and Recreation: Devin commented that the overall 2023 expenses would be finishing within budget.
Motion: Beth Downs moved to approve $21,509 for the 2024 Parks and Recreation budget.
Second: Justin Dohrn
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Patriotic Purposes: Consensus of the Budget Committee is to reduce fireworks from $15,000 to 10,000 with $5,000 to be raised from private donations.
Motion: Laurie Colburn moved to approve $15,000 for the 2024 Patriotic Purposes budget.
Second: Justin Dohrn
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
A question from the audience about $15,000 budgeted for Town Hall furniture led to a discussion about Town Hall expenses and what is needed for a certificate of occupancy. Jen Richardson brought the meeting back to the agenda saying that this discussion could be an agenda item for the next meeting.
Fire Department: Committee members discussed and agreed upon appropriating $32,000 for part-time wages, $10,000 for vehicle repair and maintenance using expendable trust fund money to make up overages, and $4,000 and $3,000 respectively for building repair and equipment purchases.
Motion: Kim Firth moved to approve $160,740 for the 2024 Bradford Fire Department budget.
Second: Justin Dohrn
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Rescue Squad: Committee members discussed and agreed upon appropriating $3,000 for continuing education, $1,000 for supplies, and $1,000 for new equipment.
Motion: Justin Dohrn moved to approve $9,150 for the 2024 Bradford Rescue Squad budget.
Second: Beth Downs
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Rescue-Contract Services: Committee members agreed upon appropriating a total of $95,000 for contract services with Henniker (ambulance).
Motion: Justin Dohrn moved to approve $95,000 for the 2024 Bradford Rescue-Contract Services budget.
Second: Beth Downs
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Highway Department: Committee members agreed to $23,000 for overtime pay, $500 for conferences and seminars, general contract services at $25,000 and equipment rental at $17,500.
Motion: Justin Dohrn moved to approve $700,845 for the 2024 Bradford Highway Department budget.
Second: Beth Downs
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Executive
Motion: Kim Firth moved to approve $237,511 for the 2024 Executive budget.
Second: Justin Dohrn
Decision: 6-0, all on favor
Election, Registration, and Vital Statistics
Motion: Justin Dohrn moved to approve $11,050 for the 2024 Election, Registration and Vital Statistics budget.
Second: Kim Firth
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Financial Administration: Karen reported that the Deputy Town Clerk/Deputy Tax Collector wage line item had been reduced to $8,000 due to the resignation of the Deputy TC/TC.
Motion: Kim Firth moved to approve $95,450 for the 2024 Financial Administration budget.
Second: Justin Dohrn
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Revaluation of Property
Motion: Beth Down moved to approve $39,800 for the 2024 Revaluation of Property budget.
Second: Justin Dohrn
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Legal
Motion: Justin Dohrn moved to approve $26,000 for the 2024 Legal budget.
Second: Beth Dorhn
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Health Insurance
Motion: Justin Dorhn moved to approve $1 for the 2024 Health Insurance budget.
Second: Kim Firth
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Planning and Zoning
Motion: Beth Downs moved to approve $13,349 for the 2024 Planning and Zoning budget.
Second: Justin Dohrn
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
General Government Buildings
Motion: Justin Dohrn moved to approve $157,750 for the 2024 General Government Buildings budget.
Second: Beth Dohrn
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Cemetery
Motion: Justin Dohrn moved to approve $25,700 for the 2024 Cemetery budget.
Second: Beth Downs
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Insurances
Motion: Beth Downs moved to approve $103,951 for the 2024 Insurances budget.
Second: Kim Firth
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Other General Government
Motion: Beth Downs moved to approve $8,750 for the 2024 Other General Government budget.
Second: Justin Dohrn
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Building Department/Code Enforcement
Motion: Justin Dohrn moved to approve $24,000 for the 2024 Building Department/Code Enforcement.
Second: Beth Downs
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Emergency Management
Motion: Kim Firth moved to approve $1 for the 2024 Emergency Management budget.
Second: Justin Dohrn
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Bridges (place holder)
Motion: Justin Dohrn moved to approve $1 for the 2024 Bridges budget.
Second: Kim Firth
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Street Lighting
Motion: Beth Downs moved to approve $2,000 for the 2024 Street Lighting budget.
Second: Justin Dohrn
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Solid Waste Collection
Motion: Beth Downs moved to approve $99,991 for the 2024 Solid Waste Collection budget.
Second: Justin Dohrn
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Solid Waste Disposal
Motion: Beth Downs moved to approve $26,200 for the 2024 solid waste disposal budget.
Second: Justin Dorhn
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Inoculations (place holder)
Motion: Justin Dohrn moved to approve $1 for the 2024 inoculations budget.
Second: Kim Firth
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Welfare
Motion: Beth Downs moved to approve $7,468 for the 2024 Welfare budget.
Second: Justin Dohrn
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Welfare Payments
Motion: Beth Downs moved to approve $30,270 for the 2024 Welfare Payments budget.
Second: Justin Dohrn
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Community Center: The Committee tabled this item needing more information about line items.
Conservation
Motion: Beth Downs moved to approve $1,000 for the 2024 Conservation budget.
Second: Kim Firth
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Long Term Notes
Motion: Justin Dohrn moved to approve $209,000 for the 2024 Long Term Notes budget.
Second: Kim Firth
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Interest on TAN notes
Motion: Justin Dorhn moved to approve $1,500 for the 2024 interest on TAN Notes budget.
Second: Kim Firth
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Town Report: Karen will send Jen the 2022 Budget Committee report.
Next meeting, January 11, 2024: Agenda items: Town Hall update, Masonic Building, Community Center generator update to determine the overall community center budget, warrant articles, and Kim would like to include a discussion of the budget presentation at the Town Meeting.
Adjourn Meeting
Motion: Justin Dohrn moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:58 pm
Second: Kim Firth
Decision: 6-0, all in favor
Respectfully submitted, Kathleen Bigford, Recording Secretary